towards the lake, and down
the south slope. When they arrived exactly opposite the centre of the
mansion, they halted.

It was a magnificent picture of the English country-house. The whole of
the severe regular front, with its columns and cornices, was built of a
white smoothly-faced freestone, which appeared in the rays of the moon
as pure as Pentelic marble. The sole objects in the scene rivalling the
fairness of the facade were a dozen swans floating upon the lake.

At this moment the central door at the top of the steps was opened, and
two figures advanced into the light. Two contrasting figures were they.
A young lithe woman in an airy fairy dress--Cytherea Springrove: a young
man in black stereotype raiment--Edward, her husband.

They stood at the top of the steps together, looking at the moon, the
water, and the general loveliness of the prospect.

'That's the married man and wife--there, I've illustrated my story by
rale liven specimens,' the clerk whispered.

'To be sure, how close together they do stand! You couldn' slip a
penny-piece between 'em--that you couldn'! Beautiful to see it, isn't
it--beautiful!... But this is a private path, and we won't let 'em see
us, as all the ringers be goen there to a supper and dance to-morrow
night.'

The speaker and his companion softly moved on, passed through the
wicket, and into the coach-road. Arrived at the clerk's house at the
further boundary of the park, they paused to part.

'Now for your half o' the bargain,' said Clerk Crickett. 'What's your
line o' life, and what d'ye come here for?'

'I'm the reporter to the Casterbridge Chronicle, and I come to pick up
the news. Good-night.'

Meanwhile Edward and Cytherea, after lingering on the steps for several
minutes, slowly descended the slope to the lake. The skiff was lying
alongside.

'O, Edward,' said Cytherea, 'you must do something that has just come
into my head!'

'Well, dearest--I know.'

'Yes--give me one half-minute's row on the lake here now, just as you
did on Budmouth Bay three years ago.'

He handed her into the boat, and almost noiselessly pulled off from
shore. When they were half-way between the two margins of the lake, he
paused and looked at her.

'Ah, darling, I remember exactly how I kissed you that first time,' said
Springrove. 'You were there as you are now. I unshipped the sculls in
this way. Then I turned round and sat beside you--in this way. Then I
put my hand on the other