第54章

Menweresostrange。Thethoughttookawayfromherallherformerreticence，andmadeheractionbold。Shestartedfromherseat。Ifthelittlebreach，quarrel，orwhateveritmightbecalled，ofyesterday，wastobehealedupitmustbedonebyherontheinstant。Shecrossedintotheorchard，andclamberedthroughthegapafterGiles，justashewasdiminishingtoafaun-

likefigureunderthegreencanopyandoverthebrownfloor。

Gracehadbeenwrong——veryfarwrong——inassumingthattheletterhadnoreferencetoherselfbecauseGileshadturnedawayintothewoodafteritsperusal。Itwas，sadtosay，becausethemissivehadsomuchreferencetoherselfthathehadthusturnedaway。Hefearedthathisgrieveddiscomfituremightbeobserved。TheletterwasfromBeaucock，writtenafewhourslaterthanMelbury’stohisdaughter。Itannouncedfailure。

Gileshadoncedonethatthriftlessmanagoodturn，andnowwasthemomentwhenBeaucockhadchosentorememberitinhisownway。

DuringhisabsenceintownwithMelbury，thelawyer’sclerkhadnaturallyheardagreatdealofthetimber-merchant’sfamilyschemeofjusticetoGiles，andhiscommunicationwastoinformWinterborneattheearliestpossiblemomentthattheirattempthadfailed，inorderthattheyoungmanshouldnotplacehimselfinafalsepositiontowardsGraceinthebeliefofitscomingsuccess。

Thenewswas，insum，thatFitzpiers’sconducthadnotbeensufficientlycrueltoGracetoenablehertosnapthebond。Shewasapparentlydoomedtobehiswifetilltheendofthechapter。

Winterbornequiteforgothissuperficialdifferenceswiththepoorgirlunderthewarmrushofdeepanddistractingloveforherwhichthealmosttragicalinformationengendered。

Torenounceherforever——thatwasthentheendofitforhim，afterall。Therewasnolongeranyquestionaboutsuitability，orroomfortiffsonpettytastes。Thecurtainhadfallenagainbetweenthem。Shecouldnotbehis。Thecrueltyoftheirlaterevivedhopewasnowterrible。Howcouldtheyallhavebeensosimpleastosupposethisthingcouldbedone？

Itwasatthismomentthat，hearingsomeonecomingbehindhim，heturnedandsawherhasteningonbetweenthethickets。Heperceivedinaninstantthatshedidnotknowtheblightingnews。

“Giles，whydidn’tyoucomeacrosstome？”sheasked，witharchreproach。“Didn’tyouseemesittingthereeversolong？”

“Ohyes。”hesaid，inunprepared，extemporizedtones，forherunexpectedpresencecaughthimwithouttheslightestplanofbehaviorintheconjuncture。Hismannermadeherthinkthatshehadbeentoochidinginherspeech；andamildscarletwavepassedoverherassheresolvedtosoftenit。

“Ihavehadanotherletterfrommyfather。”shehastenedtocontinue。“Hethinkshemaycomehomethisevening。And——inviewofhishopes——itwillgrievehimifthereisanylittledifferencebetweenus，Giles。”

“Thereisnone。”hesaid，sadlyregardingherfromthefacedownwardasheponderedhowtolaythecrueltruthbare。

“Still——Ifearyouhavenotquiteforgivenmeaboutmybeinguncomfortableattheinn。”

“Ihave，Grace，I’msure。”

“Butyouspeakinquiteanunhappyway。”shereturned，comingupclosetohimwiththemostwinningofthemanyprettyairsthatappertainedtoher。“Don’tyouthinkyouwilleverbehappy，Giles？”

Hedidnotreplyforsomeinstants。“WhenthesunshinesonthenorthfrontofShertonAbbey——that’swhenmyhappinesswillcometome！”saidhe，staringasitwereintotheearth。

“But——thenthatmeansthatthereissomethingmorethanmyoffendingyouinnotlikingTheThreeTuns。IfitisbecauseI——

didnotliketoletyoukissmeintheAbbey——well，youknow，Giles，thatitwasnotonaccountofmycoldfeelings，butbecauseIdidcertainly，justthen，thinkitwasratherpremature，inspiteofmypoorfather。Thatwasthetruereason——thesoleone。

ButIdonotwanttobehard——GodknowsIdonot。”shesaid，hervoicefluctuating。“Andperhaps——asIamonthevergeoffreedom——

Iamnotright，afterall，inthinkingthereisanyharminyourkissingme。”

“OhGod！”saidWinterbornewithinhimself。Hisheadwasturnedaskanceashestillresolutelyregardedtheground。Forthela