hole had been poked through the grey mantle, showing the gilded edge
of a snowy cloud against a patch of blue. Out I ran, across the
garden and the little park that touches the heath, then through my
dear beechwood until I reached a certain clearing where the ground
goes sheer down at one's feet and where one may behold, over the
tree-tops, stretches of wood and meadow in the plain below. I sprang
on to a knoll, and there stood breathless, watching the rout of the
tumbled clouds.

Something started beside me,--I started also, for these woods are
always very lonely,--and, to my surprise, I saw a young man. Imagine
a very tall slight fellow, carelessly dressed, at one and the same
time graceful and ungainly,--I have come to the conclusion that he
is physically graceful, but that a certain shyness and nervousness
of temperament produce at times self-consciousness and awkwardness
of bearing. It is difficult to describe his face; I don't know
whether he is merely interesting or actually beautiful; here again
there is some discrepancy between flesh and spirit, for the features
are not regular, but the expression exquisite. I suppose he might be
considered plain; his nose is large, rather thin, and not straight;
his mouth is large but finely shaped; I think he smiles a little
crookedly. Anyway, his eyes are beautiful; they are set far apart,
and are strangely expressive. For the rest, he is more freckled than
any one I ever saw, and his hair--which is of no particular
colour--is rather long and thrown off the temples, save for one lock
that continually falls forward. You will think I am in love with the
apparition, to judge by the way in which I dwell on his description;
indeed, I am almost inclined to think so myself!

Well! I stood and stared at him; his hat was off, an open book was