“Oh，that’saffectation。”saidGrace，shakingherhead。“Itisnouse——youlovehim。Icanseeinyourfacethatinthismatterofmyhusbandyouhavenotletyouractsbelieyourfeelings。Duringtheselastfourorsixmonthsyouhavebeenterriblyindiscreet；
　　butyouhavenotbeeninsincere，andthatalmostdisarmsme。”
　　“IHAVEbeeninsincere——ifyouwillhavetheword——ImeanIHAVE
　　coquetted，anddoNOTlovehim！”
　　ButGraceclungtoherpositionlikealimpet。“Youmayhavetrifledwithothers，buthimyouloveasyouneverlovedanotherman。”
　　“Oh，well——Iwon’targue。”saidMrs。Charmond，laughingfaintly。
　　“Andyoucometoreproachmeforit，child。”
　　“No。”saidGrace，magnanimously。“Youmaygoonlovinghimifyoulike——Idon’tmindatall。You’llfindit，letmetellyou，abittererbusinessforyourselfthanformeintheend。He’llgettiredofyousoon，astiredascanbe——youdon’tknowhimsowellasI——andthenyoumaywishyouhadneverseenhim！”
　　Mrs。Charmondhadgrownquitepaleandweakunderthisprophecy。
　　ItwasextraordinarythatGrace，whomalmosteveryonewouldhavecharacterizedasagentlegirl，shouldbeofstrongerfibrethanherinterlocutor。“Youexaggerate——cruel，sillyyoungwoman。”shereiterated，writhingwithlittleagonies。“Itisnothingbutplayfulfriendship——nothing！Itwillbeprovedbymyfutureconduct。Ishallatoncerefusetoseehimmore——sinceitwillmakenodifferencetomyheart，andmuchtomyname。”
　　“Iquestionifyouwillrefusetoseehimagain。”saidGrace，dryly，aswitheyesaskanceshebentasaplingdown。“ButIamnotincensedagainstyouasyouareagainstme。”sheadded，abandoningthetreetoitsnaturalperpendicular。“BeforeIcameIhadbeendespisingyouforwantoncruelty；nowIonlypityyouformisplacedaffection。WhenEdgarhasgoneoutofthehouseinhopeofseeingyou，atseasonablehoursandunseasonable；whenI
　　havefoundhimridingmilesandmilesacrossthecountryatmidnight，andriskinghislife，andgettingcoveredwithmud，togetaglimpseofyou，Ihavecalledhimafoolishman——theplaythingofafinishedcoquette。Ithoughtthatwhatwasgettingtobeatragedytomewasacomedytoyou。ButnowIseethattragedyliesonYOURsideofthesituationnolessthanonMINE，andmore；thatifIhavefelttroubleatmyposition，youhavefeltanguishatyours；thatifIhavehaddisappointments，youhavehaddespairs。Heavenmayfortifyme——Godhelpyou！”
　　“Icannotattempttoreplytoyourravingeloquence。”returnedtheother，strugglingtorestoreadignitywhichhadcompletelycollapsed。“Myactswillbemyproofs。Intheworldwhichyouhaveseennothingof，friendshipsbetweenmenandwomenarenotunknown，anditwouldhavebeenbetterbothforyouandyourfatherifyouhadeachjudgedmemorerespectfully，andleftmealone。AsitisIwishnevertoseeorspeaktoyou，madam，anymore。”
　　Gracebowed，andMrs。Charmondturnedaway。Thetwowentapartindirectlyoppositecourses，andweresoonhiddenfromeachotherbytheirumbrageoussurroundingsandbytheshadowsofeve。
　　Intheexcitementoftheirlongargumenttheyhadwalkedonwardandzigzaggedaboutwithoutregardingdirectionordistance。Allsoundofthewoodcuttershadlongsincefadedintoremoteness，andevenhadnottheintervalbeentoogreatforhearingthemtheywouldhavebeensilentandhomewardboundatthistwilighthour。
　　ButGracewentonhercoursewithoutanymisgiving，thoughtherewasmuchunderwoodhere，withonlythenarrowestpassagesforwalking，acrosswhichbrambleshung。Shehadnot，however，traversedthisthewildestpartofthewoodsinceherchildhood，andthetransformationofoutlineshadbeengreat；oldtreeswhichoncewerelandmarkshadbeenfelledorblowndown，andthebusheswhichthenhadbeensmallandscrubbywerenowlargeandoverhanging。Shesoonfoundthatherideasastodirectionwerevague——thatshehadindeednoideasastodirectionatall。Iftheeveninghadnotbeengrowingsodark，andthewindhadnotputonitsnightmoansodistinctly，Gracewouldnothaveminded；butshewasratherfrightenednow，andbegantostrikeacrosshitherandthitherinrandomcourses。
　　Densergrewthedarkness，moredevelopedthewind-voices，andstillnorecognizablespotoroutletofanykindappeared，noranysoundoftheHintocksfloatednear，thoughshehadwanderedprobablybetweenoneandtwohours，andbegantobeweary。Shewasvexedatherfoolishness，sincethegroundshehadcovered，ifinastraightline，mustinevitablyhavetakenheroutofthewoodtosomeremotevillageorother；butshehadwastedherforcesincountermarches；andnow，inmuchalarm，wonderedifshewouldhavetopassthenighthere。Shestoodstilltomeditate，andfanciedthatbetweenthesoughingofthewindsheheardshufflingfootstepsontheleavesheavierthanthoseofrabbitsorhares。
　　Thoughfearingatfirsttomeetanybodyonthechanceofhisbeingafriend，shedecidedthatthefellownight-rambler，evenifapoacher，wouldnotinjureher，andthathemightpossiblybesomeonesenttosearchforher。Sheaccordinglyshoutedarathertimid“Hoi！”
　　Thecrywasimmediatelyreturnedbytheotherperson；andGracerunningatonceinthedirectionwhenceitcamebeheldanindistinctfigurehasteninguptoherasrapidly。Theywerealmostineachother’sarmswhensherecognizedinhervis-a-vistheoutlineandwhiteveilofherwhomshehadpartedfromanhourandahalfbefore——Mrs。Charmond。
　　“Ihavelostmyway，Ihavelostmyway。”criedthatlady。“Oh——
　　isitindeedyou？Iamsogladtomeetyouoranybody。Ihavebeenwanderingupanddowneversinceweparted，andamnearlydeadwithterrorandmiseryandfatigue！”
　　“SoamI。”saidGrace。“Whatshallwe，shallwedo？”
　　“Youwon’tgoawayfromme？”askedhercompanion，anxiously。
　　“No，indeed。Areyouverytired？”
　　“Icanscarcelymove，andIamscratcheddreadfullyabouttheankles。”
　　Gracereflected。“Perhaps，asitisdryunderfoot，thebestthingforustodowouldbetositdownforhalfanhour，andthenstartagainwhenwehavethoroughlyrested。Bywalkingstraightwemustcometoatrackleadingsomewherebeforethemorning。”
　　Theyfoundaclumpofbushyhollieswhichaffordedashelterfromthewind，andsatdownunderit，sometuftsofdeadfern，crispanddry，thatremainedfromthepreviousseasonformingasortofnestforthem。Butitwascold，nevertheless，onthisMarchnight，particularlyforGrace，whowiththesanguineprematurenessofyouthinmattersofdress，hadconsidereditspring-time，andhencewasnotsowarmlycladasMrs。Charmond，whostillworeherwinterfur。ButaftersittingawhilethelatterladyshiverednolessthanGraceasthewarmthimpartedbyherhastywalkingbegantogooff，andtheyfeltthecoldairdrawingthroughthehollyleaveswhichscratchedtheirbacksandshoulders。Moreover，theycouldhearsomedropsofrainfallingonthetrees，thoughnonereachedthenookinwhichtheyhadensconcedthemselves。
　　“Ifweweretoclingclosetogether。”saidMrs。Charmond，“weshouldkeepeachotherwarm。But。”sheadded，inanunevenvoice，“Isupposeyouwon’tcomenearmefortheworld！”
　　“Whynot？”
　　“Because——well，youknow。”
　　“Yes。Iwill——Idon’thateyouatall。”
　　Theyconsequentlycreptuptooneanother，andbeinginthedark，lonelyandweary，didwhatneitherhaddreamedofdoingbeforehand，claspedeachotherclosely，Mrs。Charmond’sfursconsolingGrace’scoldface，andeachone’sbodyasshebreathedalternatelyheavingagainstthatofhercompanion。
　　Whenafewminuteshadbeenspentthus，Mrs。Charmondsaid，“Iamsowretched！”inaheavy，emotionalwhisper。
　　“Youarefrightened。”saidGrace，kindly。“Butthereisnothingtofear；Iknowthesewoodswell。”
　　“Iamnotatallfrightenedatthewood，butIamatotherthings。”
　　Mrs。CharmondembracedGracemoreandmoretightly，andtheyoungerwomancouldfeelherneighbor’sbreathingsgrowdeeperandmorespasmodic，asthoughuncontrollablefeelingsweregerminating。
　　“AfterIhadleftyou。”shewenton，“IregrettedsomethingIhadsaid。Ihavetomakeaconfession——Imustmakeit！”shewhispered，brokenly，theinstincttoindulgeinwarmthofsentimentwhichhadledthiswomanofpassionstorespondtoFitzpiersinthefirstplaceleadinghernowtofindluxuriouscomfortinopeningherhearttohiswife。“IsaidtoyouIcouldgivehimupwithoutpainordeprivation——thathehadonlybeenmypastime。Thatwasuntrue——itwassaidtodeceiveyou。Icouldnotdoitwithoutmuchpain；and，whatismoredreadful，Icannotgivehimup——evenifIwould——ofmyselfalone。”
　　“Why？Becauseyoulovehim，youmean。”
　　FeliceCharmonddenotedassentbyamovement。
　　“IknewIwasright！”saidGrace，exaltedly。“Butthatshouldnotdeteryou。”shepresentlyadded，inamoraltone。“Oh，dostruggleagainstit，andyouwillconquer！”
　　“Youaresosimple，sosimple！”criedFelice。“Youthink，becauseyouguessedmyassumedindifferencetohimtobeasham，thatyouknowtheextremesthatpeoplearecapableofgoingto！Butagooddealmoremayhavebeengoingonthanyouhavefathomedwithallyourinsight。ICANNOTgivehimupuntilhechoosestogiveupme。”
　　“Butsurelyyouarethesuperiorinstationandineveryway，andthecutmustcomefromyou。”
　　“Tchut！MustItellverbatim，yousimplechild？Oh，IsupposeI
　　must！IshalleatawaymyheartifIdonotletoutall，aftermeetingyoulikethisandfindinghowguilelessyouare。”Shethereuponwhisperedafewwordsinthegirl’sear，andburstintoaviolentfitofsobbing。
　　Gracestartedroughlyawayfromtheshelterofthefur，andsprangtoherfeet。
　　“Oh，myGod！”sheexclaimed，thunderstruckatarevelationtranscendingherutmostsuspicion。“Canitbe——canitbe！”
　　Sheturnedasiftohastenaway。ButFeliceCharmond’ssobscametoherear：deepdarknesscircledherabout，thefunerealtreesrockedandchantedtheirdirigesandplacebosaroundher，andshedidnotknowwhichwaytogo。Afteramomentofenergyshefeltmildagain，andturnedtothemotionlesswomanatherfeet。
　　“Areyourested？”sheasked，inwhatseemedsomethinglikeherownvoicegrowntenyearsolder。
　　WithoutananswerMrs。Charmondslowlyrose。
　　“Youmeantobetrayme！”shesaidfromthebitterestdepthsofhersoul。“Ohfool，foolI！”
　　“No。”saidGrace，shortly。“Imeannosuchthing。Butletusbequicknow。Wehaveaseriousundertakingbeforeus。Thinkofnothingbutgoingstraighton。”
　　Theywalkedoninprofoundsilence，pullingbackboughsnowgrowingwet，andtreadingdownwoodbine，butstillkeepingaprettystraightcourse。Gracebegantobethoroughlywornout，andhercompaniontoo，when，onasudden，theybrokeintothedesertedhighwayatthehill-toponwhichtheShertonmanhadwaitedforMrs。Dollery’svan。Gracerecognizedthespotassoonasshelookedaroundher。
　　“HowwehavegothereIcannottell。”shesaid，withcoldcivility。“WehavemadeacompletecircuitofLittleHintock。
　　Thehazelcopseisquiteontheotherside。Nowwehaveonlytofollowtheroad。”
　　Theydraggedthemselvesonward，turnedintothelane，passedthetracktoLittleHintock，andsoreachedthepark。
　　“HereIturnback。”saidGrace，inthesamepassionlessvoice。
　　“Youarequitenearhome。”
　　Mrs。Charmondstoodinert，seemingappalledbyherlateadmission。
　　“Ihavetoldyousomethinginamomentofirresistibledesiretounburdenmysoulwhichallbutafoolwouldhavekeptsilentasthegrave。”shesaid。“Icannothelpitnow。Isittobeasecret——ordoyoumeanwar？”
　　“Asecret，certainly。”saidGrace，mournfully。“Howcanyouexpectwarfromsuchahelpless，wretchedbeingasI！”
　　“AndI’lldomybestnottoseehim。Iamhisslave；butI’lltry。”
　　Gracewasnaturallykind；butshecouldnothelpusingasmalldaggernow。
　　“Praydon’tdistressyourself。”shesaid，withexquisitelyfinescorn。“Youmaykeephim——forme。”Hadshebeenwoundedinsteadofmortifiedshecouldnothaveusedthewords；butFitzpiers’sholduponherheartwasslight。
　　Theypartedthusandthere，andGracewentmoodilyhomeward。
　　PassingMarty’scottagesheobservedthroughthewindowthatthegirlwaswritinginsteadofchoppingasusual，andwonderedwhathercorrespondencecouldbe。Directlyafterwardsshemetpeopleinsearchofher，andreachedthehousetofindallinseriousalarm。Shesoonexplainedthatshehadlostherway，andhergeneraldepressionwasattributedtoexhaustiononthataccount。
　　CouldshehaveknownwhatMartywaswritingshewouldhavebeensurprised。
　　TherumorwhichagitatedtheotherfolkofHintockhadreachedtheyounggirl，andshewaspenningalettertoFitzpiers，totellhimthatMrs。Charmondworeherhair。ItwaspoorMarty’sonlycard，andsheplayedit，knowingnothingoffashion，andthinkingherrevelationafataloneforalover。