第55章

Suchaterribleletteritwasinitsimport，thoughcouchedinthegentlestlanguage。InhisabsenceGracehadgrowntoregardhimwithtoleration，andherrelationtohimwithequanimity，tillshehadalmostforgottenhowtryinghispresencewouldbe。Hewrotebrieflyandunaffectedly；hemadenoexcuses，butinformedherthathewaslivingquitealone，andhadbeenledtothinkthattheyoughttobetogether，ifshewouldmakeuphermindtoforgivehim。HethereforepurportedtocrosstheChanneltoBudmouthbythesteameronadayhenamed，whichshefoundtobethreedaysafterthetimeofherpresentreading。

HesaidthathecouldnotcometoHintockforobviousreasons，whichherfatherwouldunderstandevenbetterthanherself。Astheonlyalternativeshewastobeonthequaytomeetthesteamerwhenitarrivedfromtheoppositecoast，probablyabouthalfanhourbeforemidnight，bringingwithheranyluggageshemightrequire；joinhimthere，andpasswithhimintothetwinvessel，whichleftimmediatelytheotherenteredtheharbor；returningthuswithhimtohiscontinentaldwelling-place，whichhedidnotname。Hehadnointentionofshowinghimselfonlandatall。

ThetroubledGracetookthelettertoherfather，whonowcontinuedforlonghoursbythefirelesssummerchimney-corner，asifhethoughtitwerewinter，thepitcherofciderstandingbesidehim，mostlyuntasted，andcoatedwithafilmofdust。Afterreadingithelookedup。

“Yousha’n’tgo。”saidhe。

“IhadfeltIwouldnot。”sheanswered。“ButIdidnotknowwhatyouwouldsay。”

“IfhecomesandlivesinEngland，nottoonearhereandinarespectableway，andwantsyoutocometohim，IamnotsurethatI’llopposehiminwishingit。”mutteredMelbury。“I’dstintmyselftokeepyoubothinagenteelandseemlystyle。Butgoabroadyounevershallwithmyconsent。”

Therethequestionrestedthatday。Gracewasunabletoreplytoherhusbandintheabsenceofanaddress，andthemorrowcame，andthenextday，andtheeveningonwhichhehadrequestedhertomeethim。Throughoutthewholeofitsheremainedwithinthefourwallsofherroom。

Thesenseofherharassment，carkingdoubtofwhatmightbeimpending，hunglikeacowlofblacknessovertheMelburyhousehold。Theyspokealmostinwhispers，andwonderedwhatFitzpierswoulddonext。Itwasthehopeofeveryonethat，findingshedidnotarrive，hewouldreturnagaintoFrance；andasforGrace，shewaswillingtowritetohimonthemostkindlytermsifhewouldonlykeepaway。

Thenightpassed，Gracelyingtenseandwideawake，andherrelatives，ingreatpart，likewise。Whentheymetthenextmorningtheywerepaleandanxious，thoughneitherspeakingofthesubjectwhichoccupiedalltheirthoughts。Thedaypassedasquietlyasthepreviousones，andshebegantothinkthatintherankcapriceofhismoodshehadabandonedtheideaofgettinghertojoinhimasquicklyasitwasformed。Allonasudden，somepersonwhohadjustcomefromShertonenteredthehousewiththenewsthatMr。FitzpierswasonhiswayhometoHintock。HehadbeenseenhiringacarriageattheEarlofWessexHotel。

HerfatherandGracewerebothpresentwhentheintelligencewasannounced。

“Now。”saidMelbury，“wemustmakethebestofwhathasbeenaverybadmatter。Themanisrepenting；thepartnerofhisshame，Ihear，isgoneawayfromhimtoSwitzerland，sothatchapterofhislifeisprobablyover。IfhechoosestomakeahomeforyeI

thinkyoushouldnotsayhimnay，Grace。CertainlyhecannotverywellliveatHintockwithoutablowtohispride；butifhecanbearthat，andlikesHintockbest，why，there’stheemptywingofthehouseasitwasbefore。”

“Oh，father！”saidGrace，turningwhitewithdismay。

“Whynot？”saidhe，alittleofhisformerdoggednessreturning。

Hewas，intruth，disposedtosomewhatmoreleniencytowardsherhusbandjustnowthanhehadshownformerly，fromaconvictionthathehadtreatedhimover-roughlyinhisanger。“Surelyitisthemostrespectablethingtodo？”hecontinued。“Idon’tlikethisstatethatyouarein——neithermarriednorsingle。Ithurtsme，andithurtsyou，anditwillalwaysberememberedagainstusinHintock。Therehasneverbeenanyscandallikeitinthefamilybefore。”

“Hewillbehereinlessthananhour。”murmuredGrace。Thetwilightoftheroompreventedherfatherseeingthedespondent