“Andtheloneliness！“hecontinued。AvisionofwalkingwithherthroughthestreetsofLondoncamebeforehiseyes。“Wewillgoforwalkstogether，“hesaid。Thesimplicityoftheidearelievedthem，andforthefirsttimetheylaughed。Theywouldhavelikedhadtheydaredtotakeeachotherbythehand，buttheconsciousnessofeyesfixedonthemfrombehindhadnotyetdesertedthem。
　　“Books，people，sights——Mrs。Nutt，Greeley，Hutchinson，“Hewetmurmured。
　　Witheverywordthemistwhichhadenvelopedthem，makingthemseemunrealtoeachother，sincethepreviousafternoonmeltedalittlefurther，andtheircontactbecamemoreandmorenatural。
　　UpthroughthesultrysouthernlandscapetheysawtheworldtheyknewappearclearerandmorevividlythanithadeverappearedbeforeAsuponthatoccasionatthehotelwhenshehadsatinthewindow，theworldoncemorearrangeditselfbeneathhergazeveryvividlyandinitstrueproportions。SheglancedcuriouslyatTerencefromtimetotime，observinghisgreycoatandhispurpletie；
　　observingthemanwithwhomshewastospendtherestofherlife。
　　Afteroneoftheseglancesshemurmured，“Yes，I’minlove。
　　There’snodoubt；I’minlovewithyou。“
　　Nevertheless，theyremaineduncomfortablyapart；drawnsoclosetogether，asshespoke，thatthereseemednodivisionbetweenthem，andthenextmomentseparateandfarawayagain。
　　Feelingthispainfully，sheexclaimed，“Itwillbeafight。“
　　Butasshelookedathimsheperceivedfromtheshapeofhiseyes，thelinesabouthismouth，andotherpeculiaritiesthathepleasedher，andsheadded:
　　“WhereIwanttofight，youhavecompassion。You’refinerthanIam；
　　you’remuchfiner。“
　　Hereturnedherglanceandsmiled，perceiving，muchasshehaddone，theverysmallindividualthingsaboutherwhichmadeherdelightfultohim。Shewashisforever。Thisbarrierbeingsurmounted，innumerabledelightslaybeforethemboth。
　　“I’mnotfiner，“heanswered。“I’monlyolder，lazier；aman，notawoman。“
　　“Aman，“sherepeated，andacurioussenseofpossessioncomingoverher，itstruckherthatshemightnowtouchhim；sheputoutherhandandlightlytouchedhischeek。Hisfingersfollowedwherehershadbeen，andthetouchofhishanduponhisfacebroughtbacktheoverpoweringsenseofunreality。Thisbodyofhiswasunreal；
　　thewholeworldwasunreal。
　　“What’shappened？“hebegan。“WhydidIaskyoutomarryme？
　　Howdidithappen？“
　　“Didyouaskmetomarryyou？“shewondered。Theyfadedfarawayfromeachother，andneitherofthemcouldrememberwhathadbeensaid。
　　“Wesatupontheground，“herecollected。
　　“Wesatupontheground，“sheconfirmedhim。Therecollectionofsittingupontheground，suchasitwas，seemedtounitethemagain，andtheywalkedoninsilence，theirmindssometimesworkingwithdifficultyandsometimesceasingtowork，theireyesaloneperceivingthethingsroundthem。Nowhewouldattemptagaintotellherhisfaults，andwhyhelovedher；andshewoulddescribewhatshehadfeltatthistimeoratthattime，andtogethertheywouldinterpretherfeeling。
　　Sobeautifulwasthesoundoftheirvoicesthatbydegreestheyscarcelylistenedtothewordstheyframed。Longsilencescamebetweentheirwords，whichwerenolongersilencesofstruggleandconfusionbutrefreshingsilences，inwhichtrivialthoughtsmovedeasily。
　　Theybegantospeaknaturallyofordinarythings，oftheflowersandthetrees，howtheygrewtheresored，likegardenflowersathome，andtherebentandcrookedlikethearmofatwistedoldman。
　　Verygentlyandquietly，almostasifitwerethebloodsinginginherveins，orthewaterofthestreamrunningoverstones，Rachelbecameconsciousofanewfeelingwithinher。Shewonderedforamomentwhatitwas，andthensaidtoherself，withalittlesurpriseatrecognisinginherownpersonsofamousathing:
　　“Thisishappiness，Isuppose。“AndaloudtoTerenceshespoke，“Thisishappiness。“
　　Ontheheelsofherwordsheanswered，“Thisishappiness，“
　　uponwhichtheyguessedthatthefeelinghadsprunginbothofthemthesametime。Theybeganthereforetodescribehowthisfeltandthatfelt，howlikeitwasandyethowdifferent；fortheywereverydifferent。
　　Voicescryingbehindthemneverreachedthroughthewatersinwhichtheywerenowsunk。TherepetitionofHewet’snameinshort，disseveredsyllableswastothemthecrackofadrybranchorthelaughterofabird。Thegrassesandbreezessoundingandmurmuringallroundthem，theynevernoticedthattheswishingofthegrassesgrewlouderandlouder，anddidnotceasewiththelapseofthebreeze。AhanddroppedabruptasirononRachel’sshoulder；
　　itmighthavebeenaboltfromheaven。Shefellbeneathit，andthegrasswhippedacrosshereyesandfilledhermouthandears。
　　Throughthewavingstemsshesawafigure，largeandshapelessagainstthesky。Helenwasuponher。Rolledthiswayandthat，nowseeingonlyforestsofgreen，andnowthehighblueheaven；
　　shewasspeechlessandalmostwithoutsense。Atlastshelaystill，allthegrassesshakenroundherandbeforeherbyherpanting。
　　Overherloomedtwogreatheads，theheadsofamanandwoman，ofTerenceandHelen。
　　Bothwereflushed，bothlaughing，andthelipsweremoving；
　　theycametogetherandkissedintheairaboveher。Brokenfragmentsofspeechcamedowntoherontheground。Shethoughtsheheardthemspeakofloveandthenofmarriage。Raisingherselfandsittingup，shetoorealisedHelen’ssoftbody，thestrongandhospitablearms，andhappinessswellingandbreakinginonevastwave。Whenthisfellaway，andthegrassesoncemorelaylow，andtheskybecamehorizontal，andtheearthrolledoutflatoneachside，andthetreesstoodupright，shewasthefirsttoperceivealittlerowofhumanfiguresstandingpatientlyinthedistance。
　　Forthemomentshecouldnotrememberwhotheywere。
　　“Whoarethey？“sheasked，andthenrecollected。
　　FallingintolinebehindMr。Flushing，theywerecarefultoleaveatleastthreeyards’distancebetweenthetoeofhisbootandtherimofherskirt。
　　Heledthemacrossastretchofgreenbytheriver-bankandthenthroughagroveoftrees，andbadethemremarkthesignsofhumanhabitation，theblackenedgrass，thecharredtree-stumps，andthere，throughthetrees，strangewoodennests，drawntogetherinanarchwherethetreesdrewapart，thevillagewhichwasthegoaloftheirjourney。
　　Steppingcautiously，theyobservedthewomen，whoweresquattingonthegroundintriangularshapes，movingtheirhands，eitherplaitingstraworinkneadingsomethinginbowls。Butwhentheyhadlookedforamomentundiscovered，theywereseen，andMr。Flushing，advancingintothecentreoftheclearing，wasengagedintalkwithaleanmajesticman，whosebonesandhollowsatoncemadetheshapesoftheEnglishman’sbodyappearuglyandunnatural。
　　Thewomentooknonoticeofthestrangers，exceptthattheirhandspausedforamomentandtheirlongnarroweyesslidroundandfixeduponthemwiththemotionlessinexpensivegazeofthoseremovedfromeachotherfarfarbeyondtheplungeofspeech。Theirhandsmovedagain，butthestarecontinued。Itfollowedthemastheywalked，astheypeeredintothehutswheretheycoulddistinguishgunsleaninginthecorner，andbowlsuponthefloor，andstacksofrushes；
　　intheduskthesolemneyesofbabiesregardedthem，andoldwomenstaredouttoo。Astheysaunteredabout，thestarefollowedthem，passingovertheirlegs，theirbodies，theirheads，curiouslynotwithouthostility，likethecrawlofawinterfly。Asshedrewaparthershawlanduncoveredherbreasttothelipsofherbaby，theeyesofawomanneverlefttheirfaces，althoughtheymoveduneasilyunderherstare，andfinallyturnedaway，ratherthanstandtherelookingatheranylonger。Whensweetmeatswereofferedthem，theyputoutgreatredhandstotakethem，andfeltthemselvestreadingcumbrouslyliketight-coatedsoldiersamongthesesoftinstinctivepeople。Butsoonthelifeofthevillagetooknonoticeofthem；theyhadbecomeabsorbedinit。Thewomen’shandsbecamebusyagainwiththestraw；theireyesdropped。Iftheymoved，itwastofetchsomethingfromthehut，ortocatchastrayingchild，ortocrossthespacewithajarbalancedontheirheads；
　　iftheyspoke，itwastocrysomeharshunintelligiblecry。
　　Voicesrosewhenachildwasbeaten，andfellagain；voicesroseinsong，whichslidupalittlewayanddownalittleway，andsettledagainuponthesamelowandmelancholynote。
　　Seekingeachother，TerenceandRacheldrewtogetherunderatree。
　　Peaceful，andevenbeautifulatfirst，thesightofthewomen，whohadgivenuplookingatthem，madethemnowfeelverycoldandmelancholy。
　　“Well，“Terencesighedatlength，“itmakesusseeminsignificant，doesn’tit？“
　　Rachelagreed。Soitwouldgoonforeverandever，shesaid，thosewomensittingunderthetrees，thetreesandtheriver。
　　Theyturnedawayandbegantowalkthroughthetrees，leaning，withoutfearofdiscovery，uponeachother’sarms。Theyhadnotgonefarbeforetheybegantoassureeachotheroncemorethattheywereinlove，werehappy，werecontent；butwhywasitsopainfulbeinginlove，whywastheresomuchpaininhappiness？
　　Thesightofthevillageindeedaffectedthemallcuriouslythoughalldifferently。St。Johnhadlefttheothersandwaswalkingslowlydowntotheriver，absorbedinhisownthoughts，whichwerebitterandunhappy，forhefelthimselfalone；andHelen，standingbyherselfinthesunnyspaceamongthenativewomen，wasexposedtopresentimentsofdisaster。Thecriesofthesenselessbeastsranginherearshighandlowintheair，astheyranfromtree-trunktotree-top。
　　Howsmallthelittlefigureslookedwanderingthroughthetrees！
　　Shebecameacutelyconsciousofthelittlelimbs，thethinveins，thedelicatefleshofmenandwomen，whichbreakssoeasilyandletsthelifeescapecomparedwiththesegreattreesanddeepwaters。
　　Afallingbranch，afootthatslips，andtheearthhascrushedthemorthewaterdrownedthem。Thusthinking，shekepthereyesanxiouslyfixeduponthelovers，asifbydoingsoshecouldprotectthemfromtheirfate。Turning，shefoundtheFlushingsbyherside。
　　Theyweretalkingaboutthethingstheyhadboughtandarguingwhethertheywerereallyold，andwhethertherewerenotsignshereandthereofEuropeaninfluence。Helenwasappealedto。
　　Shewasmadetolookatabrooch，andthenatapairofear-rings。
　　Butallthetimesheblamedthemforhavingcomeonthisexpedition，forhavingventuredtoofarandexposedthemselves。Thensherousedherselfandtriedtotalk，butinafewmomentsshecaughtherselfseeingapictureofaboatupsetontheriverinEngland，atmidday。
　　Itwasmorbid，sheknew，toimaginesuchthings；neverthelessshesoughtoutthefiguresoftheothersbetweenthetrees，andwhenevershesawthemshekepthereyesfixedonthem，sothatshemightbeabletoprotectthemfromdisaster。
　　Butwhenthesunwentdownandthesteamerturnedandbegantosteambacktowardscivilisation，againherfearswerecalmed。
　　Inthesemi-darknessthechairsondeckandthepeoplesittinginthemwereangularshapes，themouthbeingindicatedbyatinyburningspot，andthearmbythesamespotmovingupordownasthecigarorcigarettewasliftedtoandfromthelips。Wordscrossedthedarkness，but，notknowingwheretheyfell，seemedtolackenergyandsubstance。Deepsightsproceededregularly，althoughwithsomeattemptatsuppression，fromthelargewhitemoundwhichrepresentedthepersonofMrs。Flushing。Thedayhadbeenlongandveryhot，andnowthatallthecolourswereblottedoutthecoolnightairseemedtopresssoftfingersupontheeyelids，sealingthemdown。
　　Somephilosophicalremarkdirected，apparently，atSt。JohnHirstmisseditsaim，andhungsolongsuspendedintheairuntilitwasengulfedbyayawn，thatitwasconsidereddead，andthisgavethesignalforstirringoflegsandmurmursaboutsleep。
　　Thewhitemoundmoved，finallylengtheneditselfanddisappeared，andafterafewturnsandpacesSt。JohnandMr。Flushingwithdrew，leavingthethreechairsstilloccupiedbythreesilentbodies。
　　Thelightwhichcamefromalamphighonthemastandaskypalewithstarsleftthemwithshapesbutwithoutfeatures；buteveninthisdarknessthewithdrawaloftheothersmadethemfeeleachotherverynear，fortheywereallthinkingofthesamething。
　　Forsometimenoonespoke，thenHelensaidwithasigh，“Soyou’rebothveryhappy？“