"YOU don't need advice, wisest, dearest woman that ever lived. If you

did--"

"Would you give it to me?"

"Would you act upon what I gave?"

"That's not a fair inquiry," said she, smiling despite her gravity. "I

don't mind hearing it--what you do really think the most correct and

proper course for me."

"It is so easy for me to say, and yet I dare not, for it would be

provoking you to remonstrances."

Knowing, of course, what the advice would be, she did not press him

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further, and was about to beckon Marty forward and leave him, when he

interrupted her with, "Oh, one moment, dear Grace--you will meet me

again?"

She eventually agreed to see him that day fortnight. Fitzpiers

expostulated at the interval, but the half-alarmed earnestness with

which she entreated him not to come sooner made him say hastily that he

submitted to her will--that he would regard her as a friend only,

anxious for his reform and well-being, till such time as she might

allow him to exceed that privilege.

All this was to assure her; it was only too clear that he had not won

her confidence yet. It amazed Fitzpiers, and overthrew all his

deductions from previous experience, to find that this girl, though she

had been married to him, could yet be so coy. Notwithstanding a certain

fascination that it carried with it, his reflections were sombre as he

went homeward; he saw how deep had been his offence to produce so great

a wariness in a gentle and once unsuspicious soul.

He was himself too fastidious to care to coerce her. To be an object

of misgiving or dislike to a woman who shared his home was what he

could not endure the thought of. Life as it stood was more tolerable.

When he was gone, Marty joined Mrs. Fitzpiers. She would fain have

consulted Marty on the question of Platonic relations with her former

husband, as she preferred to regard him. But Marty showed no great

interest in their affairs, so Grace said nothing. They came onward, and

saw Melbury standing at the scene of the felling which had been audible

to them, when, telling Marty that she wished her meeting with Mr.

Fitzpiers to be kept private, she left the girl to join her father. At

any rate, she would consult him on the expediency of occasionally

seeing her husband.

Her father was cheerful, and walked by her side as he had done in

earlier days. "I was thinking of you when you came up," he said. "I

have considered that what has happened is for the best. Since your

husband is gone away, and seems not to wish to trouble you, why, let

him go, and drop out of your life. Many women are worse off. You can

live here comfortably enough, and he can emigrate, or do what he likes

for his good. I wouldn't mind sending him the further sum of money he

might naturally expect to come to him, so that you may not be bothered

with him any more. He could hardly have gone on living here without

speaking to me, or meeting me; and that would have been very unpleasant

on both sides."




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