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Thewinterandthespringhadpassed，andthehousewascomplete。
ItwasafinemorningintheearlypartofJune，andBarnet，thoughnotinthehabitofrisingearly，hadtakenalongwalkbeforebreakfast；returningbywayofthenewbuilding。Asufficientlyexcitingcauseofhisrestlessnessto-daymighthavebeentheintelligencewhichhadreachedhimthenightbefore，thatLucySavilewasgoingtoIndiaafterall，andnotwithstandingtherepresentationsofherfriendsthatsuchajourneywasunadvisableinmanywaysforanunpractisedgirl，unlesssomemoredefiniteadvantagelayattheendofitthanshecouldshowtobethecase。
Barnet’swalkuptheslopetothebuildingbetrayedthathewasinadissatisfiedmood。Hehardlysawthatthedewytimeofdaylentanunusualfreshnesstothebushesandtreeswhichhadsorecentlyputontheirsummerhabitofheavyleafage，andmadehisnewly-laidlawnlookaswellestablishedasanoldmanorialmeadow。Thehousehadbeensoadroitlyplacedbetweensixtallelmswhichweregrowingonthesitebeforehand，thattheyseemedlikerealancestraltrees；andtherooks，youngandold，cawedmelodiouslytotheirvisitor。
Thedoorwasnotlocked，andheentered。Noworkmenappearedtobepresent，andhewalkedfromsunnywindowtosunnywindowoftheemptyrooms，withasenseofseclusionwhichmighthavebeenverypleasantbutfortheantecedentknowledgethathisalmostpaternalcareofLucySavilewastobethrownawaybyherwilfulness。
Footstepsechoedthroughanadjoiningroom；andbendinghiseyesinthatdirection，heperceivedMr。Jones，thearchitect。Hehadcometolookoverthebuildingbeforegivingthecontractorhisfinalcertificate。Theywalkedoverthehousetogether。Everythingwasfinishedexceptthepapering:therewerethelatestimprovementsoftheperiodinbell-hanging，ventilating，smoke-jacks，fire-grates，andFrenchwindows。Thebusinesswassoonended，andJones，havingdirectedBarnet’sattentiontoarollofwall-paperpatternswhichlayonabenchforhischoice，wasleavingtokeepanotherengagement，whenBarnetsaid，’IsthetombfinishedyetforMrs。
Downe？’
’Well——yes:itisatlast，’saidthearchitect，comingbackandspeakingasifhewereinamoodtomakeaconfidence。’Ihavehadnoendoftroubleinthematter，and，totellthetruth，Iamheartilygladitisover。’
Barnetexpressedhissurprise。’IthoughtpoorDownehadgivenupthoseextravagantnotionsofhis？thenhehasgonebacktothealtarandcanopyafterall？Well，heistobeexcused，poorfellow！’
’Ono——hehasnotatallgonebacktothem——quitethereverse，’
Joneshastenedtosay。’Hehassoreduceddesignafterdesign，thatthewholethinghasbeennothingbutwastelabourforme；tillintheendithasbecomeacommonheadstone，whichamasonputupinhalfaday。’
’Acommonheadstone？’saidBarnet。
’Yes。Iheldoutforsometimefortheadditionofafootstoneatleast。Buthesaid，“Ono——hecouldn’taffordit。“’
’Ah，well——hisfamilyisgrowingup，poorfellow，andhisexpensesaregettingserious。’
’Yes，exactly，’saidJones，asifthesubjectwerenoneofhis。AndagaindirectingBarnet’sattentiontothewall-papers，thebustlingarchitectlefthimtokeepsomeotherengagement。
’Acommonheadstone，’murmuredBarnet，leftagaintohimself。Hemusedaminuteortwo，andnextbeganlookingovera
