and of various other matters; to
all which still she answered in as few words as possible. She could not
be fluent, with that sense of strangeness upon her; conscious not only
that one of her hands was again in Mr. Rhys's hold, but that his eyes
were never off her face. He desisted at last from questions, and they
both sat silent; until the headland was rounded, and "There is Vuliva!"
came from Mr. Rhys's lips.

In a little bay curve of the river, behind the promontory, lay the
village; looking pretty and foreign enough. But very pretty it was. The
odd, or rather the strange-looking houses, sitting apart from each
other, some large and some small, intermingled gracefully with trees
whose shape and leafage were as new, made a sweet picture. One house in
particular as they neared the shore struck Eleanor; it had a neat
colonnade of slender pillars in front, and a high roof, almost like a
Mansard in form, but thatched with native thatch. A very neat paling
fence stretched along in front of this. Very near it, a little further
off, rose another building that made Eleanor almost give a start of
joy; so homelike and pleasant it looked, as well as surprising. This
was an exceeding pretty chapel; again with a high thatched roof, and
also with a neat slight bell-tower rising from one end. In front two
doors at each side were separated by a large and not inelegant window;
other windows and doors down the side of the building promised light
and airiness; and the walls were wrought into a curious pattern;
reminding Eleanor of the fanciful brick work of a past style of
architecture. Near the shore and back behind the chapel and houses,
reared themselves here and there the slender stems of palm and
cocoa-nut trees, with their graceful tufts of feathery foliage waving
at top; other trees of various kinds were mingled among them. Figures
were seen moving about, in the medium attire worn by their oarsman. It
was a pretty scene; cheerful and home-like, though so unlike home.
Further back from the river, on the opposite shore, other houses could
be seen; the houses of the heathen village; but Eleanor's eyes were
fastened on this one. Mr. Rhys said not one word; only he held her hand
in a still closer grasp which was not meaningless.

"How pretty it is!" Eleanor forced herself to say. He only answered,
"Do you like it?" but it was in such a satisfied tone of preoccupation
that Eleanor blushed and thought she might as well leave his
medi