ItwassomewhatsingularthatGilesinhissemi-consciousstateacquiescedunresistinglyinallthatshedid。Butheneverforamomentrecognizedher——continuinghisrapidconversationtohimself，andseemingtolookuponherassomeangel，orothersupernaturalcreatureofthevisionaryworldinwhichhewasmentallyliving。Theundertakingoccupiedhermorethantenminutes；butbythattime，tohergreatthankfulness，hewasintheinnerroom，lyingonthebed，hisdampouterclothingremoved。
ThentheunhappyGraceregardedhimbythelightofthecandle。
Therewassomethinginhislookwhichagonizedher，intherushofhisthoughts，acceleratingtheirspeedfromminutetominute。Heseemedtobepassingthroughtheuniverseofideaslikeacomet——
erratic，inapprehensible，untraceable。
Grace’sdistractionwasalmostasgreatashis。Inafewmomentsshefirmlybelievedhewasdying。Unabletowithstandherimpulse，shekneltdownbesidehim，kissedhishandsandhisfaceandhishair，exclaiming，inalowvoice，“HowcouldI？HowcouldI？”
Hertimidmoralityhad，indeed，underratedhischivalrytillnow，thoughsheknewhimsowell。Thepurityofhisnature，hisfreedomfromthegrosserpassions，hisscrupulousdelicacy，hadneverbeenfullyunderstoodbyGracetillthisstrangeself-
sacrificeinlonelyjuxtapositiontoherownpersonwasrevealed。
Theperceptionofitaddedsomethingthatwaslittleshortofreverencetothedeepaffectionforhimofawomanwho，herself，hadmoreofArtemisthanofAphroditeinherconstitution。
Allthatatendernursecoulddo，Gracedid；andthepowertoexpresshersolicitudeinaction，unconsciousthoughthesuffererwas，broughthermournfulsatisfaction。Shebathedhishothead，wipedhisperspiringhands，moistenedhislips，cooledhisfieryeyelids，spongedhisheatedskin，andadministeredwhatevershecouldfindinthehousethattheimaginationcouldconceiveaslikelytobeinanywayalleviating。Thatshemighthavebeenthecause，orpartiallythecause，ofallthis，interfusedmiserywithhersorrow。
Sixmonthsbeforethisdateascene，almostsimilarinitsmechanicalparts，hadbeenenactedatHintockHouse。Itwasbetweenapairofpersonsmostintimatelyconnectedintheirliveswiththese。Outwardlylikeasithadbeen，itwasyetinfiniteinspiritualdifference，thoughawoman’sdevotionhadbeencommontoboth。
Gracerosefromherattitudeofaffection，and，bracingherenergies，sawthatsomethingpracticalmustimmediatelybedone。
Muchasshewouldhaveliked，intheemotionofthemoment，tokeephimentirelytoherself，medicalassistancewasnecessarywhilethereremainedapossibilityofpreservinghimalive。Suchassistancewasfataltoherownconcealment；butevenhadthechanceofbenefitinghimbeenlessthanitwas，shewouldhaverunthehazardforhissake。Thequestionwas，whereshouldshegetamedicalman，competentandnear？
Therewasonesuchman，andonlyone，withinaccessibledistance；
amanwho，ifitwerepossibletosaveWinterborne’slife，hadthebrainmostlikelytodoit。Ifhumanpressurecouldbringhim，thatmanoughttobebroughttothesickGiles’sside。Theattemptshouldbemade。
Yetshedreadedtoleaveherpatient，andtheminutesracedpast，andyetshepostponedherdeparture。Atlast，whenitwasaftereleveno’clock，Winterbornefellintoafitfulsleep，anditseemedtoaffordheranopportunity。
Shehastilymadehimascomfortableasshecould，putonherthings，cutanewcandlefromthebunchhanginginthecupboard，andhavingsetitup，andplaceditsothatthelightdidnotfalluponhiseyes，sheclosedthedoorandstarted。
ThespiritofWinterborneseemedtokeephercompanyandbanishallsenseofdarknessfromhermind。Therainshadimpartedaphosphorescencetothepiecesoftouchwoodandrottingleavesthatlayaboutherpath，which，asscatteredbyherfeet，spreadabroadlikespiltmilk。Shewouldnotrunthehazardoflosingherwaybyplungingintoanyshort，unfrequentedtrackthroughthedenserpartsofthewoodland，butfollowedamoreopencourse，whicheventuallybroughthertothehighway。Oncehere，sheranalongwithgreatspeed，animatedbyadevotedpurposewhichhadmuchaboutitthatwasstoical；anditwaswithscarcelyanyfalteringofspiritthat，afteranhour’sprogress，shepassedoverRubdownHill，andonwardtowardsthatsameHintock，andthatsamehouse，outofwhichshehadfledafewdaysbeforeinirresistiblealarm。
Butthathadhappenedwhich，aboveallotherthingsofchanceandchange，couldmakeherdeliberatelyfrustrateherplanofflightandsinkallregardofpersonalconsequences。
OnespecialityofFitzpiers’swasrespectedbyGraceasmuchasever——hisprofessionalskill。Inthisshewasright。Hadhispersistenceequalledhisinsight，insteadofbeingthespasmodicandfitfulthingitwas，fameandfortuneneedneverhaveremainedawishwithhim。Hisfreedomfromconventionalerrorsandcrustedprejudiceshad，indeed，beensuchastoretardratherthanacceleratehisadvanceinHintockanditsneighborhood，wherepeoplecouldnotbelievethatnatureherselfeffectedcures，andthatthedoctor’sbusinesswasonlytosmooththeway。
ItwaspastmidnightwhenGracearrivedoppositeherfather’shouse，nowagaintemporarilyoccupiedbyherhusband，unlesshehadalreadygoneaway。EversinceheremergencefromthedenserplantationsaboutWinterborne’sresidenceapervasivelightnesshadhunginthedampautumnsky，inspiteofthevaultofcloud，signifyingthatamoonofsomeagewasshiningaboveitsarch。
Thetwowhitegatesweredistinct，andthewhiteballsonthepillars，andthepuddlesanddamprutsleftbytherecentrain，hadacold，corpse-eyedluminousness。Sheenteredbythelowergate，andcrossedthequadrangletothewingwhereintheapartmentsthathadbeenherssincehermarriageweresituate，tillshestoodunderawindowwhich，ifherhusbandwereinthehouse，gavelighttohisbedchamber。
Shefaltered，andpausedwithherhandonherheart，inspiteofherself。Couldshecalltoherpresencetheverycauseofallherforegoingtroubles？Alas！——oldJoneswassevenmilesoff；Gileswaspossiblydying——whatelsecouldshedo？
Itwasinaperspiration，wroughtevenmorebyconsciousnessthanbyexercise，thatshepickedupsomegravel，threwitatthepanes，andwaitedtoseetheresult。Thenight-bellwhichhadbeenfixedwhenFitzpiersfirsttookuphisresidencetherestillremained；butasithadfallenintodisusewiththecollapseofhispractice，andhiselopement，shedidnotventuretopullitnow。
Whoeversleptintheroomhadheardhersignal，slightasitwas。
Inhalfaminutethewindowwasopened，andavoicesaid“Yes？”
inquiringly。Gracerecognizedherhusbandinthespeakeratonce。
Hereffortwasnowtodisguiseherownaccents。
“Doctor。”shesaid，inasunusualatoneasshecouldcommand，“amanisdangerouslyillinOne-chimneyHut，outtowardsDelborough，andyoumustgotohimatonce——inallmercy！”
“Iwill，readily。”
Thealacrity，surprise，andpleasureexpressedinhisreplyamazedherforamoment。But，intruth，theydenotedthesuddenreliefofamanwho，havinggotbackinamoodofcontrition，fromerraticabandonmenttofearfuljoys，foundthesoothingroutineofprofessionalpracticeunexpectedlyopeninganewtohim。Thehighestdesireofhissouljustnowwasforarespectablelifeofpainstaking。Ifthis，hisfirstsummonssincehisreturn，hadbeentoattenduponacatordog，hewouldscarcelyhaverefuseditinthecircumstances。
“Doyouknowtheway？”sheasked。
“Yes。”saidhe。
“One-chimneyHut。”sherepeated。“And——immediately！”
“Yes，yes。”saidFitzpiers。
Graceremainednolonger。Shepassedoutofthewhitegatewithoutslammingit，andhastenedonherwayback。Herhusband，then，hadre-enteredherfather’shouse。Howhehadbeenabletoeffectareconciliationwiththeoldman，whatwerethetermsofthetreatybetweenthem，shecouldnotsomuchasconjecture。
Somesortoftrucemusthavebeenenteredinto，thatwasallshecouldsay。Butcloseasthequestionlaytoherownlife，therewasamoreurgentonewhichbanishedit；andshetracedherstepsquicklyalongthemeanderingtrack-ways。
Meanwhile，Fitzpierswaspreparingtoleavethehouse。Thestateofhismind，overandabovehisprofessionalzeal，waspeculiar。
AtGrace’sfirstremarkhehadnotrecognizedorsuspectedherpresence；butasshewenton，hewasawakenedtothegreatresemblanceofthespeaker’svoicetohiswife’s。Hehadtakeninsuchgoodfaiththestatementofthehouseholdonhisarrival，thatshehadgoneonavisitforatimebecauseshecouldnotatoncebringhermindtobereconciledtohim，thathecouldnotquiteactuallybelievethiscomertobeshe。ItwasoneofthefeaturesofFitzpiers’srepentanthumoratthisdatethat，onreceivingtheexplanationofherabsence，hehadmadenoattempttooutrageherfeelingsbyfollowingher；thoughnobodyhadinformedhimhowveryshortlyherdeparturehadprecededhisentry，andofallthatmighthavebeeninferredfromherprecipitancy。
Melbury，aftermuchalarmandconsideration，haddecidednottofollowhereither。Hesympathizedwithherflight，muchashedeploredit；moreover，thetragiccoloroftheantecedenteventsthathehadbeenagreatmeansofcreatingcheckedhisinstincttointerfere。HeprayedandtrustedthatshehadgotintonodangeronherwayashesupposedtoSherton，andthencetoExbury，ifthatweretheplaceshehadgoneto，forbearingallinquirywhichthestrangenessofherdeparturewouldhavemadenatural。AfewmonthsbeforethistimeaperformancebyGraceofone-tenththemagnitudeofthiswouldhavearousedhimtounwontedinvestigation。
ItwasinthesamespiritthathehadtacitlyassentedtoFitzpiers’sdomicilationthere。Thetwomenhadnotmetfacetoface，butMrs。Melburyhadproposedherselfasanintermediary，whomadethesurgeon’sre-entrancecomparativelyeasytohim。
Everythingwasprovisional，andnobodyaskedquestions。Fitzpiershadcomeintheperformanceofaplanofpenitence，whichhadoriginatedincircumstanceshereaftertobeexplained；hisself-
humiliationtotheverybass-stringwasdeliberate；andassoonasacallreachedhimfromthebedsideofadyingmanhisdesirewastosettoworkanddoasmuchgoodashecouldwiththeleastpossiblefussorshow。Hethereforerefrainedfromcallingupastablemantogetreadyanyhorseorgig，andsetoutforOne-
chimneyHutonfoot，asGracehaddone。
Shere-enteredthehut，flungoffherbonnetandcloak，andapproachedthesufferer。Hehadbegunanewthoseterriblemutterings，andhishandswerecold。Assoonasshesawhimtherereturnedtoherthatagonyofmindwhichthestimulusofherjourneyhadthrownoffforatime。
Couldhereallybedying？Shebathedhim，kissedhim，forgotallthingsbutthefactthatlyingtherebeforeherwashewhohadlovedhermorethanthemereloverwouldhaveloved；hadmartyredhimselfforhercomfort，caredmoreforherself-respectthanshehadthoughtofcaring。Thismoodcontinuedtillsheheardquick，smartfootstepswithout；sheknewwhosefootstepstheywere。
Gracesatontheinsideofthebedagainstthewall，holdingGiles’shand，sothatwhenherhusbandenteredthepatientlaybetweenherselfandhim。Hestoodtransfixedatfirst，noticingGraceonly。Slowlyhedroppedhisglanceanddiscernedwhotheprostratemanwas。Strangelyenough，thoughGrace’sdistasteforherhusband’scompanyhadamountedalmosttodread，andculminatedinactualflight，atthismomentherlastandleastfeelingwaspersonal。Sensitivefemininitywaseclipsedbyself-effacingpurpose，andthatitwasahusbandwhostoodtherewasforgotten。
Thefirstlookthatpossessedherfacewasrelief；satisfactionatthepresenceofthephysicianobliteratedthoughtoftheman，whichonlyreturnedintheformofasub-consciousnessthatdidnotinterferewithherwords。
“Ishedying——isthereanyhope？”shecried。
“Grace！”saidFitzpiers，inanindescribablewhisper——morethaninvocating，ifnotquitedeprecatory。
Hewasarrestedbythespectacle，notsomuchinitsintrinsiccharacter——thoughthatwasstrikingenoughtoamanwhocalledhimselfthehusbandofthesufferer’sfriendandnurse——butinitscharacterasthecounterpartofonethathaditshourmanymonthsbefore，inwhichhehadfiguredasthepatient，andthewomanhadbeenFeliceCharmond。
“Isheingreatdanger——canyousavehim？”shecriedagain。
Fitzpiersarousedhimself，camealittlenearer，andexaminedWinterborneashestood。Hisinspectionwasconcludedinamereglance。Beforehespokehelookedathercontemplativelyastotheeffectofhiscomingwords。
“Heisdying。”hesaid，withdryprecision。
“What？”saidshe。
“Nothingcanbedone，bymeoranyotherman。Itwillsoonbeallover。Theextremitiesaredeadalready。”Hiseyesstillremainedfixedonher；theconclusiontowhichhehadcomeseemingtoendhisinterest，professionalandotherwise，inWinterborneforever。
“Butitcannotbe！Hewaswellthreedaysago。”
“Notwell，Isuspect。Thisseemslikeasecondaryattack，whichhasfollowedsomepreviousillness——possiblytyphoid——itmayhavebeenmonthsago，orrecently。”