Theinterimclosedupitsperspectivesurelyandsilently。
WheneverGracehadanydoubtsofherposition，thesenseofcontractingtimewaslikeashorteningchamber：atothermomentsshewascomparativelyblithe。Dayafterdaywaxedandwaned；theoneortwowoodmenwhosawed，shaped，spokeshavedonherfather’spremisesatthisinactiveseasonoftheyear，regularlycameandunlockedthedoorsinthemorning，lockedthemintheevening，supped，leanedovertheirgarden-gatesforawhiffofeveningair，andtocatchanylastandfarthestthrobofnewsfromtheouterworld，whichenteredandexpiredatLittleHintockliketheexhaustedswellofawaveinsomeinnermostcavernofsomeinnermostcreekofanembayedsea；yetnonewsinterferedwiththenuptialpurposeattheirneighbor’shouse。Thesappygreentwig-
tipsoftheseason’sgrowthwouldnot，shethought，beappreciablywoodieronthedayshebecameawife，sonearwasthetime；thetintsofthefoliagewouldhardlyhavechanged。Everythingwassomuchasusualthatnoitinerantstrangerwouldhavesupposedawoman’sfatetobehanginginthebalanceatthatsummer’sdecline。
Buttherewerepreparations，imaginablereadilyenoughbythosewhohadspecialknowledge。IntheremoteandfashionabletownofSandbournesomethingwasgrowingupunderthehandsofseveralpersonswhohadneverseenGraceMelbury，neverwouldseeher，orcareanythingaboutheratall，thoughtheircreationhadsuchinterestingrelationtoherlifethatitwouldencloseherveryheartatamomentwhenthatheartwouldbeat，ifnotwithmoreemotionalardor，atleastwithmoreemotionalturbulencethanatanyprevioustime。
WhydidMrs。Dollery’svan，insteadofpassingalongattheendofthesmallervillagetoGreatHintockdirect，turnoneSaturdaynightintoLittleHintockLane，andneverpulluptillitreachedMr。Melbury’sgates？Thegildingshineofeveningfelluponalarge，flatboxnotlessthanayardsquare，andsafelytiedwithcord，asitwashandedoutfromunderthetiltwithagreatdealofcare。Butitwasnotheavyforitssize；Mrs。Dolleryherselfcarrieditintothehouse。TimTangs，thehollow-turner，Bawtree，SukeDamson，andothers，lookedknowing，andmaderemarkstoeachotherastheywatcheditsentrance。Melburystoodatthedoorofthetimber-shedintheattitudeofamantowhomsuchanarrivalwasatriflingdomesticdetailwithwhichhedidnotcondescendtobeconcerned。Yethewelldivinedthecontentsofthatbox，andwasintruthallthewhileinapleasantexaltationattheproofthatthusfar，atanyrate，nodisappointmenthadsupervened。
WhileMrs。Dolleryremained——whichwasratherlong，fromhersenseoftheimportanceofhererrand——hewentintotheout-house；butassoonasshehadhadhersay，beenpaid，andhadrumbledaway，heenteredthedwelling，tofindtherewhatheknewheshouldfind——hiswifeanddaughterinaflutterofexcitementoverthewedding-gown，justarrivedfromtheleadingdress-makerofSandbournewatering-placeaforesaid。
DuringtheseweeksGilesWinterbornewasnowheretobeseenorheardof。AtthecloseofhistenureinHintockhehadsoldsomeofhisfurniture，packeduptherest——afewpiecesendearedbyassociations，ornecessarytohisoccupation——inthehouseofafriendlyneighbor，andgoneaway。Peoplesaidthatacertainlaxityhadcreptintohislife；thathehadnevergonenearachurchlatterly，andhadbeensometimesseenonSundayswithunblackedboots，lyingonhiselbowunderatree，withacynicalgazeatsurroundingobjects。HewaslikelytoreturntoHintockwhenthecider-makingseasoncameround，hisapparatusbeingstoredthere，andtravelwithhismillandpressfromvillagetovillage。
Thenarrowintervalthatstoodbeforethedaydiminishedyet。
TherewasinGrace’smindsometimesacertainanticipativesatisfaction，thesatisfactionoffeelingthatshewouldbetheheroineofanhour；moreover，shewasproud，asacultivatedwoman，tobethewifeofacultivatedman。Itwasanopportunitydeniedveryfrequentlytoyoungwomeninherposition，nowadaysnotafew；thoseinwhomparentaldiscoveryofthevalueofeducationhasimplantedtasteswhichparentalcirclesfailtogratify。Butwhatanattenuationwasthiscoldprideofthedreamofheryouth，inwhichshehadpicturedherselfwalkinginstatetowardsthealtar，flushedbythepurplelightandbloomofherownpassion，withoutasinglemisgivingastothesealingofthebond，andferventlyreceivingasherdue“Thehomageofathousandhearts；thefond，deeploveofone。”
Everythinghadbeenclearthen，inimagination；nowsomethingwasundefined。Shehadlittlecarkinganxieties；acuriousfatefulnessseemedtoruleher，andsheexperiencedamournfulwantofsomeonetoconfidein。
Thedayloomedsobigandnighthatherpropheticearcould，infancy，catchthenoiseofit，hearthemurmurofthevillagersasshecameoutofchurch，imaginethejangleofthethreethin-tonedHintockbells。Thedialoguesseemedtogrowlouder，andtheding-
ding-dongofthosethreecrazedbellsmorepersistent。Sheawoke：
themorninghadcome。
FivehourslatershewasthewifeofFitzpiers。
ThechiefhotelatSherton-Abbaswasanoldstone-frontedinnwithayawningarch，underwhichvehiclesweredrivenbystoopingcoachmentobackpremisesofwonderfulcommodiousness。Thewindowstothestreetweremullionedintonarrowlights，andonlycommandedaviewoftheoppositehouses；hence，perhaps，itarosethatthebestandmostluxuriousprivatesitting-roomthattheinncouldaffordover-lookedthenetherpartsoftheestablishment，wherebeyondtheyardweretobeseengardensandorchards，nowbossed，nayincrusted，withscarletandgoldfruit，stretchingtoinfinitedistanceunderaluminouslavendermist。Thetimewasearlyautumn，“Whenthefairapples，redaseveningsky，Dobendthetreeuntothefruitfulground，Whenjuicypears，andberriesofblackdye，Dodanceinair，andcalltheeyesaround。”
Thelandscapeconfrontingthewindowmight，indeed，havebeenpartoftheidenticalstretchofcountrywhichtheyouthfulChattertonhadinhismind。
InthisroomsatshewhohadbeenthemaidenGraceMelburytillthefingeroffatetouchedherandturnedhertoawife。Itwastwomonthsafterthewedding，andshewasalone。Fitzpiershadwalkedouttoseetheabbeybythelightofsunset，butshehadbeentoofatiguedtoaccompanyhim。Theyhadreachedthelaststageofalongeight-weeks’tour，andweregoingontoHintockthatnight。
Intheyard，betweenGraceandtheorchards，thereprogressedascenenaturaltothelocalityatthistimeoftheyear。Anapple-
millandpresshadbeenerectedonthespot，towhichsomemenwerebringingfruitfromdiverspointsinmawn-baskets，whileothersweregrindingthem，andotherswringingdownthepomace，whosesweetjuicegushedforthintotubsandpails。Thesuperintendentoftheseproceedings，towhomtheothersspokeasmaster，wasayoungyeomanofprepossessingmannerandaspect，whoseformsherecognizedinamoment。Hehadhunghiscoattoanailoftheout-housewall，andworehisshirt-sleevesrolledupbeyondhiselbows，tokeepthemunstainedwhileherammedthepomaceintothebagsofhorse-hair。Fragmentsofapple-rindhadalighteduponthebrimofhishat——probablyfromtheburstingofabag——whilebrownpipsofthesamefruitwerestickingamongthedownuponhisfine，roundarms。
Sherealizedinamomenthowhehadcomethere。Downintheheartoftheapplecountrynearlyeveryfarmerkeptupacider-makingapparatusandwring-houseforhisownuse，buildingupthepomaceingreatstraw“cheeses。”astheywerecalled；buthere，onthemarginofPomona’splain，wasadebatablelandneitherorchardnorsylvanexclusively，wheretheappleproducewashardlysufficienttowarranteachproprietorinkeepingamillofhisown。Thiswasthefieldofthetravellingcider-maker。Hispressandmillwerefixedtowheelsinsteadofbeingsetupinacider-house；andwithacoupleofhorses，buckets，tubs，strainers，andanassistantortwo，hewanderedfromplacetoplace，derivingverysatisfactoryreturnsforhistroubleinsuchaprolificseasonasthepresent。
Thebackpartsofthetownwerejustnowaboundingwithapple-
gatherings。Theystoodintheyardsincarts，baskets，andlooseheaps；andtheblue。stagnantairofautumnwhichhungovereverythingwasheavywithasweetciderysmell。Cakesofpomacelayagainstthewallsintheyellowsun，wheretheyweredryingtobeusedasfuel。Yetitwasnotthegreatmakeoftheyearasyet；beforethestandardcropcameinthereaccumulated，inabundanttimeslikethis，alargesuperfluityofearlyapples，andwindfallsfromthetreesoflaterharvest，whichwouldnotkeeplong。Thus，inthebaskets，andquiveringinthehopperofthemill，shesawspecimensofmixeddates，includingthemellowcountenancesofstreaked-jacks，codlins，costards，stubbards，ratheripes，andotherwell-knownfriendsofherravenousyouth。
Gracewatchedthehead-manwithinterest。Theslightestsighescapedher。Perhapsshethoughtoftheday——notsofardistant——
whenthatfriendofherchildhoodhadmetherbyherfather’sarrangementinthissametown，warmwithhope，thoughdiffident，andtrustinginapromiseratherimpliedthangiven。Orshemighthavethoughtofdaysearlieryet——daysofchildhood——whenhermouthwassomewhatmorereadytoreceiveakissfromhisthanwashistobestowone。However，allthatwasover。Shehadfeltsuperiortohimthen，andshefeltsuperiortohimnow。
Shewonderedwhyheneverlookedtowardsheropenwindow。ShedidnotknowthatintheslightcommotioncausedbytheirarrivalattheinnthatafternoonWinterbornehadcaughtsightofherthroughthearchway，hadturnedred，andwascontinuinghisworkwithmoreconcentratedattentionontheveryaccountofhisdiscovery。
RobertCreedle，too，whotravelledwithGiles，hadbeenincidentallyinformedbythehostlerthatDr。Fitzpiersandhisyoungwifewereinthehotel，afterwhichnewsCreedlekeptshakinghisheadandsayingtohimself，“Ah！”veryaudibly，betweenhisthrustsatthescrewofthecider-press。
“Whythedeucedoyousighlikethat，Robert？”askedWinterborne，atlast。
“Ah，maister——’tismythoughts——’tismythoughts！。Yes，ye’velostahundredloado’timberwellseasoned；ye’velostfivehundredpoundingoodmoney；ye’velostthestone-winderedhousethat’sbigenoughtoholdadozenfamilies；ye’velostyourshareofhalfadozengoodwagonsandtheirhorses——alllost！——throughyourlettingslipshethatwasonceyerown！”
“GoodGod，Creedle，you’lldrivememad！”saidGiles，sternly。
“Don’tspeakofthatanymore！”
Thusthesubjecthadendedintheyard。Meanwhile，thepassivecauseofallthislossstillregardedthescene。Shewasbeautifullydressed；shewasseatedinthemostcomfortableroomthattheinnafforded；herlongjourneyhadbeenfullofvariety，andalmostluxuriouslyperformed——forFitzpiersdidnotstudyeconomywherepleasurewasinquestion。HenceitperhapsarosethatGilesandallhisbelongingsseemedsorryandcommontoherforthemoment——movinginaplanesofarremovedfromherownoflatethatshecouldscarcelybelieveshehadeverfoundcongruitytherein。“No——Icouldneverhavemarriedhim！”shesaid，gentlyshakingherhead。“Dearfatherwasright。Itwouldhavebeentoocoarsealifeforme。”AndshelookedattheringsofsapphireandopaluponherwhiteandslenderfingersthathadbeengiftsfromFitzpiers。
SeeingthatGilesstillkepthisbackturned，andwithalittleoftheabove-describedprideoflife——easilytobeunderstood，andpossiblyexcused，inayoung，inexperiencedwomanwhothoughtshehadmarriedwell——shesaidatlast，withasmileonherlips，“Mr。
Winterborne！”