might guess by our appearance (which, perhaps, was rather more than could be said with the strictest adherence to truth) that he was before a gentleman and lady, which should teach him to be very civil in 5 his behaviour, though we should not happen to be of that number whom the world calls people of fashion and distinction. However, I said, that as he seemed sensible of his error, and had asked pardon, the lady would permit him to put his hat on again, if he chose Io it. This he refused with some degree of surliness, and failed not to convince me that, if I should condescend to become more gentle, he would soon grow more rude. 3 4. Rudyard Kipling. FROM Cupid's Arrows.1 [Besides the foregoing methods of handling plot, the story may be developed by suggestion. The details may be chosen at such a moment as to suggest much that has been left unsaid; indeed, in that dramatic little poem, The Twa Corbies,2 in Browning's My Last Duchess, and in the ending of Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities, much more is left to the reader's imagination than is given him in fact. Such a method, though very dramatic, is often somewhat foreign to plain, straightforward narrative. The following extract, however, is very direct, and illustrates in addition the power that comes from the skillful choice of events to suggest the side-play of character. The ending, of course, suggests a complete episode.] 1 From Plain Tales from the Hills. Printed with the consent of the author, and through the courtesy of the publishers, Messrs. Macmillan & Co., 2 P. 88 of Mr. Palgrave's Golden Treasury. Edition of 1888. Cited by Genung, Rhetoric, p. 368. LATE in the season, when he judged that the time was ripe, Barr-Saggott developed a plan which did great credit to his administrative powers. He arranged an archery-tournament for ladies with a most sumptuous diamond-studded bracelet as prize. 5 He drew up his terms skilfully, and everyone saw that the bracelet was a gift to Miss Beighton; the acceptance carrying with it the hand and heart of Commissioner Barr-Saggott. The terms were a St. Leonard's Round-thirty-six shots at sixty yards-under the 10 rules of the Simla Toxophilite Society. All Simla was invited. There were beautifully arranged tea-tables under the deodars at Annandale, where the Grand Stand is now; and, alone in all its glory, winking in the sun, sat the diamond bracelet in 15 a blue velvet case. Miss Beighton was anxiousalmost too anxious-to compete. On the appointed afternoon all Simla rode down to Annandale to witness the judgment of Paris turned upside down. Kitty rode with young Cubbon, and it was easy to see that 20 the boy was troubled in his mind. He must be held innocent for everything that followed. Kitty was pale and nervous, and looked long at the bracelet. Barr-Saggott was gorgeously dressed, even more nervous than Kitty, and more hideous than ever. Mrs. Beighton smiled condescendingly, as befitted the mother of a potential Commissioneress, and the shooting began; all the world standing a semicircle as the ladies came out one after the other. 25 Nothing is so tedious as an archery competition. 30 They shot, and they shot, and they kept on shooting, till the sun left the valley, and the little breezes got up in the deodars, and the people waited for Miss Beighton to shoot and win. Cubbon was at one horn of the semicircle round the shooters, and Barr-Saggott at the other. Miss Beighton was the last on the list. 5 The scoring had been weak, and the bracelet, with Commissioner Barr-Saggott, was hers to a certainty. The Commissioner strung her bow with his own sacred hands. She stepped forward, looked at the bracelet, and her first arrow went true to a hair-full 10 into the heart of the "gold,"-counting nine points. Young Cubbon on the left turned white, and his Devil prompted Barr-Saggott to smile. Now horses used to shy when Barr-Saggott smiled. Kitty saw that smile. She looked to her left-front, gave an 15 almost imperceptible nod to Cubbon, and went on shooting. I wish I could describe the scene that followed. It was out of the ordinary and most improper. Miss Kitty fitted her arrows with immense deliberation, so 20 that everyone might see what she was doing. She was a perfect shot; and her forty-six pound bow suited her to a nicety. She pinned the wooden legs of the target with great care four successive times. She pinned the wooden top of the target once, and all the ladies 25 looked at each other. Then she began some fancy shooting at the white, which, if you hit it, counts exactly one point. She put five arrows into the white. It was wonderful archery; but, seeing that her business was to make "golds" and win the bracelet, Barr30 Saggott turned a delicate green like young water-grass. Next, she shot over the target twice, and then wide to the left twice-always with the same deliberation while a chilly hush fell over the company, and Mrs. Beighton took out her handkerchief. Then Kitty shot at the ground in front of the target, and split several arrows. Then she made a red-or seven · points-just to show what she could do if she liked, 5 and she finished up her amazing performance with some more fancy shooting at the target supports. Here is her score as it was pricked off : Total Total Gold. Red. Blue. Black. White. Hits. Score. Miss Beighton, I I ΙΟ Barr-Saggott looked as if the last few arrow-heads had been driven into his legs instead of the target's, and the deep stillness was broken by a little snubby, mottled, half-grown girl saying, in a shrill voice of 15 triumph, "Then I've won!" Mrs. Beighton did her best to bear up; but she wept in the presence of the people. No training could help her through such a disappointment. Kitty unstrung her bow with a vicious jerk, and went back 20 to her place, while Barr-Saggott was trying to pretend that he enjoyed snapping the bracelet on the snubby girl's raw, red wrist. It was an awkward scene-most awkward. Every one tried to depart in a body and leave Kitty to the mercy of her mamma. But Cubbon took her away instead, and-the rest isn't worth printing. 25 B. CHARACTER. 1. George Eliot. Born 1819. Died 1880. FROM Adam Bede, CHAPTER II. [Most obvious of the typical ways of treating character in nar. ration is that dealing with the external traits of the character. The method seems chiefly to be employed on the first introduction of the person, generally at the beginning of a story, to give, once for all, a notion of what he looks like, to furnish a starting point for the further development. Of this method Scott furnishes the best and fullest illustrations, as in the opening of Ivanhoe; but the following from George Eliot, containing as it does some obvious faults, will stand for the merits and defects of the method. With it should be compared the elaborate description in Chapter II. of Mr. Gilfil's Love Story.] SEVERAL of the men followed Ben's lead, and the traveller pushed his horse on to the Green, as Dinah walked rather quickly, and in advance of her companions, toward the cart under the maple tree. While 5 she was near Seth's tall figure she looked short, but when she had mounted the cart, and was away from all comparison, she seemed above the middle height of woman, though in reality she did not exceed it-an effect which was due to the slimness of her figure, and |