Menweresostrange。Thethoughttookawayfromherallherformerreticence，andmadeheractionbold。Shestartedfromherseat。Ifthelittlebreach，quarrel，orwhateveritmightbecalled，ofyesterday，wastobehealedupitmustbedonebyherontheinstant。Shecrossedintotheorchard，andclamberedthroughthegapafterGiles，justashewasdiminishingtoafaun-
likefigureunderthegreencanopyandoverthebrownfloor。
Gracehadbeenwrong——veryfarwrong——inassumingthattheletterhadnoreferencetoherselfbecauseGileshadturnedawayintothewoodafteritsperusal。Itwas，sadtosay，becausethemissivehadsomuchreferencetoherselfthathehadthusturnedaway。Hefearedthathisgrieveddiscomfituremightbeobserved。TheletterwasfromBeaucock，writtenafewhourslaterthanMelbury’stohisdaughter。Itannouncedfailure。
Gileshadoncedonethatthriftlessmanagoodturn，andnowwasthemomentwhenBeaucockhadchosentorememberitinhisownway。
DuringhisabsenceintownwithMelbury，thelawyer’sclerkhadnaturallyheardagreatdealofthetimber-merchant’sfamilyschemeofjusticetoGiles，andhiscommunicationwastoinformWinterborneattheearliestpossiblemomentthattheirattempthadfailed，inorderthattheyoungmanshouldnotplacehimselfinafalsepositiontowardsGraceinthebeliefofitscomingsuccess。
Thenewswas，insum，thatFitzpiers’sconducthadnotbeensufficientlycrueltoGracetoenablehertosnapthebond。Shewasapparentlydoomedtobehiswifetilltheendofthechapter。
Winterbornequiteforgothissuperficialdifferenceswiththepoorgirlunderthewarmrushofdeepanddistractingloveforherwhichthealmosttragicalinformationengendered。
Torenounceherforever——thatwasthentheendofitforhim，afterall。Therewasnolongeranyquestionaboutsuitability，orroomfortiffsonpettytastes。Thecurtainhadfallenagainbetweenthem。Shecouldnotbehis。Thecrueltyoftheirlaterevivedhopewasnowterrible。Howcouldtheyallhavebeensosimpleastosupposethisthingcouldbedone？
Itwasatthismomentthat，hearingsomeonecomingbehindhim，heturnedandsawherhasteningonbetweenthethickets。Heperceivedinaninstantthatshedidnotknowtheblightingnews。
“Giles，whydidn’tyoucomeacrosstome？”sheasked，witharchreproach。“Didn’tyouseemesittingthereeversolong？”
“Ohyes。”hesaid，inunprepared，extemporizedtones，forherunexpectedpresencecaughthimwithouttheslightestplanofbehaviorintheconjuncture。Hismannermadeherthinkthatshehadbeentoochidinginherspeech；andamildscarletwavepassedoverherassheresolvedtosoftenit。
“Ihavehadanotherletterfrommyfather。”shehastenedtocontinue。“Hethinkshemaycomehomethisevening。And——inviewofhishopes——itwillgrievehimifthereisanylittledifferencebetweenus，Giles。”
“Thereisnone。”hesaid，sadlyregardingherfromthefacedownwardasheponderedhowtolaythecrueltruthbare。
“Still——Ifearyouhavenotquiteforgivenmeaboutmybeinguncomfortableattheinn。”
“Ihave，Grace，I’msure。”
“Butyouspeakinquiteanunhappyway。”shereturned，comingupclosetohimwiththemostwinningofthemanyprettyairsthatappertainedtoher。“Don’tyouthinkyouwilleverbehappy，Giles？”
Hedidnotreplyforsomeinstants。“WhenthesunshinesonthenorthfrontofShertonAbbey——that’swhenmyhappinesswillcometome！”saidhe，staringasitwereintotheearth。
“But——thenthatmeansthatthereissomethingmorethanmyoffendingyouinnotlikingTheThreeTuns。IfitisbecauseI——
didnotliketoletyoukissmeintheAbbey——well，youknow，Giles，thatitwasnotonaccountofmycoldfeelings，butbecauseIdidcertainly，justthen，thinkitwasratherpremature，inspiteofmypoorfather。Thatwasthetruereason——thesoleone。
ButIdonotwanttobehard——GodknowsIdonot。”shesaid，hervoicefluctuating。“Andperhaps——asIamonthevergeoffreedom——
Iamnotright，afterall，inthinkingthereisanyharminyourkissingme。”
“OhGod！”saidWinterbornewithinhimself。Hisheadwasturnedaskanceashestillresolutelyregardedtheground。Forthelastseveralminuteshehadseenthisgreattemptationapproachinghiminregularsiege；andnowithadcome。Thewrong，thesocialsin，ofnowtakingadvantageoftheofferofherlipshadamagnitude，intheeyesofonewhoselifehadbeensoprimitive，soruledbypuresthouseholdlaws，asGiles’s，whichcanhardlybeexplained。
“Didyousayanything？”sheasked，timidly。
“Ohno——onlythat——“
“YoumeanthatitmustBEsettled，sincemyfatheriscominghome？”shesaid，gladly。
Winterborne，thoughfightingvaliantlyagainsthimselfallthiswhile——thoughhewouldhaveprotectedGrace’sgoodreputeastheappleofhiseye——wasaman；and，asDesdemonasaid，menarenotgods。Infaceoftheagonizingseductivenessshownbyher，inherunenlightenedschool-girlsimplicityaboutthelawsandordinances，hebetrayedaman’sweakness。Sinceitwasso——sinceithadcometothis，thatGrace，deemingherselffreetodoit，wasvirtuallyaskinghimtodemonstratethathelovedher——sincehecoulddemonstrateitonlytootruly——sincelifewasshortandlovewasstrong——hegavewaytothetemptation，notwithstandingthatheperfectlywellknewhertobeweddedirrevocablytoFitzpiers。Indeed，hecaredfornothingpastorfuture，simplyacceptingthepresentandwhatitbrought，desiringonceinhislifetoclaspinhisarmsherhehadwatchedoverandlovedsolong。
Shestartedbacksuddenlyfromhisembrace，influencedbyasortofinspiration。“Oh，Isuppose。”shestammered，“thatIamreallyfree？——thatthisisright？IsthereREALLYanewlaw？Fathercannothavebeentoosanguineinsaying——“
Hedidnotanswer，andamomentafterwardsGraceburstintotearsinspiteofherself。“Oh，whydoesnotmyfathercomehomeandexplain。”shesobbed，“andletmeknowclearlywhatIam？Itistootrying，this，toaskmeto——andthentoleavemesolonginsovagueastatethatIdonotknowwhattodo，andperhapsdowrong！”
WinterbornefeltlikeaveryCain，overandabovehisprevioussorrow。Howhehadsinnedagainstherinnottellingherwhatheknew。Heturnedaside；thefeelingofhiscrueltymountedhigherandhigher。Howcouldhehavedreamedofkissingher？Hecouldhardlyrefrainfromtears。Surelynothingmorepitiablehadeverbeenknownthantheconditionofthispooryoungthing，nowasheretoforethevictimofherfather’swell-meantbutblunderingpolicy。
EveninthehourofMelbury’sgreatestassuranceWinterbornehadharboredasuspicionthatnolaw，neworold，couldundoGrace’smarriagewithoutherappearanceinpublic；thoughhewasnotsufficientlysureofwhatmighthavebeenenactedtodestroybyhisownwordsherpleasingideathatameredashofthepen，onherfather’stestimony，wasgoingtobesufficient。Buthehadneversuspectedthesadfactthatthepositionwasirremediable。
PoorGrace，perhapsfeelingthatshehadindulgedintoomuchflusterforamerekiss，calmedherselfatfindinghowgravehewas。“Iamgladwearefriendsagainanyhow。”shesaid，smilingthroughhertears。“Giles，ifyouhadonlyshownhalftheboldnessbeforeImarriedthatyoushownow，youwouldhavecarriedmeoffforyourownfirstinsteadofsecond。Ifwedomarry，Ihopeyouwillneverthinkbadlyofmeforencouragingyoualittle，butmyfatherisSOimpatient，youknow，ashisyearsandinfirmitiesincrease，thathewillwishtoseeusalittleadvancedwhenhecomes。Thatismyonlyexcuse。”
ToWinterborneallthiswassadderthanitwassweet。Howcouldshesotrustherfather’sconjectures？Hedidnotknowhowtotellherthetruthandshamehimself。Andyethefeltthatitmustbedone。“Wemayhavebeenwrong。”hebegan，almostfearfully，“insupposingthatitcanallbecarriedoutwhilewestayhereatHintock。IamnotsurebutthatpeoplemayhavetoappearinapubliccourtevenunderthenewAct；andifthereshouldbeanydifficulty，andwecannotmarryafterall——“
Hercheeksbecameslowlybloodless。“Oh，Giles。”shesaid，graspinghisarm，“youhaveheardsomething！What——cannotmyfatherconcludeitthereandnow？Surelyhehasdoneit？Oh，Giles，Giles，don’tdeceiveme。WhatterriblepositionamIin？”
Hecouldnottellher，tryashewould。Thesenseofherimplicittrustinhishonorabsolutelydisabledhim。“Icannotinformyou。”hemurmured，hisvoiceashuskyasthatoftheleavesunderfoot。“Yourfatherwillsoonbehere。Thenweshallknow。
Iwilltakeyouhome。”
Inexpressiblydearasshewastohim，heofferedherhisarmwiththemostreservedair，asheadded，correctingly，“Iwilltakeyou，atanyrate，intothedrive。”
Thustheywalkedontogether。Gracevibratingbetweenhappinessandmisgiving。Itwasonlyafewminutes’walktowherethedriveran，andtheyhadhardlydescendedintoitwhentheyheardavoicebehindthemcry，“Takeoutthatarm！”
Foramomenttheydidnotheed，andthevoicerepeated，moreloudlyandhoarsely，“Takeoutthatarm！”
ItwasMelbury’s。Hehadreturnedsoonerthantheyexpected，andnowcameuptothem。Grace’shandhadbeenwithdrawnlikelightningonherhearingthesecondcommand。“Idon’tblameyou——
Idon’tblameyou。”hesaid，inthewearycadenceofonebrokendownwithscourgings。“Butyoutwomustwalktogethernomore——I
havebeensurprised——Ihavebeencruellydeceived——Giles，don’tsayanythingtome；butgoaway！”
HewasevidentlynotawarethatWinterbornehadknownthetruthbeforehebroughtit；andGileswouldnotstaytodiscussitwithhimthen。WhentheyoungmanhadgoneMelburytookhisdaughterin-doorstotheroomheusedashisoffice。Therehesatdown，andbentovertheslopeofthebureau，herbewilderedgazefixeduponhim。
WhenMelburyhadrecoveredalittlehesaid，“Youarenow，asever，Fitzpiers’swife。Iwasdeluded。HehasnotdoneyouENOUGHharm。Youarestillsubjecttohisbeckandcall。”
“Thenletitbe，andnevermind，father。”shesaid，withdignifiedsorrow。“Icanbearit。Itisyourtroublethatgrievesmemost。”Shestoopedoverhim，andputherarmroundhisneck，whichdistressedMelburystillmore。“Idon’tmindatallwhatcomestome。”Gracecontinued；“whosewifeIam，orwhoseIamnot。IdoloveGiles；Icannothelpthat；andIhavegonefurtherwithhimthanIshouldhavedoneifIhadknownexactlyhowthingswere。
ButIdonotreproachyou。”
“ThenGilesdidnottellyou？”saidMelbury。
“No。”saidshe。“Hecouldnothaveknownit。Hisbehaviortomeprovedthathedidnotknow。”
Herfathersaidnothingmore，andGracewentawaytothesolitudeofherchamber。
Herheavydisquietudehadmanyshapes；andforatimesheputasidethedominantfacttothinkofhertoofreeconducttowardsGiles。Hislove-makinghadbeenbriefasitwassweet；butwouldheonreflectioncontemnherforforwardness？Howcouldshehavebeensosimpleastosupposeshewasinapositiontobehaveasshehaddone！Thusshementallyblamedherignorance；andyetinthecentreofherheartsheblesseditalittleforwhatithadmomentarilybroughther。
Lifeamongthepeopleinvolvedintheseeventsseemedtobesuppressedandhide-boundforawhile。Graceseldomshowedherselfoutsidethehouse，neveroutsidethegarden；forshefearedshemightencounterGilesWinterborne；andthatshecouldnotbear。
Thispensiveintramuralexistenceoftheself-constitutednunappearedlikelytocontinueforanindefinitetime。Shehadlearnedthattherewasonepossibilityinwhichherformerlyimaginedpositionmightbecomereal，andonlyone；thatherhusband’sabsenceshouldcontinuelongenoughtoamounttopositivedesertion。Butsheneverallowedhermindtodwellmuchuponthethought；stilllessdidshedeliberatelyhopeforsucharesult。HerregardforWinterbornehadbeenrarefiedbytheshockwhichfolloweditsavowalintoanetherealemotionthathadlittletodowithlivinganddoing。
AsforGiles，hewaslying——orrathersitting——illathishut。A
feverishindispositionwhichhadbeenhangingabouthimforsometime，theresultofachillcaughtthepreviouswinter，seemedtoacquirevirulencewiththeprostrationofhishopes。Butnotasoulknewofhislanguor，andhedidnotthinkthecaseseriousenoughtosendforamedicalman。Afterafewdayshewasbetteragain，andcreptabouthishomeinagreatcoat，attendingtohissimplewantsasusualwithhisownhands。SomattersstoodwhenthelimpidinertionofGrace’spool-likeexistencewasdisturbedasbyageyser。ShereceivedaletterfromFitzpiers。
