Alone！
Heneededtobe。Thestrongestmustpausewhentheprecipiceyawnsbeforehim。Thegulfcanbespanned；hefeelshimselfforcefulenoughforthat；buthiseyesmusttaketheirmeasurementofitfirst；hemustknowitsdepthsandpossibledangers。Onlyafoolwouldignorethesesteepsofjaggedrock；andhewasnofool，onlyamantowhomtheunexpectedhadhappened，amanwhohadseenhiswaycleartothehorizonandthenhadcomeupagainstthis！Love，whenhethoughtsuchfollydead！Remorse，whenGlorycalledforthequietmindandheart！
Herecogniseditsmordantfang，andknewthatitsravages，thoughonlyjustbegun，wouldlasthislifetime。Nothingcouldstopthemnow，nothing，nothing。Andhelaughed，asthethoughtwenthome；
laughedattheironyoffateanditsinexorableness；laughedathisowndefeatandhisnearnesstoabarredParadise。OswaldlovedEdith，lovedheryet，withaflametimewouldtakelongtoquench。DorislovedOswaldandheDoris；andnotoneofthemwouldeverattainthedelightseachwassofittedtoenjoy。Whyshouldn’thelaugh?Whatislefttomanbutmockerywhenallpropsfall?Disappointmentwastheuniversallot；anditshouldgomerrilywithhimifhemusttakehisturnatit。Butherethestrongspiritofthemanre-asserteditself；itshouldbebutaturn。Aman’sjoysarenotboundedbyhislovesorevenbythesatisfactionofaperfectlyuntrammelledmind。Performancemakesaworldofitsownforthecapableandthestrong，andthiswasstilllefttohim。He，OrlandoBrotherson，despairwhilehisgreatworklayunfinished！Thatwouldbetolaystressontheinevitablepainsandfearsofcommonplacehumanity。
Hewasnotofthatilk。Intellectwashisgod；ambitionhismotivepower。Whatwouldthiscasualblightuponhissupremecontentmentbetohim，whenwiththewingsofhisair-carspread，heshouldspurntheearthandsoarintotheheavenoffamesimultaneouslywithhisflightintotheopen。
Hecouldwaitforthathour。Hehadmeasuredthegulfbeforehimandfounditpassable。Henceforthnolookingback。
Rising，hestoodforamomentgazing，withanalerteyenow，uponsuchsectionsofhiscarashadnotyetbeenfittedintotheirplaces；thenhebentforwardtohiswork，andsoonthelipswhichhadutteredthatsardoniclaughafewminutesbefore，partedingentlerfashion，andsongtooktheplaceofcurses-aballadofloveandfondesttruth。ButOrlandoneverknewwhathesang。Hehadthegiftandusedit。
Wouldhistones，however，haverungoutwithquitesomellowasweetnesshadheseentherestlessfigureeventhencirclinghisretreatwitheyesdartingaccusationandarmsliftedtowardshiminwildbutimpotentthreat?
Yes，Ithinktheywould；forheknewthatthemanwhothusexpressedhishelplessnessalongwithhisconvictions，wasnonearertheendhehadsethimselftoattainthanonthedayhefirstbetrayedhissuspicions。
THEHUTCHANGESITSNAME
ThatnightOswaldwastakenveryill。Forthreedayshislifehunginthebalance，thenyouthandhealthylivingtriumphedovershockandbereavement，andhecameslowlybacktohissadandcrippledexistence。
Hehadbeenconsciousforaweekormoreofhissurroundings，andofhisbittersorrowsaswell，whenonemorningheaskedDoriswhosefaceitwashehadseenbendingoverhimsooftenduringthelastweek：”Haveyouanewdoctor?Amanwithwhitehairandacomfortingsmile?OrhaveIdreamedthisface?Ihavehadsomanyfanciesthismighteasilybeoneofthem。””No，itisnotafancy，”wasthequietreply。”Norisitthefaceofadoctor。Itisthatoffriend。Onewhoseheartisboundupinyourrecovery；oneforwhomyoumustlive，Mr。Brotherson。””Idon’tknowhim，Doris。It’sastrangefacetome。Andyet，it’snotaltogetherstrange。Whoisthismanandwhyshouldhecareformesodeeply?””Becauseyoushareoneloveandonegrief。ItisEdith’sfatherwhomyouseeatyourbedside。Hehashelpedtonurseyoueversinceyoucamedownthissecondtime。””Edith’sfather！Doris，itcannotbe。Edith’sfather！””Yes，Mr。ChallonerhasbeeninDerbyforthelasttwoweeks。Hehasonlyoneinterestnow；toseeyouwellagain。””Why?”
Doriscaughtthenoteofpain，ifnotsuspicion，inthisquery，andsmiledassheaskedinturn：”Shallheanswerthatquestionhimself?Heiswaitingtocomein。
Nottotalk。Youneednotfearhistalking。He’sasquietasanymanIeversaw。”
Thesickmanclosedhiseyes，andDoriswatching，sawtheflushrisetohisemaciatedcheek，thenslowlyfadeawayagaintoapallorthatfrightenedher。Hadsheinjuredwhereshewouldheal?Hadshepressedtoosuddenlyandtoohardontheevergapingwoundinherinvalid’sbreast?Shegaspedinterroratthethought，thenshefaintlysmiled，forhiseyeshadopenedagainandshowedacalmdeterminationashesaid：”Ishouldliketoseehim。IshouldlikehimtoanswerthequestionIhavejustputyou。Ishouldresteasierandgetwellfaster-ornotgetwellatall。”
Thislatterhehalfwhispered，andDoris，trippingfromtheroommaynothaveheardit，forherfaceshowednofurthershadowassheusheredinMr。Challoner，andclosedthedoorbehindhim。Shehadlookedforwardtothismomentfordays。ToOswald，however，itwasanunexpectedexcitementandhisvoicetrembledwithsomethingmorethanphysicalweaknessashegreetedhisvisitorandthankedhimforhisattentions。”DorissaysthatyouhaveshownmethiskindnessfromthedesireyouhavetoseemewellagainMr。Challoner。Isthistrue?””Verytrue。Icannotemphasisethefacttoostrongly。”
Oswald’seyesmethisagain，thistimewithgreatearnestness。”Youmusthaveseriousreasonsforfeelingso-reasonswhichIdonotquiteunderstand。MayIaskwhyyouplacesuchvalueuponalifewhich，ifeverusefultoitselforothers，haslostandlostforever，theonedelightwhichgaveitmeaning?”
ItwasforMr。Challoner’svoicetotremblenow，asreachingouthishand，hedeclared，withunmistakablefeeling：”Ihavenoson。Ihavenointerestleftinlife，outsidethisroomandthepossibilitiesitcontainsforme。Yourattachmenttomydaughterhascreatedabondbetweenus，Mr。Brotherson，whichI
sincerelyhopetoseerecognisedbyyou。”
Startledanddeeplymoved，theyoungmanstretchedoutashakinghandtowardshisvisitor，withthefeeblebutexultingcry：”Thenyoudonotblamemeforherwretchedandmysteriousdeath。
Youholdmeguiltlessofthemiserywhichnervedherdespairingarm?””Quiteguiltless。”
Oswald’swanandpinchedfeaturestookonabeautifulexpressionandMr。Challonernolongerwonderedathisdaughter’schoice。”ThankGod！”fellfromthesickman’slips，andthentherewasasilenceduringwhichtheirtwohandsmet。
ItwassomeminutesbeforeeitherspokeandthenitwasOswaldwhosaid：”Imustconfidetoyoucertainfacts。Ihonouredyourdaughterandrealisedherpositionfully。Ourplightwasnevermadeinwords，norshouldIhavepresumedtoadvanceanyclaimtoherhandifIhadnotmadegoodmyexpectations，Mr。Challoner。Imeanttowinbothherregardandyoursbyacts，notwords。IfeltthatI
hadagreatdealtodoandIwaspreparedtoworkandwait。Ilovedher-”Heturnedawayhisheadandthesilencewhichfilledupthegap，unitedthosetwohearts，astheoldandyoungareseldomunited。
Butwhenalittlelater，Mr。ChallonerrejoinedDoris，inherlittlesitting-room，heneverthelessshowedaperplexityshehadhopedtoseeremovedbythisunderstandingwiththeyoungerBrotherson。
Thecausebecameapparentassoonashespoke。”Thesebrothersholdbyeachother，”saidhe。”OswaldwillhearnothingagainstOrlando。Hesaysthathehasredeemedhisfault。
Hedoesnotevenprotestthathisbrother’swordistobebelievedinthismatter。Hedoesnotseemtothinkthatnecessary。HeevidentlyregardsOrlando’spersonalityasspeakingastrulyandsatisfactorilyforitself，ashisowndoes。AndIdarednotundeceivehim。””Hedoesnotknowallourreasonsfordistrust。Hehasheardnothingaboutthepoorwasherwoman。””No，andhemustnot，-notforweeks。Hehasborneallthathecan。””Hisconfidenceinhisolderbrotherissublime。Idonotshareit；
butIcannothelpbutrespecthimforit。”
Itwaswarmlysaid，andMr。Challonercouldnotforbearcastingananxiouslookatherupturnedface。Whathesawtheremadehimturnawaywithasigh。”Thisconfidencehasformeaveryunhappyside，”heremarked。”ItshowsmeOswald’sthought。Hewholovedherbest，acceptsthecruelverdictofanunreasoningpublic。”
Doris’largeeyesburnedwithaweirdlightuponhisface。”Hehasnothadmydream，”shemurmured，withallthequietofanunmovedconviction。
Yetasthedayswentby，evenhermannerchangedtowardsthebusyinventor。Itwashardlypossibleforitnotto。Thehighstandhetook；theregardaccordedhimoneveryside；histalent；hisconversation，whichwasaneducationinitself，and，aboveall，hisabsorptioninaworkdailyadvancingtowardscompletion，removedhimsoinsensiblyandyetsodecidedly，fromthehideouspastoftragedywithwhichhisname，ifnothishonour，wasassociated，that，unconsciouslytoherself，shegraduallylosthericyairofrepulsionandlenthimamoreorlessattentiveear，whenhechosetojointheirsmallcompanyofanevening。Theresultwasthatheturnedsobrightasideuponherthattolerationmergedfromdaytodayintoadmirationandmemorylostitselfinanticipationoftheeventwhichwastoprovehimamanofmen，ifnotoneoftheworld’sgreatestmechanicalgeniuses。
Meantime，Oswaldwassteadilyimprovinginhealth，ifnotinspirits。