“Indeed。Whereto？”
　　TiminformedhimthattheyweregoingtoNewZealand。NotbutthathewouldhavebeencontentedwithHintock，buthiswifewasambitiousandwantedtoleave，sohehadgivenway。
　　“Thengood-by。”saidFitzpiers；“Imaynotseeyouagain。”HeshookhandswithTimandturnedtothebride。“Good-by，Suke。”hesaid，takingherhandalso。“Iwishyouandyourhusbandprosperityinthecountryyouhavechosen。”Withthisheleftthem，andhastenedontohisappointment。
　　Thewedding-partyre-formedandresumedmarchlikewise。ButinrestoringhisarmtoSuke，Timnoticedthatherfullandbloomingcountenancehadundergoneachange。“Holloa！medear——what’sthematter？”saidTim。
　　“Nothingtospeako’。”saidshe。Buttogivethelietoherassertionshewasseizedwithlachrymosetwitches，thatsoonproducedadribblingface。
　　“How——whatthedevil’sthisabout！”exclaimedthebridegroom。
　　“She’salittleweebitovercome，poordear！”saidthefirstbridesmaid，unfoldingherhandkerchiefandwipingSuke’seyes。
　　“Ineverdidlikepartingfrompeople！”saidSuke，assoonasshecouldspeak。
　　“Whyhiminparticular？”
　　“Well——he’ssuchacleverdoctor，that’tisathousandpitieswesha’n’tseehimanymore！There’llbenosuchcleverdoctorasheinNewZealand，ifIshouldrequireone；andthethoughto’tgotthebetterofmyfeelings！”
　　Theywalkedon，butTim’sfacehadgrownrigidandpale，forherecalledslightcircumstances，disregardedatthetimeoftheiroccurrence。Theformerboisterouslaughterofthewedding-partyatthegroomsman’sjokeswasheardringingthroughthewoodsnomore。
　　BythistimeFitzpiershadadvancedonhiswaytothetopofthehill，wherehesawtwofiguresemergingfromthebankontherighthand。Theseweretheexpectedones，GraceandMartySouth，whohadevidentlycometherebyashortandsecretpaththroughthewood。Gracewasmuffledupinherwinterdress，andhethoughtthatshehadneverlookedsoseductiveasatthismoment，inthenoontidebrightbutheatlesssun，andthekeenwind，andthepurplish-graymassesofbrushwoodaround。
　　Fitzpierscontinuedtoregardthenearingpicture，tillatlengththeirglancesmetforamoment，whenshedemurelysentoffhersatatangentandgavehimthebenefitofherthree-quarterface，whilewithcourteouscompletenessofconductheliftedhishatinalargearc。Martydroppedbehind；andwhenFitzpiersheldouthishand，Gracetoucheditwithherfingers。
　　“IhaveagreedtobeheremostlybecauseIwantedtoaskyousomethingimportant。”saidMrs。Fitzpiers，herintonationmodulatinginadirectionthatshehadnotquitewishedittotake。
　　“Iammostattentive。”saidherhusband。“Shallwetaketothewoodforprivacy？”
　　Gracedemurred，andFitzpiersgavein，andtheykeptthepublicroad。
　　Atanyrateshewouldtakehisarm？Thisalsowasgravelynegatived，therefusalbeingaudibletoMarty。
　　“Whynot？”heinquired。
　　“Oh，Mr。Fitzpiers——howcanyouask？”
　　“Right，right。”saidhe，hiseffusivenessshrivelledup。
　　Astheywalkedonshereturnedtoherinquiry。“Itisaboutamatterthatmayperhapsbeunpleasanttoyou。ButIthinkIneednotconsiderthattoocarefully。”
　　“Notatall。”saidFitzpiers，heroically。
　　ShethentookhimbacktothetimeofpoorWinterborne’sdeath，andrelatedtheprecisecircumstancesamidwhichhisfatalillnesshadcomeuponhim，particularizingthedampnessofthesheltertowhichhehadbetakenhimself，hisconcealmentfromherofthehardshipsthathewasundergoing，allthathehadputupwith，allthathehaddoneforherinhisscrupulousconsiderateness。Theretrospectbroughthertotearsassheaskedhimifhethoughtthatthesinofhavingdrivenhimtohisdeathwasuponher。
　　Fitzpierscouldhardlyhelpshowinghissatisfactionatwhathernarrativeindirectlyrevealed，theactualharmlessnessofanescapadewithherlover，whichhadatfirst，byherownshowing，lookedsograve，andhedidnotcaretoinquirewhetherthatharmlessnesshadbeentheresultofaimorofaccident。Withregardtoherquestion，hedeclaredthatinhisjudgmentnohumanbeingcouldanswerit。Hethoughtthatuponthewholethebalanceofprobabilitiesturnedinherfavor。Winterborne’sapparentstrength，duringthelastmonthsofhislife，musthavebeendelusive。Ithadoftenoccurredthatafterafirstattackofthatinsidiousdiseaseaperson’sapparentrecoverywasaphysiologicalmendacity。
　　ThereliefwhichcametoGracelayalmostasmuchinsharingherknowledgeoftheparticularswithanintelligentmindasintheassurancesFitzpiersgaveher。“Well，then，toputthiscasebeforeyou，andobtainyourprofessionalopinion，waschieflywhyIconsentedtocomehereto-day。”saidshe，whenhehadreachedtheaforesaidconclusion。
　　“Fornootherreasonatall？”heasked，ruefully。
　　“Itwasnearlythewhole。”
　　Theystoodandlookedoveragateattwentyorthirtystarlingsfeedinginthegrass，andhestartedthetalkagainbysaying，inalowvoice，“AndyetIloveyoumorethaneverIlovedyouinmylife。”
　　Gracedidnotmovehereyesfromthebirds，andfoldedherdelicatelipsasiftokeeptheminsubjection。
　　“Itisadifferentkindoflovealtogether。”saidhe。“Lesspassionate；moreprofound。Ithasnothingtodowiththematerialconditionsoftheobjectatall；muchtodowithhercharacterandgoodness，asrevealedbycloserobservation。’Lovetalkswithbetterknowledge，andknowledgewithdearerlove。’“
　　“That’soutof’MeasureforMeasure，’“saidshe，slyly。
　　“Ohyes——Imeantitasacitation。”blandlyrepliedFitzpiers。
　　“Well，then，whynotgivemeaverylittlebitofyourheartagain？”
　　Thecrashofafelledtreeintheremotedepthsofthewoodrecalledthepastatthatmoment，andallthehomelyfaithfulnessofWinterborne。“Don’taskit！MyheartisinthegravewithGiles。”shereplied，stanchly。
　　“Mineiswithyou——innolessdeepagrave，Ifear，accordingtothat。”
　　“Iamverysorry；butitcannotbehelped。”
　　“Howcanyoubesorryforme，whenyouwilfullykeepopenthegrave？”
　　“Ohno——that’snotso。”returnedGrace，quickly，andmovedtogoawayfromhim。
　　“But，dearestGrace。”saidhe，“youhavecondescendedtocome；andIthoughtfromitthatperhapswhenIhadpassedthroughalongstateofprobationyouwouldbegenerous。Butiftherecanbenohopeofourgettingcompletelyreconciled，treatmegently——wretchthoughIam。”
　　“Ididnotsayyouwereawretch，norhaveIeversaidso。”
　　“ButyouhavesuchacontemptuouswayoflookingatmethatIfearyouthinkso。”
　　Grace’sheartstruggledbetweenthewishnottobeharshandthefearthatshemightmisleadhim。“IcannotlookcontemptuousunlessIfeelcontempt。”shesaid，evasively。“AndallIfeelislovelessness。”
　　“Ihavebeenverybad，Iknow。”hereturned。“Butunlessyoucanreallylovemeagain，Grace，Iwouldrathergoawayfromyouforever。Idon’twantyoutoreceivemeagainforduty’ssake，oranythingofthatsort。IfIhadnotcaredmoreforyouraffectionandforgivenessthanmyownpersonalcomfort，Ishouldneverhavecomebackhere。Icouldhaveobtainedapracticeatadistance，andhavelivedmyownlifewithoutcoldnessorreproach。ButI
　　havechosentoreturntotheonespotonearthwheremynameistarnished——toenterthehouseofamanfromwhomIhavehadworsetreatmentthanfromanyothermanalive——allforyou！”
　　Thiswasundeniablytrue，andithaditsweightwithGrace，whobegantolookasifshethoughtshehadbeenshockinglysevere。
　　“Beforeyougo。”hecontinued，“Iwanttoknowyourpleasureaboutme——whatyouwishmetodo，ornottodo。”
　　“Youareindependentofme，anditseemsamockerytoaskthat。
　　Farbeitfrommetoadvise。ButIwillthinkitover。Iratherneedadvicemyselfthanstandinapositiontogiveit。”
　　“YOUdon’tneedadvice，wisest，dearestwomanthateverlived。Ifyoudid——“
　　“Wouldyougiveittome？”
　　“WouldyouactuponwhatIgave？”
　　“That’snotafairinquiry。”saidshe，smilingdespitehergravity。“Idon’tmindhearingit——whatyoudoreallythinkthemostcorrectandpropercourseforme。”
　　“Itissoeasyformetosay，andyetIdarenot，foritwouldbeprovokingyoutoremonstrances。”
　　Knowing，ofcourse，whattheadvicewouldbe，shedidnotpresshimfurther，andwasabouttobeckonMartyforwardandleavehim，whenheinterruptedherwith，“Oh，onemoment，dearGrace——youwillmeetmeagain？”
　　Sheeventuallyagreedtoseehimthatdayfortnight。Fitzpiersexpostulatedattheinterval，butthehalf-alarmedearnestnesswithwhichsheentreatedhimnottocomesoonermadehimsayhastilythathesubmittedtoherwill——thathewouldregardherasafriendonly，anxiousforhisreformandwell-being，tillsuchtimeasshemightallowhimtoexceedthatprivilege。
　　Allthiswastoassureher；itwasonlytooclearthathehadnotwonherconfidenceyet。ItamazedFitzpiers，andoverthrewallhisdeductionsfrompreviousexperience，tofindthatthisgirl，thoughshehadbeenmarriedtohim，couldyetbesocoy。
　　Notwithstandingacertainfascinationthatitcarriedwithit，hisreflectionsweresombreashewenthomeward；hesawhowdeephadbeenhisoffencetoproducesogreatawarinessinagentleandonceunsuspicioussoul。
　　Hewashimselftoofastidioustocaretocoerceher。Tobeanobjectofmisgivingordisliketoawomanwhosharedhishomewaswhathecouldnotendurethethoughtof。Lifeasitstoodwasmoretolerable。
　　Whenhewasgone，MartyjoinedMrs。Fitzpiers。ShewouldfainhaveconsultedMartyonthequestionofPlatonicrelationswithherformerhusband，asshepreferredtoregardhim。ButMartyshowednogreatinterestintheiraffairs，soGracesaidnothing。
　　Theycameonward，andsawMelburystandingatthesceneofthefellingwhichhadbeenaudibletothem，when，tellingMartythatshewishedhermeetingwithMr。Fitzpierstobekeptprivate，sheleftthegirltojoinherfather。Atanyrate，shewouldconsulthimontheexpediencyofoccasionallyseeingherhusband。
　　Herfatherwascheerful，andwalkedbyhersideashehaddoneinearlierdays。“Iwasthinkingofyouwhenyoucameup。”hesaid。
　　“Ihaveconsideredthatwhathashappenedisforthebest。Sinceyourhusbandisgoneaway，andseemsnottowishtotroubleyou，why，lethimgo，anddropoutofyourlife。Manywomenareworseoff。Youcanliveherecomfortablyenough，andhecanemigrate，ordowhathelikesforhisgood。Iwouldn’tmindsendinghimthefurthersumofmoneyhemightnaturallyexpecttocometohim，sothatyoumaynotbebotheredwithhimanymore。Hecouldhardlyhavegoneonlivingherewithoutspeakingtome，ormeetingme；
　　andthatwouldhavebeenveryunpleasantonbothsides。”
　　Theseremarkscheckedherintention。Therewasasenseofweaknessinfollowingthembysayingthatshehadjustmetherhusbandbyappointment。“Thenyouwouldadvisemenottocommunicatewithhim？”sheobserved。
　　“Ishallneveradviseyeagain。Youareyourownmistress——doasyoulike。Butmyopinionisthatifyoudon’tlivewithhim，youhadbetterlivewithouthim，andnotgoshilly-shallyingandplayingbopeep。Yousenthimaway；andnowhe’sgone。Verywell；
　　troublehimnomore。”
　　Gracefeltaguiltiness——shehardlyknewwhy——andmadenoconfession。