Iamsincerelysorrytosaythatitwasseriouslymade。Phillotsonlookedmoredisturbedthanbefore，andthemeeting-placeofhisbrowstwitchedagain。Intenminuteshecalledupthechildhehadjustsenttoher，anddispatchedanothermissive：
　　GodknowsIdon’twanttothwartyouinanyreasonableway。
　　Mywholethoughtistomakeyoucomfortableandhappy。ButIcannotagreetosuchapreposterousnotionasyourgoingtolivewithyourlover。Youwouldloseeverybody’srespectandregard；andsoshouldI！Afteranintervalasimilarpartwasenactedintheclass-room，andananswercame：
　　Iknowyoumeanmygood。ButIdon’twanttoberespectable！
　　Toproduce`Humandevelopmentinitsrichestdiversity’toquoteyourHumboldtistomymindfaraboverespectability。Nodoubtmytastesarelow-inyourview-hopelesslylow！Ifyouwontletmegotohim，willyougrantmethisonerequest-allowmetoliveinyourhouseinaseparateway？Tothishereturnednoanswer。
　　Shewroteagain：
　　Iknowwhatyouthink。Butcannotyouhavepityonme？Ibegyouto；Iimploreyoutobemerciful！IwouldnotaskifIwerenotalmostcompelledbywhatIcan’tbear！NopoorwomanhaseverwishedmorethanIthatEvehadnotfallen，sothatastheprimitiveChristiansbelieved
　　someharmlessmodeofvegetationmighthavepeopledParadise。ButIwon’ttrifle！Bekindtome-eventhoughIhavenotbeenkindtoyou！Iwillgoaway，goabroad，anywhere，andnevertroubleyou。Nearlyanhourpassed，andthenhereturnedananswer：
　　Idonotwishtopainyou。HowwellyouknowIdon’t！
　　Givemealittletime。Iamdisposedtoagreetoyourlastrequest。Onelinefromher：
　　Thankyoufrommyheart，Richard。Idonotdeserveyourkindness。AlldayPhillotsonbentadazedregarduponherthroughtheglazedpartition；
　　andhefeltaslonelyaswhenhehadnotknownher。
　　Buthewasasgoodashisword，andconsentedtoherlivingapartinthehouse。Atfirst，whentheymetatmeals，shehadseemedmorecomposedunderthenewarrangement；buttheirksomenessoftheirpositionworkedonhertemperament，andthefibresofhernatureseemedstrainedlikeharp-strings。
　　Shetalkedvaguelyandindiscriminatelytopreventhistalkingpertinently。
　　JudetheObscureChapter32IV-ivPhillotsonwassittinguplate，aswasoftenhiscustom，tryingtogettogetherthematerialsforhislong-neglectedhobbyofRomanantiquities。
　　Forthefirsttimesincerevivingthesubjecthefeltareturnofhisoldinterestinit。Heforgottimeandplace，andwhenherememberedhimselfandascendedtorestitwasnearlytwoo’clock。
　　Hispreoccupationwassuchthat，thoughhenowsleptontheothersideofthehouse，hemechanicallywenttotheroomthatheandhiswifehadoccupiedwhenhefirstbecameatenantofOld-GrovePlace，whichsincehisdifferenceswithSuehadbeenhersexclusively。Heentered，andunconsciouslybegantoundress。
　　Therewasacryfromthebed，andaquickmovement。BeforetheschoolmasterhadrealizedwherehewasheperceivedSuestartinguphalf-awake，staringwildly，andspringingoutupontheflooronthesideawayfromhim，whichwastowardsthewindow。Thiswassomewhathiddenbythecanopyofthebedstead，andinamomentheheardherflingingupthesash。Beforehehadthoughtthatshemeanttodomorethangetairshehadmounteduponthesillandleaptout。Shedisappearedinthedarkness，andheheardherfallbelow。
　　Phillotson，horrified，randownstairs，strikinghimselfsharplyagainstthenewelinhishaste。Openingtheheavydoorheascendedthetwoorthreestepstotheleveloftheground，andthereonthegravelbeforehimlayawhiteheap。Phillotsonseizeditinhisarms，andbringingSueintothehallseatedheronachair，wherehegazedatherbytheflappinglightofthecandlewhichhehadsetdowninthedraughtonthebottomstair。
　　Shehadcertainlynotbrokenherneck。Shelookedathimwitheyesthatseemednottotakehimin；andthoughnotparticularlylargeingeneraltheyappearedsonow。
　　Shepressedhersideandrubbedherarm，asifconsciousofpain；
　　thenstoodup，avertingherface，inevidentdistressathisgaze。
　　`ThankGod-youarenotkilled！Thoughit’snotforwantoftrying-notmuchhurtIhope？’
　　Herfall，infact，hadnotbeenaseriousone，probablyowingtothelownessoftheoldroomsandtothehighlevelofthegroundwithout。
　　Beyondascrapedelbowandablowinthesideshehadapparentlyincurredlittleharm。
　　`Iwasasleep，Ithink！’shebegan，herpalefacestillturnedawayfromhim。`Andsomethingfrightenedme-aterribledream-IthoughtIsawyou-`Theactualcircumstancesseemedtocomebacktoher，andshewassilent。
　　Hercloakwashangingatthebackofthedoor，andthewretchedPhillotsonflungitroundher。`ShallIhelpyouupstairs？’heaskeddrearily；
　　forthesignificanceofallthissickenedhimofhimselfandofeverything。
　　`Nothankyou，Richard。Iamverylittlehurt。Icanwalk。’
　　`Yououghttolockyourdoor，’hemechanicallysaid，asiflecturinginschool。`Thennoonecouldintrudeevenbyaccident。’
　　`Ihavetried-itwon’tlock。Allthedoorsareoutoforder。’
　　Theaspectofthingswasnotimprovedbyheradmission。Sheascendedthestaircaseslowly，thewavinglightofthecandleshiningonher。Phillotsondidnotapproachher，orattempttoascendhimselftillheheardherenterherroom。Thenhefastenedupthefrontdoor，andreturning，satdownonthelowerstairs，holdingthenewelwithonehand，andbowinghisfaceintotheother。Thusheremainedforalonglongtime-apitiableobjectenoughtoonewhohadseenhim；till，raisinghisheadandsighingasighwhichseemedtosaythatthebusinessofhislifemustbecarriedon，whetherhehadawifeorno，hetookthecandleandwentupstairstohislonelyroomontheothersideofthelanding。
　　Nofurtherincidenttouchingthematterbetweenthemoccurredtillthefollowingevening，when，immediatelyschoolwasover，PhillotsonwalkedoutofShaston，sayingherequirednotea，andnotinformingSuewherehewasgoing。Hedescendedfromthetownlevelbyasteeproadinanorth-westerlydirection，andcontinuedtomovedownwardstillthesoilchangedfromitswhitedrynesstoatoughbrownclay。HewasnowonthelowalluvialbedsWhereDuncliffeisthetraveller’smark，AndclotyStour’sa-rollingdark。Morethanoncehelookedbackintheincreasingobscurityofevening。AgainsttheskywasShaston，dimlyvisibleOnthegrey-topp’dheightOfPaladore，aspaledayworeAway……[WilliamBarnes]Thenew-litlightsfromitswindowsburntwithasteadyshineasifwatchinghim，oneofwhichwindowswashisown。AboveithecouldjustdiscernthepinnacledtowerofTrinityChurch。Theairdownhere，temperedbythethickdampbedoftenaciousclay，wasnotasithadbeenabove，butsoftandrelaxing，sothatwhenhehadwalkedamileortwohewasobligedtowipehisfacewithhishandkerchief。
　　LeavingDuncliffeHillontheleftheproceededwithouthesitationthroughtheshade，asamangoeson，nightorday，inadistrictoverwhichhehasplayedasaboy。HehadwalkedaltogetheraboutfourandahalfmilesWhereStourreceivesherstrength，Fromsixcleerefountainsfed，[Drayton]whenhecrossedatributaryoftheStour，andreachedLeddenton-alittletownofthreeorfourthousandinhabitants-wherehewentontotheboys’
　　school，andknockedatthedoorofthemaster’sresidence。
　　[1]WilliamBarnes。[2]Drayton。
　　Aboypupil-teacheropenedit，andtoPhillotson’sinquiryifMr。Gillinghamwasathomerepliedthathewas，goingatonceofftohisownhouse，andleavingPhillotsontofindhiswayinashecould。Hediscoveredhisfriendputtingawaysomebooksfromwhichhehadbeengivingeveninglessons。ThelightoftheparaffinlampfellonPhillotson’sface-paleandwretchedbycontrastwithhisfriend’s，whohadacool，practicallook。
　　Theyhadbeenschoolmatesinboyhood，andfellow-studentsatWintoncesterTrainingCollege，manyyearsbeforethistime。
　　`Gladtoseeyou，Dick！Butyoudon’tlookwell？Nothingthematter？’
　　Phillotsonadvancedwithoutreplying，andGillinghamclosedthecupboardandpulledupbesidehisvisitor。
　　`Whyyouhaven’tbeenhere-letmesee-sinceyouweremarried？
　　Icalled，youknow，butyouwereout；anduponmyworditissuchaclimbafterdarkthatIhavebeenwaitingtillthedaysarelongerbeforelumperingupagain。Iamgladyoudidn’twait，however。’
　　Thoughwell-trainedandevenproficientmasters，theyoccasionallyusedadialect-wordoftheirboyhoodtoeachotherinprivate。
　　`I’vecome，George，toexplaintoyoumyreasonsfortakingastepthatIamabouttotake，sothatyou，atleast，willunderstandmymotivesifotherpeoplequestionthemanywhen-astheymay，indeedcertainlywill……ButanythingisbetterthanthepresentconditionofthingsGodforbidthatyoushouldeverhavesuchanexperienceasmine！’
　　`Sitdown。Youdon’tmean-anythingwrongbetweenyouandMrs。
　　Phillotson？’
　　`Ido……MywretchedstateisthatI’veawifeIlovewhonotonlydoesnotloveme，but-butWell，Iwon’tsay。Iknowherfeeling！
　　Ishouldpreferhatredfromher！’
　　`Ssh！’
　　`AndthesadpartofitisthatsheisnotsomuchtoblameasI。Shewasapupil-teacherunderme，asyouknow，andItookadvantageofherinexperience，andtoledheroutforwalks，andgothertoagreetoalongengagementbeforeshewellknewherownmind。Afterwardsshesawsomebodyelse，butsheblindlyfulfilledherengagement。’
　　`Lovingtheother？’
　　`Yes；withacurioustendersolicitudeseemingly；thoughherexactfeelingforhimisariddletome-andtohimtoo，Ithink-possiblytoherself。SheisoneoftheoddestcreaturesIevermet。However，Ihavebeenstruckwiththesetwofacts；theextraordinarysympathy，orsimilarity，betweenthepair。Heishercousin，whichperhapsaccountsforsomeofit。Theyseemtobeonepersonsplitintwo！Andwithherunconquerableaversiontomyselfasahusband，eventhoughshemaylikemeasafriend，’tistoomuchtobearlonger。Shehasconscientiouslystruggledagainstit，buttonopurpose。Icannotbearit-Icannot！Ican’tanswerherarguments-shehasreadtentimesasmuchasI。Herintellectsparkleslikediamonds，whileminesmoulderslikebrownpaper……She’sonetoomanyforme！’
　　`She’llgetoverit，good-now？’
　　`Never！Itis-butIwon’tgointoit-therearereasonswhysheneverwill。Atlastshecalmlyandfirmlyaskedifshemightleavemeandgotohim。Theclimaxcamelastnight，when，owingtomyenteringherroombyaccident，shejumpedoutofwindow-sostrongwasherdreadofme！Shepretendeditwasadream，butthatwastosootheme。Nowwhenawomanjumpsoutofwindowwithoutcaringwhethershebreaksherneckorno，she’snottobemistaken；andthisbeingthecaseIhavecometoaconclusion：thatitiswrongtosotortureafellow-creatureanylonger；
　　andIwon’tbetheinhumanwretchtodoit，costwhatitmay！’
　　`What-you’lllethergo？Andwithherlover？’
　　`Whomwithishermatter。Ishalllethergo；withhimcertainly，ifshewishes。IknowImaybewrong-IknowIcan’tlogically，orreligiously，defendmyconcessiontosuchawishofhers，orharmonizeitwiththedoctrinesIwasbroughtupin。OnlyIknowonething：somethingwithinmetellsmeIamdoingwronginrefusingher。I，likeothermen，professtoholdthatifahusbandgetssuchaso-calledpreposterousrequestfromhiswife，theonlycoursethatcanpossiblyberegardedasrightandproperandhonourableinhimistorefuseit，andputhervirtuouslyunderlockandkey，andmurderherloverperhaps。Butisthatessentiallyright，andproper，andhonourable，orisitcontemptiblymeanandselfish？Idon’tprofesstodecide。Isimplyamgoingtoactbyinstinct，andletprinciplestakecareofthemselves。Ifapersonwhohasblindlywalkedintoaquagmirecriesforhelp，Iaminclinedtogiveit，ifpossible。’
　　`But-yousee，there’sthequestionofneighboursandsociety-whatwillhappenifeverybody——’
　　`Oh，Iamnotgoingtobeaphilosopheranylonger！Ionlyseewhat’sundermyeyes。’
　　`Well-Idon’tagreewithyourinstinct，Dick！’saidGillinghamgravely。`Iamquiteamazed，totellthetruth，thatsuchasedate，ploddingfellowasyoushouldhaveentertainedsuchacrazeforamoment。YousaidwhenIcalledthatshewaspuzzlingandpeculiar：Ithinkyouare！’
　　`Haveyoueverstoodbeforeawomanwhomyouknowtobeintrinsicallyagoodwoman，whileshehaspleadedforrelease-beenthemanshehasknelttoandimploredindulgenceof？’