ld sunny morning--rather soft under
foot; for the last fall of snow was only just wasted away, leaving yet a
thin ridge, here and there, lingering on the fresh green grass beneath
the hedges; but beside them already, the young primroses were peeping
from among their moist, dark foliage, and the lark above was singing of
summer, and hope, and love, and every heavenly thing--I was out on the
hill-side, enjoying these delights, and looking after the well-being of
my young lambs and their mothers, when, on glancing round me, I beheld
three persons ascending from the vale below. They were Eliza Millward,
Fergus, and Rose; so I crossed the field to meet them; and, being told
they were going to Wildfell Hall, I declared myself willing to go with
them, and offering my arm to Eliza, who readily accepted it in lieu of my
brother's, told the latter he might go back, for I would accompany the
ladies.

'I beg your pardon!' exclaimed he. 'It's the ladies that are
accompanying me, not I them. You had all had a peep at this wonderful
stranger but me, and I could endure my wretched ignorance no longer--come
what would, I must be satisfied; so I begged Rose to go with me to the
Hall, and introduce me to her at once. She swore she would not, unless
Miss Eliza would go too; so I ran to the vicarage and fetched her; and
we've come hooked all the way, as fond as a pair of lovers--and now
you've taken her from me; and you want to deprive me of my walk and my
visit besides. Go back to your fields and your cattle, you lubberly
fellow; you're not fit to associate with ladies and gentlemen like us,
that have nothing to do but to run snooking about to our neighbours'
houses, peeping into their private corners, and scenting out their
secrets, and picking holes in their coats, when we don't find them ready
made to our hands--you don't understand such refined sources of
enjoyment.'

'Can't you both go?' suggested Eliza, disregarding the latter half of the
speech.

'Yes, both, to be sure!' cried Rose; 'the more the merrier--and I'm sure
we shall want all the cheerfulness we can carry with us to that great,
dark, gloomy room, with its narrow latticed windows, and its dismal old
furniture--unless she shows us into her studio again.'

So we went all in a body; and the meagre old maid-servant, that opened
the door, ushered us into an apartment such as Rose had described to me
as the scene of her first introduction to Mrs. Graham, a tolerably
spa