第57章

Nosoonerhadsheretiredtorestthatnightthanthewindbegantorise，and，afterafewprefatoryblasts，tobeaccompaniedbyrain。Thewindgrewmoreviolent，andasthestormwenton，itwasdifficulttobelievethatnoopaquebody，butonlyaninvisiblecolorlessthing，wastramplingandclimbingovertheroof，makingbranchescreak，springingoutofthetreesuponthechimney，poppingitsheadintotheflue，andshriekingandblasphemingateverycornerofthewalls。Asintheoldstory，theassailantwasaspectrewhichcouldbefeltbutnotseen。Shehadneverbeforebeensostruckwiththedevilryofagustynightinawood，becauseshehadneverbeensoentirelyaloneinspiritasshewasnow。Sheseemedalmosttobeapartfromherself——avacuousduplicateonly。Therecentselfofphysicalanimationandclearintentionswasnotthere。

Sometimesaboughfromanadjoiningtreewasswayedsolowastosmitetheroofinthemannerofagigantichandsmitingthemouthofanadversary，tobefollowedbyatrickleofrain，asbloodfromthewound。ToallthisweatherGilesmustbemoreorlessexposed；howmuch，shedidnotknow。

AtlastGracecouldhardlyenduretheideaofsuchahardshipinrelationtohim。Whateverhewassuffering，itwasshewhohadcausedit；hevacatedhishouseonaccountofher。Shewasnotworthsuchself-sacrifice；sheshouldnothaveaccepteditofhim。

Andthen，asheranxietyincreasedwithincreasingthought，therereturneduponhermindsomeincidentsofherlateintercoursewithhim，whichshehadheededbutlittleatthetime。Thelookofhisface——whathadtherebeenabouthisfacewhichseemeddifferentfromitsappearanceasofyore？Wasitnotthinner，lessrichinhue，lesslikethatofripeautumn’sbrothertowhomshehadformerlycomparedhim？Andhisvoice；shehaddistinctlynoticedachangeintone。Andhisgait；surelyithadbeenfeebler，stiffer，morelikethegaitofawearyman。Thatslightoccasionalnoiseshehadheardintheday，andattributedtosquirrels，itmighthavebeenhiscoughafterall。

ThusconvictiontookrootinherperturbedmindthatWinterbornewasill，orhadbeenso，andthathehadcarefullyconcealedhisconditionfromherthatshemighthavenoscruplesaboutacceptingahospitalitywhichbythenatureofthecaseexpelledherentertainer。

“Myown，own，truel——，mydearkindfriend！”shecriedtoherself。“Oh，itshallnotbe——itshallnotbe！”

Shehastilywrappedherselfup，andobtainedalight，withwhichsheenteredtheadjoiningroom，thecotpossessingonlyonefloor。

Settingdownthecandleonthetablehere，shewenttothedoorwiththekeyinherhand，andplaceditinthelock。Beforeturningitshepaused，herfingersstillclutchingit；andpressingherotherhandtoherforehead，shefellintoagitatingthought。

Atattooonthewindow，causedbythetree-droppingsblowingagainstit，broughtherindecisiontoaclose。Sheturnedthekeyandopenedthedoor。

Thedarknesswasintense，seemingtotouchherpupilslikeasubstance。Sheonlynowbecameawarehowheavytherainfallhadbeenandwas；thedrippingoftheeavessplashedlikeafountain。

Shestoodlisteningwithpartedlips，andholdingthedoorinonehand，tillhereyes，growingaccustomedtotheobscurity，discernedthewildbrandishingoftheirboughsbytheadjoiningtrees。Atlastshecriedloudlywithaneffort，“Giles！youmaycomein！”

Therewasnoimmediateanswertohercry，andoverpoweredbyherowntemerity，Graceretreatedquickly，shutthedoor，andstoodlookingonthefloor。Butitwasnotforlong。Sheagainliftedthelatch，andwithfarmoredeterminationthanatfirst。

“Giles，Giles！”shecried，withthefullstrengthofhervoice，andwithoutanyoftheshamefacednessthathadcharacterizedherfirstcry。“Oh，comein——comein！Whereareyou？Ihavebeenwicked。Ihavethoughttoomuchofmyself！Doyouhear？Idon’twanttokeepyououtanylonger。Icannotbearthatyoushoulds