第32章

HenowbeggedGilestoreturn，andofferedhimagoldcoin，whichlookedlikeasovereign，fortheassistancerendered。Gilesdeclinedtoacceptanything，tothesurpriseofthestranger，who，onputtingthemoneybackintohispocket，said，awkwardly，“I

offereditbecauseIwantyoutoutternowordaboutthismeetingwithme。Willyoupromise？”

Winterbornepromisedreadily。Hethereuponstoodstillwhiletheotherascendedtheslope。Atthebottomhelookedbackdubiously。

Gileswouldnolongerremainwhenhewassoevidentlydesiredtoleave，andreturnedthroughtheboughstoHintock。

Hesuspectedthatthisman，whoseemedsodistressedandmelancholy，mightbethatloverandpersistentwooerofMrs。

Charmondwhomhehadheardsofrequentlyspokenof，andwhomitwassaidshehadtreatedcavalierly。ButhereceivednoconfirmationofhissuspicionbeyondareportwhichreachedhimafewdayslaterthatagentlemanhadcalleduptheservantswhoweretakingcareofHintockHouseatanhourpastmidnight；andonlearningthatMrs。Charmond，thoughreturnedfromabroad，wasasyetinLondon，hehadswornbitterly，andgoneawaywithoutleavingacardoranytraceofhimself。

Thegirlswhorelatedthestoryaddedthathesighedthreetimesbeforeheswore，butthispartofthenarrativewasnotcorroborated。Anyhow，suchagentlemanhaddrivenawayfromthehotelatShertonnextdayinacarriagehiredatthatinn。

Thesunny，leafyweekwhichfollowedthetenderdoingsofMidsummerEvebroughtavisitortoFitzpiers’sdoor；avoicethatheknewsoundedinthepassage。Mr。Melburyhadcalled。Atfirsthehadaparticularobjectiontoentertheparlor，becausehisbootsweredusty，butasthesurgeoninsistedhewaivedthepointandcamein。

Lookingneithertotherightnortotheleft，hardlyatFitzpiershimself，heputhishatunderhischair，andwithapreoccupiedgazeatthefloor，hesaid，“I’vecalledtoaskyou，doctor，quiteprivately，aquestionthattroublesme。I’veadaughter，Grace，anonlydaughter，asyoumayhaveheard。Well，she’sbeenoutinthedew——onMidsummerEveinparticularshewentoutinthinslipperstowatchsomevagaryoftheHintockmaids——andshe’sgotacough，adistincthemmingandhacking，thatmakesmeuneasy。

Now，Ihavedecidedtosendherawaytosomeseasideplaceforachange——“

“Sendheraway！”Fitzpiers’scountenancehadfallen。

“Yes。Andthequestionis，wherewouldyouadvisemetosendher？”

Thetimber-merchanthadhappenedtocallatamomentwhenFitzpierswasatthespring-tideofasentimentthatGracewasanecessityofhisexistence。Thesuddenpressureofherformuponhisbreastasshecameheadlongroundthebushhadneverceasedtolingerwithhim，eversinceheadoptedthemanoeuvreforwhichthehourandthemoonlightandtheoccasionhadbeentheonlyexcuse。

Nowshewastobesentaway。Ambition？itcouldbepostponed。

Family？cultureandreciprocityoftasteshadtakentheplaceoffamilynowadays。Heallowedhimselftobecarriedforwardonthewaveofhisdesire。

“Howstrange，howverystrangeitis。”hesaid，“thatyoushouldhavecometomeaboutherjustnow。Ihavebeenthinkingeverydayofcomingtoyouontheverysameerrand。”

“Ah！——youhavenoticed，too，thatherhealth——“

“Ihavenoticednothingthematterwithherhealth，becausethereisnothing。But，Mr。Melbury，Ihaveseenyourdaughterseveraltimesbyaccident。Ihaveadmiredherinfinitely，andIwascomingtoaskyouifImaybecomebetteracquaintedwithher——paymyaddressestoher？”

Melburywaslookingdownashelistened，anddidnotseetheairofhalf-misgivingathisownrashnessthatspreadoverFitzpiers’sfaceashemadethisdeclaration。

“Youhave——gottoknowher？”saidMelbury，aspellofdeadsilencehavingprecededhisutterance，duringwhichhisemotionro