Nosoonerhadsheretiredtorestthatnightthanthewindbegantorise，and，afterafewprefatoryblasts，tobeaccompaniedbyrain。Thewindgrewmoreviolent，andasthestormwenton，itwasdifficulttobelievethatnoopaquebody，butonlyaninvisiblecolorlessthing，wastramplingandclimbingovertheroof，makingbranchescreak，springingoutofthetreesuponthechimney，poppingitsheadintotheflue，andshriekingandblasphemingateverycornerofthewalls。Asintheoldstory，theassailantwasaspectrewhichcouldbefeltbutnotseen。Shehadneverbeforebeensostruckwiththedevilryofagustynightinawood，becauseshehadneverbeensoentirelyaloneinspiritasshewasnow。Sheseemedalmosttobeapartfromherself——avacuousduplicateonly。Therecentselfofphysicalanimationandclearintentionswasnotthere。
Sometimesaboughfromanadjoiningtreewasswayedsolowastosmitetheroofinthemannerofagigantichandsmitingthemouthofanadversary，tobefollowedbyatrickleofrain，asbloodfromthewound。ToallthisweatherGilesmustbemoreorlessexposed；howmuch，shedidnotknow。
AtlastGracecouldhardlyenduretheideaofsuchahardshipinrelationtohim。Whateverhewassuffering，itwasshewhohadcausedit；hevacatedhishouseonaccountofher。Shewasnotworthsuchself-sacrifice；sheshouldnothaveaccepteditofhim。
Andthen，asheranxietyincreasedwithincreasingthought，therereturneduponhermindsomeincidentsofherlateintercoursewithhim，whichshehadheededbutlittleatthetime。Thelookofhisface——whathadtherebeenabouthisfacewhichseemeddifferentfromitsappearanceasofyore？Wasitnotthinner，lessrichinhue，lesslikethatofripeautumn’sbrothertowhomshehadformerlycomparedhim？Andhisvoice；shehaddistinctlynoticedachangeintone。Andhisgait；surelyithadbeenfeebler，stiffer，morelikethegaitofawearyman。Thatslightoccasionalnoiseshehadheardintheday，andattributedtosquirrels，itmighthavebeenhiscoughafterall。
ThusconvictiontookrootinherperturbedmindthatWinterbornewasill，orhadbeenso，andthathehadcarefullyconcealedhisconditionfromherthatshemighthavenoscruplesaboutacceptingahospitalitywhichbythenatureofthecaseexpelledherentertainer。