ButHirstdidnothelphim，andtheotherpeoplewiththeiraimlessmovementsandtheirunknownlivesweredisturbing，sothathelongedfortheemptydarkness。ThefirstthinghelookedforwhenhesteppedoutofthehalldoorwasthelightoftheAmbroses’villa。Whenhehaddefinitelydecidedthatacertainlightapartfromtheothershigherupthehillwastheirlight，hewasconsiderablyreassured。
Thereseemedtobeatoncealittlestabilityinallthisincoherence。
Withoutanydefiniteplaninhishead，hetooktheturningtotherightandwalkedthroughthetownandcametothewallbythemeetingoftheroads，wherehestopped。Theboomingoftheseawasaudible。
Thedark-bluemassofthemountainsroseagainstthepalerblueofthesky。Therewasnomoon，butmyriadsofstars，andlightswereanchoredupanddowninthedarkwavesofearthallroundhim。
Hehadmeanttogoback，butthesinglelightoftheAmbroses’
villahadnowbecomethreeseparatelights，andhewastemptedtogoon。
HemightaswellmakesurethatRachelwasstillthere。Walkingfast，hesoonstoodbytheirongateoftheirgarden，andpusheditopen；
theoutlineofthehousesuddenlyappearedsharplybeforehiseyes，andthethincolumnoftheverandahcuttingacrossthepalelylitgraveloftheterrace。Hehesitated。Atthebackofthehousesomeonewasrattlingcans。Heapproachedthefront；thelightontheterraceshowedhimthatthesitting-roomswereonthatside。
Hestoodasnearthelightashecouldbythecornerofthehouse，theleavesofacreeperbrushinghisface。Afteramomenthecouldhearavoice。Thevoicewentonsteadily；itwasnottalking，butfromthecontinuityofthesounditwasavoicereadingaloud。
Hecreptalittlecloser；hecrumpledtheleavestogethersoastostoptheirrustlingabouthisears。ItmightbeRachel’svoice。
Helefttheshadowandsteppedintotheradiusofthelight，andthenheardasentencespokenquitedistinctly。
“Andtherewelivedfromtheyear1860to1895，thehappiestyearsofmyparents’lives，andtherein1862mybrotherMauricewasborn，tothedelightofhisparents，ashewasdestinedtobethedelightofallwhoknewhim。“
Thevoicequickened，andthetonebecameconclusiverisingslightlyinpitch，asifthesewordswereattheendofthechapter。
Hewetdrewbackagainintotheshadow。Therewasalongsilence。
Hecouldjusthearchairsbeingmovedinside。Hehadalmostdecidedtogoback，whensuddenlytwofiguresappearedatthewindow，notsixfeetfromhim。
“ItwasMauriceFielding，ofcourse，thatyourmotherwasengagedto，“
saidHelen’svoice。Shespokereflectively，lookingoutintothedarkgarden，andthinkingevidentlyasmuchofthelookofthenightasofwhatshewassaying。
“Mother？“saidRachel。Hewet’sheartleapt，andhenoticedthefact。
Hervoice，thoughlow，wasfullofsurprise。
“Youdidn’tknowthat？“saidHelen。
“Ineverknewthere’dbeenanyoneelse，“saidRachel。Shewasclearlysurprised，butalltheysaidwassaidlowandinexpressively，becausetheywerespeakingoutintothecooldarknight。
“MorepeoplewereinlovewithherthanwithanyoneI’veeverknown，“
Helenstated。Shehadthatpower——sheenjoyedthings。Shewasn’tbeautiful，but——Iwasthinkingofherlastnightatthedance。
Shegotonwitheverykindofperson，andthenshemadeitallsoamazingly——funny。“
ItappearedthatHelenwasgoingbackintothepast，choosingherwordsdeliberately，comparingTheresawiththepeopleshehadknownsinceTheresadied。
“Idon’tknowhowshedidit，“shecontinued，andceased，andtherewasalongpause，inwhichalittleowlcalledfirsthere，thenthere，asitmovedfromtreetotreeinthegarden。
“That’ssolikeAuntLucyandAuntKatie，“saidRachelatlast。
“Theyalwaysmakeoutthatshewasverysadandverygood。“
“Thenwhy，forgoodness’sake，didtheydonothingbutcriticizeherwhenshewasalive？“saidHelen。Verygentletheirvoicessounded，asiftheyfellthroughthewavesofthesea。
“IfIweretodieto-morrow……“shebegan。
ThebrokensentenceshadanextraordinarybeautyanddetachmentinHewet’sears，andakindofmysterytoo，asthoughtheywerespokenbypeopleintheirsleep。
“No，Rachel，“Helen’svoicecontinued，“I’mnotgoingtowalkinthegarden；it’sdamp——it’ssuretobedamp；besides，Iseeatleastadozentoads。“
“Toads？Thosearestones，Helen。Comeout。It’snicerout。
Theflowerssmell，“Rachelreplied。
Hewetdrewstillfartherback。Hisheartwasbeatingveryquickly。
ApparentlyRacheltriedtopullHelenoutontotheterrace，andhelenresisted。Therewasacertainamountofscuffling，entreating，resisting，andlaughterfrombothofthem。Thenaman’sformappeared。Hewetcouldnothearwhattheywereallsaying。
Inaminutetheyhadgonein；hecouldhearboltsgratingthen；
therewasdeadsilence，andallthelightswentout。
Heturnedaway，stillcrumplinganduncrumplingahandfulofleaveswhichhehadtornfromthewall。Anexquisitesenseofpleasureandreliefpossessedhim；itwasallsosolidandpeacefulaftertheballatthehotel，whetherhewasinlovewiththemornot，andhewasnotinlovewiththem；no，butitwasgoodthattheyshouldbealive。
Afterstandingstillforaminuteortwoheturnedandbegantowalktowardsthegate。Withthemovementofhisbody，theexcitement，theromanceandtherichnessoflifecrowdedintohisbrain。
Heshoutedoutalineofpoetry，butthewordsescapedhim，andhestumbledamonglinesandfragmentsoflineswhichhadnomeaningatallexceptforthebeautyofthewords。Heshutthegate，andranswingingfromsidetosidedownthehill，shoutinganynonsensethatcameintohishead。“HereamI，“hecriedrhythmically，ashisfeetpoundedtotheleftandtotheright，“plungingalong，likeanelephantinthejungle，strippingthebranchesasIgo(hesnatchedatthetwigsofabushattheroadside)，roaringinnumerablewords，lovelywordsaboutinnumerablethings，runningdownhillandtalkingnonsensealoudtomyselfaboutroadsandleavesandlightsandwomencomingoutintothedarkness——aboutwomen——
aboutRachel，aboutRachel。“Hestoppedanddrewadeepbreath。
Thenightseemedimmenseandhospitable，andalthoughsodarkthereseemedtobethingsmovingdownthereintheharbourandmovementoutatsea。Hegazeduntilthedarknessnumbedhim，andthenhewalkedonquickly，stillmurmuringtohimself。“AndIoughttobeinbed，snoringanddreaming，dreaming，dreaming。Dreamsandrealities，dreamsandrealities，dreamsandrealities，“herepeatedallthewayuptheavenue，scarcelyknowingwhathesaid，untilhereachedthefrontdoor。Herehepausedforasecond，andcollectedhimselfbeforeheopenedthedoor。
Hiseyesweredazed，hishandsverycold，andhisbrainexcitedandyethalfasleep。Insidethedooreverythingwasashehadleftitexceptthatthehallwasnowempty。Therewerethechairsturningintowardseachotherwherepeoplehadsattalking，andtheemptyglassesonlittletables，andthenewspapersscatteredonthefloor。
Asheshutthedoorhefeltasifhewereenclosedinasquarebox，andinstantlyshrivelledup。Itwasallverybrightandverysmall。
Hestoppedforaminutebythelongtabletofindapaperwhichhehadmeanttoread，buthewasstilltoomuchundertheinfluenceofthedarkandthefreshairtoconsidercarefullywhichpaperitwasorwherehehadseenit。
Ashefumbledvaguelyamongthepapershesawafigurecrossthetailofhiseye，comingdownstairs。Heheardtheswishingsoundofskirts，andtohisgreatsurprise，EvelynM。cameuptohim，laidherhandonthetableasiftopreventhimfromtakingupapaper，andsaid:
“You’rejustthepersonIwantedtotalkto。“Hervoicewasalittleunpleasantandmetallic，hereyeswereverybright，andshekeptthemfixeduponhim。
“Totalktome？“herepeated。“ButI’mhalfasleep。“
“ButIthinkyouunderstandbetterthanmostpeople，“sheanswered，andsatdownonalittlechairplacedbesideabigleatherchairsothatHewethadtositdownbesideher。
“Well？“hesaid。Heyawnedopenly，andlitacigarette。
Hecouldnotbelievethatthiswasreallyhappeningtohim。
“Whatisit？“
“Areyoureallysympathetic，orisitjustapose？“shedemanded。
“It’sforyoutosay，“hereplied。“I’minterested，Ithink。“
Hestillfeltnumballoverandasifshewasmuchtooclosetohim。
“Anyonecanbeinterested！“shecriedimpatiently。“YourfriendMr。Hirst’sinterested，Idaresay。however，Idobelieveinyou。
Youlookasifyou’dgotanicesister，somehow。“Shepaused，pickingatsomesequinsonherknees，andthen，asifshehadmadeuphermind，shestartedoff，“Anyhow，I’mgoingtoaskyouradvice。
D’youevergetintoastatewhereyoudon’tknowyourownmind？
That’sthestateI’minnow。Yousee，lastnightatthedanceRaymondOliver，——he’sthetalldarkboywholooksasifhehadIndianbloodinhim，buthesayshe’snotreally，——well，weweresittingouttogether，andhetoldmeallabouthimself，howunhappyheisathome，andhowhehatesbeingouthere。They’veputhimintosomebeastlyminingbusiness。Hesaysit’sbeastly——Ishouldlikeit，Iknow，butthat’sneitherherenorthere。AndIfeltawfullysorryforhim，onecouldn’thelpbeingsorryforhim，andwhenheaskedmetolethimkissme，Idid。Idon’tseeanyharminthat，doyou？
Andthenthismorninghesaidhe’dthoughtImeantsomethingmore，andIwasn’tthesorttoletanyonekissme。Andwetalkedandtalked。IdaresayIwasverysilly，butonecan’thelplikingpeoplewhenone’ssorryforthem。Idolikehimmostawfully——“
Shepaused。“SoIgavehimhalfapromise，andthen，yousee，there’sAlfredPerrott。“
“Oh，Perrott，“saidHewet。
“Wegottoknoweachotheronthatpicnictheotherday，“shecontinued。
“Heseemedsolonely，especiallyasArthurhadgoneoffwithSusan，andonecouldn’thelpguessingwhatwasinhismind。Sowehadquitealongtalkwhenyouwerelookingattheruins，andhetoldmeallabouthislife，andhisstruggles，andhowfearfullyhardithadbeen。
D’youknow，hewasaboyinagrocer’sshopandtookparcelstopeople’shousesinabasket？Thatinterestedmeawfully，becauseI
alwayssayitdoesn’tmatterhowyou’rebornifyou’vegottherightstuffinyou。Andhetoldmeabouthissisterwho’sparalysed，poorgirl，andonecanseeshe’sagreattrial，thoughhe’sevidentlyverydevotedtoher。ImustsayIdoadmirepeoplelikethat！
Idon’texpectyoudobecauseyou’resoclever。Well，lastnightwesatoutinthegardentogether，andIcouldn’thelpseeingwhathewantedtosay，andcomfortinghimalittle，andtellinghimIdidcare——Ireallydo——only，then，there’sRaymondOliver。
WhatIwantyoutotellmeis，canonebeinlovewithtwopeopleatonce，orcan’tone？“
Shebecamesilent，andsatwithherchinonherhands，lookingveryintent，asifshewerefacingarealproblemwhichhadtobediscussedbetweenthem。
“Ithinkitdependswhatsortofpersonyouare，“saidHewet。
Helookedather。Shewassmallandpretty，agedperhapstwenty-eightortwenty-nine，butthoughdashingandsharplycut，herfeaturesexpressednothingveryclearly，exceptagreatdealofspiritandgoodhealth。
“Whoareyou，whatareyou；yousee，Iknownothingaboutyou，“
hecontinued。
“Well，Iwascomingtothat，“saidEvelynM。Shecontinuedtorestherchinonherhandsandtolookintentlyaheadofher。
“I’mthedaughterofamotherandnofather，ifthatinterestsyou，“
shesaid。“It’snotaverynicethingtobe。It’swhatoftenhappensinthecountry。Shewasafarmer’sdaughter，andhewasratheraswell——
theyoungmanupatthegreathouse。Henevermadethingsstraight——
nevermarriedher——thoughheallowedusquitealotofmoney。
Hispeoplewouldn’tlethim。Poorfather！Ican’thelplikinghim。
Motherwasn’tthesortofwomanwhocouldkeephimstraight，anyhow。
Hewaskilledinthewar。Ibelievehismenworshippedhim。
Theysaygreatbigtroopersbrokedownandcriedoverhisbodyonthebattlefield。IwishI’dknownhim。Motherhadallthelifecrushedoutofher。Theworld——“Sheclenchedherfist。
“Oh，peoplecanbehorridtoawomanlikethat！“SheturneduponHewet。
“Well，“shesaid，“d’youwanttoknowanymoreaboutme？“
“Butyou？“heasked，“Wholookedafteryou？“
“I’velookedaftermyselfmostly，“shelaughed。“I’vehadsplendidfriends。Idolikepeople！That’sthetrouble。
