第37章

AssoonastheysatdowntotableMelburycamein，andseemedtoseeatoncethatFitzpierswouldmuchratherhavereceivednosuchdemonstrativereception。Hethereuponprivatelychidhiswifeforherforwardnessinthematter。Mrs。MelburydeclaredthatitwasasmuchGrace’sdoingashers，afterwhichtherewasnomoretobesaidbythatyoungwoman’stenderfather。BythistimeFitzpierswasmakingthebestofhispositionamongthewide-elbowedandgenialcompanywhosateatinganddrinkingandlaughingandjokingaroundhim；andgettingwarmedhimselfbythegoodcheer，wasobligedtoadmitthat，afterall，thesupperwasnottheleastenjoyablehehadeverknown。

Attimes，however，thewordsabouthishavingspoiledhisopportunities，repeatedtohimasthoseofMrs。Charmond，hauntedhimlikeahandwritingonthewall。Thenhismannerwouldbecomesuddenlyabstracted。AtonemomenthewouldmentallyputanindignantquerywhyMrs。Charmondoranyotherwomanshouldmakeitherbusinesstohaveopinionsabouthisopportunities；atanotherhethoughtthathecouldhardlybeangrywithherfortakinganinterestinthedoctorofherownparish。Thenhewoulddrinkaglassofgrogandsogetridofthemisgiving。ThesehitchesandquaffingsweresoonperceivedbyGraceaswellasbyherfather；andhencebothofthemweremuchrelievedwhenthefirstofthegueststodiscoverthatthehourwasgrowinglateroseanddeclaredthathemustthinkofmovinghomeward。AtthewordsMelburyroseasalertlyasifliftedbyaspring，andintenminutestheyweregone。

“Now，Grace。”saidherhusbandassoonashefoundhimselfalonewithherintheirprivateapartments，“we’vehadaverypleasantevening，andeverybodyhasbeenverykind。Butwemustcometoanunderstandingaboutourwayoflivinghere。Ifwecontinueintheseroomstheremustbenomixinginwithyourpeoplebelow。I

can’tstandit，andthat’sthetruth。”

Shehadbeensadlysurprisedatthesuddennessofhisdistasteforthoseold-fashionedwoodlandformsoflifewhichinhiscourtshiphehadprofessedtoregardwithsomuchinterest。Butsheassentedinamoment。

“Wemustbesimplyyourfather’stenants。”hecontinued，“andourgoingsandcomingsmustbeasindependentasifwelivedelsewhere。”

“Certainly，Edgar——Iquiteseethatitmustbeso。”

“Butyoujoinedinwithallthosepeopleinmyabsence，withoutknowingwhetherIshouldapproveordisapprove。WhenIcameI

couldn’thelpmyselfatall。”

She，sighing：“Yes——IseeIoughttohavewaited；thoughtheycameunexpectedly，andIthoughtIhadactedforthebest。”

Thusthediscussionended，andthenextdayFitzpierswentonhisoldroundsasusual。Butitwaseasyforsosuper-subtleaneyeashistodiscern，ortothinkhediscerned，thathewasnolongerregardedasanextrinsic，unfathomedgentlemanoflimitlesspotentiality，scientificandsocial；butasMr。Melbury’scompeer，andthereforeinadegreeonlyoneofthemselves。TheHintockwoodlandlersheldwithallthestrengthofinheritedconvictiontothearistocraticprinciple，andassoonastheyhaddiscoveredthatFitzpierswasoneoftheoldBuckburyFitzpiersestheyhadaccordedtohimfornothingatouchingofhat-brims，promptnessofservice，anddeferenceofapproach，whichMelburyhadtodowithout，thoughhepaidforitoverandover。Butnow，havingprovedatraitortohisowncausebythismarriage，Fitzpierswasbelievedinnomoreasasuperiorhedgedbyhisowndivinity；

whileasdoctorhebegantoberatednohigherthanoldJones，whomtheyhadsolongdespised。

Hisfewpatientsseemedinhistwomonths’absencetohavedwindledconsiderablyinnumber，andnosoonerhadhereturnedthantherecametohimfromtheBoardofGuardiansacomplaintthatapauperhadbeenneglectedbyhissubstitute。InafitofprideFitzpiersresignedhisappointmentasoneofthesurgeonstotheunion，whichhadbeenthenucleusofhispracticehere。

Attheendofafortnighthecamein-doorsoneeveningtoGracemorebrisklythanusual。“TheyhavewrittentomeagainaboutthatpracticeinBudmouththatIoncenegotiatedfor。”hesaidtoher。“Thepremiumaskediseighthundredpounds，andIthinkthatbetweenyourfatherandmyselfitoughttoberaised。Thenwecangetawayfromthisplaceforever。”

Thequestionhadbeenmootedbetweenthembefore，andshewasnotunpreparedtoconside