“ThatwasGiles。”saidMelbury，whentheyhadgoneby。
　　“Wasit？PoorGiles。”saidshe。
　　“Allthatbloothmeansheavyautumnworkforhimandhishands。
　　Ifnoblighthappensbeforethesettingtheappleyieldwillbesuchaswehavenothadforyears。”
　　Meanwhile，inthewoodtheyhadcomefrom，themenhadsatonsolongthattheywereindisposedtobeginworkagainthatevening；
　　theywerepaidbytheton，andtheirtimeforlaborwasastheychose。Theyplacedthelastgatheringsofbarkinrowsforthecurers，whichledthemfartherandfartherawayfromtheshed；andthustheygraduallywithdrewasthesunwentdown。
　　Fitzpierslingeredyet。Hehadopenedhisbookagain，thoughhecouldhardlyseeawordinit，andsatbeforethedyingfire，scarcelyknowingofthemen’sdeparture。Hedreamedandmusedtillhisconsciousnessseemedtooccupythewholespaceofthewoodlandaround，solittlewasthereofjarringsightorsoundtohinderperfectunitywiththesentimentoftheplace。Theideareturneduponhimofsacrificingallpracticalaimstoliveincalmcontentmenthere，andinsteadofgoingonelaboratingnewconceptionswithinfinitepains，toacceptquietdomesticityaccordingtooldestandhomeliestnotions。Thesereflectionsdetainedhimtillthewoodwasembrownedwiththecomingnight，andtheshylittlebirdofthisduskytimehadbeguntopouroutalltheintensityofhiseloquencefromabushnotveryfaroff。
　　Fitzpiers’seyescommandedasmuchofthegroundinfrontaswasopen。Enteringuponthishesawafigure，whosedirectionofmovementwastowardsthespotwherehesat。Thesurgeonwasquiteshroudedfromobservationbytherecessedshadowofthehut，andtherewasnoreasonwhyheshouldmovetillthestrangerhadpassedby。Theshaperesolveditselfintoawoman’s；shewaslookingontheground，andwalkingslowlyasifsearchingforsomethingthathadbeenlost，hercoursebeingpreciselythatofMr。Melbury’sgig。FitzpiersbyasortofdivinationjumpedtotheideathatthefigurewasGrace’s；hernearerapproachmadetheguessacertainty。
　　Yes，shewaslookingforsomething；andshecameroundbytheprostratetreesthatwouldhavebeeninvisiblebutforthewhitenakednesswhichenabledhertoavoidthemeasily。Thussheapproachedtheheapofashes，andactinguponwhatwassuggestedbyastillshiningemberortwo，shetookastickandstirredtheheap，whichthereuponburstintoaflame。OnlookingaroundbythelightthusobtainedsheforthefirsttimesawtheilluminedfaceofFitzpiers，preciselyinthespotwhereshehadlefthim。
　　Gracegaveastartandascream：theplacehadbeenassociatedwithhiminherthoughts，butshehadnotexpectedtofindhimtherestill。Fitzpierslostnotamomentinrisingandgoingtoherside。
　　“Ifrightenedyoudreadfully，Iknow。”hesaid。“Ioughttohavespoken；butIdidnotatfirstexpectittobeyou。Ihavebeensittinghereeversince。”
　　Hewasactuallysupportingherwithhisarm，asthoughundertheimpressionthatshewasquiteovercome，andindangeroffalling。
　　Assoonasshecouldcollectherideasshegentlywithdrewfromhisgrasp，andexplainedwhatshehadreturnedfor：ingettingupordownfromthegig，orwhensittingbythehutfire，shehaddroppedherpurse。
　　“Nowwewillfindit。”saidFitzpiers。
　　Hethrewanarmfuloflastyear’sleavesontothefire，whichmadetheflameleaphigher，andtheencompassingshadestoweavethemselvesintoadensercontrast，turningeveintonightinamoment。Bythisradiancetheygropedaboutontheirhandsandknees，tillFitzpiersrestedonhiselbow，andlookedatGrace。
　　“Wemustalwaysmeetinoddcircumstances。”hesaid；“andthisisoneoftheoddest。Iwonderifitmeansanything？”
　　“Ohno，Iamsureitdoesn’t。”saidGraceinhaste，quicklyassuminganerectposture。“Praydon’tsayitanymore。”
　　“Ihopetherewasnotmuchmoneyinthepurse。”saidFitzpiers，risingtohisfeetmoreslowly，andbrushingtheleavesfromhistrousers。
　　“Scarcelyany。Icaredmostaboutthepurseitself，becauseitwasgivenme。Indeed，moneyisoflittlemoreuseatHintockthanonCrusoe’sisland；there’shardlyanywayofspendingit。”
　　TheyhadgivenupthesearchwhenFitzpiersdiscernedsomethingbyhisfoot。“Hereitis。”hesaid，“sothatyourfather，mother，friend，orADMIRERwillnothavehisorherfeelingshurtbyasenseofyournegligenceafterall。”
　　“Oh，heknowsnothingofwhatIdonow。”
　　“Theadmirer？”saidFitzpiers，slyly。
　　“Idon’tknowifyouwouldcallhimthat。”saidGrace，withsimplicity。“Theadmirerisasuperficial，conditionalcreature，andthispersonisquitedifferent。”
　　“Hehasallthecardinalvirtues。”
　　“Perhaps——thoughIdon’tknowthemprecisely。”
　　“Youunconsciouslypractisethem，MissMelbury，whichisbetter。
　　AccordingtoSchleiermachertheyareSelf-control，Perseverance，Wisdom，andLove；andhisisthebestlistthatIknow。”
　　“Iamafraidpoor——“ShewasgoingtosaythatshefearedWinterborne——thegiverofthepurseyearsbefore——hadnotmuchperseverance，thoughhehadalltheotherthree；butshedeterminedtogonofurtherinthisdirection，andwassilent。
　　Thesehalf-revelationsmadeaperceptibledifferenceinFitzpiers。
　　Hissenseofpersonalsuperioritywastedaway，andGraceassumedinhiseyesthetrueaspectofamistressinherlover’sregard。
　　“MissMelbury。”hesaid，suddenly，“Idivinethatthisvirtuousmanyoumentionhasbeenrefusedbyyou？”
　　Shecoulddonootherwisethanadmitit。
　　“Idonotinquirewithoutgoodreason。GodforbidthatIshouldkneelinanother’splaceatanyshrineunfairly。But，mydearMissMelbury，nowthatheisgone，mayIdrawnear？”
　　“I——Ican’tsayanythingaboutthat！”shecried，quickly。
　　“Becausewhenamanhasbeenrefusedyoufeelpityforhim，andlikehimmorethanyoudidbefore。”
　　ThisincreasingcomplicationaddedstillmorevaluetoGraceinthesurgeon’seyes：itrenderedheradorable。“Butcannotyousay？”hepleaded，distractedly。
　　“I’drathernot——IthinkImustgohomeatonce。”
　　“Ohyes。”saidFitzpiers。Butashedidnotmoveshefeltitawkwardtowalkstraightawayfromhim；andsotheystoodsilentlytogether。Adiversionwascreatedbytheaccidentoftwobirds，thathadeitherbeenroostingabovetheirheadsornestingthere，tumblingoneovertheotherintothehotashesattheirfeet，apparentlyengrossedinadesperatequarrelthatpreventedtheuseoftheirwings。Theyspeedilyparted，however，andflewup，andwereseennomore。
　　“That’stheendofwhatiscalledlove！”saidsomeone。
　　ThespeakerwasneitherGracenorFitzpiers，butMartySouth，whoapproachedwithherfaceturneduptotheskyinherendeavortotracethebirds。SuddenlyperceivingGrace，sheexclaimed，“Oh，MissMelbury！Ihavebeenfollowingtheypigeons，anddidn’tseeyou。Andhere’sMr。Winterborne！”shecontinued，shyly，asshelookedtowardsFitzpiers，whostoodinthebackground。
　　“Marty。”Graceinterrupted。“Iwantyoutowalkhomewithme——
　　willyou？Comealong。”AndwithoutlingeringlongershetookholdofMarty’sarmandledheraway。
　　Theywentbetweenthespectralarmsofthepeeledtreesastheylay，andonwardamongthegrowingtrees，byapathwheretherewerenooaks，andnobarking，andnoFitzpiers——nothingbutcopse-
　　wood，betweenwhichtheprimrosescouldbediscernedinpalebunches。“Ididn’tknowMr。Winterbornewasthere。”saidMarty，breakingthesilencewhentheyhadnearlyreachedGrace’sdoor。
　　“Norwashe。”saidGrace。
　　“But，MissMelbury，Isawhim。”
　　“No。”saidGrace。“Itwassomebodyelse。GilesWinterborneisnothingtome。”
　　TheleavesoverHintockgrewdenserintheirsubstance，andthewoodlandseemedtochangefromanopenfiligreetoasolidopaquebodyofinfinitelylargershapeandimportance。Theboughscastgreenshades，whichhurtthecomplexionofthegirlswhowalkedthere；andafringeofthemwhichoverhungMr。Melbury’sgardendrippedonhisseed-plotswhenitrained，pittingtheirsurfacealloveraswithpock-marks，tillMelburydeclaredthatgardensinsuchaplacewerenogoodatall。Thetwotreesthathadcreakedallthewinterleftoffcreaking，thewhirofthenight-jar，however，formingaverysatisfactorycontinuationofuncannymusicfromthatquarter。Exceptatmid-daythesunwasnotseencompletebytheHintockpeople，butratherintheformofnumerouslittlestarsstaringthroughtheleaves。
　　SuchanappearanceithadonMidsummerEveofthisyear，andasthehourgrewlater，andnineo’clockdrewon，theirradiationofthedaytimebecamebrokenupbyweirdshadowsandghostlynooksofindistinctness。Imaginationcouldtraceuponthetrunksandboughsstrangefacesandfiguresshapedbythedyinglights；thesurfacesoftheholly-leaveswouldhereandthereshinelikepeepingeyes，whilesuchfragmentsoftheskyaswerevisiblebetweenthetrunksassumedtheaspectofsheetedformsandcloventongues。Thiswasbeforethemoonrise。Lateron，whenthatplanetwasgettingcommandoftheupperheaven，andconsequentlyshiningwithanunbrokenfaceintosuchopengladesastherewereintheneighborhoodofthehamlet，itbecameapparentthatthemarginofthewoodwhichapproachedthetimber-merchant’spremiseswasnottobelefttothecustomarystillnessofthatreposefultime。
　　Fitzpiershavingheardavoiceorvoices，waslookingoverhisgardengate——wherehenowlookedmorefrequentlythanintohisbooks——fancyingthatGracemightbeabroadwithsomefriends。HewasnowirretrievablycommittedinhearttoGraceMelbury，thoughhewasbynomeanssurethatshewassofarcommittedtohim。
　　ThattheIdeahadforoncecompletelyfulfilleditselfintheobjectivesubstance——whichhehadhithertodeemedanimpossibility——hewasenchantedenoughtofancymustbethecaseatlast。ItwasnotGracewhohadpassed，however，butseveraloftheordinaryvillagegirlsinagroup——somesteadilywalking，someinamoodofwildgayety。Hequietlyaskedhislandlady，whowasalsointhegarden，whatthesegirlswereintending，andsheinformedhimthatitbeingOldMidsummerEve，theywereabouttoattemptsomespellorenchantmentwhichwouldaffordthemaglimpseoftheirfuturepartnersforlife。Shedeclaredittobeanungodlyperformance，andonewhichsheforherpartwouldnevercountenance；sayingwhich，sheenteredherhouseandretiredtobed。
　　Theyoungmanlitacigarandfollowedthebevyofmaidensslowlyuptheroad。TheyhadturnedintothewoodatanopeningbetweenMelbury’sandMartySouth’s；butFitzpierscouldeasilytrackthembytheirvoices，lowastheyendeavoredtokeeptheirtones。
　　InthemeantimeotherinhabitantsofLittleHintockhadbecomeawareofthenocturnalexperimentabouttobetried，andwerealsosaunteringstealthilyafterthefriskymaidens。MissMelburyhadbeeninformedbyMartySouthduringthedayoftheproposedpeepintofuturity，and，beingonlyagirlliketherest，shewassufficientlyinterestedtowishtoseetheissue。ThemoonwassobrightandthenightsocalmthatshehadnodifficultyinpersuadingMrs。Melburytoaccompanyher；andthus，joinedbyMarty，thesewentonwardinthesamedirection。
　　PassingWinterborne’shouse，theyheardanoiseofhammering。
　　Martyexplainedit。Thiswasthelastnightonwhichhispaternalroofwouldshelterhim，thedaysofgracesinceitfellintohandhavingexpired；andGileswastakingdownhiscupboardsandbedsteadswithaviewtoanearlyexitnextmorning。HisencounterwithMrs。Charmondhadcosthimdearly。
　　WhentheyhadproceededalittlefartherMartywasjoinedbyGrammerOliverwhowasasyoungastheyoungestinsuchmatters，andGraceandMrs。Melburywentonbythemselvestilltheyhadarrivedatthespotchosenbythevillagedaughters，whoseprimaryintentionofkeepingtheirexpeditionasecrethadbeenquitedefeated。Graceandherstep-motherpausedbyaholly-tree；andatalittledistancestoodFitzpiersundertheshadeofayoungoak，intentlyobservingGrace，whowasinthefullraysofthemoon。
　　Hewatchedherwithoutspeaking，andunperceivedbyanybutMartyandGrammer，whohaddrawnuponthedarksideofthesamehollywhichshelteredMrs。andMissMelburyonitsbrightside。Thetwoformerconversedinlowtones。
　　“IftheytwocomeupinWoodnextMidsummerNightthey’llcomeasone。”saidGrammer，signifyingFitzpiersandGrace。“Insteadofmyskellingtonhe’llcarryhomeherlivingcarcassbeforelong。
　　Butthoughshe’saladyinherself，andworthyofanysuchashe，itdoseemtomethatheoughttomarrysomebodymoreofthesortofMrs。Charmond，andthatMissGraceshouldmakethebestofWinterborne。”
　　Martyreturnednocomment；andatthatminutethegirls，someofwhomwerefromGreatHintock，wereseenadvancingtoworktheincantation，itbeingnowaboutmidnight。
　　“Directlyweseeanythingwe’llrunhomeasfastaswecan。”saidone，whosecouragehadbeguntofailher。Tothistherestassented，notknowingthatadozenneighborslurkedinthebushesaround。
　　“Iwishwehadnotthoughtoftryingthis。”saidanother，“buthadcontentedourselveswiththehole-diggingto-morrowattwelve，andhearingourhusbands’trades。ItistoomuchlikehavingdealingswiththeEvilOnetotrytoraisetheirforms。”
　　However，theyhadgonetoofartorecede，andslowlybegantomarchforwardinaskirmishinglinethroughthetreestowardsthedeeperrecessesofthewood。Asfarasthelistenerscouldgather，theparticularformofblack-arttobepractisedonthisoccasionwasoneconnectedwiththesowingofhemp-seed，ahandfulofwhichwascarriedbyeachgirl。Atthemomentoftheiradvancetheylookedback，anddiscernedthefigureofMissMelbury，who，aloneofalltheobservers，stoodinthefullfaceofthemoonlight，deeplyengrossedintheproceedings。Bycontrastwithherlifeoflateyearstheymadeherfeelasifshehadrecededacoupleofcenturiesintheworld’shistory。Shewasrendereddoublyconspicuousbyherlightdress，andafterafewwhisperedwords，oneofthegirls——abouncingmaiden，plightedtoyoungTimothyTangs——askedherifshewouldjoinin。Grace，withsomeexcitement，saidthatshewould，andmovedonalittleintherearoftherest。