第25章

Preciselythesethoughtshadoccurredtohimatthefirsttimeofseeingher；buthenowwentalittlefurtherwiththem，andconsideredthatastherehadbeennocarriageseenorheardlatelyinthatspotshecouldnothavecomeaverylongdistance。ShemustbesomebodystayingatHintockHouse？PossiblyMrs。Charmond，ofwhomhehadheardsomuch——atanyrateaninmate，andthisprobabilitywassufficienttosetamildradianceinthesurgeon’ssomewhatdullsky。

Fitzpierssatdowntothebookhehadbeenperusing。IthappenedtobethatofaGermanmetaphysician，forthedoctorwasnotapracticalman，exceptbyfits，andmuchpreferredtheidealworldtothereal，andthediscoveryofprinciplestotheirapplication。

Theyoungladyremainedinhisthoughts。Hemighthavefollowedher；buthewasnotconstitutionallyactive，andpreferredaconjecturalpursuit。However，whenhewentoutforaramblejustbeforeduskheinsensiblytookthedirectionofHintockHouse，whichwasthewaythatGracehadbeenwalking，ithavinghappenedthathermindhadrunonMrs。Charmondthatday，andshehadwalkedtothebrowofahillwhencethehousecouldbeseen，returningbyanotherroute。

Fitzpiersinhisturnreachedtheedgeoftheglen，overlookingthemanor-house。Theshutterswereshut，andonlyonechimneysmoked。ThemereaspectoftheplacewasenoughtoinformhimthatMrs。Charmondhadgoneawayandthatnobodyelsewasstayingthere。FitzpiersfeltavaguedisappointmentthattheyoungladywasnotMrs。Charmond，ofwhomhehadheardsomuch；andwithoutpausinglongertogazeatacarcassfromwhichthespirithadflown，hebenthisstepshomeward。

LaterintheeveningFitzpierswassummonedtovisitacottagepatientabouttwomilesdistant。Likethemajorityofyoungpractitionersinhispositionhewasfarfromhavingassumedthedignityofbeingdrivenhisroundsbyaservantinabroughamthatflashedthesunlightlikeamirror；hiswayofgettingaboutwasbymeansofagigwhichhedrovehimself，hitchingthereinofthehorsetothegatepost，shutterhook，orgardenpalingofthedomicileundervisitation，orgivingpenniestolittleboystoholdtheanimalduringhisstay——pennieswhichwerewellearnedwhenthecasestobeattendedwereofacertaincheerfulkindthatworeoutthepatienceofthelittleboys。

Onthisaccountoftravellingalone，thenightjourneyswhichFitzpiershadfrequentlytotakeweredismalenough，aseriousapparentperversityinnaturerulingthatwhenevertherewastobeabirthinaparticularlyinaccessibleandlonelyplace，thateventshouldoccurinthenight。Thesurgeon，havingbeenoflateyearsatownman，hatedthesolitarymidnightwoodland。Hewasnotaltogetherskilfulwiththereins，anditoftenoccurredtohismindthatifinsomeremotedepthsofthetreesanaccidentweretohappen，thefactofhisbeingalonemightbethedeathofhim。Hencehemadeapracticeofpickingupanycountrymanorladwhomhechancedtopassby，andunderthedisguiseoftreatinghimtoanicedrive，obtainedhiscompanionshiponthejourney，andhisconvenientassistanceinopeninggates。

ThedoctorhadstartedonhiswayoutofthevillageonthenightinquestionwhenthelightofhislampsfelluponthemusingformofWinterborne，walkingleisurelyalong，asifhehadnoobjectinlife。Winterbornewasabetterclassofcompanionthanthedoctorusuallycouldget，andheatoncepulledupandaskedhimifhewouldlik