第27章

ButwhetherhemeditatedtheMusesorthephilosophers，thelonelinessofHintocklifewasbeginningtotelluponhisimpressionablenature。Winterinasolitaryhouseinthecountry，withoutsociety，istolerable，nay，evenenjoyableanddelightful，givencertainconditions，butthesearenottheconditionswhichattachtothelifeofaprofessionalmanwhodropsdownintosuchaplacebymereaccident。TheywerepresenttothelivesofWinterborne，Melbury，andGrace；butnottothedoctor’s。Theyareoldassociation——analmostexhaustivebiographicalorhistoricalacquaintancewitheveryobject，animateandinanimate，withintheobserver’shorizon。Hemustknowallaboutthoseinvisibleonesofthedaysgoneby，whosefeethavetraversedthefieldswhichlooksograyfromhiswindows；recallwhosecreakingploughhasturnedthosesodsfromtimetotime；whosehandsplantedthetreesthatformacresttotheoppositehill；whosehorsesandhoundshavetornthroughthatunderwood；whatbirdsaffectthatparticularbrake；whatdomesticdramasoflove，jealousy，revenge，ordisappointmenthavebeenenactedinthecottages，themansion，thestreet，oronthegreen。Thespotmayhavebeauty，grandeur，salubrity，convenience；butifitlackmemoriesitwillultimatelypalluponhimwhosettlestherewithoutopportunityofintercoursewithhiskind。

Insuchcircumstances，maybe，anoldmandreamsofanidealfriend，tillhethrowshimselfintothearmsofanyimpostorwhochoosestowearthattitleonhisface。Ayoungmanmaydreamofanidealfriendlikewise，butsomehumorofthebloodwillprobablyleadhimtothinkratherofanidealmistress，andatlengththerustleofawoman’sdress，thesoundofhervoice，orthetransitofherformacrossthefieldofhisvision，willenkindlehissoulwithaflamethatblindshiseyes。

ThediscoveryoftheattractiveGrace’snameandfamilywouldhavebeenenoughinothercircumstancestoleadthedoctor，ifnottoputherpersonalityoutofhishead，tochangethecharacterofhisinterestinher。Insteadoftreasuringherimageasararity，hewouldatmosthaveplayedwithitasatoy。Hewasthatkindofaman。Butsituatedherehecouldnotgosofarasamativecruelty。Hedismissedallreverentialthoughtabouther，buthecouldnothelptakingherseriously。

Hewentontoimaginetheimpossible。Sofar，indeed，didhegointhisfutiledirectionthat，asothersarewonttodo，heconstructeddialoguesandscenesinwhichGracehadturnedouttobethemistressofHintockManor-house，themysteriousMrs。

Charmond，particularlyreadyandwillingtobewooedbyhimselfandnobodyelse。“Well，sheisn’tthat。”hesaid，finally。“Butshe’saverysweet，nice，exceptionalgirl。”

Thenextmorninghebreakfastedalone，asusual。Itwassnowingwithafine-flakeddesultorinessjustsufficienttomakethewoodlandgray，withouteverachievingwhiteness。TherewasnotasingleletterforFitzpiers，onlyamedicalcircularandaweeklynewspaper。

Tositbeforealargefireonsuchmornings，andread，andgraduallyacquireenergytilltheeveningcame，andthen，withlampalight，andfeelingfullofvigor，topursuesomeengrossingsubjectorothertillthesmallhours，hadhithertobeenhispractice。Butto-dayhecouldnotsettleintohischair。Thatself-containedpositionhehadlatelyoccupied，inwhichtheonlyattentiondemandedwastheconcentrationoftheinnereye，allouterregardbeingquitegratuitous，seemedtohavebeentakenbyinsidiousstratagem，andforthefirsttimehehadaninterestoutsidethehouse。Hewalkedfromonewindowtoanother，andbecameawarethatthemostirksomeofsolitudesisnotthesolitudeofremoteness，butthatwhichisjustoutsidedesirablecompany。

Thebreakfasthourwentbyheavilyenough，andthenextfollowed，inthesamehalf-snowy，half-rainystyle，theweathernowbeingtheinevitablerelapsewhichsoonerorlatersucceedsatimetooradiantfortheseason，suchastheyhadenjoye