Theservingmanlookedatmeaskance，rememberinghisorders，stillheusheredusintothejusticeroomwheretheSquiresatdrinkingale。
　　’Goodmorrowtoyou，neighbour，’saidtheSquire；’youarewelcomehere，butyoubringonewithyouwhoisnotwelcome，thoughhebeyourson。’
　　’Ibringhimforthelasttime，friendBozard。
　　Listentohisrequest，thengrantitorrefuseitasyouwill；butifyourefuseit，itwillnotbinduscloser。
　　Theladridesto-nighttotakeshipforSpaintoseekthatmanwhomurderedhismother。
　　Hegoesofhisownfreewillbecauseafterthedoingofthedeeditwashewhounwittinglysufferedthemurderertoescape，anditiswellthatheshouldgo。’
　　’Heisayounghoundtorunsuchaquarrytoearth，andinastrangecountry，’saidtheSquire。
　　’StillIlikehisspiritandwishhimwell。
　　Whatwouldheofme？’
　　’Leavetobidfarewelltoyourdaughter。
　　Iknowthathissuitdoesnotpleaseyouandcannotwonderatit，andformyownpartIthinkittooearlyforhimtosethisfancyinthewayofmarriage。
　　Butifhewouldseethemaiditcandonoharm，forsuchharmasthereishasbeendonealready。
　　Nowforyouranswer。’
　　SquireBozardthoughtawhile，thensaid:
　　’Theladisabraveladthoughheshallbenoson-in-lawofmine。
　　Heisgoingfar，andmayhapwillreturnnomore，andIdonotwishthatheshouldthinkunkindlyofmewhenIamdead。
　　Gowithout，ThomasWingfield，andstandunderyonderbeech——Lilyshalljoinyouthereandyoumayspeakwithherforthehalfofanhour——nomore。
　　Seetoitthatyoukeepwithinsightofthewindow。
　　Nay，nothanks；gobeforeIchangemymind。’
　　SoIwentandwaitedunderthebeechwithabeatingheart，andpresentlyLilyglideduptome，amorewelcomesighttomyeyesthananyangeloutofheaven。
　　And，indeed，Idoubtifanangelcouldhavebeenmorefairthanshe，ormoregoodandgentle。
　　’Oh！Thomas，’shewhispered，whenIhadgreetedher，’isthistruethatyousailoverseatoseektheSpaniard？’
　　’IsailtoseektheSpaniard，andtofindhimandtokillhimwhenheisfound。
　　Itwastocometoyou，Lily，thatIlethimgo，nowI
　　mustletyougotocometohim。
　　Nay，donotweep，Ihavesworntodoit，andwereItobreakmyoathIshouldbedishonoured。’
　　’AndbecauseofthisoathofyoursImustbewidowed，Thomas，beforeIamawife？
　　YougoandIshallneverseeyoumore。’
　　’Whocansay，mysweet？
　　Myfatherwentoverseasandcamebacksafe，havingpassedthroughmanyperils。’
　　’Yes，hecamebackand——notalone。
　　Youareyoung，Thomas，andinfarcountriesthereareladiesgreatandfair，andhowshallIholdmyowninyourheartagainstthem，Ibeingsofaraway？’
　　’Isweartoyou，Lily——’
　　’Nay，Thomas，swearnooathslestyoushouldaddtoyoursinsbybreakingthem。
　　Yet，love，forgetmenot，whoshallforgetyounever。
　　Perhaps——oh！itwringsmyhearttosayit——thisisourlastmeetingontheearth。
　　Ifso，thenwemusthopetomeetinheaven。
　　Attheleastbesureofthis，whileIliveIwillbetruetoyou，andfatherornofather，IwilldiebeforeIbreakmytroth。
　　Iamyoungtospeaksolargely，butitshallbeasIsay。
　　Oh！thispartingismorecruelthandeath。
　　Wouldthatwewereasleepandforgottenamongmen。
　　Yetitisbestthatyoushouldgo，forifyoustayedwhatcouldwebetoeachotherwhilemyfatherlives，andmayhelivelong！’
　　’Sleepandforgetfulnesswillcomesoonenough，Lily；nonemustawaitthemforverylong。
　　Meanwhilewehaveourlivestolive。
　　Letuspraythatwemaylivethemtoeachother。
　　Igotoseekfortuneaswellasfoes，andIwillwinitforyoursakethatwemaymarry。’
　　Sheshookherheadsadly。
　　’Itweretoomuchhappiness，Thomas。
　　Menandwomenmayseldomwedtheirtrueloves，oriftheydo，itisbuttolosethem。
　　Attheleastwelove，andletusbethankfulthatwehavelearnedwhatlovecanbe，forhavinglovedhere，perchanceattheworstwemayloveotherwherewhentherearenonetosayusnay。’
　　Thenwetalkedonawhile，babblingbrokenwordsofloveandhopeandsorrow，asyoungfolkssoplacedarewonttodo，tillatlengthLilylookedupwithasadsweetsmileandsaid:
　　’Itistimetogo，sweetheart。
　　Myfatherbeckonsmefromthelattice。
　　Allisfinished。’
　　’Letusgothen，’Iansweredhuskily，anddrewherbehindthetrunkoftheoldbeech。
　　AndthereIcaughtherinmyarmsandkissedheragainandyetagain，norwassheashamedtokissmeback。
　　AfterthisIrememberlittleofwhathappened，exceptthataswerodeawayIsawherbelovedface，wanandwistful，watchingmedepartingoutofherlife。
　　Fortwentyyearsthatsadandbeautifulfacehauntedme，andithauntsmeyetathwartlifeanddeath。
　　OtherwomenhavelovedmeandIhaveknownotherpartings，someofthemmoreterrible，butthememoryofthiswomanasshewasthen，andofherfarewelllook，overrunsthemall。
　　WheneverIgazedownthepastIseethispictureframedinitandIknowthatitisonewhichcannotfade。
　　Arethereanysorrowslikethesesorrowsofouryouth？
　　Cananybitternessequalthebitternessofsuchgood-byes？
　　IknowbutoneofwhichIwasfatedtotasteinafteryears，andthatshallbetoldofinitsplace。
　　itisacommonjesttomockatearlylove，butifitbereal，ifitbesomethingmorethanthemerearisingofthepassions，earlyloveislatelovealso；itisloveforever，thebestandworsteventwhichcanbefallamanorwoman。
　　Isayitwhoamoldandwhohavedonewitheverything，anditistrue。
　　OnethingIhaveforgotten。
　　Aswekissedandclunginourdespairbehindtheboleofthegreatbeech，Lilydrewaringfromherfingerandpresseditintomyhandsaying，’Lookonthiseachmorningwhenyouwake，andthinkofme。
　　Ithadbeenhermother’s，andto-dayitstillissetuponmywitheredhand，gleaminginthewintersunlightasItracethesewords。
　　Throughthelongyearsofwildadventure，throughallthetimeofafterpeace，inloveandwar，intheshineofthecampfire，intheglareofthesacrificialflame，inthelightoflonelystarsilluminingthelonelywilderness，thatringhasshoneuponmyhand，remindingmealwaysofherwhogaveit，andonthishanditshallgodownintothegrave。
　　Itisaplaincircletofthickgold，somewhatwornnow，aposy-ring，andonitsinnersurfaceiscutthisquaintcouplet:
　　Hearttoheart，Thoughfarapart。
　　Afittingmottoforusindeed，andonethathasitsmeaningtothishour。
　　ThatsamedayofourfarewellIrodewithmyfathertoYarmouth。
　　MybrotherGeoffreydidnotcomewithus，butwepartedwithkindlywords，andofthisIamglad，forweneversaweachotheragain。
　　NomorewassaidbetweenusastoLilyBozardandourwooingofher，thoughIknewwellenoughthatsosoonasmybackwasturnedhewouldtrytotakemyplaceatherside，asindeedhappened。
　　I
　　forgiveittohim；intruthIcannotblamehimmuch，forwhatmanistherethatwouldnothavedesiredtowedLilywhoknewher？
　　Onceweweredearfriends，GeoffreyandI，butwhenweripenedtowardsmanhood，ourloveofLilycamebetweenus，andwegrewmoreandmoreapart。
　　Itisacommoncaseenough。
　　Well，asitchancedhefailed，sowhyshouldIthinkunkindlyofhim？
　　Letmeratherremembertheaffectionofourchildhoodandforgettherest。
　　Godresthissoul。
　　Mary，mysister，whoafterLilyBozardwasnowthefairestmaideninthecountryside，weptmuchatmygoing。
　　Therewasbutayearbetweenus，andwelovedeachotherdearly，fornosuchshadowofjealousyhadfallenonouraffection。
　　IcomfortedheraswellasI
　　wasable，andtellingherallthathadpassedbetweenmeandLily，IprayedhertostandmyfriendandLily’s，shoulditeverbeinherpowertodoso。
　　ThisMarypromisedtodoreadilyenough，andthoughshedidnotgivethereason，Icouldseethatshethoughtitpossiblethatshemightbeabletohelpus。
　　AsIhavesaid，Lilyhadabrother，ayoungmanofsomepromise，whoatthistimewasawayatcollege，andheandmysisterMaryhadastrongfancyforeachother，thatmightormightnotripenintosomethingcloser。
　　Sowekissedandbadefarewellwithtears。
　　AndafterthatmyfatherandIrodeaway。
　　ButwhenwehadpasseddownPirnhowStreet，andmountedthelittlehillbeyondWaingfordMillstotheleftofBungaytown，Ihaltedmyhorse，andlookedbackuponthepleasantvalleyoftheWaveneywhereIwasborn，andmyheartgrewfulltobursting。
　　HadIknownallthatmustbefallme，beforemyeyesbeheldthatsceneagain，Ithinkindeedthatitwouldhaveburst。
　　ButGod，whoinhiswisdomhaslaidmanyaburdenuponthebacksofmen，hassavedthemfromthis；forhadweforeknowledgeofthefuture，Ithinkthatofourownwillbutfewofuswouldlivetoseeit。
　　SoIcastonelonglastlooktowardsthedistantmassofoaksthatmarkedthespotwhereLilylived，androdeon。
　　OnthefollowingdayIembarkedonboardthe’Adventuress’andwesailed。
　　BeforeIleft，myfather’sheartsoftenedmuchtowardsme，forherememberedthatIwasmymother’sbestbeloved，andfearedalsolestweshouldmeetnomore。
　　Somuchdiditsoftenindeed，thatatthelasthourhechangedhismindandwishedtoholdmebackfromgoing。
　　Buthavingputmyhandtotheploughandsufferedallthebitternessoffarewell，Iwouldnotreturntobemockedbymybrotherandmyneighbours。
　　’Youspeaktoolate，father，’I
　　said。
　　’Youdesiredmetogotoworkthisvengeanceandstirredmetoitwithmanybitterwords，andnowIwouldgoifIknewthatI
　　mustdiewithinaweek，forsuchoathscannotbelightlybroken，andtillmineisfulfilledthecurserestsonme。’
　　’Sobeit，son，’heansweredwithasigh。
　　’Yourmother’scrueldeathmaddenedmeandIsaidwhatImaylivetobesorryfor，thoughatthebestIshallnotlivelong，formyheartisbroken。
　　PerhapsIshouldhaverememberedthatvengeanceisinthehandoftheLord，whowreaksitatHisowntimeandwithoutourhelp。
　　Donotthinkunkindlyofme，myboy，ifweshouldchancetomeetnomore，forIloveyou，anditwasbutthedeeperlovethatIboretoyourmotherwhichmademedealharshlywithyou。’
　　’Iknowit，father，andbearnogrudge。
　　Butifyouthinkthatyouowemeanything，payitbyholdingbackmybrotherfromworkingwrongtomeandLilyBozardwhileIamabsent。’
　　’Iwilldomybest，son，thoughwereitnotthatyouandshehavegrownsodeartoeachother，thematchwouldhavepleasedmewell。
　　ButasIhavesaid，Ishallnotbelongheretowatchyourwelfareinthisoranyothermatter，andwhenIamgonethingsmustfollowtheirownfate。
　　DonotforgetyourGodoryourhomewhereveryouchancetowander，Thomas:keepyourselffrombrawling，bewareofwomenthatarethesnareofyouth，andsetawatchuponyourtongueandyourtemperwhichisnotofthebest。
　　Moreover，whereveryoumaybedonotspeakillofthereligionoftheland，ormakeamockofitbyyourwayoflife，lestyoushouldlearnhowcruelmencanbewhentheythinkthatitispleasingtotheirgods，asIhavelearntalready。’
　　IsaidthatIwouldbearhiscounselinmind，andindeeditsavedmefrommanyasorrow。