Barnetprivatelythoughtthedesignasufficientlyimposingoneasitstood，evenextravagantlyornate；but，feelingthathehadnorighttocriticize，hesaidgently，’Downe，shouldyounotlivemoreinyourchildren’slivesatthepresenttime，andsoftenthesharpnessofregretforyourownpastbythinkingoftheirfuture？’
　　’Yes，yes；butwhatcanIdomore？’askedDowne，wrinklinghisforeheadhopelessly。
　　ItwaswithanxiousslownessthatBarnetproducedhisreply——thesecretobjectofhisvisitto-night。’Didyounotsayonedaythatyououghtbyrightstogetagovernessforthechildren？’
　　Downeadmittedthathehadsaidso，butthathecouldnotseehiswaytoit。’ThekindofwomanIshouldliketohave，’hesaid，’wouldberatherbeyondmymeans。No；IthinkIshallsendthemtoschoolinthetownwhentheyareoldenoughtogooutalone。’
　　’Now，Iknowofsomethingbetterthanthat。ThelateLieutenantSavile’sdaughter，Lucy，wantstodosomethingforherselfinthewayofteaching。Shewouldbeinexpensive，andwouldansweryourpurposeaswellasanybodyforsixortwelvemonths。Shewouldprobablycomedailyifyouweretoaskher，andsoyourhousekeepingarrangementswouldnotbemuchaffected。’
　　’Ithoughtshehadgoneaway，’saidthesolicitor，musing。’Wheredoesshelive？’
　　Barnettoldhim，andaddedthat，ifDowneshouldthinkofherassuitable，hewoulddowelltocallassoonaspossible，orshemightbeonthewing。’Ifyoudoseeher，’hesaid，’itwouldbeadvisablenottomentionmyname。Sheisratherstiffinherideasofme，anditmightprejudiceheragainstacourseifsheknewthatIrecommendedit。’
　　Downepromisedtogivethesubjecthisconsideration，andnothingmorewassaidaboutitjustthen。ButwhenBarnetrosetogo，whichwasnottillnearlybedtime，heremindedDowneofthesuggestionandwentupthestreettohisownsolitaryhomewithasenseofsatisfactionathispromisingdiplomacyinacharitablecause。
　　Thewallsofhisnewhousewerecarriedupnearlytotheirfullheight。Byacuriousthoughnotinfrequentreaction，Barnet’sfeelingsaboutthatunnecessarystructurehadundergoneachange；hetookconsiderableinterestinitsprogressasalong-neglectedthing，hiswifebeforeherdeparturehavinggrownquitewearyofitasahobby。Moreover，itwasanexcellentdistractionforamanintheunhappypositionofhavingtoliveinaprovincialtownwithnothingtodo。Hewasprobablythefirstofhislinewhohadeverpassedadaywithouttoil，andperhapssomethinglikeaninheritedinstinctdisqualifiessuchmenforalifeofpleasantinaction，suchasliesinthepowerofthosewhoseleisureisnotapersonalaccident，butavasthistoricalaccretionwhichhasbecomepartoftheirnatures。
　　ThusBarnetgotintoawayofspendingmanyofhisleisurehoursonthesiteofthenewbuilding，andhemighthavebeenseenonmostdaysatthistimetryingthetemperofthemortarbypunchingthejointswithhisstick，lookingatthegrainofafloor-board，andmeditatingwhereitgrew，orpicturingunderwhatcircumstancesthelastfirewouldbekindledintheatpresentsootlesschimneys。Onedaywhenthusoccupiedhesawthreechildrenpassbyinthecompanyofafairyoungwoman，whosesuddenappearancecausedhimtoflushperceptibly。
　　’Ah，sheisthere，’hethought。’That’sablessedthing。’
　　Castinganinterestedglanceovertherisingbuildingandthebusyworkmen，LucySavileandthelittleDownespassedby；andafterthattimeitbecamearegularthoughalmostunconsciouscustomofBarnettostandinthehalf-completedhouseandlookfromtheungarnishedwindowsatthegovernessasshetrippedtowardsthesea-shorewithheryoungcharges，whichshewasinthehabitofdoingonmostfineafternoons。Itwasononeoftheseoccasions，whenhehadbeenloiteringonthefirst-floorlanding，neartheholeleftforthestaircase，notyeterected，thatthereappearedabovetheedgeoftheflooralittlehat，followedbyalittlehead。
　　Barnetwithdrewthroughadoorway，andthechildcametothetopoftheladder，steppingontothefloorandcryingtohersistersandMissSaviletofollow。Anotherheadroseabovethefloor，andanother，andthenLucyherselfcameintoview。Thetroopranhitherandthitherthroughtheempty，shaving-strewnrooms，andBarnetcameforward。
　　Lucyutteredasmallexclamation:shewasverysorrythatshehadintruded；shehadnottheleastideathatMr。Barnetwasthere:thechildrenhadcomeup，andshehadfollowed。
　　Barnetrepliedthathewasonlytoogladtoseethemthere。’Andnow，letmeshowyoutherooms，’hesaid。
　　Shepassivelyassented，andhetookherround。Therewasnotmuchtoshowinsuchabareskeletonofahouse，buthemadethemostofit，andexplainedthedifferentornamentalfittingsthatweresoontobefixedhereandthere。Lucymadebutfewremarksinreply，thoughsheseemedpleasedwithhervisit，andstoleawaydowntheladder，followedbyhercompanions。
　　AfterthisthenewresidencebecameyetmoreofahobbyforBarnet。
　　Downe’schildrendidnotforgettheirfirstvisit，andwhenthewindowswereglazed，andthehandsomestaircasespreaditsbroadlowstepsintothehall，theycameagain，prancinginunweariedsuccessionthrougheveryroomfromground-floortoattics，whileLucystoodwaitingforthematthedoor。Barnet，whorarelymissedadayincomingtoinspectprogress，steppedoutfromthedrawing-
　　room。
　　’Icouldnotkeepthemout，’shesaid，withanapologeticblush。’I
　　triedtodosoverymuch:buttheyareratherwilful，andwearedirectedtowalkthiswayfortheseaair。’
　　’Doletthemmakethehousetheirregularplayground，andyouyours，’saidBarnet。’Thereisnobetterplaceforchildrentorompandtaketheirexerciseinthananemptyhouse，particularlyinmuddyordampweathersuchasweshallgetagooddealofnow；andthisplacewillnotbefurnishedforalonglongtime——perhapsnever。Iamnotatalldecidedaboutit。’
　　’O，butitmust！’repliedLucy，lookingroundatthehall。’Theroomsareexcellent，twiceashighasours；andtheviewsfromthewindowsaresolovely。’
　　’Idaresay，Idaresay，’hesaidabsently。
　　’Willallthefurniturebenew？’sheasked。
　　’Allthefurniturebenew——that’sathingIhavenotthoughtof。InfactIonlycomehereandlookon。Myfather’shousewouldhavebeenlargeenoughforme，butanotherpersonhadavoiceinthematter，anditwassettledthatweshouldbuild。However，theplacegrowsuponme；itsrecentassociationsarecheerful，andIamgettingtolikeitfast。’
　　AcertainuneasinessinLucy’smannershowedthattheconversationwastakingtoopersonalaturnforher。’Still，asmoderntastesdevelop，peoplerequiremoreroomtogratifythemin，’shesaid，withdrawingtocallthechildren；andserenelybiddinghimgoodafternoonshewentonherway。
　　Barnet’slifeatthisperiodwassingularlylonely，andyethewashappierthanhecouldhaveexpected。Hiswife’sestrangementandabsence，whichpromisedtobepermanent，lefthimfreeasaboyinhismovements，andthesolitarywalksthathetookgavehimampleopportunityforchastenedreflectiononwhatmighthavebeenhislotifhehadonlyshownwisdomenoughtoclaimLucySavilewhentherewasnobarbetweentheirlives，andshewastobehadfortheasking。HewouldoccasionallycallatthehouseofhisfriendDowne；buttherewasscarcelyenoughincommonbetweentheirtwonaturestomakethemmorethanfriendsofthatexcellentsortwhosepersonalknowledgeofeachother’shistoryandcharacterisalwaysinexcessofintimacy，wherebytheyarenotsolikelytobeseveredbyaclashofsentimentasincaseswhereintimacyspringsupinexcessofknowledge。Lucywasnevervisibleatthesetimes，beingeitherengagedintheschool-room，orintakinganairingoutofdoors；but，knowingthatshewasnowcomfortable，andhadgivenupthe，tohim，depressingideaofgoingofftotheothersideoftheglobe，hewasquitecontent。
　　Thenewhousehadsofarprogressedthatthegardenerswerebeginningtograssdownthefront。Duringanafternoonwhichhewaspassinginmarkingthecurveforthecarriage-drive，hebeheldhercominginboldlytowardshimfromtheroad。HithertoBarnethadonlycaughtheronthepremisesbystealth；andthisadvanceseemedtoshowthatatlastherreservehadbrokendown。
　　Asmilegainedstrengthuponherfaceassheapproached，anditwasquiteradiantwhenshecameup，andsaid，withoutatraceofembarrassment，’IfindIoweyouahundredthanks——anditcomestomequiteasasurprise！ItwasthroughyourkindnessthatIwasengagedbyMr。Downe。Believeme，Mr。Barnet，Ididnotknowituntilyesterday，orIshouldhavethankedyoulongandlongago！’
　　’Ihadoffendedyou——justatrifle——atthetime，Ithink？’saidBarnet，smiling，’anditwasbestthatyoushouldnotknow。’
　　’Yes，yes，’shereturnedhastily。’Don’talludetothat；itispastandover，andwewillletitbe。Thehouseisfinishedalmost，isitnot？Howbeautifulitwilllookwhentheevergreensaregrown！
　　DoyoucallthestylePalladian，Mr。Barnet？’
　　’I——reallydon’tquiteknowwhatitis。Yes，itmustbePalladian，certainly。ButI’llaskJones，thearchitect；for，totellthetruth，Ihadnotthoughtmuchaboutthestyle:Ihadnothingtodowithchoosingit，Iamsorrytosay。’
　　Shewouldnotlethimharponthisgloomyrefrain，andtalkedonbrightmatterstillshesaid，producingasmallrollofpaperwhichhehadnoticedinherhandallthewhile，’Mr。DownewishedmetobringyouthisreviseddrawingofthelateMrs。Downe’stomb，whichthearchitecthasjustsenthim。Hewouldlikeyoutolookitover。’
　　Thechildrencameupwiththeirhoops，andshewentoffwiththemdowntheharbour-roadasusual。Barnethadbeengladtogetthosewordsofthanks；hehadbeenthinkingformanymonthsthathewouldlikehertoknowofhisshareinfindingherahomesuchasitwas；
　　andwhathecouldnotdoforhimself，Downehadnowkindlydoneforhim。Hereturnedtohisdesolatehousewithalightertread；thoughinreasonhehardlyknewwhyhistreadshouldbelight。
　　Onexaminingthedrawing，Barnetfoundthat，insteadofthevastaltar-tombandcanopyDownehaddeterminedonattheirlastmeeting，itwastobeamoremodestmemorialeventhanhadbeensuggestedbythearchitect；acopedtombofgoodsolidconstruction，withnouselesselaborationatall。BarnetwastrulygladtoseethatDownehadcometoreasonofhisownaccord；andhereturnedthedrawingwithanoteofapproval。
　　Hefollowedupthehouse-workasbefore，andashewalkedupanddowntherooms，occasionallygazingfromthewindowsoverthebulginggreenhillsandthequietharbourthatlaybetweenthem，hemurmuredwordsandfragmentsofwords，which，iflistenedto，wouldhaverevealedallthesecretsofhisexistence。Whateverhisreasoningoingthere，Lucydidnotcallagain:thewalktotheshoreseemedtobeabandoned:hemusthavethoughtitaswellforboththatitshouldbeso，forhedidnotgoanywhereoutofhisaccustomedwaystoendeavourtodiscoverher。