第60章

Theystartedforhome，MartyandCreedleremainingbehind。ForatimeGraceandherfatherwalkedsidebysidewithoutspeaking。

Itwasjustintheblueofthedawn，andthechillingtoneoftheskywasreflectedinhercold，wetface。Thewholewoodseemedtobeahouseofdeath，pervadedbylosstoitsuttermostlengthandbreadth。Winterbornewasgone，andthecopsesseemedtoshowthewantofhim；thoseyoungtrees，somanyofwhichhehadplanted，andofwhichhehadspokensotrulywhenhesaidthatheshouldfallbeforetheyfell，wereatthatverymomentsendingouttheirrootsinthedirectionthathehadgiventhemwithhissubtlehand。

“Onethingmadeittolerabletousthatyourhusbandshouldcomebacktothehouse。”saidMelburyatlast——“thedeathofMrs。

Charmond。”

“Ah，yes。”saidGrace，arousingslightlytotherecollection，“hetoldmeso。”

“Didhetellyouhowshedied？ItwasnosuchdeathasGiles’s。

Shewasshot——byadisappointedlover。ItoccurredinGermany。

Theunfortunatemanshothimselfafterwards。HewasthatSouthCarolinagentlemanofverypassionatenaturewhousedtohauntthisplacetoforcehertoaninterview，andfollowedherabouteverywhere。SoendsthebrilliantFeliceCharmond——onceagoodfriendtome——butnofriendtoyou。”

“Icanforgiveher。”saidGrace，absently。“DidEdgartellyouofthis？”

“No；butheputaLondonnewspaper，givinganaccountofit，onthehalltable，foldedinsuchawaythatweshouldseeit。ItwillbeintheShertonpaperthisweek，nodoubt。Tomaketheeventmoresolemnstilltohim，hehadjustbeforehadsharpwordswithher，andlefther。HetoldLucythis，asnothingabouthimappearsinthenewspaper。Andthecauseofthequarrelwas，ofallpeople，shewe’veleftbehindus。”

“DoyoumeanMarty？”Gracespokethewordsbutperfunctorily。

For，pertinentandpointedasMelbury’sstorywas，shehadnoheartforitnow。

“Yes。MartySouth。”Melburypersistedinhisnarrative，todivertherfromherpresentgrief，ifpossible。“Beforehewentawayshewrotehimaletter，whichhekeptinhis，pocketalongwhilebeforereading。HechancedtopullitoutinMrs。

Charmond’s，presence，andreaditoutloud。Itcontainedsomethingwhichteasedherverymuch，andthatledtotherupture。

Shewasfollowinghimtomakeitupwhenshemetwithherterribledeath。”

Melburydidnotknowenoughtogivethegistoftheincident，whichwasthatMartySouth’sletterhadbeenconcerningacertainpersonaladornmentcommontoherselfandMrs。Charmond。Herbulletreacheditsbilletatlast。ThescenebetweenFitzpiersandFelicehadbeensharp，asonlyascenecanbewhicharisesoutofthemortificationofonewomanbyanotherinthepresenceofalover。True，Martyhadnoteffecteditbywordofmouth；thechargeaboutthelocksofhairwasmadesimplybyFitzpiersreadingherlettertohimaloudtoFeliceintheplayfullyironicaltonesofonewhohadbecomealittlewearyofhissituation，andwasfindinghisfriend，inthephraseofGeorgeHerbert，a“flatdelight。”Hehadstrokedthosefalsetresseswithhishandmanyatimewithoutknowingthemtobetransplanted，anditwasimpossiblewhenthediscoverywassoabruptlymadetoavoidbeingfinelysatirical，despitehergenerousdisposition。

Thatwashowithadbegun，andtragedyhadbeenitsend。Onhisabruptdepartureshehadfollowedhimtothestationbutthetrainwasgone；andintravellingtoBadeninsearchofhimshehadmethisrival，whosereproachesledtoanaltercation，andthedeathofboth。OfthatprecipitatesceneofpassionandcrimeFitzpiershadknownnothingtillhesawanaccountofitinthepapers，where，fortunatelyforhimself，nomentionwasmadeofhisprioracquaintancewiththeunhappylady；norwasthereanyallusiontohiminthesubsequentinquiry，thedoubledeathbeingattributedtosomegamblinglosses，though，inpointoffact，neitheroneofthemhadvisitedthetables。

Melburyandhisdaughterdrewneartheirhouse，havingseenbutonelivingthingontheirway，asquirrel，whichdidnotrunupitstree，but，droppingthesweetchestnutwhichitcarried，criedchut-chut-chut，andstampedwithitshindlegsontheground。

Whentheroofsandchimneysofthehomesteadbegantoemergefromthescreenofboughs，Gracestarted，andcheckedherselfinherabstractedadvance。

“Youclearlyunderstand。”shesaidtoherstep-mothersomeofheroldmisgivingreturning，“thatIamcomingbackonlyonconditionofhisleavingashepromised？Willyoulethimknowth