Foritisnotasifyouwouldlosebysodoing；yourcourseisfarhigherthanthecoursesofasimpleprofessionalman，andthegratitudeyouwouldwinfrommeandminebyyourkindnessismorethanIcansay。”
Mrs。CharmondhadfirstrushedintoamoodofindignationoncomprehendingMelbury’sstory；hotandcoldbyturns，shehadmurmured，“Leaveme，leaveme！”Butasheseemedtotakenonoticeofthis，hiswordsbegantoinfluenceher，andwhenheceasedspeakingshesaid，withhurried，hotbreath，“Whathasledyoutothinkthisofme？WhosaysIhavewonyourdaughter’shusbandawayfromher？Somemonstrouscalumniesareafloat——ofwhichI
haveknownnothinguntilnow！”
Melburystarted，andlookedathersimply。“Butsurely，ma’am，youknowthetruthbetterthanI？”
Herfeaturesbecamealittlepinched，andthetouchesofpowderonherhandsomefaceforthefirsttimeshowedthemselvesasanextrinsicfilm。“Willyouleavemetomyself？”shesaid，withafaintnesswhichsuggestedaguiltyconscience。“Thisissoutterlyunexpected——youobtainadmissiontomypresencebymisrepresentation——“
“AsGod’sinheaven，ma’am，that’snottrue。Imadenopretence；
andIthoughtinreasonyouwouldknowwhyIhadcome。Thisgossip——“
“Ihaveheardnothingofit。Tellmeofit，Isay。”
“Tellyou，ma’am——notI。Whatthegossipis，nomatter。Whatreallyis，youknow。Setfactsright，andthescandalwillrightofitself。Butpardonme——Ispeakroughly；andIcametospeakgently，tocoaxyou，begyoutobemydaughter’sfriend。Shelovedyouonce，ma’am；youbeganbylikingher。Thenyoudroppedherwithoutareason，andithurtherwarmheartmorethanIcantellye。Butyouwerewithinyourrightasthesuperior，nodoubt。Butifyouwouldconsiderherpositionnow——surely，surely，youwoulddohernoharm！”
“CertainlyIwoulddohernoharm——I——“Melbury’seyemethers。
Itwascurious，buttheallusiontoGrace’sformerloveforherseemedtotouchhermorethanallMelbury’sotherarguments。“Oh，Melbury。”sheburstout，“youhavemademesounhappy！Howcouldyoucometomelikethis！Itistoodreadful！Nowgoaway——go，go！”
“Iwill。”hesaid，inahuskytone。
Assoonashewasoutoftheroomshewenttoacornerandtheresatandwrithedunderanemotioninwhichhurtprideandvexationmingledwithbettersentiments。
Mrs。Charmond’smobilespiritwassubjecttothesefierceperiodsofstressandstorm。Shehadneversoclearlyperceivedtillnowthathersoulwasbeingslowlyinvadedbyadeliriumwhichhadbroughtaboutallthis；thatshewaslosingjudgmentanddignityunderit，becomingananimatedimpulseonly，apassionincarnate。
Afascinationhadledheron；itwasasifshehadbeenseizedbyahandofvelvet；andthiswaswhereshefoundherself——
overshadowedwithsuddennight，asifatornadohadpassedby。
Whileshesat，orrathercrouched，unhingedbytheinterview，lunch-timecame，andthentheearlyafternoon，almostwithoutherconsciousness。Then“astrangegentlemanwhosaysitisnotnecessarytogivehisname。”wassuddenlyannounced。
“Icannotseehim，whoeverhemaybe。Iamnotathometoanybody。”
Sheheardnomoreofhervisitor；andshortlyafter，inanattempttorecoversomementalserenitybyviolentphysicalexercise，sheputonherhatandcloakandwentout-of-doors，takingapathwhichledheruptheslopestothenearestspurofthewood。Shedislikedthewoods，buttheyhadtheadvantageofbeingaplaceinwhichshecouldwalkcomparativelyunobserved。
Therewasagitationto-dayinthelivesofallwhomthesemattersconcerned。ItwasnottilltheHintockdinner-time——oneo’clock——
thatGracediscoveredherfather’sabsencefromthehouseafteradepartureinthemorningundersomewhatunusualconditions。Byalittlereasoningandinquiryshewasabletocometoaconclusiononhisdestination，andtodivinehiserrand。
Herhusbandwasabsent，andherfatherdidnotreturn。Hehad，intruth，goneontoShertonaftertheinterview，butthisGracedidnotknow。InanindefinitedreadthatsomethingseriouswouldariseoutofMelbury’svisitbyreasonoftheinequalitiesoftemperandnervousirritationtowhichhewassubject，somethingpossiblythatwouldbringhermuchmoremiserythanaccompaniedherpresentnegativestateofmind，sheleftthehouseaboutthreeo’clock，andtookaloiteringwalkinthewoodlandtrackbywhichsheimaginedhewouldcomehome。Thistrackunderthebaretreesandoverthecrackingsticks，screenedandroofedinfromtheouterworldofwindandcloudbyanet-workofboughs，ledherslowlyontillintimeshehadleftthelargertreesbehindherandsweptroundintothecoppicewhereWinterborneandhismenwereclearingtheundergrowth。
HadGiles’sattentionbeenconcentratedonhishurdleshewouldnothaveseenher；buteversinceMelbury’spassageacrosstheoppositegladeinthemorninghehadbeenasuneasyandunsettledasGraceherself；andheradventnowwastheoneappearancewhich，sinceherfather’savowal，couldarresthimmorethanMelbury’sreturnwithhistidings。Fearingthatsomethingmightbethematter，hehasteneduptoher。
Shehadnotseenheroldloverforalongtime，and，tooconsciousofthelatepranksofherheart，shecouldnotbeholdhimcalmly。
“Iamonlylookingformyfather。”shesaid，inanunnecessarilyapologeticintonation。
“Iwaslookingforhimtoo。”saidGiles。“Ithinkhemayperhapshavegoneonfarther。”
“ThenyouknewhewasgoingtotheHouse，Giles？”shesaid，turningherlargetendereyesanxiouslyuponhim。“Didhetellyouwhatfor？”
Winterborneglanceddoubtinglyather，andthensoftlyhintedthatherfatherhadvisitedhimtheeveningbefore，andthattheiroldfriendshipwasquiterestored，onwhichsheguessedtherest。
“Oh，Iamglad，indeed，thatyoutwoarefriendsagain！”shecried。Andthentheystoodfacingeachother，fearingeachother，troublingeachother’ssouls。Graceexperiencedacutemiseryatthesightofthesewood-cuttingscenes，becauseshehadestrangedherselffromthem，craving，eventoitsdefectsandinconveniences，thathomelysylvanlifeofherfatherwhichinthebestprobablesuccessionofeventswouldshortlybedeniedher。
Atalittledistance，ontheedgeoftheclearing，MartySouthwasshapingspar-gadstotakehomeformanufactureduringtheevenings。WhileWinterborneandMrs。Fitzpiersstoodlookingatherintheirmutualembarrassmentateachother’spresence，theybeheldapproachingthegirlaladyinadarkfurmantleandablackhat，havingawhiteveiltiedpicturesquelyroundit。ShespoketoMarty，whoturnedandcourtesied，andtheladyfellintoconversationwithher。ItwasMrs。Charmond。
Onleavingherhouse，Mrs。Charmondhadwalkedonandonwardunderthefretandfeverofhermindwithmorevigorthanshewasaccustomedtoshowinhernormalmoods——afeverwhichthesolaceofacigarettedidnotentirelyallay。Reachingthecoppice，shelistlesslyobservedMartyatwork，threwawayhercigarette，andcamenear。Chop，chop，chop，wentMarty’slittlebillhookwithnevermoreassiduity，tillMrs。Charmondspoke。
“WhoisthatyoungladyIseetalkingtothewoodmanyonder？”sheasked。
“Mrs。Fitzpiers，ma’am。”saidMarty。
“Oh。”saidMrs。Charmond，withsomethinglikeastart；forshehadnotrecognizedGraceatthatdistance。“Andthemansheistalkingto？”
“That’sMr。Winterborne。”
ArednessstoleintoMarty’sfaceasshementionedGiles’sname，whichMrs。Charmonddidnotfailtonoticeinformedherofthestateofthegirl’sheart。“Areyouengagedtohim？”sheasked，softly。
“No，ma’am。”saidMarty。“SHEwasonce；andIthink——“
ButMartycouldnotpossiblyexplainthecomplicationsofherthoughtsonthismatter——whichwerenothinglessthanoneofextraordinaryacutenessforagirlsoyoungandinexperienced——
namely，thatshesawdangertotwoheartsnaturallyhonestinGracebeingthrownbackintoWinterborne’ssocietybytheneglectofherhusband。Mrs。Charmond，however，withthealmostsupersensorymeanstoknowledgewhichwomenhaveonsuchoccasions，quiteunderstoodwhatMartyhadintendedtoconvey，andthepicturethusexhibitedtoheroflivesdriftingaway，involvingthewreckofpoorMarty’shopes，promptedhertomoregenerousresolvesthanallMelbury’sremonstranceshadbeenabletostimulate。
Fullofthenewfeeling，shebadethegirlgood-afternoon，andwentonoverthestumpsofhazeltowhereGraceandWinterbornewerestanding。Theysawherapproach，andWinterbornesaid，“Sheiscomingtoyou；itisagoodomen。Shedislikesme，soI’llgoaway。”HeaccordinglyretreatedtowherehehadbeenworkingbeforeGracecame，andGrace’sformidablerivalapproachedher，eachwomantakingtheother’smeasureasshecamenear。
“Dear——Mrs。Fitzpiers。”saidFeliceCharmond，withsomeinwardturmoilwhichstoppedherspeech。“Ihavenotseenyouforalongtime。”
Sheheldoutherhandtentatively，whileGracestoodlikeawildanimalonfirstconfrontingamirrororotherpuzzlingproductofcivilization。WasitreallyMrs。Charmondspeakingtoherthus？
Ifitwas，shecouldnolongerformanyguessastowhatitsignified。
“Iwanttotalkwithyou。”saidMrs。Charmond，imploringly，forthegazeoftheyoungwomanhadchilledherthrough。“Canyouwalkonwithmetillwearequitealone？”
Sickwithdistaste，Graceneverthelesscomplied，asbyclockworkandtheymovedevenlysidebysideintothedeeperrecessesofthewoods。Theywentfarther，muchfartherthanMrs。Charmondhadmeanttogo；butshecouldnotbeginherconversation，andindefaultofitkeptwalking。
“Ihaveseenyourfather。”sheatlengthresumed。“And——Iammuchtroubledbywhathetoldme。”
“Whatdidhetellyou？Ihavenotbeenadmittedtohisconfidenceonanythinghemayhavesaidtoyou。”
“Nevertheless，whyshouldIrepeattoyouwhatyoucaneasilydivine？”
“True——true。”returnedGrace，mournfully。“Whyshouldyourepeatwhatwebothknowtobeinourmindsalready？”
“Mrs。Fitzpiers，yourhusband——“Themomentthatthespeaker’stonguetouchedthedangeroussubjectavividlookofself-
consciousnessflashedoverher，inwhichherheartrevealed，asbyalightninggleam，whatfilledittooverflowing。Sotransitorywastheexpressionthatnonebutasensitivewoman，andsheinGrace’sposition，wouldhavehadthepowertocatchitsmeaning。
Uponherthephasewasnotlost。
“ThenyouDOlovehim！”sheexclaimed，inatoneofmuchsurprise。
“Whatdoyoumean，myyoungfriend？”
“Why。”criedGrace，“Ithoughttillnowthatyouhadonlybeencruellyflirtingwithmyhusband，toamuseyouridlemoments——arichladywithapoorprofessionalgentlemanwhominherheartshedespisednotmuchlessthanherwhobelongstohim。ButIguessfromyourmannerthatyoulovehimdesperately，andIdon’thateyouasIdidbefore。”
“Yes，indeed。”continuedMrs。Fitzpiers，withatremblingtongue，“sinceitisnotplayinginyourcaseatall，butREAL。Oh，Idopityyou，morethanIdespiseyou，foryouwills-s-suffermost！”
Mrs。CharmondwasnowasmuchagitatedasGrace。“Ioughtnottoallowmyselftoarguewithyou。”sheexclaimed。“Idemeanmyselfbydoingit。ButIlikedyouonce，andforthesakeofthattimeItrytotellyouhowmistakenyouare！”Muchofherconfusionresultedfromherwonderandalarmatfindingherselfinasensedominatedmentallyandemotionallybythissimpleschool-girl。“I
donotlovehim。”shewenton，withdesperateuntruth。“Itwasakindness——mymakingsomewhatmoreofhimthanoneusuallydoesofone’sdoctor。Iwaslonely；Italked——well，Itrifledwithhim。
Iamverysorryifsuchchild’splayingoutofpurefriendshiphasbeenaseriousmattertoyou。Whocouldhaveexpectedit？Buttheworldissosimplehere。”
