“Andtheloneliness！“hecontinued。AvisionofwalkingwithherthroughthestreetsofLondoncamebeforehiseyes。“Wewillgoforwalkstogether，“hesaid。Thesimplicityoftheidearelievedthem，andforthefirsttimetheylaughed。Theywouldhavelikedhadtheydaredtotakeeachotherbythehand，buttheconsciousnessofeyesfixedonthemfrombehindhadnotyetdesertedthem。
“Books，people，sights——Mrs。Nutt，Greeley，Hutchinson，“Hewetmurmured。
Witheverywordthemistwhichhadenvelopedthem，makingthemseemunrealtoeachother，sincethepreviousafternoonmeltedalittlefurther，andtheircontactbecamemoreandmorenatural。
UpthroughthesultrysouthernlandscapetheysawtheworldtheyknewappearclearerandmorevividlythanithadeverappearedbeforeAsuponthatoccasionatthehotelwhenshehadsatinthewindow，theworldoncemorearrangeditselfbeneathhergazeveryvividlyandinitstrueproportions。SheglancedcuriouslyatTerencefromtimetotime，observinghisgreycoatandhispurpletie；
observingthemanwithwhomshewastospendtherestofherlife。
Afteroneoftheseglancesshemurmured，“Yes，I’minlove。
There’snodoubt；I’minlovewithyou。“
Nevertheless，theyremaineduncomfortablyapart；drawnsoclosetogether，asshespoke，thatthereseemednodivisionbetweenthem，andthenextmomentseparateandfarawayagain。
Feelingthispainfully，sheexclaimed，“Itwillbeafight。“
Butasshelookedathimsheperceivedfromtheshapeofhiseyes，thelinesabouthismouth，andotherpeculiaritiesthathepleasedher，andsheadded:
“WhereIwanttofight，youhavecompassion。You’refinerthanIam；
you’remuchfiner。“
Hereturnedherglanceandsmiled，perceiving，muchasshehaddone，theverysmallindividualthingsaboutherwhichmadeherdelightfultohim。Shewashisforever。Thisbarrierbeingsurmounted，innumerabledelightslaybeforethemboth。
“I’mnotfiner，“heanswered。“I’monlyolder，lazier；aman，notawoman。“
“Aman，“sherepeated，andacurioussenseofpossessioncomingoverher，itstruckherthatshemightnowtouchhim；sheputoutherhandandlightlytouchedhischeek。Hisfingersfollowedwherehershadbeen，andthetouchofhishanduponhisfacebroughtbacktheoverpoweringsenseofunreality。Thisbodyofhiswasunreal；
thewholeworldwasunreal。
“What’shappened？“hebegan。“WhydidIaskyoutomarryme？
Howdidithappen？“
“Didyouaskmetomarryyou？“shewondered。Theyfadedfarawayfromeachother，andneitherofthemcouldrememberwhathadbeensaid。
“Wesatupontheground，“herecollected。
“Wesatupontheground，“sheconfirmedhim。Therecollectionofsittingupontheground，suchasitwas，seemedtounitethemagain，andtheywalkedoninsilence，theirmindssometimesworkingwithdifficultyandsometimesceasingtowork，theireyesaloneperceivingthethingsroundthem。Nowhewouldattemptagaintotellherhisfaults，andwhyhelovedher；andshewoulddescribewhatshehadfeltatthistimeoratthattime，andtogethertheywouldinterpretherfeeling。
Sobeautifulwasthesoundoftheirvoicesthatbydegreestheyscarcelylistenedtothewordstheyframed。Longsilencescamebetweentheirwords，whichwerenolongersilencesofstruggleandconfusionbutrefreshingsilences，inwhichtrivialthoughtsmovedeasily。
Theybegantospeaknaturallyofordinarythings，oftheflowersandthetrees，howtheygrewtheresored，likegardenflowersathome，andtherebentandcrookedlikethearmofatwistedoldman。
Verygentlyandquietly，almostasifitwerethebloodsinginginherveins，orthewaterofthestreamrunningoverstones，Rachelbecameconsciousofanewfeelingwithinher。Shewonderedforamomentwhatitwas，andthensaidtoherself，withalittlesurpriseatrecognisinginherownpersonsofamousathing:
“Thisishappiness，Isuppose。“AndaloudtoTerenceshespoke，“Thisishappiness。“
Ontheheelsofherwordsheanswered，“Thisishappiness，“
uponwhichtheyguessedthatthefeelinghadsprunginbothofthemthesametime。Theybeganthereforetodescribehowthisfeltandthatfelt，howlikeitwasandyethowdifferent；fortheywereverydifferent。
Voicescryingbehindthemneverreachedthroughthewatersinwhichtheywerenowsunk。TherepetitionofHewet’snameinshort，disseveredsyllableswastothemthecrackofadrybranchorthelaughterofabird。Thegrassesandbreezessoundingandmurmuringallroundthem，theynevernoticedthattheswishingofthegrassesgrewlouderandlouder，anddidnotceasewiththelapseofthebreeze。AhanddroppedabruptasirononRachel’sshoulder；
itmighthavebeenaboltfromheaven。Shefellbeneathit，andthegrasswhippedacrosshereyesandfilledhermouthandears。
Throughthewavingstemsshesawafigure，largeandshapelessagainstthesky。Helenwasuponher。Rolledthiswayandthat，nowseeingonlyforestsofgreen，andnowthehighblueheaven；
shewasspeechlessandalmostwithoutsense。Atlastshelaystill，allthegrassesshakenroundherandbeforeherbyherpanting。
Overherloomedtwogreatheads，theheadsofamanandwoman，ofTerenceandHelen。
Bothwereflushed，bothlaughing，andthelipsweremoving；
theycametogetherandkissedintheairaboveher。Brokenfragmentsofspeechcamedowntoherontheground。Shethoughtsheheardthemspeakofloveandthenofmarriage。Raisingherselfandsittingup，shetoorealisedHelen’ssoftbody，thestrongandhospitablearms，andhappinessswellingandbreakinginonevastwave。Whenthisfellaway，andthegrassesoncemorelaylow，andtheskybecamehorizontal，andtheearthrolledoutflatoneachside，andthetreesstoodupright，shewasthefirsttoperceivealittlerowofhumanfiguresstandingpatientlyinthedistance。
Forthemomentshecouldnotrememberwhotheywere。
“Whoarethey？“sheasked，andthenrecollected。
FallingintolinebehindMr。Flushing，theywerecarefultoleaveatleastthreeyards’distancebetweenthetoeofhisbootandtherimofherskirt。
Heledthemacrossastretchofgreenbytheriver-bankandthenthroughagroveoftrees，andbadethemremarkthesignsofhumanhabitation，theblackenedgrass，thecharredtree-stumps，andthere，throughthetrees，strangewoodennests，drawntogetherinanarchwherethetreesdrewapart，thevillagewhichwasthegoaloftheirjourney。
Steppingcautiously，theyobservedthewomen，whoweresquattingonthegroundintriangularshapes，movingtheirhands，eitherplaitingstraworinkneadingsomethinginbowls。Butwhentheyhadlookedforamomentundiscovered，theywereseen，andMr。Flushing，advancingintothecentreoftheclearing，wasengagedintalkwithaleanmajesticman，whosebonesandhollowsatoncemadetheshapesoftheEnglishman’sbodyappearuglyandunnatural。
Thewomentooknonoticeofthestrangers，exceptthattheirhandspausedforamomentandtheirlongnarroweyesslidroundandfixeduponthemwiththemotionlessinexpensivegazeofthoseremovedfromeachotherfarfarbeyondtheplungeofspeech。Theirhandsmovedagain，butthestarecontinued。Itfollowedthemastheywalked，astheypeeredintothehutswheretheycoulddistinguishgunsleaninginthecorner，andbowlsuponthefloor，andstacksofrushes；
intheduskthesolemneyesofbabiesregardedthem，andoldwomenstaredouttoo。Astheysaunteredabout，thestarefollowedthem，passingovertheirlegs，theirbodies，theirheads，curiouslynotwithouthostility，likethecrawlofawinterfly。Asshedrewaparthershawlanduncoveredherbreasttothelipsofherbaby，theeyesofawomanneverlefttheirfaces，althoughtheymoveduneasilyunderherstare，andfinallyturnedaway，ratherthanstandtherelookingatheranylonger。Whensweetmeatswereofferedthem，theyputoutgreatredhandstotakethem，andfeltthemselvestreadingcumbrouslyliketight-coatedsoldiersamongthesesoftinstinctivepeople。Butsoonthelifeofthevillagetooknonoticeofthem；theyhadbecomeabsorbedinit。Thewomen’shandsbecamebusyagainwiththestraw；theireyesdropped。Iftheymoved，itwastofetchsomethingfromthehut，ortocatchastrayingchild，ortocrossthespacewithajarbalancedontheirheads；
iftheyspoke，itwastocrysomeharshunintelligiblecry。
Voicesrosewhenachildwasbeaten，andfellagain；voicesroseinsong，whichslidupalittlewayanddownalittleway，andsettledagainuponthesamelowandmelancholynote。
Seekingeachother，TerenceandRacheldrewtogetherunderatree。
Peaceful，andevenbeautifulatfirst，thesightofthewomen，whohadgivenuplookingatthem，madethemnowfeelverycoldandmelancholy。
“Well，“Terencesighedatlength，“itmakesusseeminsignificant，doesn’tit？“
Rachelagreed。Soitwouldgoonforeverandever，shesaid，thosewomensittingunderthetrees，thetreesandtheriver。
Theyturnedawayandbegantowalkthroughthetrees，leaning，withoutfearofdiscovery，uponeachother’sarms。Theyhadnotgonefarbeforetheybegantoassureeachotheroncemorethattheywereinlove，werehappy，werecontent；butwhywasitsopainfulbeinginlove，whywastheresomuchpaininhappiness？
Thesightofthevillageindeedaffectedthemallcuriouslythoughalldifferently。St。Johnhadlefttheothersandwaswalkingslowlydowntotheriver，absorbedinhisownthoughts，whichwerebitterandunhappy，forhefelthimselfalone；andHelen，standingbyherselfinthesunnyspaceamongthenativewomen，wasexposedtopresentimentsofdisaster。Thecriesofthesenselessbeastsranginherearshighandlowintheair，astheyranfromtree-trunktotree-top。
Howsmallthelittlefigureslookedwanderingthroughthetrees！
Shebecameacutelyconsciousofthelittlelimbs，thethinveins，thedelicatefleshofmenandwomen，whichbreakssoeasilyandletsthelifeescapecomparedwiththesegreattreesanddeepwaters。
Afallingbranch，afootthatslips，andtheearthhascrushedthemorthewaterdrownedthem。Thusthinking，shekepthereyesanxiouslyfixeduponthelovers，asifbydoingsoshecouldprotectthemfromtheirfate。Turning，shefoundtheFlushingsbyherside。
Theyweretalkingaboutthethingstheyhadboughtandarguingwhethertheywerereallyold，andwhethertherewerenotsignshereandthereofEuropeaninfluence。Helenwasappealedto。
Shewasmadetolookatabrooch，andthenatapairofear-rings。
Butallthetimesheblamedthemforhavingcomeonthisexpedition，forhavingventuredtoofarandexposedthemselves。Thensherousedherselfandtriedtotalk，butinafewmomentsshecaughtherselfseeingapictureofaboatupsetontheriverinEngland，atmidday。
Itwasmorbid，sheknew，toimaginesuchthings；neverthelessshesoughtoutthefiguresoftheothersbetweenthetrees，andwhenevershesawthemshekepthereyesfixedonthem，sothatshemightbeabletoprotectthemfromdisaster。
Butwhenthesunwentdownandthesteamerturnedandbegantosteambacktowardscivilisation，againherfearswerecalmed。
Inthesemi-darknessthechairsondeckandthepeoplesittinginthemwereangularshapes，themouthbeingindicatedbyatinyburningspot，andthearmbythesamespotmovingupordownasthecigarorcigarettewasliftedtoandfromthelips。Wordscrossedthedarkness，but，notknowingwheretheyfell，seemedtolackenergyandsubstance。Deepsightsproceededregularly，althoughwithsomeattemptatsuppression，fromthelargewhitemoundwhichrepresentedthepersonofMrs。Flushing。Thedayhadbeenlongandveryhot，andnowthatallthecolourswereblottedoutthecoolnightairseemedtopresssoftfingersupontheeyelids，sealingthemdown。
Somephilosophicalremarkdirected，apparently，atSt。JohnHirstmisseditsaim，andhungsolongsuspendedintheairuntilitwasengulfedbyayawn，thatitwasconsidereddead，andthisgavethesignalforstirringoflegsandmurmursaboutsleep。
Thewhitemoundmoved，finallylengtheneditselfanddisappeared，andafterafewturnsandpacesSt。JohnandMr。Flushingwithdrew，leavingthethreechairsstilloccupiedbythreesilentbodies。
Thelightwhichcamefromalamphighonthemastandaskypalewithstarsleftthemwithshapesbutwithoutfeatures；buteveninthisdarknessthewithdrawaloftheothersmadethemfeeleachotherverynear，fortheywereallthinkingofthesamething。
Forsometimenoonespoke，thenHelensaidwithasigh，“Soyou’rebothveryhappy？“
