“He’sallright，andhe’scomingheretoseeyou。”
　　Apremonitionthatshecouldnotresisthimifhecamestrangelymovedher。“Ofcourse，father，yourememberthatitisonlylatelythatGiles——“
　　“Youknowthatyoucan’tthinkofhim。Hehasgivenupallclaimtoyou。”
　　Shecouldnotexplainthesubtletiesofherfeelingashecouldstatehisopinion，eventhoughshehadskillinspeech，andherfatherhadnone。ThatFitzpiersacteduponherlikeadram，excitingher，throwingherintoanovelatmospherewhichbiassedherdoingsuntiltheinfluencewasover，whenshefeltsomethingofthenatureofregretforthemoodshehadexperienced——stillmoreifshereflectedonthesilent，almostsarcastic，criticismapparentinWinterborne’sairtowardsher——couldnotbetoldtothisworthycoupleinwords。
　　ItsohappenedthatonthisverydayFitzpierswascalledawayfromHintockbyanengagementtoattendsomemedicalmeetings，andhisvisits，therefore，didnotbeginatonce。Anote，however，arrivedfromhimaddressedtoGrace，deploringhisenforcedabsence。Asamaterialobjectthisnotewasprettyandsuperfine，anoteofasortthatshehadbeenunaccustomedtoseesinceherreturntoHintock，exceptwhenaschoolfriendwrotetoher——arareinstance，forthegirlswererespectersofpersons，andmanycooleddowntowardsthetimber-dealer’sdaughterwhenshewasoutofsight。Thusthereceiptofitpleasedher，andsheafterwardswalkedaboutwithareflectiveair。
　　Intheeveningherfather，whoknewthatthenotehadcome，said，“Whybeyenotsittingdowntoansweryourletter？That’swhatyoungfolksdidinmytime。”
　　Sherepliedthatitdidnotrequireananswer。
　　“Oh，youknowbest。”hesaid。Nevertheless，hewentabouthisbusinessdoubtingifshewererightinnotreplying；possiblyshemightbesomismanagingmattersastoriskthelossofanalliancewhichwouldbringhermuchhappiness。
　　Melbury’srespectforFitzpierswasbasedlessonhisprofessionalposition，whichwasnotmuch，thanonthestandingofhisfamilyinthecountyinby-gonedays。Thatimplicitfaithinmembersoflong-establishedfamilies，assuch，irrespectiveoftheirpersonalconditionorcharacter，whichisstillfoundamongold-fashionedpeopleintheruraldistrictsreacheditsfullintensityinMelbury。Hisdaughter’ssuitorwasdescendedfromafamilyhehadheardofinhisgrandfather’stimeasbeingoncegreat，afamilywhichhadconferreditsnameuponaneighboringvillage；how，then，couldanythingbeamissinthisbetrothal？
　　“Imustkeepheruptothis。”hesaidtohiswife。“Sheseesitisforherhappiness；butstillshe’syoung，andmaywantalittlepromptingfromanoldertongue。”
　　Withthisinviewhetookheroutforawalk，acustomofhiswhenhewishedtosayanythingspeciallyimpressive。Theirwaywasoverthetopofthatloftyridgedividingtheirwoodlandfromtheciderdistrict，whencetheyhadinthespringbeheldthemilesofapple-treesinbloom。Allwasnowdeepgreen。ThespotrecalledtoGrace’smindthelastoccasionofherpresencethere，andshesaid，“Thepromiseofanenormousapple-cropisfulfillingitself，isitnot？IsupposeGilesisgettinghismillsandpressesready。”
　　Thiswasjustwhatherfatherhadnotcometheretotalkabout。
　　Withoutreplyingheraisedhisarm，andmovedhisfingertillhefixeditatapoint。“There。”hesaid，“youseethatplantationreachingoverthehilllikeagreatslug，andjustbehindthehillaparticularlygreenshelteredbottom？That’swhereMr。
　　Fitzpiers’sfamilywerelordsofthemanorforIdon’tknowhowmanyhundredyears，andtherestandsthevillageofBuckburyFitzpiers。Awonderfulproperty’twas——wonderful！”
　　“Buttheyarenotlordsofthemanortherenow。”
　　“Why，no。Butgoodandgreatthingsdieaswellaslittleandfoolish。Theonlyonesrepresentingthefamilynow，Ibelieve，areourdoctorandamaidenladylivingIdon’tknowwhere。Youcan’thelpbeinghappy，Grace，inallyingyourselfwithsucharomanticalfamily。You’llfeelasifyou’vesteppedintohistory。”
　　“We’vebeenatHintockaslongasthey’vebeenatBuckbury；isitnotso？Yousayournameoccursinolddeedscontinually。”
　　“Ohyes——asyeomen，copyholders，andsuchlike。Butthinkhowmuchbetterthiswillbefor’ee。You’llbelivingahighintellectuallife，suchashasnowbecomenaturaltoyou；andthoughthedoctor’spracticeissmallhere，he’llnodoubtgotoadashingtownwhenhe’sgothishandin，andkeepastylishcarriage，andyou’llbebroughttoknowagoodmanyladiesofexcellentsociety。Ifyoushouldevermeetmethen，Grace，youcandrivepastme，lookingtheotherway。Ishouldn’texpectyoutospeaktome，orwishsuchathing，unlessithappenedtobeinsomelonely，privateplacewhere’twouldn’tloweryeatall。
　　Don’tthinksuchmenasneighborGilesyourequal。HeandIshallbegoodfriendsenough，buthe’snotforthelikeofyou。He’slivedourroughandhomelylifehere，andhiswife’slifemustberoughandhomelylikewise。”
　　Somuchpressurecouldnotbutproducesomedisplacement。AsGracewasleftverymuchtoherself，shetookadvantageofonefinedaybeforeFitzpiers’sreturntodriveintotheaforesaidvalewherestoodthevillageofBuckburyFitzpiers。Leavingherfather’smanattheinnwiththehorseandgig，sherambledonwardtotheruinsofacastle，whichstoodinafieldhardby。ShehadnodoubtthatitrepresentedtheancientstrongholdoftheFitzpiersfamily。
　　Theremainswerefew，andconsistedmostlyofremnantsofthelowervaulting，supportedonlowstoutcolumnssurmountedbythecrochetcapitaloftheperiod。Thetwoorthreearchesofthesevaultsthatwerestillinpositionwereutilizedbytheadjoiningfarmerasshelterforhiscalves，thefloorbeingspreadwithstraw，amidwhichtheyoungcreaturesrustled，coolingtheirthirstytonguesbylickingthequaintNormancarving，whichglistenedwiththemoisture。Itwasadegradationofevensucharudeformofartasthistobetreatadsogrossly，shethought，andforthefirsttimethefamilyofFitzpiersassumedinherimaginationthehuesofamelancholyromanticism。
　　Itwassoontimetodrivehome，andshetraversedthedistancewithapreoccupiedmind。Theideaofsomodernamaninscienceandaestheticsastheyoungsurgeonspringingoutofrelicssoancientwasakindofnoveltyshehadneverbeforeexperienced。
　　Thecombinationlenthimasocialandintellectualinterestwhichshedreaded，somuchweightdiditaddtothestrangeinfluenceheexerciseduponherwheneverhecamenearher。
　　Inanexcitementwhichwasnotlove，notambition，ratherafearfulconsciousnessofhazardintheair，sheawaitedhisreturn。
　　Meanwhileherfatherwasawaitinghimalso。Inhishousetherewasanoldworkonmedicine，publishedtowardstheendofthelastcentury，andtoputhimselfinharmonywitheventsMelburyspreadthisworkonhiskneeswhenhehaddonehisday’sbusiness，andreadaboutGalen，Hippocrates，andHerophilus——ofthedogmatic，theempiric，thehermetical，andothersectsofpractitionersthathaveariseninhistory；andthenceproceededtotheclassificationofmaladiesandtherulesfortheirtreatment，aslaiddowninthisvaluablebookwithabsoluteprecision。Melburyregrettedthatthetreatisewassoold，fearingthathemightinconsequencebeunabletoholdascompleteaconversationashecouldwishwithMr。Fitzpiers，primed，nodoubt，withmorerecentdiscoveries。
　　ThedayofFitzpiers’sreturnarrived，andhesenttosaythathewouldcallimmediately。InthelittletimethatwasaffordedforputtingthehouseinorderthesweepingofMelbury’sparlorwasasthesweepingoftheparlorattheInterpreter’swhichwellnighchokedthePilgrim。AttheendofitMrs。Melburysatdown，foldedherhandsandlips，andwaited。Herhusbandrestlesslywalkedinandoutfromthetimber-yard，staredattheinterioroftheroom，jerkedout“ay，ay。”andretreatedagain。BetweenfourandfiveFitzpiersarrived，hitchinghishorsetothehookoutsidethedoor。
　　AssoonashehadwalkedinandperceivedthatGracewasnotintheroom，heseemedtohaveamisgiving。Nothinglessthanheractualpresencecouldlongkeephimtothelevelofthisimpassionedenterprise，andthatlackingheappearedasonewhowishedtoretracehissteps。
　　Hemechanicallytalkedatwhatheconsideredawoodlandmatron’slevelofthoughttillarustlingwasheardonthestairs，andGracecamein。Fitzpierswasforonceasagitatedasshe。Overandabovethegenuineemotionwhichsheraisedinhishearttherehungthesensethathewascastingadiebyimpulsewhichhemightnothavethrownbyjudgment。
　　Mr。Melburywasnotintheroom。Havingtoattendtomattersintheyard，hehaddelayedputtingonhisafternooncoatandwaistcoattillthedoctor’sappearance，when，notwishingtobebackwardinreceivinghim，heenteredtheparlorhastilybuttoningupthosegarments。Grace’sfastidiousnesswasalittledistressedthatFitzpiersshouldseebythisactionthestrainhisvisitwasputtinguponherfather；andtomakemattersworseforherjustthen，oldGrammerseemedtohaveapassionforincessantlypumpinginthebackkitchen，leavingthedoorsopensothatthebangingandsplashingweredistinctabovetheparlorconversation。
　　WheneverthechatovertheteasankintopleasantdesultorinessMr。Melburybrokeinwithspeechesoflaboredprecisiononveryremotetopics，asifhefearedtoletFitzpiers’sminddwellcriticallyonthesubjectnearesttheheartsofall。IntruthaconstrainedmannerwasnaturalenoughinMelburyjustnow，forthegreatestinterestofhislifewasreachingitscrisis。Couldtherealhavebeenbeheldinsteadofthecorporealmerely，thecorneroftheroominwhichhesatwouldhavebeenfilledwithaformtypicalofanxioussuspense，large-eyed，tight-lipped，awaitingtheissue。Thatpaternalhopesandfearssointenseshouldbeboundupinthepersonofonechildsopeculiarlycircumstanced，andnothavedispersedthemselvesoverthelargerfieldofawholefamily，involveddangerousriskstofuturehappiness。
　　Fitzpiersdidnotstaymorethananhour，butthattimehadapparentlyadvancedhissentimentstowardsGrace，onceandforall，fromavaguelyliquescenttoanorganicshape。Shewouldnothaveaccompaniedhimtothedoorinresponsetohiswhispered“Come！”ifhermotherhadnotsaidinamatter-of-factway，“Ofcourse，Grace；gotothedoorwithMr。Fitzpiers。”AccordinglyGracewent，bothherparentsremainingintheroom。Whentheyoungpairwereinthegreatbrick-flooredhallthelovertookthegirl’shandinhis，drewitunderhisarm，andthusledherontothedoor，wherehestealthilykissedher。
　　Shebrokefromhimtrembling，blushedandturnedaside，hardlyknowinghowthingshadadvancedtothis。Fitzpiersdroveoff，kissinghishandtoher，andwavingittoMelburywhowasvisiblethroughthewindow。Herfatherreturnedthesurgeon’sactionwithagreatflourishofhisownhandandasatisfiedsmile。
　　TheintoxicationthatFitzpiershad，asusual，producedinGrace’sbrainduringthevisitpassedoffsomewhatwithhiswithdrawal。
　　Shefeltlikeawomanwhodidnotknowwhatshehadbeendoingfortheprevioushour，butsupposedwithtrepidationthattheafternoon’sproceedings，thoughvague，hadamountedtoanengagementbetweenherselfandthehandsome，coercive，irresistibleFitzpiers。
　　Thisvisitwasatypeofmanywhichfolloweditduringthelongsummerdaysofthatyear。Gracewasbornealonguponastreamofreasonings，arguments，andpersuasions，supplemented，itmustbeadded，byinclinationsofherownattimes。Nowomaniswithoutaspirations，whichmaybeinnocentenoughwithincertainlimits；
　　andGracehadbeensotrainedsocially，andeducatedintellectually，astoseeclearlyenoughapleasureinthepositionofwifetosuchamanasFitzpiers。Hismaterialstandingofitself，eitherpresentorfuture，hadlittleinittogiveherambition，butthepossibilitiesofarefinedandcultivatedinnerlife，ofsubtlepsychologicalintercourse，hadtheircharm。Itwasthisratherthananyvulgarideaofmarryingwellwhichcausedhertofloatwiththecurrent，andtoyieldtotheimmenseinfluencewhichFitzpiersexercisedoverherwhenevershesharedhissociety。
　　Anyobserverwouldshrewdlyhaveprophesiedthatwhetherornotshelovedhimasyetintheordinarysense，shewasprettysuretodosointime。
　　Oneeveningjustbeforedusktheyhadtakenaratherlongwalktogether，andforashortcuthomewardpassedthroughtheshrubberiesofHintockHouse——stilldeserted，andstillblanklyconfrontingwithitssightlessshutteredwindowsthesurroundingfoliageandslopes。Gracewastired，andtheyapproachedthewall，andsattogetherononeofthestonesills——stillwarmwiththesunthathadbeenpouringitsraysuponthemalltheafternoon。
　　“Thisplacewouldjustdoforus，woulditnot，dearest。”saidherbetrothed，astheysat，turningandlookingidlyattheoldfacade。
　　“Ohyes。”saidGrace，plainlyshowingthatnosuchfancyhadevercrossedhermind。“Sheisawayfromhomestill。”Graceaddedinaminute，rathersadly，forshecouldnotforgetthatshehadsomehowlostthevaluablefriendshipoftheladyofthisbower。
　　“Whois？——oh，youmeanMrs。Charmond。Doyouknow，dear，thatatonetimeIthoughtyoulivedhere。”
　　“Indeed！”saidGrace。“Howwasthat？”
　　Heexplained，asfarashecoulddosowithoutmentioninghisdisappointmentatfindingitwasotherwise；andthenwenton：
　　“Well，nevermindthat。NowIwanttoaskyousomething。ThereisonedetailofourweddingwhichIamsureyouwillleavetome。
　　Myinclinationisnottobemarriedatthehorridlittlechurchhere，withalltheyokelsstaringroundatus，andadroningparsonreading。”
　　“Where，then，canitbe？Atachurchintown？”
　　“No。Notatachurchatall。Ataregistryoffice。Itisaquieter，snugger，andmoreconvenientplaceineveryway。”
　　“Oh。”saidshe，withrealdistress。“HowcanIbemarriedexceptatchurch，andwithallmydearfriendsroundme？”
　　“YeomanWinterborneamongthem。”