Whilehewassittingandthinkingastepcametothedoor，andMelburyappeared，lookingverysorryforhisposition。
Winterbornewelcomedhimbyawordandalook，andwentonwithhisexaminationoftheparchments。Hisvisitorsatdown。
“Giles。”hesaid，“thisisveryawkward，andIamsorryforit。
Whatareyougoingtodo？”
Gilesinformedhimoftherealstateofaffairs，andhowbarelyhehadmissedavailinghimselfofhischanceofrenewal。
“Whatamisfortune！Whywasthisneglected？Well，thebestthingyoucandoistowriteandtellherallaboutit，andthrowyourselfuponhergenerosity。”
“Iwouldrathernot。”murmuredGiles。
“Butyoumust。”saidMelbury。
Inshort，hearguedsocogentlythatGilesallowedhimselftobepersuaded，andthelettertoMrs。CharmondwaswrittenandsenttoHintockHouse，whence，asheknew，itwouldatoncebeforwardedtoher。
Melburyfeelingthathehaddonesogoodanactionincomingasalmosttoextenuatehispreviousarbitraryconducttonothing，wenthome；andGileswasleftalonetothesuspenseofwaitingforareplyfromthedivinitywhoshapedtheendsoftheHintockpopulation。Bythistimeallthevillagersknewofthecircumstances，andbeingwellnighlikeonefamily，akeeninterestwastheresultallround。
EverybodythoughtofGiles；nobodythoughtofMarty。Hadanyofthemlookedinuponherduringthosemoonlightnightswhichprecededtheburialofherfather，theywouldhaveseenthegirlabsolutelyaloneinthehousewiththedeadman。Herownchamberbeingnearestthestairs，thecoffinhadbeenplacedthereforconvenience；andatacertainhourofthenight，whenthemoonarrivedoppositethewindow，itsbeamsstreamedacrossthestillprofileofSouth，sublimedbytheaugustpresenceofdeath，andonwardafewfeetfartheruponthefaceofhisdaughter，lyinginherlittlebedinthestillnessofareposealmostasdignifiedasthatofhercompanion——thereposeofaguilelesssoulthathadnothingmoreleftonearthtolose，exceptalifewhichshedidnotovervalue。
Southwasburied，andaweekpassed，andWinterbornewatchedforareplyfromMrs。Charmond。Melburywasverysanguineastoitstenor；butWinterbornehadnottoldhimoftheencounterwithhercarriage，when，ifeverhehadheardanaffrontedtoneonawoman’slips，hehadhearditonhers。
Thepostman’stimeforpassingwasjustafterMelbury’smenhadassembledinthespar-house；andWinterborne，whowhennotbusyonhisownaccountwouldlendassistancethere，usedtogooutintothelaneeverymorningandmeetthepost-manattheendofoneofthegreenridesthroughthehazelcopse，inthestraightstretchofwhichhisladenfigurecouldbeseenalongwayoff。Gracealsowasveryanxious；moreanxiousthanherfather；more，perhaps，thanWinterbornehimself。Thisanxietyledherintothespar-houseonsomepretextorotheralmosteverymorningwhiletheywereawaitingthereply。
Fitzpierstoo，thoughhedidnotpersonallyappear，wasmuchinterested，andnotaltogethereasyinhismind；forhehadbeeninformedbyanauthorityofwhathehadhimselfconjectured，thatifthetreehadbeenallowedtostand，theoldmanwouldhavegoneoncomplaining，butmighthavelivedfortwentyyears。
EleventimeshadWinterbornegonetothatcorneroftheride，andlookedupitslongstraightslopethroughthewetgraysofwinterdawn。Butthoughthepostman’sbowedfigureloomedinviewprettyregularly，hebroughtnothingforGiles。Onthetwelfthdaythemanofmissives，whileyetintheextremedistance，helduphishand，andWinterbornesawaletterinit。Hetookitintothespar-housebeforehebroketheseal，andthosewhoweretheregatheredroundhimwhileheread，Gracelookinginatthedoor。
TheletterwasnotfromMrs。Charmondherself，butheragentatSherton。Winterborneglanceditoverandlookedup。
“It’sallover。”hesaid。
“Ah！”saidtheyaltogether。
“HerlawyerisinstructedtosaythatMrs。Charmondseesnoreasonfordisturbingthenaturalcourseofthings，particularlyasshecontemplatespullingthehousesdown。”hesaid，quietly。
“Onlythinkofthat！”saidseveral。
Winterbornehadturnedaway，andsaidvehementlytohimself，“Thenletherpull’emdown，andbed——dtoher！”
Creedlelookedathimwithafaceofsevensorrows，saying，“Ah，’twasthatsperritthatlost’emforye，maister！”
Winterbornesubduedhisfeelings，andfromthathour，whatevertheywere，keptthementirelytohimself。Therecouldbenodoubtthat，uptothislastmoment，hehadnourishedafeeblehopeofregainingGraceintheeventofthisnegotiationturningoutasuccess。Notbeingawareofthefactthatherfathercouldhavesettleduponherafortunesufficienttoenablebothtoliveincomfort，hedeemeditnowanabsurditytodreamanylongerofsuchavanityasmakingherhiswife，andsankintosilenceforthwith。
Yetwhateverthevalueoftaciturnitytoamanamongstrangers，itisapttoexpressmorethantalkativenesswhenhedwellsamongfriends。Thecountrymanwhoisobligedtojudgethetimeofdayfromchangesinexternalnatureseesathousandsuccessivetintsandtraitsinthelandscapewhichareneverdiscernedbyhimwhohearstheregularchimeofaclock，becausetheyareneverinrequest。Inlikemannerdoweuseoureyesonourtaciturncomrade。Theinfinitesimalmovementofmuscle，curve，hair，andwrinkle，whichwhenaccompaniedbyavoicegoesunregarded，iswatchedandtranslatedinthelackofit，tillvirtuallythewholesurroundingcircleoffamiliarsischargedwiththereservedone’smoodsandmeanings。
ThiswastheconditionofaffairsbetweenWinterborneandhisneighborsafterhisstrokeofill-luck。Heheldhistongue；andtheyobservedhim，andknewthathewasdiscomposed。
Mr。Melbury，inhiscompunction，thoughtmoreofthematterthananyoneelse，excepthisdaughter。HadWinterbornebeengoingonintheoldfashion，Grace’sfathercouldhavealludedtohisdisapprovaloftheallianceeverydaywiththegreatestfrankness；
buttospeakanyfurtheronthesubjecthecouldnotfinditinhishearttodonow。HehopedthatGileswouldofhisownaccordmakesomefinalannouncementthatheentirelywithdrewhispretensionstoGrace，andsogetthethingpastanddonewith。
ForthoughGileshadinameasureacquiescedinthewishofherfamily，hecouldmakemattersunpleasantifhechosetoworkuponGrace；andhence，whenMelburysawtheyoungmanapproachingalongtheroadoneday，hekeptfriendlinessandfrigidityexactlybalancedinhiseyetillhecouldseewhetherGiles’smannerwaspresumptiveornot。
Hismannerwasthatofamanwhoabandonedallclaims。“Iamgladtomeetye，Mr。Melbury。”hesaid，inalowvoice，whosequalityheendeavoredtomakeaspracticalaspossible。“IamafraidI
shallnotbeabletokeepthatmareIbought，andasIdon’tcaretosellher，Ishouldlike——ifyoudon’tobject——togivehertoMissMelbury。Thehorseisveryquiet，andwouldbequitesafeforher。”
Mr。Melburywasratheraffectedatthis。“Yousha’n’thurtyourpocketlikethatonouraccount，Giles。Graceshallhavethehorse，butI’llpayyouwhatyougaveforher，andanyexpenseyoumayhavebeenputtoforherkeep。”
Hewouldnothearofanyotherterms，andthusitwasarranged。
TheywerenowoppositeMelbury’shouse，andthetimber-merchantpressedWinterbornetoenter，Gracebeingoutoftheway。
“Pullroundthesettle，Giles。”saidthetimber-merchant，assoonastheywerewithin。“Ishouldliketohaveaserioustalkwithyou。”
ThereuponheputthecasetoWinterbornefrankly，andinquiteafriendlyway。Hedeclaredthathedidnotliketobehardonamanwhenhewasindifficulty；buthereallydidnotseehowWinterbornecouldmarryhisdaughternow，withoutevenahousetotakeherto。
Gilesquiteacquiescedintheawkwardnessofhissituation。ButfromamomentaryfeelingthathewouldliketoknowGrace’smindfromherownlips，hedidnotspeakoutpositivelythereandthen。
Heaccordinglydepartedsomewhatabruptly，andwenthometoconsiderwhetherhewouldseektobringaboutameetingwithher。
Intheevening，whilehesatquietlypondering，hefanciedthatheheardascrapingonthewalloutsidehishouse。Theboughsofamonthlyrosewhichgrewtheremadesuchanoisesometimes，butasnowindwasstirringheknewthatitcouldnotbetherose-tree。
Hetookupthecandleandwentout。Nobodywasnear。Asheturned，thelightflickeredonthewhitewashedroughcaseofthefront，andhesawwordswrittenthereonincharcoal，whichhereadasfollows：
“OGiles，you’velostyourdwelling-place，Andtherefore，Giles，you’llloseyourGrace。”
Gileswentin-doors。Hehadhissuspicionsastothescrawlerofthoselines，buthecouldnotbesure。Whatsuddenlyfilledhisheartfarmorethancuriosityabouttheirauthorshipwasaterriblebeliefthattheywereturningouttobetrue，trytoseeGraceashemight。Theydecidedthequestionforhim。HesatdownandwroteaformalnotetoMelbury，inwhichhebrieflystatedthathewasplacedinsuchapositionastomakehimsharetothefullMelbury’sviewofhisownandhisdaughter’spromise，madesomeyearsbefore；towishthatitshouldbeconsideredascancelled，andtheythemselvesquitereleasedfromanyobligationonaccountofit。
Havingfastenedupthistheirplenaryabsolution，hedeterminedtogetitoutofhishandsandhavedonewithit；towhichendhewentofftoMelbury’satonce。Itwasnowsolatethatthefamilyhadallretired；hecreptuptothehouse，thrustthenoteunderthedoor，andstoleawayassilentlyashehadcome。
