第62章

“Indeed。Whereto？”

TiminformedhimthattheyweregoingtoNewZealand。NotbutthathewouldhavebeencontentedwithHintock，buthiswifewasambitiousandwantedtoleave，sohehadgivenway。

“Thengood-by。”saidFitzpiers；“Imaynotseeyouagain。”HeshookhandswithTimandturnedtothebride。“Good-by，Suke。”hesaid，takingherhandalso。“Iwishyouandyourhusbandprosperityinthecountryyouhavechosen。”Withthisheleftthem，andhastenedontohisappointment。

Thewedding-partyre-formedandresumedmarchlikewise。ButinrestoringhisarmtoSuke，Timnoticedthatherfullandbloomingcountenancehadundergoneachange。“Holloa！medear——what’sthematter？”saidTim。

“Nothingtospeako’。”saidshe。Buttogivethelietoherassertionshewasseizedwithlachrymosetwitches，thatsoonproducedadribblingface。

“How——whatthedevil’sthisabout！”exclaimedthebridegroom。

“She’salittleweebitovercome，poordear！”saidthefirstbridesmaid，unfoldingherhandkerchiefandwipingSuke’seyes。

“Ineverdidlikepartingfrompeople！”saidSuke，assoonasshecouldspeak。

“Whyhiminparticular？”

“Well——he’ssuchacleverdoctor，that’tisathousandpitieswesha’n’tseehimanymore！There’llbenosuchcleverdoctorasheinNewZealand，ifIshouldrequireone；andthethoughto’tgotthebetterofmyfeelings！”

Theywalkedon，butTim’sfacehadgrownrigidandpale，forherecalledslightcircumstances，disregardedatthetimeoftheiroccurrence。Theformerboisterouslaughterofthewedding-partyatthegroomsman’sjokeswasheardringingthroughthewoodsnomore。

BythistimeFitzpiershadadvancedonhiswaytothetopofthehill，wherehesawtwofiguresemergingfromthebankontherighthand。Theseweretheexpectedones，GraceandMartySouth，whohadevidentlycometherebyashortandsecretpaththroughthewood。Gracewasmuffledupinherwinterdress，andhethoughtthatshehadneverlookedsoseductiveasatthismoment，inthenoontidebrightbutheatlesssun，andthekeenwind，andthepurplish-graymassesofbrushwoodaround。

Fitzpierscontinuedtoregardthenearingpicture，tillatlengththeirglancesmetforamoment，whenshedemurelysentoffhersatatangentandgavehimthebenefitofherthree-quarterface，whilewithcourteouscompletenessofconductheliftedhishatinalargearc。Martydroppedbehind；andwhenFitzpiersheldouthishand，Gracetoucheditwithherfingers。

“IhaveagreedtobeheremostlybecauseIwantedtoaskyousomethingimportant。”saidMrs。Fitzpiers，herintonationmodulatinginadirectionthatshehadnotquitewishedittotake。

“Iammostattentive。”saidherhusband。“Shallwetaketothewoodforprivacy？”

Gracedemurred，andFitzpiersgavein，andtheykeptthepublicroad。

Atanyrateshewouldtakehisarm？Thisalsowasgravelynegatived，therefusalbeingaudibletoMarty。

“Whynot？”heinquired。

“Oh，Mr。Fitzpiers——howcanyouask？”

“Right，right。”saidhe，hiseffusivenessshrivelledup。

Astheywalkedonshereturnedtoherinquiry。“Itisaboutamatterthatmayperhapsbeunpleasanttoyou。ButIthinkIneednotconsiderthattoocarefully。”

“Notatall。”saidFitzpiers，heroically。

ShethentookhimbacktothetimeofpoorWinterborne’sdeath，andrelatedtheprecisecircumstancesamidwhichhisfatalillnesshadcomeuponhim，particularizingthedampnessofthesheltertowhichhehadbetakenhimself，hisconcealmentfromherofthehardshipsthathewasundergoing，allthathehadputupwith，allthathehaddoneforherinhisscrupulousconsiderateness。Theretrospectbroughthertotearsassheaskedhimifhethoughtthatthesinofhavingdrivenhimtohisdeathwasuponher。

Fi