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almost push it open by the force of their gazing。 The
preacher's heart was full and bitter； no book or note was
wanted by him； never was spontaneity more absolute than here。
It was no timid reproof of the ornamental kind； but a direct
denunciation； all the more vigorous perhaps from the
limitation of mind and language under which the speaker
laboured。 Yet； fool that he had been made by the candidate；
there was nothing acrid in his attack。 Genuine flashes of
rhetorical fire were occasionally struck by that plain and
simple man； who knew what straightforward conduct was； and who
did not know the illimitable caprice of a woman's mind。
At this moment there was not in the whole chapel a person
whose imagination was not centred on what was invisibly taking
place within the vestry。 The thunder of the minister's
eloquence echoed； of course； through the weak sister's cavern
of retreat no less than round the public assembly。 What she
was doing inside therewhether listening contritely； or
haughtily hastening to put on her things and get away from the
chapel and all it containedwas obviously the thought of each
member。 What changes were tracing themselves upon that lovely
face： did it rise to phases of Raffaelesque resignation or
sink so low as to flush and frown？ was Somerset's inquiry； and
a half…explanation occurred when； during the discourse； the
door which had been ajar was gently pushed to。
Looking on as a stranger it seemed to him more than probable
that this young woman's power of persistence in her unexpected
repugnance to the rite was strengthened by wealth and position
of some sort； and was not the unassisted gift of nature。 The
manner of her arrival； and her dignified bearing before the
assembly； strengthened the belief。 A woman who did not feel
something extraneous to her mental self to fall back upon
would be so far overawed by the people and the crisis as not
to retain sufficient resolution for a change of mind。
The sermon ended； the minister wiped his steaming face and
turned down his cuffs； and nods and sagacious glances went
round。 Yet many； even of those who had presumably passed the
same ordeal with credit； exhibited gentler judgment than the
preacher's on a tergiversation of which they had probably
recognized some germ in their own bosoms when in the lady's
situation。
For Somerset there was but one scene： the imagined scene of
the girl herself as she sat alone in the vestry。 The fervent
congregation rose to sing again； and then Somerset heard a
slight noise on his left hand which caused him to turn his
head。 The brougham； which had retired into the field to wait；
was back again at the door： the subject of his rumination
came out from the chapelnot in her mystic robe of white； but
dressed in ordinary fashionable costumefollowed as before by
the attendant with other articles of clothing on her arm；
including the white gown。 Somerset fancied that the younger
woman was drying her eyes with her handkerchief； but there was
not much time to see： they quickly entered the carriage； and
it moved on。 Then a cat suddenly mewed； and he saw a white
Persian standing forlorn where the carriage had been。 The
door was opened； the cat taken in； and the carriage drove
away。
The stranger's girlish form stamped itself deeply on
Somerset's soul。 He strolled on his way quite oblivious to
the fact that the moon had just risen； and that the landscape
was one for him to linger over； especially if there were any
Gothic architecture in the line of the lunar rays。 The
inference was that though this girl must be of a serious turn
of mind； wilfulness was not foreign to her composition： and
it was probable that her daily doings evinced without much
abatement by religion the unbroken spirit and pride of life
natural to her age。
The little village inn at which Somerset intended to pass the
night lay a mile further on； and retracing his way up to the
stile he rambled along the lane； now beginning to be streaked
like a zebra with the shadows of some young trees that edged
the road。 But his attention was attracted to the other side
of the way by a hum as of a night…bee； which arose from the
play of the breezes over a single wire of telegraph running
parallel with his track on tall poles that had appeared by the
road； he hardly knew when； from a branch route； probably
leading from some town in the neighbourhood to the village he
was approaching。 He did not know the population of Sleeping…
Green； as the village of his search was called； but the
presence of this mark of civilization seemed to signify that
its inhabitants were not quite so far in the rear of their age
as might be imagined； a glance at the still ungrassed heap of
earth round the foot of each post was； however； sufficient to
show that it was at no very remote period that they had made
their advance。
Aided by this friendly wire Somerset had no difficulty in
keeping his course； till he reached a point in the ascent of a
hill at which the telegraph branched off from the road；
passing through an opening in the hedge； to strike across an
undulating down； while the road wound round to the left。 For
a few moments Somerset doubted and stood still。 The wire sang
on overhead with dying falls and melodious rises that invited
him to follow； while above the wire rode the stars in their
courses； the low nocturn of the former seeming to be the
voices of those stars；
'Still quiring to the young…eyed cherubim。'
Recalling himself from these reflections Somerset decided to
follow the lead of the wire。 It was not the first time during
his present tour that he had found his way at night by the
help of these musical threads which the post…office
authorities had erected all over the country for quite another
purpose than to guide belated travellers。 Plunging with it
across the down he came to a hedgeless road that entered a
park or chase； which flourished in all its original wildness。
Tufts of rushes and brakes of fern rose from the hollows； and
the road was in places half overgrown with green； as if it had
not been tended for many years； so much so that； where shaded
by trees； he found some difficulty in keeping it。 Though he
had noticed the remains of a deer…fence further back no deer
were visible； and it was scarcely possible that there should
be any in the existing state of things： but rabbits were
multitudinous； every hillock being dotted with their seated
figures till Somerset approached and sent them limping into
their burrows。 The road next wound round a clump of underwood
beside which lay heaps of faggots for burning； and then there
appeared against the sky the walls and towers of a castle；
half ruin； half residence； standing on an eminence hard by。
Somerset stopped to examine it。 The castle was not
exceptionally large； but it had all the characteristics of its
most important fellows。 Irregular； dilapidated； and muffled
in creepers as a great portion of it was； some parta
comparatively modern wingwas inhabited； for a light or two
steadily gleamed from some upper windows； in others a
reflection of the moon denoted that unbroken glass yet