Thewinterandthespringhadpassed，andthehousewascomplete。
ItwasafinemorningintheearlypartofJune，andBarnet，thoughnotinthehabitofrisingearly，hadtakenalongwalkbeforebreakfast；returningbywayofthenewbuilding。Asufficientlyexcitingcauseofhisrestlessnessto-daymighthavebeentheintelligencewhichhadreachedhimthenightbefore，thatLucySavilewasgoingtoIndiaafterall，andnotwithstandingtherepresentationsofherfriendsthatsuchajourneywasunadvisableinmanywaysforanunpractisedgirl，unlesssomemoredefiniteadvantagelayattheendofitthanshecouldshowtobethecase。
Barnet’swalkuptheslopetothebuildingbetrayedthathewasinadissatisfiedmood。Hehardlysawthatthedewytimeofdaylentanunusualfreshnesstothebushesandtreeswhichhadsorecentlyputontheirsummerhabitofheavyleafage，andmadehisnewly-laidlawnlookaswellestablishedasanoldmanorialmeadow。Thehousehadbeensoadroitlyplacedbetweensixtallelmswhichweregrowingonthesitebeforehand，thattheyseemedlikerealancestraltrees；andtherooks，youngandold，cawedmelodiouslytotheirvisitor。
Thedoorwasnotlocked，andheentered。Noworkmenappearedtobepresent，andhewalkedfromsunnywindowtosunnywindowoftheemptyrooms，withasenseofseclusionwhichmighthavebeenverypleasantbutfortheantecedentknowledgethathisalmostpaternalcareofLucySavilewastobethrownawaybyherwilfulness。
Footstepsechoedthroughanadjoiningroom；andbendinghiseyesinthatdirection，heperceivedMr。Jones，thearchitect。Hehadcometolookoverthebuildingbeforegivingthecontractorhisfinalcertificate。Theywalkedoverthehousetogether。Everythingwasfinishedexceptthepapering:therewerethelatestimprovementsoftheperiodinbell-hanging，ventilating，smoke-jacks，fire-grates，andFrenchwindows。Thebusinesswassoonended，andJones，havingdirectedBarnet’sattentiontoarollofwall-paperpatternswhichlayonabenchforhischoice，wasleavingtokeepanotherengagement，whenBarnetsaid，’IsthetombfinishedyetforMrs。