第33章

“He’sallright，andhe’scomingheretoseeyou。”

Apremonitionthatshecouldnotresisthimifhecamestrangelymovedher。“Ofcourse，father，yourememberthatitisonlylatelythatGiles——“

“Youknowthatyoucan’tthinkofhim。Hehasgivenupallclaimtoyou。”

Shecouldnotexplainthesubtletiesofherfeelingashecouldstatehisopinion，eventhoughshehadskillinspeech，andherfatherhadnone。ThatFitzpiersacteduponherlikeadram，excitingher，throwingherintoanovelatmospherewhichbiassedherdoingsuntiltheinfluencewasover，whenshefeltsomethingofthenatureofregretforthemoodshehadexperienced——stillmoreifshereflectedonthesilent，almostsarcastic，criticismapparentinWinterborne’sairtowardsher——couldnotbetoldtothisworthycoupleinwords。

ItsohappenedthatonthisverydayFitzpierswascalledawayfromHintockbyanengagementtoattendsomemedicalmeetings，andhisvisits，therefore，didnotbeginatonce。Anote，however，arrivedfromhimaddressedtoGrace，deploringhisenforcedabsence。Asamaterialobjectthisnotewasprettyandsuperfine，anoteofasortthatshehadbeenunaccustomedtoseesinceherreturntoHintock，exceptwhenaschoolfriendwrotetoher——arareinstance，forthegirlswererespectersofpersons，andmanycooleddowntowardsthetimber-dealer’sdaughterwhenshewasoutofsight。Thusthereceiptofitpleasedher，andsheafterwardswalkedaboutwithareflectiveair。

Intheeveningherfather，whoknewthatthenotehadcome，said，“Whybeyenotsittingdowntoansweryourletter？That’swhatyoungfolksdidinmytime。”

Sherepliedthatitdidnotrequireananswer。

“Oh，youknowbest。”hesaid。Nevertheless，hewentabouthisbusinessdoubtingifshewererightinnotreplying；possiblyshemightbesomismanagingmattersastoriskthelossofanalliancewhichwouldbringhermuchhappiness。

Melbury’srespectforFitzpierswasbasedlessonhisprofessionalposition，whichwasnotmuch，thanonthestandingofhisfamilyinthecountyinby-gonedays。Thatimplicitfaithinmembersoflong-establishedfamilies，assuch，irrespectiveoftheirpersonalconditionorcharacter，whichisstillfoundamongold-fashionedpeopleintheruraldistrictsreacheditsfullintensityinMelbury。Hisdaughter’ssuitorwasdescendedfromafamilyhehadheardofinhisgrandfather’stimeasbeingoncegreat，afamilywhichhadconferreditsnameuponaneighboringvillage；how，then，couldanythingbeamissinthisbetrothal？

“Imustkeepheruptothis。”hesaidtohiswife。“Sheseesitisforherhappiness；butstillshe’syoung，andmaywantalittlepromptingfromanoldertongue。”

Withthisinviewhetookheroutforawalk，acustomofhiswhenhewishedtosayanythingspeciallyimpressive。Theirwaywasoverthetopofthatloftyridgedividingtheirwoodlandfromtheciderdistrict，whencetheyhadinthespringbeheldthemilesofapple-treesinbloom。Allwasnowdeepgreen。ThespotrecalledtoGrace’smindthelastoccasionofherpresencethere，andshesaid，“Thepromiseofanenormousapple-cropisfulfillingitself，isitnot？IsupposeGilesisgettinghismillsandpressesready。”

Thiswasjustwhatherfatherhadnotcometheretotalkabout。

Withoutreplyingheraisedhisarm，andmovedhisfingertillhefixeditatapoint。“There。”hesaid，“youseethatplantationreachingoverthehilllikeagreatslug，andjustbehindthehillaparticularlygreenshelteredbottom？That’swhereMr。

Fitzpiers’sfamilywerelordsofthemanorforIdon’tknowhowmanyhundredyears，andtherestandsthevillageofBuckburyFitzpiers。Awonderfulproperty’twas——wonderful！”

“Buttheyarenotlordsofthemanortherenow。”

“Why，no。Butgoodandgreatthingsdieaswellaslittleandfoolish。Theonlyonesrepresentingthefamilynow，Ibelieve，areourdoctorandamaidenladylivingIdon’tknowwhere。Youcan’thelpbeinghappy，Grace，inallyingyourselfwithsucharomanticalfamily。You’llfeelasifyou’vesteppedintohistory。”

“We’vebeenatHintockaslongasthey’vebeenatBuckbury；isitnotso？Yousayournameoccursinolddeedscontinually。”

“Ohyes——asyeomen，copyholders，andsuchlike。Butthinkhowmuchbetterthiswillbefor’ee。You’llbelivingahighintellectuallife，suchashasnowbecomenaturaltoyou；andthoughthedoctor’spracticeissmallhere，he’llnodoubtgotoadashingtownwhenhe’sgothishandin，andkeepastylishcarriage，andyou’llbebroughttoknowagoodmanyladiesofexcellentsociety。Ifyoushouldevermeetmethen，Grace，youcandrivepastme，lookingtheotherway。Ishouldn’texpectyoutospeaktome，orwishsuchathing，unlessit