Shewalkedupthesoftgrassyride，screenedoneitherhandbynut-bushes，justnowheavywithclustersoftwosandthreesandfours。Alittlewayon，thetrackshepursuedwascrossedbyasimilaroneatrightangles。HereGracestopped；somefewyardsupthetransverseridethebuxomSukeDamsonwasvisible——hergowntuckeduphighthroughherpocket-hole，andnobonnetonherhead——
intheactofpullingdownboughsfromwhichshewasgatheringandeatingnutswithgreatrapidity，herloverTimTangsstandingnearherengagedinthesamepleasantmeal。
Crack，crackwentSuke’sjawseverysecondortwo。ByanautomaticchainofthoughtGrace’smindrevertedtothetooth-
drawingscenedescribedbyherhusband；andforthefirsttimeshewonderedifthatnarrativewerereallytrue，Susan’sjawsbeingsoobviouslysoundandstrong。Graceturneduptowardsthenut-
gatherers，andconqueredherreluctancetospeaktothegirlwhowasalittleinadvanceofTim。“Good-evening，Susan。”shesaid。
“Good-evening，MissMelbury“(crack)。
“Mrs。Fitzpiers。”
“Ohyes，ma’am——Mrs。Fitzpiers。”saidSuke，withapeculiarsmile。
Grace，nottobedaunted，continued：“Takecareofyourteeth，Suke。Thataccountsforthetoothache。”
“Idon’tknowwhatanacheis，eitherintooth，ear，orhead，thanktheLord“(crack)。
“Northelossofone，either？”
“Seeforyourself，ma’am。”Shepartedherredlips，andexhibitedthewholedoublerow，fullupandunimpaired。
“Youhaveneverhadonedrawn？”
“Never。”
“Somuchthebetterforyourstomach。”saidMrs。Fitzpiers，inanalteredvoice。Andturningawayquickly，shewenton。
Asherhusband’scharacterthusshapeditselfunderthetouchoftime，Gracewasalmoststartledtofindhowlittleshesufferedfromthatjealousexcitementwhichisconventionallyattributedtoallwivesinsuchcircumstances。Butthoughpossessedbynoneofthatfelinewildnesswhichitwashermoraldutytoexperience，shedidnotfailtoknowthatshehadmadeafrightfulmistakeinhermarriage。Acquiescenceinherfather’swisheshadbeendegradationtoherself。Peoplearenotgivenpremonitionsfornothing；sheshouldhaveobeyedherimpulseonthatearlymorning，andsteadfastlyrefusedherhand。
Oh，thatplausibletalewhichherthenbetrothedhadtoldheraboutSuke——thedramaticaccountofherentreatiestohimtodrawtheachingenemy，andthefineartistictouchhehadgiventothestorybyexplainingthatitwasalovelymolarwithoutaflaw！
Shetracedtheremainderofthewoodlandtrackdazedbythecomplicationsofherposition。Ifhisprotestationstoherbeforetheirmarriagecouldbebelieved，herhusbandhadfeltaffectionofsomesortforherselfandthiswomansimultaneously；andwasnowagainspreadingthesameemotionoverMrs。Charmondandherselfconjointly，hismannerbeingstillkindandfondattimes。
Butsurely，ratherthanthat，hemusthaveplayedthehypocritetowardsherineachcasewithelaboratecompleteness；andthethoughtofthissickenedher，foritinvolvedtheconjecturethatifhehadnotlovedher，hisonlymotiveformakingherhiswifemusthavebeenherlittlefortune。YethereGracemadeamistake，fortheloveofmenlikeFitzpiersisunquestionablyofsuchqualityastobeardivisionandtransference。Hehadindeed，oncedeclared，thoughnottoher，thatononeoccasionhehadnoticedhimselftobepossessedbyfivedistinctinfatuationsatthesametime。Thereinitdifferedfromthehighestaffectionasthelowerordersoftheanimalworlddifferfromadvancedorganisms，partitioncausing，notdeath，butamultipliedexistence。Hehadlovedhersincerely，andhadbynomeansceasedtolovehernow。
Butsuchdoubleandtreblebarrelledheartswerenaturallybeyondherconception。
OfpoorSukeDamson，Gracethoughtnomore。Shehadhadherday。
“IfhedoesnotlovemeIwillnotlovehim！”saidGrace，proudly。
Andthoughtheseweremerewords，itwasasomewhatformidablethingforFitzpiersthatherheartwasapproximatingtoastateinwhichitmightbepossibletocarrythemout。Thatveryabsenceofhotjealousywhichmadehiscoursessoeasy，andonwhich，indeed，hecongratulatedhimself，meant，unknowntoeitherwifeorhusband，moremischiefthantheinconvenientwatchfulnessofajaundicedeye。
Hersleepthatnightwasnervous。Thewingallottedtoherandherhusbandhadneverseemedsolonely。Atlastshegotup，putonherdressing-gown，andwentdown-stairs。Herfather，whosleptlightly，heardherdescend，andcametothestair-head。
“Isthatyou，Grace？What’sthematter？”hesaid。
“NothingmorethanthatIamrestless。EdgarisdetainedbyacaseatOwlscombeinWhiteHartVale。”
“Buthow’sthat？Isawthewoman’shusbandatGreatHintockjustaforebedtime；andshewasgoingonwell，andthedoctorgonethen。”
“Thenhe’sdetainedsomewhereelse。”saidGrace。“Nevermindme；
hewillsoonbehome。Iexpecthimaboutone。”
Shewentbacktoherroom，anddozedandwokeseveraltimes。Oneo’clockhadbeenthehourofhisreturnonthelastoccasion；butitpassednowbyalongway，andFitzpiersdidnotcome。Justbeforedawnsheheardthemenstirringintheyard；andtheflashesoftheirlanternsspreadeverynowandthenthroughherwindow-blind。Sherememberedthatherfatherhadtoldhernottobedisturbedifshenoticedthem，astheywouldberisingearlytosendofffourloadsofhurdlestoadistantsheep-fair。Peepingout，shesawthembustlingabout，thehollow-turneramongtherest；hewasloadinghiswares——wooden-bowls，dishes，spigots，spoons，cheese-vats，funnels，andsoon——upononeofherfather’swagons，whocarriedthemtothefairforhimeveryyearoutofneighborlykindness。
Thesceneandtheoccasionwouldhaveenlivenedherbutthatherhusbandwasstillabsent；thoughitwasnowfiveo’clock。Shecouldhardlysupposehim，whateverhisinfatuation，tohaveprolongedtoalaterhourthantenanostensiblyprofessionalcallonMrs。CharmondatMiddleton；andhecouldhaveriddenhomeintwohoursandahalf。What，then，hadbecomeofhim？Thathehadbeenoutthegreaterpartofthetwoprecedingnightsaddedtoheruneasiness。
Shedressedherself，descended，andwentout，theweirdtwilightofadvancingdaychillingtheraysfromthelanterns，andmakingthemen’sfaceswan。AssoonasMelburysawherhecameround，showinghisalarm。
“Edgarisnotcome。”shesaid。“AndIhavereasontoknowthathe’snotattendinganybody。Hehashadnorestfortwonightsbeforethis。Iwasgoingtothetopofthehilltolookforhim。”
“I’llcomewithyou。”saidMelbury。
Shebeggedhimnottohinderhimself；butheinsisted，forhesawapeculiarandrigidgloominherfaceoverandaboveheruneasiness，anddidnotlikethelookofit。Tellingthemenhewouldbewiththemagainsoon，hewalkedbesideherintotheturnpike-road，andpartlyupthehillwhenceshehadwatchedFitzpiersthenightbeforeacrosstheGreatWhiteHartorBlackmoorValley。Theyhaltedbeneathahalf-deadoak，hollow，anddisfiguredwithwhitetumors，itsrootsspreadingoutlikeaccipitrineclawsgraspingtheground。Achillywindcircledroundthem，uponwhosecurrentstheseedsofaneighboringlime-
tree，supportedparachute-wisebythewingattached，flewoutoftheboughsdownwardlikefledglingsfromtheirnest。Thevalewaswrappedinadimatmosphereofunnaturalness，andtheeastwaslikealividcurtainedgedwithpink。TherewasnosignnorsoundofFitzpiers。
“Itisnousestandinghere。”saidherfather。“Hemaycomehomefiftyways。why，lookhere！——herebeDarling’stracks——turnedhomewardandnearlyblowndryandhard！Hemusthavecomeinhoursagowithoutyourseeinghim。”
“Hehasnotdonethat。”saidshe。
Theywentbackhastily。Onenteringtheirowngatestheyperceivedthatthemenhadleftthewagons，andwerestandingroundthedoorofthestablewhichhadbeenappropriatedtothedoctor’suse。“Isthereanythingthematter？”criedGrace。
“Ohno，ma’am。All’swellthatendswell。”saidoldTimothyTangs。“I’veheardofsuchthingsbefore——amongworkfolk，thoughnotamongyourgentlepeople——that’strue。”
Theyenteredthestable，andsawthepaleshapeofDarlingstandinginthemiddleofherstall，withFitzpiersonherback，soundasleep。Darlingwasmunchinghayaswellasshecouldwiththebitinhermonth，andthereins，whichhadfallenfromFitzpiers’shand，hunguponherneck。
Gracewentandtouchedhishand；shookitbeforeshecouldarousehim。Hemoved，started，openedhiseyes，andexclaimed，“Ah，Felice！。Oh，it’sGrace。Icouldnotseeinthegloom。What——amIinthesaddle？”
“Yes。”saidshe。“Howdoyoucomehere？”
Hecollectedhisthoughts，andinafewminutesstammered，“Iwasridingalonghomewardthroughthevale，very，verysleepy，havingbeenupsomuchoflate。WhenIcameoppositeHolywellspringthemareturnedherheadthatway，asifshewantedtodrink。Ilethergoin，andshedrank；Ithoughtshewouldneverfinish。Whileshewasdrinking，theclockofOwlscombeChurchstrucktwelve。I
distinctlyremembercountingthestrokes。FromthatmomentI
positivelyrecollectnothingtillIsawyouherebymyside。”
“Thename！Ifithadbeenanyotherhorsehe’dhavehadabrokenneck！”murmuredMelbury。
“’Tiswonderful，sure，howaquiethosswillbringamanhomeatsuchtimes！”saidJohnUpjohn。“Andwhat’smorewonderfulthankeepingyourseatinadeep，slumberingsleep？I’veknowedmendrowzeoffwalkinghomefromrandieswherethemeadandotherliquorshavegoneroundwell，andkeepwalkingformorethanamileonendwithoutwaking。Well，doctor，Idon’tcarewhothemanis，’tisamercyyouwasn’tadrownded，orasplintered，orahangeduptoatreelikeAbsalom——alsoahandsomegentlemanlikeyerself，astheprophetssay。”
“True。”murmuredoldTimothy。“Fromthesoulofhisfoottothecrownofhisheadtherewasnoblemishinhim。”
“Orleastwiseyoumightha’beena-wowndedintotattersa’most，andnodoctortojineyourfewlimbstogetherwithinsevenmile！”
Whilethisgrimaddresswasproceeding，Fitzpiershaddismounted，andtakingGrace’sarmwalkedstifflyin-doorswithher。Melburystoodstaringatthehorse，which，inadditiontobeingveryweary，wasspatteredwithmud。TherewasnomudtospeakofabouttheHintocksjustnow——onlyintheclammyhollowsofthevalebeyondOwlscombe，thestiffsoilofwhichretainedmoistureforweeksaftertheuplandsweredry。Whiletheywererubbingdownthemare，Melbury’smindcoupledwiththeforeignqualityofthemudthenamehehadheardunconsciouslymutteredbythesurgeonwhenGracetookhishand——“Felice。”WhowasFelice？Why，Mrs。
Charmond；andshe，asheknew，wasstayingatMiddleton。
MelburyhadindeedpouncedupontheimagethatfilledFitzpiers’shalf-awakenedsoul——whereintherehadbeenapictureofarecentinterviewonalawnwithacapriciouslypassionatewomanwhohadbeggedhimnottocomeagainintoneswhosevibrationincitedhimtodisobey。“Whatareyoudoinghere？Whydoyoupursueme？
Anotherbelongstoyou。Iftheyweretoseeyoutheywouldseizeyouasathief！”AndshehadturbulentlyadmittedtohiswringingquestionsthathervisittoMiddletonhadbeenundertakenlessbecauseoftheinvalidrelativethaninshamefacedfearofherownweaknessifsheremainednearhishome。AtriumphthenitwastoFitzpiers，poorandhamperedashehadbecome，torecognizehisrealconquestofthisbeauty，delayedsomanyyears。HiswastheselfishpassionofCongreve’sMillamont，towhomlove’ssupremedelightlayin“thatheartwhichothersbleedfor，bleedforme。”
WhenthehorsehadbeenattendedtoMelburystooduneasilyhereandthereabouthispremises；hewasrudelydisturbedinthecomfortableviewswhichhadlatelypossessedhimonhisdomesticconcerns。ItistruethathehadforsomedaysdiscernedthatGracemoreandmoresoughthiscompany，preferredsupervisinghiskitchenandbakehousewithherstep-mothertooccupyingherselfwiththelighterdetailsofherownapartments。Sheseemednolongerabletofindinherownhearthanadequatefocusforherlife，andhence，likeaweakqueen-beeafterleadingofftoanindependenthome，hadhoveredagainintotheparenthive。Buthehadnotconstruedtheseandotherincidentsofthekindtillnow。
Somethingwaswronginthedove-cot。Aghastlysensethathealonewouldberesponsibleforwhateverunhappinessshouldbebroughtuponherforwhomhealmostsolelylived，whomtoretainunderhisroofhehadfacedthenumerousinconveniencesinvolvedingivingupthebestpartofhishousetoFitzpiers。Therewasnoroomfordoubtthat，hadheallowedeventstotaketheirnaturalcourse，shewouldhaveacceptedWinterborne，andrealizedhisolddreamofrestitutiontothatyoungman’sfamily。
