Preciselythesethoughtshadoccurredtohimatthefirsttimeofseeingher；buthenowwentalittlefurtherwiththem，andconsideredthatastherehadbeennocarriageseenorheardlatelyinthatspotshecouldnothavecomeaverylongdistance。ShemustbesomebodystayingatHintockHouse？PossiblyMrs。Charmond，ofwhomhehadheardsomuch——atanyrateaninmate，andthisprobabilitywassufficienttosetamildradianceinthesurgeon’ssomewhatdullsky。
Fitzpierssatdowntothebookhehadbeenperusing。IthappenedtobethatofaGermanmetaphysician，forthedoctorwasnotapracticalman，exceptbyfits，andmuchpreferredtheidealworldtothereal，andthediscoveryofprinciplestotheirapplication。
Theyoungladyremainedinhisthoughts。Hemighthavefollowedher；buthewasnotconstitutionallyactive，andpreferredaconjecturalpursuit。However，whenhewentoutforaramblejustbeforeduskheinsensiblytookthedirectionofHintockHouse，whichwasthewaythatGracehadbeenwalking，ithavinghappenedthathermindhadrunonMrs。Charmondthatday，andshehadwalkedtothebrowofahillwhencethehousecouldbeseen，returningbyanotherroute。
Fitzpiersinhisturnreachedtheedgeoftheglen，overlookingthemanor-house。Theshutterswereshut，andonlyonechimneysmoked。ThemereaspectoftheplacewasenoughtoinformhimthatMrs。Charmondhadgoneawayandthatnobodyelsewasstayingthere。FitzpiersfeltavaguedisappointmentthattheyoungladywasnotMrs。Charmond，ofwhomhehadheardsomuch；andwithoutpausinglongertogazeatacarcassfromwhichthespirithadflown，hebenthisstepshomeward。
LaterintheeveningFitzpierswassummonedtovisitacottagepatientabouttwomilesdistant。Likethemajorityofyoungpractitionersinhispositionhewasfarfromhavingassumedthedignityofbeingdrivenhisroundsbyaservantinabroughamthatflashedthesunlightlikeamirror；hiswayofgettingaboutwasbymeansofagigwhichhedrovehimself，hitchingthereinofthehorsetothegatepost，shutterhook，orgardenpalingofthedomicileundervisitation，orgivingpenniestolittleboystoholdtheanimalduringhisstay——pennieswhichwerewellearnedwhenthecasestobeattendedwereofacertaincheerfulkindthatworeoutthepatienceofthelittleboys。