“Yes——whynot？Youknowtherewasnothingseriousbetweenhimandme“
“Yousee，dear，anoisybell-ringingmarriageatchurchhasthisobjectioninourcase：itwouldbeathingofreportalongwayround。NowIwouldgently，asgentlyaspossible，indicatetoyouhowinadvisablesuchpublicitywouldbeifweleaveHintock，andI
purchasethepracticethatIcontemplatepurchasingatBudmouth——
hardlymorethantwentymilesoff。Forgivemysayingthatitwillbefarbetterifnobodythereknowswhereyoucomefrom，noranythingaboutyourparents。Yourbeautyandknowledgeandmannerswillcarryyouanywhereifyouarenothamperedbysuchretrospectivecriticism。”
“Butcoulditnotbeaquietceremony，evenatchurch？”shepleaded。
“Idon’tseethenecessityofgoingthere！”hesaid，atrifleimpatiently。“Marriageisacivilcontract，andtheshorterandsimpleritismadethebetter。Peopledon’tgotochurchwhentheytakeahouse，orevenwhentheymakeawill。”
“Oh，Edgar——Idon’tliketohearyouspeaklikethat。”
“Well，well——Ididn’tmeanto。ButIhavementionedasmuchtoyourfather，whohasmadenoobjection；andwhyshouldyou？”
Shegaveway，deemingthepointoneonwhichsheoughttoallowsentimenttogivewaytopolicy——iftherewereindeedpolicyinhisplan。Butshewasindefinablydepressedastheywalkedhomeward。
Heleftheratthedoorofherfather’shouse。Ashereceded，andwasclaspedoutofsightbythefilmyshades，heimpressedGraceasamanwhohardlyappertainedtoherexistenceatall。
Cleverer，greaterthanherself，oneoutsidehermentalorbit，assheconsideredhim，heseemedtobeherrulerratherthanherequal，protector，anddearfamiliarfriend。
Thedisappointmentshehadexperiencedathiswish，theshockgiventohergirlishsensibilitiesbyhisirreverentviewsofmarriage，togetherwiththesureandnearapproachofthedayfixedforcommittingherfuturetohiskeeping，madehersorestlessthatshecouldscarcelysleepatallthatnight。Sherosewhenthesparrowsbegantowalkoutoftheroof-holes，satonthefloorofherroominthedimlight，andby-and-bypeepedoutbehindthewindow-curtains。Itwasevennowdayout-of-doors，thoughthetonesofmorningwerefeebleandwan，anditwaslongbeforethesunwouldbeperceptibleinthisovershadowedvale。
Notasoundcamefromanyoftheout-housesasyet。Thetree-
trunks，theroad，theout-buildings，thegarden，everyobjectworethataspectofmesmericfixitywhichthesuspensivequietudeofdaybreaklendstosuchscenes。Outsideherwindowhelplessimmobilityseemedtobecombinedwithintenseconsciousness；ameditativeinertnesspossessedallthings，oppressivelycontrastingwithherownactiveemotions。Beyondtheroadweresomecottageroofsandorchards；overtheseroofsandovertheapple-treesbehind，highuptheslope，andbackedbytheplantationonthecrest，wasthehouseyetoccupiedbyherfuturehusband，therough-castfrontshowingwhitelythroughitscreepers。Thewindow-shutterswereclosed，thebedroomcurtainscloselydrawn，andnotthethinnestcoilofsmokerosefromtheruggedchimneys。
Somethingbrokethestillness。Thefrontdoorofthehouseshewasgazingatopenedsoftly，andtherecameoutintotheporchafemalefigure，wrappedinalargeshawl，beneathwhichwasvisiblethewhiteskirtofalongloosegarment。Agrayarm，stretchingfromwithintheporch，adjustedtheshawloverthewoman’sshoulders；itwaswithdrawnanddisappeared，thedoorclosingbehindher。
Thewomanwentquicklydownthebox-edgedpathbetweentheraspberriesandcurrants，andasshewalkedherwell-developedformandgaitbetrayedherindividuality。ItwasSukeDamson，theaffiancedoneofsimpleyoungTimTangs。Atthebottomofthegardensheenteredtheshelterofthetallhedge，andonlythetopofherheadcouldbeseenhasteninginthedirectionofherowndwelling。
Gracehadrecognized，orthoughtsherecognized，inthegrayarmstretchingfromtheporch，thesleeveofadressing-gownwhichMr。
Fitzpiershadbeenwearingonherownmemorablevisittohim。Herfacefiredred。Shehadjustbeforethoughtofdressingherselfandtakingalonelywalkunderthetrees，socoollygreenthisearlymorning；butshenowsatdownonherbedandfellintoreverie。Itseemedasifhardlyanytimehadpassedwhensheheardthehouseholdmovingbrisklyabout，andbreakfastpreparingdown-stairs；though，onrousingherselftorobeanddescend，shefoundthatthesunwasthrowinghisrayscompletelyoverthetree-
tops，aprogressofnaturalphenomenadenotingthatatleastthreehourshadelapsedsinceshelastlookedoutofthewindow。
Whenattiredshesearchedaboutthehouseforherfather；shefoundhimatlastinthegarden，stoopingtoexaminethepotatoesforsignsofdisease。Hearingherrustle，hestoodupandstretchedhisbackandarms，saying，“Morningt’ye，Gracie。I
congratulateye。Itisonlyamonthto-daytothetime！”
Shedidnotanswer，but，withoutliftingherdress，wadedbetweenthedewyrowsoftallpotato-greenintothemiddleoftheplotwherehewas。
“Ihavebeenthinkingverymuchaboutmypositionthismorning——
eversinceitwaslight。”shebegan，excitedly，andtremblingsothatshecouldhardlystand。“AndIfeelitisafalseone。I
wishnottomarryMr。Fitzpiers。Iwishnottomarryanybody；butI’llmarryGilesWinterborneifyousayImustasanalternative。”
Herfather’sfacesettledintorigidity，heturnedpale，andcamedeliberatelyoutoftheplotbeforeheansweredher。Shehadneverseenhimlooksoincensedbefore。
“Now，hearkentome。”hesaid。“There’satimeforawomantoalterhermind；andthere’satimewhenshecannolongeralterit，ifshehasanyrighteyetoherparents’honorandtheseemlinessofthings。Thattimehascome。Iwon’tsaytoye，youSHALLmarryhim。ButIwillsaythatifyourefuse，Ishallforeverbeashamedanda-wearyofyeasadaughter，andshalllookuponyouasthehopeofmylifenomore。Whatdoyouknowaboutlifeandwhatitcanbringforth，andhowyououghttoacttoleaduptobestends？Oh，youareanungratefulmaid，Grace；you’veseenthatfellowGiles，andhehasgotoverye；that’swherethesecretlies，I’llwarrantme！”
“No，father，no！ItisnotGiles——itissomethingIcannottellyouof——“
“Well，makefoolsofusall；makeuslaughing-stocks；breakitoff；haveyourownway。”
“Butwhoknowsoftheengagementasyet？howcanbreakingitdisgraceyou？”
Melburythenbydegreesadmittedthathehadmentionedtheengagementtothisacquaintanceandtothat，tillsheperceivedthatinhisrestlessnessandpridehehadpublishediteverywhere。
Shewentdismallyawaytoaboweroflaurelatthetopofthegarden。Herfatherfollowedher。
“ItisthatGilesWinterborne！”hesaid，withanupbraidinggazeather。
“No，itisnot；thoughforthatmatteryouencouragedhimonce。”
shesaid，troubledtothevergeofdespair。“ItisnotGiles，itisMr。Fitzpiers。”
“You’vehadatiff——alovers’tiff——that’sall，Isuppose“Itissomewoman——“
“Ay，ay；youarejealous。Theoldstory。Don’ttellme。Nowdoyoubidehere。I’llsendFitzpierstoyou。Isawhimsmokinginfrontofhishousebutaminuteby-gone。”
Hewentoffhastilyoutofthegarden-gateanddownthelane。Butshewouldnotstaywhereshewas；andedgingthroughaslitinthegarden-fence，walkedawayintothewood。Justaboutherethetreeswerelargeandwideapart，andtherewasnoundergrowth，sothatshecouldbeseentosomedistance；asylph-like，greenish-
whitecreature，astonedbythesunlightandleafage。Sheheardafoot-fallcrushingdeadleavesbehindher，andfoundherselfreconnoiteredbyFitzpiershimself，approachinggayandfreshasthemorningaroundthem。
Hisremotegazeatherhadbeenoneofmildinterestratherthanofrapture。Butshelookedsolovelyinthegreenworldabouther，herpinkcheeks，hersimplelightdress，andthedelicateflexibilityofhermovementacquiredsuchrarityfromtheirwild-
woodsetting，thathiseyeskindledashedrewnear。
“Mydarling，whatisit？Yourfathersaysyouareinthepouts，andjealous，andIdon’tknowwhat。Ha！ha！ha！asiftherewereanyrivaltoyou，exceptvegetablenature，inthishomeofrecluses！Weknowbetter。”
“Jealous；ohno，itisnotso。”saidshe，gravely。“That’samistakeofhisandyours，sir。Ispoketohimsocloselyaboutthequestionofmarriagewithyouthathedidnotapprehendmystateofmind。”
“Butthere’ssomethingwrong——eh？”heasked，eyinghernarrowly，andbendingtokissher。Sheshrankaway，andhispurposedkissmiscarried。
“Whatisit？”hesaid，moreseriouslyforthislittledefeat。
Shemadenoanswerbeyond，“Mr。Fitzpiers，Ihavehadnobreakfast，Imustgoin。”
“Come。”heinsisted，fixinghiseyesuponher。“Tellmeatonce，Isay。”
Itwasthegreaterstrengthagainstthesmaller；butshewasmasteredlessbyhismannerthanbyherownsenseoftheunfairnessofsilence。“Ilookedoutofthewindow。”shesaid，withhesitation。“I’lltellyouby-and-by。Imustgoin-doors。
Ihavehadnobreakfast。”
Byasortofdivinationhisconjecturewentstraighttothefact。
“NorI。”saidhe，lightly。“Indeed，Iroselateto-day。Ihavehadabrokennight，orrathermorning。Agirlofthevillage——I
don’tknowhername——cameandrangatmybellassoonasitwaslight——betweenfourandfive，Ishouldthinkitwas——perfectlymaddenedwithanachingtooth。Asno-bodyheardherring，shethrewsomegravelatmywindow，tillatlastIheardherandslippedonmydressing-gownandwentdown。Thepoorthingbeggedmewithtearsinhereyestotakeouthertormentor，ifIdraggedherheadoff。Downshesatandoutitcame——alovelymolar，notaspeckuponit；andoffshewentwithitinherhandkerchief，muchcontented，thoughitwouldhavedonegoodworkforherforfiftyyearstocome。”
Itwasallsoplausible——socompletelyexplained。knowingnothingoftheincidentinthewoodonoldMidsummer-eve，Gracefeltthathersuspicionswereunworthyandabsurd，andwiththereadinessofanhonestheartshejumpedattheopportunityofhonoringhisword。Atthemomentofhermentalliberationthebushesaboutthegardenhadmoved，andherfatheremergedintotheshadyglade。
“Well，Ihopeitismadeup？”hesaid，cheerily。
“Ohyes。”saidFitzpiers，withhiseyesfixedonGrace，whoseeyeswereshylybentdownward。
“Now。”saidherfather，“tellme，thepairofye，thatyoustillmeantotakeoneanotherforgoodandall；andonthestrengtho’tyoushallhaveanothercoupleofhundredpaiddown。Iswearitbythename。”
Fitzpierstookherhand。“Wedeclareit，dowenot，mydearGrace？”saidhe。
Relievedofherdoubt，somewhatoverawed，andeveranxioustoplease，shewasdisposedtosettlethematter；yet，womanlike，shewouldnotrelinquishheropportunityofaskingaconcessionofsomesort。“Ifourweddingcanbeatchurch，Isayyes。”sheanswered，inameasuredvoice。“Ifnot，Isayno。”
Fitzpierswasgenerousinhisturn。“Itshallbeso。”herejoined，gracefully。“Toholychurchwe’llgo，andmuchgoodmayitdous。”
Theyreturnedthroughthebushesindoors，Gracewalking，fullofthoughtbetweentheothertwo，somewhatcomforted，bothbyFitzpiers’singeniousexplanationandbythesensethatshewasnottobedeprivedofareligiousceremony。“Soletitbe。”shesaidtoherself。“PrayGoditisforthebest。”
Fromthishourtherewasnoseriousattemptatrecalcitrationonherpart。Fitzpierskepthimselfcontinuallynearher，dominatinganyrebelliousimpulse，andshapingherwillintopassiveconcurrencewithallhisdesires。Apartfromhislover-likeanxietytopossessher，thefewgoldenhundredsofthetimber-
dealer，readytohand，formedawarmbackgroundtoGrace’slovelyface，andwentsomewaytoremovehisuneasinessattheprospectofendangeringhisprofessionalandsocialchancesbyanalliancewiththefamilyofasimplecountryman。