Whatwerethosehorridpeopledoing？Shespentthewholemorningindiscussingpoliticswithherhusband，andbydegreesshebecamedeeplyinterestedinwhattheyweresaying。Buteverynowandthenwhatshewassayingseemedtoheroddlyemptyofmeaning。
　　Atluncheonitwasremarkedbyseveralpeoplethatthevisitorsatthehotelwerebeginningtoleave；therewerefewereveryday。
　　Therewereonlyfortypeopleatluncheon，insteadofthesixtythattherehadbeen。SooldMrs。Paleycomputed，gazingaboutherwithherfadedeyes，asshetookherseatatherowntableinthewindow。
　　HerpartygenerallyconsistedofMr。PerrottaswellasArthurandSusan，andto-dayEvelynwaslunchingwiththemalso。
　　Shewasunusuallysubdued。Havingnoticedthathereyeswerered，andguessingthereason，theotherstookpainstokeepupanelaborateconversationbetweenthemselves。Shesufferedittogoonforafewminutes，leaningbothelbowsonthetable，andleavinghersoupuntouched，whensheexclaimedsuddenly，“Idon’tknowhowyoufeel，butIcansimplythinkofnothingelse！“
　　Thegentlemenmurmuredsympathetically，andlookedgrave。
　　Susanreplied，“Yes——isn’titperfectlyawful？Whenyouthinkwhatanicegirlshewas——onlyjustengaged，andthisneedneverhavehappened——itseemstootragic。“ShelookedatArthurasthoughhemightbeabletohelpherwithsomethingmoresuitable。
　　“Hardlines，“saidArthurbriefly。“Butitwasafoolishthingtodo——togoupthatriver。“Heshookhishead。“Theyshouldhaveknownbetter。Youcan’texpectEnglishwomentostandroughingitasthenativesdowho’vebeenacclimatised。I’dhalfamindtowarnthematteathatdaywhenitwasbeingdiscussed。Butit’snogoodsayingthesesortofthings——itonlyputspeople’sbacksup——
　　itnevermakesanydifference。“
　　OldMrs。Paley，hithertocontentedwithhersoup，hereintimated，byraisingonehandtoherear，thatshewishedtoknowwhatwasbeingsaid。
　　“Youheard，AuntEmma，thatpoorMissVinracehasdiedofthefever，“
　　Susaninformedhergently。Shecouldnotspeakofdeathloudlyoreveninherusualvoice，sothatMrs。Paleydidnotcatchaword。
　　Arthurcametotherescue。
　　“MissVinraceisdead，“hesaidverydistinctly。
　　Mrs。Paleymerelybentalittletowardshimandasked，“Eh？“
　　“MissVinraceisdead，“herepeated。Itwasonlybystiffeningallthemusclesroundhismouththathecouldpreventhimselffromburstingintolaughter，andforcedhimselftorepeatforthethirdtime，“MissVinrace……She’sdead。“
　　Letalonethedifficultyofhearingtheexactwords，factsthatwereoutsideherdailyexperiencetooksometimetoreachMrs。Paley’sconsciousness。Aweightseemedtorestuponherbrain，impeding，thoughnotdamagingitsaction。Shesatvague-eyedforatleastaminutebeforesherealisedwhatArthurmeant。
　　“Dead？“shesaidvaguely。“MissVinracedead？Dearme……that’sverysad。ButIdon’tatthemomentrememberwhichshewas。
　　Weseemtohavemadesomanynewacquaintanceshere。“ShelookedatSusanforhelp。“Atalldarkgirl，whojustmissedbeinghandsome，withahighcolour？“
　　“No，“Susaninterposed。“Shewas——“thenshegaveitupindespair。
　　TherewasnouseinexplainingthatMrs。Paleywasthinkingofthewrongperson。
　　“Sheoughtnottohavedied，“Mrs。Paleycontinued。“Shelookedsostrong。Butpeoplewilldrinkthewater。Icannevermakeoutwhy。
　　ItseemssuchasimplethingtotellthemtoputabottleofSeltzerwaterinyourbedroom。That’salltheprecautionI’veevertaken，andI’vebeenineverypartoftheworld，Imaysay——Italyadozentimesover……Butyoungpeoplealwaysthinktheyknowbetter，andthentheypaythepenalty。Poorthing——Iamverysorryforher。“
　　Butthedifficultyofpeeringintoadishofpotatoesandhelpingherselfengrossedherattention。
　　ArthurandSusanbothsecretlyhopedthatthesubjectwasnowdisposedof，forthereseemedtothemsomethingunpleasantinthisdiscussion。
　　ButEvelynwasnotreadytoletitdrop。Whywouldpeoplenevertalkaboutthethingsthatmattered？
　　“Idon’tbelieveyoucareabit！“shesaid，turningsavagelyuponMr。Perrott，whohadsatallthistimeinsilence。
　　“I？Oh，yes，Ido，“heansweredawkwardly，butwithobvioussincerity。
　　Evelyn’squestionsmadehimtoofeeluncomfortable。
　　“Itseemssoinexplicable，“Evelyncontinued。“Death，Imean。
　　Whyshouldshebedead，andnotyouorI？Itwasonlyafortnightagothatshewasherewiththerestofus。Whatd’youbelieve？“
　　shedemandedofmr。Perrott。“D’youbelievethatthingsgoon，thatshe’sstillsomewhere——ord’youthinkit’ssimplyagame——
　　wecrumbleuptonothingwhenwedie？I’mpositiveRachel’snotdead。“
　　Mr。PerrottwouldhavesaidalmostanythingthatEvelynwantedhimtosay，buttoassertthathebelievedintheimmortalityofthesoulwasnotinhispower。Hesatsilent，moredeeplywrinkledthanusual，crumblinghisbread。
　　LestEvelynshouldnextaskhimwhathebelieved，Arthur，aftermakingapauseequivalenttoafullstop，startedacompletelydifferenttopic。
　　“Supposing，“hesaid，“amanweretowriteandtellyouthathewantedfivepoundsbecausehehadknownyourgrandfather，whatwouldyoudo？
　　Itwasthisway。Mygrandfather——“
　　“Inventedastove，“saidEvelyn。“Iknowallaboutthat。
　　Wehadoneintheconservatorytokeeptheplantswarm。“
　　“Didn’tknowIwassofamous，“saidArthur。“Well，“hecontinued，determinedatallcoststospinhisstoryoutatlength，“theoldchap，beingaboutthesecondbestinventorofhisday，andacapablelawyertoo，died，astheyalwaysdo，withoutmakingawill。
　　NowFielding，hisclerk，withhowmuchjusticeIdon’tknow，alwaysclaimedthathemeanttodosomethingforhim。Thepooroldboy’scomedownintheworldthroughtryinginventionsonhisownaccount，livesinPengeoveratobacconist’sshop。I’vebeentoseehimthere。
　　Thequestionis——mustIstumpupornot？Whatdoestheabstractspiritofjusticerequire，Perrott？Remember，Ididn’tbenefitundermygrandfather’swill，andI’venowayoftestingthetruthofthestory。“
　　“Idon’tknowmuchabouttheabstractspiritofjustice，“saidSusan，smilingcomplacentlyattheothers，“butI’mcertainofonething——
　　he’llgethisfivepounds！“
　　AsMr。Perrottproceededtodeliveranopinion，andEvelyninsistedthathewasmuchtoostingy，likealllawyers，thinkingoftheletterandnotofthespirit，whileMrs。Paleyrequiredtobekeptinformedbetweenthecoursesastowhattheywereallsaying，theluncheonpassedwithnointervalofsilence，andArthurcongratulatedhimselfuponthetactwithwhichthediscussionhadbeensmoothedover。
　　AstheylefttheroomithappenedthatMrs。Paley’swheeledchairranintotheElliots，whowerecomingthroughthedoor，asshewasgoingout。Broughtthustoastandstillforamoment，ArthurandSusancongratulatedHughlingElliotuponhisconvalescence，——
　　hewasdown，cadaverousenough，forthefirsttime，——andMr。PerrotttookoccasiontosayafewwordsinprivatetoEvelyn。
　　“Wouldtherebeanychanceofseeingyouthisafternoon，aboutthree-thirtysay？Ishallbeinthegarden，bythefountain。“
　　TheblockdissolvedbeforeEvelynanswered。Butasshelefttheminthehall，shelookedathimbrightlyandsaid，“Half-pastthree，didyousay？That’llsuitme。“
　　Sheranupstairswiththefeelingofspiritualexaltationandquickenedlifewhichtheprospectofanemotionalscenealwaysarousedinher。
　　ThatMr。Perrottwasagainabouttoproposetoher，shehadnodoubt，andshewasawarethatonthisoccasionsheoughttobepreparedwithadefiniteanswer，forshewasgoingawayinthreedays’time。
　　Butshecouldnotbringhermindtobearuponthequestion。Tocometoadecisionwasverydifficulttoher，becauseshehadanaturaldislikeofanythingfinalanddonewith；shelikedtogoonandon——
　　alwaysonandon。Shewasleaving，and，therefore，sheoccupiedherselfinlayingherclothesoutsidebysideuponthebed。
　　Sheobservedthatsomewereveryshabby。Shetookthephotographofherfatherandmother，and，beforeshelaiditawayinherbox，shehelditforaminuteinherhand。Rachelhadlookedatit。
　　Suddenlythekeenfeelingofsomeone’spersonality，whichthingsthattheyhaveownedorhandledsometimespreserves，overcameher；shefeltRachelintheroomwithher；itwasasifshewereonashipatsea，andthelifeofthedaywasasunrealasthelandinthedistance。
　　ButbydegreesthefeelingofRachel’spresencepassedaway，andshecouldnolongerrealiseher，forshehadscarcelyknownher。
　　Butthismomentarysensationleftherdepressedandfatigued。
　　Whathadshedonewithherlife？Whatfuturewastherebeforeher？
　　Whatwasmake-believe，andwhatwasreal？Weretheseproposalsandintimaciesandadventuresreal，orwasthecontentmentwhichshehadseenonthefacesofSusanandRachelmorerealthananythingshehadeverfelt？
　　Shemadeherselfreadytogodownstairs，absentmindedly，butherfingersweresowelltrainedthattheydidtheworkofpreparingheralmostoftheirownaccord。Whenshewasactuallyonthewaydownstairs，thebloodbegantocirclethroughherbodyofitsownaccordtoo，forhermindfeltverydull。
　　Mr。Perrottwaswaitingforher。Indeed，hehadgonestraightintothegardenafterluncheon，andhadbeenwalkingupanddownthepathformorethanhalfanhour，inastateofacutesuspense。
　　“I’mlateasusual！“sheexclaimed，asshecaughtsightofhim。
　　“Well，youmustforgiveme；Ihadtopackup……Myword！
　　Itlooksstormy！Andthat’sanewsteamerinthebay，isn’tit？“
　　Shelookedatthebay，inwhichasteamerwasjustdroppinganchor，thesmokestillhangingaboutit，whileaswiftblackshudderranthroughthewaves。“One’squiteforgottenwhatrainlookslike，“
　　sheadded。
　　ButMr。Perrottpaidnoattentiontothesteamerortotheweather。
　　“MissMurgatroyd，“hebeganwithhisusualformality，“Iaskedyoutocomeherefromaveryselfishmotive，Ifear。Idonotthinkyouneedtobeassuredoncemoreofmyfeelings；but，asyouareleavingsosoon，IfeltthatIcouldnotletyougowithoutaskingyoutotellme——haveIanyreasontohopethatyouwillevercometocareforme？“
　　Hewasverypale，andseemedunabletosayanymore。
　　ThelittlegushofvitalitywhichhadcomeintoEvelynassherandownstairshadlefther，andshefeltherselfimpotent。
　　Therewasnothingforhertosay；shefeltnothing。Nowthathewasactuallyaskingher，inhiselderlygentlewords，tomarryhim，shefeltlessforhimthanshehadeverfeltbefore。
　　“Let’ssitdownandtalkitover，“shesaidratherunsteadily。
　　Mr。Perrottfollowedhertoacurvedgreenseatunderatree。
　　Theylookedatthefountaininfrontofthem，whichhadlongceasedtoplay。Evelynkeptlookingatthefountaininsteadofthinkingofwhatshewassaying；thefountainwithoutanywaterseemedtobethetypeofherownbeing。
　　“OfcourseIcareforyou，“shebegan，rushingherwordsoutinahurry；“IshouldbeabruteifIdidn’t。Ithinkyou’requiteoneofthenicestpeopleI’veeverknown，andoneofthefinesttoo。
　　ButIwish……Iwishyoudidn’tcareformeinthatway。
　　Areyousureyoudo？“Forthemomentshehonestlydesiredthatheshouldsayno。
　　“Quitesure，“saidMr。Perrott。
　　“Yousee，I’mnotassimpleasmostwomen，“Evelyncontinued。
　　“IthinkIwantmore。Idon’tknowexactlywhatIfeel。“
　　Hesatbyher，watchingherandrefrainingfromspeech。
　　“IsometimesthinkIhaven’tgotitinmetocareverymuchforonepersononly。Someoneelsewouldmakeyouabetterwife。
　　Icanimagineyouveryhappywithsomeoneelse。“
　　“Ifyouthinkthatthereisanychancethatyouwillcometocareforme，Iamquitecontenttowait，“saidMr。Perrott。
　　“Well——there’snohurry，isthere？“saidEvelyn。“SupposeIthoughtitoverandwroteandtoldyouwhenIgetback？I’mgoingtoMoscow；
　　I’llwritefromMoscow。“
　　ButMr。Perrottpersisted。
　　“Youcannotgivemeanykindofidea。Idonotaskforadate……thatwouldbemostunreasonable。“Hepaused，lookingdownatthegravelpath。