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Next morning Marchmill was called at six o'clock； and in waking and
yawning she heard him muttering to himself： 'What the deuce is this
that's been crackling under me so？' Imagining her asleep he
searched round him and withdrew something。 Through her half…opened
eyes she perceived it to be Mr。 Trewe。
'Well； I'm damned！' her husband exclaimed。
'What； dear？' said she。
'O； you are awake？ Ha！ ha！'
'What DO you mean？'
'Some bloke's photographa friend of our landlady's； I suppose。 I
wonder how it came here； whisked off the table by accident perhaps
when they were making the bed。'
'I was looking at it yesterday； and it must have dropped in then。'
'O； he's a friend of yours？ Bless his picturesque heart！'
Ella's loyalty to the object of her admiration could not endure to
hear him ridiculed。 'He's a clever man！' she said； with a tremor in
her gentle voice which she herself felt to be absurdly uncalled for。
'He is a rising poetthe gentleman who occupied two of these rooms
before we came； though I've never seen him。'
'How do you know； if you've never seen him？'
'Mrs。 Hooper told me when she showed me the photograph。'
'O； well； I must up and be off。 I shall be home rather early。
Sorry I can't take you to…day； dear。 Mind the children don't go
getting drowned。'
That day Mrs。 Marchmill inquired if Mr。 Trewe were likely to call at
any other time。
'Yes；' said Mrs。 Hooper。 'He's coming this day week to stay with a
friend near here till you leave。 He'll be sure to call。'
Marchmill did return quite early in the afternoon； and； opening some
letters which had arrived in his absence； declared suddenly that he
and his family would have to leave a week earlier than they had
expected to doin short； in three days。
'Surely we can stay a week longer？' she pleaded。 'I like it here。'
'I don't。 It is getting rather slow。'
'Then you might leave me and the children！'
'How perverse you are； Ell！ What's the use？ And have to come to
fetch you！ No： we'll all return together； and we'll make out our
time in North Wales or Brighton a little later on。 Besides； you've
three days longer yet。'
It seemed to be her doom not to meet the man for whose rival talent
she had a despairing admiration； and to whose person she was now
absolutely attached。 Yet she determined to make a last effort； and
having gathered from her landlady that Trewe was living in a lonely
spot not far from the fashionable town on the Island opposite； she
crossed over in the packet from the neighbouring pier the following
afternoon。
What a useless journey it was！ Ella knew but vaguely where the
house stood； and when she fancied she had found it； and ventured to
inquire of a pedestrian if he lived there； the answer returned by
the man was that he did not know。 And if he did live there； how
could she call upon him？ Some women might have the assurance to do
it； but she had not。 How crazy he would think her。 She might have
asked him to call upon her； perhaps； but she had not the courage for
that； either。 She lingered mournfully about the picturesque seaside
eminence till it was time to return to the town and enter the
steamer for recrossing； reaching home for dinner without having been
greatly missed。
At the last moment； unexpectedly enough； her husband said that he
should have no objection to letting her and the children stay on
till the end of the week； since she wished to do so； if she felt
herself able to get home without him。 She concealed the pleasure
this extension of time gave her； and Marchmill went off the next
morning alone。
But the week passed； and Trewe did not call。
On Saturday morning the remaining members of the Marchmill family
departed from the place which had been productive of so much fervour
in her。 The dreary； dreary train； the sun shining in moted beams
upon the hot cushions； the dusty permanent way； the mean rows of
wirethese things were her accompaniment： while out of the window
the deep blue sea…levels disappeared from her gaze； and with them
her poet's home。 Heavy…hearted； she tried to read； and wept
instead。
Mr。 Marchmill was in a thriving way of business； and he and his
family lived in a large new house； which stood in rather extensive
grounds a few miles outside the city wherein he carried on his
trade。 Ella's life was lonely here； as the suburban life is apt to
be； particularly at certain seasons； and she had ample time to
indulge her taste for lyric and elegiac composition。 She had hardly
got back when she encountered a piece by Robert Trewe in the new
number of her favourite magazine； which must have been written
almost immediately before her visit to Solentsea； for it contained
the very couplet she had seen pencilled on the wallpaper by the bed；
and Mrs。 Hooper had declared to be recent。 Ella could resist no
longer； but seizing a pen impulsively； wrote to him as a brother…
poet； using the name of John Ivy； congratulating him in her letter
on his triumphant executions in metre and rhythm of thoughts that
moved his soul； as compared with her own brow…beaten efforts in the
same pathetic trade。
To this address there came a response in a few days； little as she
had dared to hope for ita civil and brief note； in which the young
poet stated that； though he was not well acquainted with Mr。 Ivy's
verse； he recalled the name as being one he had seen attached to
some very promising pieces； that he was glad to gain Mr。 Ivy's
acquaintance by letter； and should certainly look with much interest
for his productions in the future。
There must have been something juvenile or timid in her own epistle；
as one ostensibly coming from a man； she declared to herself； for
Trewe quite adopted the tone of an elder and superior in this reply。
But what did it matter？ he had replied； he had written to her with
his own hand from that very room she knew so well； for he was now
back again in his quarters。
The correspondence thus begun was continued for two months or more；
Ella Marchmill sending him from time to time some that she
considered to be the best of her pieces； which he very kindly
accepted； though he did not say he sedulously read them； nor did he
send her any of his own in return。 Ella would have been more hurt
at this than she was if she had not known that Trewe laboured under
the impression that she was one of his own sex。
Yet the situation was unsatisfactory。 A flattering little voice
told her that； were he only to see her； matters would be otherwise。
No doubt she would have helped on this by making a frank confession
of womanhood； to begin with； if something had not happened； to her
delight； to render it unnecessary。 A friend of her husband's； the
editor of the most important newspaper in the city and county； who
was dining with them one day； observed during their conversation
about the poet that his （the editor's） brother the landscape…painter
was a friend of Mr。 Trewe's； and that the two men were at that very
moment in Wales together。
Ella was slightly acquainted with the editor's brother。 The next
morning down she sat and wrote； inviting him to stay at her house
for a short time on his way back； and requesting him to bring with
him； if practicable； his companion Mr。 Trewe； whose acquaintance she
was anxious to make。 The answer arrived after some few days。 Her
correspondent and his friend Trewe would have much satisfaction in
accepting her invitation on their way southward； which would be on
such and such a day in the following week。
Ella was blithe and buoyant。 Her scheme had succeeded； her beloved
though as yet unseen one was coming。 〃Behold； he standeth behind
our wall； he looked forth at the windows； showing himself through
the lattice；〃 she thought ecstatically。 〃And； lo； the winter is
past； the rain is over and gone； the flowers appear on the earth；
the time of the singing of birds is come； and the voice of the
turtle is heard in our land。〃
But it was necessary to consider the details of lodging and feeding
him。 This she did most solicitously； and awaited the pregnant day
and hour。
It was about five in the afternoon when she heard a ring at the door
a