第63章

Thewoodswereuninteresting，andGracestayedin-doorsagreatdeal。Shebecamequiteastudent，readingmorethanshehaddonesincehermarriageButherseclusionwasalwaysbrokenfortheperiodicalvisittoWinterborne’sgravewithMarty，whichwaskeptupwithpiousstrictness，forthepurposeofputtingsnow-drops，primroses，andothervernalflowersthereonastheycame。

Oneafternoonatsunsetshewasstandingjustoutsideherfather’sgarden，which，liketherestoftheHintockenclosures，abuttedintothewood。Aslightfoot-pathledalonghere，formingasecretwaytoeitherofthehousesbygettingthroughitsboundaryhedge。Gracewasjustabouttoadoptthismodeofentrywhenafigureapproachedalongthepath，andhelduphishandtodetainher。Itwasherhusband。

“Iamdelighted。”hesaid，comingupoutofbreath；andthereseemednoreasontodoubthiswords。“Isawyousomewayoff——I

wasafraidyouwouldgoinbeforeIcouldreachyou。”

“Itisaweekbeforethetime。”saidshe，reproachfully。“Isaidafortnightfromthelastmeeting。”

“Mydear，youdon’tsupposeIcouldwaitafortnightwithouttryingtogetaglimpseofyou，eventhoughyouhaddeclinedtomeetme！WoulditmakeyouangrytoknowthatIhavebeenalongthispathatduskthreeorfourtimessinceourlastmeeting？

Well，howareyou？”

Shedidnotrefuseherhand，butwhenheshowedawishtoretainitamomentlongerthanmereformalityrequired，shemadeitsmaller，sothatitslippedawayfromhim，withagainthatsamealarmedlookwhichalwaysfollowedhisattemptsinthisdirection。

Hesawthatshewasnotyetoutoftheelusivemood；notyettobetreatedpresumingly；andhewascorrespondinglycarefultotranquillizeher。

Hisassertionhadseemedtoimpresshersomewhat。“Ihadnoideayoucamesooften。”shesaid。“Howfardoyoucomefrom？”

“FromExbury。IalwayswalkfromSherton-Abbas，forifIhire，peoplewillknowthatIcome；andmysuccesswithyousofarhasnotbeengreatenoughtojustifysuchovertness。Now，mydearone——asIMUSTcallyou——Iputittoyou：willyouseemealittleoftenerasthespringadvances？”

Gracelapsedintounwontedsedateness，andavoidingthequestion，said，“Iwishyouwouldconcentrateonyourprofession，andgiveupthosestrangestudiesthatusedtodistractyousomuch。Iamsureyouwouldgeton。”

“ItistheverythingIamdoing。Iwasgoingtoaskyoutoburn——

or，atleast，getridof——allmyphilosophicalliterature。Itisinthebookcasesinyourrooms。Thefactis，Inevercaredmuchforabstrusestudies。”

“Iamsogladtohearyousaythat。Andthoseotherbooks——thosepilesofoldplays——whatgoodaretheytoamedicalman？”

“Nonewhatever！”hereplied，cheerfully。“SellthematShertonforwhattheywillfetch。”

“AndthosedreadfuloldFrenchromances，withtheirhorridspellingsof’filz’and’ung’and’ilz’and’mary’and’mafoy？’“

“Youhaven’tbeenreadingthem，Grace？”

“Ohno——Ijustlookedintothem，thatwasall。”

“Makeabonfireof’emdirectlyyougethome。Imeanttodoitmyself。Ican’tthinkwhatpossessedmeevertocollectthem。I

haveonlyafewprofessionalhand-booksnow，andamquiteapracticalman。Iaminhopesofhavingsomegoodnewstotellyousoon，andthendoyouthinkyoucould——cometomeagain？”

“Iwouldratheryoudidnotpressmeonthatjustnow。”shereplied，withsomefeeling。“Youhavesaidyoumeantoleadanew，useful，effectuallife；butIshouldliketoseeyouputitinpracticeforalittlewhilebeforeyouaddressthatquerytome。Besides——Icouldnotlivewithyou。”

“Whynot？”

Gracewassilentafewinstants。“IgowithMartytoGiles’sgrave。Wesworewewouldshowhimthatdevotion。AndImeantokeepitup。”

“Well，Iwouldn’tmindthatatall。Ihavenorighttoexpectanythingelse，andIwillnotwishyoutokeepaway。IlikedthemanaswellasanyIeverknew。Inshort，Iwouldaccompanyyouapartofthewaytotheplace，andsmokeacigaronthestilewhileIwaitedtillyoucameback。”

“Thenyouhaven’tgivenupsmoking？”

“Well——ahem——no。Ihavethoughtofdoingso，but——“

HisextremecomplacencehadratherdisconcertedGrace，andthequestionaboutsmo