“Ihavesomethingtotell——somebadnews。”shesaid。“Butyoumustnotbealarmed，asitisnotsobadasitmighthavebeen。
Edgarhasbeenthrownoffhishorse。Wedon’tthinkheishurtmuch。IthappenedinthewoodtheothersideofNellcombeBottom，where’tissaidtheghostsofthebrotherswalk。”
Shewentontogiveafewoftheparticulars，butnoneoftheinventedhorrorsthathadbeencommunicatedbytheboy。“I
thoughtitbettertotellyouatonce。”sheadded，“incaseheshouldnotbeverywellabletowalkhome，andsomebodyshouldbringhim。”
Mrs。Melburyreallythoughtmattersmuchworsethansherepresented，andGraceknewthatshethoughtso。Shesatdowndazedforafewminutes，returninganegativetoherstep-mother’sinquiryifshecoulddoanythingforher。“Butpleasegointothebedroom。”Gracesaid，onsecondthoughts，“andseeifallisreadythere——incaseitisserious。”Mrs。MelburythereuponcalledGrammer，andtheydidasdirected，supplyingtheroomwitheverythingtheycouldthinkoffortheaccommodationofaninjuredman。
Nobodywasleftinthelowerpartofthehouse。NotmanyminutespassedwhenGraceheardaknockatthedoor——asingleknock，notloudenoughtoreachtheearsofthoseinthebedroom。Shewenttothetopofthestairsandsaid，faintly，“Comeup。”knowingthatthedoorstood，asusualinsuchhouses，wideopen。
Retreatingintothegloomofthebroadlandingshesawriseupthestairsawomanwhomatfirstshedidnotrecognize，tillhervoicerevealedhertobeSukeDamson，ingreatfrightandsorrow。A
streakoflightfromthepartiallycloseddoorofGrace’sroomfelluponherfaceasshecameforward，anditwasdrawnandpale。
“Oh，MissMelbury——IwouldsayMrs。Fitzpiers。”shesaid，wringingherhands。“Thisterriblenews。Ishedead？Ishehurtedverybad？Tellme；Icouldn’thelpcoming；pleaseforgiveme，MissMelbury——Mrs。FitzpiersIwouldsay！”
Gracesankdownontheoakchestwhichstoodonthelanding，andputherhandstohernowflushedfaceandhead。CouldsheorderSukeDamsondown-stairsandoutofthehouse？Herhusbandmightbebroughtinatanymoment，andwhatwouldhappen？Butcouldsheorderthisgenuinelygrievedwomanaway？
Therewasadeadsilenceofhalfaminuteorso，tillSukesaid，“Whydon’tyespeak？Ishehere？Ishedead？Ifso，whycan’tI
seehim——woulditbesoverywrong？”
BeforeGracehadansweredsomebodyelsecametothedoorbelow——afoot-falllightasaroe’s。Therewasahurriedtappinguponthepanel，asifwiththeimpatienttipsoffingerswhoseownerthoughtnotwhetheraknockerwerethereorno。Withoutapause，andpossiblyguidedbythestraybeamoflightonthelanding，thenewcomerascendedthestaircaseasthefirsthaddone。Gracewassufficientlyvisible，andthelady，foraladyitwas，cametoherside。
“Icouldmakenobodyheardown-stairs。”saidFeliceCharmond，withlipswhosedrynesscouldalmostbeheard，andpanting，asshestoodlikeonereadytosinkonthefloorwithdistress。“Whatis——thematter——tellmetheworst！Canhelive？”ShelookedatGraceimploringly，withoutperceivingpoorSuke，who，dismayedatsuchapresence，hadshrunkawayintotheshade。
Mrs。Charmond’slittlefeetwerecoveredwithmud；shewasquiteunconsciousofherappearancenow。“Ihaveheardsuchadreadfulreport。”shewenton；“Icametoascertainthetruthofit。Ishe——killed？”
“Shewon’ttellus——he’sdying——he’sinthatroom！”burstoutSuke，regardlessofconsequences，assheheardthedistantmovementsofMrs。MelburyandGrammerinthebedroomattheendofthepassage。
“Where？”saidMrs。Charmond；andonSukepointingoutthedirection，shemadeasiftogothither。
Gracebarredtheway。“Heisnotthere。”shesaid。“Ihavenotseenhimanymorethanyou。Ihaveheardareportonly——notsobadasyouthink。Itmusthavebeenexaggeratedtoyou。”
“Pleasedonotconcealanything——letmeknowall！”saidFelice，doubtingly。
“YoushallknowallIknow——youhaveaperfectrighttoknow——whocanhaveabetterthaneitherofyou？”saidGrace，withadelicatestingwhichwaslostuponFeliceCharmondnow。“Irepeat，Ihaveonlyheardalessalarmingaccountthanyouhaveheard；howmuchitmeans，andhowlittle，Icannotsay。IprayGodthatitmeansnotmuch——incommonhumanity。Youprobablypraythesame——forotherreasons。”
Sheregardedthemboththereinthedimlightawhile。
Theystooddumbintheirtrouble，notstingingbackather；notheedinghermood。AtendernessspreadoverGracelikeadew。Itwaswell，verywell，conventionally，toaddresseitheroneoftheminthewife’sregulationtermsofvirtuoussarcasm，aswoman，creature，orthing，forlosingtheirheartstoherhusband。Butlife，whatwasit，andwhowasshe？Shehad，likethesingerofthepsalmofAsaph，beenplaguedandchastenedallthedaylong；
butcouldshe，byretributivewords，inordertopleaseherself——
theindividual——“offendagainstthegeneration。”ashewouldnot？
“Heisdying，perhaps。”blubberedSukeDamson，puttingheraprontohereyes。
Intheirgesturesandfacestherewereanxieties，affection，agonyofheart，allforamanwhohadwrongedthem——hadneverreallybehavedtowardseitherofthemanyhowbutselfishly。Neitheronebutwouldhavewellnighsacrificedhalfherlifetohim，evennow。
Thetearswhichhispossiblycriticalsituationcouldnotbringtohereyessurgedoveratthecontemplationofthesefellow-women。
Sheturnedtothebalustrade，bentherselfuponit，andwept。
ThereuponFelicebegantocryalso，withoutusingherhandkerchief，andlettingthetearsrundownsilently。Whilethesethreepoorwomenstoodtogetherthus，pityinganotherthoughmosttobepitiedthemselves，thepacingofahorseorhorsesbecameaudibleinthecourt，andinamomentMelbury’svoicewasheardcallingtohisstableman。Graceatoncestartedup，randownthestairsandoutintothequadrangleasherfathercrossedittowardsthedoor。“Father，whatisthematterwithhim？”shecried。
“Who——Edgar？”saidMelbury，abruptly。“Matter？Nothing。What，mydear，andhaveyougothomesafe？Why，youarebetteralready！Butyououghtnottobeoutintheairlikethis。”
“Buthehasbeenthrownoffhishorse！”
“Iknow；Iknow。Isawit。Hegotupagain，andwalkedoffaswellasever。Afallontheleavesdidn’thurtaspryfellowlikehim。Hedidnotcomethisway。”headded，significantly。“I
supposehewenttolookforhishorse。Itriedtofindhim，butcouldnot。ButafterseeinghimgoawayunderthetreesIfoundthehorse，andhaveledithomeforsafety。Sohemustwalk。
Now，don’tyoustayouthereinthisnightair。
Shereturnedtothehousewithherfather。whenshehadagainascendedtothelandingandtoherownroomsbeyonditwasagreatrelieftohertofindthatbothPetticoattheFirstandPetticoattheSecondofherBien-aimehadsilentlydisappeared。Theyhad，inallprobability，heardthewordsofherfather，anddepartedwiththeiranxietiesrelieved。
PresentlyherparentscameuptoGrace，andbusiedthemselvestoseethatshewascomfortable。Perceivingsoonthatshewouldprefertobeleftalonetheywentaway。
Gracewaitedon。Theclockraiseditsvoicenowandthen，butherhusbanddidnotreturn。Atherfather’susualhourforretiringheagaincameintoseeher。“Donotstayup。”shesaid，assoonasheentered。“Iamnotatalltired。Iwillsitupforhim。”
“Ithinkitwillbeuseless，Grace。”saidMelbury，slowly。
“Why？”
“Ihavehadabitterquarrelwithhim；andonthataccountI
hardlythinkhewillreturnto-night。”
“Aquarrel？Wasthatafterthefallseenbytheboy？”
Melburynoddedanaffirmative，withouttakinghiseyesoffthecandle。
“Yes；itwasaswewerecominghometogether。”hesaid。
SomethinghadbeenswellingupinGracewhileherfatherwasspeaking。“Howcouldyouwanttoquarrelwithhim？”shecried，suddenly。“Whycouldyounotlethimcomehomequietlyifhewereinclinedto？Heismyhusband；andnowyouhavemarriedmetohimsurelyyouneednotprovokehimunnecessarily。Firstyouinducemetoaccepthim，andthenyoudothingsthatdivideusmorethanweshouldnaturallybedivided！”
“Howcanyouspeaksounjustlytome，Grace？”saidMelbury，withindignantsorrow。“Idivideyoufromyourhusband，indeed！Youlittlethink——“
Hewasinclinedtosaymore——totellherthewholestoryoftheencounter，andthattheprovocationhehadreceivedhadlainentirelyinhearingherdespised。Butitwouldhavegreatlydistressedher，andheforbore。“Youhadbetterliedown。Youaretired。”hesaid，soothingly。“Good-night。”
Thehouseholdwenttobed，andasilencefelluponthedwelling，brokenonlybytheoccasionalskirrofahalterinMelbury’sstables。Despiteherfather’sadviceGracestillwaitedup。Butnobodycame。
ItwasacriticaltimeinGrace’semotionallifethatnight。Shethoughtofherhusbandagooddeal，andforthenonceforgotWinterborne。
“HowtheseunhappywomenmusthaveadmiredEdgar！”shesaidtoherself。“Howattractivehemustbetoeverybody；and，indeed，heisattractive。”Thepossibilityisthat，piquedbyrivalry，theseideasmighthavebeentransformedintotheircorrespondingemotionsbyashowoftheleastreciprocityinFitzpiers。Therewas，intruth，alove-birdyearningtoflyfromherheart；anditwantedalodgingbadly。
Butnohusbandcame。ThefactwasthatMelburyhadbeenmuchmistakenabouttheconditionofFitzpiers。Peopledonotfallheadlongonstumpsofunderwoodwithimpunity。HadtheoldmanbeenabletowatchFitzpiersnarrowlyenough，hewouldhaveobservedthatonrisingandwalkingintothethickethedroppedbloodashewent；thathehadnotproceededfiftyyardsbeforeheshowedsignsofbeingdizzy，and，raisinghishandstohishead，reeledandfelldown。
GracewasnottheonlyonewhowatchedandmeditatedinHintockthatnight。FeliceCharmondwasinnomoodtoretiretorestatacustomaryhour；andoverherdrawing-roomfireattheManorHouseshesatasmotionlessandinasdeepareverieasGraceinherlittleapartmentatthehomestead。
HavingcaughtearofMelbury’sintelligencewhileshestoodonthelandingathishouse，andbeeneasedofmuchofhermentaldistress，hersenseofpersonaldecorumreturneduponherwitharush。Shedescendedthestairsandleftthedoorlikeaghost，keepingclosetothewallsofthebuildingtillshegotroundtothegateofthequadrangle，throughwhichshenoiselesslypassedalmostbeforeGraceandherfatherhadfinishedtheirdiscourse。
SukeDamsonhadthoughtitwelltoimitatehersuperiorinthisrespect，and，descendingthebackstairsasFelicedescendedthefront，wentoutatthesidedoorandhometohercottage。
OnceoutsideMelbury’sgatesMrs。CharmondranwithallherspeedtotheManorHouse，withoutstoppingorturningherhead，andsplittingherthinbootsinherhaste。Sheenteredherowndwelling，asshehademergedfromit，bythedrawing-roomwindow。
Inothercircumstancesshewouldhavefeltsometimidityatundertakingsuchanunpremeditatedexcursionalone；butheranxietyforanotherhadcastoutherfearforherself。
Everythinginherdrawing-roomwasjustasshehadleftit——thecandlesstillburning，thecasementclosed，andtheshuttersgentlypulledto，soastohidethestateofthewindowfromthecursoryglanceofaservantenteringtheapartment。Shehadbeengoneaboutthree-quartersofanhourbytheclock，andnobodyseemedtohavediscoveredherabsence。Tiredinbodybuttenseinmind，shesatdown，palpitating，round-eyed，bewilderedatwhatshehaddone。
Shehadbeenbetrayedbyaffrightedloveintoavisitwhich，nowthattheemotioninstigatingithadcalmeddownunderherbeliefthatFitzpierswasinnodanger，wasthesaddestsurprisetoher。
Thiswashowshehadsetaboutdoingherbesttoescapeherpassionatebondagetohim！Somehow，indeclaringtoGraceandtoherselftheunseemlinessofherinfatuation，shehadgrownaconverttoitsirresistibility。IfHeavenwouldonlygiveherstrength；butHeavenneverdid！Onethingwasindispensable；shemustgoawayfromHintockifshemeanttowithstandfurthertemptation。Thestrugglewastoowearying，toohopeless，whilesheremained。Itwasbutacontinualcapitulationofconsciencetowhatshedarednotname。
Bydegrees，asshesat，Felice’smind——helpedperhapsbytheanticlimaxoflearningthatherloverwasunharmedafterallherfrightabouthim——grewwondrouslystronginwiseresolve。Forthemomentshewasinamood，inthewordsofMrs。ElizabethMontagu，“torunmadwithdiscretion；“andwassopersuadedthatdiscretionlayindeparturethatshewishedtosetaboutgoingthatveryminute。Jumpingupfromherseat，shebegantogathertogethersomesmallpersonalknick-knacksscatteredabouttheroom，tofeelthatpreparationswerereallyintrain。
