Suchaterribleletteritwasinitsimport，thoughcouchedinthegentlestlanguage。InhisabsenceGracehadgrowntoregardhimwithtoleration，andherrelationtohimwithequanimity，tillshehadalmostforgottenhowtryinghispresencewouldbe。Hewrotebrieflyandunaffectedly；hemadenoexcuses，butinformedherthathewaslivingquitealone，andhadbeenledtothinkthattheyoughttobetogether，ifshewouldmakeuphermindtoforgivehim。HethereforepurportedtocrosstheChanneltoBudmouthbythesteameronadayhenamed，whichshefoundtobethreedaysafterthetimeofherpresentreading。
HesaidthathecouldnotcometoHintockforobviousreasons，whichherfatherwouldunderstandevenbetterthanherself。Astheonlyalternativeshewastobeonthequaytomeetthesteamerwhenitarrivedfromtheoppositecoast，probablyabouthalfanhourbeforemidnight，bringingwithheranyluggageshemightrequire；joinhimthere，andpasswithhimintothetwinvessel，whichleftimmediatelytheotherenteredtheharbor；returningthuswithhimtohiscontinentaldwelling-place，whichhedidnotname。Hehadnointentionofshowinghimselfonlandatall。
ThetroubledGracetookthelettertoherfather，whonowcontinuedforlonghoursbythefirelesssummerchimney-corner，asifhethoughtitwerewinter，thepitcherofciderstandingbesidehim，mostlyuntasted，andcoatedwithafilmofdust。Afterreadingithelookedup。
“Yousha’n’tgo。”saidhe。
“IhadfeltIwouldnot。”sheanswered。“ButIdidnotknowwhatyouwouldsay。”
“IfhecomesandlivesinEngland，nottoonearhereandinarespectableway，andwantsyoutocometohim，IamnotsurethatI’llopposehiminwishingit。”mutteredMelbury。“I’dstintmyselftokeepyoubothinagenteelandseemlystyle。Butgoabroadyounevershallwithmyconsent。”
Therethequestionrestedthatday。Gracewasunabletoreplytoherhusbandintheabsenceofanaddress，andthemorrowcame，andthenextday，andtheeveningonwhichhehadrequestedhertomeethim。Throughoutthewholeofitsheremainedwithinthefourwallsofherroom。
Thesenseofherharassment，carkingdoubtofwhatmightbeimpending，hunglikeacowlofblacknessovertheMelburyhousehold。Theyspokealmostinwhispers，andwonderedwhatFitzpierswoulddonext。Itwasthehopeofeveryonethat，findingshedidnotarrive，hewouldreturnagaintoFrance；andasforGrace，shewaswillingtowritetohimonthemostkindlytermsifhewouldonlykeepaway。
Thenightpassed，Gracelyingtenseandwideawake，andherrelatives，ingreatpart，likewise。Whentheymetthenextmorningtheywerepaleandanxious，thoughneitherspeakingofthesubjectwhichoccupiedalltheirthoughts。Thedaypassedasquietlyasthepreviousones，andshebegantothinkthatintherankcapriceofhismoodshehadabandonedtheideaofgettinghertojoinhimasquicklyasitwasformed。Allonasudden，somepersonwhohadjustcomefromShertonenteredthehousewiththenewsthatMr。FitzpierswasonhiswayhometoHintock。HehadbeenseenhiringacarriageattheEarlofWessexHotel。
HerfatherandGracewerebothpresentwhentheintelligencewasannounced。
“Now。”saidMelbury，“wemustmakethebestofwhathasbeenaverybadmatter。Themanisrepenting；thepartnerofhisshame，Ihear，isgoneawayfromhimtoSwitzerland，sothatchapterofhislifeisprobablyover。IfhechoosestomakeahomeforyeI
thinkyoushouldnotsayhimnay，Grace。CertainlyhecannotverywellliveatHintockwithoutablowtohispride；butifhecanbearthat，andlikesHintockbest，why，there’stheemptywingofthehouseasitwasbefore。”
“Oh，father！”saidGrace，turningwhitewithdismay。
“Whynot？”saidhe，alittleofhisformerdoggednessreturning。
Hewas，intruth，disposedtosomewhatmoreleniencytowardsherhusbandjustnowthanhehadshownformerly，fromaconvictionthathehadtreatedhimover-roughlyinhisanger。“Surelyitisthemostrespectablethingtodo？”hecontinued。“Idon’tlikethisstatethatyouarein——neithermarriednorsingle。Ithurtsme，andithurtsyou，anditwillalwaysberememberedagainstusinHintock。Therehasneverbeenanyscandallikeitinthefamilybefore。”
“Hewillbehereinlessthananhour。”murmuredGrace。Thetwilightoftheroompreventedherfatherseeingthedespondentmiseryofherface。Theoneintolerablecondition，theconditionshehaddeprecatedaboveallothers，wasthatofFitzpiers’sreinstatementthere。“Oh，Iwon’t，Iwon’tseehim。”shesaid，sinkingdown。Shewasalmosthysterical。
“Tryifyoucannot。”hereturned，moodily。
“Ohyes，Iwill，Iwill。”shewenton，inconsequently。“I’lltry；“andjumpingupsuddenly，shelefttheroom。
Inthedarknessoftheapartmenttowhichsheflewnothingcouldhavebeenseenduringthenexthalf-hour；butfromacorneraquickbreathingwasaudiblefromthisimpressiblecreature，whocombinedmodernnerveswithprimitiveemotions，andwasdoomedbysuchcoexistencetobenumberedamongthedistressed，andtotakeherscourgingstotheirexquisiteextremity。
Thewindowwasopen。Onthisquiet，latesummerevening，whateversoundaroseinsosecludedadistrict——thechirpofabird，acallfromavoice，theturningofawheel——extendedoverbushandtreetounwonteddistances。Veryfewsoundsdidarise。ButasGraceinvisiblybreathedinthebrowngloomsofthechamber，thesmallremotenoiseoflightwheelscameintoher，accompaniedbythetrotofahorseontheturnpike-road。Thereseemedtobeasuddenhitchorpauseintheprogressofthevehicle，whichwaswhatfirstdrewherattentiontoit。Sheknewthepointwhencethesoundproceeded——thehill-topoverwhichtravellerspassedontheirwayhitherwardfromShertonAbbas——theplaceatwhichshehademergedfromthewoodwithMrs。Charmond。Graceslidalongthefloor，andbentherheadoverthewindow-sill，listeningwithopenlips。Thecarriagehadstopped，andsheheardamanuseexclamatorywords。Thenanothersaid，“Whatthedevilisthematterwiththehorse？”Sherecognizedthevoiceasherhusband’s。
Theaccident，suchasithadbeen，wassoonremedied，andthecarriagecouldbehearddescendingthehillontheHintockside，soontoturnintothelaneleadingoutofthehighway，andthenintothe“drong“whichledoutofthelanetothehousewhereshewas。
AspasmpassedthroughGrace。TheDaphneaninstinct，exceptionallystronginherasagirl，hadbeenrevivedbyherwidowedseclusion；anditwasnotlessenedbyheraffrontedsentimentstowardsthecomer，andherregardforanotherman。Sheopenedsomelittleivorytabletsthatlayonthedressing-table，scribbledinpencilononeofthem，“Iamgonetovisitoneofmyschool-friends。”gatheredafewtoiletnecessariesintoahand-
bag，andnotthreeminutesafterthatvoicehadbeenheard，herslimform，hastilywrappedupfromobservation，mighthavebeenseenpassingoutofthebackdoorofMelbury’shouse。Thencesheskimmedupthegarden-path，throughthegapinthehedge，andintothemossycart-trackunderthetreeswhichledintothedepthofthewoods。
Theleavesoverheadwerenowintheirlattergreen——soopaque，thatitwasdarkeratsomeofthedensestspotsthaninwinter-
time，scarceacreviceexistingbywhicharaycouldgetdowntotheground。Butinopenplacesshecouldseewellenough。Summerwasending：inthedaytimesinginginsectshungineverysunbeam；
vegetationwasheavynightlywithglobesofdew；andaftershowerscreepingdampsandtwilightchillscameupfromthehollows。Theplantationswerealwaysweirdatthishourofeve——morespectralfarthanintheleaflessseason，whentherewerefewermassesandmoreminutelineality。Thesmoothsurfacesofglossyplantscameoutlikeweak，lidlesseyes；therewerestrangefacesandfiguresfromexpiringlightsthathadsomehowwanderedintothecanopiedobscurity；whilenowandthenlowpeepsoftheskybetweenthetrunkswerelikesheetedshapes，andonthetipsofboughssatfaintcloventongues。
ButGrace’sfearjustnowwasnotimaginativeorspiritual，andsheheededtheseimpressionsbutlittle。Shewentonassilentlyasshecould，avoidingthehollowswhereinleaveshadaccumulated，andsteppinguponsoundlessmossandgrass-tufts。Shepausedbreathlesslyonceortwice，andfanciedthatshecouldhear，abovethebeatofherstrummingpulse，thevehiclecontainingFitzpiersturninginatthegateofherfather’spremises。Shehastenedonagain。
TheHintockwoodsownedbyMrs。Charmondwerepresentlyleftbehind，andthoseintowhichshenextplungedweredividedfromthelatterbyabank，fromwhosetopthehedgehadlongagoperished——starvedforwantofsun。ItwaswithsomecautionthatGracenowwalked，thoughshewasquitefreefromanyofthecommonplacetimiditiesofherordinarypilgrimagestosuchspots。
Shefearednolurkingharms，butthathereffortwouldbeallinvain，andherreturntothehouserenderedimperative。
Shehadwalkedbetweenthreeandfourmileswhenthatprescriptivecomfortandrelieftowanderersinwoods——adistantlight——brokeatlastuponhersearchingeyes。Itwassoverysmallastobealmostsinistertoastranger，buttoheritwaswhatshesought。
Shepushedforward，andthedimoutlineofadwellingwasdisclosed。
Thehousewasasquarecotofonestoryonly，slopinguponallsidestoachimneyinthemidst。Ithadformerlybeenthehomeofacharcoal-burner，intimeswhenthatfuelwasstillusedinthecountyhouses。Itsonlyappurtenancewasapaledenclosure，therebeingnogarden，theshadeofthetreespreventingthegrowthofvegetables。Sheadvancedtothewindowwhencetheraysoflightproceeded，andtheshuttersbeingasyetunclosed，shecouldsurveythewholeinteriorthroughthepanes。
Theroomwithinwaskitchen，parlor，andsculleryallinone；thenaturalsandstonefloorwaswornintohillsanddalesbylongtreading，sothatnoneofthefurniturestoodlevel，andthetableslantedlikeadesk。Afireburnedonthehearth，infrontofwhichrevolvedtheskinnedcarcassofarabbit，suspendedbyastringfromanail。Leaningwithonearmonthemantle-shelfstoodWinterborne，hiseyesontheroastinganimal，hisfacesoraptthatspeculationcouldbuildnothingonitconcerninghisthoughts，morethanthattheywerenotwiththescenebeforehim。
Shethoughthisfeatureshadchangedalittlesinceshesawthemlast。Thefire-lightdidnotenablehertoperceivethattheywerepositivelyhaggard。
Grace’sthroatemittedagaspofreliefatfindingtheresultsonearlyasshehadhoped。Shewenttothedoorandtappedlightly。
Heseemedtobeaccustomedtothenoisesofwoodpeckers，squirrels，andsuchsmallcreatures，forhetooknonoticeofhertinysignal，andsheknockedagain。Thistimehecameandopenedthedoor。Whenthelightoftheroomfelluponherfacehestarted，and，hardlyknowingwhathedid，crossedthethresholdtoher，placinghishandsuponhertwoarms，whilesurprise，joy，alarm，sadness，chasedthroughhimbyturns。WithGraceitwasthesame：eveninthisstresstherewasthefondfactthattheyhadmetagain。Thustheystood，“Longtearsupontheirfaces，waxenwhiteWithextremesaddelight。”
Hebrokethesilencebysayinginawhisper，“Comein。”
“No，no，Giles！”sheanswered，hurriedly，steppingyetfartherbackfromthedoor。“Iampassingby——andIhavecalledonyou——I
won’tenter。Willyouhelpme？Iamafraid。IwanttogetbyaroundaboutwaytoSherton，andsotoExbury。Ihaveaschool-
fellowthere——butIcannotgettoShertonalone。Oh，ifyouwillonlyaccompanymealittleway！Don’tcondemnme，Giles，andbeoffended！Iwasobligedtocometoyoubecause——Ihavenootherhelphere。Threemonthsagoyouweremylover；nowyouareonlymyfriend。Thelawhassteppedin，andforbiddenwhatwethoughtof。Itmustnotbe。Butwecanacthonestly，andyetyoucanbemyfriendforonelittlehour？Ihavenoother——“
Shecouldgetnofurther。Coveringhereyeswithonehand，byaneffortofrepressionsheweptasilenttrickle，withoutasighorsob。Winterbornetookherotherhand。“Whathashappened？”hesaid。
“Hehascome。”
Therewasastillnessasofdeath，tillWinterborneasked，“Youmeanthis，Grace——thatIamtohelpyoutogetaway？”
“Yes。”saidshe。“Appearanceisnomatter，whentherealityisright。IhavesaidtomyselfIcantrustyou。”
Gilesknewfromthisthatshedidnotsuspecthistreachery——ifitcouldbecalledsuch——earlierinthesummer，whentheymetforthelasttimeaslovers；andintheintensityofhiscontritionforthattenderwrong，hedeterminedtodeserveherfaithnowatleast，andsowipeoutthatreproachfromhisconscience。“I’llcomeatonce。”hesaid。“I’lllightalantern。”
Heunhookedadark-lanternfromanailundertheeavesandshedidnotnoticehowhishandshookwiththeslightstrain，ordreamthatinmakingthisofferhewastaxingaconvalescencewhichcouldillaffordsuchself-sacrifice。Thelanternwaslit，andtheystarted。
