Theystartedforhome，MartyandCreedleremainingbehind。ForatimeGraceandherfatherwalkedsidebysidewithoutspeaking。
Itwasjustintheblueofthedawn，andthechillingtoneoftheskywasreflectedinhercold，wetface。Thewholewoodseemedtobeahouseofdeath，pervadedbylosstoitsuttermostlengthandbreadth。Winterbornewasgone，andthecopsesseemedtoshowthewantofhim；thoseyoungtrees，somanyofwhichhehadplanted，andofwhichhehadspokensotrulywhenhesaidthatheshouldfallbeforetheyfell，wereatthatverymomentsendingouttheirrootsinthedirectionthathehadgiventhemwithhissubtlehand。
“Onethingmadeittolerabletousthatyourhusbandshouldcomebacktothehouse。”saidMelburyatlast——“thedeathofMrs。
Charmond。”
“Ah，yes。”saidGrace，arousingslightlytotherecollection，“hetoldmeso。”
“Didhetellyouhowshedied？ItwasnosuchdeathasGiles’s。
Shewasshot——byadisappointedlover。ItoccurredinGermany。
Theunfortunatemanshothimselfafterwards。HewasthatSouthCarolinagentlemanofverypassionatenaturewhousedtohauntthisplacetoforcehertoaninterview，andfollowedherabouteverywhere。SoendsthebrilliantFeliceCharmond——onceagoodfriendtome——butnofriendtoyou。”
“Icanforgiveher。”saidGrace，absently。“DidEdgartellyouofthis？”
“No；butheputaLondonnewspaper，givinganaccountofit，onthehalltable，foldedinsuchawaythatweshouldseeit。ItwillbeintheShertonpaperthisweek，nodoubt。Tomaketheeventmoresolemnstilltohim，hehadjustbeforehadsharpwordswithher，andlefther。HetoldLucythis，asnothingabouthimappearsinthenewspaper。Andthecauseofthequarrelwas，ofallpeople，shewe’veleftbehindus。”
“DoyoumeanMarty？”Gracespokethewordsbutperfunctorily。
For，pertinentandpointedasMelbury’sstorywas，shehadnoheartforitnow。
“Yes。MartySouth。”Melburypersistedinhisnarrative，todivertherfromherpresentgrief，ifpossible。“Beforehewentawayshewrotehimaletter，whichhekeptinhis，pocketalongwhilebeforereading。HechancedtopullitoutinMrs。
Charmond’s，presence，andreaditoutloud。Itcontainedsomethingwhichteasedherverymuch，andthatledtotherupture。
Shewasfollowinghimtomakeitupwhenshemetwithherterribledeath。”
Melburydidnotknowenoughtogivethegistoftheincident，whichwasthatMartySouth’sletterhadbeenconcerningacertainpersonaladornmentcommontoherselfandMrs。Charmond。Herbulletreacheditsbilletatlast。ThescenebetweenFitzpiersandFelicehadbeensharp，asonlyascenecanbewhicharisesoutofthemortificationofonewomanbyanotherinthepresenceofalover。True，Martyhadnoteffecteditbywordofmouth；thechargeaboutthelocksofhairwasmadesimplybyFitzpiersreadingherlettertohimaloudtoFeliceintheplayfullyironicaltonesofonewhohadbecomealittlewearyofhissituation，andwasfindinghisfriend，inthephraseofGeorgeHerbert，a“flatdelight。”Hehadstrokedthosefalsetresseswithhishandmanyatimewithoutknowingthemtobetransplanted，anditwasimpossiblewhenthediscoverywassoabruptlymadetoavoidbeingfinelysatirical，despitehergenerousdisposition。
Thatwashowithadbegun，andtragedyhadbeenitsend。Onhisabruptdepartureshehadfollowedhimtothestationbutthetrainwasgone；andintravellingtoBadeninsearchofhimshehadmethisrival，whosereproachesledtoanaltercation，andthedeathofboth。OfthatprecipitatesceneofpassionandcrimeFitzpiershadknownnothingtillhesawanaccountofitinthepapers，where，fortunatelyforhimself，nomentionwasmadeofhisprioracquaintancewiththeunhappylady；norwasthereanyallusiontohiminthesubsequentinquiry，thedoubledeathbeingattributedtosomegamblinglosses，though，inpointoffact，neitheroneofthemhadvisitedthetables。
Melburyandhisdaughterdrewneartheirhouse，havingseenbutonelivingthingontheirway，asquirrel，whichdidnotrunupitstree，but，droppingthesweetchestnutwhichitcarried，criedchut-chut-chut，andstampedwithitshindlegsontheground。
Whentheroofsandchimneysofthehomesteadbegantoemergefromthescreenofboughs，Gracestarted，andcheckedherselfinherabstractedadvance。
“Youclearlyunderstand。”shesaidtoherstep-mothersomeofheroldmisgivingreturning，“thatIamcomingbackonlyonconditionofhisleavingashepromised？Willyoulethimknowthis，thattheremaybenomistake？”
Mrs。Melbury，whohadsomelongprivatetalkswithFitzpiers，assuredGracethatsheneedhavenodoubtsonthatpoint，andthathewouldprobablybegonebytheevening。GracethenenteredwiththemintoMelbury’swingofthehouse，andsatdownlistlesslyintheparlor，whileherstep-motherwenttoFitzpiers。
Thepromptobediencetoherwisheswhichthesurgeonshoweddidhonortohim，ifanythingcould。BeforeMrs。MelburyhadreturnedtotheroomGrace，whowassittingontheparlorwindow-bench，sawherhusbandgofromthedoorundertheincreasinglightofmorning，withabaginhishand。Whilepassingthroughthegateheturnedhishead。Thefirelightoftheroomshesatinthrewherfigureintodarkreliefagainstthewindowasshelookedthroughthepanes，andhemusthaveseenherdistinctly。Inamomenthewenton，thegatefellto，andhedisappeared。Atthehutshehaddeclaredthatanotherhaddisplacedhim；andnowshehadbanishedhim。
FitzpiershadhardlybeengoneanhourwhenGracebegantosicken。
Thenextdayshekeptherroom。OldJoneswascalledin；hemurmuredsomestatementsinwhichthewords“feverishsymptoms“
occurred。Graceheardthem，andguessedthemeansbywhichshehadbroughtthisvisitationuponherself。
Oneday，whileshestilllaytherewithherheadthrobbing，wonderingifshewerereallygoingtojoinhimwhohadgonebefore，GrammerOlivercametoherbedside。“Idon’tknowwhe’rthisismeantforyoutotake，ma’am。”shesaid，“butIhavefounditonthetable。ItwasleftbyMarty，Ithink，whenshecamethismorning。”
GraceturnedherhoteyesuponwhatGrammerheldup。ItwasthephialleftatthehutbyherhusbandwhenhehadbeggedhertotakesomedropsofitscontentsifshewishedtopreserveherselffromfallingavictimtothemaladywhichhadpulleddownWinterborne。Sheexamineditaswellasshecould。Theliquidwasofanopalinehue，andborealabelwithaninscriptioninItalian。Hehadprobablygotitinhiswanderingsabroad。SheknewbutlittleItalian，butcouldunderstandthatthecordialwasafebrifugeofsomesort。Herfather，hermother，andallthehouseholdwereanxiousforherrecovery，andsheresolvedtoobeyherhusband’sdirections。Whatevertherisk，ifany，shewaspreparedtorunit。Aglassofwaterwasbrought，andthedropsdroppedin。
Theeffect，thoughnotmiraculous，wasremarkable。Inlessthananhourshefeltcalmer，cooler，betterabletoreflect——lessinclinedtofretandchafeandwearherselfaway。Shetookafewdropsmore。Fromthattimethefeverretreated，andwentoutlikeadampedconflagration。
“Howcleverheis！”shesaid，regretfully。“Whycouldhenothavehadmoreprinciple，soastoturnhisgreattalentstogoodaccount？Perhapshehassavedmyuselesslife。Buthedoesn’tknowit，anddoesn’tcarewhetherhehassaveditornot；andonthataccountwillneverbetoldbyme！Probablyheonlygaveittomeinthearroganceofhisskill，toshowthegreatnessofhisresourcesbesidemine，asElijahdrewdownfirefromheaven。”
Assoonasshehadquiterecoveredfromthisfoiledattackuponherlife，GracewenttoMartySouth’scottage。ThecurrentofherbeinghadagainsettowardsthelostGilesWinterborne。
“Marty。”shesaid，“webothlovedhim。Wewillgotohisgravetogether。”
GreatHintockchurchstoodattheupperpartofthevillage，andcouldbereachedwithoutpassingthroughthestreet。IntheduskofthelateSeptemberdaytheywentthitherbysecretways，walkingmostlyinsilencesidebyside，eachbusiedwithherownthoughts。GracehadatroubleexceedingMarty’s——thathauntingsenseofhavingputoutthelightofhislifebyherownhastydoings。Shehadtriedtopersuadeherselfthathemighthavediedofhisillness，evenifshehadnottakenpossessionofhishouse。
Sometimesshesucceededinherattempt；sometimesshedidnot。
Theystoodbythegravetogether，andthoughthesunhadgonedown，theycouldseeoverthewoodlandformiles，anddowntothevaleinwhichhehadbeenaccustomedtodescendeveryyear，withhisportablemillandpress，tomakecideraboutthistime。
PerhapsGrace’sfirstgrief，thediscoverythatifhehadlivedhecouldneverhaveclaimedher，hadsomepowerinsofteningthis，thesecond。OnMarty’sparttherewasthesameconsideration；
neverwouldshehavebeenhis。Asnoanticipationofgratifiedaffectionhadbeeninexistencewhilehewaswiththem，therewasnonetobedisappointednowthathehadgone。
Gracewasabasedwhen，bydegrees，shefoundthatshehadneverunderstoodGilesasMartyhaddone。MartySouthalone，ofallthewomeninHintockandtheworld，hadapproximatedtoWinterborne’slevelofintelligentintercoursewithnature。Inthatrespectshehadformedthecomplementtohimintheothersex，hadlivedashiscounterpart，hadsubjoinedherthoughttohisasacorollary。
ThecasualglimpseswhichtheordinarypopulationbestoweduponthatwondrousworldofsapandleavescalledtheHintockwoodshadbeenwiththesetwo，GilesandMarty，acleargaze。Theyhadbeenpossessedofitsfinermysteriesasofcommonplaceknowledge；hadbeenabletoreaditshieroglyphsasordinarywriting；tothemthesightsandsoundsofnight，winter，wind，storm，amidthosedenseboughs，whichhadtoGraceatouchoftheuncanny，andeventhesupernatural，weresimpleoccurrenceswhoseorigin，continuance，andlawstheyforeknew。Theyhadplantedtogether，andtogethertheyhadfelled；togethertheyhad，withtherunoftheyears，mentallycollectedthoseremotersignsandsymbolswhich，seeninfew，wereofrunicobscurity，butalltogethermadeanalphabet。
Fromthelightlashingofthetwigsupontheirfaces，whenbrushingthroughtheminthedark，theycouldpronounceuponthespeciesofthetreewhencetheystretched；fromthequalityofthewind’smurmurthroughaboughtheycouldinlikemannernameitssortafaroff。Theyknewbyaglanceatatrunkifitsheartweresound，ortaintedwithincipientdecay，andbythestateofitsuppertwigs，thestratumthathadbeenreachedbyitsroots。Theartificesoftheseasonswereseenbythemfromtheconjuror’sownpointofview，andnotfromthatofthespectator’s。
“HeoughttohavemarriedYOU，Marty，andnobodyelseintheworld！”saidGrace，withconviction，afterthinkingsomewhatintheabovestrain。
Martyshookherhead。“Inallourout-doordaysandyearstogether，ma’am。”shereplied，“theonethingheneverspokeoftomewaslove；norItohim。”
“Yetyouandhecouldspeakinatonguethatnobodyelseknew——notevenmyfather，thoughhecamenearestknowing——thetongueofthetreesandfruitsandflowersthemselves。”
ShecouldindulgeinmournfulfancieslikethistoMarty；butthehardcoretohergrief——whichMarty’shadnot——remained。HadshebeensurethatGiles’sdeathresultedentirelyfromhisexposure，itwouldhavedrivenherwell-nightoinsanity；buttherewasalwaysthatbarepossibilitythathisexposurehadonlyprecipitatedwhatwasinevitable。Shelongedtobelievethatithadnotdoneeventhis。
Therewasonlyonemanwhoseopiniononthecircumstancesshewouldbeatalldisposedtotrust。Herhusbandwasthatman。YettoaskhimitwouldbenecessarytodetailthetrueconditionsinwhichsheandWinterbornehadlivedduringthesethreeorfourcriticaldaysthatfollowedherflight；andinwithdrawingheroriginaldefiantannouncementonthatpoint，thereseemedaweaknessshedidnotcaretoshow。SheneverdoubtedthatFitzpierswouldbelieveherifshemadeacleanconfessionoftheactualsituation；buttovolunteerthecorrectionwouldseemlikesignallingforatruce，andthat，inherpresentframeofmind，waswhatshedidnotfeeltheneedof。
Itwillprobablynotappearasurprisingstatement，afterwhathasbeenalreadydeclaredofFitzpiers，thatthemanwhomGrace’sfidelitycouldnotkeepfaithfulwasstungintopassionatethrobsofinterestconcerningherbyheravowalofthecontrary。
Hedeclaredtohimselfthathehadneverknownherdangerouslyfullcompassifshewerecapableofsuchareprisal；and，melancholyasitmaybetoadmitthefact，hisownhumiliationandregretengenderedasmoulderingadmirationofher。
HepassedamonthortwoofgreatmiseryatExbury，theplacetowhichhehadretired——quiteasmuchmiseryindeedasGrace，couldshehaveknownofit，wouldhavebeeninclinedtoinflictuponanylivingcreature，howmuchsoeverhemighthavewrongedher。Thenasuddenhopedawneduponhim；hewonderedifheraffirmationweretrue。Heaskedhimselfwhetheritwerenottheactofawomanwhosenaturalpurityandinnocencehadblindedhertothecontingenciesofsuchanannouncement。Hiswideexperienceofthesexhadtaughthimthat，inmanycases，womenwhoventuredonhazardousmattersdidsobecausetheylackedanimaginationsensuousenoughtofeeltheirfullforce。InthislightGrace’sboldavowalmightmerelyhavedenotedthedesperationofonewhowasachildtotherealitiesofobliquity。
