The Woman Who DidMrs. Dewsbury's lawn was held by those who knew it the loveliest in Surrey. The smooth and springy sward that stretched in front of the house was all composed of a tiny yellow clover. It gave beneath the foot like the pile on velvet. One's gaze looked forth from it upon the endless middle distances of the oak-clad Weald, with the uncertain blue line of the South Downs in the background. Ridge behind ridge, the long, low hills of paludina limestone stood out in successive tiers, each thrown up against its neighbor by the misty haze that broods eternally over the wooded valley; till, roaming across them all, the eye rested at last on the rearing scarp of Chanctonbury Ring, faintly pencilled on the furthest skyline. Shadowy phantoms of dim heights framed the verge to east and west. Alan Merrick drank it in with profound satisfaction. After those sharp and clear-cut Italian outlines, hard as lapis lazuli, the mysterious vagueness, the pregnant suggestiveness, of our English scenery strikes the imagination; and Alan was fresh home from an early summer tour among the Peruginesque solidities of the Umbrian Apennines. "How beautiful it all is, after all," he said, turning to his entertainer. "In Italy 'tis the background the painter dwells upon; in England, we look rather at the middle distance." |
Contents
5 | |
7 | |
17 | |
Chapter III | 23 |
Chapter IV | 39 |
Chapter V | 45 |
Chapter VI | 54 |
Chapter VII | 61 |
Chapter XIII | 106 |
Chapter XIV | 114 |
Chapter XV | 119 |
Chapter XVI | 127 |
Chapter XVII | 134 |
Chapter XVIII | 140 |
Chapter XIX | 148 |
Chapter XX | 156 |
Chapter VIII | 69 |
Chapter IX | 76 |
Chapter X | 84 |
Chapter XI | 91 |
Chapter XII | 98 |
Chapter XXI | 160 |
Chapter XXII | 166 |
Chapter XXIII | 171 |
Chapter XXIV | 173 |
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Common terms and phrases
admired Alan answered Alan Merrick Alan's Apennines asked baby beautiful Belgravia blushing Bower Lane child Compsons cottage cried darling daughter Dean dear delicate Dewsbury Dolly answered Dolly's Dolores earnest Etruscan eyes face father feel felt Florence Fra Angelico freedom friends gazed George Eliot girl Girton half hand hard Harley Street Harvey Kynaston hateful heart Herminia answered Herminia Barton Herminia Barton's hesitated Holmwood human ideas instinct Italian Italy kiss knew lady Leith Hill lips live London looked man's marriage marry martyrdom mind Miss Barton Miss Smith-Waters moral morning mother nature never once paused Perugia poor principles pure rose sake seemed shame shrinking Sir Anthony slavery smile social society soul street sure sweet sympathize talked tell things thought truth turned Umbrian voice Walter Brydges wish woman women words wrong young