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him。 He returned to his desolate house with a lighter tread； though
in reason he hardly knew why his tread should be light。
On examining the drawing； Barnet found that； instead of the vast
altar…tomb and canopy Downe had determined on at their last meeting；
it was to be a more modest memorial even than had been suggested by
the architect； a coped tomb of good solid construction； with no
useless elaboration at all。 Barnet was truly glad to see that Downe
had come to reason of his own accord； and he returned the drawing
with a note of approval。
He followed up the house…work as before； and as he walked up and
down the rooms； occasionally gazing from the windows over the
bulging green hills and the quiet harbour that lay between them； he
murmured words and fragments of words； which； if listened to； would
have revealed all the secrets of his existence。 Whatever his reason
in going there； Lucy did not call again： the walk to the shore
seemed to be abandoned： he must have thought it as well for both
that it should be so； for he did not go anywhere out of his
accustomed ways to endeavour to discover her。
CHAPTER VIII
The winter and the spring had passed； and the house was complete。
It was a fine morning in the early part of June； and Barnet； though
not in the habit of rising early； had taken a long walk before
breakfast； returning by way of the new building。 A sufficiently
exciting cause of his restlessness to…day might have been the
intelligence which had reached him the night before； that Lucy
Savile was going to India after all； and notwithstanding the
representations of her friends that such a journey was unadvisable
in many ways for an unpractised girl； unless some more definite
advantage lay at the end of it than she could show to be the case。
Barnet's walk up the slope to the building betrayed that he was in a
dissatisfied mood。 He hardly saw that the dewy time of day lent an
unusual freshness to the bushes and trees which had so recently put
on their summer habit of heavy leafage； and made his newly…laid lawn
look as well established as an old manorial meadow。 The house had
been so adroitly placed between six tall elms which were growing on
the site beforehand； that they seemed like real ancestral trees； and
the rooks； young and old； cawed melodiously to their visitor。
The door was not locked； and he entered。 No workmen appeared to be
present； and he walked from sunny window to sunny window of the
empty rooms； with a sense of seclusion which might have been very
pleasant but for the antecedent knowledge that his almost paternal
care of Lucy Savile was to be thrown away by her wilfulness。
Footsteps echoed through an adjoining room； and bending his eyes in
that direction； he perceived Mr。 Jones； the architect。 He had come
to look over the building before giving the contractor his final
certificate。 They walked over the house together。 Everything was
finished except the papering： there were the latest improvements of
the period in bell…hanging； ventilating； smoke…jacks； fire…grates；
and French windows。 The business was soon ended； and Jones； having
directed Barnet's attention to a roll of wall…paper patterns which
lay on a bench for his choice； was leaving to keep another
engagement； when Barnet said； 'Is the tomb finished yet for Mrs。
Downe？'
'Wellyes： it is at last；' said the architect； coming back and
speaking as if he were in a mood to make a confidence。 'I have had
no end of trouble in the matter； and； to tell the truth； I am
heartily glad it is over。'
Barnet expressed his surprise。 'I thought poor Downe had given up
those extravagant notions of his？ then he has gone back to the altar
and canopy after all？ Well； he is to be excused； poor fellow！'
'O nohe has not at all gone back to themquite the reverse；'
Jones hastened to say。 'He has so reduced design after design； that
the whole thing has been nothing but waste labour for me； till in
the end it has become a common headstone； which a mason put up in
half a day。'
'A common headstone？' said Barnet。
'Yes。 I held out for some time for the addition of a footstone at
least。 But he said； 〃O nohe couldn't afford it。〃'
'Ah； wellhis family is growing up； poor fellow； and his expenses
are getting serious。'
'Yes； exactly；' said Jones； as if the subject were none of his。 And
again directing Barnet's attention to the wall…papers； the bustling
architect left him to keep some other engagement。
'A common headstone；' murmured Barnet； left again to himself。 He
mused a minute or two； and next began looking over and selecting
from the patterns； but had not long been engaged in the work when he
heard another footstep on the gravel without； and somebody enter the
open porch。
Barnet went to the doorit was his manservant in search of him。
'I have been trying for some time to find you； sir；' he said。 'This
letter has come by the post； and it is marked immediate。 And
there's this one from Mr。 Downe； who called just now wanting to see
you。' He searched his pocket for the second。
Barnet took the first letterit had a black border； and bore the
London postmark。 It was not in his wife's handwriting； or in that
of any person he knew； but conjecture soon ceased as he read the
page； wherein he was briefly informed that Mrs。 Barnet had died
suddenly on the previous day； at the furnished villa she had
occupied near London。
Barnet looked vaguely round the empty hall； at the blank walls； out
of the doorway。 Drawing a long palpitating breath； and with eyes
downcast； he turned and climbed the stairs slowly； like a man who
doubted their stability。 The fact of his wife having； as it were；
died once already； and lived on again； had entirely dislodged the
possibility of her actual death from his conjecture。 He went to the
landing； leant over the balusters； and after a reverie； of whose
duration he had but the faintest notion； turned to the window and
stretched his gaze to the cottage further down the road； which was
visible from his landing； and from which Lucy still walked to the
solicitor's house by a cross path。 The faint words that came from
his moving lips were simply； 'At last！'
Then； almost involuntarily； Barnet fell down on his knees and
murmured some incoherent words of thanksgiving。 Surely his virtue
in restoring his wife to life had been rewarded！ But； as if the
impulse struck uneasily on his conscience； he quickly rose； brushed
the dust from his trousers and set himself to think of his next
movements。 He could not start for London for some hours； and as he
had no preparations to make that could not be made in half…an…hour；
he mechanically descended and resumed his occupation of turning over
the wall…papers。 They had all got brighter for him； those papers。
It was all changedwho would sit in the rooms that they were to
line？ He went on to muse upon Lucy's conduct in so frequently
coming to the house with the children； her occasional blush in
speaking to him； her evident interest in him。 What woman can in the
long run avoid being interested in a man whom she knows to be
devoted to her？ If human solicitation could ever