on of doing or saying things without a
purpose. I did not answer, so he continued,--'Make up your mind, and go
off and see what this farmer-minister is like, and come back and tell
me--I should like to hear.'

I was so in the habit of yielding to his authority, or influence, that
I never thought of resisting, but went on my errand, though I remember
feeling as if I would rather have had my head cut off. The landlord,
who had evidently taken an interest in the event of our discussion in a
way that country landlords have, accompanied me to the house-door, and
gave me repeated directions, as if I was likely to miss my way in two
hundred yards. But I listened to him, for I was glad of the delay, to
screw up my courage for the effort of facing unknown people and
introducing myself. I went along the lane, I recollect, switching at
all the taller roadside weeds, till, after a turn or two, I found
myself close in front of the Hope Farm. There was a garden between the
house and the shady, grassy lane; I afterwards found that this garden
was called the court; perhaps because there was a low wall round it,
with an iron railing on the top of the wall, and two great gates
between pillars crowned with stone balls for a state entrance to the
flagged path leading up to the front door. It was not the habit of the
place to go in either by these great gates or by the front door; the
gates, indeed, were locked, as I found, though the door stood wide
open. I had to go round by a side-path lightly worn on a broad grassy
way, which led past the court-wall, past a horse-mount, half covered
with stone-crop and the little wild yellow fumitory, to another
door--'the curate', as I found it was termed by the master of the
house, while the front door, 'handsome and all for show', was termed
the 'rector'. I knocked with my hand upon the 'curate' door; a tall
girl, about my own age, as I thought, came and opened it, and stood
there silent, waiting to know my errand. I see her now--cousin Phillis.
The westering sun shone full upon her, and made a slanting stream of
light into the room within. She was dressed in dark blue cotton of some
kind; up to her throat, down to her wrists, with a little frill of the
same wherever it touched her white skin. And such a white skin as it
was! I have never seen the like. She had light hair, nearer yellow than
any other colour. She looked me steadily in the face with large, quiet
eyes, wondering, but untroubled by the