XXXVIII
Annadrovetothechemist’sforOwen’sremedy。Onthewayshestoppedhercabatabook—shop，andemergedfromitladenwithliterature。SheknewwhatwouldinterestOwen，andwhathewaslikelytohaveread，andshehadmadeherchoiceamongthenewestpublicationswiththepromptnessofadiscriminatingreader。Butonthewaybacktothehotelshewasovercomebytheironyofaddingthismentalpanaceatotheother。Therewassomethinggrotesqueandalmostmockingintheideaofofferingajudiciousselectionofliteraturetoamansettingoutonsuchajourney。\"Heknows……heknows……\"shekeptonrepeating；andgivingtheportertheparcelfromthechemist’sshedroveawaywithoutleavingthebooks。
Shewenttoherapartment，whitherhermaidhadprecededher。Therewasafireinthedrawing—roomandthetea—tablestoodreadybythehearth。Thestormyrainbeatagainsttheuncurtainedwindows，andshethoughtofOwen，whowouldsoonbedrivingthroughittothestation，alonewithhisbitterthoughts。Shehadbeenproudofthefactthathehadalwayssoughtherhelpindifficulthours；andnow，inthemostdifficultofall，shewastheonebeingtowhomhecouldnotturn。Betweenthem，henceforth，therewouldalwaysbethewallofaninsurmountablesilence……Shestrainedherachingthoughtstoguesshowthetruthhadcometohim。Hadheseenthegirl，andhadshetoldhim？Instinctively，Annarejectedthisconjecture。Butwhatneedwasthereofassuminganexplicitstatement，wheneverybreaththeyhaddrawnforthelastweekshadbeenchargedwiththeimmanentsecret？AsshelookedbackoverthedayssinceDarrow’sfirstarrivalatGivresheperceivedthatatnotimehadanyonedeliberatelyspoken，oranythingbeenaccidentallydisclosed。Thetruthhadcometolightbytheforceofitsirresistiblepressure；
andtheperceptiongaveherastartledsenseofhiddenpowers，ofachaosofattractionsandrepulsionsfarbeneaththeorderedsurfacesofintercourse。Shelookedbackwithmelancholyderisiononheroldconceptionoflife，asakindofwell—litandwellpolicedsuburbtodarkplacesoneneedneverknowabout。Heretheywere，thesedarkplaces，inherownbosom，andhenceforthshewouldalwayshavetotraversethemtoreachthebeingsshelovedbest！
Shewasstillsittingbesidetheuntouchedtea—tablewhensheheardDarrow’svoiceinthehall。Shestartedup，sayingtoherself：\"ImusttellhimthatOwenknows……\"butwhenthedooropenedandshesawhisface，stilllitbythesamesmileofboyishtriumph，shefeltanewtheuselessnessofspeaking……HadheeversupposedthatOwenwouldnotknow？