Revolving these things, he emerged, as we have stated, into
the plain of the Mowe, and guiding his path by the course of
the river, he arrived at the bridge which a fancy tempted him
to cross. In its centre, was a man gazing on the waters below
and leaning over the parapet. His footstep roused the
loiterer, who looked round; and Egremont saw that it was
Walter Gerard.
Gerard returned his salute, and said, "Early hours on Saturday
afternoon make us all saunterers;" and then, as their way was
the same, they walked on together. It seemed that Gerard's
cottage was near at hand, and having inquired after Egremont's
sport, and receiving for a reply a present of a brace of
trout,--the only one, by the bye, that was in Egremont's
basket,--he could scarcely do less than invite his companion
to rest himself.
"There is my home," said Gerard, pointing to a cottage
recently built, and in a pleasing style. Its materials were
of a fawn-coloured stone, common in the Mowbray quarries. A
scarlet creeper clustered round one side of its ample porch;
its windows were large, mullioned, and neatly latticed; it
stood in the midst of a garden of no mean dimensions but every
bed and nook of which teemed with cultivation; flowers and
vegetables both abounded, while an orchard rich with promise
of many fruits; ripe pears and famous pippins of the north and
plums of every shape and hue; screened the dwelling from that
wind against which the woods that formed its back-ground were
no protection.
Pages:
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243