" He then walked across the room to
the object of his laudation, and, taking Coristine's vacated chair,
remarked that few poets preach a sermon so simply and beautifully as the
author of "The Excursion." Would Miss Du Plessis allow him to bring down
his pocket volume of the Rydal bard? Miss Du Plessis would be charmed;
so the schoolmaster withdrew, and soon reappeared with the book all
unconsciously open at "She was a phantom of delight." With guilty eyes,
he closed it, and, turning over the pages, stopped at the fifth book of
"The Excursion," announcing its subject, "The Pastor." It was now the
lady's turn to be uncomfortable, with the suggestion of Mr. Perrowne.
The lawyer, whose back had been turned to the poetic pair, looked
unutterable things at Miss Carmichael, who, not knowing to what extreme
of the ludicrous her companion might lead her, suggested a visit to the
garden, if Mr. Coristine did not think it too warm. "It's the very thing
for me," answered the lawyer, as they arose together and proceeded to
the French windows opening upon the verandah; "it's like 'Come into the
garden, Maud.
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