Asshedidnotimmediatelyanswer，hewenton。
“IknowverywellthatIamnot——thatIhavenotmuchtoofferyoueitherinmyselforinmycircumstances。AndIforget；itcannotseemthemiracletoyouthatitdoestome。UntilImetyouI
hadgoneoninmyownquietway——wearebothveryquietpeople，mysisterandI——quitecontentwithmylot。MyfriendshipwithArthurwasthemostimportantthinginmylife。NowthatIknowyou，allthathaschanged。Youseemtoputsuchaspiritintoeverything。
LifeseemstoholdsomanypossibilitiesthatIhadneverdreamtof。“
“That’ssplendid！“Evelynexclaimed，graspinghishand。
“Nowyou’llgobackandstartallkindsofthingsandmakeagreatnameintheworld；andwe’llgoonbeingfriends，whateverhappens……we’llbegreatfriends，won’twe？“
“Evelyn！“hemoanedsuddenly，andtookherinhisarms，andkissedher。
Shedidnotresentit，althoughitmadelittleimpressiononher。
Asshesatuprightagain，shesaid，“Ineverseewhyoneshouldn’tgoonbeingfriends——thoughsomepeopledo。Andfriendshipsdomakeadifference，don’tthey？Theyarethekindofthingsthatmatterinone’slife？“
Helookedatherwithabewilderedexpressionasifhedidnotreallyunderstandwhatshewassaying。Withaconsiderableefforthecollectedhimself，stoodup，andsaid，“NowIthinkIhavetoldyouwhatIfeel，andIwillonlyaddthatIcanwaitaslongaseveryouwish。“
Leftalone，Evelynwalkedupanddownthepath。Whatdidmatterthan？
Whatwasthemeaningofitall？
Allthateveningthecloudsgathered，untiltheyclosedentirelyovertheblueofthesky。Theyseemedtonarrowthespacebetweenearthandheaven，sothattherewasnoroomfortheairtomoveinfreely；
andthewaves，too，layflat，andyetrigid，asiftheywererestrained。
Theleavesonthebushesandtreesinthegardenhungcloselytogether，andthefeelingofpressureandrestraintwasincreasedbytheshortchirpingsoundswhichcamefrombirdsandinsects。
Sostrangewerethelightsandthesilencethatthebusyhumofvoiceswhichusuallyfilledthedining-roomatmealtimeshaddistinctgapsinit，andduringthesesilencestheclatteroftheknivesuponplatesbecameaudible。Thefirstrollofthunderandthefirstheavydropstrikingthepanecausedalittlestir。
“It’scoming！“wassaidsimultaneouslyinmanydifferentlanguages。
Therewasthenaprofoundsilence，asifthethunderhadwithdrawnintoitself。Peoplehadjustbeguntoeatagain，whenagustofcoldaircamethroughtheopenwindows，liftingtableclothsandskirts，alightflashed，andwasinstantlyfollowedbyaclapofthunderrightoverthehotel。Therainswishedwithit，andimmediatelytherewereallthosesoundsofwindowsbeingshutanddoorsslammingviolentlywhichaccompanyastorm。
Theroomgrewsuddenlyseveraldegreesdarker，forthewindseemedtobedrivingwavesofdarknessacrosstheearth。Nooneattemptedtoeatforatime，butsatlookingoutatthegarden，withtheirforksintheair。Theflashesnowcamefrequently，lightingupfacesasiftheyweregoingtobephotographed，surprisingthemintenseandunnaturalexpressions。Theclapfollowedcloseandviolentlyuponthem。Severalwomenhalfrosefromtheirchairsandthensatdownagain，butdinnerwascontinueduneasilywitheyesuponthegarden。Thebushesoutsidewereruffledandwhitened，andthewindpresseduponthemsothattheyseemedtostooptotheground。Thewaitershadtopressdishesuponthediners’notice；andthedinershadtodrawtheattentionofwaiters，fortheywereallabsorbedinlookingatthestorm。
Asthethundershowednosignsofwithdrawing，butseemedmassedrightoverhead，whilethelightningaimedstraightatthegardeneverytime，anuneasygloomreplacedthefirstexcitement。
Finishingthemealveryquickly，peoplecongregatedinthehall，wheretheyfeltmoresecurethaninanyotherplacebecausetheycouldretreatfarfromthewindows，andalthoughtheyheardthethunder，theycouldnotseeanything。Alittleboywascarriedawaysobbinginthearmsofhismother。
Whilethestormcontinued，nooneseemedinclinedtositdown，buttheycollectedinlittlegroupsunderthecentralskylight，wheretheystoodinayellowatmosphere，lookingupwards。
Nowandagaintheirfacesbecamewhite，asthelightningflashed，andfinallyaterrificcrashcame，makingthepanesoftheskylightliftatthejoints。
“Ah！“severalvoicesexclaimedatthesamemoment。
“Somethingstruck，“saidaman’svoice。
Therainrusheddown。Therainseemednowtoextinguishthelightningandthethunder，andthehallbecamealmostdark。
Afteraminuteortwo，whennothingwasheardbuttherattleofwaterupontheglass，therewasaperceptibleslackeningofthesound，andthentheatmospherebecamelighter。
“It’sover，“saidanothervoice。
Atatouch，alltheelectriclightswereturnedon，andrevealedacrowdofpeopleallstanding，alllookingwithratherstrainedfacesupattheskylight，butwhentheysaweachotherintheartificiallighttheyturnedatonceandbegantomoveaway。Forsomeminutestheraincontinuedtorattleupontheskylight，andthethundergaveanothershakeortwo；butitwasevidentfromtheclearingofthedarknessandthelightdrummingoftherainupontheroof，thatthegreatconfusedoceanofairwastravellingawayfromthem，andpassinghighoverheadwithitscloudsanditsrodsoffire，outtosea。Thebuilding，whichhadseemedsosmallinthetumultofthestorm，nowbecameassquareandspaciousasusual。
Asthestormdrewaway，thepeopleinthehallofthehotelsatdown；
andwithacomfortablesenseofrelief，begantotelleachotherstoriesaboutgreatstorms，andproducedinmanycasestheiroccupationsfortheevening。Thechess-boardwasbroughtout，andMr。Elliot，whoworeastockinsteadofacollarasasignofconvalescence，butwasotherwisemuchasusual，challengedMr。Peppertoafinalcontest。
Roundthemgatheredagroupofladieswithpiecesofneedlework，orindefaultofneedlework，withnovels，tosuperintendthegame，muchasiftheywereinchargeoftwosmallboysplayingmarbles。
Everynowandthentheylookedattheboardandmadesomeencouragingremarktothegentlemen。
Mrs。Paleyjustroundthecornerhadhercardsarrangedinlongladdersbeforeher，withSusansittingneartosympathisebutnottocorrect，andthemerchantsandthemiscellaneouspeoplewhohadneverbeendiscoveredtopossessnameswerestretchedintheirarm-chairswiththeirnewspapersontheirknees。Theconversationinthesecircumstanceswasverygentle，fragmentary，andintermittent，buttheroomwasfulloftheindescribablestiroflife。Everynowandthenthemoth，whichwasnowgreyofwingandshinyofthorax，whizzedovertheirheads，andhitthelampswithathud。
Ayoungwomanputdownherneedleworkandexclaimed，“Poorcreature！
itwouldbekindertokillit。“Butnobodyseemeddisposedtorousehimselfinordertokillthemoth。Theywatcheditdashfromlamptolamp，becausetheywerecomfortable，andhadnothingtodo。
Onthesofa，besidethechess-players，Mrs。ElliotwasimpartinganewstitchinknittingtoMrs。Thornbury，sothattheirheadscameveryneartogether，andwereonlytobedistinguishedbytheoldlacecapwhichMrs。Thornburyworeintheevening。
Mrs。Elliotwasanexpertatknitting，anddisclaimedacomplimenttothateffectwithevidentpride。
“Isupposewe’reallproudofsomething，“shesaid，“andI’mproudofmyknitting。Ithinkthingslikethatruninfamilies。Weallknitwell。
Ihadanunclewhoknittedhisownsockstothedayofhisdeath——
andhediditbetterthananyofhisdaughters，dearoldgentleman。
NowIwonderthatyou，MissAllan，whouseyoureyessomuch，don’ttakeupknittingintheevenings。You’dfinditsucharelief，Ishouldsay——sucharesttotheeyes——andthebazaarsaresogladofthings。“Hervoicedroppedintothesmoothhalf-conscioustoneoftheexpertknitter；thewordscamegentlyoneafteranother。
“AsmuchasIdoIcanalwaysdisposeof，whichisacomfort，forthenIfeelthatIamnotwastingmytime——“
MissAllan，beingthusaddressed，shuthernovelandobservedtheothersplacidlyforatime。Atlastshesaid，“Itissurelynotnaturaltoleaveyourwifebecauseshehappenstobeinlovewithyou。Butthat——asfarasIcanmakeout——iswhatthegentlemaninmystorydoes。“
“Tut，tut，thatdoesn’tsoundgood——no，thatdoesn’tsoundatallnatural，“murmuredtheknittersintheirabsorbedvoices。
“Still，it’sthekindofbookpeoplecallveryclever，“MissAllanadded。
“_Maternity_——byMichaelJessop——Ipresume，“Mr。Elliotputin，forhecouldneverresistthetemptationoftalkingwhileheplayedchess。
“D’youknow，“saidMrs。Elliot，afteramoment，“Idon’tthinkpeople_do_writegoodnovelsnow——notasgoodastheyusedto，anyhow。“
Noonetookthetroubletoagreewithherortodisagreewithher。
ArthurVenningwhowasstrollingabout，sometimeslookingatthegame，sometimesreadingapageofamagazine，lookedatMissAllan，whowashalfasleep，andsaidhumorously，“Apennyforyourthoughts，MissAllan。“
Theotherslookedup。Theyweregladthathehadnotspokentothem。
ButMissAllanrepliedwithoutanyhesitation，“Iwasthinkingofmyimaginaryuncle。Hasn’teveryonegotanimaginaryuncle？“
shecontinued。“Ihaveone——amostdelightfuloldgentleman。
He’salwaysgivingmethings。Sometimesit’sagoldwatch；
sometimesit’sacarriageandpair；sometimesit’sabeautifullittlecottageintheNewForest；sometimesit’satickettotheplaceImostwanttosee。“
Shesetthemallthinkingvaguelyofthethingstheywanted。
Mrs。Elliotknewexactlywhatshewanted；shewantedachild；
andtheusuallittlepuckerdeepenedonherbrow。
“We’resuchluckypeople，“shesaid，lookingatherhusband。
“Wereallyhavenowants。“Shewasapttosaythis，partlyinordertoconvinceherself，andpartlyinordertoconvinceotherpeople。
ButshewaspreventedfromwonderinghowfarshecarriedconvictionbytheentranceofMr。andMrs。Flushing，whocamethroughthehallandstoppedbythechess-board。Mrs。Flushinglookedwilderthanever。
Agreatstrandofblackhairloopeddownacrossherbrow，hercheekswerewhippedadarkbloodred，anddropsofrainmadewetmarksuponthem。
Mr。Flushingexplainedthattheyhadbeenontheroofwatchingthestorm。
“Itwasawonderfulsight，“hesaid。“Thelightningwentrightoutoverthesea，andlitupthewavesandtheshipsfaraway。
Youcan’tthinkhowwonderfulthemountainslookedtoo，withthelightsonthem，andthegreatmassesofshadow。It’sallovernow。“
Hesliddownintoachair，becominginterestedinthefinalstruggleofthegame。
“Andyougobackto-morrow？“saidMrs。Thornbury，lookingatMrs。Flushing。
“Yes，“shereplied。
“Andindeedoneisnotsorrytogoback，“saidMrs。Elliot，assuminganairofmournfulanxiety，“afterallthisillness。“
“Areyouafraidofdyin’？“Mrs。Flushingdemandedscornfully。
“Ithinkweareallafraidofthat，“saidMrs。Elliotwithdignity。
“Isupposewe’reallcowardswhenitcomestothepoint，“
saidMrs。Flushing，rubbinghercheekagainstthebackofthechair。
“I’msureIam。“
“Notabitofit！“saidMr。Flushing，turninground，forMr。Peppertookaverylongtimetoconsiderhismove。“It’snotcowardlytowishtolive，Alice。It’stheveryreverseofcowardly。
Personally，I’dliketogoonforahundredyears——granted，ofcourse，thatIhadthefulluseofmyfaculties。Thinkofallthethingsthatareboundtohappen！““ThatiswhatIfeel，“Mrs。Thornburyrejoined。
“Thechanges，theimprovements，theinventions——andbeauty。
D’youknowIfeelsometimesthatIcouldn’tbeartodieandceasetoseebeautifulthingsaboutme？“
“ItwouldcertainlybeverydulltodiebeforetheyhavediscoveredwhetherthereislifeinMars，“MissAllanadded。
“Doyoureallybelievethere’slifeinMars？“askedMrs。Flushing，turningtoherforthefirsttimewithkeeninterest。“Whotellsyouthat？Someonewhoknows？D’youknowamancalled——？“
HereMrs。Thornburylaiddownherknitting，andalookofextremesolicitudecameintohereyes。
“ThereisMr。Hirst，“shesaidquietly。
St。Johnhadjustcomethroughtheswingdoor。Hewasratherblownaboutbythewind，andhischeekslookedterriblypale，unshorn，andcavernous。Aftertakingoffhiscoathewasgoingtopassstraightthroughthehallanduptohisroom，buthecouldnotignorethepresenceofsomanypeopleheknew，especiallyasMrs。Thornburyroseandwentuptohim，holdingoutherhand。
Buttheshockofthewarmlamp-litroom，togetherwiththesightofsomanycheerfulhumanbeingssittingtogetherattheirease，afterthedarkwalkintherain，andthelongdaysofstrainandhorror，overcamehimcompletely。HelookedatMrs。Thornburyandcouldnotspeak。
Everyonewassilent。Mr。Pepper’shandstayeduponhisKnight。
Mrs。Thornburysomehowmovedhimtoachair，satherselfbesidehim，andwithtearsinherowneyessaidgently，“Youhavedoneeverythingforyourfriend。“
Heractionsetthemalltalkingagainasiftheyhadneverstopped，andMr。PepperfinishedthemovewithhisKnight。
“Therewasnothingtobedone，“saidSt。John。Hespokeveryslowly。
“Itseemsimpossible——“
Hedrewhishandacrosshiseyesasifsomedreamcamebetweenhimandtheothersandpreventedhimfromseeingwherehewas。
“Andthatpoorfellow，“saidMrs。Thornbury，thetearsfallingagaindownhercheeks。
“Impossible，“St。Johnrepeated。
“Didhehavetheconsolationofknowing——？“Mrs。Thornburybeganverytentatively。
ButSt。Johnmadenoreply。Helaybackinhischair，half-seeingtheothers，half-hearingwhattheysaid。Hewasterriblytired，andthelightandwarmth，themovementsofthehands，andthesoftcommunicativevoicessoothedhim；theygavehimastrangesenseofquietandrelief。Ashesatthere，motionless，thisfeelingofreliefbecameafeelingofprofoundhappiness。WithoutanysenseofdisloyaltytoTerenceandRachelheceasedtothinkabouteitherofthem。Themovementsandthevoicesseemedtodrawtogetherfromdifferentpartsoftheroom，andtocombinethemselvesintoapatternbeforehiseyes；hewascontenttositsilentlywatchingthepatternbuilditselfup，lookingatwhathehardlysaw。
Thegamewasreallyagoodone，andMr。PepperandMr。Elliotwerebecomingmoreandmoresetuponthestruggle。Mrs。Thornbury，seeingthatSt。Johndidnotwishtotalk，resumedherknitting。
“Lightningagain！“Mrs。Flushingsuddenlyexclaimed。Ayellowlightflashedacrossthebluewindow，andforasecondtheysawthegreentreesoutside。Shestrodetothedoor，pusheditopen，andstoodhalfoutintheopenair。
Butthelightwasonlythereflectionofthestormwhichwasover。
Therainhadceased，theheavycloudswereblownaway，andtheairwasthinandclear，althoughvapourishmistswerebeingdrivenswiftlyacrossthemoon。Theskywasoncemoreadeepandsolemnblue，andtheshapeoftheearthwasvisibleatthebottomoftheair，enormous，dark，andsolid，risingintothetaperingmassofthemountain，andprickedhereandthereontheslopesbythetinylightsofvillas。
Thedrivingair，thedroneofthetrees，andtheflashinglightwhichnowandagainspreadabroadilluminationovertheearthfilledMrs。Flushingwithexultation。Herbreastsroseandfell。
“Splendid！Splendid！“shemutteredtoherself。Thensheturnedbackintothehallandexclaimedinaperemptoryvoice，“Comeoutsideandsee，Wilfrid；it’swonderful。“
Somehalf-stirred；somerose；somedroppedtheirballsofwoolandbegantostooptolookforthem。
“Tobed——tobed，“saidMissAllan。
“ItwasthemovewithyourQueenthatgaveitaway，Pepper，“
exclaimedMr。Elliottriumphantly，sweepingthepiecestogetherandstandingup。Hehadwonthegame。
“What？Pepperbeatenatlast？Icongratulateyou！“saidArthurVenning，whowaswheelingoldMrs。Paleytobed。
AllthesevoicessoundedgratefullyinSt。John’searsashelayhalf-asleep，andyetvividlyconsciousofeverythingaroundhim。
Acrosshiseyespassedaprocessionofobjects，blackandindistinct，thefiguresofpeoplepickinguptheirbooks，theircards，theirballsofwool，theirwork-baskets，andpassinghimoneafteranotherontheirwaytobed。
End
