OneSeptemberevening，fourmonthslater，whenMrs。Barnetwasinperfecthealth，andMrs。Downebutaweakeningmemory，anerrand-boypausedtoresthimselfinfrontofMr。Barnet’soldhouse，depositinghisbasketononeofthewindow-sills。Thestreetwasnotyetlighted，buttherewerelightsinthehouse，andatintervalsaflittingshadowfellupontheblindathiselbow。Wordsalsowereaudiblefromthesameapartment，andtheyseemedtobethoseofpersonsinviolentaltercation。Buttheboycouldnotgathertheirpurport，andhewentonhisway。
TenminutesafterwardsthedoorofBarnet’shouseopened，andatallclosely-veiledladyinatravelling-dresscameoutanddescendedthefreestonesteps。Theservantstoodinthedoorwaywatchingherasshewentwithameasuredtreaddownthestreet。WhenshehadbeenoutofsightforsomeminutesBarnetappearedatthedoorfromwithin。
’Didyourmistressleavewordwhereshewasgoing？’heasked。
’No，sir。’
’Isthecarriageorderedtomeetheranywhere？’
’No，sir。’
’Didshetakealatch-key？’
’No，sir。’
Barnetwentinagain，satdowninhischair，andleanedback。Theninsolitudeandsilencehebroodedoverthebitteremotionsthatfilledhisheart。Itwasforthisthathehadgratuitouslyrestoredhertolife，andmadehisunionwithanotherimpossible！Theeveningdrewon，andnobodycametodisturbhim。Atbedtimehetoldtheservantstoretire，thathewouldsitupforMrs。Barnethimself；andwhentheyweregoneheleanedhisheaduponhishandandmusedforhours。
Theclockstruckone，two；stillhiswifecamenot，and，withimpatienceaddedtodepression，hewentfromroomtoroomtillanotherwearyhourhadpassed。ThiswasnotaltogetheranewexperienceforBarnet；butshehadneverbeforesoprolongedherabsence。Atlasthesatdownagainandfellasleep。
Heawokeatsixo’clocktofindthatshehadnotreturned。Insearchingabouttheroomshediscoveredthatshehadtakenacaseofjewelswhichhadbeenhersbeforehermarriage。Ateightanotewasbroughthim；itwasfromhiswife，inwhichshestatedthatshehadgonebythecoachtothehouseofadistantrelativenearLondon，andexpressedawishthatcertainboxes，articlesofclothing，andsoon，mightbesenttoherforthwith。ThenotewasbroughttohimbyawaiterattheBlack-BullHotel，andhadbeenwrittenbyMrs。
Barnetimmediatelybeforeshetookherplaceinthestage。
Bytheeveningthisorderwascarriedout，andBarnet，withasenseofrelief，walkedoutintothetown。Afairhadbeenheldduringtheday，andthelargeclearmoonwhichroseoverthemostprominenthillflungitslightupontheboothsandstandingsthatstillremainedinthestreet，mixingitsrayscuriouslywiththosefromtheflaringnaphthalamps。Thetownwasfullofcountry-peoplewhohadcomeintoenjoythemselves，andonthisaccountBarnetstrolledthroughthestreetsunobserved。Withacertainrecklessnesshemadefortheharbour-road，andpresentlyfoundhimselfbytheshore，wherehewalkedontillhecametothespotnearwhichhisfriendthekindlyMrs。Downehadlostherlife，andhisownwife’slifehadbeenpreserved。Atremulouspathwayofbrightmoonshinenowstretchedoverthewaterwhichhadengulfedthem，andnotalivingsoulwasnear。
Hereheruminatedontheircharacters，andnextontheyounggirlinwhomhenowtookamoresensitiveinterestthanatthetimewhenhehadbeenfreetomarryher。Nothing，sofarashewasaware，hadeverappearedinhisownconducttoshowthatsuchaninterestexisted。Hehadmadeitapointoftheutmoststrictnesstohinderthatfeelingfrominfluencinginthefaintestdegreehisattitudetowardshiswife；andthiswasmadeallthemoreeasyforhimbythesmalldemandMrs。Barnetmadeuponhisattentions，forwhichsheeverevincedthegreatestcontempt；thusunwittinglygivinghimthesatisfactionofknowingthattheirseveranceowednothingtojealousy，or，indeed，toanypersonalbehaviourofhisatall。Herconcernwasnotwithhimorhisfeelings，asshefrequentlytoldhim；butthatshehad，inamomentofweakness，thrownherselfawayuponacommonburgherwhenshemighthaveaimedat，andpossiblybroughtdown，apeeroftherealm。HerfrequentdepreciationofBarnetinthesetermshadattimesbeensointensethathewassorelytemptedtoretaliateonheregotismbyowningthathelovedatthesamelowlevelonwhichhelived；butprudencehadprevailed，forwhichhewasnowthankful。
Somethingseemedtosoundupontheshinglebehindhimoverandabovetherakingofthewave。Helookedround，andaslightgirlishshapeappearedquiteclosetohim，Hecouldnotseeherfacebecauseitwasinthedirectionofthemoon。
’Mr。Barnet？’theramblersaid，intimidsurprise。ThevoicewasthevoiceofLucySavile。
’Yes，’saidBarnet。’HowcanIrepayyouforthispleasure？’
’Ionlycamebecausethenightwassoclear。Iamnowonmywayhome。’
’Iamgladwehavemet。Iwanttoknowifyouwillletmedosomethingforyou，togivemeanoccupation，asanidleman？IamsureIoughttohelpyou，forIknowyouarealmostwithoutfriends。’
Shehesitated。’Whyshouldyoutellmethat？’shesaid。
’Inthehopethatyouwillbefrankwithme。’
’Iamnotaltogetherwithoutfriendshere。ButIamgoingtomakealittlechangeinmylife——togooutasateacheroffreehanddrawingandpracticalperspective，ofcourseImeanonacomparativelyhumblescale，becauseIhavenotbeenspeciallyeducatedforthatprofession。ButIamsureIshalllikeitmuch。’
’Youhaveanopening？’
’Ihavenotexactlygotit，butIhaveadvertisedforone。’
’Lucy，youmustletmehelpyou！’
’Notatall。’
’Youneednotthinkitwouldcompromiseyou，orthatIamindifferenttodelicacy。Ibearinmindhowwestand。Itisveryunlikelythatyouwillsucceedasteacheroftheclassyoumention，soletmedosomethingofadifferentkindforyou。Saywhatyouwouldlike，anditshallbedone。’
’No；ifIcan’tbeadrawing-mistressorgoverness，orsomethingofthatsort，IshallgotoIndiaandjoinmybrother。’
’IwishIcouldgoabroad，anywhere，everywherewithyou，Lucy，andleavethisplaceanditsassociationsforever！’
Sheplayedwiththeendofherbonnet-string，andhastilyturnedaside。’Don’tevertouchuponthatkindoftopicagain，’shesaid，withaquickseveritynotfreefromanger。’Itsimplymakesitimpossibleformetoseeyou，muchlessreceiveanyguidancefromyou。No，thankyou，Mr。Barnet；youcandonothingformeatpresent；andasIsupposemyuncertaintywillendinmyleavingforIndia，Ifearyouneverwill。IfeverIthinkyouCANdoanything，Iwilltakethetroubletoaskyou。Tillthen，good-bye。’
Thetoneofherlatterwordswasequivocal，andwhileheremainedindoubtwhetheragentleironywasorwasnotinwroughtwiththeirsound，shesweptlightlyroundandlefthimalone。Hesawherformgetsmallerandsmalleralongthedampbeltofsea-sandbetweenebbandflood；andwhenshehadvanishedroundthecliffintotheharbour-road，hehimselffollowedinthesamedirection。
ThatherhopesfromanadvertisementshouldbethesinglethreadwhichheldLucySavileinEnglandwastoomuchforBarnet。OnreachingthetownhewentstraighttotheresidenceofDowne，nowawidowerwithfourchildren。Theyoungmotherlessbroodhadbeensenttobedaboutaquarterofanhourearlier，andwhenBarnetenteredhefoundDownesittingalone。ItwasthesameroomasthatfromwhichthefamilyhadbeenlookingoutforDowneatthebeginningoftheyear，whenDownehadslippedintothegutterandhiswifehadbeensoenviablytendertowardshim。Theoldneatnesshadgonefromthehouse；articleslayinplaceswhichcouldshownoreasonfortheirpresence，asifmomentarilydepositedtheresomemonthsago，andforgotteneversince；therewerenoflowers；thingswerejumbledtogetheronthefurniturewhichshouldhavebeenincupboards；andtheplaceingeneralhadthatstagnant，unrenovatedairwhichusuallypervadesthemaimedhomeofthewidower。
Downesoonrenewedhiscustomaryfull-wordedlamentoverhiswife，andevenwhenhehadworkedhimselfuptotears，wentonvolubly，asifalistenerwerealuxurytobeenjoyedwheneverhecouldbecaught。
’Shewasatreasurebeyondcompare，Mr。Barnet！Ishallneverseesuchanother。Nobodynowtonurseme——nobodytoconsolemeinthosedailytroubles，youknow，Barnet，whichmakeconsolationsonecessarytoanaturelikemine。Itwouldbeunbecomingtorepine，forherspirit’shomewaselsewhere——thetenderlightinhereyesalwaysshowedit；butitisalongdrearytimethatIhavebeforeme，andnobodyelsecaneverfillthevoidleftinmyheartbyherloss——nobody——nobody！’AndDownewipedhiseyesagain。
’Shewasagoodwomaninthehighestsense，’gravelyansweredBarnet，who，thoughDowne’swordsdrewgenuinecompassionfromhisheart，couldnothelpfeelingthatatenderreticencewouldhavebeenafinertributetoMrs。Downe’sreallysterlingvirtuesthansuchasecond-classlamentasthis。
’Ihavesomethingtoshowyou，’Downeresumed，producingfromadrawerasheetofpaperonwhichwasanelaboratedesignforacanopiedtomb。’Thishasbeensentmebythearchitect，butitisnotexactlywhatIwant。’
’YouhavegotJonestodoit，Isee，themanwhoiscarryingoutmyhouse，’saidBarnet，asheglancedatthesignaturetothedrawing。
’Yes，butitisnotquitewhatIwant。Iwantsomethingmorestriking——morelikeatombIhaveseeninSt。Paul’sCathedral。
Nothinglesswilldojusticetomyfeelings，andhowfarshortofthemthatwillfall！’
