HepitiedMelburyforhisalmostchildishenthusiasm，andsawthattheagingmanmusthavesufferedacutelytobeweakenedtothisunreasoningdesire。

　　Winterbornewasfartoomagnanimoustoharboranycynicalconjecturethatthetimber-merchant，inhisintenseaffectionforGrace，wascourtinghimnowbecausethatyounglady，whendisunited，wouldbeleftinananomalousposition，toescapewhichabadhusbandwasbetterthannone。HefeltquitesurethathisoldfriendwassimplyontenterhooksofanxietytorepairthealmostirreparableerrorofdividingtwowhomNaturehadstriventojointogetherinearlierdays，andthatinhisardortodothishewasobliviousofformalities。Thecautioussupervisionofhispastyearshadoverleapeditselfatlast。hence，Winterborneperceivedthat，inthisnewbeginning，thenecessarycarenottocompromiseGracebytooearlyadvancesmustbeexercisedbyhimself。

　　PerhapsWinterbornewasnotquitesoardentasheretofore。Thereisnosuchthingasastationarylove：menareeitherlovingmoreorlovingless。ButGileshimselfrecognizednodeclineinhissenseofherdearness。IftheflamedidindeedburnlowernowthanwhenhehadfetchedherfromShertonatherlastreturnfromschool，themarvelwassmall。Hehadbeenlaboringeversincehisrejectionandhermarriagetoreducehisformerpassiontoadocilefriendship，outofpureregardtoitsexpediency；andtheirseparationmayhavehelpedhimtoapartialsuccess。

　　Aweekandmorepassed，andtherewasnofurthernewsofMelbury。

　　Buttheeffectoftheintelligencehehadalreadytransmittedupontheelastic-nerveddaughterofthewoodshadbeenmuchwhattheoldsurgeonJoneshadsurmised。Ithadsoothedherperturbedspiritbetterthanalltheopiatesinthepharmacopoeia。Shehadsleptunbrokenlyawholenightandaday。The“newlaw“wastoheramysterious，beneficent，godlikeentity，latelydescendeduponearth，thatwouldmakeherassheoncehadbeenwithouttroubleorannoyance。Herpositionfrettedher，itsabstractfeaturesrousinganaversionwhichwasevengreaterthanheraversiontothepersonalityofhimwhohadcausedit。Itwasmortifying，productiveofslights，undignified。Himshecouldforget；hercircumstancesshehadalwayswithher。

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