MadameRiennesandhervisionspassedfromhimlikeabaddream。
　　Thoughtfulheremainedalways，forthatwashisnature；sometimessadalso，whenhethoughtofIsobel，whoseemedtohavedisappearedquiteoutofhislife。Butaswasnaturalathisage，thismoodweakenedbydegrees。Shewasalwaysthereinthebackground，butsheceasedtoobscurethelandscapeasshehaddonebefore，andwastodoinhisafterlife。Hadshebeenagirlofthecommontype，attractiveonlybecauseshewasayoungandvivaciouswoman，doubtlesstheeclipsewouldhavebeencomplete。Occasionally，indeed，mendolovefoolsinanenduringfashion，whichisperhapsthemostevilfatethatcanbelaiduponthem。Forwhatcanbeworsethantowastewhatisdeepandrealuponathingoffleshwithoutasoul，anempty，paintedbubble，whichevadesthehand，orburstsifitisgrasped？Thosearetherealunfortunates，whohavesoldthemselvesforamessofpotage，thatforthemostparttheyareneverevenallowedtoeat，sincebeforethebellringsithasprobablybeendepositedbyheavenknowswhathandofCircumstanceinsomeoneelse’splate，orgonestaleandbeenthrownaway。
　　Godfreywasnotoneofthese，becausethehandofCircumstancehadmanagedhisaffairsotherwise。Isobelwasnomessofpotage，butwithallherfaultsandfailings，afairandgreatinheritanceforhimwhocouldtakeseisinofher。Still，ashebelieved，shehadfirsttreatedhimbadly，thenutterlyneglectedhimwhoseprideshehadoutraged，bynoteventakingthetroubletowritehimaletter，andfinally，hadvanishedaway。Andhewasyoung，withmanhoodadvancinginhisveins，likethepulseofspring，andwomenaremanyintheworld，someofwhomhaveprettyfacesandproperfigures。Also，althoughthefactisoverlookedbyconvention，ithaspleasedNaturetomakemanpolygamousinhisinstincts，thoughwherethoseinstinctsendandwhatiscalledlovebegins，isathingalmostimpossibletodefine。Probablyintruththelimitliesbeyondthebordersofsex。
　　SoIsobel’sgreyeyesfadedintothebackgroundofGodfrey’smentalvision，whilethevioleteyesofJuliettedrewevernearertohisphysicalperceptions。Andhere，tosavetrouble，itmaybesaidatonce，thathenevercaredintheleastforJuliette，exceptasamalecreaturecaresforaprettyfemalecreature，andthatJuliettenevercaredintheleastforhim，exceptasayoungwomancaresingeneralforahandsomeandattractiveyoungman——withprospects。Indeed，shefoundhimtooseriousforhertaste。Shedidnotunderstandhim，as，forhispart，inherhefoundnothingtounderstand。
　　Afterall，rulingouttheprimaryimpulseswhichwouldmakeascullerymaidcongenialtoageniusuponadesertisle，whatwasthereinaJuliettetoappealtoaGodfrey？And，withthesamequalification，whatwasthereinaGodfreytoappealtoaJuliette？Asonce，withanaccidentaltouchofpoetry，shesaidtohermother，whenathissideshefeltasthoughshewerewalkingoverasnow-coveredcrevasseinthesurroundingAlps。Allseemedfirmbeneathherfeet，butsheneverknewwhenthecrustwouldbreak，andhewouldvanishintounfathomeddepths，perchancedraggingherwithhim。Or，feelingherdangershemightrunfromhimontosaferground，wheresheknewherselftobeongood，commonrockorsoil，andnostrange，hollowechoesstruckherears，leavinghimtopursuehisperilousjourneyalone。
　　Hermotherlaughed，andfallingintoherhumour，answered，thatbeyondthecrevasseandatthefootofthefurtherslopelaythewarmandmerryhumantown，thebesthouseofwhich——notunliketheVillaOgilvy——couldbereachedinnootherway，andthatwithsuchahomewaitingtoreceiveher，itwasworthwhiletotakealittlerisk。ThereonJulietteshruggedherwhiteshoulders，andintheintervalsofoneoftheFrench/chansonettes/whichshewasveryfondofwarblinginhergayvoice，remarkedthatshepreferredtomakejourneys，safeorperilous，inthecompanyofasinging-birdinthesunlight，ratherthaninthatofanowlinthedusk，whoalwaysremindedheroftheadvancingdarkness。
　　Atleast，thatwasthesubstanceofwhatshesaid，althoughshedidnotputitquitesoneatly。Then，asthoughbyanafterthought，sheaskedwhenhercousinJules，ayoungnotaryofBerne，wascomingtostaywiththem。
　　Thewinterworeaway，thespringcame，andafterspring，summer，withitsgreeneryandflowers。Godfreywashappyenoughduringthistime。
　　Tobeginwith，theplacesuitedhim。Hewasverywellnow，andgrewenormouslyinthatpureandtrenchantair，broadeningaswellaslengthening，till，notwithstandinghisslimness，hegavepromiseofbecomingalarge，athleticman。
　　MadameRiennestooandherunholyterrorshadfadedintothebackground。Henolongerthoughtofspirits，although，itistruethatasenseoftheimmanenceandrealityoftheUnseenwasalwayswithhim；indeed，astimewenton，itincreasedratherthanlessened。
　　Partly，thiswasowingtothecharacterandnaturaltendenciesofhismind，partlyalso，withoutdoubt，tothefactthathisrecentexperienceshad，asitwere，openedadoortohimbetweentheSeenandtheHidden，orratherburstabreachinthedividingwallthatneverwasbuiltupagain。Alsohisastronomicalstudiescertainlygaveanimpetustothoughtsandspeculationssuchaswerealwayspresentwithhim。Onlynowthesewereofawholesomeandreverentnature，tendingtowardsthoseendswhichareadvancedbyreligioninitstruestsense。
　　Heworkedhard，too，underthegentleguidanceofthelearnedPasteur，attheclassics，literature，andothersubjects，whileinFrenchhecouldnotfailtobecomeproficientinthecompanyofthetalkativeMadameandthesprightlyJuliette。Nordidhewantforrelaxation。
　　ThereweregreatwoodsonthehillsbehindtheMaisonBlanche，andintheseheobtainedleavetoshootrabbits，and，horribletosay，foxes。
　　Julietteandhewouldsetouttogethertowardsevening，accompaniedbyaclevercurwhichbelongedtoJean，thefactotumofthehouse。
　　Theywouldpostthemselvesatsomeconvenientspot，whiletheinstructedhoundrangedthewoodsabove。Thenwouldappearperhapsarabbit，perhapsahare，thoughtheseinthatlandofpoachingwerenotcommon，oroccasionallyagreat，red，stealthyfox。Atfirst，withhisEnglishtraditions，Godfreyshrankfromshootingthelast，whichhehadbeentaughtoughttodieinonewayonly，namely，bybeingtorntopiecesinthejawsofthehounds。
　　Juliette，however，mockedathim，volublyrecitingReynard’smanymisdeeds——howhestolechickens；howhetoreoutthethroatsoflambs，and，accordingtolocalreport，wasnotevenabovekillingababyifhefoundthatinnocentalone。Soitcameaboutnexttimetheexcitedyappingofthecur-dogwasheardontheslopesabovethem，followedbystealthymovementsamongthefallenpineneedles，andatlengthbytheappearanceofthebeautifulredcreatureslylyslinkingawaytoshelter，nottwentyyardsfromwheretheystoodbehindatree-trunk，thatJuliettewhispered：
　　“/Tirez/!/Tirez/!“andheliftedthegun，anold-fashioned，single-
　　barrelledpiece，aimedandfired。
　　Thenfollowedahorridscene。Thebigshotwithwhichhehadloaded，mortallywoundedbutdidnotkillthefox，thatwithitsforepawsbroken，rolled，andbit，andmadedreadfulnoisesinitsagony，itsbeautifulfurallstainedwithblood。Godfreydidnotknowwhattodo；
　　itwastoobigandstrongtokillwithJuliette’slittlestick，sohetriedtobatterittodeathwiththestockofthegun，butwithoutsuccess，andatlastwithdrew，lookingatithorrified。
　　“WhatshallIdo？“heaskedfaintlyofJuliette。
　　“Loadthegunandshootitagain，“repliedthatpracticalyoungwoman。
　　Sowithsomemistakes，fortheemergencymadehimnervous，suchasthedroppingofthecapamongthepineneedles，heobeyed。Atlastthepoorbeastlaydead，averydisagreeablespectacle，withthecur-dogthathadarrived，bitingjoyouslyatitsquiveringform。
　　Godfreyputdownthegunandretiredbehindatree，whencepresentlyheemerged，lookingverypale，fortotellthetruth，hehadbeenill。
　　“IdonotthinkIlikeshootingfoxes，“hesaid。
　　“Howstrangeyouare，“answeredJuliette。“Quiteunlikeothermen。NowmyCousinJules，thereisnothingthathelovesbetter。Gonowandcutoffhistail，tohanguponthewall。Itisbeautiful。“
　　“Ican’t，“saidGodfreystillmorefaintly。
　　“Thengivemetheknife，forIcan。“
　　Andshedid!
　　HadMadamebutknownit，thatfoxdidnotdieunavengeduponherfamily，forwithitdepartedfromtheworldallhopesofthealliancewhichshedesiredsoearnestly。
　　ThetruthisthatGodfreywasnotruesportsman，reallyhedidnotenjoyexterminatingotherandkindredlifetopromotehisownamusement。Likemostyoungmen，hewasdelightedifhemadeagoodshot；moreover，hehadsomeaptitudeforshooting，butunlikemostyoungmen，tohimafterwardscamereflections。Whogavehimtherighttokillcreaturesassentient，andmuchmorebeautifulintheirwaythenhimself，justbecauseitwas“greatfun“？Ofcourse，hewasfamiliarwiththecommonanswer，thatdaybydayhisbodywasnourisheduponthefleshofotheranimalsdestroyedforthatpurpose。
　　Butthenthiswasamatterofnecessity，soarrangedbyalaw，thatpersonally，hethoughtdreadful，butoverwhichhehadnomannerofcontrol。Itwaspartofthehellishsystemofaworldbuiltuponthefoundationstoneofdeath。
　　Naturetoldhimthathemustlive，andthattolive，notbeingavegetarian，whichformostofusisdifficultinacoldclimate，hemustkill，orallowotherstokillforhim。Buttohisfancy，perhapsmeticulous，betweensuchneedfulslaughterandthatcarriedoutforhisownamusement，andnotreallyforthepurposesofobtainingfood，thereseemedtobeagreatgulffixed。Togetfoodhewouldhavekilledanything，andindeed，oftendidinlaterdays，ashewouldandalsooftendidinafterdays，havedestroyednoxiousanimals，suchastigers。
　　Buttoinflictdeathmerelytoshowhisownskillortogratifyman’sinnatepassionforhunting，whichdescendstohimfromamoreprimitiveperiod，well，thatwasanothermatter。Itistrue，thathewasnotlogical，sincealwaysheremainedanardentfisherman，partlybecausehehadconvincedhimselffromvariousobservations，thatfishfeelverylittle，andpartlyforthereasonthatthereishighauthorityforfishing，although，beitadmitted，withasingleexception，alwaysinconnectionwiththeobtainingofneedfulfood。