Dissolving views

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 Excerpt: ...for the good lady, and her nerves were soon quieted by a cup of tea. 'Ivan,' said Katie, when they had quite 'put away desire of eating and drinking,' and even Mrs. Russell had consumed two or three slices of cake and bread and butter, 'I will stay here with mamma if you will take Eleanor to the bottom of the waterfall. It is so pretty down there.' 'All right,' answered Ivan, jumping up. 'You are not afraid of a scramble, Miss Winton?' 'No, certainly not! I've not lost my Brittany legs yet,' she answered, with that English freedom in alluding to our vile bodies which horrifies Mr. Howells. 'Now, dear, do be careful. Ivan is so daring.' Eleanor nodded and laughed, and they disappeared over the side of the cliff. The path by the waterfall was not very difficult, and Eleanor was able to manage without the assistance of Ivan's hands and shoulders, which he offered her at every turn. 'You seem to prefer getting on alone,' he remarked at last in an injured voice, when Eleanor had for about the fiftieth time rejected the use of his limbs instead of her own. 'Well, I think I can manage better alone,' she answered frankly. 'I always know exactly what I can do and what I can't. But hadn't we better get across to that rock on the side, and then we can see the whole valley at once?' It was soon done, and then they sat down to rest, and to enjoy the waterfall edged by birches already necked with gold, and the ferns which grew luxuriantly in every cleft of the rocks. At their feet dashed the turbid little brown stream, still foaming from its leap, and below them lay the sea, looking deeply blue through the narrow opening of the ravine. 'What are you thinking of?' asked Ivan after some time, during which Eleanor had sat silently gazing at the waterfall. 'I was wondering h...