HepitiedMelburyforhisalmostchildishenthusiasm，andsawthattheagingmanmusthavesufferedacutelytobeweakenedtothisunreasoningdesire。
Winterbornewasfartoomagnanimoustoharboranycynicalconjecturethatthetimber-merchant，inhisintenseaffectionforGrace，wascourtinghimnowbecausethatyounglady，whendisunited，wouldbeleftinananomalousposition，toescapewhichabadhusbandwasbetterthannone。HefeltquitesurethathisoldfriendwassimplyontenterhooksofanxietytorepairthealmostirreparableerrorofdividingtwowhomNaturehadstriventojointogetherinearlierdays，andthatinhisardortodothishewasobliviousofformalities。Thecautioussupervisionofhispastyearshadoverleapeditselfatlast。hence，Winterborneperceivedthat，inthisnewbeginning，thenecessarycarenottocompromiseGracebytooearlyadvancesmustbeexercisedbyhimself。
PerhapsWinterbornewasnotquitesoardentasheretofore。Thereisnosuchthingasastationarylove：menareeitherlovingmoreorlovingless。ButGileshimselfrecognizednodeclineinhissenseofherdearness。IftheflamedidindeedburnlowernowthanwhenhehadfetchedherfromShertonatherlastreturnfromschool，themarvelwassmall。Hehadbeenlaboringeversincehisrejectionandhermarriagetoreducehisformerpassiontoadocilefriendship，outofpureregardtoitsexpediency；andtheirseparationmayhavehelpedhimtoapartialsuccess。
Aweekandmorepassed，andtherewasnofurthernewsofMelbury。
Buttheeffectoftheintelligencehehadalreadytransmittedupontheelastic-nerveddaughterofthewoodshadbeenmuchwhattheoldsurgeonJoneshadsurmised。Ithadsoothedherperturbedspiritbetterthanalltheopiatesinthepharmacopoeia。Shehadsleptunbrokenlyawholenightandaday。The“newlaw“wastoheramysterious，beneficent，godlikeentity，latelydescendeduponearth，thatwouldmakeherassheoncehadbeenwithouttroubleorannoyance。Herpositionfrettedher，itsabstractfeaturesrousinganaversionwhichwasevengreaterthanheraversiontothepersonalityofhimwhohadcausedit。Itwasmortifying，productiveofslights，undignified。Himshecouldforget；hercircumstancesshehadalwayswithher。
ShesawnothingofWinterborneduringthedaysofherrecovery；
andperhapsonthataccountherfancywoveabouthimamoreromantictissuethanitcouldhavedoneifhehadstoodbeforeherwithallthespecksandflawsinseparablefromcorporeity。Heroseuponhermemoryasthefruit-godandthewood-godinalternation；sometimesleafy，andsmearedwithgreenlichen，asshehadseenhimamongthesappyboughsoftheplantations；
sometimescider-stained，andwithapple-pipsinthehairofhisarms，asshehadmethimonhisreturnfromcider-makinginWhiteHartVale，withhisvatsandpressesbesidehim。Inhersecretheartshealmostapproximatedtoherfather’senthusiasminwishingtoshowGilesonceforallhowshestillregardedhim。
Thequestionwhetherthefuturewouldindeedbringthemtogetherforlifewasastandingwonderwithher。Sheknewthatitcouldnotwithanyproprietydosojustyet。Butreverentlybelievinginherfather’ssoundjudgmentandknowledge，asgoodgirlsarewonttodo，sherememberedwhathehadwrittenabouthergivingahinttoWinterbornelestthereshouldberiskindelay，andherfeelingswerenotaversetosuchastep，sofarasitcouldbedonewithoutdangeratthisearlystageoftheproceedings。
Frombeingafrailphantomofherformerequableselfshereturnedinboundstoaconditionofpassablephilosophy。Shebloomedagaininthefaceinthecourseofafewdays，andwaswellenoughtogoaboutasusual。OnedayMrs。MelburyproposedthatforachangesheshouldbedriveninthegigtoShertonmarket，whitherMelbury’smanwasgoingonothererrands。GracehadnobusinesswhateverinSherton；butitcrossedhermindthatWinterbornewouldprobablybethere，andthismadethethoughtofsuchadriveinteresting。
Onthewayshesawnothingofhim；butwhenthehorsewaswalkingslowlythroughtheobstructionsofSheepStreet，shediscernedtheyoungmanonthepavement。Shethoughtofthattimewhenhehadbeenstandingunderhisapple-treeonherreturnfromschool，andofthetenderopportunitythenmissedthroughherfastidiousness。
Herheartroseinherthroat。Sheabjuredallsuchfastidiousnessnow。Nordidsheforgetthelastoccasiononwhichshehadbeheldhiminthattown，makingciderinthecourt-yardoftheEarlofWessexHotel，whileshewasfiguringasafineladyinthebalconyabove。
Gracedirectedthemantosetherdownthereinthemidst，andimmediatelywentuptoherlover。Gileshadnotbeforeobservedher，andhiseyesnowsuppressedlylookedhispleasure，withouttheembarrassmentthathadformerlymarkedhimatsuchmeetings。
Whenafewwordshadbeenspoken，shesaid，archly，“Ihavenothingtodo。Perhapsyouaredeeplyengaged？”
“I？Notabit。Mybusinessnowatthebestoftimesissmall，I
amsorrytosay。”
“Well，then，IamgoingintotheAbbey。Comealongwithme。”
Thepropositionhadsuggesteditselfasaquickescapefrompublicity，formanyeyeswereregardingher。Shehadhopedthatsufficienttimehadelapsedfortheextinctionofcuriosity；butitwasquiteotherwise。Thepeoplelookedatherwithtenderinterestasthedesertedgirl-wife——withoutobtrusiveness，andwithoutvulgarity；butshewasillpreparedforscrutinyinanyshape。
TheywalkedabouttheAbbeyaisles，andpresentlysatdown。Notasoulwasinthebuildingsavethemselves。Sheregardedastainedwindow，withherheadsideways，andtentativelyaskedhimifherememberedthelasttimetheywereinthattownalone。
Heremembereditperfectly，andremarked，“Youwereaproudmissthen，andasdaintyasyouwerehigh。Perhapsyouarenow？”
Graceslowlyshookherhead。“Afflictionhastakenallthatoutofme。”sheanswered，impressively。“PerhapsIamtoofartheotherwaynow。”Astherewassomethinglurkinginthisthatshecouldnotexplain，sheadded，soquicklyasnottoallowhimtimetothinkofit，“Hasmyfatherwrittentoyouatall？”
“Yes。”saidWinterborne。
Sheglancedponderinglyupathim。“Notaboutme？”
“Yes。”
Hismouthwaslinedwithcharacterywhichtoldherthathehadbeenbiddentotakethehintastothefuturewhichshehadbeenbiddentogive。TheunexpecteddiscoverysentascarletpulsationthroughGraceforthemoment。However，itwasonlyGileswhostoodthere，ofwhomshehadnofear；andherself-possessionreturned。
“HesaidIwastosoundyouwithaviewto——whatyouwillunderstand，ifyoucareto。”continuedWinterborne，inalowvoice。Havingbeenputonthistrackbyherself，hewasnotdisposedtoabandonitinahurry。
Theyhadbeenchildrentogether，andtherewasbetweenthemthatfamiliarityastopersonalaffairswhichonlysuchacquaintanceshipcangive。“Youknow，Giles。”sheanswered，speakinginaverypracticaltone，“thatthatisallverywell；
butIaminaveryanomalouspositionatpresent，andIcannotsayanythingtothepointaboutsuchthingsasthose。”
“No？”hesaid，withastrayairasregardedthesubject。Hewaslookingatherwithacuriousconsciousnessofdiscovery。Hehadnotbeenimaginingthattheirrenewedintercoursewouldshowhertohimthus。Forthefirsttimeherealizedanunexpectednessinher，which，afterall，shouldnothavebeenunexpected。ShebeforehimwasnotthegirlGraceMelburywhomheusedtoknow。
Ofcourse，hemighteasilyhaveprefiguredasmuch；butithadneveroccurredtohim。Shewasawomanwhohadbeenmarried；shehadmovedon；andwithouthavinglosthergirlishmodesty，shehadlosthergirlishshyness。Theinevitablechange，thoughknowntohim，hadnotbeenheeded；anditstruckhimintoamomentaryfixity。ThetruthwasthathehadnevercomeintoclosecomradeshipwithhersinceherengagementtoFitzpiers，withthebriefexceptionoftheeveningencounteronRubdownHill，whenshemethimwithhisciderapparatus；andthatinterviewhadbeenoftoocursoryakindforinsight。
Winterbornehadadvanced，too。Hecouldcriticiseher。TimeshadbeenwhentocriticiseasingletraitinGraceMelburywouldhavelainasfarbeyondhispowersastocriticiseadeity。Thisthingwassure：itwasanewwomaninmanywayswhomhehadcomeouttosee；acreatureofmoreideas，moredignity，and，aboveall，moreassurance，thantheoriginalGracehadbeencapableof。Hecouldnotatfirstdecidewhetherhewerepleasedordispleasedatthis。
Butuponthewholethenoveltyattractedhim。
Shewassosweetandsensitivethatshefearedhissilencebetokenedsomethinginhisbrainofthenatureofanenemytoher。
“Whatareyouthinkingofthatmakesthoselinescomeinyourforehead？”sheasked。“Ididnotmeantooffendyoubyspeakingofthetimebeingprematureasyet。”
Touchedbythegenuineloving-kindnesswhichhadlainatthefoundationofthesewords，andmuchmoved，Winterborneturnedhisfaceaside，ashetookherbythehand。Hewasgrievedthathehadcriticisedher。
“Youareverygood，dearGrace。”hesaid，inalowvoice。“Youarebetter，muchbetter，thanyouusedtobe。”
“How？”
Hecouldnotverywelltellherhow，andsaid，withanevasivesmile，“Youareprettier；“whichwasnotwhathereallyhadmeant。
Hethenremainedstillholdingherrighthandinhisownright，sothattheyfacedinoppositeways；andashedidnotletgo，sheventureduponatenderremonstrance。
“Ithinkwehavegoneasfarasweoughttogoatpresent——andfarenoughtosatisfymypoorfatherthatwearethesameasever。
Yousee，Giles，mycaseisnotsettledyet，andif——Oh，supposeI
NEVERgetfree！——thereshouldbeanyhitchorinformality！”
Shedrewacatchingbreath，andturnedpale。Thedialoguehadbeenaffectionatecomedyuptothispoint。Thegloomyatmosphereofthepast，andthestillgloomyhorizonofthepresent，hadbeenfortheintervalforgotten。Nowthewholeenvironmentcameback，theduebalanceofshadeamongthelightwasrestored。
“Itissuretobeallright，Itrust？”sheresumed，inuneasyaccents。“Whatdidmyfathersaythesolicitorhadtoldhim？”
“Oh——thatallissureenough。Thecaseissoclear——nothingcouldbeclearer。Butthelegalpartisnotyetquitedoneandfinished，asisnatural。”
“Ohno——ofcoursenot。”shesaid，sunkinmeekthought。“ButfathersaiditwasALMOST——didhenot？Doyouknowanythingaboutthenewlawthatmakesthesethingssoeasy？”
“Nothing——exceptthegeneralfactthatitenablesill-assortedhusbandsandwivestopartinawaytheycouldnotformerlydowithoutanActofParliament。”
“Haveyoutosignapaper，orswearanything？Isitsomethinglikethat？”
“Yes，Ibelieveso。”
“Howlonghasitbeenintroduced？”
“Aboutsixmonthsorayear，thelawyersaid，Ithink。”
TohearthesetwopoorArcadianinnocentstalkofimperiallawwouldhavemadeahumanepersonweepwhoshouldhaveknownwhatadangerousstructuretheywerebuildingupontheirsupposedknowledge。Theyremainedinthought，likechildreninthepresenceoftheincomprehensible。
“Giles。”shesaid，atlast，“itmakesmequitewearywhenIthinkhowseriousmysituationis，orhasbeen。Shallwenotgooutfromherenow，asitmayseemratherfastofme——ourbeingsolongtogether，Imean——ifanybodyweretoseeus？Iamalmostsure。”
sheadded，uncertainly，“thatIoughtnottoletyouholdmyhandyet，knowingthatthedocuments——orwhateveritmaybe——havenotbeensigned；sothatI——amstillasmarriedasever——oralmost。
Mydearfatherhasforgottenhimself。NotthatIfeelmorallyboundtoanyoneelse，afterwhathastakenplace——nowomanofspiritcould——now，too，thatseveralmonthshavepassed。ButI
wishtokeeptheproprietiesaswellasIcan。”
“Yes，yes。Still，yourfatherremindsusthatlifeisshort。I
myselffeelthatitis；thatiswhyIwishedtounderstandyouinthisthatwehavebegun。Attimes，dearGrace，sincereceivingyourfather’sletter，Iamasuneasyandfearfulasachildatwhathesaid。Ifoneofusweretodiebeforetheformalsigningandsealingthatistoreleaseyouhavebeendone——ifweshoulddropoutoftheworldandneverhavemadethemostofthislittle，short，butrealopportunity，IshouldthinktomyselfasIsunkdowndying，’WouldtomyGodthatIhadspokenoutmywholeheart——
givenheronepoorlittlekisswhenIhadthechancetogiveit！
ButIneverdid，althoughshehadpromisedtobeminesomeday；
andnowInevercan。’That’swhatIshouldthink。”
