Theacquaintancethusoddlyreopenedproceededapace。Sheoftenlookedouttogetafewwordswithhim，bynightorbyday。Hersorrowwasthatshecouldnotaccompanyheroneoldfriendonfootalittleway，andtalkmorefreelythanshecoulddowhilehepausedbeforethehouse。Onenight，atthebeginningofJune，whenshewasagainonthewatchafteranabsenceofsomedaysfromthewindow，heenteredthegateandsaidsoftly，’Now，wouldn’tsomeairdoyougood？I’veonlyhalfaloadthismorning。WhynotrideuptoCoventGardenwithme？There’saniceseatonthecabbages，whereI’vespreadasack。Youcanbehomeagaininacabbeforeanybodyisup。’
Sherefusedatfirst，andthen，tremblingwithexcitement，hastilyfinishedherdressing，andwrappedherselfupincloakandveil，afterwardssidlingdownstairsbytheaidofthehandrail，inawayshecouldadoptonanemergency。WhenshehadopenedthedoorshefoundSamonthestep，andheliftedherbodilyonhisstrongarmacrossthelittleforecourtintohisvehicle。Notasoulwasvisibleoraudibleintheinfinitelengthofthestraight，flathighway，withitsever-waitinglampsconvergingtopointsineachdirection。Theairwasfreshascountryairatthishour，andthestarsshone，excepttothenorth-eastward，wheretherewasawhitishlight——thedawn。Samcarefullyplacedherintheseat，anddroveon。
Theytalkedastheyhadtalkedinolddays，Sampullinghimselfupnowandthen，whenhethoughthimselftoofamiliar。Morethanonceshesaidwithmisgivingthatshewonderedifsheoughttohaveindulgedinthefreak。’ButIamsolonelyinmyhouse，’sheadded，’andthismakesmesohappy!’
’Youmustcomeagain，dearMrs。Twycott。Thereisnotimeo’dayfortakingtheairlikethis。’
Itgrewlighterandlighter。Thesparrowsbecamebusyinthestreets，andthecitywaxeddenseraroundthem。Whentheyapproachedtheriveritwasday，andonthebridgetheybeheldthefullblazeofmorningsunlightinthedirectionofSt。Paul’s，theriverglisteningtowardsit，andnotacraftstirring。
NearCoventGardenheputherintoacab，andtheyparted，lookingintoeachother’sfacesliketheveryoldfriendstheywere。Shereachedhomewithoutadventure，limpedtothedoor，andletherselfinwithherlatch-keyunseen。
TheairandSam’spresencehadrevivedher：hercheekswerequitepink——almostbeautiful。Shehadsomethingtoliveforinadditiontoherson。Awomanofpureinstincts，sheknewtherehadbeennothingreallywronginthejourney，butsupposeditconventionallytobeverywrongindeed。
Soon，however，shegavewaytothetemptationofgoingwithhimagain，andonthisoccasiontheirconversationwasdistinctlytender，andSamsaidhenevershouldforgether，notwithstandingthatshehadservedhimratherbadlyatonetime。Aftermuchhesitationhetoldherofaplanitwasinhispowertocarryout，andoneheshouldliketotakeinhand，sincehedidnotcareforLondonwork：itwastosetupasamastergreengrocerdownatAldbrickham，thecounty-
townoftheirnativeplace。Heknewofanopening——ashopkeptbyagedpeoplewhowishedtoretire。
’Andwhydon’tyoudoit，then，Sam？’sheaskedwithaslightheartsinking。
’BecauseI’mnotsureif——you’djoinme。Iknowyouwouldn’t——
couldn’t!Suchaladyasye’vebeensolong，youcouldn’tbeawifetoamanlikeme。’
’IhardlysupposeIcould!’sheassented，alsofrightenedattheidea。
’Ifyoucould，’hesaideagerly，’you’don’yhavetositinthebackparlourandlookthroughtheglasspartitionwhenIwasawaysometimes——justtokeepaneyeonthings。Thelamenesswouldn’thinderthat……I’dkeepyouasgenteelaseverIcould，dearSophy——ifImightthinkofit!’hepleaded。
’Sam，I’llbefrank，’shesaid，puttingherhandonhis。’IfitwereonlymyselfIwoulddoit，andgladly，thougheverythingIpossesswouldbelosttomebymarryingagain。’
’Idon’tmindthat!It’smoreindependent。’
’That’sgoodofyou，dear，dearSam。Butthere’ssomethingelse。I
haveason……IalmostfancywhenIammiserablesometimesthatheisnotreallymine，butoneIholdintrustformylatehusband。Heseemstobelongsolittletomepersonally，soentirelytohisdeadfather。HeissomucheducatedandIsolittlethatIdonotfeeldignifiedenoughtobehismother……Well，hewouldhavetobetold。’
’Yes。Unquestionably。’Samsawherthoughtandherfear。’Still，youcandoasyoulike，Sophy——Mrs。Twycott，’headded。’Itisnotyouwhoarethechild，buthe。’
’Ah，youdon’tknow!Sam，ifIcould，Iwouldmarryyou，someday。
Butyoumustwaitawhile，andletmethink。’
Itwasenoughforhim，andhewasblitheattheirparting。Notsoshe。TotellRandolphseemedimpossible。ShecouldwaittillhehadgoneuptoOxford，whenwhatshedidwouldaffecthislifebutlittle。Butwouldheevertoleratetheidea？Andifnot，couldshedefyhim？
Shehadnottoldhimawordwhentheyearlycricket-matchcameonatLord’sbetweenthepublicschools，thoughSamhadalreadygonebacktoAldbrickham。Mrs。Twycottfeltstrongerthanusual：shewenttothematchwithRandolph，andwasabletoleaveherchairandwalkaboutoccasionally。Thebrightideaoccurredtoherthatshecouldcasuallybroachthesubjectwhilemovingroundamongthespectators，whentheboy’sspiritswerehighwithinterestinthegame，andhewouldweighdomesticmattersasfeathersinthescalebesidetheday’svictory。TheypromenadedundertheluridJulysun，thispair，sowideapart，yetsonear，andSophysawthelargeproportionofboyslikeherown，intheirbroadwhitecollarsanddwarfhats，andallaroundtherowsofgreatcoachesunderwhichwasjumbledthedebrisofluxuriousluncheons；bones，pie-crusts，champagne-bottles，glasses，plates，napkins，andthefamilysilver；whileonthecoachessattheproudfathersandmothers；butneverapoormotherlikeher。
IfRandolphhadnotappertainedtothese，hadnotcentredallhisinterestsinthem，hadnotcaredexclusivelyfortheclasstheybelongedto，howhappywouldthingshavebeen!Agreathuzzaatsomesmallperformancewiththebatburstfromthemultitudeofrelatives，andRandolphjumpedwildlyintotheairtoseewhathadhappened。
Sophyfetchedupthesentencethathadbeenalreadyshaped；butshecouldnotgetitout。Theoccasionwas，perhaps，aninopportuneone。
ThecontrastbetweenherstoryandthedisplayoffashiontowhichRandolphhadgrowntoregardhimselfasakinwouldbefatal。Sheawaitedabettertime。
Itwasonaneveningwhentheywerealoneintheirplainsuburbanresidence，wherelifewasnotbluebutbrown，thatsheultimatelybrokesilence，qualifyingherannouncementofaprobablesecondmarriagebyassuringhimthatitwouldnottakeplaceforalongtimetocome，whenhewouldbelivingquiteindependentlyofher。
Theboythoughttheideaaveryreasonableone，andaskedifshehadchosenanybody？Shehesitated；andheseemedtohaveamisgiving。
Hehopedhisstepfatherwouldbeagentleman？hesaid。
’Notwhatyoucallagentleman，’sheansweredtimidly。’He’llbemuchasIwasbeforeIknewyourfather；’andbydegreessheacquaintedhimwiththewhole。Theyouth’sfaceremainedfixedforamoment；thenheflushed，leantonthetable，andburstintopassionatetears。
Hismotherwentuptohim，kissedallofhisfacethatshecouldgetat，andpattedhisbackasifhewerestillthebabyheoncehadbeen，cryingherselfthewhile。Whenhehadsomewhatrecoveredfromhisparoxysmhewenthastilytohisownroomandfastenedthedoor。
Parleyingswereattemptedthroughthekeyhole，outsidewhichshewaitedandlistened。Itwaslongbeforehewouldreply，andwhenhediditwastosaysternlyatherfromwithin：’Iamashamedofyou!
Itwillruinme!Amiserableboor!achurl!aclown!ItwilldegrademeintheeyesofallthegentlemenofEngland!’
’Saynomore——perhapsIamwrong!Iwillstruggleagainstit!’shecriedmiserably。
BeforeRandolphleftherthatsummeraletterarrivedfromSamtoinformherthathehadbeenunexpectedlyfortunateinobtainingtheshop。Hewasinpossession；itwasthelargestinthetown，combiningfruitwithvegetables，andhethoughtitwouldformahomeworthyevenofhersomeday。Mighthenotrunuptotowntoseeher？
Shemethimbystealth，andsaidhemuststillwaitforherfinalanswer。Theautumndraggedon，andwhenRandolphwashomeatChristmasfortheholidaysshebroachedthematteragain。Buttheyounggentlemanwasinexorable。
Itwasdroppedformonths；renewedagain；abandonedunderhisrepugnance；againattempted；andthusthegentlecreaturereasonedandpleadedtillfourorfivelongyearshadpassed。ThenthefaithfulSamrevivedhissuitwithsomeperemptoriness。Sophy’sson，nowanundergraduate，wasdownfromOxfordoneEaster，whensheagainopenedthesubject。Assoonashewasordained，sheargued，hewouldhaveahomeofhisown，whereinshe，withherbadgrammarandherignorance，wouldbeanencumbrancetohim。Betterobliterateherasmuchaspossible。