Theroomwasquitesilent；notabreathing，notarustle，camefromanypartofit。Stockdalenowsentapositiveshoutthroughtheopenspaceofthedoor:’Mrs。Newberry！’——stillnoanswer，ormovementofanykindwithin。Thenheheardsoundsfromtheoppositeroom，thatofLizzy’smother，asifshehadbeenarousedbyhisuproarthoughLizzyhadnot，andwasdressingherselfhastily。
Stockdalesoftlyclosedtheyoungerwoman’sdoorandwentontotheother，whichwasopenedbyMrs。Simpkinsbeforehecouldreachit。
Shewasinherordinaryclothes，andhadalightinherhand。
’What’sthepersoncallingabout？’shesaidinalarm。
Stockdaletoldthegirl’serrand，addingseriously，’IcannotwakeMrs。Newberry。’
’Itisnomatter，’saidhermother。’Icanletthegirlhavewhatshewantsaswellasmydaughter。’Andshecameoutoftheroomandwentdownstairs。
Stockdaleretiredtowardshisownapartment，saying，however，toMrs。Simpkinsfromthelanding，asifonsecondthoughts，’IsupposethereisnothingthematterwithMrs。Newberry，thatIcouldnotwakeher？’
’Ono，’saidtheoldladyhastily。’Nothingatall。’
Stilltheministerwasnotsatisfied。’Willyougoinandsee？’hesaid。’Ishouldbemuchmoreatease。’
Mrs。Simpkinsreturnedupthestaircase，wenttoherdaughter’sroom，andcameoutagainalmostinstantly。’ThereisnothingatallthematterwithLizzy，’shesaid；anddescendedagaintoattendtotheapplicant，who，havingseenthelight，hadremainedquietduringthisinterval。
Stockdalewentintohisroomandlaydownasbefore。HeheardLizzy’smotheropenthefrontdoor，admitthegirl，andthenthemurmureddiscourseofbothastheywenttothestore-cupboardforthemedicamentrequired。Thegirldeparted，thedoorwasfastened，Mrs。Simpkinscameupstairs，andthehousewasagaininsilence。
Stilltheministerdidnotfallasleep。Hecouldnotgetridofasingularsuspicion，whichwasallthemoreharassinginbeing，iftrue，themostunaccountablethingwithinhisexperience。ThatLizzyNewberrywasinherbedroomwhenhemadesuchaclamouratthedoorhecouldnotpossiblyconvincehimself；notwithstandingthathehadheardhercomeupstairsattheusualtime，gointoherchamber，andshutherselfupintheusualway。Yetallreasonwassomuchagainstherbeingelsewhere，thathewasconstrainedtogobackagaintotheunlikelytheoryofaheavysleep，thoughhehadheardneitherbreathnormovementduringashoutingandknockingloudenoughtorousetheSevenSleepers。
Beforecomingtoanypositiveconclusionhefellasleephimself，anddidnotawaketillday。HesawnothingofMrs。Newberryinthemorning，beforehewentouttomeettherisingsun，ashelikedtodowhentheweatherwasfine；butasthiswasbynomeansunusual，hetooknonoticeofit。Atbreakfast-timeheknewthatshewasnotfaroffbyhearingherinthekitchen，andthoughhesawnothingofherperson，thatbackapartmentbeingrigorouslyclosedagainsthiseyes，sheseemedtobetalking，ordering，andbustlingaboutamongthepotsandskimmersinsoordinaryamanner，thattherewasnoreasonforhiswastingmoretimeinfruitlesssurmise。
Theministersufferedfromthesedistractions，andhisextemporizedsermonswerenotimprovedthereby。AlreadyheoftensaidRomansforCorinthiansinthepulpit，andgaveouthymnsinstrangecrampedmetres，thathithertohadalwaysbeenskipped，becausethecongregationcouldnotraiseatunetofitthem。Hefullyresolvedthatassoonashisfewweeksofstayapproachedtheirendhewouldcutthemattershort，andcommithimselfbyproposingadefiniteengagement，repentingatleisureifnecessary。
Withthisendinview，hesuggestedtoherontheeveningafterhermysterioussleepthattheyshouldtakeawalktogetherjustbeforedark，thelatterpartofthepropositionbeingintroducedthattheymightreturnhomeunseen。Sheconsentedtogo；andawaytheywentoverastile，toashroudedfootpathsuitedfortheoccasion。But，inspiteofattemptsonbothsides，theywereunabletoinfusemuchspiritintotheramble。Shelookedratherpalerthanusual，andsometimesturnedherheadaway。
’Lizzy，’saidStockdalereproachfully，whentheyhadwalkedinsilencealongdistance。
’Yes，’saidshe。
’Youyawned——muchmycompanyistoyou！’Heputitinthatway，buthewasreallywonderingwhetherheryawncouldpossiblyhavemoretodowithphysicalwearinessfromthenightbeforethanmentalwearinessofthatpresentmoment。Lizzyapologized，andownedthatshewasrathertired，whichgavehimanopeningforadirectquestiononthepoint；buthismodestywouldnotallowhimtoputittoher；andheuncomfortablyresolvedtowait。
ThemonthofFebruarypassedwithalternationsofmudandfrost，rainandsleet，eastwindsandnorth-westerlygales。Thehollowplacesintheploughedfieldsshowedthemselvesaspoolsofwater，whichhadsettledtherefromthehigherlevels，andhadnotyetfoundtimetosoakaway。Thebirdsbegantogetlively，andasinglethrushcamejustbeforesunseteachevening，andsanghopefullyonthelargeelm-treewhichstoodnearesttoMrs。
Newberry’shouse。Coldblastsandbrittleearthhadgivenplacetoanoozingdampnessmoreunpleasantinitselfthanfrost；butitsuggestedcomingspring，anditsunpleasantnesswasofabearablekind。
StockdalehadbeengoingtobringaboutapracticalunderstandingwithLizzyatleasthalf-a-dozentimes；but，whatwiththemysteryofherapparentabsenceonthenightoftheneighbour’scall，andhercuriouswayoflyinginbedatunaccountabletimes，hefeltacheckwithinhimwheneverhewantedtospeakout。Thustheystilllivedonasindefinitelyaffiancedlovers，eachofwhomhardlyacknowledgedtheother’sclaimtothenameofchosenone。Stockdalepersuadedhimselfthathishesitationwasowingtothepostponementoftheordainedminister’sarrival，andtheconsequentdelayinhisowndeparture，whichdidawaywithallnecessityforhasteinhiscourtship；butperhapsitwasonlythathisdiscretionwasreassertingitself，andtellinghimthathehadbettergetclearerideasofLizzybeforearrangingforthegrandcontractofhislifewithher。She，onherpart，alwaysseemedreadytobeurgedfurtheronthatquestionthanhehadhithertoattemptedtogo；butshewasnonethelessindependent，andtoadegreewhichwouldhavekeptfromflaggingthepassionofafarmoremutableman。
OntheeveningofthefirstofMarchhewentcasuallyintohisbedroomaboutdusk，andnoticedlyingonachairagreatcoat，hat，andbreeches。Havingnorecollectionofleavinganyclothesofhisowninthatspot，hewentandexaminedthemaswellashecouldinthetwilight，andfoundthattheydidnotbelongtohim。Hepausedforamomenttoconsiderhowtheymighthavegotthere。Hewastheonlymanlivinginthehouse；andyetthesewerenothisgarments，unlesshehadmadeamistake。No，theywerenothis。HecalledupMarthaSarah。
’Howdidthesethingscomeinmyroom？’hesaid，flingingtheobjectionablearticlestothefloor。
MarthasaidthatMrs。Newberryhadgiventhemtohertobrush，andthatshehadbroughtthemuptherethinkingtheymustbeMr。
Stockdale’s，astherewasnoothergentlemana-lodgingthere。
’Ofcourseyoudid，’saidStockdale。’Nowtakethemdowntoyourmis’ess，andsaytheyaresomeclothesIhavefoundhereandknownothingabout。’
Asthedoorwasleftopenheheardtheconversationdownstairs。
’Howstupid！’saidMrs。Newberry，inatoneofconfusion。’Why，MartherSarer，Ididnottellyoutotake’emtoMr。Stockdale’sroom？’
’Ithoughttheymustbehisastheywassomuddy，’saidMarthahumbly。
’Youshouldhaveleft’emontheclothes-horse，’saidtheyoungmistressseverely；andshecameupstairswiththegarmentsonherarm，quicklypassedStockdale’sroom，andthrewthemforciblyintoaclosetattheendofapassage。Withthistheincidentended，andthehousewassilentagain。
Therewouldhavebeennothingremarkableinfindingsuchclothesinawidow’shousehadtheybeenclean；ormoth-eaten，orcreased，ormouldyfromlonglyingby；butthattheyshouldbesplashedwithrecentmudbotheredStockdaleagooddeal。Whenayoungpastorisintheaspenstageofattachment，andopentoagitationatthemeresttrifles，areallysubstantialincongruityofthiscomplexionisadisturbingthing。However，nothingfurtheroccurredatthattime；buthebecamewatchful，andgiventoconjecture，andwasunabletoforgetthecircumstance。
Onemorning，onlookingfromhiswindow，hesawMrs。Newberryherselfbrushingthetailsofalongdrabgreatcoat，which，ifhemistooknot，wastheverysamegarmentastheonethathadadornedthechairofhisroom。ItwasdenselysplasheduptothehollowofthebackwithneighbouringNether-Moyntonmud，tojudgebyitscolour，thespotsbeingdistinctlyvisibletohiminthesunlight。
Thepreviousdayortwohavingbeenwet，theinferencewasirresistiblethatthewearerhadquiterecentlybeenwalkingsomeconsiderabledistanceaboutthelanesandfields。Stockdaleopenedthewindowandlookedout，andMrs。Newberryturnedherhead。Herfacebecameslowlyred；sheneverhadlookedprettier，ormoreincomprehensible，hewavedhishandaffectionately，andsaidgood-
morning；sheansweredwithembarrassment，havingceasedheroccupationontheinstantthatshesawhim，androlledupthecoathalf-cleaned。
Stockdaleshutthewindow。Somesimpleexplanationofherproceedingwasdoubtlesswithintheboundsofpossibility；buthehimselfcouldnotthinkofone；andhewishedthatshehadplacedthematterbeyondconjecturebyvoluntarilysayingsomethingaboutitthereandthen。
But，thoughLizzyhadnotofferedanexplanationatthemoment，thesubjectwasbroughtforwardbyheratthenexttimeoftheirmeeting。Shewaschattingtohimconcerningsomeotherevent，andremarkedthatithappenedaboutthetimewhenshewasdustingsomeoldclothesthathadbelongedtoherpoorhusband。
’Youkeepthemcleanoutofrespecttohismemory？’saidStockdaletentatively。
’Iairanddustthemsometimes，’shesaid，withthemostcharminginnocenceintheworld。
’Dodeadmencomeoutoftheirgravesandwalkinmud？’murmuredtheminister，inacoldsweatatthedeceptionthatshewaspractising。
’Whatdidyousay？’askedLizzy。
