Hehadbeenrestlessallthisweek，sincehisattempttoprosecutetrusteeship，uneasyinhisconsciencewhichwaseveracute，disturbedinhissenseofcompassionwhichwaseasilyexcited，andwithaqueersensationasifhisfeelingforbeautyhadreceivedsomedefiniteembodiment。Autumnwasgettingholdoftheoldoak-tree，itsleaveswerebrowning。Sunshinehadbeenplentifulandhotthissummer。Aswithtrees，sowithmen’slives！’Ioughttolivelong，’thoughtJolyon；’I’mgettingmildewedforwantofheat。IfIcan’twork，IshallbeofftoParis。’ButmemoryofParisgavehimnopleasure。Besides，howcouldhego?HemuststayandseewhatSoameswasgoingtodo。’I’mhertrustee。I
　　can’tleaveherunprotected，’hethought。IthadbeenstrikinghimascurioushowveryclearlyhecouldstillseeIreneinherlittledrawing-roomwhichhehadonlytwiceentered。Herbeautymusthaveasortofpoignantharmony！Noliteralportraitwouldeverdoherjustice；theessenceofherwas——ahIwhat?……Thenoiseofhoofscalledhimbacktotheotherwindow。Hollywasridingintotheyardonherlong-tailed’palfrey。’Shelookedupandhewavedtoher。Shehadbeenrathersilentlately；gettingold，hesupposed，beginningtowantherfuture，astheyalldid——youngsters！
　　Timewascertainlythedevil！Andwiththefeelingthattowastethisswift-travellingcommoditywasunforgivablefolly，hetookuphisbrush。Butitwasnouse；hecouldnotconcentratehiseye——
　　besides，thelightwasgoing。’I’llgouptotown，’hethought。
　　Inthehallaservantmethim。”Aladytoseeyou，sir；Mrs。Heron。”
　　Extraordinarycoincidence！Passingintothepicture-gallery，asitwasstillcalled，hesawIrenestandingoverbythewindow。
　　Shecametowardshimsaying：”I’vebeentrespassing；Icameupthroughthecoppiceandgarden。
　　IalwaysusedtocomethatwaytoseeUncleJolyon。””Youcouldn’ttrespasshere，”repliedJolyon；”historymakesthatimpossible。Iwasjustthinkingofyou。”
　　Irenesmiled。Anditwasasifsomethingshonethrough；notmerespirituality——serener，completer，morealluring。”History！”sheanswered；”IoncetoldUncleJolyonthatlovewasforever。Well，itisn’t。Onlyaversionlasts。”
　　Jolyonstaredather。HadshegotoverBosinneyatlast?”Yes！”hesaid，”aversion’sdeeperthanloveorhatebecauseit’sanaturalproductofthenerves，andwedon’tchangethem。””IcametotellyouthatSoameshasbeentoseeme。Hesaidathingthatfrightenedme。Hesaid：’Youarestillmywife！’””What！”ejaculatedJolyon。”Yououghtnottolivealone。”Andhecontinuedtostareather，afflictedbythethoughtthatwhereBeautywas，nothingeverranquitestraight，which，nodoubt，waswhysomanypeoplelookedonitasimmoral。”Whatmore?””Heaskedmetoshakehands。”Didyou?””Yes。WhenhecameinI’msurehedidn’twantto；hechangedwhilehewasthere。””Ah！youcertainlyoughtnottogoonlivingtherealone。””IknownowomanIcouldask；andIcan’ttakealovertoorder，CousinJolyon。””Heavenforbid！”saidJolyon。”Whatadamnableposition！Willyoustaytodinner?No?Well，letmeseeyoubacktotown；Iwantedtogoupthisevening。””Truly?””Truly。I’llbereadyinfiveminutes。”
　　Onthatwalktothestationtheytalkedofpicturesandmusic，contrastingtheEnglishandFrenchcharactersandthedifferenceintheirattitudetoArt。ButtoJolyonthecoloursinthehedgesofthelongstraightlane，thetwitteringofchaffincheswhokeptpacewiththem，theperfumeofweedsbeingalreadyburned，theturnofherneck，thefascinationofthosedarkeyesbentonhimnowandthen，thelureofherwholefigure，madeadeeperimpressionthantheremarkstheyexchanged。Unconsciouslyheheldhimselfstraighter，walkedwithamoreelasticstep。
　　Inthetrainheputherthroughasortofcatechismastowhatshedidwithherdays。
　　Madeherdresses，shopped，visitedahospital，playedherpiano，translatedfromtheFrench。
　　Shehadregularworkfromapublisher，itseemed，whichsupplementedherincomealittle。Sheseldomwentoutintheevening。”I’vebeenlivingalonesolong，yousee，thatIdon’tminditabit。IbelieveI’mnaturallysolitary。””Idon’tbelievethat，”saidJolyon。”Doyouknowmanypeople?””Veryfew。”
　　AtWaterlootheytookahansom，andhedrovewithhertothedoorofhermansions。Squeezingherhandatparting，hesaid：”Youknow，youcouldalwayscometousatRobinHill；youmustletmeknoweverythingthathappens。Good-bye，Irene。””Good-bye，”sheansweredsoftly。
　　Jolyonclimbedbackintohiscab，wonderingwhyhehadnotaskedhertodineandgotothetheatrewithhim。Solitary，starved，hung-uplifethatshehad！”HotchPotchClub，”hesaidthroughthetrap-door。AshishansomdebouchedontotheEmbankment，amanintop-hatandovercoatpassed，walkingquickly，soclosetothewallthatheseemedtobescrapingit。
　　’ByJove！’thoughtJolyon；’Soameshimself！What’sheuptonow?’
　　And，stoppingthecabroundthecorner，hegotoutandretracedhisstepstowherehecouldseetheentrancetothemansions。Soameshadhaltedinfrontofthem，andwaslookingupatthelightinherwindows。’Ifhegoesin，’thoughtJolyon，’whatshallIdo?WhathaveItherighttodo?’Whatthefellowhadsaidwastrue。Shewasstillhiswife，absolutelywithoutprotectionfromannoyance！
　　’Well，ifhegoesin，’hethought，’Ifollow。’Andhebeganmovingtowardsthemansions。AgainSoamesadvanced；hewasintheveryentrancenow。Butsuddenlyhestopped，spunroundonhisheel，andcamebacktowardstheriver。’Whatnow?’thoughtJolyon。’Inadozenstepshe’llrecogniseme。’Andheturnedtail。Hiscousin’sfootstepskeptpacewithhisown。Buthereachedhiscab，andgotinbeforeSoameshadturnedthecorner。”Goon！”hesaidthroughthetrap。Soames’figurerangedupalongside。”Hansom！”hesaid。”Engaged?Hallo！””Hallo！”answeredJolyon。”You?”
　　Thequicksuspiciononhiscousin’sface，whiteinthelamplight，decidedhim。”Icangiveyoualift，”hesaid，”ifyou’regoingWest。””Thanks，”answeredSoames，andgotin。”I’vebeenseeingIrene，”saidJolyonwhenthecabhadstarted。”Indeed！””Youwenttoseeheryesterdayyourself，Iunderstand。””Idid，”saidSoames；”she’smywife，youknow。”
　　Thetone，thehalf-liftedsneeringlip，rousedsuddenangerinJolyon；buthesubduedit。”Yououghttoknowbest，”hesaid，”butifyouwantadivorceit’snotverywisetogoseeingher，isit?Onecan’trunwiththehareandhuntwiththehounds?””You’reverygoodtowarnme，”saidSoames，”butIhavenotmadeupmymind。””Shehas，”saidJolyon，lookingstraightbeforehim；”youcan’ttakethingsup，youknow，astheyweretwelveyearsago。””Thatremainstobeseen。””Lookhere！”saidJolyon，”she’sinadamnableposition，andIamtheonlypersonwithanylegalsayinheraffairs。””Exceptmyself，”retortedSoames，”whoamalsoinadamnableposition。Hersiswhatshemadeforherself；minewhatshemadeforme。IamnotatallsurethatinherowninterestsIshan’trequirehertoreturntome。””What！”exclaimedJolyon；andashiverwentthroughhiswholebody。”Idon’tknowwhatyoumaymeanby’what，’”answeredSoamescoldly；”yoursayinheraffairsisconfinedtopayingoutherincome；
　　pleasebearthatinmind。Inchoosingnottodisgraceherbyadivorce，Iretainedmyrights，and，asIsay，IamnotatallsurethatIshan’trequiretoexercisethem。””MyGod！”ejaculatedJolyon，andheutteredashortlaugh。”Yes，”saidSoames，andtherewasadeadlyqualityinhisvoice。”I’venotforgottenthenicknameyourfathergaveme，’Themanofproperty’！I’mnotcallednamesfornothing。””Thisisfantastic，”murmuredJolyon。Well，thefellowcouldn’tforcehiswifetolivewithhim。Thosedayswerepast，anyway！