Atthetimber-merchant’s，inthemeantime，theconversationflowed；and，asGilesWinterbornehadrightlyenoughdeemed，onsubjectsinwhichhehadnoshare。Amongtheexcludingmatterstherewas，forone，theeffectuponMr。Melburyofthewomanlymienandmannersofhisdaughter，whichtookhimsomuchunawaresthat，thoughitdidnotmakehimabsolutelyforgettheexistenceofherconductorhomeward，thrustGiles’simagebackintoquitetheobscurestcellarageofhisbrain。AnotherwashisinterviewwithMrs。Charmond’sagentthatmorning，atwhichtheladyherselfhadbeenpresentforafewminutes。Melburyhadpurchasedsomestandingtimberfromheralongtimebefore，andnowthatthedatehadcomeforfellingithewaslefttopursuealmosthisowncourse。ThiswaswhatthehouseholdwereactuallytalkingofduringGiles’scogitationwithout；andMelbury’ssatisfactionwiththeclearatmospherethathadarisenbetweenhimselfandthedeityofthegroveswhichenclosedhisresidencewasthecauseofacounterbalancingmistinessonthesidetowardsWinterborne。
“Sothoroughlydoesshetrustme。”saidMelbury，“thatImightfell，top，orlop，onmyownjudgment，anysticko’timberwhateverinherwood，andfixthepriceo’t，andsettlethematter。But，nameitall！Iwouldn’tdosuchathing。However，itmaybeusefultohavethisgoodunderstandingwithher。I
wishshetookmoreinterestintheplace，andstayedherealltheyearround。”
“Iamafraid’tisnotherregardforyou，butherdislikeofHintock，thatmakeshersoeasyaboutthetrees。”saidMrs。
Melbury。
Whendinnerwasover，Gracetookacandleandbegantoramblepleasurablythroughtheroomsofheroldhome，fromwhichshehadlatterlybecomewellnighanalien。Eachnookandeachobjectrevivedamemory，andsimultaneouslymodifiedit。Thechambersseemedlowerthantheyhadappearedonanypreviousoccasionofherreturn，thesurfacesofbothwallsandceilingsstandinginsuchrelationstotheeyethatitcouldnotavoidtakingmicroscopicnoteoftheirirregularitiesandoldfashion。Herownbedroomworeatoncealookmorefamiliarthanwhenshehadleftit，andyetafaceestranged。Theworldoflittlethingsthereingazedatherinhelplessstationariness，asthoughtheyhadtriedandbeenunabletomakeanyprogresswithoutherpresence。Overtheplacewherehercandlehadbeenaccustomedtostand，whenshehadusedtoreadinbedtillthemidnighthour，therewasstillthebrownspotofsmoke。Shedidnotknowthatherfatherhadtakenespecialcaretokeepitfrombeingcleanedoff。
Havingconcludedherperambulationofthisnowuselesslycommodiousedifice，Gracebegantofeelthatshehadcomealongjourneysincethemorning；andwhenherfatherhadbeenuphimself，aswellashiswife，toseethatherroomwascomfortableandthefireburning，shepreparedtoretireforthenight。Nosooner，however，wassheinbedthanhermomentarysleepinesstookitselfoff，andshewishedshehadstayeduplonger。Sheamusedherselfbylisteningtotheoldfamiliarnoisesthatshecouldheartobestillgoingondown-stairs，andbylookingtowardsthewindowasshelay。Theblindhadbeendrawnup，assheusedtohaveitwhenagirl，andshecouldjustdiscernthedimtree-topsagainsttheskyontheneighboringhill。Beneaththismeeting-
lineoflightandshadenothingwasvisiblesaveonesolitarypointoflight，whichblinkedasthetree-twigswavedtoandfrobeforeitsbeams。Fromitspositionitseemedtoradiatefromthewindowofahouseonthehill-side。Thehousehadbeenemptywhenshewaslastathome，andshewonderedwhoinhabitedtheplacenow。
Herconjectures，however，werenotintentlycarriedon，andshewaswatchingthelightquiteidly，whenitgraduallychangedcolor，andatlengthshoneblueassapphire。Thusitremainedseveralminutes，andthenitpassedthroughviolettored。
Hercuriositywassowidelyawakenedbythephenomenonthatshesatupinbed，andstaredsteadilyattheshine。Anappearanceofthissort，sufficienttoexciteattentionanywhere，wasnolessthanamarvelinHintock，asGracehadknownthehamlet。Almosteverydiurnalandnocturnaleffectinthatwoodlandplacehadhithertobeenthedirectresultoftheregularterrestrialrollwhichproducedtheseason’schanges；butherewassomethingdissociatedfromthesenormalsequences，andforeigntolocalhabitandknowledge。
ItwasaboutthismomentthatGraceheardthehouseholdbelowpreparingtoretire，themostemphaticnoiseintheproceedingbeingthatofherfatherboltingthedoors。Thenthestairscreaked，andherfatherandmotherpassedherchamber。ThelasttocomewasGrammerOliver。
Graceslidoutofbed，ranacrosstheroom，andliftingthelatch，said，“Iamnotasleep，Grammer。Comeinandtalktome。”
Beforetheoldwomanhadentered，Gracewasagainunderthebedclothes。Grammersetdownhercandlestick，andseatedherselfontheedgeofMissMelbury’scoverlet。
“IwantyoutotellmewhatlightthatisIseeonthehill-side。”
saidGrace。
Mrs。Oliverlookedacross。“Oh，that。”shesaid，“isfromthedoctor’s。He’softendoingthingsofthatsort。Perhapsyoudon’tknowthatwe’veadoctorlivingherenow——Mr。Fitzpiersbyname？”
Graceadmittedthatshehadnotheardofhim。
“Well，then，miss，he’scomeheretogetupapractice。Iknowhimverywell，throughgoingtheretohelp’emscrubsometimes，whichyourfathersaidImightdo，ifIwantedto，inmysparetime。Beingabachelor-man，he’veonlyaladinthehouse。Ohyes，Iknowhimverywell。Sometimeshe’lltalktomeasifI
werehisownmother。”
“Indeed。”
“Yes。’Grammer，’hesaidoneday，whenIaskedhimwhyhecameherewherethere’shardlyanybodyliving，’I’lltellyouwhyI
camehere。Itookamap，andImarkedonitwhereDr。Jones’spracticeendstothenorthofthisdistrict，andwhereMr。
Taylor’sendsonthesouth，andlittleJimmyGreen’sontheeast，andsomebodyelse’stothewest。ThenItookapairofcompasses，andfoundtheexactmiddleofthecountrythatwasleftbetweenthesebounds，andthatmiddlewasLittleHintock；sohereI
am。’But，Lord，there：pooryoungman！”
“Why？”
“Hesaid，’GrammerOliver，I’vebeenherethreemonths，andalthoughthereareagoodmanypeopleintheHintocksandthevillagesround，andascatteredpracticeisoftenaverygoodone，Idon’tseemtogetmanypatients。Andthere’snosocietyatall；
andI’mprettynearmelancholymad，’hesaid，withagreatyawn。
’Ishouldbequiteifitwerenotformybooks，andmylab——
laboratory，andwhatnot。Grammer，Iwasmadeforhigherthings。’
Andthenhe’dyawnandyawnagain。”
“Washereallymadeforhigherthings，doyouthink？Imean，isheclever？”
“Well，no。Howcanhebeclever？Hemaybeabletojineupabrokenmanorwomanafterafashion，andputhisfingeruponanacheifyoutellhimnearlywhere’tis；buttheseyoungmen——theyshouldlivetomytimeoflife，andthenthey’dseehowclevertheywereatfive-and-twenty！Andyethe’saprojick，arealprojick，andsaystheoddestofrozums。’Ah，Grammer，’hesaid，atanothertime，’letmetellyouthatEverythingisNothing。
There’sonlyMeandnotMeinthewholeworld。’Andhetoldmethatnoman’shandscouldhelpwhattheydid，anymorethanthehandsofaclock。Yes，he’samanofstrangemeditations，andhiseyesseemtoseeasfarasthenorthstar。”
“Hewillsoongoaway，nodoubt。”
“Idon’tthinkso。”Gracedidnotsay“Why？”andGrammerhesitated。Atlastshewenton：“Don’ttellyourfatherormother，miss，ifIletyouknowasecret。”
Gracegavetherequiredpromise。
“Well，hetalksofbuyingme；sohewon’tgoawayjustyet。”
“Buyingyou！——how？”
“Notmysoul——mybody，whenI’mdead。OnedaywhenIwastherecleaning，hesaid，’Grammer，you’vealargebrain——averylargeorganofbrain，’hesaid。’Awoman’sisusuallyfourounceslessthanaman’s；butyoursisman’ssize。’Well，then——hee，hee！——
afterhe’dflatteredmeabitlikethat，hesaidhe’dgivemetenpoundstohavemeasanatomyaftermydeath。Well，knowingI’dnochicknorchielleft，andnobodywithanyinterestinme，I
thought，faith，ifIcanbeofanyusetomyfellow-creaturesafterI’mgonetheyarewelcometomyservices；soIsaidI’dthinkitover，andwouldmostlikelyagreeandtakethetenpounds。Nowthisisasecret，miss，betweenustwo。Themoneywouldbeveryusefultome；andIseenoharminit。”
“Ofcoursethere’snoharm。Butoh，Grammer，howcanyouthinktodoit？Iwishyouhadn’ttoldme。”
“IwishIhadn’t——ifyoudon’tliketoknowit，miss。Butyouneedn’tmind。Lord——hee，hee！——Ishallkeephimwaitingmanyayearyet，blessye！”
“Ihopeyouwill，Iamsure。”
Thegirlthereuponfellintosuchdeepreflectionthatconversationlanguished，andGrammerOliver，takinghercandle，wishedMissMelburygood-night。Thelatter’seyesrestedonthedistantglimmer，aroundwhichsheallowedherreasoningfancytoplayinvagueeddiesthatshapedthedoingsofthephilosopherbehindthatlightonthelinesofintelligencejustreceived。ItwasstrangetohertocomebackfromtheworldtoLittleHintockandfindinoneofitsnooks，likeatropicalplantinahedge-
row，anucleusofadvancedideasandpracticeswhichhadnothingincommonwiththelifearound。Chemicalexperiments，anatomicalprojects，andmetaphysicalconceptionshadfoundastrangehomehere。
Thussheremainedthinking，theimaginedpursuitsofthemanbehindthelightinterminglingwithconjecturalsketchesofhispersonality，tillhereyesfelltogetherwiththeirownheaviness，andsheslept。