第52章

HepitiedMelburyforhisalmostchildishenthusiasm，andsawthattheagingmanmusthavesufferedacutelytobeweakenedtothisunreasoningdesire。

Winterbornewasfartoomagnanimoustoharboranycynicalconjecturethatthetimber-merchant，inhisintenseaffectionforGrace，wascourtinghimnowbecausethatyounglady，whendisunited，wouldbeleftinananomalousposition，toescapewhichabadhusbandwasbetterthannone。HefeltquitesurethathisoldfriendwassimplyontenterhooksofanxietytorepairthealmostirreparableerrorofdividingtwowhomNaturehadstriventojointogetherinearlierdays，andthatinhisardortodothishewasobliviousofformalities。Thecautioussupervisionofhispastyearshadoverleapeditselfatlast。hence，Winterborneperceivedthat，inthisnewbeginning，thenecessarycarenottocompromiseGracebytooearlyadvancesmustbeexercisedbyhimself。

PerhapsWinterbornewasnotquitesoardentasheretofore。Thereisnosuchthingasastationarylove：menareeitherlovingmoreorlovingless。ButGileshimselfrecognizednodeclineinhissenseofherdearness。IftheflamedidindeedburnlowernowthanwhenhehadfetchedherfromShertonatherlastreturnfromschool，themarvelwassmall。Hehadbeenlaboringeversincehisrejectionandhermarriagetoreducehisformerpassiontoadocilefriendship，outofpureregardtoitsexpediency；andtheirseparationmayhavehelpedhimtoapartialsuccess。

Aweekandmorepassed，andtherewasnofurthernewsofMelbury。

Buttheeffectoftheintelligencehehadalreadytransmittedupontheelastic-nerveddaughterofthewoodshadbeenmuchwhattheoldsurgeonJoneshadsurmised。Ithadsoothedherperturbedspiritbetterthanalltheopiatesinthepharmacopoeia。Shehadsleptunbrokenlyawholenightandaday。The“newlaw“wastoheramysterious，beneficent，godlikeentity，latelydescendeduponearth，thatwouldmakeherassheoncehadbeenwithouttroubleorannoyance。Herpositionfrettedher，itsabstractfeaturesrousinganaversionwhichwasevengreaterthanheraversiontothepersonalityofhimwhohadcausedit。Itwasmortifying，productiveofslights，undignified。Himshecouldforget；hercircumstancesshehadalwayswithher。

ShesawnothingofWinterborneduringthedaysofherrecovery；

andperhapsonthataccountherfancywoveabouthimamoreromantictissuethanitcouldhavedoneifhehadstoodbeforeherwithallthespecksandflawsinseparablefromcorporeity。Heroseuponhermemoryasthefruit-godandthewood-godinalternation；sometimesleafy，andsmearedwithgreenlichen，asshehadseenhimamongthesappyboughsoftheplantations；

sometimescider-stained，andwithapple-pipsinthehairofhisarms，asshehadmethimonhisreturnfromcider-makinginWhiteHartVale，withhisvatsandpressesbesidehim。Inhersecretheartshealmostapproximatedtoherfather’senthusiasminwishingtoshowGilesonceforallhowshestillregardedhim。

Thequestionwhetherthefuturewouldindeedbringthemtogetherforlifewasastandingwonderwithher。Sheknewthatitcouldnotwithanyproprietydosojustyet。Butreverentlybelievinginherfather’ssoundjudgmentandknowledge，asgoodgirlsarewonttodo，sherememberedwhathehadwrittenabouthergivingahinttoWinterbornelestthereshouldberiskindelay，andherfeelingswerenotaversetosuchastep，sofarasitcouldbedonewithoutdangeratthisearlystageoftheproceedings。

Frombeingafrailphantomofherformerequableselfshereturnedinboundstoaconditionofpassablephilosophy。Shebloomedagaininthefaceinthecourseofafewdays，andwaswellenoughtogoaboutasusual。OnedayMrs。MelburyproposedthatforachangesheshouldbedriveninthegigtoShertonmarket，whitherMelbury’smanwasgoingonothererrands。GracehadnobusinesswhateverinSherton；butitcrossedhermindthatWinterbornewouldprobablybethere，andthismadethethoughtofsuchadriveinteresting。

Onthewayshesawnothingofhim；butwhenthehorsewaswalkingslowlythroughtheobstructionsofSheepStreet，shediscernedtheyoungmanonthepavement。S