Thetwopartieswhowerestrollingaboutandlosingtheirunitynowcametogether，andjoinedeachotherinalongstareovertheyellowandgreenpatchesoftheheatedlandscapebelow。
　　Thehotairdancedacrossit，makingitimpossibletoseetheroofsofavillageontheplaindistinctly。Evenonthetopofthemountainwhereabreezeplayedlightly，itwasveryhot，andtheheat，thefood，theimmensespace，andperhapssomelesswell-definedcauseproducedacomfortabledrowsinessandasenseofhappyrelaxationinthem。
　　Theydidnotsaymuch，butfeltnoconstraintinbeingsilent。
　　“Supposewegoandseewhat’stobeseenoverthere？“saidArthurtoSusan，andthepairwalkedofftogether，theirdeparturecertainlysendingsomethrillofemotionthroughtherest。
　　“Anoddlot，aren’tthey？“saidArthur。“Ithoughtweshouldneverget’emalltothetop。ButI’mgladwecame，byJove！
　　Iwouldn’thavemissedthisforsomething。“
　　“Idon’t_like_Mr。Hirst，“saidSusaninconsequently。“Isupposehe’sveryclever，butwhyshouldcleverpeoplebeso——Iexpecthe’sawfullynice，really，“sheadded，instinctivelyqualifyingwhatmighthaveseemedanunkindremark。
　　“Hirst？Oh，he’soneoftheselearnedchaps，“saidArthurindifferently。
　　“Hedon’tlookasifheenjoyedit。YoushouldhearhimtalkingtoElliot。It’sasmuchasIcandotofollow’ematall……Iwasnevergoodatmybooks。“
　　Withthesesentencesandthepausesthatcamebetweenthemtheyreachedalittlehillock，onthetopofwhichgrewseveralslimtrees。
　　“D’youmindifwesitdownhere？“saidArthur，lookingabouthim。
　　“It’sjollyintheshade——andtheview——“Theysatdown，andlookedstraightaheadoftheminsilenceforsometime。
　　“ButIdoenvythosecleverchapssometimes，“Arthurremarked。
　　“Idon’tsupposetheyever……“Hedidnotfinishhissentence。
　　“Ican’tseewhyyoushouldenvythem，“saidSusan，withgreatsincerity。
　　“Oddthingshappentoone，“saidArthur。“Onegoesalongsmoothlyenough，onethingfollowinganother，andit’sallveryjollyandplainsailing，andyouthinkyouknowallaboutit，andsuddenlyonedoesn’tknowwhereoneisabit，andeverythingseemsdifferentfromwhatitusedtoseem。Nowto-day，comingupthatpath，ridingbehindyou，Iseemedtoseeeverythingasif——“hepausedandpluckedapieceofgrassupbytheroots。Hescatteredthelittlelumpsofearthwhichwerestickingtotheroots——“Asifithadakindofmeaning。
　　You’vemadethedifferencetome，“hejerkedout，“Idon’tseewhyIshouldn’ttellyou。I’vefeltiteversinceIknewyou……It’sbecauseIloveyou。“
　　EvenwhiletheyhadbeensayingcommonplacethingsSusanhadbeenconsciousoftheexcitementofintimacy，whichseemednotonlytolaybaresomethinginher，butinthetreesandthesky，andtheprogressofhisspeechwhichseemedinevitablewaspositivelypainfultoher，fornohumanbeinghadevercomesoclosetoherbefore。
　　Shewasstruckmotionlessashisspeechwenton，andherheartgavegreatseparateleapsatthelastwords。Shesatwithherfingerscurledroundastone，lookingstraightinfrontofherdownthemountainovertheplain。Sothen，ithadactuallyhappenedtoher，aproposalofmarriage。
　　Arthurlookedroundather；hisfacewasoddlytwisted。Shewasdrawingherbreathwithsuchdifficultythatshecouldhardlyanswer。
　　“Youmighthaveknown。“Heseizedherinhisarms；againandagainandagaintheyclaspedeachother，murmuringinarticulately。
　　“Well，“sighedArthur，sinkingbackontheground，“that’sthemostwonderfulthingthat’severhappenedtome。“Helookedasifheweretryingtoputthingsseeninadreambesiderealthings。
　　Therewasalongsilence。
　　“It’sthemostperfectthingintheworld，“Susanstated，verygentlyandwithgreatconviction。Itwasnolongermerelyaproposalofmarriage，butofmarriagewithArthur，withwhomshewasinlove。
　　Inthesilencethatfollowed，holdinghishandtightlyinhers，sheprayedtoGodthatshemightmakehimagoodwife。
　　“AndwhatwillMr。Perrottsay？“sheaskedattheendofit。
　　“Dearoldfellow，“saidArthurwho，nowthatthefirstshockwasover，wasrelaxingintoanenormoussenseofpleasureandcontentment。
　　“Wemustbeverynicetohim，Susan。“
　　HetoldherhowhardPerrott’slifehadbeen，andhowabsurdlydevotedhewastoArthurhimself。Hewentontotellherabouthismother，awidowlady，ofstrongcharacter。InreturnSusansketchedtheportraitsofherownfamily——Edithinparticular，heryoungestsister，whomshelovedbetterthananyoneelse，“exceptyou，Arthur……Arthur，“shecontinued，“whatwasitthatyoufirstlikedmefor？“
　　“Itwasabuckleyouworeonenightatsea，“saidArthur，afterdueconsideration。“Iremembernoticing——it’sanabsurdthingtonotice！——thatyoudidn’ttakepeas，becauseIdon’teither。“
　　Fromthistheywentontocomparetheirmoreserioustastes，orratherSusanascertainedwhatArthurcaredabout，andprofessedherselfveryfondofthesamething。TheywouldliveinLondon，perhapshaveacottageinthecountrynearSusan’sfamily，fortheywouldfinditstrangewithoutheratfirst。Hermind，stunnedtobeginwith，nowflewtothevariouschangesthatherengagementwouldmake——
　　howdelightfulitwouldbetojointheranksofthemarriedwomen——
　　nolongertohangontogroupsofgirlsmuchyoungerthanherself——
　　toescapethelongsolitudeofanoldmaid’slife。Nowandthenheramazinggoodfortuneovercameher，andsheturnedtoArthurwithanexclamationoflove。
　　Theylayineachother’sarmsandhadnonotionthattheywereobserved。
　　Yettwofiguressuddenlyappearedamongthetreesabovethem。
　　“Here’sshade，“beganHewet，whenRachelsuddenlystoppeddead。
　　Theysawamanandwomanlyingonthegroundbeneaththem，rollingslightlythiswayandthatastheembracetightenedandslackened。
　　Themanthensatuprightandthewoman，whonowappearedtobeSusanWarrington，laybackupontheground，withhereyesshutandanabsorbedlookuponherface，asthoughshewerenotaltogetherconscious。
　　Norcouldyoutellfromherexpressionwhethershewashappy，orhadsufferedsomething。WhenArthuragainturnedtoher，buttingherasalambbuttsaewe，HewetandRachelretreatedwithoutaword。
　　Hewetfeltuncomfortablyshy。
　　“Idon’tlikethat，“saidRachelafteramoment。
　　“Icanremembernotlikingiteither，“saidHewet。“Icanremember——“
　　buthechangedhismindandcontinuedinanordinarytoneofvoice，“Well，wemaytakeitforgrantedthatthey’reengaged。D’youthinkhe’lleverfly，orwillsheputastoptothat？“
　　ButRachelwasstillagitated；shecouldnotgetawayfromthesighttheyhadjustseen。InsteadofansweringHewetshepersisted。
　　“Love’sanoddthing，isn’tit，makingone’sheartbeat。“
　　“It’ssoenormouslyimportant，yousee，“Hewetreplied。
　　“Theirlivesarenowchangedforever。“
　　“Anditmakesonesorryforthemtoo，“Rachelcontinued，asthoughsheweretracingthecourseofherfeelings。“Idon’tknoweitherofthem，butIcouldalmostburstintotears。That’ssilly，isn’tit？“
　　“Justbecausethey’reinlove，“saidHewet。“Yes，“headdedafteramoment’sconsideration，“there’ssomethinghorriblypatheticaboutit，Iagree。“
　　Andnow，astheyhadwalkedsomewayfromthegroveoftrees，andhadcometoaroundedhollowverytemptingtotheback，theyproceededtositdown，andtheimpressionoftheloverslostsomeofitsforce，thoughacertainintensityofvision，whichwasprobablytheresultofthesight，remainedwiththem。
　　Asadayuponwhichanyemotionhasbeenrepressedisdifferentfromotherdays，sothisdaywasnowdifferent，merelybecausetheyhadseenotherpeopleatacrisisoftheirlives。
　　“Agreatencampmentoftentstheymightbe，“saidHewet，lookinginfrontofhimatthemountains。“Isn’titlikeawater-colourtoo——
　　youknowthewaywater-coloursdryinridgesallacrossthepaper——
　　I’vebeenwonderingwhattheylookedlike。“
　　Hiseyesbecamedreamy，asthoughhewerematchingthings，andremindedRachelintheircolourofthegreenfleshofasnail。
　　Shesatbesidehimlookingatthemountainstoo。Whenitbecamepainfultolookanylonger，thegreatsizeoftheviewseemingtoenlargehereyesbeyondtheirnaturallimit，shelookedattheground；
　　itpleasedhertoscrutinisethisinchofthesoilofSouthAmericasominutelythatshenoticedeverygrainofearthandmadeitintoaworldwhereshewasendowedwiththesupremepower。
　　Shebentabladeofgrass，andsetaninsectontheutmosttasselofit，andwonderediftheinsectrealisedhisstrangeadventure，andthoughthowstrangeitwasthatsheshouldhavebentthattasselratherthananyotherofthemilliontassels。
　　“You’venevertoldmeyouname，“saidHewetsuddenly。
　　“MissSomebodyVinrace……Iliketoknowpeople’sChristiannames。“
　　“Rachel，“shereplied。
　　“Rachel，“herepeated。“IhaveanauntcalledRachel，whoputthelifeofFatherDamienintoverse。Sheisareligiousfanatic——
　　theresultofthewayshewasbroughtup，downinNorthamptonshire，neverseeingasoul。Haveyouanyaunts？“
　　“Ilivewiththem，“saidRachel。
　　“AndIwonderwhatthey’redoingnow？“Hewetenquired。
　　“Theyareprobablybuyingwool，“Racheldetermined。Shetriedtodescribethem。“Theyaresmall，ratherpalewomen，“shebegan，“veryclean。WeliveinRichmond。Theyhaveanolddog，too，whowillonlyeatthemarrowoutofbones……Theyarealwaysgoingtochurch。Theytidytheirdrawersagooddeal。“
　　Buthereshewasovercomebythedifficultyofdescribingpeople。
　　“It’simpossibletobelievethatit’sallgoingonstill！“
　　sheexclaimed。
　　Thesunwasbehindthemandtwolongshadowssuddenlylayuponthegroundinfrontofthem，onewavingbecauseitwasmadebyaskirt，andtheotherstationary，becausethrownbyapairoflegsintrousers。
　　“Youlookverycomfortable！“saidHelen’svoiceabovethem。
　　“Hirst，“saidHewet，pointingatthescissorlikeshadow；hethenrolledroundtolookupatthem。
　　“There’sroomforusallhere，“hesaid。
　　WhenHirsthadseatedhimselfcomfortably，hesaid:
　　“Didyoucongratulatetheyoungcouple？“
　　Itappearedthat，comingtothesamespotafewminutesafterHewetandRachel，HelenandHirsthadseenpreciselythesamething。
　　“No，wedidn’tcongratulatethem，“saidHewet。“Theyseemedveryhappy。“
　　“Well，“saidHirst，pursinguphislips，“solongasIneedn’tmarryeitherofthem——“
　　“Wewereverymuchmoved，“saidHewet。
　　“Ithoughtyouwouldbe，“saidHirst。“Whichwasit，Monk？
　　Thethoughtoftheimmortalpassions，orthethoughtofnew-bornmalestokeeptheRomanCatholicsout？Iassureyou，“hesaidtoHelen，“he’scapableofbeingmovedbyeither。“
　　Rachelwasagooddealstungbyhisbanter，whichshefelttobedirectedequallyagainstthemboth，butshecouldthinkofnorepartee。
　　“NothingmovesHirst，“Hewetlaughed；hedidnotseemtobestungatall。“Unlessitwereatransfinitenumberfallinginlovewithafiniteone——Isupposesuchthingsdohappen，eveninmathematics。“
　　“Onthecontrary，“saidHirstwithatouchofannoyance，“Iconsidermyselfapersonofverystrongpassions。“
　　Itwasclearfromthewayhespokethathemeantitseriously；
　　hespokeofcourseforthebenefitoftheladies。
　　“Bytheway，Hirst，“saidHewet，afterapause，“Ihaveaterribleconfessiontomake。Yourbook——thepoemsofWordsworth，whichifyourememberItookoffyourtablejustaswewerestarting，andcertainlyputinmypockethere——“
　　“Islost，“Hirstfinishedforhim。
　　“Iconsiderthatthereisstillachance，“Heweturged，slappinghimselftorightandleft，“thatIneverdidtakeitafterall。“
　　“No，“saidHirst。“Itishere。“Hepointedtohisbreast。
　　“ThankGod，“Hewetexclaimed。“IneednolongerfeelasthoughI’dmurderedachild！“
　　“Ishouldthinkyouwerealwayslosingthings，“Helenremarked，lookingathimmeditatively。