Whatcouldfourteendayshavedonetobringherfromthatstatetothis？
　　Torealisewhattheymeantbysayingthatshehadachanceoflifewasbeyondhim，knowingashedidthattheywereengaged。Heturned，stillenvelopedinthesamedrearymist，andwalkedtowardsthedoor。
　　Suddenlyhesawitall。Hesawtheroomandthegarden，andthetreesmovingintheair，theycouldgoonwithouther；shecoulddie。
　　Forthefirsttimesinceshefellillherememberedexactlywhatshelookedlikeandthewayinwhichtheycaredforeachother。
　　Theimmensehappinessoffeelingherclosetohimmingledwithamoreintenseanxietythanhehadfeltyet。Hecouldnotletherdie；
　　hecouldnotlivewithouther。Butafteramomentarystruggle，thecurtainfellagain，andhesawnothingandfeltnothingclearly。
　　Itwasallgoingon——goingonstill，inthesamewayasbefore。
　　Saveforaphysicalpainwhenhisheartbeat，andthefactthathisfingerswereicycold，hedidnotrealisethathewasanxiousaboutanything。WithinhismindheseemedtofeelnothingaboutRacheloraboutanyoneoranythingintheworld。Hewentongivingorders，arrangingwithMrs。Chailey，writingoutlists，andeverynowandthenhewentupstairsandputsomethingquietlyonthetableoutsideRachel’sdoor。ThatnightDr。Lesageseemedtobelesssulkythanusual。
　　Hestayedvoluntarilyforafewmoments，and，addressingSt。JohnandTerenceequally，asifhedidnotrememberwhichofthemwasengagedtotheyounglady，said，“Iconsiderthatherconditionto-nightisverygrave。“
　　Neitherofthemwenttobedorsuggestedthattheothershouldgotobed。
　　Theysatinthedrawing-roomplayingpicquetwiththedooropen。
　　St。Johnmadeupabeduponthesofa，andwhenitwasreadyinsistedthatTerenceshouldlieuponit。Theybegantoquarrelastowhoshouldlieonthesofaandwhoshouldlieuponacoupleofchairscoveredwithrugs。St。JohnforcedTerenceatlasttoliedownuponthesofa。
　　“Don’tbeafool，Terence，“hesaid。“You’llonlygetillifyoudon’tsleep。“
　　“Oldfellow，“hebegan，asTerencestillrefused，andstoppedabruptly，fearingsentimentality；hefoundthathewasonthevergeoftears。
　　Hebegantosaywhathehadlongbeenwantingtosay，thathewassorryforTerence，thathecaredforhim，thathecaredforRachel。
　　Didsheknowhowmuchhecaredforher——hadshesaidanything，askedperhaps？Hewasveryanxioustosaythis，butherefrained，thinkingthatitwasaselfishquestionafterall，andwhatwastheuseofbotheringTerencetotalkaboutsuchthings？
　　Hewasalreadyhalfasleep。ButSt。Johncouldnotsleepatonce。
　　Ifonly，hethoughttohimself，ashelayinthedarkness，somethingwouldhappen——ifonlythisstrainwouldcometoanend。
　　Hedidnotmindwhathappened，solongasthesuccessionofthesehardanddrearydayswasbroken；hedidnotmindifshedied。
　　Hefelthimselfdisloyalinnotmindingit，butitseemedtohimthathehadnofeelingsleft。
　　Allnightlongtherewasnocallormovement，excepttheopeningandshuttingofthebedroomdooronce。Bydegreesthelightreturnedintotheuntidyroom。Atsixtheservantsbegantomove；
　　atseventheycreptdownstairsintothekitchen；andhalfanhourlaterthedaybeganagain。
　　Neverthelessitwasnotthesameasthedaysthathadgonebefore，althoughitwouldhavebeenhardtosayinwhatthedifferenceconsisted。
　　Perhapsitwasthattheyseemedtobewaitingforsomething。
　　Therewerecertainlyfewerthingstobedonethanusual。Peopledriftedthroughthedrawing-room——Mr。Flushing，Mr。andMrs。Thornbury。
　　Theyspokeveryapologeticallyinlowtones，refusingtositdown，butremainingforaconsiderabletimestandingup，althoughtheonlythingtheyhadtosaywas，“Isthereanythingwecando？“andtherewasnothingtheycoulddo。
　　Feelingoddlydetachedfromitall，TerencerememberedhowHelenhadsaidthatwheneveranythinghappenedtoyouthiswashowpeoplebehaved。
　　Wassheright，orwasshewrong？Hewastoolittleinterestedtoframeanopinionofhisown。Heputthingsawayinhismind，asifoneofthesedayshewouldthinkaboutthem，butnotnow。
　　Themistofunrealityhaddeepenedanddeepeneduntilithadproducedafeelingofnumbnessalloverhisbody。Wasithisbody？
　　Werethosereallyhisownhands？
　　ThismorningalsoforthefirsttimeRidleyfounditimpossibletositaloneinhisroom。Hewasveryuncomfortabledownstairs，and，ashedidnotknowwhatwasgoingon，constantlyintheway；
　　buthewouldnotleavethedrawing-room。Toorestlesstoread，andhavingnothingtodo，hebegantopaceupanddownrecitingpoetryinanundertone。Occupiedinvariousways——nowinundoingparcels，nowinuncorkingbottles，nowinwritingdirections，thesoundofRidley’ssongandthebeatofhispacingworkedintothemindsofTerenceandSt。Johnallthemorningasahalfcomprehendedrefrain。
　　Theywrestledup，theywrestleddown，Theywrestledsoreandstill:
　　Thefiendwhoblindstheeyesofmen，Thatnighthehadhiswill。
　　Likestagsfullspent，amongthebentTheydroppedawhiletorest——
　　“Oh，it’sintolerable！“Hirstexclaimed，andthencheckedhimself，asifitwereabreachoftheiragreement。AgainandagainTerencewouldcreephalf-wayupthestairsincasehemightbeabletogleannewsofRachel。Buttheonlynewsnowwasofaveryfragmentarykind；
　　shehaddrunksomething；shehadsleptalittle；sheseemedquieter。
　　Inthesameway，Dr。Lesageconfinedhimselftotalkingaboutdetails，saveoncewhenhevolunteeredtheinformationthathehadjustbeencalledintoascertain，byseveringaveininthewrist，thatanoldladyofeighty-fivewasreallydead。Shehadahorrorofbeingburiedalive。
　　“Itisahorror，“heremarked，“thatwegenerallyfindintheveryold，andseldomintheyoung。“Theybothexpressedtheirinterestinwhathetoldthem；itseemedtothemverystrange。Anotherstrangethingaboutthedaywasthattheluncheonwasforgottenbyallofthemuntilitwaslateintheafternoon，andthenMrs。Chaileywaitedonthem，andlookedstrangetoo，becausesheworeastiffprintdress，andhersleeveswererolledupaboveherelbows。Sheseemedasobliviousofherappearance，however，asifshehadbeencalledoutofherbedbyamidnightalarmoffire，andshehadforgotten，too，herreserveandhercomposure；shetalkedtothemquitefamiliarlyasifshehadnursedthemandheldthemnakedonherknee。
　　Sheassuredthemoverandoveragainthatitwastheirdutytoeat。
　　Theafternoon，beingthusshortened，passedmorequicklythantheyexpected。OnceMrs。Flushingopenedthedoor，butonseeingthemshutitagainquickly；onceHelencamedowntofetchsomething，butshestoppedasshelefttheroomtolookataletteraddressedtoher。Shestoodforamomentturningitover，andtheextraordinaryandmournfulbeautyofherattitudestruckTerenceinthewaythingsstruckhimnow——assomethingtobeputawayinhismindandtobethoughtaboutafterwards。Theyscarcelyspoke，theargumentbetweenthemseemingtobesuspendedorforgotten。
　　Nowthattheafternoonsunhadleftthefrontofthehouse，Ridleypacedupanddowntheterracerepeatingstanzasofalongpoem，inasubduedbutsuddenlysonorousvoice。Fragmentsofthepoemwerewaftedinattheopenwindowashepassedandrepassed。
　　PeorandBaalimForsaketheirTemplesdim，Withthattwicebatter’dGodofPalestineAndmoonedAstaroth——
　　Thesoundofthesewordswerestrangelydiscomfortingtoboththeyoungmen，buttheyhadtobeborne。Astheeveningdrewonandtheredlightofthesunsetglitteredfarawayonthesea，thesamesenseofdesperationattackedbothTerenceandSt。Johnatthethoughtthatthedaywasnearlyover，andthatanothernightwasathand。
　　TheappearanceofonelightafteranotherinthetownbeneaththemproducedinHirstarepetitionofhisterribleanddisgustingdesiretobreakdownandsob。ThenthelampswerebroughtinbyChailey。
　　SheexplainedthatMaria，inopeningabottle，hadbeensofoolishastocutherarmbadly，butshehadbounditup；itwasunfortunatewhentherewassomuchworktobedone。Chaileyherselflimpedbecauseoftherheumatisminherfeet，butitappearedtohermerewasteoftimetotakeanynoticeoftheunrulyfleshofservants。
　　Theeveningwenton。Dr。Lesagearrivedunexpectedly，andstayedupstairsaverylongtime。Hecamedownonceanddrankacupofcoffee。
　　“Sheisveryill，“hesaidinanswertoRidley’squestion。
　　Alltheannoyancehadbythistimelefthismanner，hewasgraveandformal，butatthesametimeitwasfullofconsideration，whichhadnotmarkeditbefore。Hewentupstairsagain。
　　Thethreemensattogetherinthedrawing-room。Ridleywasquitequietnow，andhisattentionseemedtobethoroughlyawakened。
　　Saveforlittlehalf-voluntarymovementsandexclamationsthatwerestifledatonce，theywaitedincompletesilence。
　　Itseemedasiftheywereatlastbroughttogetherfacetofacewithsomethingdefinite。
　　Itwasnearlyeleveno’clockwhenDr。Lesageagainappearedintheroom。
　　Heapproachedthemveryslowly，anddidnotspeakatonce。
　　HelookedfirstatSt。JohnandthenatTerence，andsaidtoTerence，“Mr。Hewet，Ithinkyoushouldgoupstairsnow。“
　　Terenceroseimmediately，leavingtheothersseatedwithDr。Lesagestandingmotionlessbetweenthem。
　　Chaileywasinthepassageoutside，repeatingoverandoveragain，“It’swicked——it’swicked。“
　　Terencepaidhernoattention；heheardwhatshewassaying，butitconveyednomeaningtohismind。Allthewayupstairshekeptsayingtohimself，“Thishasnothappenedtome。Itisnotpossiblethatthishashappenedtome。“
　　Helookedcuriouslyathisownhandonthebanisters。Thestairswereverysteep，anditseemedtotakehimalongtimetosurmountthem。
　　Insteadoffeelingkeenly，asheknewthatheoughttofeel，hefeltnothingatall。WhenheopenedthedoorhesawHelensittingbythebedside。Therewereshadedlightsonthetable，andtheroom，thoughitseemedtobefullofagreatmanythings，wasverytidy。
　　Therewasafaintandnotunpleasantsmellofdisinfectants。
　　Helenroseandgaveupherchairtohiminsilence。Astheypassedeachothertheireyesmetinapeculiarlevelglance，hewonderedattheextraordinaryclearnessofhiseyes，andatthedeepcalmandsadnessthatdweltinthem。Hesatdownbythebedside，andamomentafterwardsheardthedoorshutgentlybehindher。
　　HewasalonewithRachel，andafaintreflectionofthesenseofreliefthattheyusedtofeelwhentheywereleftalonepossessedhim。
　　Helookedather。Heexpectedtofindsometerriblechangeinher，buttherewasnone。Shelookedindeedverythin，and，asfarashecouldsee，verytired，butshewasthesameasshehadalwaysbeen。
　　Moreover，shesawhimandknewhim。Shesmiledathimandsaid，“Hullo，Terence。“
　　Thecurtainwhichhadbeendrawnbetweenthemforsolongvanishedimmediately。
　　“Well，Rachel，“herepliedinhisusualvoice，uponwhichsheopenedhereyesquitewidelyandsmiledwithherfamiliarsmile。
　　Hekissedherandtookherhand。
　　“It’sbeenwretchedwithoutyou，“hesaid。
　　Shestilllookedathimandsmiled，butsoonaslightlookoffatigueorperplexitycameintohereyesandsheshutthemagain。
　　“Butwhenwe’retogetherwe’reperfectlyhappy，“hesaid。
　　Hecontinuedtoholdherhand。
　　Thelightbeingdim，itwasimpossibletoseeanychangeinherface。
　　AnimmensefeelingofpeacecameoverTerence，sothathehadnowishtomoveortospeak。Theterribletortureandunrealityofthelastdayswereover，andhehadcomeoutnowintoperfectcertaintyandpeace。Hismindbegantoworknaturallyagainandwithgreatease。Thelongerhesattherethemoreprofoundlywasheconsciousofthepeaceinvadingeverycornerofhissoul。
　　Onceheheldhisbreathandlistenedacutely；shewasstillbreathing；
　　hewentonthinkingforsometime；theyseemedtobethinkingtogether；
　　heseemedtobeRachelaswellashimself；andthenhelistenedagain；
　　no，shehadceasedtobreathe。Somuchthebetter——thiswasdeath。
　　Itwasnothing；itwastoceasetobreathe。Itwashappiness，itwasperfecthappiness。Theyhadnowwhattheyhadalwayswantedtohave，theunionwhichhadbeenimpossiblewhiletheylived。
　　Unconsciouswhetherhethoughtthewordsorspokethemaloud，hesaid，“Notwopeoplehaveeverbeensohappyaswehavebeen。