reliefs，wereseenblowingandbobbingbehindhimashehastilywalkeduptheHighStreetfromhislodgings。Butthoughheenteredtheassizebuildingtherewasnothingforhimtodo，andsittingatthebluebaizetableinthewellofthecourt，hemendedpenswithamindfarawayfromthecaseinprogress。Thoughtsofunpremeditatedconduct，ofwhichaweekearlierhewouldnothavebelievedhimselfcapable，threwhimintoamoodofdissatisfieddepression。
HehadcontrivedtoseeagaintheprettyruralmaidenAnna，thedayafterthefair，hadwalkedoutofthecitywithhertotheearthworksofOldMelchester，andfeelingaviolentfancyforher，hadremainedinMelchesterallSunday，Monday，andTuesday；bypersuasionobtainingwalksandmeetingswiththegirlsixorseventimesduringtheinterval；hadinbriefwonher，bodyandsoul。
Hesupposeditmusthavebeenowingtotheseclusioninwhichhehadlivedoflateintownthathehadgivenwaysounrestrainedlytoapassionforanartlesscreaturewhoseinexperiencehad，fromthefirst，ledhertoplaceherselfunreservedlyinhishands。Muchhedeploredtriflingwithherfeelingsforthesakeofapassingdesire；
andhecouldonlyhopethatshemightnotlivetosufferonhisaccount。
Shehadbeggedhimtocometoheragain；entreatedhim；wept。Hehadpromisedthathewoulddoso，andhemeanttocarryoutthatpromise。
Hecouldnotdeserthernow。Awkwardassuchunintentionalconnectionswere，theinterspaceofahundredmiles——whichtoagirlofherlimitedcapabilitieswaslikeathousand——wouldeffectuallyhinderthissummerfancyfromgreatlyencumberinghislife；whilethoughtofhersimplelovemightdohimthenegativegoodofkeepinghimfromidlepleasuresintownwhenhewishedtoworkhard。HiscircuitjourneyswouldtakehimtoMelchesterthreeorfourtimesayear；andthenhecouldalwaysseeher。
Thepseudonym，orratherpartialname，thathehadgivenherashisbeforeknowinghowfartheacquaintancewasgoingtocarryhim，hadbeenspokenonthespurofthemoment，withoutanyulteriorintentionwhatever。HehadnotafterwardsdisturbedAnna’serror，butonleavingherhehadfeltboundtogiveheranaddressatastationer’snotfarfromhischambers，atwhichshemightwritetohimundertheinitials’C。B。’
InduetimeRayereturnedtohisLondonabode，havingcalledatMelchesteronhiswayandspentafewadditionalhourswithhisfascinatingchildofnature。Intownhelivedmonotonouslyeveryday。Oftenheandhisroomswereenclosedbyatawnyfogfromalltheworldbesides，andwhenhelightedthegastoreadorwriteby，hissituationseemedsounnaturalthathewouldlookintothefireandthinkofthattrustinggirlatMelchesteragainandagain。
Often，oppressedbyabsurdfondnessforher，hewouldenterthedimreligiousnaveoftheLawCourtsbythenorthdoor，elbowotherjuniorshabitedlikehimself，andlikehimunretained；edgehimselfintothisorthatcrowdedcourtwhereasensationalcasewasgoingon，justasifhewereinit，thoughthepoliceofficersatthedoorknewaswellasheknewhimselfthathehadnomoreconcernwiththebusinessinhandthanthepatientidlersatthegallery-dooroutside，whohadwaitedtoentersinceeightinthemorningbecause，likehim，theybelongedtotheclassesthatliveonexpectation。Buthewoulddothesethingstonopurpose，andthinkhowgreatlythecharactersinsuchscenescontrastedwiththepinkandbreezyAnna。
Anunexpectedfeatureinthatpeasantmaiden’sconductwasthatshehadnotasyetwrittentohim，thoughhehadtoldhershemightdosoifshewished。Surelyayoungcreaturehadneverbeforebeensoreticentinsuchcircumstances。Atlengthhesentherabriefline，positivelyrequestinghertowrite。Therewasnoanswerbythereturnpost，butthedayafteraletterinaneatfemininehand，andbearingtheMelchesterpost-mark，washandedtohimbythestationer。
Thefactaloneofitsarrivalwassufficienttosatisfyhisimaginativesentiment。Hewasnotanxioustoopentheepistle，andintruthdidnotbegintoreaditfornearlyhalf-an-hour，anticipatingreadilyitstermsofpassionateretrospectandtenderadjuration。Whenatlastheturnedhisfeettothefireplaceandunfoldedthesheet，hewassurprisedandpleasedtofindthatneitherextravagancenorvulgaritywasthere。Itwasthemostcharminglittlemissivehehadeverreceivedfromwoman。Tobesurethelanguagewassimpleandtheideaswereslight；butitwassoself-
possessed；sopurelythatofayounggirlwhofeltherwomanhoodtobeenoughforherdignitythathereaditthroughtwice。Foursideswerefilled，andafewlineswrittenacross，afterthefashionofformerdays；thepaper，too，wascommon，andnotofthelatestshadeandsurface。Butwhatofthosethings？Hehadreceivedlettersfromwomenwhowerefairlycalledladies，butneversosensible，sohumanaletterasthis。Hecouldnotsingleoutanyonesentenceandsayitwasatallremarkableorclever；theensembleoftheletteritwaswhichwonhim；andbeyondtheonerequestthathewouldwriteorcometoheragainsoontherewasnothingtoshowhersenseofaclaimuponhim。
TowriteagainanddevelopacorrespondencewasthelastthingRayewouldhavepreconceivedashisconductinsuchasituation；yethedidsendashort，encouraginglineortwo，signedwithhispseudonym，inwhichheaskedforanotherletter，andcheeringlypromisedthathewouldtrytoseeheragainonsomenearday，andwouldneverforgethowmuchtheyhadbeentoeachotherduringtheirshortacquaintance。
ToreturnnowtothemomentatwhichAnna，atMelchester，hadreceivedRaye’sletter。
Ithadbeenputintoherownhandbythepostmanonhismorningrounds。Sheflusheddowntoherneckonreceiptofit，andturneditoverandover。’Itismine？’shesaid。
’Why，yes，can’tyouseeitis？’saidthepostman，smilingasheguessedthenatureofthedocumentandthecauseoftheconfusion。
’Oyes，ofcourse!’repliedAnna，lookingattheletter，forcedlytittering，andblushingstillmore。
Herlookofembarrassmentdidnotleaveherwiththepostman’sdeparture。Sheopenedtheenvelope，kisseditscontents，putawaytheletterinherpocket，andremainedmusingtillhereyesfilledwithtears。
AfewminuteslatershecarriedupacupofteatoMrs。Harnhaminherbed-chamber。Anna’smistresslookedather，andsaid：’Howdismalyouseemthismorning，Anna。What’sthematter？’
’I’mnotdismal，I’mglad；onlyI——’Shestoppedtostifleasob。
’Well？’
’I’vegotaletter——andwhatgoodisittome，ifIcan’treadawordinit!’
’Why，I’llreadit，child，ifnecessary。’
’Butthisisfromsomebody——Idon’twantanybodytoreaditbutmyself!’Annamurmured。
’Ishallnottellanybody。Isitfromthatyoungman？’
’Ithinkso。’Annaslowlyproducedtheletter，saying：’Thenwillyoureadittome，ma’am？’
ThiswasthesecretofAnna’sembarrassmentandflutterings。Shecouldneitherreadnorwrite。Shehadgrownupunderthecareofanauntbymarriage，atoneofthelonelyhamletsontheGreatMid-
WessexPlainwhere，evenindaysofnationaleducation，therehadbeennoschoolwithinadistanceoftwomiles。Herauntwasanignorantwoman；therehadbeennobodytoinvestigateAnna’scircumstances，nobodytocareaboutherlearningtherudiments；
though，asofteninsuchcases，shehadbeenwellfedandclothedandnotunkindlytreated。SinceshehadcometoliveatMelchesterwithMrs。Harnham，thelatter，whotookakindlyinterestinthegirl，hadtaughthertospeakcorrectly，inwhichaccomplishmentAnnashowedconsiderablereadiness，asisnotunusualwiththeilliterate；andsoonbecamequitefluentintheuseofhermistress’sphraseology。
Mrs。Harnhamalsoinsisteduponhergettingaspellingandcopybook，andbeginningtopractiseinthese。Annawasslowerinthisbranchofhereducation，andmeanwhileherewastheletter。
EdithHarnham’slargedarkeyesexpressedsomeinterestinthecontents，though，inhercharacterofmereinterpreter，shethrewintohertoneasmuchasshecouldofmechanicalpassiveness。Shereadtheshortepistleontoitsconcludingsentence，whichidlyrequestedAnnatosendhimatenderanswer。
’Now——you’lldoitforme，won’tyou，dearmistress？’saidAnnaeagerly。’Andyou’lldoitaswellaseveryoucan，please？BecauseIcouldn’tbearhimtothinkIamnotabletodoitmyself。Ishouldsinkintotheearthwithshameifheknewthat!’
FromsomewordsintheletterMrs。Harnhamwasledtoaskquestions，andtheanswersshereceivedconfirmedhersuspicions。DeepconcernfilledEdith’sheartatperceivinghowthegirlhadcommittedherhappinesstotheissueofthisnew-sprungattachment。Sheblamedherselffornotinterferinginaflirtationwhichhadresultedsoseriouslyforthepoorlittlecreatureinhercharge；thoughatthetimeofseeingthepairtogethershehadafeelingthatitwashardlywithinherprovincetonipyoungaffectioninthebud。However，whatwasdonecouldnotbeundone，anditbehovedhernow，asAnna’sonlyprotector，tohelpherasmuchasshecould。ToAnna’seagerrequestthatshe，Mrs。Harnham，shouldcomposeandwritetheanswertothisyoungLondonman’sletter，shefeltboundtoaccede，tokeepalivehisattachmenttothegirlifpossible；thoughinothercircumstancesshemighthavesuggestedthecookasanamanuensis。
Atenderreplywasthereuponconcocted，andsetdowninEdithHarnham’shand。ThisletterithadbeenwhichRayehadreceivedanddelightedin。WritteninthepresenceofAnnaitcertainlywas，andonAnna’shumblenote-paper，andinameasureinditedbytheyounggirl；butthelife，thespirit，theindividuality，wereEdithHarnham’s。
’Won’tyouatleastputyournameyourself？’shesaid。’Youcanmanagetowritethatbythistime？’
’No，no，’saidAnna，shrinkingback。’Ishoulddoitsobad。He’dbeashamedofme，andneverseemeagain!’
Thenote，soprettilyrequestinganotherfromhim，had，aswehaveseen，powerenoughinitspagestobringone。Hedeclaredittobesuchapleasuretohearfromherthatshemustwriteeveryweek。ThesameprocessofmanufacturewasaccordinglyrepeatedbyAnnaandhermistress，andcontinuedforseveralweeksinsuccession；eachletterbeingpennedandsuggestedbyEdith，thegirlstandingby；theanswerreadandcommentedonbyEdith，Annastandingbyandlisteningagain。
Lateonawinterevening，afterthedispatchofthesixthletter，Mrs。Harnhamwassittingalonebytheremainsofherfire。Herhusbandhadretiredtobed，andshehadfallenintothatfixityofmusingwhichtakesnocountofhourortemperature。ThestateofmindhadbeenbroughtaboutinEdithbyastrangethingwhichshehaddonethatday。ForthefirsttimesinceRaye’svisitAnnahadgonetostayoveranightortwowithhercottagefriendsonthePlain，andinherabsencehadarrived，outofitstime，aletterfromRaye。
TothisEdithhadrepliedonherownresponsibility，fromthedepthsofherownheart，withoutwaitingforhermaid’scollaboration。Theluxuryofwritingtohimwhatwouldbeknowntonoconsciousnessbuthiswasgreat，andshehadindulgedherselftherein。
Whywasitaluxury？
EdithHarnhamledalonelylife。InfluencedbythebeliefoftheBritishparentthatabadmarriagewithitsaversionsisbetterthanfreewomanhoodwithitsinterests，dignity，andleisure，shehadconsentedtomarrytheelderlywine-merchantasapisaller，attheageofseven-and-twenty——somethreeyearsbeforethisdate——tofindafterwardsthatshehadmadeamistake。Thatcontracthadleftherstillawomanwhosedeepernaturehadneverbeenstirred。
Shewasnowclearlyrealizingthatshehadbecomepossessedtothebottomofhersoulwiththeimageofamantowhomshewashardlysomuchasaname。Fromthefirsthehadattractedherbyhislooksandvoice；byhistendertouch；and，withtheseasgenerators，thewritingofletterafterletterandthereadingoftheirsoftanswershadinsensiblydevelopedonhersideanemotionwhichfannedhis；
tilltherehadresultedamagneticreciprocitybetweenthecorrespondents，notwithstandingthatoneofthemwroteinacharacternotherown。Thathehadbeenabletoseduceanotherwomanintwodayswashiscrowningthoughunrecognizedfascinationforherastheshe-animal。
Theywereherownimpassionedandpent-upideas——loweredtomonosyllabicphraseologyinordertokeepupthedisguise——thatEdithputintoletterssignedwithanothername，muchtotheshallowAnna’sdelight，who，unassisted，couldnotfortheworldhaveconceivedsuchprettyfanciesforwinninghim，evenhadshebeenabletowritethem。
Edithfoundthatitwasthese，herownfoisted-insentiments，towhichtheyoungbarristermainlyresponded。ThefewsentencesoccasionallyaddedfromAnna’sownlipsmadeapparentlynoimpressionuponhim。
Theletter-writinginherabsenceAnnaneverdiscovered；butonherreturnthenextmorningshedeclaredshewishedtoseeherloveraboutsomethingatonce，andbeggedMrs。Harnhamtoaskhimtocome。