the polish rider

the polish rider
The Sacrifice of Abraham painting
The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
I've been watching you - you're a smart girl, Lucy. Too smart to waste yourself cooking and cleaning."
"Thank you, but I prefer cooking and cleaning to the office desk."
"So would I. But there are other ways of living. You could be a freelance."
"I am."
"Not this way. I mean, working for yourself, pitting your wits against –"
"Against what?"
oil painting
"The powers that be! All the silly pettifogging rules and regulations that hamper us all nowadays. The interesting thing is there's always a way round them if you're smart enough to find it. And you're smart. Come now, does the idea appeal to you?"
"Possibly."
Lucy manoeuvred the car into the stableyard.
"Not going to commit yourself?"
"I'd have to hear more."

the polish rider

the polish rider
The Sacrifice of Abraham painting
The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
He flung his arms round her and kissed her passionately there in the silent street, before she could hinder him. They went on till they came to a little coffee-house. "Jude," she said with suppressed tears, "would you mind getting a lodging here?" ¡¡¡¡ "I will--if, if you really wish? But do you? Let me go to our door and understand you." ¡¡¡¡ He went and conducted her in. She said she wanted no supper, and went in the dark upstairs and struck a light. Turning she found that Jude had followed her, and was standing at the chamber door. She went to him, put her hand in his, and said "Good-night." ¡¡¡¡ "But Sue! Don't we live here?" ¡¡¡¡ "You said you would do as I wished!" ¡¡¡¡ "Yes. Very well! ... Perhaps it was wrong of me to argue distastefully as I have done! Perhaps as we couldn't conscientiously marry at first in the old-fashioned way, we ought to have parted. Perhaps the world is not illuminated enough for such experiments as ours! Who were we, to think we could act as pioneers!"

the polish rider

the polish rider
The Sacrifice of Abraham painting
The Three Ages of Woman
The Virgin and Child with St Anne
¡¡¡¡ Suddenly there came along this wind something towards him-- a message from the place--from some soul residing there, it seemed. Surely it was the sound of bells, the voice of the city, faint and musical, calling to him, "We are happy here!" ¡¡¡¡ He had become entirely lost to his bodily situation during this mental leap, and only got back to it by a rough recalling. A few yards below the brow of the hill on which he paused a team of horses made its appearance, having reached the place by dint of half an hour's serpentine progress from the bottom of the immense declivity. They had a load of coals behind them-- a fuel that could only be got into the upland by this particular route. They were accompanied by a carter, a second man, and a boy, who now kicked a large stone behind one of the wheels, and allowed the panting animals to have a long rest, while those in charge took a flagon off the load and indulged in a drink round. ¡¡¡¡ They were elderly men, and had genial voices. Jude addressed them, inquiring if they had come from Christminster. ¡¡¡¡ "Heaven forbid, with this load!" said they.