Here Fitzpiers sat on the floor against the wall till she had hauled
out materials for a bed, which she spread on the floor in one of the
aforesaid nooks. She obtained water and a basin, and washed the dried
blood from his face and hands; and when he was comfortably reclining,
fetched food from the larder. While he ate her eyes lingered anxiously
on his face, following its every movement with such loving-kindness as
only a fond woman can show.
He was now in better condition, and discussed his position with her.
"What I fancy I said to Melbury must have been enough to enrage any
man, if uttered in cold blood, and with knowledge of his presence. But
I did not know him, and I was stupefied by what he had given me, so
that I hardly was aware of what I said. Well--the veil of that temple
is rent in twain!...As I am not going to be seen again in Hintock, my
first efforts must be directed to allay any alarm that may be felt at
my absence, before I am able to get clear away. Nobody must suspect
that I have been hurt, or there will be a country talk about me.
Felice, I must at once concoct a letter to check all search for me. I
think if you can bring me a pen and paper I may be able to do it now.
I could rest better if it were done. Poor thing! how I tire her with
running up and down!"
She fetched writing materials, and held up the blotting-book as a
support to his hand, while he penned a brief note to his nominal wife.
"The animosity shown towards me by your father," he wrote, in this
coldest of marital epistles, "is such that I cannot return again to a
roof which is his, even though it shelters you. A parting is
unavoidable, as you are sure to be on his side in this division. I am
starting on a journey which will take me a long way from Hintock, and
you must not expect to see me there again for some time."
He then gave her a few directions bearing upon his professional
engagements and other practical matters, concluding without a hint of
his destination, or a notion of when she would see him again. He
offered to read the note to Felice before he closed it up, but she
would not hear or see it; that side of his obligations distressed her
beyond endurance. She turned away from Fitzpiers, and sobbed bitterly.