第10章

Atthetimber-merchant’s，inthemeantime，theconversationflowed；and，asGilesWinterbornehadrightlyenoughdeemed，onsubjectsinwhichhehadnoshare。Amongtheexcludingmatterstherewas，forone，theeffectuponMr。Melburyofthewomanlymienandmannersofhisdaughter，whichtookhimsomuchunawaresthat，thoughitdidnotmakehimabsolutelyforgettheexistenceofherconductorhomeward，thrustGiles’simagebackintoquitetheobscurestcellarageofhisbrain。AnotherwashisinterviewwithMrs。Charmond’sagentthatmorning，atwhichtheladyherselfhadbeenpresentforafewminutes。Melburyhadpurchasedsomestandingtimberfromheralongtimebefore，andnowthatthedatehadcomeforfellingithewaslefttopursuealmosthisowncourse。ThiswaswhatthehouseholdwereactuallytalkingofduringGiles’scogitationwithout；andMelbury’ssatisfactionwiththeclearatmospherethathadarisenbetweenhimselfandthedeityofthegroveswhichenclosedhisresidencewasthecauseofacounterbalancingmistinessonthesidetowardsWinterborne。

“Sothoroughlydoesshetrustme。”saidMelbury，“thatImightfell，top，orlop，onmyownjudgment，anysticko’timberwhateverinherwood，andfixthepriceo’t，andsettlethematter。But，nameitall！Iwouldn’tdosuchathing。However，itmaybeusefultohavethisgoodunderstandingwithher。I

wishshetookmoreinterestintheplace，andstayedherealltheyearround。”

“Iamafraid’tisnotherregardforyou，butherdislikeofHintock，thatmakeshersoeasyaboutthetrees。”saidMrs。

Melbury。

Whendinnerwasover，Gracetookacandleandbegantoramblepleasurablythroughtheroomsofheroldhome，fromwhichshehadlatterlybecomewellnighanalien。Eachnookandeachobjectrevivedamemory，andsimultaneouslymodifiedit。Thechambersseemedlowerthantheyhadappearedonanypreviousoccasionofherreturn，thesurfacesofbothwallsandceilingsstandinginsuchrelationstotheeyethatitcouldnotavoidtakingmicroscopicnoteoftheirirregularitiesandoldfashion。Herownbedroomworeatoncealookmorefamiliarthanwhenshehadleftit，andyetafaceestranged。Theworldoflittlethingsthereingazedatherinhelplessstationariness，asthoughtheyhadtriedandbeenunabletomakeanyprogresswithoutherpresence。Overtheplacewherehercandlehadbeenaccustomedtostand，whenshehadusedtoreadinbedtillthemidnighthour，therewasstillthebrownspotofsmoke。Shedidnotknowthatherfatherhadtakenespecialcaretokeepitfrombeingcleanedoff。

Havingconcludedherperambulationofthisnowuselesslycommodiousedifice，Gracebegantofeelthatshehadcomealongjourneysincethemorning；andwhenherfatherhadbeenuphimself，aswellashiswife，toseethatherroomwascomfortableandthefireburning，shepreparedtoretireforthenight。Nosooner，however，wassheinbedthanhermomentarysleepinesstookitselfoff，andshewishedshehadstayeduplonger。Sheamusedherselfbylisteningtotheoldfamiliarnoisesthatshecouldheartobestillgoingondown-stairs，andbylookingtowardsthewindowasshelay。Theblindhadbeendrawnup，assheusedtohaveitwhenagirl，andshecouldjustdiscernthedimtree-topsagainsttheskyontheneighboringhill。Beneaththismeeting-

lineoflightandshadenothingwasvisiblesaveonesolitarypointoflight，whichblinkedasthetree-twigswavedtoandfrobeforeitsbeams。Fromitspositionitseemedtoradiatefromthewindowofahouseonthehill-side。Thehousehadbeenemptywhenshewaslastathome，andshewonderedwhoinhabitedtheplacenow。

Herconjectures，however，werenotintentlycarriedon，andshewaswatchingthelightquiteidly，whenitgraduallychangedcolor，andatlengthshoneblueassapphire。Thusitremainedseveralminutes，andthenitpassedthroughviolettored。

Hercuriositywassowidelyawakenedbythephenomenonthatshesatupinbed，andstaredsteadilyattheshine。Anappearanceofthissort，sufficienttoexciteattentionanywhere，wasnolessthanamarvelinHintock，asGracehadknownthehamlet。Almosteverydiurnalandnocturnaleffectinthatwoodlandplacehadhithertobeenthedirectresultoftheregularterrestrialrollwhichproducedtheseason’schanges；butherewassomethingdissociatedfromthesenormalsequences，andforeigntolocalhabitandknowledge。

ItwasaboutthismomentthatGraceheardthehouseholdbelowpreparingtoretire，themostemphaticnoiseintheproceedingbeingthatofherfatherboltingthedoors。Thenthestairscreaked，andherfatherandmotherpassedherchamber。ThelasttocomewasGrammerOliver。

Graceslidoutofbed，ranacrosstheroom，andliftingthelatch，said，“Iamnotasleep，Grammer。Comeinandtalktome。”

Beforetheoldwomanhadentered，Gracewasagainunderthebedclothes。Grammersetdownhercandlestick，andseatedherselfontheedgeofMissMelbury’scoverlet。

“IwantyoutotellmewhatlightthatisIseeonthehill-side。”

saidGrace。

Mrs。Oliverlookedacross。“Oh，that。”shesaid，“isfromthedoctor’s。He’softendoingthingsofthatsort。Perhapsyoudon’tknowthatwe’veadoctorlivingherenow——Mr。Fitzpiersbyname？”

Graceadmittedthatshehadnotheardofhim。

“Well，then，miss，he’scomeheretogetupapractice。Iknowhimverywell，throughgoingtheretohelp’emscrubsometimes，whichyourfathersaidImightdo，ifIwantedto，inmysparetime。Beingabachelor-man，he’veonlyaladinthehouse。Ohyes，Iknowhimverywell。Sometimeshe’lltalktomeasifI

werehisownmother。”

“Indeed。”

“Yes。’Grammer，’hesaidoneday，whenIaskedhimwhyhecameherewherethere’shardlyanybodyliving，’I’lltellyouwhyI

camehere。Itookamap，andImarkedonitwhereDr。Jones’spracticeendstothenorthofthisdistrict，andwhereMr。

Taylor’sendsonthesouth，andlittleJimmyGreen’sontheeast，andsomebodyelse’stothewest。ThenItookapairofcompasses，andfoundtheexactmiddleofthecountrythatwasleftbetweenthesebounds，andthatmiddlewasLittleHintock；sohereI

am。’But，Lord，there：pooryoungman！”

“Why？”

“Hesaid，’GrammerOliver，I’vebeenherethreemonths，andalthoughthereareagoodmanypeopleintheHintocksandthevillagesround，andascatteredpracticeisoftenaverygoodone，Idon’tseemtogetmanypatients。Andthere’snosocietyatall；

andI’mprettynearmelancholymad，’hesaid，withagreatyawn。

’Ishouldbequiteifitwerenotformybooks，andmylab——

laboratory，andwhatnot。Grammer，Iwasmadeforhigherthings。’

Andthenhe’dyawnandyawnagain。”

“Washereallymadeforhigherthings，doyouthink？Imean，isheclever？”

“Well，no。Howcanhebeclever？Hemaybeabletojineupabrokenmanorwomanafterafashion，andputhisfingeruponanacheifyoutellhimnearlywhere’tis；buttheseyoungmen——theyshouldlivetomytimeoflife，andthenthey’dseehowclevertheywereatfive-and-twenty！Andyethe’saprojick，arealprojick，andsaystheoddestofrozums。’Ah，Grammer，’hesaid，atanothertime，’letmetellyouthatEverythingisNothing。

There’sonlyMeandnotMeinthewholeworld。’Andhetoldmethatnoman’shandscouldhelpwhattheydid，anymorethanthehandsofaclock。Yes，he’samanofstrangemeditations，andhiseyesseemtoseeasfarasthenorthstar。”

“Hewillsoongoaway，nodoubt。”

“Idon’tthinkso。”Gracedidnotsay“Why？”andGrammerhesitated。Atlastshewenton：“Don’ttellyourfatherormother，miss，ifIletyouknowasecret。”

Gracegavetherequiredpromise。

“Well，hetalksofbuyingme；sohewon’tgoawayjustyet。”

“Buyingyou！——how？”

“Notmysoul——mybody，whenI’mdead。OnedaywhenIwastherecleaning，hesaid，’Grammer，you’vealargebrain——averylargeorganofbrain，’hesaid。’Awoman’sisusuallyfourounceslessthanaman’s；butyoursisman’ssize。’Well，then——hee，hee！——

afterhe’dflatteredmeabitlikethat，hesaidhe’dgivemetenpoundstohavemeasanatomyaftermydeath。Well，knowingI’dnochicknorchielleft，andnobodywithanyinterestinme，I

thought，faith，ifIcanbeofanyusetomyfellow-creaturesafterI’mgonetheyarewelcometomyservices；soIsaidI’dthinkitover，andwouldmostlikelyagreeandtakethetenpounds。Nowthisisasecret，miss，betweenustwo。Themoneywouldbeveryusefultome；andIseenoharminit。”

“Ofcoursethere’snoharm。Butoh，Grammer，howcanyouthinktodoit？Iwishyouhadn’ttoldme。”

“IwishIhadn’t——ifyoudon’tliketoknowit，miss。Butyouneedn’tmind。Lord——hee，hee！——Ishallkeephimwaitingmanyayearyet，blessye！”

“Ihopeyouwill，Iamsure。”

Thegirlthereuponfellintosuchdeepreflectionthatconversationlanguished，andGrammerOliver，takinghercandle，wishedMissMelburygood-night。Thelatter’seyesrestedonthedistantglimmer，aroundwhichsheallowedherreasoningfancytoplayinvagueeddiesthatshapedthedoingsofthephilosopherbehindthatlightonthelinesofintelligencejustreceived。ItwasstrangetohertocomebackfromtheworldtoLittleHintockandfindinoneofitsnooks，likeatropicalplantinahedge-

row，anucleusofadvancedideasandpracticeswhichhadnothingincommonwiththelifearound。Chemicalexperiments，anatomicalprojects，andmetaphysicalconceptionshadfoundastrangehomehere。

Thussheremainedthinking，theimaginedpursuitsofthemanbehindthelightinterminglingwithconjecturalsketchesofhispersonality，tillhereyesfelltogetherwiththeirownheaviness，andsheslept。