第34章

“Yes——whynot？Youknowtherewasnothingseriousbetweenhimandme“

“Yousee，dear，anoisybell-ringingmarriageatchurchhasthisobjectioninourcase：itwouldbeathingofreportalongwayround。NowIwouldgently，asgentlyaspossible，indicatetoyouhowinadvisablesuchpublicitywouldbeifweleaveHintock，andI

purchasethepracticethatIcontemplatepurchasingatBudmouth——

hardlymorethantwentymilesoff。Forgivemysayingthatitwillbefarbetterifnobodythereknowswhereyoucomefrom，noranythingaboutyourparents。Yourbeautyandknowledgeandmannerswillcarryyouanywhereifyouarenothamperedbysuchretrospectivecriticism。”

“Butcoulditnotbeaquietceremony，evenatchurch？”shepleaded。

“Idon’tseethenecessityofgoingthere！”hesaid，atrifleimpatiently。“Marriageisacivilcontract，andtheshorterandsimpleritismadethebetter。Peopledon’tgotochurchwhentheytakeahouse，orevenwhentheymakeawill。”

“Oh，Edgar——Idon’tliketohearyouspeaklikethat。”

“Well，well——Ididn’tmeanto。ButIhavementionedasmuchtoyourfather，whohasmadenoobjection；andwhyshouldyou？”

Shegaveway，deemingthepointoneonwhichsheoughttoallowsentimenttogivewaytopolicy——iftherewereindeedpolicyinhisplan。Butshewasindefinablydepressedastheywalkedhomeward。

Heleftheratthedoorofherfather’shouse。Ashereceded，andwasclaspedoutofsightbythefilmyshades，heimpressedGraceasamanwhohardlyappertainedtoherexistenceatall。

Cleverer，greaterthanherself，oneoutsidehermentalorbit，assheconsideredhim，heseemedtobeherrulerratherthanherequal，protector，anddearfamiliarfriend。

Thedisappointmentshehadexperiencedathiswish，theshockgiventohergirlishsensibilitiesbyhisirreverentviewsofmarriage，togetherwiththesureandnearapproachofthedayfixedforcommittingherfuturetohiskeeping，madehersorestlessthatshecouldscarcelysleepatallthatnight。Sherosewhenthesparrowsbegantowalkoutoftheroof-holes，satonthefloorofherroominthedimlight，andby-and-bypeepedoutbehindthewindow-curtains。Itwasevennowdayout-of-doors，thoughthetonesofmorningwerefeebleandwan，anditwaslongbeforethesunwouldbeperceptibleinthisovershadowedvale。

Notasoundcamefromanyoftheout-housesasyet。Thetree-

trunks，theroad，theout-buildings，thegarden，everyobjectworethataspectofmesmericfixitywhichthesuspensivequietudeofdaybreaklendstosuchscenes。Outsideherwindowhelplessimmobilityseemedtobecombinedwithintenseconsciousness；ameditativeinertnesspossessedallthings，oppressivelycontrastingwithherownactiveemotions。Beyondtheroadweresomecottageroofsandorchards；overtheseroofsandovertheapple-treesbehind，highuptheslope，andbackedbytheplantationonthecrest，wasthehouseyetoccupiedbyherfuturehusband，therough-castfrontshowingwhitelythroughitscreepers。Thewindow-shutterswereclosed，thebedroomcurtainscloselydrawn，andnotthethinnestcoilofsmokerosefromtheruggedchimneys。

Somethingbrokethestillness。Thefrontdoorofthehouseshewasgazingatopenedsoftly，andtherecameoutintotheporchafemalefigure，wrappedinalargeshawl，beneathwhichwasvisiblethewhiteskirtofalongloosegarment。Agrayarm，stretchingfromwithintheporch，adjustedtheshawloverthewoman’sshoulders；itwaswithdrawnanddisappeared，thedoorclosingbehindher。

Thewomanwentquicklydownthebox-edgedpathbetweentheraspberriesandcurrants，andasshewalkedherwell-developedformandgaitbetrayedherindividuality。ItwasSukeDamson，theaffiancedoneofsimpleyoungTimTangs。Atthebottomofthegardensheenteredtheshelterofthetallhedge，andonlythetopofherheadcouldbeseenhasteninginthedirectionofherowndwelling。

Gracehadrecognized，orthoughtsherecognized，inthegrayarm