Thetwopartieswhowerestrollingaboutandlosingtheirunitynowcametogether，andjoinedeachotherinalongstareovertheyellowandgreenpatchesoftheheatedlandscapebelow。
Thehotairdancedacrossit，makingitimpossibletoseetheroofsofavillageontheplaindistinctly。Evenonthetopofthemountainwhereabreezeplayedlightly，itwasveryhot，andtheheat，thefood，theimmensespace，andperhapssomelesswell-definedcauseproducedacomfortabledrowsinessandasenseofhappyrelaxationinthem。
Theydidnotsaymuch，butfeltnoconstraintinbeingsilent。
“Supposewegoandseewhat’stobeseenoverthere？“saidArthurtoSusan，andthepairwalkedofftogether，theirdeparturecertainlysendingsomethrillofemotionthroughtherest。
“Anoddlot，aren’tthey？“saidArthur。“Ithoughtweshouldneverget’emalltothetop。ButI’mgladwecame，byJove！
Iwouldn’thavemissedthisforsomething。“
“Idon’t_like_Mr。Hirst，“saidSusaninconsequently。“Isupposehe’sveryclever，butwhyshouldcleverpeoplebeso——Iexpecthe’sawfullynice，really，“sheadded，instinctivelyqualifyingwhatmighthaveseemedanunkindremark。
“Hirst？Oh，he’soneoftheselearnedchaps，“saidArthurindifferently。
“Hedon’tlookasifheenjoyedit。YoushouldhearhimtalkingtoElliot。It’sasmuchasIcandotofollow’ematall……Iwasnevergoodatmybooks。“
Withthesesentencesandthepausesthatcamebetweenthemtheyreachedalittlehillock，onthetopofwhichgrewseveralslimtrees。
“D’youmindifwesitdownhere？“saidArthur，lookingabouthim。
“It’sjollyintheshade——andtheview——“Theysatdown，andlookedstraightaheadoftheminsilenceforsometime。
“ButIdoenvythosecleverchapssometimes，“Arthurremarked。
“Idon’tsupposetheyever……“Hedidnotfinishhissentence。
“Ican’tseewhyyoushouldenvythem，“saidSusan，withgreatsincerity。
“Oddthingshappentoone，“saidArthur。“Onegoesalongsmoothlyenough，onethingfollowinganother，andit’sallveryjollyandplainsailing，andyouthinkyouknowallaboutit，andsuddenlyonedoesn’tknowwhereoneisabit，andeverythingseemsdifferentfromwhatitusedtoseem。Nowto-day，comingupthatpath，ridingbehindyou，Iseemedtoseeeverythingasif——“hepausedandpluckedapieceofgrassupbytheroots。Hescatteredthelittlelumpsofearthwhichwerestickingtotheroots——“Asifithadakindofmeaning。
You’vemadethedifferencetome，“hejerkedout，“Idon’tseewhyIshouldn’ttellyou。I’vefeltiteversinceIknewyou……It’sbecauseIloveyou。“
EvenwhiletheyhadbeensayingcommonplacethingsSusanhadbeenconsciousoftheexcitementofintimacy，whichseemednotonlytolaybaresomethinginher，butinthetreesandthesky，andtheprogressofhisspeechwhichseemedinevitablewaspositivelypainfultoher，fornohumanbeinghadevercomesoclosetoherbefore。
Shewasstruckmotionlessashisspeechwenton，andherheartgavegreatseparateleapsatthelastwords。Shesatwithherfingerscurledroundastone，lookingstraightinfrontofherdownthemountainovertheplain。Sothen，ithadactuallyhappenedtoher，aproposalofmarriage。
Arthurlookedroundather；hisfacewasoddlytwisted。Shewasdrawingherbreathwithsuchdifficultythatshecouldhardlyanswer。
“Youmighthaveknown。“Heseizedherinhisarms；againandagainandagaintheyclaspedeachother，murmuringinarticulately。
“Well，“sighedArthur，sinkingbackontheground，“that’sthemostwonderfulthingthat’severhappenedtome。“Helookedasifheweretryingtoputthingsseeninadreambesiderealthings。
Therewasalongsilence。
“It’sthemostperfectthingintheworld，“Susanstated，verygentlyandwithgreatconviction。Itwasnolongermerelyaproposalofmarriage，butofmarriagewithArthur，withwhomshewasinlove。
Inthesilencethatfollowed，holdinghishandtightlyinhers，sheprayedtoGodthatshemightmakehimagoodwife。
“AndwhatwillMr。Perrottsay？“sheaskedattheendofit。
“Dearoldfellow，“saidArthurwho，nowthatthefirstshockwasover，wasrelaxingintoanenormoussenseofpleasureandcontentment。
“Wemustbeverynicetohim，Susan。“
HetoldherhowhardPerrott’slifehadbeen，andhowabsurdlydevotedhewastoArthurhimself。Hewentontotellherabouthismother，awidowlady，ofstrongcharacter。InreturnSusansketchedtheportraitsofherownfamily——Edithinparticular，heryoungestsister，whomshelovedbetterthananyoneelse，“exceptyou，Arthur……Arthur，“shecontinued，“whatwasitthatyoufirstlikedmefor？“
“Itwasabuckleyouworeonenightatsea，“saidArthur，afterdueconsideration。“Iremembernoticing——it’sanabsurdthingtonotice！——thatyoudidn’ttakepeas，becauseIdon’teither。“
Fromthistheywentontocomparetheirmoreserioustastes，orratherSusanascertainedwhatArthurcaredabout，andprofessedherselfveryfondofthesamething。TheywouldliveinLondon，perhapshaveacottageinthecountrynearSusan’sfamily，fortheywouldfinditstrangewithoutheratfirst。Hermind，stunnedtobeginwith，nowflewtothevariouschangesthatherengagementwouldmake——
howdelightfulitwouldbetojointheranksofthemarriedwomen——
nolongertohangontogroupsofgirlsmuchyoungerthanherself——
toescapethelongsolitudeofanoldmaid’slife。Nowandthenheramazinggoodfortuneovercameher，andsheturnedtoArthurwithanexclamationoflove。
Theylayineachother’sarmsandhadnonotionthattheywereobserved。
Yettwofiguressuddenlyappearedamongthetreesabovethem。
“Here’sshade，“beganHewet，whenRachelsuddenlystoppeddead。
Theysawamanandwomanlyingonthegroundbeneaththem，rollingslightlythiswayandthatastheembracetightenedandslackened。
Themanthensatuprightandthewoman，whonowappearedtobeSusanWarrington，laybackupontheground，withhereyesshutandanabsorbedlookuponherface，asthoughshewerenotaltogetherconscious。
Norcouldyoutellfromherexpressionwhethershewashappy，orhadsufferedsomething。WhenArthuragainturnedtoher，buttingherasalambbuttsaewe，HewetandRachelretreatedwithoutaword。
Hewetfeltuncomfortablyshy。
“Idon’tlikethat，“saidRachelafteramoment。
“Icanremembernotlikingiteither，“saidHewet。“Icanremember——“
buthechangedhismindandcontinuedinanordinarytoneofvoice，“Well，wemaytakeitforgrantedthatthey’reengaged。D’youthinkhe’lleverfly，orwillsheputastoptothat？“
ButRachelwasstillagitated；shecouldnotgetawayfromthesighttheyhadjustseen。InsteadofansweringHewetshepersisted。
“Love’sanoddthing，isn’tit，makingone’sheartbeat。“
“It’ssoenormouslyimportant，yousee，“Hewetreplied。
“Theirlivesarenowchangedforever。“
“Anditmakesonesorryforthemtoo，“Rachelcontinued，asthoughsheweretracingthecourseofherfeelings。“Idon’tknoweitherofthem，butIcouldalmostburstintotears。That’ssilly，isn’tit？“
“Justbecausethey’reinlove，“saidHewet。“Yes，“headdedafteramoment’sconsideration，“there’ssomethinghorriblypatheticaboutit，Iagree。“
Andnow，astheyhadwalkedsomewayfromthegroveoftrees，andhadcometoaroundedhollowverytemptingtotheback，theyproceededtositdown，andtheimpressionoftheloverslostsomeofitsforce，thoughacertainintensityofvision，whichwasprobablytheresultofthesight，remainedwiththem。
Asadayuponwhichanyemotionhasbeenrepressedisdifferentfromotherdays，sothisdaywasnowdifferent，merelybecausetheyhadseenotherpeopleatacrisisoftheirlives。
“Agreatencampmentoftentstheymightbe，“saidHewet，lookinginfrontofhimatthemountains。“Isn’titlikeawater-colourtoo——
youknowthewaywater-coloursdryinridgesallacrossthepaper——
I’vebeenwonderingwhattheylookedlike。“
Hiseyesbecamedreamy，asthoughhewerematchingthings，andremindedRachelintheircolourofthegreenfleshofasnail。
Shesatbesidehimlookingatthemountainstoo。Whenitbecamepainfultolookanylonger，thegreatsizeoftheviewseemingtoenlargehereyesbeyondtheirnaturallimit，shelookedattheground；
itpleasedhertoscrutinisethisinchofthesoilofSouthAmericasominutelythatshenoticedeverygrainofearthandmadeitintoaworldwhereshewasendowedwiththesupremepower。
Shebentabladeofgrass，andsetaninsectontheutmosttasselofit，andwonderediftheinsectrealisedhisstrangeadventure，andthoughthowstrangeitwasthatsheshouldhavebentthattasselratherthananyotherofthemilliontassels。
“You’venevertoldmeyouname，“saidHewetsuddenly。
“MissSomebodyVinrace……Iliketoknowpeople’sChristiannames。“
“Rachel，“shereplied。
“Rachel，“herepeated。“IhaveanauntcalledRachel，whoputthelifeofFatherDamienintoverse。Sheisareligiousfanatic——
theresultofthewayshewasbroughtup，downinNorthamptonshire，neverseeingasoul。Haveyouanyaunts？“
“Ilivewiththem，“saidRachel。
“AndIwonderwhatthey’redoingnow？“Hewetenquired。
“Theyareprobablybuyingwool，“Racheldetermined。Shetriedtodescribethem。“Theyaresmall，ratherpalewomen，“shebegan，“veryclean。WeliveinRichmond。Theyhaveanolddog，too，whowillonlyeatthemarrowoutofbones……Theyarealwaysgoingtochurch。Theytidytheirdrawersagooddeal。“
Buthereshewasovercomebythedifficultyofdescribingpeople。
“It’simpossibletobelievethatit’sallgoingonstill！“
sheexclaimed。
Thesunwasbehindthemandtwolongshadowssuddenlylayuponthegroundinfrontofthem，onewavingbecauseitwasmadebyaskirt，andtheotherstationary，becausethrownbyapairoflegsintrousers。
“Youlookverycomfortable！“saidHelen’svoiceabovethem。
“Hirst，“saidHewet，pointingatthescissorlikeshadow；hethenrolledroundtolookupatthem。
“There’sroomforusallhere，“hesaid。
WhenHirsthadseatedhimselfcomfortably，hesaid:
“Didyoucongratulatetheyoungcouple？“
Itappearedthat，comingtothesamespotafewminutesafterHewetandRachel，HelenandHirsthadseenpreciselythesamething。
“No，wedidn’tcongratulatethem，“saidHewet。“Theyseemedveryhappy。“
“Well，“saidHirst，pursinguphislips，“solongasIneedn’tmarryeitherofthem——“
“Wewereverymuchmoved，“saidHewet。
“Ithoughtyouwouldbe，“saidHirst。“Whichwasit，Monk？
Thethoughtoftheimmortalpassions，orthethoughtofnew-bornmalestokeeptheRomanCatholicsout？Iassureyou，“hesaidtoHelen，“he’scapableofbeingmovedbyeither。“
Rachelwasagooddealstungbyhisbanter，whichshefelttobedirectedequallyagainstthemboth，butshecouldthinkofnorepartee。
“NothingmovesHirst，“Hewetlaughed；hedidnotseemtobestungatall。“Unlessitwereatransfinitenumberfallinginlovewithafiniteone——Isupposesuchthingsdohappen，eveninmathematics。“
“Onthecontrary，“saidHirstwithatouchofannoyance，“Iconsidermyselfapersonofverystrongpassions。“
Itwasclearfromthewayhespokethathemeantitseriously；
hespokeofcourseforthebenefitoftheladies。
“Bytheway，Hirst，“saidHewet，afterapause，“Ihaveaterribleconfessiontomake。Yourbook——thepoemsofWordsworth，whichifyourememberItookoffyourtablejustaswewerestarting，andcertainlyputinmypockethere——“
“Islost，“Hirstfinishedforhim。
“Iconsiderthatthereisstillachance，“Heweturged，slappinghimselftorightandleft，“thatIneverdidtakeitafterall。“
“No，“saidHirst。“Itishere。“Hepointedtohisbreast。
“ThankGod，“Hewetexclaimed。“IneednolongerfeelasthoughI’dmurderedachild！“
“Ishouldthinkyouwerealwayslosingthings，“Helenremarked，lookingathimmeditatively。
