ReturningtoEngland/via/theWestIndiesinthecompanyofherunclewhowascominghomeonleavebeforetakingupanappointmentasMinistertooneoftheSouthAmericanrepublics，shewasgreetedontheplatformatWaterloobyherfather。SirJohnBlakehadbythistimeforgottentheirpreviousdisagreements，or，atanyrate，determinedtoignorethem，andIsobel，whowasnowinherwayafinishedwomanoftheworld，thoughshedidnotforget，hadcometoalikeconclusion。Sotheirmeetingwascordialenough，andforawhile，notaverylongwhile，theycontinuedtolivetogetherinoutwardamity，withatacitunderstandingthattheyshouldfollowtheirrespectivepaths，unmolestedbyeachother。
　　OntheafternoonofthefirstdayafterhisarrivalattheAbbey，somespiritinhisfeetmovedGodfreytogointothechurch。Asthoughbyinstinct，hewenttothechancel，andstoodtherecontemplatingthebrassofthenamelessPlantagenetlady。Howlongitwassincehehadlookeduponhergravenfaceandformdrapedinthestatelyhabilimentsofabygoneage!Then，herememberedwithapang，Isobelwaswithhim，andtheyhadseemedtobeveryneartogether。NowtherewasnoIsobel，andtheywereveryfarapart，bothinthespiritandintheflesh。ForhehadnotheardofherreturntoEnglandandimaginedthatshewasstillinMexico，whencenotidingsofhercametohim。
　　Therehestoodamongthedead，reflectingthatwedonotneedtopassoutofthebodytoknowthemeaningofdeath，since，asonceIsobelhadsaidherself，someseparationsareasbad，orworse。Thestoryofthedeadis，atanyrate，completed；thereisnothingmoretobelearnedaboutthem，andofthemweimagine，perhapsquiteerroneously，thatwehavenoneedtobejealous，sincewecannotconceivethattheymayformnewinterestsinanothersphere。Butwiththelivingitisotherwise。Somewheretheirlifeiscontinued；somewheretheyaregettingthemselvesfriendsorloversandcarryingonthedailyroundofbeing，andwehavenoshareinthemorinaughtthattheymaydo。
　　Andprobablytheyhaveforgottenus。And，ifwestillhappentobeattachedtothem，oh!ithurts。
　　ThusmusedGodfrey，tryingtopicturetohimselfwhatIsobellookedlikewhenshehadstoodbyhissideonthatlong-pastautumneve，andonlysucceededinrememberingexactlywhatshelookedlikewhenshewaskissingarosewithacertainknightinarmourinasquaregarden，sinceforsomeperversereasonitwasthispicturethatremainedsopainfullycleartohismind。Thenhedriftedoffintospeculationsuponthegeneralmysteryofthingsofasortthatwerecommonwithhim，andinthesebecameobliviousofallelse。
　　Hedidnotevenhearorseeatallyoungwomanenterthechurch，cladinsummerwhite，no，notwhenshewaswithinfivepaceand，becomingsuddenlyawareofhispresence，hadstoppedtostudyhimwiththeacutestinterest。InaflashIsobelknewwhohewas。Ofcoursehewasmuchchanged，forGodfrey，whohadmaturedearly，asthoseofhisgenerationwereapttodo，especiallyiftheyhadledavariedlife，wasnowahandsomeandwell-builtyoungmanwithafine，thoughtfulfaceandaquiterespectablemoustache。
　　“Howhehaschanged，oh!howhehaschanged，“shethoughttoherself。
　　Therawboyhadbecomeaman，andassheknewatoncebyherwoman’sinstinct，amanwithagreatdealinhim。Isobelwasasensiblememberofhersex；one，too，whohadseensomethingoftheworldbynow，andshedidnotexpectorwishforaheroorasaintbuiltuponthemid-
　　Victorianpattern，asportrayedinthebooksoftheladynovelistsofthatperiod。Shewantedamantobeaman，bypreferencewiththefaultspertainingtothemalenature，sinceshehadobservedthatthosewholackedthese，possessedothers，whichtoherrobustwomanhoodseemedfarworse，suchasmeannessandavariceandbackbiting，andalltheotherqualitiesofthePharisee。
　　Well，inGodfrey，whethershewererightorwrong，withthatswiftglanceofhers，sheseemedtorecogniseamanasshewishedamantobe。Ifthatstandardofhersmeantthatverypossiblyhehadadmiredotherwomen，theladywhomhehadpulledupaprecipice，forinstance，shedidnotmindparticularly，solongasheadmiredher，Isobel，mostofall。Thatwasherone/sinequanon/，thatheshouldadmirehermostofall，orratherbefondestofherinhisinnermostself。
　　Whatwasshethinkingabout？Whatwastheretoshowthathecaredonebrassfarthingabouther？Nothingatall。Andyet，whywasheherewhereshehadpartedfromhimsolongago？Surelynottostareatthegraveofadeadwomanwithwhomhecouldhavehadnothingtodo，sinceshelefttheworldsomefivecenturiesbefore。Andanotherquestion。
　　Whathadbroughtherhere，shewhohatedchurchesandallthemummerythattheysignified？
　　Wouldheneverwakeup？Wouldheneverrealiseherpresence？Oh!thenhecouldcarenothingabouther。ProbablyhewasthinkingofthegirlhehadpulledupacliffintheAlps。Butwhydidhecometothisplacetothinkof/her/？
　　IsobelstoodquitestillthereandwaitedintheshadowofaGeorgiantomb，tillpresentlyGodfreydidseemtogrowawarethathewasnolongeralone。Somethingorsomebodyhadimpingeduponhisintelligence。Hebegantolookabouthim，thoughalwaysinthewrongdirection。Then，convincedthathewasthevictimoffancy，hespokealoudashehadabadhabitofdoingwhenbyhimself。
　　“It’sverycurious，“hesaid，“butIcouldhaveswornthatIsobelwashere，asnearmeaswhenweparted。Isupposethatiswhatcomesofthinkingsomuchabouther。Ordopeopleleavesomethingofthemselvesbehindinplaceswheretheyhaveexperiencedemotion？Ifso，churchesoughttobeveryfullofghosts。Idaresaythattheyare，onlythennoonecouldknowitexceptthosewhohadsharedtheemotion，andthereforetheyremainintangible。Still，IcouldhaveswornthatIsobelwashere。Indeed，Iseemtofeelhernow，andIhopethatthedreamwillgoon。“
　　Listeningthereintheshadow，sheheard，andflushedinherfleshandrejoicedinherinnermostbeing。Sohehad/not/forgottenher，whichisthetrueandrealinfidelitythatnevercanbeforgiven，atanyrate，byawoman。Soshewasstillsomethinginhislife，althoughhehadnotansweredherletteryearsago。
　　Thenshegrewangrywithherself。Whatdiditmattertoherwhathewas，orthought，ordid？Itwasabsurdthatshecouldbedependentmorallyuponanyone，whomustrelyinlifeordeathuponherselfaloneandonthestrongsoulwithinher。ShewaswrothwithGodfreyforexcitingsuchdisturbancein——whatwasit——herspiritorherbody？
　　Nonsense，shehadnospirit。Thatwasaphantasy。Thereforeitmustbeinherbodywhichwasherownparticularpropertythatshouldremainuninfluencedbyanyotherbody。
　　Soitcameaboutthatthefirstwordsshespoketohimweresomewhatroughintheirtexture。ShesteppedforwardoutoftheshadowoftheGeorgiantombandconfrontedhimwithadefiantair，herheadthrownback，looking，totellthetruth，ratherstately。
　　“Ihopedthatbythistimeyouhadgivenuptalkingtoyourself，Godfrey，which，asIalwaystoldyou，isabadhabit。Ididnothearmuchofwhatyouweremumbling，butIunderstoodyoutosaythatyouthoughtIwashere。Well，whyshouldn’tIbehere？“
　　Hestaredatherblanklyandanswered：
　　“Godknows，Idon’t!Butsinceyouaskthequestion，/why/areyouhere，Isobel？ItisIsobel，isn’tit，oramIstilldreaming？LetmetouchyouandIshallknow。“
　　Shedrewbackalittleway，quitethreeinches。
　　“OfcourseitisIsobel，don’tyoursensestellyouthatwithoutwantingtotouchme？Why，Iknewitwasyoufromtheendofthechurch。ButyouaskmewhyIamhere。Iwishyouwouldtellme。Iwaspassing，andsomethingdrewmeintothisplace。Isupposeitwasyou，andifso，IsayatoncethatIresentit；youhavenoright——“
　　“No，no，certainlynot，butdoletmetouchyoutomakesurethatyouareIsobel。“
　　“Verywell，“shesaid，andstretchedoutahandtowardshim。
　　Hecaughtitwithhisleftwhichwasnearest，andthenwithhisrighthandreachedforwardandseizedherotherhand。Withamasterfulmovementhedrawhertowardshim，andthoughshewasastrongwomansheseemedtohavenopowertoresist。Shethoughtthathewasgoingtokissheranddidnotcaregreatlyifhedid。
　　Buthecheckedhimselfintime，andinsteadofpressinghislipsuponhers，onlykissedherhands，firstoneandthentheother，forquitealongwhile：nordidsheattempttodenyhim，perhapsbecauseawildimpulsetookpossessionofhertokisshisinanswer。Yes，hishands，orhislips，orevenhiscoatoranythingabouthim。Oh!itmadeherveryangry，butthereitwas，forsomethingrushedupinherwhichshehadneverfeltbefore，somethingmadandwildandsweet。
　　Shewrenchedherselfawayatlastandbegantoscoldhimagain。
　　“Whathaveyoubeendoingalltheseyears？Whydidyouneverwritetome？“
　　“BecauseIwastooproud，asyouneverwrotetome。“
　　“Tooproud!Pridewillbeyourruin；itgoesbeforeeverysortoffall。Besides，Ididwritetoyou。Icanshowyouacopyoftheletter，ifIhaven’ttornitup。“
　　“Inevergotit；didyoupostityourself？“
　　“Yes，thatisItookittotheAbbeyHouseandleftittobeaddressedthere。“
　　“Oh!thenperhapsitistherestill，“andhelookedather。
　　“Nonsense，noonecouldhavebeensomean，noteven——“
　　Heshruggedhisshoulders，atrickhehadlearnedabroad，thensaid：
　　“Well，itdoesn’tmatternow，doesit，Isobel？“
　　“Yes，itmattersalot。Yearsofmisunderstandinganddoubtandloss，whenlifeissoshort。Imighthavemarriedorallsortsofthings。“
　　“Whathasmynotreceivingyourlettergottodowiththat？“heasked，astonished。