ButHirstdidnothelphim，andtheotherpeoplewiththeiraimlessmovementsandtheirunknownlivesweredisturbing，sothathelongedfortheemptydarkness。ThefirstthinghelookedforwhenhesteppedoutofthehalldoorwasthelightoftheAmbroses’villa。Whenhehaddefinitelydecidedthatacertainlightapartfromtheothershigherupthehillwastheirlight，hewasconsiderablyreassured。
　　Thereseemedtobeatoncealittlestabilityinallthisincoherence。
　　Withoutanydefiniteplaninhishead，hetooktheturningtotherightandwalkedthroughthetownandcametothewallbythemeetingoftheroads，wherehestopped。Theboomingoftheseawasaudible。
　　Thedark-bluemassofthemountainsroseagainstthepalerblueofthesky。Therewasnomoon，butmyriadsofstars，andlightswereanchoredupanddowninthedarkwavesofearthallroundhim。
　　Hehadmeanttogoback，butthesinglelightoftheAmbroses’
　　villahadnowbecomethreeseparatelights，andhewastemptedtogoon。
　　HemightaswellmakesurethatRachelwasstillthere。Walkingfast，hesoonstoodbytheirongateoftheirgarden，andpusheditopen；
　　theoutlineofthehousesuddenlyappearedsharplybeforehiseyes，andthethincolumnoftheverandahcuttingacrossthepalelylitgraveloftheterrace。Hehesitated。Atthebackofthehousesomeonewasrattlingcans。Heapproachedthefront；thelightontheterraceshowedhimthatthesitting-roomswereonthatside。
　　Hestoodasnearthelightashecouldbythecornerofthehouse，theleavesofacreeperbrushinghisface。Afteramomenthecouldhearavoice。Thevoicewentonsteadily；itwasnottalking，butfromthecontinuityofthesounditwasavoicereadingaloud。
　　Hecreptalittlecloser；hecrumpledtheleavestogethersoastostoptheirrustlingabouthisears。ItmightbeRachel’svoice。
　　Helefttheshadowandsteppedintotheradiusofthelight，andthenheardasentencespokenquitedistinctly。
　　“Andtherewelivedfromtheyear1860to1895，thehappiestyearsofmyparents’lives，andtherein1862mybrotherMauricewasborn，tothedelightofhisparents，ashewasdestinedtobethedelightofallwhoknewhim。“
　　Thevoicequickened，andthetonebecameconclusiverisingslightlyinpitch，asifthesewordswereattheendofthechapter。
　　Hewetdrewbackagainintotheshadow。Therewasalongsilence。
　　Hecouldjusthearchairsbeingmovedinside。Hehadalmostdecidedtogoback，whensuddenlytwofiguresappearedatthewindow，notsixfeetfromhim。
　　“ItwasMauriceFielding，ofcourse，thatyourmotherwasengagedto，“
　　saidHelen’svoice。Shespokereflectively，lookingoutintothedarkgarden，andthinkingevidentlyasmuchofthelookofthenightasofwhatshewassaying。
　　“Mother？“saidRachel。Hewet’sheartleapt，andhenoticedthefact。
　　Hervoice，thoughlow，wasfullofsurprise。
　　“Youdidn’tknowthat？“saidHelen。
　　“Ineverknewthere’dbeenanyoneelse，“saidRachel。Shewasclearlysurprised，butalltheysaidwassaidlowandinexpressively，becausetheywerespeakingoutintothecooldarknight。
　　“MorepeoplewereinlovewithherthanwithanyoneI’veeverknown，“
　　Helenstated。Shehadthatpower——sheenjoyedthings。Shewasn’tbeautiful，but——Iwasthinkingofherlastnightatthedance。
　　Shegotonwitheverykindofperson，andthenshemadeitallsoamazingly——funny。“
　　ItappearedthatHelenwasgoingbackintothepast，choosingherwordsdeliberately，comparingTheresawiththepeopleshehadknownsinceTheresadied。
　　“Idon’tknowhowshedidit，“shecontinued，andceased，andtherewasalongpause，inwhichalittleowlcalledfirsthere，thenthere，asitmovedfromtreetotreeinthegarden。
　　“That’ssolikeAuntLucyandAuntKatie，“saidRachelatlast。
　　“Theyalwaysmakeoutthatshewasverysadandverygood。“
　　“Thenwhy，forgoodness’sake，didtheydonothingbutcriticizeherwhenshewasalive？“saidHelen。Verygentletheirvoicessounded，asiftheyfellthroughthewavesofthesea。
　　“IfIweretodieto-morrow……“shebegan。
　　ThebrokensentenceshadanextraordinarybeautyanddetachmentinHewet’sears，andakindofmysterytoo，asthoughtheywerespokenbypeopleintheirsleep。
　　“No，Rachel，“Helen’svoicecontinued，“I’mnotgoingtowalkinthegarden；it’sdamp——it’ssuretobedamp；besides，Iseeatleastadozentoads。“
　　“Toads？Thosearestones，Helen。Comeout。It’snicerout。
　　Theflowerssmell，“Rachelreplied。
　　Hewetdrewstillfartherback。Hisheartwasbeatingveryquickly。
　　ApparentlyRacheltriedtopullHelenoutontotheterrace，andhelenresisted。Therewasacertainamountofscuffling，entreating，resisting，andlaughterfrombothofthem。Thenaman’sformappeared。Hewetcouldnothearwhattheywereallsaying。
　　Inaminutetheyhadgonein；hecouldhearboltsgratingthen；
　　therewasdeadsilence，andallthelightswentout。
　　Heturnedaway，stillcrumplinganduncrumplingahandfulofleaveswhichhehadtornfromthewall。Anexquisitesenseofpleasureandreliefpossessedhim；itwasallsosolidandpeacefulaftertheballatthehotel，whetherhewasinlovewiththemornot，andhewasnotinlovewiththem；no，butitwasgoodthattheyshouldbealive。
　　Afterstandingstillforaminuteortwoheturnedandbegantowalktowardsthegate。Withthemovementofhisbody，theexcitement，theromanceandtherichnessoflifecrowdedintohisbrain。
　　Heshoutedoutalineofpoetry，butthewordsescapedhim，andhestumbledamonglinesandfragmentsoflineswhichhadnomeaningatallexceptforthebeautyofthewords。Heshutthegate，andranswingingfromsidetosidedownthehill，shoutinganynonsensethatcameintohishead。“HereamI，“hecriedrhythmically，ashisfeetpoundedtotheleftandtotheright，“plungingalong，likeanelephantinthejungle，strippingthebranchesasIgohesnatchedatthetwigsofabushattheroadside，roaringinnumerablewords，lovelywordsaboutinnumerablethings，runningdownhillandtalkingnonsensealoudtomyselfaboutroadsandleavesandlightsandwomencomingoutintothedarkness——aboutwomen——
　　aboutRachel，aboutRachel。“Hestoppedanddrewadeepbreath。
　　Thenightseemedimmenseandhospitable，andalthoughsodarkthereseemedtobethingsmovingdownthereintheharbourandmovementoutatsea。Hegazeduntilthedarknessnumbedhim，andthenhewalkedonquickly，stillmurmuringtohimself。“AndIoughttobeinbed，snoringanddreaming，dreaming，dreaming。Dreamsandrealities，dreamsandrealities，dreamsandrealities，“herepeatedallthewayuptheavenue，scarcelyknowingwhathesaid，untilhereachedthefrontdoor。Herehepausedforasecond，andcollectedhimselfbeforeheopenedthedoor。
　　Hiseyesweredazed，hishandsverycold，andhisbrainexcitedandyethalfasleep。Insidethedooreverythingwasashehadleftitexceptthatthehallwasnowempty。Therewerethechairsturningintowardseachotherwherepeoplehadsattalking，andtheemptyglassesonlittletables，andthenewspapersscatteredonthefloor。
　　Asheshutthedoorhefeltasifhewereenclosedinasquarebox，andinstantlyshrivelledup。Itwasallverybrightandverysmall。
　　Hestoppedforaminutebythelongtabletofindapaperwhichhehadmeanttoread，buthewasstilltoomuchundertheinfluenceofthedarkandthefreshairtoconsidercarefullywhichpaperitwasorwherehehadseenit。
　　Ashefumbledvaguelyamongthepapershesawafigurecrossthetailofhiseye，comingdownstairs。Heheardtheswishingsoundofskirts，andtohisgreatsurprise，EvelynM。cameuptohim，laidherhandonthetableasiftopreventhimfromtakingupapaper，andsaid:
　　“You’rejustthepersonIwantedtotalkto。“Hervoicewasalittleunpleasantandmetallic，hereyeswereverybright，andshekeptthemfixeduponhim。
　　“Totalktome？“herepeated。“ButI’mhalfasleep。“
　　“ButIthinkyouunderstandbetterthanmostpeople，“sheanswered，andsatdownonalittlechairplacedbesideabigleatherchairsothatHewethadtositdownbesideher。
　　“Well？“hesaid。Heyawnedopenly，andlitacigarette。
　　Hecouldnotbelievethatthiswasreallyhappeningtohim。
　　“Whatisit？“
　　“Areyoureallysympathetic，orisitjustapose？“shedemanded。
　　“It’sforyoutosay，“hereplied。“I’minterested，Ithink。“
　　Hestillfeltnumballoverandasifshewasmuchtooclosetohim。
　　“Anyonecanbeinterested！“shecriedimpatiently。“YourfriendMr。Hirst’sinterested，Idaresay。however，Idobelieveinyou。
　　Youlookasifyou’dgotanicesister，somehow。“Shepaused，pickingatsomesequinsonherknees，andthen，asifshehadmadeuphermind，shestartedoff，“Anyhow，I’mgoingtoaskyouradvice。
　　D’youevergetintoastatewhereyoudon’tknowyourownmind？
　　That’sthestateI’minnow。Yousee，lastnightatthedanceRaymondOliver，——he’sthetalldarkboywholooksasifhehadIndianbloodinhim，buthesayshe’snotreally，——well，weweresittingouttogether，andhetoldmeallabouthimself，howunhappyheisathome，andhowhehatesbeingouthere。They’veputhimintosomebeastlyminingbusiness。Hesaysit’sbeastly——Ishouldlikeit，Iknow，butthat’sneitherherenorthere。AndIfeltawfullysorryforhim，onecouldn’thelpbeingsorryforhim，andwhenheaskedmetolethimkissme，Idid。Idon’tseeanyharminthat，doyou？
　　Andthenthismorninghesaidhe’dthoughtImeantsomethingmore，andIwasn’tthesorttoletanyonekissme。Andwetalkedandtalked。IdaresayIwasverysilly，butonecan’thelplikingpeoplewhenone’ssorryforthem。Idolikehimmostawfully——“
　　Shepaused。“SoIgavehimhalfapromise，andthen，yousee，there’sAlfredPerrott。“
　　“Oh，Perrott，“saidHewet。
　　“Wegottoknoweachotheronthatpicnictheotherday，“shecontinued。
　　“Heseemedsolonely，especiallyasArthurhadgoneoffwithSusan，andonecouldn’thelpguessingwhatwasinhismind。Sowehadquitealongtalkwhenyouwerelookingattheruins，andhetoldmeallabouthislife，andhisstruggles，andhowfearfullyhardithadbeen。
　　D’youknow，hewasaboyinagrocer’sshopandtookparcelstopeople’shousesinabasket？Thatinterestedmeawfully，becauseI
　　alwayssayitdoesn’tmatterhowyou’rebornifyou’vegottherightstuffinyou。Andhetoldmeabouthissisterwho’sparalysed，poorgirl，andonecanseeshe’sagreattrial，thoughhe’sevidentlyverydevotedtoher。ImustsayIdoadmirepeoplelikethat！
　　Idon’texpectyoudobecauseyou’resoclever。Well，lastnightwesatoutinthegardentogether，andIcouldn’thelpseeingwhathewantedtosay，andcomfortinghimalittle，andtellinghimIdidcare——Ireallydo——only，then，there’sRaymondOliver。
　　WhatIwantyoutotellmeis，canonebeinlovewithtwopeopleatonce，orcan’tone？“
　　Shebecamesilent，andsatwithherchinonherhands，lookingveryintent，asifshewerefacingarealproblemwhichhadtobediscussedbetweenthem。
　　“Ithinkitdependswhatsortofpersonyouare，“saidHewet。
　　Helookedather。Shewassmallandpretty，agedperhapstwenty-eightortwenty-nine，butthoughdashingandsharplycut，herfeaturesexpressednothingveryclearly，exceptagreatdealofspiritandgoodhealth。
　　“Whoareyou，whatareyou；yousee，Iknownothingaboutyou，“
　　hecontinued。
　　“Well，Iwascomingtothat，“saidEvelynM。Shecontinuedtorestherchinonherhandsandtolookintentlyaheadofher。
　　“I’mthedaughterofamotherandnofather，ifthatinterestsyou，“
　　shesaid。“It’snotaverynicethingtobe。It’swhatoftenhappensinthecountry。Shewasafarmer’sdaughter，andhewasratheraswell——
　　theyoungmanupatthegreathouse。Henevermadethingsstraight——
　　nevermarriedher——thoughheallowedusquitealotofmoney。
　　Hispeoplewouldn’tlethim。Poorfather！Ican’thelplikinghim。
　　Motherwasn’tthesortofwomanwhocouldkeephimstraight，anyhow。
　　Hewaskilledinthewar。Ibelievehismenworshippedhim。
　　Theysaygreatbigtroopersbrokedownandcriedoverhisbodyonthebattlefield。IwishI’dknownhim。Motherhadallthelifecrushedoutofher。Theworld——“Sheclenchedherfist。
　　“Oh，peoplecanbehorridtoawomanlikethat！“SheturneduponHewet。
　　“Well，“shesaid，“d’youwanttoknowanymoreaboutme？“
　　“Butyou？“heasked，“Wholookedafteryou？“
　　“I’velookedaftermyselfmostly，“shelaughed。“I’vehadsplendidfriends。Idolikepeople！That’sthetrouble。