HenowbeggedGilestoreturn，andofferedhimagoldcoin，whichlookedlikeasovereign，fortheassistancerendered。Gilesdeclinedtoacceptanything，tothesurpriseofthestranger，who，onputtingthemoneybackintohispocket，said，awkwardly，“I
offereditbecauseIwantyoutoutternowordaboutthismeetingwithme。Willyoupromise？”
Winterbornepromisedreadily。Hethereuponstoodstillwhiletheotherascendedtheslope。Atthebottomhelookedbackdubiously。
Gileswouldnolongerremainwhenhewassoevidentlydesiredtoleave，andreturnedthroughtheboughstoHintock。
Hesuspectedthatthisman，whoseemedsodistressedandmelancholy，mightbethatloverandpersistentwooerofMrs。
Charmondwhomhehadheardsofrequentlyspokenof，andwhomitwassaidshehadtreatedcavalierly。ButhereceivednoconfirmationofhissuspicionbeyondareportwhichreachedhimafewdayslaterthatagentlemanhadcalleduptheservantswhoweretakingcareofHintockHouseatanhourpastmidnight；andonlearningthatMrs。Charmond，thoughreturnedfromabroad，wasasyetinLondon，hehadswornbitterly，andgoneawaywithoutleavingacardoranytraceofhimself。
Thegirlswhorelatedthestoryaddedthathesighedthreetimesbeforeheswore，butthispartofthenarrativewasnotcorroborated。Anyhow，suchagentlemanhaddrivenawayfromthehotelatShertonnextdayinacarriagehiredatthatinn。
Thesunny，leafyweekwhichfollowedthetenderdoingsofMidsummerEvebroughtavisitortoFitzpiers’sdoor；avoicethatheknewsoundedinthepassage。Mr。Melburyhadcalled。Atfirsthehadaparticularobjectiontoentertheparlor，becausehisbootsweredusty，butasthesurgeoninsistedhewaivedthepointandcamein。
Lookingneithertotherightnortotheleft，hardlyatFitzpiershimself，heputhishatunderhischair，andwithapreoccupiedgazeatthefloor，hesaid，“I’vecalledtoaskyou，doctor，quiteprivately，aquestionthattroublesme。I’veadaughter，Grace，anonlydaughter，asyoumayhaveheard。Well，she’sbeenoutinthedew——onMidsummerEveinparticularshewentoutinthinslipperstowatchsomevagaryoftheHintockmaids——andshe’sgotacough，adistincthemmingandhacking，thatmakesmeuneasy。
Now，Ihavedecidedtosendherawaytosomeseasideplaceforachange——“
“Sendheraway！”Fitzpiers’scountenancehadfallen。
“Yes。Andthequestionis，wherewouldyouadvisemetosendher？”
Thetimber-merchanthadhappenedtocallatamomentwhenFitzpierswasatthespring-tideofasentimentthatGracewasanecessityofhisexistence。Thesuddenpressureofherformuponhisbreastasshecameheadlongroundthebushhadneverceasedtolingerwithhim，eversinceheadoptedthemanoeuvreforwhichthehourandthemoonlightandtheoccasionhadbeentheonlyexcuse。
Nowshewastobesentaway。Ambition？itcouldbepostponed。
Family？cultureandreciprocityoftasteshadtakentheplaceoffamilynowadays。Heallowedhimselftobecarriedforwardonthewaveofhisdesire。
“Howstrange，howverystrangeitis。”hesaid，“thatyoushouldhavecometomeaboutherjustnow。Ihavebeenthinkingeverydayofcomingtoyouontheverysameerrand。”
“Ah！——youhavenoticed，too，thatherhealth——“
“Ihavenoticednothingthematterwithherhealth，becausethereisnothing。But，Mr。Melbury，Ihaveseenyourdaughterseveraltimesbyaccident。Ihaveadmiredherinfinitely，andIwascomingtoaskyouifImaybecomebetteracquaintedwithher——paymyaddressestoher？”
Melburywaslookingdownashelistened，anddidnotseetheairofhalf-misgivingathisownrashnessthatspreadoverFitzpiers’sfaceashemadethisdeclaration。
“Youhave——gottoknowher？”saidMelbury，aspellofdeadsilencehavingprecededhisutterance，duringwhichhisemotionrosewithalmostvisibleeffect。
“Yes。”saidFitzpiers。
“Andyouwishtobecomebetteracquaintedwithher？Youmeanwithaviewtomarriage——ofcoursethatiswhatyoumean？”
“Yes。”saidtheyoungman。“Imean，getacquaintedwithher，withaviewtobeingheracceptedlover；andifwesuitedeachother，whatwouldnaturallyfollow。”
Thetimber-merchantwasmuchsurprised，andfairlyagitated；hishandtrembledashelaidbyhiswalking-stick。“Thistakesmeunawares。”saidhe，hisvoicewellnighbreakingdown。“Idon’tmeanthatthereisanythingunexpectedinagentlemanbeingattractedbyher；butitdidnotoccurtomethatitwouldbeyou。
Ialwayssaid。”continuedhe，withalumpinhisthroat，“thatmyGracewouldmakeamarkatherownlevelsomeday。ThatwaswhyI
educatedher。Isaidtomyself，’I’lldoit，costwhatitmay；’
thoughhermother-lawwasprettyfrightenedatmypayingoutsomuchmoneyyearafteryear。Iknewitwouldtellintheend。
’Whereyou’venotgoodmaterialtoworkon，suchdoingswouldbewasteandvanity，’Isaid。’Butwhereyouhavethatmaterialitissuretobeworthwhile。’“
“Iamgladyoudon’tobject。”saidFitzpiers，almostwishingthatGracehadnotbeenquitesocheapforhim。
“IfsheiswillingIdon’tobject，certainly。Indeed。”addedthehonestman，“itwouldbedeceitifIweretopretendtofeelanythingelsethanhighlyhonoredpersonally；anditisagreatcredittohertohavedrawntoheramanofsuchgoodprofessionalstationandvenerableoldfamily。Thathuntsman-fellowlittlethoughthowwronghewasabouther！Takeherandwelcome，sir。”
“I’llendeavortoascertainhermind。”
“Yes，yes。Butshewillbeagreeable，Ishouldthink。Sheoughttobe。”
“Ihopeshemay。Well，nowyou’llexpecttoseemefrequently。”
“Ohyes。But，nameitall——abouthercough，andhergoingaway。
IhadquiteforgotthatthatwaswhatIcameabout。”
“Iassureyou。”saidthesurgeon，“thathercoughcanonlybetheresultofaslightcold，anditisnotnecessarytobanishhertoanyseasideplaceatall。”
Melburylookedunconvinced，doubtingwhetherheoughttotakeFitzpiers’sprofessionalopinionincircumstanceswhichnaturallyledhimtowishtokeepherthere。Thedoctorsawthis，andhonestlydreadingtolosesightofher，hesaid，eagerly，’Betweenourselves，ifIamsuccessfulwithherIwilltakeherawaymyselfforamonthortwo，assoonaswearemarried，whichIhopewillbebeforethechillyweathercomeson。Thiswillbesoverymuchbetterthanlettinghergonow。”
TheproposalpleasedMelburymuch。Therecouldbehardlyanydangerinpostponinganydesirablechangeofairaslongasthewarmweatherlasted，andforsuchareason。Suddenlyrecollectinghimself，hesaid，“Yourtimemustbeprecious，doctor。I’llgethome-along。Iammuchobligedtoye。Asyouwillseeheroften，you’lldiscoverforyourselfifanythingseriousisthematter。”
“Icanassureyouitisnothing。”saidFitzpiers，whohadseenGracemuchofteneralreadythanherfatherknewof。
WhenhewasgoneFitzpierspaused，silent，registeringhissensations，likeamanwhohasmadeaplungeforapearlintoamediumofwhichheknowsnotthedensityortemperature。Buthehaddoneit，andGracewasthesweetestgirlalive。
Asforthedepartedvisitor，hisownlastwordslingeredinMelbury’searsashewalkedhomeward；hefeltthatwhathehadsaidintheemotionofthemomentwasverystupid，ungenteel，andunsuitedtoadialoguewithaneducatedgentleman，thesmallnessofwhosepracticewasmorethancompensatedbytheformergreatnessofhisfamily。Hehadutteredthoughtsbeforetheywereweighed，andalmostbeforetheywereshaped。TheyhadexpressedinacertainsensehisfeelingatFitzpiers’snews，butyettheywerenotright。Lookingontheground，andplantinghisstickateachtreadasifitwereaflag-staff，hereachedhisownprecincts，where，ashepassedthroughthecourt，heautomaticallystoppedtolookatthemenworkingintheshedandaround。Oneofthemaskedhimaquestionaboutwagon-spokes。
“Hey？”saidMelbury，lookinghardathim。Themanrepeatedthewords。
Melburystood；thenturningsuddenlyawaywithoutanswering，hewentupthecourtandenteredthehouse。Astimewasnoobjectwiththejourneymen，exceptasathingtogetpast，theyleisurelysurveyedthedoorthroughwhichhehaddisappeared。
“Whatmaggothasthegaffergotinhisheadnow？”saidTangstheelder。“Sommittodowiththatchielofhis！Whenyou’vegotamaidofyerown，JohnUpjohn，thatcostsyewhatshecostshim，thatwilltakethesqueakoutofyourSundayshoes，John！Butyou’llneverbetallenoughtoaccomplishsuchasshe；and’tisaluckythingforye，John，asthingsbe。Well，beoughttohaveadozen——thatwouldbringhimtoreason。Isee’emwalkingtogetherlastSunday，andwhentheycametoapuddleheliftedheroverlikeahalfpennydoll。Heoughttohaveadozen；he’dlet’emwalkthroughpuddlesforthemselvesthen。”
MeanwhileMelburyhadenteredthehousewiththelookofamanwhoseesavisionbeforehim。Hiswifewasintheroom。Withouttakingoffhishathesatdownatrandom。
“Luce——we’vedoneit！”hesaid。“Yes——thethingisasIexpected。
Thespell，thatIforesawmightbeworked，hasworked。She’sdoneit，anddoneitwell。Whereisshe——Grace，Imean？”
“Upinherroom——whathashappened！”
Mr。Melburyexplainedthecircumstancesascoherentlyashecould。
“Itoldyouso。”hesaid。“Amaidlikehercouldn’tstayhidlong，eveninaplacelikethis。ButwhereisGrace？Let’shaveherdown。Here——Gra-a-ace！”
Sheappearedafterareasonableinterval，forshewassufficientlyspoiledbythisfatherofhersnottoputherselfinahurry，howeverimpatienthistones。“Whatisit，father？”saidshe，withasmile。
“Why，youscamp，what’sthisyou’vebeendoing？Nothomeheremorethansixmonths，yet，insteadofconfiningyourselftoyourfather’srank，makinghavocintheeducatedclasses。”
Thoughaccustomedtoshowherselfinstantlyappreciativeofherfather’smeanings，Gracewasfairlyunabletolookanyhowbutatalossnow。
“No，no——ofcourseyoudon’tknowwhatImean，oryoupretendyoudon’t；though，formypart，Ibelievewomencanseethesethingsthroughadoublehedge。ButIsupposeImusttellye。Why，you’veflungyourgrapneloverthedoctor，andhe’scomingcourtingforthwith。”
“Onlythinkofthat，mydear！Don’tyoufeelitatriumph？”saidMrs。Melbury。
“Comingcourting！I’vedonenothingtomakehim。”Graceexclaimed。
“’Twasn’tnecessarythatyoushould，’Tisvoluntarythatrulesinthesethings。Well，hehasbehavedveryhonorably，andaskedmyconsent。You’llknowwhattodowhenhegetshere，Idaresay。I
needn’ttellyoutomakeitallsmoothforhim。”
“Youmean，toleadhimontomarryme？”
“Ido。Haven’tIeducatedyouforit？”
Gracelookedoutofthewindowandatthefireplacewithnoanimationinherface。“Whyisitsettledoff-handinthisway？”
saidshe，coquettishly。“You’llwaittillyouhearwhatIthinkofhim，Isuppose？”
“Ohyes，ofcourse。Butyouseewhatagoodthingitwillbe。”
Sheweighedthestatementwithoutspeaking。
“Youwillberestoredtothesocietyyou’vebeentakenawayfrom。”
continuedherfather；“forIdon’tsupposehe’llstayherelong。”
Sheadmittedtheadvantage；butitwasplainthatthoughFitzpiersexercisedacertainfascinationoverherwhenhewaspresent，orevenmore，analmostpsychicinfluence，andthoughhisimpulsiveactinthewoodhadstirredherfeelingsindescribably，shehadneverregardedhiminthelightofadestinedhusband。“Idon’tknowwhattoanswer。”shesaid。“Ihavelearnedthatheisveryclever。”
