第36章

Heappearedtotakenoheed，andshesaidasecondtime，“Mr。

Winterborne！”

Evennowheseemednottohear，thoughapersoncloseenoughtohimtoseetheexpressionofhisfacemighthavedoubtedit；andshesaidathirdtime，withatimidloudness，“Mr。Winterborne！

What，haveyouforgottenmyvoice？”Sheremainedwithherlipspartedinawelcomingsmile。

Heturnedwithoutsurprise，andcamedeliberatelytowardsthewindow。“Whydoyoucallme？”hesaid，withasternnessthattookhercompletelyunawares，hisfacebeingnowpale。“Isitnotenoughthatyouseemeheremoilingandmuddlingformydailybreadwhileyouaresittingthereinyoursuccess，thatyoucan’trefrainfromopeningoldwoundsbycallingoutmyname？”

Sheflushed，andwasstruckdumbforsomemoments；butsheforgavehisunreasoninganger，knowingsowellinwhatithaditsroot。

“IamsorryIoffendedyoubyspeaking。”shereplied，meekly。

“Believeme，Ididnotintendtodothat。Icouldhardlysitheresonearyouwithoutawordofrecognition。”

Winterborne’shearthadswollenbig，andhiseyesgrownmoistbythistime，somuchhadthegentleanswerofthatfamiliarvoicemovedhim。Heassuredherhurriedly，andwithoutlookingather，thathewasnotangry。Hethenmanagedtoaskher，inaclumsy，constrainedway，ifshehadhadapleasantjourney，andseenmanyinterestingsights。Shespokeofafewplacesthatshehadvisited，andsothetimepassedtillhewithdrewtotakehisplaceatoneoftheleverswhichpulledroundthescrew。

Forgottenhervoice！Indeed，hehadnotforgottenhervoice，ashisbitternessshowed。Butthoughintheheatofthemomenthehadreproachedherkeenly，hissecondmoodwasafarmoretenderone——thatwhichcouldregardherrenunciationofsuchasheashergloryandherprivilege，hisownfidelitynotwithstanding。Hecouldhavedeclaredwithacontemporarypoet——

“IfIforget，Thesaltcreekmayforgettheocean；

IfIforgetTheheartwhenceflowsmyheart’sbrightmotion，MayIsinkmeanlierthantheworstAbandoned，outcast，crushed，accurst，IfIforget。

“Thoughyouforget，Nowordofmineshallmaryourpleasure；

Thoughyouforget，Youfilledmybarrenlifewithtreasure，Youmaywithdrawthegiftyougave；

Youstillarequeen，Istillamslave，Thoughyouforget。”

Shehadtearsinhereyesatthethoughtthatshecouldnotremindhimofwhatheoughttohaveremembered；thatnotherselfbutthepressureofeventshaddissipatedthedreamsoftheirearlyyouth。

Gracewasthusunexpectedlyworstedinherencounterwithheroldfriend。Shehadopenedthewindowwithafaintsenseoftriumph，buthehadturneditintosadness；shedidnotquitecomprehendthereasonwhy。Intruthitwasbecauseshewasnotcruelenoughinhercruelty。Ifyouhavetousetheknife，useit，saythegreatsurgeons；andforherownpeaceGraceshouldhavecontemnedWinterbornethoroughlyornotatall。Asitwas，onclosingthewindowanindescribable，somemighthavesaiddangerous，pityquaveredinherbosomforhim。

Presentlyherhusbandenteredtheroom，andtoldherwhatawonderfulsunsettherewastobeseen。

“Ihavenotnoticedit。ButIhaveseensomebodyouttherethatweknow。”shereplied，lookingintothecourt。

Fitzpiersfollowedthedirectionofhereyes，andsaidhedidnotrecognizeanybody。

“Why，Mr。Winterborne——thereheis，cider-making。Hecombinesthatwithhisotherbusiness，youknow。”

“Oh——thatfellow。”saidFitzpiers，hiscuriositybecomingextinct。

She，reproachfully：“What，callMr。Winterborneafellow，Edgar？

ItistrueIwasjustsayingtomyselfthatInev