fameof
this
noble
new
development
of
journalism
;
the
proprietor
saw
his
way
to
a
solid
fortune
,
and
other
men
who
had
money
to
embark
began
to
scheme
imitative
publications
.
It
was
clear
that
the
quarter-educated
would
soon
be
abundantly
provided
with
literature
to
their
taste
.
Whelpdale
's
exultation
was
unbounded
,
but
in
the
fifth
week
of
the
life
of
Chit-Chat
something
happened
which
threatened
to
overturn
his
sober
reason
.
Jasper
was
walking
along
the
Strand
one
afternoon
,
when
he
saw
his
ingenious
friend
approaching
him
in
a
manner
scarcely
to
be
accounted
for
,
unless
Whelpdale
's
abstemiousness
had
for
once
given
way
before
convivial
invitation
.
The
young
man
's
hat
was
on
the
back
of
his
head
,
and
his
coat
flew
wildly
as
he
rushed
forwards
with
perspiring
face
and
glaring
eyes
.
He
would
have
passed
without
observing
Jasper
,
had
not
the
latter
called
to
him
;
then
he
turned
round
,
laughed
insanely
,
grasped
his
acquaintance
by
the
wrists
,
and
drew
him
aside
into
a
court
.
'
What
do
you
think
?
'
he
panted
.
'
What
do
you
think
has
happened
?
'
'
Not
what
one
would
suppose
,
I
hope
.
You
seem
to
have
gone
mad
.
'
'
I
've
got
Lake
's
place
on
Chit-Chat
!
'
cried
the
other
hoarsely
.
'
Two
hundred
and
fifty
a
year
!
Lake
and
the
editor
quarrelled
—
pummelled
each
other
—
neither
know
nor
care
what
it
was
about
.
My
fortune
's
made
!
'
'
You
're
a
modest
man
,
'
remarked
Jasper
,
smiling
.
'
Certainly
I
am
.
I
have
always
admitted
it
.
But
remember
that
there
's
my
connection
with
Fleet
as
well
;
no
need
to
give
that
up
.
Presently
I
shall
be
making
a
clear
six
hundred
,
my
dear
sir
!
A
clear
six
hundred
,
if
a
penny
!
'
'
Satisfactory
,
so
far
.
'
'
But
you
must
remember
that
I
'm
not
a
big
gun
,
like
you
!
Why
,
my
dear
Milvain
,
a
year
ago
I
should
have
thought
an
income
of
two
hundred
a
glorious
competence
.
I
do
n't
aim
at
such
things
as
are
fit
for
you
.
You
wo
n't
be
content
till
you
have
thousands
;
of
course
I
know
that
.
But
I
'm
a
humble
fellow
.
Yet
no
;
by
Jingo
,
I
'm
not
!
In
one
way
I
'm
not
—
I
must
confess
it
.
'
'
In
what
instance
are
you
arrogant
?
'
'
I
ca
n't
tell
you
—
not
yet
;
this
is
neither
time
nor
place
.
I
say
,
when
will
you
dine
with
me
?
I
shall
give
a
dinner
to
half
a
dozen
of
my
acquaintances
somewhere
or
other
.
Poor
old
Biffen
must
come
.
When
can
you
dine
?
'
'
Give
me
a
week
's
notice
,
and
I
'll
fit
it
in
.
'
That
dinner
came
duly
off
.
On
the
day
that
followed
,
Jasper
and
Dora
left
town
for
their
holiday
;
they
went
to
the
Channel
Islands
,
and
spent
more
than
half
of
the
three
weeks
they
had
allowed
themselves
in
Sark
.
Passing
over
from
Guernsey
to
that
island
,
they
were
amused
to
see
a
copy
of
Chit-Chat
in
the
hands
of
an
obese
and
well-dressed
man
.
'
Is
he
one
of
the
quarter-educated
?
'
asked
Dora
,
laughing
.
'
Not
in
Whelpdale
's
sense
of
the
word
.
But
,
strictly
speaking
,
no
doubt
he
is
.
The
quarter-educated
constitute
a
very
large
class
indeed
;
how
large
,
the
huge
success
of
that
paper
is
demonstrating
.
I
'll
write
to
Whelpdale
,
and
let
him
know
that
his
benefaction
has
extended
even
to
Sark
.
'
This
letter
was
written
,
and
in
a
few
days
there
came
a
reply
.
'
Why
,
the
fellow
has
written
to
you
as
well
!
'
exclaimed
Jasper
,
taking
up
a
second
letter
;
both
were
on
the
table
of
their
sitting-room
when
they
came
to
their
lodgings
for
lunch
.
'
That
's
his
hand
.
'
'
It
looks
like
it
.
'
Dora
hummed
an
air
as
she
regarded
the
envelope
,
then
she
took
it
away
with
her
to
her
room
upstairs
.
'
What
had
he
to
say
?
'
Jasper
inquired
,
when
she
came
down
again
and
seated
herself
at
the
table
.
'
Oh
,
a
friendly
letter
.
What
does
he
say
to
you
?
'
Dora
had
never
looked
so
animated
and
fresh
of
colour
since
leaving
London
;
her
brother
remarked
this
,
and
was
glad
to
think
that
the
air
of
the
Channel
should
be
doing
her
so
much
good
.
He
read
Whelpdale
's
letter
aloud
;
it
was
facetious
,
but
oddly
respectful
.
'
The
reverence
that
fellow
has
for
me
is
astonishing
,
'
he
observed
with
a
laugh
.
'
The
queer
thing
is
,
it
increases
the
better
he
knows
me
.
'
Dora
laughed
for
five
minutes
.
'
Oh
,
what
a
splendid
epigram
!
'
she
exclaimed
.
'
It
is
indeed
a
queer
thing
,
Jasper
!
Did
you
mean
that
to
be
a
good
joke
,
or
was
it
better
still
by
coming
out
unintentionally
?
'
'
You
are
in
remarkable
spirits
,
old
girl
.
By-the-by
,
would
you
mind
letting
me
see
that
letter
of
yours
?
'
He
held
out
his
hand
.
'
I
left
it
upstairs
,
'
Dora
replied
carelessly
.
'
Rather
presumptuous
in
him
,
it
seems
to
me
.
'
'
Oh
,
he
writes
quite
as
respectfully
to
me
as
he
does
to
you
,
'
she
returned
,
with
a
peculiar
smile
.
'
But
what
business
has
he
to
write
at
all
?
It
's
confounded
impertinence
,
now
I
come
to
think
of
it
.
I
shall
give
him
a
hint
to
remember
his
position
.
'
Dora
could
not
be
quite
sure
whether
he
spoke
seriously
or
not
.
As
both
of
them
had
begun
to
eat
with
an
excellent
appetite
,
a
few
moments
were
allowed
to
pass
before
the
girl
again
spoke
.
'
His
position
is
as
good
as
ours
,
'
she
said
at
length
.
'
As
good
as
ours
?
The
"
sub
.
"
of
a
paltry
rag
like
Chit-Chat
,
and
assistant
to
a
literary
agency
!
'
'
He
makes
considerably
more
money
than
we
do
.
'
'
Money
!
What
's
money
?
'
Dora
was
again
mirthful
.
'
Oh
,
of
course
money
is
nothing
!
We
write
for
honour
and
glory
.
Do
n't
forget
to
insist
on
that
when
you
reprove
Mr.
Whelpdale
;
no
doubt
it
wil
impress
him
.
'
Late
in
the
evening
of
that
day
,
when
the
brother
and
sister
had
strolled
by
moonlight
up
to
the
windmill
which
occupies
the
highest
point
of
Sark
,
and
as
they
stood
looking
upon
the
pale
expanse
of
sea
,
dotted
with
the
gleam
of
lighthouses
near
and
far
,
Dora
broke
the
silence
to
say
quietly
:
'
I
may
as
well
tell
you
that
Mr.
Whelpdale
wants
to
know
if
I
will
marry
him
.
'
'
The
deuce
he
does
!
'
cried
Jasper
,
with
a
start
.
'
If
I
did
n't
half
suspect
something
of
that
kind
!
What
astounding
impudence
!
'
'
You
seriously
think
so
?
'
'
Well
,
do
n't
you
?
You
hardly
know
him
,
to
begin
with
.
And
then
—
oh
,
confound
it
!
'
'
Very
well
,
I
'll
tell
him
that
his
impudence
astonishes
me
.
'
'
You
will
?
'
'
Certainly
.
Of
course
in
civil
terms
.
But
do
n't
let
this
make
any
difference
between
you
and
him
.
Just
pretend
to
know
nothing
about
it
;
no
harm
is
done
.
'
'
You
are
speaking
in
earnest
?
'
'
Quite
.
He
has
written
in
a
very
proper
way
,
and
there
's
no
reason
whatever
to
disturb
our
friendliness
with
him
.
I
have
a
right
to
give
directions
in
a
matter
like
this
,
and
you
'll
please
to
obey
them
.
'
Before
going
to
bed
Dora
wrote
a
letter
to
Mr.
Whelpdale
,
not
,
indeed
,
accepting
his
offer
forthwith
,
but
conveying
to
him
with
much
gracefulness
an
unmistakable
encouragement
to
persevere
.
This
was
posted
on
the
morrow
,
and
its
writer
continued
to
benefit
most
remarkably
by
the
sun
and
breezes
and
rock-scrambling
of
Sark
.
Soon
after
their
return
to
London
,
Dora
had
the
satisfaction
of
paying
the
first
visit
to
her
sister
at
the
Dolomores
'
house
in
Ovigton
Square
.
Maud
was
established
in
the
midst
of
luxuries
,
and
talked
with
laughing
scorn
of
the
days
when
she
inhabited
Grub
Street
;
her
literary
tastes
were
henceforth
to
serve
as
merely
a
note
of
distinction
,
an
added
grace
which
made
evident
her
superiority
to
the
well
attired
and
smooth-tongued
people
among
whom
she
was
content
to
shine
.
On
the
one
hand
,
she
had
contact
with
the
world
of
fashionable
literature
,
on
the
other
with
that
of
fashionable
ignorance
.
Mrs.
Lane
's
house
was
a
meeting-point
of
the
two
spheres
.
'
I
sha
n't
be
there
very
often
,
'
remarked
Jasper
,
as
Dora
and
he
discussed
their
sister
's
magnificence
.
'
That
's
all
very
well
in
its
way
,
but
I
aim
at
something
higher
.
'
'
So
do
I
,
'
Dora
replied
.
'
I
'm
very
glad
to
hear
that
.
I
confess
it
seemed
to
me
that
you
were
rather
too
cordial
with
Whelpdale
yesterday
.
'
'
One
must
behave
civilly
.
Mr.
Whelpdale
quite
understands
me
.
'
'
You
are
sure
of
that
?
He
did
n't
seem
quite
so
gloomy
as
he
ought
to
have
been
.
'
'
The
success
of
Chit-Chat
keeps
him
in
good
spirits
.
'
It
was
perhaps
a
week
after
this
that
Mrs.
Dolomore
came
quite
unexpectedly
to
the
house
by
Regent
's
Park
,
as
early
as
eleven
o'clock
in
the
morning
.
She
had
a
long
talk
in
private
with
Dora
.
Jasper
was
not
at
home
;
when
he
returned
towards
evening
,
Dora
came
to
his
room
with
a
countenance
which
disconcerted
him
.
'
Is
it
true
,
'
she
asked
abruptly
,
standing
before
him
with
her
hands
strained
together
,
'
that
you
have
been
representing
yourself
as
no
longer
engaged
to
Marian
?
'
'
Who
has
told
you
so
?
'
'
That
does
n't
matter
.
I
have
heard
it
,
and
I
want
to
know
from
you
that
it
is
false
.
'
Jasper
thrust
his
hands
into
his
pockets
and
walked
apart
.
'
I
can
take
no
notice
,
'
he
said
with
indifference
,
'
of
anonymous
gossip
.
'
'
Well
,
then
,
I
will
tell
you
how
I
have
heard
.
Maud
came
this
morning
,
and
told
me
that
Mrs.
Betterton
had
been
asking
her
about
it
.
Mrs.
Betterton
had
heard
from
Mrs.
Lane
.
'
'
From
Mrs.
Lane
?
And
from
whom
did
she
hear
,
pray
?
'
'
That
I
do
n't
know
.
Is
it
true
or
not
?
'
'
I
have
never
told
anyone
that
my
engagement
was
at
an
end
,
'
replied
Jasper
,
deliberately
.
The
girl
met
his
eyes
.
'
Then
I
was
right
,
'
she
said
.
'
Of
course
I
told
Maud
that
it
was
impossible
to
believe
this
for
a
moment
.
But
how
has
it
come
to
be
said
?
'
'
You
might
as
well
ask
me
how
any
lie
gets
into
circulation
among
people
of
that
sort
.
I
have
told
you
the
truth
,
and
there
's
an
end
of
it
.
'
Dora
lingered
for
a
while
,
but
left
the
room
without
saying
anything
more
.
She
sat
up
late
,
mostly
engaged
in
thinking
,
though
at
times
an
open
book
was
in
her
hand
.
It
was
nearly
half-past
twelve
when
a
very
light
rap
at
the
door
caused
her
to
start
.
She
called
,
and
Jasper
came
in
.
'
Why
are
you
still
up
?
'
he
asked
,
avoiding
her
look
as
he
moved
forward
and
took
a
leaning
attitude
behind
an
easy-chair
.
'
Oh
,
I
do
n't
know
.
Do
you
want
anything
?
'
There
was
a
pause
;
then
Jasper
said
in
an
unsteady
voice
:
'
I
am
not
given
to
lying
,
Dora
,
and
I
feel
confoundedly
uncomfortable
about
what
I
said
to
you
early
this
evening
.
I
did
n't
lie
in
the
ordinary
sense
;
it
's
true
enough
that
I
have
never
told
anyone
that
my
engagement
was
at
at
end
.
But
I
have
acted
as
if
it
were
,
and
it
's
better
I
should
tell
you
.
'
His
sister
gazed
at
him
with
indignation
.
'
You
have
acted
as
if
you
were
free
?
'
'
Yes
.
I
have
proposed
to
Miss
Rupert
.
How
Mrs.
Lane
and
that
lot
have
come
to
know
anything
about
this
I
do
n't
understand
.
I
am
not
aware
of
any
connecting
link
between
them
and
the
Ruperts
,
or
the
Barlows
either
.
Perhaps
there
are
none
;
most
likely
the
rumour
has
no
foundation
in
their
knowledge
.
Still
,
it
is
better
that
I
should
have
told
you
.
Miss
Rupert
has
never
heard
that
I
was
engaged
,
nor
have
her
friends
the
Barlows
—
at
least
I
do
n't
see
how
they
could
have
done
.
She
may
have
told
Mrs.
Barlow
of
my
proposal
—
probably
would
;
and
this
may
somehow
have
got
round
to
those
other
people
.
But
Maud
did
n't
make
any
mention
of
Miss
Rupert
,
did
she
?
'
Dora
replied
with
a
cold
negative
.
'
Well
,
there
's
the
state
of
things
.
It
is
n't
pleasant
,
but
that
's
what
I
have
done
.
'
'
Do
you
mean
that
Miss
Rupert
has
accepted
you
?
'
'
No
.
I
wrote
to
her
.
She
answered
that
she
was
going
to
Germany
for
a
few
weeks
,
and
that
I
should
have
her
reply
whilst
she
was
away
.
I
am
waiting
.
'
'
But
what
name
is
to
be
given
to
behaviour
such
as
this
?
'
'
Listen
:
did
n't
you
know
perfectly
well
that
this
must
be
the
end
of
it
?
'
'
Do
you
suppose
I
thought
you
utterly
shameless
and
cruel
beyond
words
?
'
'
I
suppose
I
am
both
.
It
was
a
moment
of
desperate
temptation
,
though
.
I
had
dined
at
the
Ruperts
'
—
you
remember
—
and
it
seemed
to
me
there
was
no
mistaking
the
girl
's
manner
.
'
'
Do
n't
call
her
a
girl
!
'
broke
in
Dora
,
scornfully
.
'
You
say
she
is
several
years
older
than
yourself
.
'
'
Well
,
at
all
events
,
she
's
intellectual
,
and
very
rich
.
I
yielded
to
the
temptation
.
'
'
And
deserted
Marian
just
when
she
has
most
need
of
help
and
consolation
?
It
's
frightful
!
'
Jasper
moved
to
another
chair
and
sat
down
.
He
was
much
perturbed
.
'
Look
here
,
Dora
,
I
regret
it
;
I
do
,
indeed
.
And
,
what
's
more
,
if
that
woman
refuses
me
—
as
it
's
more
than
likely
she
will
—
I
will
go
to
Marian
and
ask
her
to
marry
me
at
once
.
I
promise
that
.
'
His
sister
made
a
movement
of
contemptuous
impatience
.
'
And
if
the
woman
does
n't
refuse
you
?
'
'
Then
I
ca
n't
help
it
.
But
there
's
one
thing
more
I
will
say
.
Whether
I
marry
Marian
or
Miss
Rupert
,
I
sacrifice
my
strongest
feelings
—
in
the
one
case
to
a
sense
of
duty
,
in
the
other
to
worldly
advantage
.
I
was
an
idiot
to
write
that
letter
,
for
I
knew
at
the
time
that
there
was
a
woman
who
is
far
more
to
me
than
Miss
Rupert
and
all
her
money
—
a
woman
I
might
,
perhaps
,
marry
.
Do
n't
ask
any
questions
;
I
shall
not
answer
them
.
As
I
have
said
so
much
,
I
wished
you
to
understand
my
position
fully
.
You
know
the
promise
I
have
made
.
Do
n't
say
anything
to
Marian
;
if
I
am
left
free
I
shall
marry
her
as
soon
as
possible
.
'
And
so
he
left
the
room
.
For
a
fortnight
and
more
he
remained
in
uncertainty
.
His
life
was
very
uncomfortable
,
for
Dora
would
only
speak
to
him
when
necessity
compelled
her
;
and
there
were
two
meetings
with
Marian
,
at
which
he
had
to
act
his
part
as
well
as
he
could
.
At
length
came
the
expected
letter
.
Very
nicely
expressed
,
very
friendly
,
very
complimentary
,
but
—
a
refusal
.
He
handed
it
to
Dora
across
the
breakfast-table
,
saying
with
a
pinched
smile
:
'
Now
you
can
look
cheerful
again
.
I
am
doomed
.
'
CHAPTER
XXXV
FEVER
AND
REST
Milvain
's
skilful
efforts
notwithstanding
,
'
Mr
.
Bailey
,
Grocer
,
'
had
no
success
.
By
two
publishers
the
book
had
been
declined
;
the
firm
which
brought
it
out
offered
the
author
half
profits
and
fifteen
pounds
on
account
,
greatly
to
Harold
Biffen
's
satisfaction
.
But
reviewers
in
general
were
either
angry
or
coldly
contemptuous
.
'
Let
Mr.
Biffen
bear
in
mind
,
'
said
one
of
these
sages
,
'
that
a
novelist
's
first
duty
is
to
tell
a
story
.
'
'
Mr
.
Biffen
,
'
wrote
another
.
'
seems
not
to
understand
that
a
work
of
art
must
before
everything
else
afford
amusement
.
'
'
A
pretentious
book
of
the
genre
ennuyant
,
'
was
the
brief
comment
of
a
Society
journal
.
A
weekly
of
high
standing
began
its
short
notice
in
a
rage
:
'
Here
is
another
of
those
intolerable
productions
for
which
we
are
indebted
to
the
spirit
of
grovelling
realism
.
This
author
,
let
it
be
said
,
is
never
offensive
,
but
then
one
must
go
on
to
describe
his
work
by
a
succession
of
negatives
;
it
is
never
interesting
,
never
profitable
,
never
—
'
and
the
rest
.
The
eulogy
in
The
West
End
had
a
few
timid
echoes
.
That
in
The
Current
would
have
secured
more
imitators
,
but
unfortunately
it
appeared
when
most
of
the
reviewing
had
already
been
done
.
And
,
as
Jasper
truly
said
,
only
a
concurrence
of
powerful
testimonials
could
have
compelled
any
number
of
people
to
affect
an
interest
in
this
book
.
'
The
first
duty
of
a
novelist
is
to
tell
a
story
:
'
the
perpetual
repetition
of
this
phrase
is
a
warning
to
all
men
who
propose
drawing
from
the
life
.
Biffen
only
offered
a
slice
of
biography
,
and
it
was
found
to
lack
flavour
.
He
wrote
to
Mrs.
Reardon
:
'
I
cannot
thank
you
enough
for
this
very
kind
letter
about
my
book
;
I
value
it
more
than
I
should
the
praises
of
all
the
reviewers
in
existence
.
You
have
understood
my
aim
.
Few
people
will
do
that
,
and
very
few
indeed
could
express
it
with
such
clear
conciseness
.
'
If
Amy
had
but
contented
herself
with
a
civil
acknowledgment
of
the
volumes
he
sent
her
!
She
thought
it
a
kindness
to
write
to
him
so
appreciatively
,
to
exaggerate
her
approval
.
The
poor
fellow
was
so
lonely
.
Yes
,
but
his
loneliness
only
became
intolerable
when
a
beautiful
woman
had
smiled
upon
him
,
and
so
forced
him
to
dream
perpetually
of
that
supreme
joy
of
life
which
to
him
was
forbidden
.
It
was
a
fatal
day
,
that
on
which
Amy
put
herself
under
his
guidance
to
visit
Reardon
's
poor
room
at
Islington
.
In
the
old
times
,
Harold
had
been
wont
to
regard
his
friend
's
wife
as
the
perfect
woman
;
seldom
in
his
life
had
he
enjoyed
female
society
,
and
when
he
first
met
Amy
it
was
years
since
he
had
spoken
with
any
woman
above
the
rank
of
a
lodging-house
keeper
or
a
needle-plier
.
Her
beauty
seemed
to
him
of
a
very
high
order
,
and
her
mental
endowments
filled
him
with
an
exquisite
delight
,
not
to
be
appreciated
by
men
who
have
never
been
in
his
position
.
When
the
rupture
came
between
Amy
and
her
husband
,
Harold
could
not
believe
that
she
was
in
any
way
to
blame
;
held
to
Reardon
by
strong
friendship
,
he
yet
accused
him
of
injustice
to
Amy
.
And
what
he
saw
of
her
at
Brighton
confirmed
him
in
this
judgment
.
When
he
accompanied
her
to
Manville
Street
,
he
allowed
her
,
of
course
,
to
remain
alone
in
the
room
where
Reardon
had
lived
;
but
Amy
presently
summoned
him
,
and
asked
him
questions
.
Every
tear
she
shed
watered
a
growth
of
passionate
tenderness
in
the
solitary
man
's
heart
.
Parting
from
her
at
length
,
he
went
to
hide
his
face
in
darkness
and
think
of
her
—
think
of
her
.
A
fatal
day
.
There
was
an
end
of
all
his
peace
,
all
his
capacity
for
labour
,
his
patient
endurance
of
penury
.
Once
,
when
he
was
about
three-and-twenty
,
he
had
been
in
love
with
a
girl
of
gentle
nature
and
fair
intelligence
;
on
account
of
his
poverty
,
he
could
not
even
hope
that
his
love
might
be
returned
,
and
he
went
away
to
bear
the
misery
as
best
he
might
.
Since
then
the
life
he
had
led
precluded
the
forming
of
such
attachments
;
it
would
never
have
been
possible
for
him
to
support
a
wife
of
however
humble
origin
.
At
intervals
he
felt
the
full
weight
of
his
loneliness
,
but
there
were
happily
long
periods
during
which
his
Greek
studies
and
his
efforts
in
realistic
fiction
made
him
indifferent
to
the
curse
laid
upon
him
.
But
after
that
hour
of
intimate
speech
with
Amy
,
he
never
again
knew
rest
of
mind
or
heart
.
Accepting
what
Reardon
had
bequeathed
to
him
,
he
removed
the
books
and
furniture
to
a
room
in
that
part
of
the
town
which
he
had
found
most
convenient
for
his
singular
tutorial
pursuits
.
The
winter
did
not
pass
without
days
of
all
but
starvation
,
but
in
March
he
received
his
fifteen
pounds
for
'
Mr
.
Bailey
,
'
and
this
was
a
fortune
,
putting
him
beyond
the
reach
of
hunger
for
full
six
months
.
Not
long
after
that
he
yielded
to
a
temptation
that
haunted
him
day
and
night
,
and
went
to
call
upon
Amy
,
who
was
still
living
with
her
mother
at
Westbourne
Park
.
When
he
entered
the
drawing-room
Amy
was
sitting
there
alone
;
she
rose
with
an
exclamation
of
frank
pleasure
.
'
I
have
often
thought
of
you
lately
,
Mr.
Biffen
.
How
kind
to
come
and
see
me
!
'
He
could
scarcely
speak
;
her
beauty
,
as
she
stood
before
him
in
the
graceful
black
dress
,
was
anguish
to
his
excited
nerves
,
and
her
voice
was
so
cruel
in
its
conventional
warmth
.
When
he
looked
at
her
eyes
,
he
remembered
how
their
brightness
had
been
dimmed
with
tears
,
and
the
sorrow
he
had
shared
with
her
seemed
to
make
him
more
than
an
ordinary
friend
.
When
he
told
her
of
his
success
with
the
publishers
,
she
was
delighted
.
'
Oh
,
when
is
it
to
come
out
?
I
shall
watch
the
advertisements
so
anxiously
.
'
'
Will
you
allow
me
to
send
you
a
copy
,
Mrs.
Reardon
?
'
'
Can
you
really
spare
one
?
'
Of
the
half-dozen
he
would
receive
,
he
scarcely
knew
how
to
dispose
of
three
.
And
Amy
expressed
her
gratitude
in
the
most
charming
way
.
She
had
gained
much
in
point
of
manner
during
the
past
twelve
months
;
her
ten
thousand
pounds
inspired
her
with
the
confidence
necessary
to
a
perfect
demeanour
.
That
slight
hardness
which
was
wont
to
be
perceptible
in
her
tone
had
altogether
passed
away
;
she
seemed
to
be
cultivating
flexibility
of
voice
.
Mrs.
Yule
came
in
,
and
was
all
graciousness
.
Then
two
callers
presented
themselves
.
Biffen
's
pleasure
was
at
an
end
as
soon
as
he
had
to
adapt
himself
to
polite
dialogue
;
he
escaped
as
speedily
as
possible
.
He
was
not
the
kind
of
man
that
deceives
himself
as
to
his
own
aspect
in
the
eyes
of
others
.
Be
as
kind
as
she
might
,
Amy
could
not
set
him
strutting
Malvolio-wise
;
she
viewed
him
as
a
poor
devil
who
often
had
to
pawn
his
coat
—
a
man
of
parts
who
would
never
get
on
in
the
world
—
a
friend
to
be
thought
of
kindly
because
her
dead
husband
had
valued
him
.
Nothing
more
than
that
;
he
understood
perfectly
the
limits
of
her
feeling
.
But
this
could
not
put
restraint
upon
the
emotion
with
which
he
received
any
most
trifling
utterance
of
kindness
from
her
.
He
did
not
think
of
what
was
,
but
of
what
,
under
changed
circumstances
,
might
be
.
To
encourage
such
fantasy
was
the
idlest
self-torment
,
but
he
had
gone
too
far
in
this
form
of
indulgence
.
He
became
the
slave
of
his
inflamed
imagination
.
In
that
letter
with
which
he
replied
to
her
praises
of
his
book
,
perchance
he
had
allowed
himself
to
speak
too
much
as
he
thought
.
He
wrote
in
reckless
delight
,
and
did
not
wait
for
the
prudence
of
a
later
hour
.
When
it
was
past
recall
,
he
would
gladly
have
softened
many
of
the
expressions
the
letter
contained
.
'
I
value
it
more
than
the
praises
of
all
the
reviewers
in
existence
'
—
would
Amy
be
offended
at
that
?
'
Yours
in
gratitude
and
reverence
,
'
he
had
signed
himself
—
the
kind
of
phrase
that
comes
naturally
to
a
passionate
man
,
when
he
would
fain
say
more
than
he
dares
.
To
what
purpose
this
half-revelation
?
Unless
,
indeed
,
he
wished
to
learn
once
and
for
ever
,
by
the
gentlest
of
repulses
,
that
his
homage
was
only
welcome
so
long
as
it
kept
well
within
conventional
terms
.
He
passed
a
month
of
distracted
idleness
,
until
there
came
a
day
when
the
need
to
see
Amy
was
so
imperative
that
it
mastered
every
consideration
.
He
donned
his
best
clothes
,
and
about
four
o'clock
presented
himself
at
Mrs.
Yule
's
house
.
By
ill
luck
there
happened
to
be
at
least
half
a
dozen
callers
in
the
drawing-room
;
the
strappado
would
have
been
preferable
,
in
his
eyes
,
to
such
an
ordeal
as
this
.
Moreover
,
he
was
convinced
that
both
Amy
and
her
mother
received
him
with
far
less
cordiality
than
on
the
last
occasion
.
He
had
expected
it
,
but
he
bit
his
lips
till
the
blood
came
.
What
business
had
he
among
people
of
this
kind
?
No
doubt
the
visitors
wondered
at
his
comparative
shabbiness
,
and
asked
themselves
how
he
ventured
to
make
a
call
without
the
regulation
chimney-pot
hat
.
It
was
a
wretched
and
foolish
mistake
.
Ten
minutes
saw
him
in
the
street
again
,
vowing
that
he
would
never
approach
Amy
more
.
Not
that
he
found
fault
with
her
;
the
blame
was
entirely
his
own
.
He
lived
on
the
third
floor
of
a
house
in
Goodge
Street
,
above
a
baker
's
shop
.
The
bequest
of
Reardon
's
furniture
was
a
great
advantage
to
him
,
as
he
had
only
to
pay
rent
for
a
bare
room
;
the
books
,
too
,
came
as
a
godsend
,
since
the
destruction
of
his
own
.
He
had
now
only
one
pupil
,
and
was
not
exerting
himself
to
find
others
;
his
old
energy
had
forsaken
him
.
For
the
failure
of
his
book
he
cared
nothing
.
It
was
no
more
than
he
anticipated
.
The
work
was
done
—
the
best
he
was
capable
of
—
and
this
satisfied
him
.
It
was
doubtful
whether
he
loved
Amy
,
in
the
true
sense
of
exclusive
desire
.
She
represented
for
him
all
that
is
lovely
in
womanhood
;
to
his
starved
soul
and
senses
she
was
woman
,
the
complement
of
his
frustrate
being
.
Circumstance
had
made
her
the
means
of
exciting
in
him
that
natural
force
which
had
hitherto
either
been
dormant
or
had
yielded
to
the
resolute
will
.
Companionless
,
inert
,
he
suffered
the
tortures
which
are
so
ludicrous
and
contemptible
to
the
happily
married
.
Life
was
barren
to
him
,
and
would
soon
grow
hateful
;
only
in
sleep
could
he
cast
off
the
unchanging
thoughts
and
desires
which
made
all
else
meaningless
.
And
rightly
meaningless
;
he
revolted
against
the
unnatural
constraints
forbidding
him
to
complete
his
manhood
.
By
what
fatality
was
he
alone
of
men
withheld
from
the
winning
of
a
woman
's
love
?
He
could
not
bear
to
walk
the
streets
where
the
faces
of
beautiful
women
would
encounter
him
.
When
he
must
needs
leave
the
house
,
he
went
about
in
the
poor
,
narrow
ways
,
where
only
spectacles
of
coarseness
,
and
want
,
and
toil
would
be
presented
to
him
.
Yet
even
here
he
was
too
often
reminded
that
the
poverty-stricken
of
the
class
to
which
poverty
is
natural
were
not
condemned
to
endure
in
solitude
.
Only
he
who
belonged
to
no
class
,
who
was
rejected
alike
by
his
fellows
in
privation
and
by
his
equals
in
intellect
,
must
die
without
having
known
the
touch
of
a
loving
woman
's
hand
.
The
summer
went
by
,
and
he
was
unconscious
of
its
warmth
and
light
.
How
his
days
passed
he
could
not
have
said
.
One
evening
in
early
autumn
,
as
he
stood
before
the
book-stall
at
the
end
of
Goodge
Street
,
a
familiar
voice
accosted
him
.
It
was
Whelpdale
's
.
A
month
or
two
ago
he
had
stubbornly
refused
an
invitation
to
dine
with
Whelpdale
and
other
acquaintances
—
you
remember
what
the
occasion
was
—
and
since
then
the
prosperous
young
man
had
not
crossed
his
path
.
'
I
've
something
to
tell
you
,
'
said
the
assailer
,
taking
hold
of
his
arm
.
'
I
'm
in
a
tremendous
state
of
mind
,
and
want
someone
to
share
my
delight
.
You
can
walk
a
short
way
,
I
hope
?
Not
too
busy
with
some
new
book
?
'
Biffen
gave
no
answer
,
but
went
whither
he
was
led
.
'
You
are
writing
a
new
book
,
I
suppose
?
Do
n't
be
discouraged
,
old
fellow
.
"
Mr.
Bailey
"
will
have
his
day
yet
;
I
know
men
who
consider
it
an
undoubted
work
of
genius
.
What
's
the
next
to
deal
with
?
'
'
I
have
n't
decided
yet
,
'
replied
Harold
,
merely
to
avoid
argument
.
He
spoke
so
seldom
that
the
sound
of
his
own
voice
was
strange
to
him
.
'
Thinking
over
it
,
I
suppose
,
in
your
usual
solid
way
.
Do
n't
be
hurried
.
But
I
must
tell
you
of
this
affair
of
mine
.
You
know
Dora
Milvain
;
I
have
asked
her
to
marry
me
,
and
,
by
the
Powers
!
she
has
given
me
an
encouraging
answer
!
Not
an
actual
yes
,
but
encouraging
!
She
's
away
in
the
Channel
Islands
,
and
I
wrote
—
'
He
talked
on
for
a
quarter
of
an
hour
.
Then
,
with
a
sudden
movement
,
the
listener
freed
himself
.
'
I
ca
n't
go
any
farther
,
'
he
said
hoarsely
.
'
Good-bye
!
'
Whelpdale
was
disconcerted
.
'
I
have
been
boring
you
.
That
's
a
confounded
fault
of
mine
;
I
know
it
.
'
Biffen
had
waved
his
hand
,
and
was
gone
.
A
week
or
two
more
would
see
him
at
the
end
of
his
money
.
He
had
no
lessons
now
,
and
could
not
write
;
from
his
novel
nothing
was
to
be
expected
.
He
might
apply
again
to
his
brother
,
but
such
dependence
was
unjust
and
unworthy
.
And
why
should
he
struggle
to
preserve
a
life
which
had
no
prospect
but
of
misery
?
It
was
in
the
hours
following
his
encounter
with
Whelpdale
that
he
first
knew
the
actual
desire
of
death
,
the
simple
longing
for
extinction
.
One
must
go
far
in
suffering
before
the
innate
will-to-live
is
thus
truly
overcome
;
weariness
of
bodily
anguish
may
induce
this
perversion
of
the
instincts
;
less
often
,
that
despair
of
suppressed
emotion
which
had
fallen
upon
Harold
.
Through
the
night
he
kept
his
thoughts
fixed
on
death
in
its
aspect
of
repose
,
of
eternal
oblivion
.
And
herein
he
had
found
solace
.
The
next
night
it
was
the
same
.
Moving
about
among
common
needs
and
occupations
,
he
knew
not
a
moment
's
cessation
of
heart-ache
,
but
when
he
lay
down
in
the
darkness
a
hopeful
summons
whispered
to
him
.
Night
,
which
had
been
the
worst
season
of
his
pain
,
had
now
grown
friendly
;
it
came
as
an
anticipation
of
the
sleep
that
is
everlasting
.
A
few
more
days
,
and
he
was
possessed
by
a
calm
of
spirit
such
as
he
had
never
known
.
His
resolve
was
taken
,
not
in
a
moment
of
supreme
conflict
,
but
as
the
result
of
a
subtle
process
by
which
his
imagination
had
become
in
love
with
death
.
Turning
from
contemplation
of
life
's
one
rapture
,
he
looked
with
the
same
intensity
of
desire
to
a
state
that
had
neither
fear
nor
hope
.
One
afternoon
he
went
to
the
Museum
Reading-room
,
and
was
busy
for
a
few
minutes
in
consultation
of
a
volume
which
he
took
from
the
shelves
of
medical
literature
.
On
his
way
homeward
he
entered
two
or
three
chemists
'
shops
.
Something
of
which
he
had
need
could
be
procured
only
in
very
small
quantities
;
but
repetition
of
his
demand
in
different
places
supplied
him
sufficiently
.
When
he
reached
his
room
,
he
emptied
the
contents
of
sundry
little
bottles
into
one
larger
,
and
put
this
in
his
pocket
.
Then
he
wrote
rather
a
long
letter
,
addressed
to
his
brother
at
Liverpool
.
It
had
been
a
beautiful
day
,
and
there
wanted
still
a
couple
of
hours
before
the
warm
,
golden
sunlight
would
disappear
.
Harold
stood
and
looked
round
his
room
.
As
always
,
it
presented
a
neat
,
orderly
aspect
,
but
his
eye
caught
sight
of
a
volume
which
stood
upside
down
,
and
this
fault
—
particularly
hateful
to
a
bookish
man
—
he
rectified
.
He
put
his
blotting-pad
square
on
the
table
,
closed
the
lid
of
the
inkstand
,
arranged
his
pens
.
Then
he
took
his
hat
and
stick
,
locked
the
door
behind
him
,
and
went
downstairs
.
At
the
foot
he
spoke
to
his
landlady
,
and
told
her
that
he
should
not
return
that
night
.
As
soon
as
possible
after
leaving
the
house
he
posted
his
letter
.
His
direction
was
westward
;
walking
at
a
steady
,
purposeful
pace
,
with
cheery
countenance
and
eyes
that
gave
sign
of
pleasure
as
often
as
they
turned
to
the
sun-smitten
clouds
,
he
struck
across
Kensington
Gardens
,
and
then
on
towards
Fulham
,
where
he
crossed
the
Thames
to
Putney
.
The
sun
was
just
setting
;
he
paused
a
few
moments
on
the
bridge
,
watching
the
river
with
a
quiet
smile
,
and
enjoying
the
splendour
of
the
sky
.
Up
Putney
Hill
he
walked
slowly
;
when
he
reached
the
top
it
was
growing
dark
,
but
an
unwonted
effect
in
the
atmosphere
caused
him
to
turn
and
look
to
the
east
.
An
exclamation
escaped
his
lips
,
for
there
before
him
was
the
new-risen
moon
,
a
perfect
globe
,
vast
and
red
.
He
gazed
at
it
for
a
long
time
.
When
the
daylight
had
entirely
passed
,
he
went
forward
on
to
the
heath
,
and
rambled
,
as
if
idly
,
to
a
secluded
part
,
where
trees
and
bushes
made
a
deep
shadow
under
the
full
moon
.
It
was
still
quite
warm
,
and
scarcely
a
breath
of
air
moved
among
the
reddening
leaves
.
Sure
at
length
that
he
was
remote
from
all
observation
,
he
pressed
into
a
little
copse
,
and
there
reclined
on
the
grass
,
leaning
against
the
stem
of
a
tree
.
The
moon
was
now
hidden
from
him
,
but
by
looking
upward
he
could
see
its
light
upon
a
long
,
faint
cloud
,
and
the
blue
of
the
placid
sky
.
His
mood
was
one
of
ineffable
peace
.
Only
thoughts
of
beautiful
things
came
into
his
mind
;
he
had
reverted
to
an
earlier
period
of
life
,
when
as
yet
no
mission
of
literary
realism
had
been
imposed
upon
him
,
and
when
his
passions
were
still
soothed
by
natural
hope
.
The
memory
of
his
friend
Reardon
was
strongly
present
with
him
,
but
of
Amy
he
thought
only
as
of
that
star
which
had
just
come
into
his
vision
above
the
edge
of
dark
foliage
—
beautiful
,
but
infinitely
remote
.
Recalling
Reardon
's
voice
,
it
brought
to
him
those
last
words
whispered
by
his
dying
companion
.
He
remembered
them
now
:
We
are
such
stuff
As
dreams
are
made
on
,
and
our
little
life
Is
rounded
with
a
sleep
.
CHAPTER
XXXVI
JASPER
'S
DELICATE
CASE
Only
when
he
received
Miss
Rupert
's
amiably-worded
refusal
to
become
his
wife
was
Jasper
aware
how
firmly
he
had
counted
on
her
accepting
him
.
He
told
Dora
with
sincerity
that
his
proposal
was
a
piece
of
foolishness
;
so
far
from
having
any
regard
for
Miss
Rupert
,
he
felt
towards
her
with
something
of
antipathy
,
and
at
the
same
time
he
was
conscious
of
ardent
emotions
,
if
not
love
,
for
another
woman
who
would
be
no
bad
match
even
from
the
commercial
point
of
view
.
Yet
so
strong
was
the
effect
upon
him
of
contemplating
a
large
fortune
,
that
,
in
despite
of
reason
and
desire
,
he
lived
in
eager
expectation
of
the
word
which
should
make
him
rich
.
And
for
several
hours
after
his
disappointment
he
could
not
overcome
the
impression
of
calamity
.
A
part
of
that
impression
was
due
to
the
engagement
which
he
must
now
fulfil
.
He
had
pledged
his
word
to
ask
Marian
to
marry
him
without
further
delay
.
To
shuffle
out
of
this
duty
would
make
him
too
ignoble
even
in
his
own
eyes
.
Its
discharge
meant
,
as
he
had
expressed
it
,
that
he
was
'
doomed
'
;
he
would
deliberately
be
committing
the
very
error
always
so
flagrant
to
him
in
the
case
of
other
men
who
had
crippled
themselves
by
early
marriage
with
a
penniless
woman
.
But
events
had
enmeshed
him
;
circumstances
had
proved
fatal
.
Because
,
in
his
salad
days
,
he
dallied
with
a
girl
who
had
indeed
many
charms
,
step
by
step
he
had
come
to
the
necessity
of
sacrificing
his
prospects
to
that
raw
attachment
.
And
,
to
make
it
more
irritating
,
this
happened
just
when
the
way
began
to
be
much
clearer
before
him
.
Unable
to
think
of
work
,
he
left
the
house
and
wandered
gloomily
about
Regent
's
Park
.
For
the
first
time
in
his
recollection
the
confidence
which
was
wont
to
inspirit
him
gave
way
to
an
attack
of
sullen
discontent
.
He
felt
himself
ill-used
by
destiny
,
and
therefore
by
Marian
,
who
was
fate
's
instrument
.
It
was
not
in
his
nature
that
this
mood
should
last
long
,
but
it
revealed
to
him
those
darker
possibilities
which
his
egoism
would
develop
if
it
came
seriously
into
conflict
with
overmastering
misfortune
.
A
hope
,
a
craven
hope
,
insinuated
itself
into
the
cracks
of
his
infirm
resolve
.
He
would
not
examine
it
,
but
conscious
of
its
existence
he
was
able
to
go
home
in
somewhat
better
spirits
.
He
wrote
to
Marian
.
If
possible
she
was
to
meet
him
at
half-past
nine
next
morning
at
Gloucester
Gate
.
He
had
reasons
for
wishing
this
interview
to
take
place
on
neutral
ground
.
Early
in
the
afternoon
,
when
he
was
trying
to
do
some
work
,
there
arrived
a
letter
which
he
opened
with
impatient
hand
;
the
writing
was
Mrs.
Reardon
's
,
and
he
could
not
guess
what
she
had
to
communicate
.
'
Dear
Mr.
Milvain
,
—
I
am
distressed
beyond
measure
to
read
in
this
morning
's
newspaper
that
poor
Mr.
Biffen
has
put
an
end
to
his
life
.
Doubtless
you
can
obtain
more
details
than
are
given
in
this
bare
report
of
the
discovery
of
his
body
.
Will
you
let
me
hear
,
or
come
and
see
me
?
'
He
read
and
was
astonished
.
Absorbed
in
his
own
affairs
,
he
had
not
opened
the
newspaper
to-day
;
it
lay
folded
on
a
chair
.
Hastily
he
ran
his
eye
over
the
columns
,
and
found
at
length
a
short
paragraph
which
stated
that
the
body
of
a
man
who
had
evidently
committed
suicide
by
taking
poison
had
been
found
on
Putney
Heath
;
that
papers
in
his
pockets
identified
him
as
one
Harold
Biffen
,
lately
resident
in
Goodge
Street
,
Tottenham
Court
Road
;
and
that
an
inquest
would
be
held
,
etc.
He
went
to
Dora
's
room
,
and
told
her
of
the
event
,
but
without
mentioning
the
letter
which
had
brought
it
under
his
notice
.
'
I
suppose
there
was
no
alternative
between
that
and
starvation
.
I
scarcely
thought
of
Biffen
as
likely
to
kill
himself
.
If
Reardon
had
done
it
,
I
should
n't
have
felt
the
least
surprise
.
'
'
Mr
.
Whelpdale
will
be
bringing
us
information
,
no
doubt
,
'
said
Dora
,
who
,
as
she
spoke
,
thought
more
of
that
gentleman
's
visit
than
of
the
event
that
was
to
occasion
it
.
'
Really
,
one
ca
n't
grieve
.
There
seemed
no
possibility
of
his
ever
earning
enough
to
live
decently
upon
.
But
why
the
deuce
did
he
go
all
the
way
out
there
?
Consideration
for
the
people
in
whose
house
he
lived
,
I
dare
say
;
Biffen
had
a
good
deal
of
native
delicacy
.
'
Dora
felt
a
secret
wish
that
someone
else
possessed
more
of
that
desirable
quality
.
Leaving
her
,
Jasper
made
a
rapid
,
though
careful
,
toilet
,
and
was
presently
on
his
way
to
Westbourne
Park
.
It
was
his
hope
that
he
should
reach
Mrs.
Yule
's
house
before
any
ordinary
afternoon
caller
could
arrive
;
and
so
he
did
.
He
had
not
been
here
since
that
evening
when
he
encountered
Reardon
on
the
road
and
heard
his
reproaches
.
To
his
great
satisfaction
,
Amy
was
alone
in
the
drawing-room
;
he
held
her
hand
a
trifle
longer
than
was
necessary
,
and
returned
more
earnestly
the
look
of
interest
with
which
she
regarded
him
.
'
I
was
ignorant
of
this
affair
when
your
letter
came
,
'
he
began
,
'
and
I
set
out
immediately
to
see
you
.
'
'
I
hoped
you
would
bring
me
some
news
.
What
can
have
driven
the
poor
man
to
such
extremity
?
'
'
Poverty
,
I
can
only
suppose
.
But
I
will
see
Whelpdale
.
I
had
n't
come
across
Biffen
for
a
long
time
.
'
'
Was
he
still
so
very
poor
?
'
asked
Amy
,
compassionately
.
'
I
'm
afraid
so
.
His
book
failed
utterly
.
'
'
Oh
,
if
I
had
imagined
him
still
in
such
distress
,
surely
I
might
have
done
something
to
help
him
!
'
—
So
often
the
regretful
remark
of
one
's
friends
,
when
one
has
been
permitted
to
perish
.
With
Amy
's
sorrow
was
mingled
a
suggestion
of
tenderness
which
came
of
her
knowledge
that
the
dead
man
had
worshipped
her
.
Perchance
his
death
was
in
part
attributable
to
that
hopeless
love
.
'
He
sent
me
a
copy
of
his
novel
,
'
she
said
,
'
and
I
saw
him
once
or
twice
after
that
.
But
he
was
much
better
dressed
than
in
former
days
,
and
I
thought
—
'
Having
this
subject
to
converse
upon
put
the
two
more
quickly
at
ease
than
could
otherwise
have
been
the
case
.
Jasper
was
closely
observant
of
the
young
widow
;
her
finished
graces
made
a
strong
appeal
to
his
admiration
,
and
even
in
some
degree
awed
him
.
He
saw
that
her
beauty
had
matured
,
and
it
was
more
distinctly
than
ever
of
the
type
to
which
he
paid
reverence
.
Amy
might
take
a
foremost
place
among
brilliant
women
.
At
a
dinner-table
,
in
grand
toilet
,
she
would
be
superb
;
at
polite
receptions
people
would
whisper
:
'
Who
is
that
?
'
Biffen
fell
out
of
the
dialogue
.
'
It
grieved
me
very
much
,
'
said
Amy
,
'
to
hear
of
the
misfortune
that
befell
my
cousin
.
'
'
The
legacy
affair
?
Why
,
yes
,
it
was
a
pity
,
Especially
now
that
her
father
is
threatened
with
blindeness
.
'
'
Is
it
so
serious
?
I
heard
indirectly
that
he
had
something
the
matter
with
his
eyes
,
but
I
did
n't
know
—
'
'
They
may
be
able
to
operate
before
long
,
and
perhaps
it
will
be
successful
.
But
in
the
meantime
Marian
has
to
do
his
work
.
'
'
This
explains
the
—
the
delay
?
'
fell
from
Amy
's
lips
,
as
she
smiled
.
Jasper
moved
uncomfortably
.
It
was
a
voluntary
gesture
.
'
The
whole
situation
explains
it
,
'
he
replied
,
with
some
show
of
impulsiveness
.
'
I
am
very
much
afraid
Marian
is
tied
during
her
father
's
life
.
'
'
Indeed
?
But
there
is
her
mother
.
'
'
No
companion
for
her
father
,
as
I
think
you
know
.
Even
if
Mr.
Yule
recovers
his
sight
,
it
is
not
at
all
likely
that
he
will
be
able
to
work
as
before
.
Our
difficulties
are
so
grave
that
—
'
He
paused
,
and
let
his
hand
fall
despondently
.
'
I
hope
it
is
n't
affecting
your
work
—
your
progress
?
'
'
To
some
extent
,
necessarily
.
I
have
a
good
deal
of
will
,
you
remember
,
and
what
I
have
set
my
mind
upon
,
no
doubt
,
I
shall
some
day
achieve
.
But
—
one
makes
mistakes
.
'
There
was
silence
.
'
The
last
three
years
,
'
he
continued
,
'
have
made
no
slight
difference
in
my
position
.
Recall
where
I
stood
when
you
first
knew
me
.
I
have
done
something
since
then
,
I
think
,
and
by
my
own
steady
effort
.
'
'
Indeed
,
you
have
.
'
'
Just
now
I
am
in
need
of
a
little
encouragement
.
You
do
n't
notice
any
falling
off
in
my
work
recently
?
'
'
No
,
indeed
.
'
'
Do
you
see
my
things
in
The
Current
and
so
on
,
generally
?
'
'
I
do
n't
think
I
miss
many
of
your
articles
.
Sometimes
I
believe
I
have
detected
you
when
there
was
no
signature
.
'
'
And
Dora
has
been
doing
well
.
Her
story
in
that
girls
'
paper
has
attracted
attention
.
It
's
a
great
deal
to
have
my
mind
at
rest
about
both
the
girls
.
But
I
ca
n't
pretend
to
be
in
very
good
spirits
.
'
He
rose
.
'
Well
,
I
must
try
to
find
out
something
more
about
poor
Biffen
.
'
'
Oh
,
you
are
not
going
yet
,
Mr.
Milvain
?
'
'
Not
,
assuredly
,
because
I
wish
to
.
But
I
have
work
to
do
.
'
He
stepped
aside
,
but
came
back
as
if
on
an
impulse
.
'
May
I
ask
you
for
your
advice
in
a
very
delicate
matter
?
'
Amy
was
a
little
disturbed
,
but
she
collected
herself
and
smiled
in
a
way
that
reminded
Jasper
of
his
walk
with
her
along
Gower
Street
.
'
Let
me
hear
what
it
is
.
'
He
sat
down
again
,
and
bent
forward
.
'
If
Marian
insists
that
it
is
her
duty
to
remain
with
her
father
,
am
I
justified
or
not
in
freely
consenting
to
that
?
'
'
I
scarcely
understand
.
Has
Marian
expressed
a
wish
to
devote
herself
in
that
way
?
'
'
Not
distinctly
.
But
I
suspect
that
her
conscience
points
to
it
.
I
am
in
serious
doubt
.
On
the
one
hand
,
'
he
explained
in
a
tone
of
candour
,
'
who
will
not
blame
me
if
our
engagement
terminates
in
circumstances
such
as
these
?
On
the
other
—
you
are
aware
,
by-the-by
,
that
her
father
objects
in
the
strongest
way
to
this
marriage
?
'
'
No
,
I
did
n't
know
that
.
'
'
He
will
neither
see
me
nor
hear
of
me
.
Merely
because
of
my
connection
with
Fadge
.
Think
of
that
poor
girl
thus
situated
.
And
I
could
so
easily
put
her
at
rest
by
renouncing
all
claim
upon
her
.
'
'
I
surmise
that
—
that
you
yourself
would
also
be
put
at
rest
by
such
a
decision
?
'
'
Do
n't
look
at
me
with
that
ironical
smile
,
'
he
pleaded
.
'
What
you
have
said
is
true
.
And
really
,
why
should
I
not
be
glad
of
it
?
I
could
n't
go
about
declaring
that
I
was
heart-broken
,
in
any
event
;
I
must
be
content
for
people
to
judge
me
according
to
their
disposition
,
and
judgments
are
pretty
sure
to
be
unfavourable
.
What
can
I
do
?
In
either
case
I
must
to
a
certain
extent
be
in
the
wrong
.
To
tell
the
truth
,
I
was
wrong
from
the
first
.
'
There
was
a
slight
movement
about
Amy
's
lips
as
these
words
were
uttered
:
she
kept
her
eyes
down
,
and
waited
before
replying
.
'
The
case
is
too
delicate
,
I
fear
,
for
my
advice
.
'
'
Yes
,
I
feel
it
;
and
perhaps
I
ought
n't
to
have
spoken
of
it
at
all
.
Well
,
I
'll
go
back
to
my
scribbling
.
I
am
so
very
glad
to
have
seen
you
again
.
'
'
It
was
good
of
you
to
take
the
trouble
to
come
—
whilst
you
have
so
much
on
your
mind
.
'
Again
Jasper
held
the
white
,
soft
hand
for
a
superfluous
moment
.
The
next
morning
it
was
he
who
had
to
wait
at
the
rendezvous
;
he
was
pacing
the
pathway
at
least
ten
minutes
before
the
appointed
time
.
When
Marian
joined
him
,
she
was
panting
from
a
hurried
walk
,
and
this
affected
Jasper
disagreeably
;
he
thought
of
Amy
Reardon
's
air
of
repose
,
and
how
impossible
it
would
be
for
that
refined
person
to
fall
into
such
disorder
.
He
observed
,
too
,
with
more
disgust
than
usual
,
the
signs
in
Marian
's
attire
of
encroaching
poverty
—
her
unsatisfactory
gloves
,
her
mantle
out
of
fashion
.
Yet
for
such
feelings
he
reproached
himself
,
and
the
reproach
made
him
angry
.
They
walked
together
in
the
same
direction
as
when
they
met
here
before
.
Marian
could
not
mistake
the
air
of
restless
trouble
on
her
companion
's
smooth
countenance
.
She
had
divined
that
there
was
some
grave
reason
for
this
summons
,
and
the
panting
with
which
she
had
approached
was
half
caused
by
the
anxious
beats
of
her
heart
.
Jasper
's
long
silence
again
was
ominous
.
He
began
abruptly
:
'
You
've
heard
that
Harold
Biffen
has
committed
suicide
?
'
'
No
!
'
she
replied
,
looking
shocked
.
'
Poisoned
himself
.
You
'll
find
something
about
it
in
to-day
's
Telegraph
.
'
He
gave
her
such
details
as
he
had
obtained
,
then
added
:
'
There
are
two
of
my
companions
fallen
in
the
battle
.
I
ought
to
think
myself
a
lucky
fellow
,
Marian
.
What
?
'
'
You
are
better
fitted
to
fight
your
way
,
Jasper
.
'
'
More
of
a
brute
,
you
mean
.
'
'
You
know
very
well
I
do
n't
.
You
have
more
energy
and
more
intellect
.
'
'
Well
,
it
remains
to
be
seen
how
I
shall
come
out
when
I
am
weighted
with
graver
cares
than
I
have
yet
known
.
'
She
looked
at
him
inquiringly
,
but
said
nothing
.
'
I
have
made
up
my
mind
about
our
affairs
,
'
he
went
on
presently
.
'
Marian
,
if
ever
we
are
to
be
married
,
it
must
be
now
.
'
The
words
were
so
unexpected
that
they
brought
a
flush
to
her
cheeks
and
neck
.
'
Now
?
'
'
Yes
.
Will
you
marry
me
,
and
let
us
take
our
chance
?
'
Her
heart
throbbed
violently
.
'
You
do
n't
mean
at
once
,
Jasper
?
You
would
wait
until
I
know
what
father
's
fate
is
to
be
?
'
'
Well
,
now
,
there
's
the
point
.
You
feel
yourself
indispensable
to
your
father
at
present
?
'
'
Not
indispensable
,
but
—
would
n't
it
seem
very
unkind
?
I
should
be
so
afraid
of
the
effect
upon
his
health
,
Jasper
.
So
much
depends
,
we
are
told
,
upon
his
general
state
of
mind
and
body
.
It
would
be
dreadful
if
I
were
the
cause
of
—
'
She
paused
,
and
looked
up
at
him
touchingly
.
'
I
understand
that
.
But
let
us
face
our
position
.
Suppose
the
operation
is
successful
;
your
father
will
certainly
not
be
able
to
use
his
eyes
much
for
a
long
time
,
if
ever
;
and
perhaps
he
would
miss
you
as
much
then
as
now
.
Suppose
he
does
not
regain
his
sight
;
could
you
then
leave
him
?
'
'
Dear
,
I
ca
n't
feel
it
would
be
my
duty
to
renounce
you
because
my
father
had
become
blind
.
And
if
he
can
see
pretty
well
,
I
do
n't
think
I
need
remain
with
him
.
'
'
Has
one
thing
occurred
to
you
?
Will
he
consent
to
receive
an
allowance
from
a
person
whose
name
is
Mrs.
Milvain
?
'
'
I
ca
n't
be
sure
,
'
she
replied
,
much
troubled
.
'
And
if
he
obstinately
refuses
—
what
then
?
What
is
before
him
?
'
Marian
's
head
sank
,
and
she
stood
still
.
'
Why
have
you
changed
your
mind
so
,
Jasper
?
'
she
inquired
at
length
.
'
Because
I
have
decided
that
the
indefinitely
long
engagement
would
be
unjust
to
you
—
and
to
myself
.
Such
engagements
are
always
dangerous
;
sometimes
they
deprave
the
character
of
the
man
or
woman
.
'
She
listened
anxiously
and
reflected
.
'
Everything
,
'
he
went
on
,
'
would
be
simple
enough
but
for
your
domestic
difficulties
.
As
I
have
said
,
there
is
the
very
serious
doubt
whether
your
father
would
accept
money
from
you
when
you
are
my
wife
.
Then
again
,
shall
we
be
able
to
afford
such
an
allowance
?
'
'
I
thought
you
felt
sure
of
that
?
'
'
I
'm
not
very
sure
of
anything
,
to
tell
the
truth
.
I
am
harassed
.
I
ca
n't
get
on
with
my
work
.
'
'
I
am
very
,
very
sorry
.
'
'
It
is
n't
your
fault
,
Marian
,
and
—
Well
,
then
,
there
's
only
one
thing
to
do
.
Let
us
wait
,
at
all
events
,
till
your
father
has
undergone
the
operation
.
Whichever
the
result
,
you
say
your
own
position
will
be
the
same
.
'
'
Except
,
Jasper
,
that
if
father
is
helpless
,
I
must
find
means
of
assuring
his
support
.
'
'
In
other
words
,
if
you
ca
n't
do
that
as
my
wife
,
you
must
remain
Marian
Yule
.
'
After
a
silence
,
Marian
regarded
him
steadily
.
'
You
see
only
the
difficulties
in
our
way
,
'
she
said
,
in
a
colder
voice
.
'
They
are
many
,
I
know
.
Do
you
think
them
insurmountable
?
'
'
Upon
my
word
,
they
almost
seem
so
,
'
Jasper
exclaimed
,
distractedly
.
'
They
were
not
so
great
when
we
spoke
of
marriage
a
few
years
hence
.
'
'
A
few
years
!
'
he
echoed
,
in
a
cheerless
voice
.
'
That
is
just
what
I
have
decided
is
impossible
.
Marian
,
you
shall
have
the
plain
truth
.
I
can
trust
your
faith
,
but
I
ca
n't
trust
my
own
.
I
will
marry
you
