XXI
Stillglowingfromhermorninginthesaddle，Gypstartedoutnextdayatnoononhervisittothe”oldscoundrel’s”cottage。ItwasoneofthoselingeringmellowmorningsoflateSeptember，whentheair，justwarmedthrough，liftsoffthestubbles，andthehedgerowsarenotyetdriedofdew。Theshortcutledacrosstwofields，anarrowstripofvillagecommon，wherelinenwasdryingongorsebushescomingintobloom，andonefieldbeyond；shemetnoone。
Crossingtheroad，shepassedintothecottage-garden，wheresunflowersandMichaelmasdaisiesingreatprofusionweretangledalongthelowred-brickgarden-walls，undersomepoplartreesyellow-fleckedalready。Asingleemptychair，withabookturnedfacedownward，stoodoutsideanopenwindow。Smokewreathingfromonechimneywastheonlysignoflife。But，standingundecidedbeforethehalf-opendoor，Gypwasconscious，asitwere，oftoomuchstillness，ofsomethingunnaturalaboutthesilence。Shewasjustraisingherhandtoknockwhensheheardthesoundofsmotheredsobbing。Peepingthroughthewindow，shecouldjustseeawomandressedingreen，evidentlyMrs。Wagge，seatedatatable，cryingintoherhandkerchief。Atthatverymoment，too，alowmoaningcamefromtheroomabove。Gyprecoiled；then，makinguphermind，shewentinandknockedattheroomwherethewomaningreenwassitting。Afterfullyhalfaminute，itwasopened，andMrs。Waggestoodthere。Thenoseandeyesandcheeksofthatthinnish，acidfacewerered，andinhergreendress，andwithhergreenishhairforitwasgoinggreyandsheputonitayellowlotionsmellingofcantharides，sheseemedtoGypjustlikeoneofthosegreenapplesthatturnreddishsounnaturallyinthesun。
Shehadrubbedoverherface，whichshoneinstreaks，andherhandkerchiefwasstillcrumpledinherhand。Itwashorribletocome，sofreshandglowing，intothepresenceofthispoorwoman，evidentlyinbittersorrow。AndadesperatedesirecameoverGyptofly。Itseemeddreadfulforanyoneconnectedwithhimwhohadcausedthistroubletobecominghereatall。Butshesaidassoftlyasshecould:”Mrs。Wagge？Pleaseforgiveme——butisthereanynews？Iam——ItwasIwhogotDaphnedownhere。”
Thewomanbeforeherwasevidentlybeingtornthiswayandthat，butatlastsheanswered，withasniff:”It——it——wasbornthismorning——dead。”Gypgasped。Tohavegonethroughitallforthat！Everybitofmother-feelinginherrebelledandsorrowed；butherreasonsaid:Betterso！Muchbetter！Andshemurmured:”Howisshe？”