’Yourmarriagewithmewouldhelpthematch，insteadofhinderingit，asyouhavesaid。’
’Doyouthinkitwould？’
’Itcertainlywould，bytakingyououtofthisbusinessaltogether。’
Bychancehehadfoundthewaytomovehersomewhat，andhefolloweditup。ThisviewwasimpartedtoMrs。Frankland’sdaughter，anditledhertosoftenheropposition。Millborne，whohadgivenuphislodginginExonbury，journeyedtoandfroregularly，tillatlastheovercamehernegations，andsheexpressedareluctantassent。
Theyweremarriedatthenearestchurch；andthegoodwill——whateverthatwas——ofthemusic-and-dancingconnectionwassoldtoasuccessoronlytooreadytojumpintotheplace，theMillborneshavingdecidedtoliveinLondon。
Millbornewasahouseholderinhisolddistrict，thoughnotinhisoldstreet，andMrs。MillborneandtheirdaughterhadturnedthemselvesintoLondoners。Franceswaswellreconciledtotheremovalbyherlover’ssatisfactionatthechange。ItsuitedhimbettertotravelfromIvellahundredmilestoseeherinLondon，wherehefrequentlyhadotherengagements，thanfiftyintheoppositedirectionwherenothingbutherselfrequiredhispresence。Soheretheywere，furnisheduptotheattics，inoneofthesmallbutpopularstreetsoftheWestdistrict，inahousewhosefront，tilllatelyofthecomplexionofachimney-sweep，hadbeenscrapedtoshowtothesurprisedwayfarerthebrightyellowandredbrickthathadlainlurkingbeneaththesootoffiftyyears。
Thesocialliftthatthetwowomenhadderivedfromthealliancewasconsiderable；butwhentheexhilarationwhichaccompaniesafirstresidenceinLondon，thesensationofstandingonapivotoftheworld，hadpassed，theirlivespromisedtobesomewhatdullerthanwhen，atdespisedExonbury，theyhadenjoyedanoddingacquaintancewiththree-fourthsofthetown。Mr。Millbornedidnotcriticisehiswife；hecouldnot。Whateverdefectsofhardnessandacidityhisoriginaltreatmentandthelapseofyearsmighthavedevelopedinher，hissenseofarealizedidea，ofare-establishedself-
satisfaction，wasalwaysthrownintothescaleonherside，andout-
weighedallobjections。
Itwasaboutamonthaftertheirsettlementintownthatthehouseholddecidedtospendaweekatawatering-placeintheIsleofWight，andwhiletheretheReverendPercivalCopetheyoungcurateaforesaidcametoseethem，Francesinparticular。Noformalengagementoftheyoungpairhadbeenannouncedasyet，butitwasclearthattheirmutualunderstandingcouldnotendinanythingbutmarriagewithoutgrievousdisappointmenttooneofthepartiesatleast。NotthatFranceswassentimental。Shewasratheroftheimperioussort，indeed；and，tosayall，theyounggirlhadnotfulfilledherfather’sexpectationsofher。Buthehopedandworkedforherwelfareassincerelyasanyfathercoulddo。
Mr。Copewasintroducedtothenewheadofthefamily，andstayedwiththemintheIslandtwoorthreedays。Onthelastdayofhisvisittheydecidedtoventureonatwohours’sailinoneofthesmallyachtswhichlaythereforhire。Thetriphadnotprogressedfarbeforeall，exceptthecurate，foundthatsailinginabreezedidnotquiteagreewiththem；butasheseemedtoenjoytheexperience，theotherthreeboretheirconditionaswellastheycouldwithoutgrimaceorcomplaint，tilltheyoungman，observingtheirdiscomfort，gaveimmediatedirectionstotackabout。Onthewaybacktoporttheysatsilent，facingeachother。
Nauseainsuchcircumstances，likemidnightwatching，fatigue，trouble，fright，hasthismarkedeffectuponthecountenance，thatitoftenbringsoutstronglythedivergencesoftheindividualfromthenormofhisrace，accentuatingsuperficialpeculiaritiestoradicaldistinctions。Unexpectedphysiognomieswilluncoverthemselvesatthesetimesinwell-knownfaces；theaspectbecomesinvestedwiththespectralpresenceofentombedandforgottenancestors；andfamilylineamentsofspecialorexclusivecast，whichinordinarymomentsaremaskedbyastereotypedexpressionandmien，startupwithcrudeinsistencetotheview。
Frances，sittingbesidehermother’shusband，withMr。Copeopposite，wasnaturallyenoughmuchregardedbythecurateduringthetedioussailhome；atfirstwithsympatheticsmiles。Then，asthemiddle-
agedfatherandhischildgreweachgray-faced，astheprettyblushofFrancesdisintegratedintospottystains，andthesoftrotunditiesofherfeaturesdivergedfromtheirfamiliarandreposefulbeautyintoelementallines，Copewasgraduallystruckwiththeresemblancebetweenapairintheirdiscomfortwhointheireasepresentednothingtotheeyeincommon。Mr。MillborneandFrancesintheirindispositionwerestrangely，startlinglyalike。
TheinexplicablefactabsorbedCope’sattentionquite。HeforgottosmileatFrances，toholdherhand；andwhentheytouchedtheshoreheremainedsittingforsomemomentslikeamaninatrance。
Astheywenthomeward，andrecoveredtheircomplexionsandcontours，thesimilaritiesonebyonedisappeared，andFrancesandMr。
Millbornewereagainmaskedbythecommonplacedifferencesofsexandage。Itwasasif，duringthevoyage，amysteriousveilhadbeenlifted，temporarilyrevealingastrangepantomimeofthepast。
Duringtheeveninghesaidtohercasually：’Isyourstep-fatheracousinofyourmother，dearFrances？’
’Oh，no，’saidshe。’Thereisnorelationship。Hewasonlyanoldfriendofhers。Whydidyousupposesuchathing？’
Hedidnotexplain，andthenextmorningstartedtoresumehisdutiesatIvell。
Copewasanhonestyoungfellow，andshrewdwithal。AthomeinhisquietroomsinSt。Peter’sStreet，Ivell，heponderedlongandunpleasantlyontherevelationsofthecruise。Thetaleittoldwasdistinctenough，andforthefirsttimehispositionwasanuncomfortableone。HehadmettheFranklandsatExonburyasparishioners，hadbeenattractedbyFrances，andhadfloatedthusfarintoanengagementwhichwasindefiniteonlybecauseofhisinabilitytomarryjustyet。TheFranklands’pasthadapparentlycontainedmysteries，anditdidnotcoincidewithhisjudgmenttomarryintoafamilywhosemysterywasofthesortsuggested。Sohesatandsighed，betweenhisreluctancetoloseFrancesandhisnaturaldislikeofformingaconnectionwithpeoplewhoseantecedentswouldnotbearthestrictestinvestigation。
Apassionateloveroftheold-fashionedsortmightpossiblyneverhavehaltedtoweighthesedoubts；butthoughhewasinthechurchCope’saffectionswerefastidious——distinctlytemperedwiththealloysofthecentury’sdecadence。HedelayedwritingtoFrancesforsomewhile，simplybecausehecouldnottunehimselfuptoenthusiasmwhenworriedbysuspicionsofsuchakind。
MeanwhiletheMillborneshadreturnedtoLondon，andFranceswasgrowinganxious。IntalkingtohermotherofCopeshehadinnocentlyalludedtohiscuriousinquiryifhermotherandherstep-fatherwereconnectedbyanytieofcousinship。Mrs。Millbornemadeherrepeatthewords。Francesdidso，andwatchedwithinquisitiveeyestheireffectuponherelder。
’Whatistheresostartlinginhisinquirythen？’sheasked。’Canithaveanythingtodowithhisnotwritingtome？’
Hermotherflinched，butdidnotinformher，andFrancesalsowasnowdrawnwithintheatmosphereofsuspicion。Thatnightwhenstandingbychanceoutsidethechamberofherparentssheheardforthefirsttimetheirvoicesengagedinasharpaltercation。
Theappleofdiscordhad，indeed，beendroppedintothehouseoftheMillbornes。Thescenewithinthechamber-doorwasMrs。Millbornestandingbeforeherdressing-table，lookingacrosstoherhusbandinthedressing-roomadjoining，wherehewassittingdown，hiseyesfixedonthefloor。
’Whydidyoucomeanddisturbmylifeasecondtime？’sheharshlyasked。’Whydidyoupestermewithyourconscience，tillIwasdriventoacceptyoutogetridofyourimportunity？FrancesandI
weredoingwell：theonedesireofmylifewasthatsheshouldmarrythatgoodyoungman。Andnowthematchisbrokenoffbyyourcruelinterference!Whydidyoushowyourselfinmyworldagain，andraisethisscandaluponmyhard-wonrespectability——wonbysuchwearyyearsoflabourasnonewilleverknow!’Shebentherfaceuponthetableandweptpassionately。
TherewasnoreplyfromMr。Millborne。Franceslayawakenearlyallthatnight，andwhenatbreakfast-timethenextmorningstillnoletterappearedfromMr。Cope，sheentreatedhermothertogotoIvellandseeiftheyoungmanwereill。
Mrs。Millbornewent，returningthesameday。Frances，anxiousandhaggard，metheratthestation。
Wasallwell？Hermothercouldnotsayitwas；thoughhewasnotill。
Onethingshehadfoundout，thatitwasamistaketohuntupamanwhenhisinclinationsweretoholdaloof。ReturningwithhermotherinthecabFrancesinsisteduponknowingwhatthemysterywaswhichplainlyhadalienatedherlover。TheprecisewordswhichhadbeenspokenattheinterviewwithhimthatdayatIvellMrs。Millbornecouldnotbeinducedtorepeat；butthusfarsheadmitted，thattheestrangementwasfundamentallyowingtoMr。Millbornehavingsoughtheroutandmarriedher。
’Andwhydidheseekyouout——andwhywereyouobligedtomarryhim？’
askedthedistressedgirl。Thentheevidencespiecedthemselvestogetherinheracutemind，and，hercolourgraduallyrising，sheaskedhermotherifwhattheypointedtowasindeedthefact。Hermotheradmittedthatitwas。
Aflushofmortificationsucceededtotheflushofshameupontheyoungwoman’sface。HowcouldascrupulouslycorrectclergymanandloverlikeMr。Copeaskhertobehiswifeafterthisdiscoveryofherirregularbirth？Shecoveredhereyeswithherhandsinasilentdespair。
InthepresenceofMr。Millbornetheyatfirstsuppressedtheiranguish。Butbyandbytheirfeelingsgotthebetterofthem，andwhenhewasasleepinhischairafterdinnerMrs。Millborne’sirritationbrokeout。TheembitteredFrancesjoinedherinreproachingthemanwhohadcomeasthespectretotheirintendedfeastofHymen，andturneditspromisetoghastlyfailure。
’Whywereyousoweak，mother，astoadmitsuchanenemytoyourhouse——onesoobviouslyyourevilgenius——muchlessaccepthimasahusband，aftersolong？Ifyouhadonlytoldmeall，Icouldhaveadvisedyoubetter!ButIsupposeIhavenorighttoreproachhim，bitterasIfeel，andeventhoughhehasblightedmylifeforever!’
’Frances，Ididholdout；Isawitwasamistaketohaveanymoretosaytoamanwhohadbeensuchanunmitigatedcursetome!Buthewouldnotlisten；hekeptonabouthisconscienceandmine，tillI
wasbewildered，andsaidYes!……Bringingusawayfromaquiettownwherewewereknownandrespected——whatanill-consideredthingitwas!Othecontentofthosedays!Wehadsocietythere，peopleinourownposition，whodidnotexpectmoreofusthanweexpectedofthem。Here，wherethereissomuch，thereisnothing!HesaidLondonsocietywassobrightandbrilliantthatitwouldbelikeanewworld。Itmaybetothosewhoareinit；butwhatisthattoustwolonelywomen；weonlyseeitflashingpast!……Othefool，thefoolthatIwas!’
NowMillbornewasnotsosoundlyasleepastopreventhishearingtheseanimadversionsthatwerealmostexecrations，andmanymoreofthesamesort。Astherewasnopeaceforhimathome，hewentagaintohisclub，where，sincehisreunionwithLeonora，hehadseldomifeverbeenseen。Buttheshadowofthetroublesinhishouseholdinterferedwithhiscomfortherealso；hecouldnot，asformerly，settledownintohisfavouritechairwiththeeveningpaper，reposefulinthecelibate’ssensethatwherehewashisworld’scentrehaditsfixture。Hisworldwasnowanellipse，withadualcentrality，ofwhichhisownwasnotthemajor。