"Poorthing……poorthing！"hecouldonlygoonsaying；andwiththerepetitionofthewordsthepictureofhimselfasshemustseehimpitiablytookshapeagain。
　　Heunderstoodthen，forthefirsttime，howvague，incomparisonwithhers，hadbeenhisownvisionoftheparthehadplayedinthebriefepisodeoftheirrelation。Theincidenthadleftinhimasenseofexasperationandself—
　　contempt，butthat，ashenowperceived，waschiefly，ifnotaltogether，asitboreonhispreconceivedidealofhisattitudetowardanotherwoman。Hehadfallenbelowhisownstandardofsentimentalloyalty，andifhethoughtofSophyVineritwasmainlyasthechanceinstrumentofhislapse。
　　Theseconsiderationswerenotagreeabletohispride，buttheywereforcedonhimbytheexampleofhervaliantcommon—sense。Ifhehadcutasorryfigureinthebusiness，heowedittohernottoclosehiseyestothefactanylonger……
　　Butwhenheopenedthem，whatdidhesee？Thesituation，detestableatbest，wouldyethavebeenrelativelysimpleifprotectingSophyVinerhadbeentheonlydutyinvolvedinit。Thefactthatthatdutywasparamountdidnotdoawaywiththecontingentobligations。ItwasDarrow’sinstinct，indifficultmoments，togostraighttothebottomofthedifficulty；buthehadneverbeforehadtotakesodarkadiveasthis，andfortheminuteheshiveredonthebrink……Well，hisfirstduty，atanyrate，wastothegirl：
　　hemustletherseethathemeanttofulfillittothelastjot，andthentrytofindouthowtosquarethefulfillmentwiththeotherproblemsalreadyinhispath……
　　XVI
　　IntheoakroomhefoundMrs。Leath，hermother—in—lawandEffie。Thegroup，ashecametowarditdownthelongdrawing—rooms，composeditselfprettilyaboutthetea—table。
　　Thelampsandthefirecrossedtheirgleamsonsilverandporcelain，onthebrighthazeofEffie’shairandonthewhitenessofAnna’sforehead，assheleanedbackinherchairbehindthetea—urn。
　　ShedidnotmoveatDarrow’sapproach，butliftedtohimadeepgazeofpeaceandconfidence。Thelookseemedtothrowabouthimthespellofadivinesecurity：hefeltthejoyofaconvalescentsuddenlywakingtofindthesunlightonhisface。
　　MadamedeChantelle，acrossherknitting，discoursedoftheirafternoon’sexcursion，withoccasionalpausesinducedbythehypnoticeffectofthefreshair；andEffie，kneeling，onthehearth，softlybutinsistentlysoughttoimplantinherterrier’smindsomenotionoftherelationbetweenaverticalattitudeandsugar。
　　Darrowtookachairbehindthelittlegirl，sothathemightlookacrossathermother。Itwasalmostanecessityforhim，atthemoment，tolethiseyesrestonAnna’sface，andtomeet，nowandthen，theproudshynessofhergaze。
　　MadamedeChantellepresentlyenquiredwhathadbecomeofOwen，andamomentlaterthewindowbehindheropened，andhergrandson，guninhand，cameinfromtheterrace。Ashestoodthereinthelamp—light，withdeadleavesandbitsofbrambleclingingtohismud—spatteredclothes，thescentofthenightabouthimanditschillonhispalebrightface，hereallyhadthelookofayoungfaunstrayedinfromtheforest。
　　Effieabandonedtheterriertoflytohim。"Oh，Owen，whereintheworldhaveyoubeen？IwalkedmilesandmileswithNurseandcouldn’tfindyou，andwemetJeanandhesaidhedidn’tknowwhereyou’dgone。"
　　"NobodyknowswhereIgo，orwhatIseewhenIgetthere——
　　that’sthebeautyofit！"helaughedbackather。"Butifyou’regood，"headded，"I’lltellyouaboutitoneofthesedays。"
　　"Oh，now，Owen，now！Idon’treallybelieveI’lleverbemuchbetterthanIamnow。"
　　"LetOwenhavehisteafirst，"hermothersuggested；buttheyoungman，decliningtheoffer，proppedhisgunagainstthewall，and，lightingacigarette，begantopaceupanddowntheroominawaythatremindedDarrowofhisowncagedwanderings。Effiepursuedhimwithherblandishments，andforawhilehepouredouttoheralow—voicedstreamofnonsense；thenhesatdownbesidehisstep—motherandleanedovertohelphimselftotea。
　　"Where’sMissViner？"heasked，asEffieclimbeduponhim。
　　"Whyisn’tsheheretochainupthisungovernableinfant？"
　　"PoorMissVinerhasaheadache。Effiesaysshewenttoherroomassoonaslessonswereover，andsentwordthatshewouldn’tbedownfortea。"
　　"Ah，"saidOwen，abruptlysettingdownhiscup。Hestoodup，litanothercigarette，andwanderedawaytothepianointheroombeyond。
　　Fromthetwilightwherehesatalonelymusic，borneonfantasticchords，floatedtothegroupaboutthetea—table。
　　UnderitsinfluenceMadamedeChantelle’smeditativepausesincreasedinlengthandfrequency，andEffiestretchedherselfonthehearth，herdrowsyheadagainstthedog。
　　Presentlyhernurseappeared，andAnnaroseatthesametime。"Stopaminuteinmysitting—roomonyourwayup，"
　　shepausedtosaytoDarrowasshewent。
　　Afewhoursearlier，herrequestwouldhavebroughthiminstantlytohisfeet。Shehadgivenhim，onthedayofhisarrival，aninvitingglimpseofthespaciousbook—linedroomabovestairsinwhichshehadgatheredtogetherallthetokensofherpersonaltastes：theretreatinwhich，asonemightfancy，AnnaLeathhadhiddentherestlessghostofAnnaSummers；andthethoughtofatalkwithhertherehadbeeninhismindeversince。Butnowhesatmotionless，asifspell—boundbytheplayofMadamedeChantelle’sneedlesandthepulsationsofOwen’sfitfulmusic。
　　"Shewillwanttoaskmeaboutthegirl，"herepeatedtohimself，withafreshsenseoftheinsidioustaintthatembitteredallhisthoughts；thehandoftheslender—
　　columnedclockonthemantel—piecehadspannedahalf—hourbeforeshameathisownindecisionfinallydrewhimtohisfeet。
　　Fromherwriting—table，whereshesatoverapileofletters，Annaliftedherhappysmile。Theimpulsetopresshislipstoitmadehimcomecloseanddrawherupward。Shethrewherheadback，asifsurprisedattheabruptnessofthegesture；thenherfaceleanedtohiswiththeslowdroopofaflower。Hefeltagainthesweepofthesecrettides，andallhisfearswentdowninthem。
　　Shesatdowninthesofa—cornerbythefireandhedrewanarmchairclosetoher。Hisgazeroamedpeacefullyaboutthequietroom。
　　"It’sjustlikeyou——itisyou，"hesaid，ashiseyescamebacktoher。
　　"It’sagoodplacetobealonein——Idon’tthinkI’veeverbeforecaredtotalkwithanyonehere。"
　　"Let’sbequiet，then：it’sthebestwayoftalking。"
　　"Yes；butwemustsaveituptilllater。TherearethingsI
　　wanttosaytoyounow。"
　　Heleanedbackinhischair。"Saythem，then，andI’lllisten。"
　　"Oh，no。IwantyoutotellmeaboutMissViner。"
　　"AboutMissViner？"Hesummonedupalookoffaintinterrogation。
　　Hethoughtsheseemedsurprisedathissurprise。"It’simportant，naturally，"sheexplained，"thatIshouldfindoutallIcanaboutherbeforeIleave。"
　　"ImportantonEffie’saccount？"
　　"OnEffie’saccount——ofcourse。"
　　"Ofcourse……Butyou’veeveryreasontobesatisfied，haven’tyou？"
　　"Everyapparentreason。Wealllikeher。Effie’sveryfondofher，andsheseemstohaveadelightfulinfluenceonthechild。Butweknowsolittle，afterall——aboutherantecedents，Imean，andherpasthistory。That’swhyI
　　wantyoutotryandrecalleverythingyouheardaboutherwhenyouusedtoseeherinLondon。"
　　"Oh，onthatscoreI’mafraidIsha’n’tbeofmuchuse。AsI
　　toldyou，shewasamereshadowinthebackgroundofthehouseIsawherin——andthatwasfourorfiveyearsago……"
　　"WhenshewaswithaMrs。Murrett？"
　　"Yes；anappallingwomanwhorunsaroaringdinner—factorythatusednowandthentocatchmeinitswheels。Iescapedfromthemlongago；butinmytimethereusedtobehalfadozenfagged’hands’totendthemachine，andMissVinerwasoneofthem。I’mgladshe’soutofit，poorgirl！"
　　"Thenyouneverreallysawanythingofherthere？"
　　"Ineverhadthechance。Mrs。Murrettdiscouragedanycompetitiononthepartofhersubordinates。"
　　"Especiallysuchprettyones，Isuppose？"Darrowmadenocomment，andshecontinued："AndMrs。Murrett’sownopinion——ifshe’dofferedyouone——probablywouldn’thavebeenofmuchvalue？"
　　"Onlyinsofarasherdisapprovalwould，ongeneralprinciples，havebeenagoodmarkforMissViner。Butsurely，"hewentonafterapause，"youcouldhavefoundoutaboutherfromthepeoplethroughwhomyoufirstheardofher？"
　　Annasmiled。"Oh，weheardofherthroughAdelaidePainter——；"andinreplytohisglanceofinterrogationsheexplainedthattheladyinquestionwasaspinsterofSouthBraintree，Massachusetts，who，havingcometoParissomethirtyyearsearlier，tonurseabrotherthroughanillness，hadeversinceprotestinglyandprovisionallycampedthereinastateofcontemptuousprotestationoddlymanifestedbyhernevertakingtheslip—coversoffherdrawing—roomchairs。HerlongresidenceonGallicsoilhadnotmitigatedherhostilitytowardthecreedandcustomsoftherace，butthoughshealwaysreferredtotheCatholicChurchastheScarletWomanandtookthedarkestviewsofFrenchprivatelife，MadamedeChantelleplacedgreatrelianceonherjudgmentandexperience，andineverydomesticcrisistheirreducibleAdelaidewasimmediatelysummonedtoGivre。
　　"It’salltheodderbecausemymother—in—law，sincehersecondmarriage，haslivedsomuchinthecountrythatshe’spracticallylostsightofallherotherAmericanfriends。
　　Besideswhich，youcanseehowcompletelyshehasidentifiedherselfwithMonsieurdeChantelle’snationalityandadoptedFrenchhabitsandprejudices。YetwhenanythinggoeswrongshealwayssendsforAdelaidePainter，who’smoreAmericanthantheStarsandStripes，andmighthaveleftSouthBraintreeyesterday，ifshehadn’t，rather，broughtitoverwithherinhertrunk。"
　　Darrowlaughed。"Well，then，ifSouthBraintreevouchesforMissViner————"
　　"Oh，butonlyindirectly。WhenwehadthatodiousadventurewithMademoiselleGrumeau，who’dbeensohighlyrecommendedbyMonsieurdeChantelle’saunt，theChanoinesse，Adelaidewasofcoursesentfor，andshesaidatonce：’I’mnottheleastbitsurprised。I’vealwaystoldyouthatwhatyouwantedforEffiewasasweetAmericangirl，andnotoneofthesenastyforeigners。’Unluckilyshecouldn’t，atthemoment，putherhandonasweetAmerican；butshepresentlyheardofMissVinerthroughtheFarlows，anexcellentcouplewholiveintheQuartierLatinandwriteaboutFrenchlifefortheAmericanpapers。Iwasonlytoothankfultofindanyonewhowasvouchedforbydecentpeople；andsofarI’vehadnocausetoregretmychoice。ButIknow，afterall，verylittleaboutMissViner；andthereareallkindsofreasonswhyIwant，assoonaspossible，tofindoutmore——
　　tofindoutallIcan。"
　　"Sinceyou’vegottoleaveEffieIunderstandyourfeelinginthatway。Butisthere，insuchacase，anyrecommendationworthhalfasmuchasyourowndirectexperience？"
　　"No；andit’sbeensofavourablethatIwasreadytoacceptitasconclusive。Only，naturally，whenIfoundyou’dknownherinLondonIwasinhopesyou’dgivemesomemorespecificreasonsforlikingherasmuchasIdo。"
　　"I’mafraidIcangiveyounothingmorespecificthanmygeneralvagueimpressionthatsheseemsverypluckyandextremelynice。"
　　"Youdon’t，atanyrate，knowanythingspecifictothecontrary？"
　　"Tothecontrary？HowshouldI？I’mnotconsciousofeverhavingheardanyonesaytwowordsabouther。IonlyinferthatshemusthavepluckandcharactertohavestuckitoutsolongatMrs。Murrett’s。"
　　"Yes，poorthing！Shehaspluck，certainly；andpride，too；
　　whichmusthavemadeitalltheharder。"Annarosetoherfeet。"Youdon’tknowhowgladIamthatyourimpression’sonthewholesogood。Iparticularlywantedyoutolikeher。"
　　Hedrewhertohimwithasmile。"OnthatconditionI’mpreparedtoloveevenAdelaidePainter。"
　　"Ialmosthopeyouwonthavethechanceto——poorAdelaide！
　　Herappearanceherealwayscoincideswithacatastrophe。"
　　"Oh，thenImustmanagetomeetherelsewhere。"HeheldAnnacloser，sayingtohimself，ashesmoothedbackthehairfromherforehead："WhatdoesanythingmatterbutjustTHIS？
　　——MustIgonow？"headdedaloud。
　　Sheansweredabsently："Itmustbetimetodress"；thenshedrewbackalittleandlaidherhandsonhisshoulders。"Mylove——oh，mydearlove！"shesaid。
　　Itcametohimthattheywerethefirstwordsofendearmenthehadheardherspeak，andtheirrarenessgavethemamagicqualityofreassurance，asthoughnodangercouldstrikethroughsuchashield。
　　Aknockonthedoormadethemdrawapart。AnnaliftedherhandtoherhairandDarrowstoopedtoexamineaphotographofEffieonthewriting—table。
　　"Comein！"Annasaid。
　　ThedooropenedandSophyVinerentered。SeeingDarrow，shedrewback。
　　"Docomein，MissViner，"Annarepeated，lookingatherkindly。
　　Thegirl，aquickredinhercheeks，stillhesitatedonthethreshold。
　　"I’msosorry；butEffiehasmislaidherLatingrammar，andIthoughtshemighthaveleftithere。Ineedittopreparefortomorrow’slesson。"
　　"Isthisit？"Darrowasked，pickingupabookfromthetable。
　　"Oh，thankyou！"
　　Hehelditouttoherandshetookitandmovedtothedoor。
　　"Waitaminute，please，MissViner，"Annasaid；andasthegirlturnedback，shewentonwithherquietsmile："Effietoldusyou’dgonetoyourroomwithaheadache。Youmustn’tsitupovertomorrow’slessonsifyoudon’tfeelwell。"
　　Sophy’sblushdeepened。"ButyouseeIhaveto。Latin’soneofmyweakpoints，andthere’sgenerallyonlyonepageofthisbookbetweenmeandEffie。"Shethrewthewordsoffwithahalf—ironicsmile。"Doexcusemydisturbingyou，"
　　sheadded。
　　"Youdidn’tdisturbme，"Annaanswered。Darrowperceivedthatshewaslookingintentlyatthegirl，asthoughstruckbysomethingtenseandtremulousinherface，hervoice，herwholemienandattitude。"YouDOlooktired。You’dmuchbettergostraighttobed。Effiewon’tbesorrytoskipherLatin。"
　　"Thankyou——butI’mreallyallright，"murmuredSophyViner。
　　Herglance，makingaswiftcircuitoftheroom，dweltforanappreciableinstantontheintimatepropinquityofarm—chairandsofa—corner；thensheturnedbacktothedoor。
　　BOOKIII
　　XVII
　　AtdinnerthateveningMadamedeChantelle’sslendermonologuewasthrownoutovergulfsofsilence。OwenwasstillinthesamestateofmoodyabstractionaswhenDarrowhadlefthimatthepiano；andevenAnna’sface，toherfriend’svigilanteye，revealednot，perhaps，apersonalpreoccupation，butavaguesenseofimpendingdisturbance。
　　Shesmiled，sheboreapartinthetalk，hereyesdweltonDarrow’swiththeirusualdeepreliance；butbeneaththesurfaceofherserenityhistenseperceptionsdetectedahiddenstir。
　　Hewassufficientlyself—possessedtotellhimselfthatitwasdoubtlessduetocauseswithwhichhewasnotdirectlyconcerned。HeknewthequestionofOwen’smarriagewassoontoberaised，andtheabruptalterationintheyoungman’smoodmadeitseemprobablethathewashimselfthecentreoftheatmosphericdisturbance，ForamomentitoccurredtoDarrowthatAnnamighthaveemployedherafternooninpreparingMadamedeChantelleforhergrandson’simpendingannouncement；butaglanceattheelderlady’suncloudedbrowshowedthathemustseekelsewherethecluetoOwen’staciturnityandhisstep—mother’sconcern。PossiblyAnnahadfoundreasontochangeherownattitudeinthematter，andhadmadethechangeknowntoOwen。Butthis，again，wasnegativedbythefactthat，duringtheafternoon’sshooting，youngLeathhadbeeninamoodofalmostextravagantexpansiveness，andthat，fromthemomentofhislatereturntothehousetilljustbeforedinner，therehadbeen，toDarrow’scertainknowledge，nopossibilityofaprivatetalkbetweenhimselfandhisstep—mother。
　　Thisobscured，ifitnarrowed，thefieldofconjecture；andDarrow’sgropingsthrewhimbackontheconclusionthathewasprobablyreadingtoomuchsignificanceintothemoodsofaladhehardlyknew，andwhohadbeendescribedtohimassubjecttosuddenchangesofhumour。AstoAnna’sfanciedperturbation，itmightsimplybeduetothefactthatshehaddecidedtopleadOwen’scausethenextday，andhadperhapsalreadyhadaglimpseofthedifficultiesawaitingher。ButDarrowknewthathewastoodeepinhisownperplexitiestojudgethementalstateofthoseabouthim。
　　Itmightbe，afterall，thatthevariationshefeltinthecurrentsofcommunicationwerecausedbyhisowninwardtremor。
　　Such，atanyrate，wastheconclusionhehadreachedwhen，shortlyafterthetwoladiesleftthedrawing—room，hebadeOwengood—nightandwentuptohisroom。Eversincetherapidself—colloquywhichhadfollowedonhisfirstsightofSophyViner，hehadknowntherewereotherquestionstobefacedbehindtheoneimmediatelyconfrontinghim。Onthescoreofthatone，atleast，hismind，ifnoteasy，wasrelieved。Hehaddonewhatwaspossibletoreassurethegirl，andshehadapparentlyrecognizedthesincerityofhisintention。Hehadpatchedupasdecentaconclusionashecouldtoanincidentthatshouldobviouslyhavehadnosequel；buthehadknownallalongthatwiththesecuringofMissViner’speaceofmindonlyapartofhisobligationwasdischarged，andthatwiththatparthisremainingdutywasinconflict。Ithadbeenhisfirstbusinesstoconvincethegirlthattheirsecretwassafewithhim；butitwasfarfromeasytosquarethiswiththeequallyurgentobligationofsafe—guardingAnna’sresponsibilitytowardherchild。
　　Darrowwasnotmuchafraidofaccidentaldisclosures。BothheandSophyVinerhadtoomuchatstakenottobeontheirguard。Thefearthatbesethimwasofanotherkind，andhadaprofoundersource。Hewantedtodoallhecouldforthegirl，butthefactofhavinghadtourgeAnnatoconfideEffietoherwaspeculiarlyrepugnanttohim。HisownideasaboutSophyVinerweretoomixedandindeterminateforhimnottofeeltheriskofsuchanexperiment；yethefoundhimselfintheintolerablepositionofappearingtopressitonthewomanhedesiredaboveallotherstoprotect……
　　Tilllateinthenighthisthoughtsrevolvedinaturmoilofindecision。HispridewashumbledbythediscrepancybetweenwhatSophyVinerhadbeentohimandwhathehadthoughtofher。Thisdiscrepancy，whichatthetimehadseemedtosimplifytheincident，nowturnedouttobeitsmostgallingcomplication。Thebaretruth，indeed，wasthathehadhardlythoughtofheratall，eitheratthetimeorsince，andthathewasashamedtobasehisjudgementofheronhismeagrememoryoftheiradventure。
　　Theessentialcheapnessofthewholeaffair——asfarashisshareinitwasconcerned——camehometohimwithhumiliatingdistinctness。Hewouldhavelikedtobeabletofeelthat，atthetimeatleast，hehadstakedsomethingmoreonit，andhadsomehow，inthesequel，hadamorepalpablelosstoshow。Buttheplainfactwasthathehadn’tspentapennyonit；whichwasnodoubtthereasonoftheprodigiousscoreithadsincebeenrollingup。Atanyrate，beataboutthecaseashewould，itwasclearthatheowedittoAnna——andincidentallytohisownpeaceofmind——tofindsomewayofsecuringSophyViner’sfuturewithoutleavingherinstalledatGivrewhenheandhiswifeshoulddepartfortheirnewpost。
　　Thenightbroughtnoaidtothesolvingofthisproblem；butitgavehim，atanyrate，theclearconvictionthatnotimewastobelost。HisfirststepmustbetoobtainfromMissVinerthechanceofanotherandcalmertalk；andheresolvedtoseekitattheearliesthour。
　　HehadgatheredthatEffie’slessonswereprecededbyanearlyscamperinthepark，andconjecturingthathergovernessmightbewithherhebetookhimselfthenextmorningtotheterrace，whencehewanderedontothegardensandthewalksbeyond。
　　Theatmospherewasstillandpale。Themuffledsunlightgleamedlikegoldtissuethroughgreygauze，andthebeechalleystaperedawaytoabluehazeblentofskyandforest。
　　Itwasoneofthoseelusivedayswhenthefamiliarformsofthingsseemabouttodissolveinaprismaticshimmer。
　　Thestillnesswaspresentlybrokenbyjoyfulbarks，andDarrow，trackingthesound，overtookEffieflyingdownoneofthelongalleysattheheadofherpack。BeyondherhesawMissVinerseatednearthestone—rimmedbasinbesidewhichheandAnnahadpausedontheirfirstwalktotheriver。
　　Thegirl，comingforwardathisapproach，returnedhisgreetingalmostgaily。Hisfirstglanceshowedhimthatshehadregainedhercomposure，andthechangeinherappearancegavehimthemeasureofherfears。ForthefirsttimehesawinheragainthesidelonggracethathadcharmedhiseyesinParis；buthesawitnowasinapaintedpicture。
　　"Shallwesitdownaminute？"heasked，asEffietrottedoff。
　　Thegirllookedawayfromhim。"I’mafraidthere’snotmuchtime；wemustbebackatlessonsathalf—pastnine。"
　　"Butit’sbarelytenminutespast。Let’satleastwalkalittlewaytowardtheriver。"