must show you our points of view. Our own garden offers a
glimpse of the river-mouth and a good prospect of Haldon - the ridge beyond the
Exe; but there are many much better points within easy reach. You are in no
hurry, I hope?«
    Louis Warricombe and Miss Moorhouse's brother were away on a long walk; they
did not return for lunch. Godwin was glad of this, for time had wrought the
change in him that he felt more at ease in female society than under the eyes of
young men whose social position inclined them to criticism. The meal proved as
delightful as luncheon is wont to be in a luxurious country-house, when
brilliant sunshine gleams on the foliage visible from windows, and the warmth of
the season sanctions clear colours in costume. The talk was wholly of country
pleasures. It afforded the visitor no little satisfaction to be able to make
known his acquaintance with parts of England to which the Warricombes had not
penetrated. Godwin learnt that the family were insular in their tastes; a
mention by Miss Moorhouse of continental scenes led the host to avow a strong
preference for his own country, under whatever aspect, and Sidwell murmured her
sympathy.
    No less introspective than in the old days, though he could better command
his muscles, Peak, after each of his short remarks, made comparison of his tone
and phraseology with those of the other speakers. Had he still any marks of the
ignoble world from which he sprang? Any defect of pronunciation, any native
awkwardness of utterance? Impossible to judge himself infallibly, but he was
conscious of no vulgar mannerism. Though it was so long since he left Whitelaw,
the accent of certain of the Professors still remained with him as an example;
when endeavouring to be graceful, he was wont to hear the voice of Dr. Nares, or
of Professor Barber who lectured on English Literature. More recently he had
been observant of Christian Moxey's speech, which had a languid elegance worth
imitating in certain particulars. Buckland Warricombe was rather a careless
talker, but it was the carelessness of a man who had never needed to reflect on
such a matter, the refinement of whose enunciation was assured to him from the
nursery. That now was a thing to be aimed at. Preciseness must be avoided, for
in a young man it seemed to argue conscious effort: a loose sentence now and
then, a colloqualism substituted for the more grammatical phrase.
    Heaven be thanked that he was unconcerned on the point of garb! Inferiority
in that respect would have been fatal to his ease. His clothes were not