’IcanrecollectMrs。Winterverywell，ifnobodyelsecan，’saidtheagedgroceress。’Yes，she’sbeendeadthesefive-and-twentyyearatleast。Youknewwhatitwasuponhermind，sir，thatgaveherthathollow-eyedlook，Isuppose？’
’Ithadsomethingtodowithasonofhers，IthinkIoncewastold。
ButIwastooyoungtoknowparticulars。’
Thegroceresssighedassheconjuredupavisionofdayslongpast。
’Yes，’shemurmured，’ithadalltodowithason。’Findingthatthevanwasstillinalisteningmood，shespokeon：-
THEWINTERSANDTHEPALMLEYS
’Togobacktothebeginning——ifonemust——thereweretwowomenintheparishwhenIwasachild，whoweretoacertainextentrivalsingoodlooks。Nevermindparticulars，butinconsequenceofthistheywereatdaggers-drawn，andtheydidnotloveeachotheranybetterwhenoneofthemtemptedtheother’sloverawayfromherandmarriedhim。HewasayoungmanofthenameofWinter，andinduetimetheyhadason。
’Theotherwomandidnotmarryformanyyears：butwhenshewasaboutthirtyaquietmannamedPalmleyaskedhertobehiswife，andsheacceptedhim。Youdon’tmindwhenthePalmleyswereLongpuddlefolk，butIdowell。Shehadasonalso，whowas，ofcourse，nineortenyearsyoungerthanthesonofthefirst。Thechildprovedtobeofratherweakintellect，thoughhismotherlovedhimastheappleofhereye。
’Thiswoman’shusbanddiedwhenthechildwaseightyearsold，andlefthiswidowandboyinpoverty。Herformerrival，alsoawidownow，butfairlywellprovidedfor，offeredforpity’ssaketotakethechildaserrand-boy，smallashewas，herownson，Jack，beingharduponseventeen。Herpoorneighbourcoulddonobetterthanletthechildgothere。Andtothericherwoman’shouselittlePalmleystraightwaywent。
’Well，insomewayorother——how，itwasneverexactlyknown——thethrivingwoman，Mrs。Winter，sentthelittleboywithamessagetothenextvillageoneDecemberday，muchagainsthiswill。Itwasgettingdark，andthechildprayedtobeallowednottogo，becausehewouldbeafraidcominghome。Butthemistressinsisted，moreoutofthoughtlessnessthancruelty，andthechildwent。OnhiswaybackhehadtopassthroughYalburyWood，andsomethingcameoutfrombehindatreeandfrightenedhimintofits。Thechildwasquiteruinedbyit；hebecamequiteadrivellingidiot，andsoonafterwarddied。
’Thentheotherwomanhadnothinglefttolivefor，andvowedvengeanceagainstthatrivalwhohadfirstwonawayherlover，andnowhadbeenthecauseofherbereavement。Thislastafflictionwascertainlynotintendedbyherthrivingacquaintance，thoughitmustbeownedthatwhenitwasdonesheseemedbutlittleconcerned。
WhatevervengeancepoorMrs。Palmleyfelt，shehadnoopportunityofcarryingitout，andtimemighthavesoftenedherfeelingsintoforgetfulnessofhersupposedwrongsasshedraggedonherlonelylife。Somattersstoodwhen，ayearafterthedeathofthechild，Mrs。Palmley’sniece，whohadbeenbornandbredinthecityofExonbury，cametolivewithher。
’Thisyoungwoman——MissHarrietPalmley——wasaproudandhandsomegirl，verywellbroughtup，andmorestylishandgenteelthanthepeopleofourvillage，aswasnatural，consideringwhereshecamefrom。SheregardedherselfasmuchaboveMrs。WinterandhersoninpositionasMrs。WinterandhersonconsideredthemselvesabovepoorMrs。Palmley。Butloveisanunceremoniousthing，andwhatintheworldshouldhappenbutthatyoungJackWintermustfallwofullyandwildlyinlovewithHarrietPalmleyalmostassoonashesawher。
’She，beingbettereducatedthanhe，andcaringnothingforthevillagenotionofhismother’ssuperioritytoheraunt，didnotgivehimmuchencouragement。ButLongpuddlebeingnoverylargeworld，thetwocouldnothelpseeingagooddealofeachotherwhileshewasstayingthere，and，disdainfulyoungwomanasshewas，shedidseemtotakealittlepleasureinhisattentionsandadvances。
’Onedaywhentheywerepickingapplestogether，heaskedhertomarryhim。Shehadnotexpectedanythingsopracticalasthatatsoearlyatime，andwasledbyhersurpriseintoahalf-promise；atanyrateshedidnotabsolutelyrefusehim，andacceptedsomelittlepresentsthathemadeher。
’Buthesawthatherviewofhimwasratherasasimplevillageladthanasayoungmantolookupto，andhefeltthathemustdosomethingboldtosecureher。Sohesaidoneday，“Iamgoingaway，totrytogetintoabetterpositionthanIcangethere。“Intwoorthreeweekshewishedhergood-bye，andwentawaytoMonksbury，tosuperintendafarm，withaviewtostartasafarmerhimself；andfromtherehewroteregularlytoher，asiftheirmarriagewereanunderstoodthing。
’NowHarrietlikedtheyoungman’spresentsandtheadmirationofhiseyes；butonpaperhewaslessattractivetoher。Hermotherhadbeenaschool-mistress，andHarriethadbesidesanaturalaptitudeforpen-and-inkwork，indayswhentobeareadywriterwasnotsuchacommonthingasitisnow，andwhenactualhandwritingwasvaluedasanaccomplishmentinitself。JackWinter’sperformancesintheshapeoflove-lettersquitejarredhercitynervesandherfinertaste，andwhensheansweredoneofthem，inthelovelyrunninghandthatshetooksuchpridein，sheverystrictlyandloftilybadehimtopractisewithapenandspelling-bookifhewishedtopleaseher。
Whetherhelistenedtoherrequestornotnobodyknows，buthislettersdidnotimprove。Heventuredtotellherinhisclumsywaythatifherheartweremorewarmtowardshimshewouldnotbesoniceabouthishandwritingandspelling；whichindeedwastrueenough。
’Well，inJack’sabsencetheweakflamethathadbeensetalightinHarriet’sheartsoonsanklow，andatlastwentoutaltogether。Hewroteandwrote，andbeggedandprayedhertogiveareasonforhercoldness；andthenshetoldhimplainlythatshewastownborn，andhewasnotsufficientlywelleducatedtopleaseher。
’JackWinter’swantofpen-and-inktrainingdidnotmakehimlessthin-skinnedthanothers；infact，hewasterriblytenderandtouchyaboutanything。Thisreasonthatshegaveforfinallythrowinghimovergrievedhim，shamedhim，andmortifiedhimmorethancanbetoldinthesetimes，theprideofthatdayinbeingabletowritewithbeautifulflourishes，andthesorrowatnotbeingabletodoso，ragingsohigh。Jackrepliedtoherwithanangrynote，andthenshehitbackwithsmartlittlestings，tellinghimhowmanywordshehadmisspeltinhislastletter，anddeclaringagainthatthisalonewassufficientjustificationforanywomantoputanendtoanunderstandingwithhim。Herhusbandmustbeabetterscholar。
’Heboreherrejectionofhiminsilence，buthissufferingwassharp——allthesharperinbeinguntold。ShecommunicatedwithJacknomore；andashisreasonforgoingoutintotheworldhadbeenonlytoprovideahomeworthyofher，hehadnofurtherobjectinplanningsuchahomenowthatshewaslosttohim。Hethereforegaveupthefarmingoccupationbywhichhehadhopedtomakehimselfamaster-
farmer，andleftthespottoreturntohismother。
’AssoonashegotbacktoLongpuddlehefoundthatHarriethadalreadylookedwi’favouruponanotherlover。Hewasayoungroad-
contractor，andJackcouldnotbutadmitthathisrivalwasbothinmannersandscholarshipmuchaheadofhim。Indeed，amoresensiblematchforthebeautywhohadbeendroppedintothevillagebyfatecouldhardlyhavebeenfoundthanthisman，whocouldofferhersomuchbetterachancethanJackcouldhavedone，withhisuncertainfutureandnarrowabilitiesforgrapplingwiththeworld。Thefactwassocleartohimthathecouldhardlyblameher。
’OnedaybyaccidentJacksawonascrapofpaperthehandwritingofHarriet’snewbeloved。Itwasflowinglikeastream，wellspelt，theworkofamanaccustomedtotheink-bottleandthedictionary，ofamanalreadycalledintheparishagoodscholar。AndthenitstruckallofasuddenintoJack’smindwhatacontrastthelettersofthisyoungmanmustmaketohisownmiserableoldletters，andhowridiculoustheymustmakehislinesappear。Hegroanedandwishedhehadneverwrittentoher，andwonderedifshehadeverkepthispoorperformances。Possiblyshehadkeptthem，forwomenareinthehabitofdoingthat，hethought，andwhilsttheywereinherhandstherewasalwaysachanceofhishonest，stupidlove-assurancestoherbeingjokedoverbyHarrietwithherpresentlover，orbyanybodywhoshouldaccidentallyuncoverthem。
’Thenervous，moodyyoungmancouldnotbearthethoughtofit，andatlengthdecidedtoaskhertoreturnthem，aswasproperwhenengagementswerebrokenoff。Hewassomehoursinframing，copying，andrecopyingtheshortnoteinwhichhemadehisrequest，andhavingfinishedithesentittoherhouse。Hismessengercamebackwiththeanswer，bywordofmouth，thatMissPalmleybadehimsaysheshouldnotpartwithwhatwashers，andwonderedathisboldnessintroublingher。
’Jackwasmuchaffrontedatthis，anddeterminedtogoforhislettershimself。Hechoseatimewhenheknewshewasathome，andknockedandwentinwithoutmuchceremony；forthoughHarrietwassohighandmighty，Jackhadsmallrespectforheraunt，Mrs。Palmley，whoselittlechildhadbeenhisboot-cleanerinearlierdays。
Harrietwasintheroom，thisbeingthefirsttimetheyhadmetsinceshehadjiltedhim。Heaskedforhisletterswithasternandbitterlookather。
’Atfirstshesaidhemighthavethemforallthatshecared，andtookthemoutofthebureauwhereshekeptthem。Thensheglancedovertheoutsideoneofthepacket，andsuddenlyalteringhermind，shetoldhimshortlythathisrequestwasasillyone，andslippedthelettersintoheraunt’swork-box，whichstoodopenonthetable，lockingit，andsayingwithabanteringlaughthatofcourseshethoughtitbesttokeep’em，sincetheymightbeusefultoproduceasevidencethatshehadgoodcausefordecliningtomarryhim。
’Heblazeduphot。“Givemethoseletters!“hesaid。“Theyaremine!“
’“No，theyarenot，“shereplied；“theyaremine。“
’“Whos’evertheyareIwantthemback，“sayshe。“Idon’twanttobemadesportofformypenmanship：you’veanotheryoungmannow!hehasyourconfidence，andyoupourallyourtalesintohisear。
You’llbeshowingthemtohim!“
’“Perhaps，“saidmyladyHarriet，withcalmcoolness，liketheheartlesswomanthatshewas。
’Hermannersomaddenedhimthathemadeasteptowardsthework-box，butshesnatcheditup，lockeditinthebureau，andturneduponhimtriumphant。Foramomentheseemedtobegoingtowrenchthekeyofthebureauoutofherhand；buthestoppedhimself，andswungrounduponhisheelandwentaway。
’Whenhewasout-of-doorsalone，anditgotnight，hewalkedaboutrestless，andstingingwiththesenseofbeingbeatenatallpointsbyher。Hecouldnothelpfancyinghertellinghernewloverorheracquaintancesofthisscenewithhimself，andlaughingwiththemoverthosepoorblotted，crookedlinesofhisthathehadbeensoanxioustoobtain。Astheeveningpassedonheworkedhimselfintoadoggedresolutiontohavethembackatanyprice，comewhatmight。
’Atthedeadofnighthecameoutofhismother’shousebythebackdoor，andcreepingthroughthegardenhedgewentalongthefieldadjoiningtillhereachedthebackofheraunt’sdwelling。Themoonstruckbrightandflatuponthewalls，’twassaid，andeveryshinyleafofthecreeperswaslikealittlelooking-glassintherays。
FromlongacquaintanceJackknewthearrangementandpositionofeverythinginMrs。Palmley’shouseaswellasinhisownmother’s。
Thebackwindowclosetohimwasacasementwithlittleleadedsquares，asitistothisday，andwas，asnow，oneoftwolightingthesitting-room。Theother，beinginfront，wasclosedupwithshutters，butthisbackonehadnotevenablind，andthemoonlightasitstreamedinshowedeveryarticleofthefurnituretohimoutside。Totherightoftheroomisthefireplace，asyoumayremember；totheleftwasthebureauatthattime；insidethebureauwasHarriet’swork-box，ashesupposedthoughitwasreallyheraunt’s，andinsidethework-boxwerehisletters。Well，hetookouthispocket-knife，andwithoutnoiseliftedtheleadingofoneofthepanes，sothathecouldtakeouttheglass，andputtinghishandthroughtheholeheunfastenedthecasement，andclimbedinthroughtheopening。Allthehousehold——thatistosay，Mrs。Palmley，Harriet，andthelittlemaid-servant——wereasleep。Jackwentstraighttothebureau，sohesaid，hopingitmighthavebeenunfastenedagain——itnotbeingkeptlockedinordinary——butHarriethadneverunfasteneditsinceshesecuredherletterstherethedaybefore。Jacktoldafterwardhowhethoughtofherasleepupstairs，caringnothingforhim，andofthewayshehadmadesportofhimandofhisletters；andhavingadvancedsofar，hewasnottobehinderednow。Byforcingthelargebladeofhisknifeundertheflapofthebureau，hebursttheweaklock；withinwastherosewoodwork-boxjustasshehadplaceditinherhurrytokeepitfromhim。Therebeingnotimetospareforgettingthelettersoutofitthen，hetookitunderhisarm，shutthebureau，andmadethebestofhiswayoutofthehouse，latchingthecasementbehindhim，andrefixingthepaneofglassinitsplace。