第35章

Theinterimclosedupitsperspectivesurelyandsilently。

WheneverGracehadanydoubtsofherposition，thesenseofcontractingtimewaslikeashorteningchamber：atothermomentsshewascomparativelyblithe。Dayafterdaywaxedandwaned；theoneortwowoodmenwhosawed，shaped，spokeshavedonherfather’spremisesatthisinactiveseasonoftheyear，regularlycameandunlockedthedoorsinthemorning，lockedthemintheevening，supped，leanedovertheirgarden-gatesforawhiffofeveningair，andtocatchanylastandfarthestthrobofnewsfromtheouterworld，whichenteredandexpiredatLittleHintockliketheexhaustedswellofawaveinsomeinnermostcavernofsomeinnermostcreekofanembayedsea；yetnonewsinterferedwiththenuptialpurposeattheirneighbor’shouse。Thesappygreentwig-

tipsoftheseason’sgrowthwouldnot，shethought，beappreciablywoodieronthedayshebecameawife，sonearwasthetime；thetintsofthefoliagewouldhardlyhavechanged。Everythingwassomuchasusualthatnoitinerantstrangerwouldhavesupposedawoman’sfatetobehanginginthebalanceatthatsummer’sdecline。

Buttherewerepreparations，imaginablereadilyenoughbythosewhohadspecialknowledge。IntheremoteandfashionabletownofSandbournesomethingwasgrowingupunderthehandsofseveralpersonswhohadneverseenGraceMelbury，neverwouldseeher，orcareanythingaboutheratall，thoughtheircreationhadsuchinterestingrelationtoherlifethatitwouldencloseherveryheartatamomentwhenthatheartwouldbeat，ifnotwithmoreemotionalardor，atleastwithmoreemotionalturbulencethanatanyprevioustime。

WhydidMrs。Dollery’svan，insteadofpassingalongattheendofthesmallervillagetoGreatHintockdirect，turnoneSaturdaynightintoLittleHintockLane，andneverpulluptillitreachedMr。Melbury’sgates？Thegildingshineofeveningfelluponalarge，flatboxnotlessthanayardsquare，andsafelytiedwithcord，asitwashandedoutfromunderthetiltwithagreatdealofcare。Butitwasnotheavyforitssize；Mrs。Dolleryherselfcarrieditintothehouse。TimTangs，thehollow-turner，Bawtree，SukeDamson，andothers，lookedknowing，andmaderemarkstoeachotherastheywatcheditsentrance。Melburystoodatthedoorofthetimber-shedintheattitudeofamantowhomsuchanarrivalwasatriflingdomesticdetailwithwhichhedidnotcondescendtobeconcerned。Yethewelldivinedthecontentsofthatbox，andwasintruthallthewhileinapleasantexaltationattheproofthatthusfar，atanyrate，nodisappointmenthadsupervened。

WhileMrs。Dolleryremained——whichwasratherlong，fromhersenseoftheimportanceofhererrand——hewentintotheout-house；butassoonasshehadhadhersay，beenpaid，andhadrumbledaway，heenteredthedwelling，tofindtherewhatheknewheshouldfind——hiswifeanddaughterinaflutterofexcitementoverthewedding-gown，justarrivedfromtheleadingdress-makerofSandbournewatering-placeaforesaid。

DuringtheseweeksGilesWinterbornewasnowheretobeseenorheardof。AtthecloseofhistenureinHintockhehadsoldsomeofhisfurniture，packeduptherest——afewpiecesendearedbyassociations，ornecessarytohisoccupation——inthehouseofafriendlyneighbor，andgoneaway。Peoplesaidthatacertainlaxityhadcreptintohislife；thathehadnevergonenearachurchlatterly，andhadbeensometimesseenonSundayswithunblackedboots，lyingonhiselbowunderatree，withacynicalgazeatsurroundingobjects。HewaslikelytoreturntoHintockwhenthecider-makingseasoncameround，hisapparatusbeingstoredthere，andtravelwithhismillandpressfromvillagetovillage。

Thenarrowintervalthatstoodbeforethedaydiminishedyet。

TherewasinGrace’smindsometimesacertainanticipativesatisfaction，thesatisfactionoffeelingthatshewouldbetheheroineofanhour；moreover，shewasproud