TheywerereallydisputingaboutHelen’scharacter，andTerencewastryingtoexplainwhyitwasthatsheannoyedhimsomuchsometimes。
　　ButSt。Johnthoughtthattheyweresayingthingswhichtheydidnotwanthimtohear，andwasledtothinkofhisownisolation。
　　Thesepeoplewerehappy，andinsomewayshedespisedthemforbeingmadehappysosimply，andinotherwaysheenviedthem。
　　Hewasmuchmoreremarkablethantheywere，buthewasnothappy。
　　Peopleneverlikedhim；hedoubtedsometimeswhetherevenHelenlikedhim。Tobesimple，tobeabletosaysimplywhatonefelt，withouttheterrificself-consciousnesswhichpossessedhim，andshowedhimhisownfaceandwordsperpetuallyinamirror，thatwouldbeworthalmostanyothergift，foritmadeonehappy。
　　Happiness，happiness，whatwashappiness？Hewasneverhappy。
　　Hesawtooclearlythelittlevicesanddeceitsandflawsoflife，and，seeingthem，itseemedtohimhonesttotakenoticeofthem。Thatwasthereason，nodoubt，whypeoplegenerallydislikedhim，andcomplainedthathewasheartlessandbitter。
　　Certainlytheynevertoldhimthethingshewantedtobetold，thathewasniceandkind，andthattheylikedhim。Butitwastruethathalfthesharpthingsthathesaidaboutthemweresaidbecausehewasunhappyorhurthimself。Butheadmittedthathehadveryseldomtoldanyonethathecaredforthem，andwhenhehadbeendemonstrative，hehadgenerallyregretteditafterwards。
　　HisfeelingsaboutTerenceandRachelweresocomplicatedthathehadneveryetbeenabletobringhimselftosaythathewasgladthattheyweregoingtobemarried。Hesawtheirfaultssoclearly，andtheinferiornatureofagreatdealoftheirfeelingforeachother，andheexpectedthattheirlovewouldnotlast。
　　Helookedatthemagain，and，verystrangely，forhewassousedtothinkingthatheseldomsawanything，thelookofthemfilledhimwithasimpleemotionofaffectioninwhichthereweresometracesofpityalso。What，afterall，didpeople’sfaultsmatterincomparisonwithwhatwasgoodinthem？Heresolvedthathewouldnowtellthemwhathefelt。Hequickenedhispaceandcameupwiththemjustastheyreachedthecornerwherethelanejoinedthemainroad。
　　Theystoodstillandbegantolaughathim，andtoaskhimwhetherthegastricjuices——buthestoppedthemandbegantospeakveryquicklyandstiffly。
　　“D’yourememberthemorningafterthedance？“hedemanded。
　　“Itwasherewesat，andyoutalkednonsense，andRachelmadelittleheapsofstones。I，ontheotherhand，hadthewholemeaningofliferevealedtomeinaflash。“Hepausedforasecond，anddrewhislipstogetherinatightlittlepurse。“Love，“hesaid。
　　“Itseemstometoexplaineverything。So，onthewhole，I’mverygladthatyoutwoaregoingtobemarried。“Hethenturnedroundabruptly，withoutlookingatthem，andwalkedbacktothevilla。Hefeltbothexaltedandashamedofhimselfforhavingthussaidwhathefelt。
　　Probablytheywerelaughingathim，probablytheythoughthimafool，and，afterall，hadhereallysaidwhathefelt？
　　Itwastruethattheylaughedwhenhewasgone；butthedisputeaboutHelenwhichhadbecomerathersharp，ceased，andtheybecamepeacefulandfriendly。
　　Theyreachedthehotelratherearlyintheafternoon，sothatmostpeoplewerestilllyingdown，orsittingspeechlessintheirbedrooms，andMrs。Thornbury，althoughshehadaskedthemtotea，wasnowheretobeseen。Theysatdown，therefore，intheshadyhall，whichwasalmostempty，andfullofthelightswishingsoundsofairgoingtoandfroinalargeemptyspace。Yes，thisarm-chairwasthesamearm-chairinwhichRachelhadsatthatafternoonwhenEvelyncameup，andthiswasthemagazineshehadbeenlookingat，andthistheverypicture，apictureofNewYorkbylamplight。
　　Howodditseemed——nothinghadchanged。
　　Bydegreesacertainnumberofpeoplebegantocomedownthestairsandtopassthroughthehall，andinthisdimlighttheirfigurespossessedasortofgraceandbeauty，althoughtheywereallunknownpeople。Sometimestheywentstraightthroughandoutintothegardenbytheswingdoor，sometimestheystoppedforafewminutesandbentoverthetablesandbeganturningoverthenewspapers。
　　TerenceandRachelsatwatchingthemthroughtheirhalf-closedeyelids——
　　theJohnsons，theParkers，theBaileys，theSimmons’，theLees，theMorleys，theCampbells，theGardiners。Someweredressedinwhiteflannelsandwerecarryingracquetsundertheirarms，somewereshort，sometall，somewereonlychildren，andsomeperhapswereservants，buttheyallhadtheirstanding，theirreasonforfollowingeachotherthroughthehall，theirmoney，theirposition，whateveritmightbe。Terencesoongaveuplookingatthem，forhewastired；and，closinghiseyes，hefellhalfasleepinhischair。Rachelwatchedthepeopleforsometimelonger；
　　shewasfascinatedbythecertaintyandthegraceoftheirmovements，andbytheinevitablewayinwhichtheyseemedtofolloweachother，andloiterandpassonanddisappear。Butafteratimeherthoughtswandered，andshebegantothinkofthedance，whichhadbeenheldinthisroom，onlythentheroomitselflookedquitedifferent。
　　Glancinground，shecouldhardlybelievethatitwasthesameroom。
　　Ithadlookedsobareandsobrightandformalonthatnightwhentheycameintoitoutofthedarkness；ithadbeenfilled，too，withlittlered，excitedfaces，alwaysmoving，andpeoplesobrightlydressedandsoanimatedthattheydidnotseemintheleastlikerealpeople，nordidyoufeelthatyoucouldtalktothem。
　　Andnowtheroomwasdimandquiet，andbeautifulsilentpeoplepassedthroughit，towhomyoucouldgoandsayanythingyouliked。
　　Shefeltherselfamazinglysecureasshesatinherarm-chair，andabletoreviewnotonlythenightofthedance，buttheentirepast，tenderlyandhumorously，asifshehadbeenturninginafogforalongtime，andcouldnowseeexactlywhereshehadturned。
　　Forthemethodsbywhichshehadreachedherpresentposition，seemedtoherverystrange，andthestrangestthingaboutthemwasthatshehadnotknownwheretheywereleadingher。Thatwasthestrangething，thatonedidnotknowwhereonewasgoing，orwhatonewanted，andfollowedblindly，sufferingsomuchinsecret，alwaysunpreparedandamazedandknowingnothing；butonethingledtoanotherandbydegreessomethinghadformeditselfoutofnothing，andsoonereachedatlastthiscalm，thisquiet，thiscertainty，anditwasthisprocessthatpeoplecalledliving。Perhaps，then，everyonereallyknewassheknewnowwheretheyweregoing；
　　andthingsformedthemselvesintoapatternnotonlyforher，butforthem，andinthatpatternlaysatisfactionandmeaning。
　　Whenshelookedbackshecouldseethatameaningofsomekindwasapparentinthelivesofheraunts，andinthebriefvisitoftheDallowayswhomshewouldneverseeagain，andinthelifeofherfather。
　　ThesoundofTerence，breathingdeepinhisslumber，confirmedherinhercalm。Shewasnotsleepyalthoughshedidnotseeanythingverydistinctly，butalthoughthefigurespassingthroughthehallbecamevaguerandvaguer，shebelievedthattheyallknewexactlywheretheyweregoing，andthesenseoftheircertaintyfilledherwithcomfort。Forthemomentshewasasdetachedanddisinterestedasifshehadnolongeranylotinlife，andshethoughtthatshecouldnowacceptanythingthatcametoherwithoutbeingperplexedbytheforminwhichitappeared。Whatwastheretofrightenortoperplexintheprospectoflife？Whyshouldthisinsighteveragaindeserther？Theworldwasintruthsolarge，sohospitable，andafterallitwassosimple。“Love，“St。Johnhadsaid，“thatseemstoexplainitall。“Yes，butitwasnottheloveofmanforwoman，ofTerenceforRachel。Althoughtheysatsoclosetogether，theyhadceasedtobelittleseparatebodies；theyhadceasedtostruggleanddesireoneanother。Thereseemedtobepeacebetweenthem。
　　Itmightbelove，butitwasnottheloveofmanforwoman。
　　Throughherhalf-closedeyelidsshewatchedTerencelyingbackinhischair，andshesmiledasshesawhowbighismouthwas，andhischinsosmall，andhisnosecurvedlikeaswitchbackwithaknobattheend。Naturally，lookinglikethathewaslazy，andambitious，andfullofmoodsandfaults。Sherememberedtheirquarrels，andinparticularhowtheyhadbeenquarrelingaboutHelenthatveryafternoon，andshethoughthowoftentheywouldquarrelinthethirty，orforty，orfiftyyearsinwhichtheywouldbelivinginthesamehousetogether，catchingtrainstogether，andgettingannoyedbecausetheyweresodifferent。Butallthiswassuperficial，andhadnothingtodowiththelifethatwentonbeneaththeeyesandthemouthandthechin，forthatlifewasindependentofher，andindependentofeverythingelse。
　　Sotoo，althoughshewasgoingtomarryhimandtolivewithhimforthirty，orforty，orfiftyyears，andtoquarrel，andtobesoclosetohim，shewasindependentofhim；shewasindependentofeverythingelse。Nevertheless，asSt。Johnsaid，itwaslovethatmadeherunderstandthis，forshehadneverfeltthisindependence，thiscalm，andthiscertaintyuntilshefellinlovewithhim，andperhapsthistoowaslove。Shewantednothingelse。
　　ForperhapstwominutesMissAllanhadbeenstandingatalittledistancelookingatthecouplelyingbacksopeacefullyintheirarm-chairs。
　　Shecouldnotmakeuphermindwhethertodisturbthemornot，andthen，seemingtorecollectsomething，shecameacrossthehall。
　　ThesoundofherapproachwokeTerence，whosatupandrubbedhiseyes。
　　HeheardMissAllantalkingtoRachel。
　　“Well，“shewassaying，“thisisverynice。Itisveryniceindeed。
　　Gettingengagedseemstobequitethefashion。Itcannotoftenhappenthattwocoupleswhohaveneverseeneachotherbeforemeetinthesamehotelanddecidetogetmarried。“Thenshepausedandsmiled，andseemedtohavenothingmoretosay，sothatTerenceroseandaskedherwhetheritwastruethatshehadfinishedherbook。
　　Someonehadsaidthatshehadreallyfinishedit。Herfacelitup；
　　sheturnedtohimwithalivelierexpressionthanusual。
　　“Yes，IthinkIcanfairlysayIhavefinishedit，“shesaid。
　　“Thatis，omittingSwinburne——BeowulftoBrowning——IratherlikethetwoB’smyself。BeowulftoBrowning，“sherepeated，“Ithinkthatisthekindoftitlewhichmightcatchone’seyeonarailwaybook-stall。“
　　Shewasindeedveryproudthatshehadfinishedherbook，fornooneknewwhatanamountofdeterminationhadgonetothemakingofit。
　　Alsoshethoughtthatitwasagoodpieceofwork，and，consideringwhatanxietyshehadbeeninaboutherbrotherwhileshewroteit，shecouldnotresisttellingthemalittlemoreaboutit。
　　“Imustconfess，“shecontinued，“thatifIhadknownhowmanyclassicsthereareinEnglishliterature，andhowverbosethebestofthemcontrivetobe，Ishouldneverhaveundertakenthework。
　　Theyonlyallowoneseventythousandwords，yousee。“
　　“Onlyseventythousandwords！“Terenceexclaimed。
　　“Yes，andonehastosaysomethingabouteverybody，“MissAllanadded。
　　“ThatiswhatIfindsodifficult，sayingsomethingdifferentabouteverybody。“Thenshethoughtthatshehadsaidenoughaboutherself，andsheaskedwhethertheyhadcomedowntojointhetennistournament。“Theyoungpeopleareverykeenaboutit。
　　Itbeginsagaininhalfanhour。“
　　Hergazerestedbenevolentlyuponthemboth，and，afteramomentarypause，sheremarked，lookingatRachelasifshehadrememberedsomethingthatwouldservetokeepherdistinctfromotherpeople。
　　“You’retheremarkablepersonwhodoesn’tlikeginger。“Butthekindnessofthesmileinherratherwornandcourageousfacemadethemfeelthatalthoughshewouldscarcelyrememberthemasindividuals，shehadlaiduponthemtheburdenofthenewgeneration。
　　“AndinthatIquiteagreewithher，“saidavoicebehind；
　　Mrs。Thornburyhadoverheardthelastfewwordsaboutnotlikingginger。
　　“It’sassociatedinmymindwithahorridoldauntofourspoorthing，shesuffereddreadfully，soitisn’tfairtocallherhorrid
　　whousedtogiveittouswhenweweresmall，andweneverhadthecouragetotellherwedidn’tlikeit。Wejusthadtoputitoutintheshrubbery——shehadabighousenearBath。“
　　Theybeganmovingslowlyacrossthehall，whentheywerestoppedbytheimpactofEvelyn，whodashedintothem，asthoughinrunningdownstairstocatchthemherlegshadgotbeyondhercontrol。