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her eyes the only modification was that their originally mild
rectitude of expression had become a little more stringent than
heretofore。 Yet she was still girlisha girl who had been
gratuitously weighted by destiny with a burden of five…and…forty
years instead of her proper twenty。
'Lucy； don't you know me？' he said； when the servant had closed the
door。
'I knew you the instant I saw you！' she returned cheerfully。 'I
don't know why； but I always thought you would come back to your old
town again。'
She gave him her hand； and then they sat down。 'They said you were
dead；' continued Lucy； 'but I never thought so。 We should have
heard of it for certain if you had been。'
'It is a very long time since we met。'
'Yes； what you must have seen； Mr。 Barnet； in all these roving
years； in comparison with what I have seen in this quiet place！'
Her face grew more serious。 'You know my husband has been dead a
long time？ I am a lonely old woman now； considering what I have
been； though Mr。 Downe's daughtersall marriedmanage to keep me
pretty cheerful。'
'And I am a lonely old man； and have been any time these twenty
years。'
'But where have you kept yourself？ And why did you go off so
mysteriously？'
'Well； Lucy； I have kept myself a little in America； and a little in
Australia； a little in India； a little at the Cape； and so on； I
have not stayed in any place for a long time； as it seems to me； and
yet more than twenty years have flown。 But when people get to my
age two years go like one！Your second question； why did I go away
so mysteriously； is surely not necessary。 You guessed why； didn't
you？'
'No； I never once guessed；' she said simply； 'nor did Charles； nor
did anybody as far as I know。'
'Well； indeed！ Now think it over again； and then look at me； and
say if you can't guess？'
She looked him in the face with an inquiring smile。 'Surely not
because of me？' she said； pausing at the commencement of surprise。
Barnet nodded； and smiled again； but his smile was sadder than hers。
'Because I married Charles？' she asked。
'Yes； solely because you married him on the day I was free to ask
you to marry me。 My wife died four…and…twenty hours before you went
to church with Downe。 The fixing of my journey at that particular
moment was because of her funeral； but once away I knew I should
have no inducement to come back； and took my steps accordingly。'
Her face assumed an aspect of gentle reflection； and she looked up
and down his form with great interest in her eyes。 'I never thought
of it！' she said。 'I knew； of course； that you had once implied
some warmth of feeling towards me； but I concluded that it passed
off。 And I have always been under the impression that your wife was
alive at the time of my marriage。 Was it not stupid of me！But you
will have some tea or something？ I have never dined late； you know；
since my husband's death。 I have got into the way of making a
regular meal of tea。 You will have some tea with me； will you not？'
The travelled man assented quite readily； and tea was brought in。
They sat and chatted over the meal； regardless of the flying hour。
'Well； well！' said Barnet presently； as for the first time he
leisurely surveyed the room； 'how like it all is； and yet how
different！ Just where your piano stands was a board on a couple of
trestles； bearing the patterns of wall…papers； when I was last here。
I was choosing themstanding in this way； as it might be。 Then my
servant came in at the door； and handed me a note； so。 It was from
Downe； and announced that you were just going to be married to him。
I chose no more wall…paperstore up all those I had selected； and
left the house。 I never entered it again till now。'
'Ah； at last I understand it all；' she murmured。
They had both risen and gone to the fireplace。 The mantel came
almost on a level with her shoulder； which gently rested against it；
and Barnet laid his hand upon the shelf close beside her shoulder。
'Lucy；' he said； 'better late than never。 Will you marry me now？'
She started back； and the surprise which was so obvious in her
wrought even greater surprise in him that it should be so。 It was
difficult to believe that she had been quite blind to the situation；
and yet all reason and common sense went to prove that she was not
acting。
'You take me quite unawares by such a question！' she said； with a
forced laugh of uneasiness。 It was the first time she had shown any
embarrassment at all。 'Why；' she added； 'I couldn't marry you for
the world。'
'Not after all this！ Why not？'
'It isI wouldI really think I may say itI would upon the whole
rather marry you； Mr。 Barnet； than any other man I have ever met； if
I ever dreamed of marriage again。 But I don't dream of itit is
quite out of my thoughts； I have not the least intention of marrying
again。'
'Buton my accountcouldn't you alter your plans a little？ Come！'
'Dear Mr。 Barnet；' she said with a little flutter； 'I would on your
account if on anybody's in existence。 But you don't know in the
least what it is you are askingsuch an impracticable thingI
won't say ridiculous； of course； because I see that you are really
in earnest； and earnestness is never ridiculous to my mind。'
'Well； yes；' said Barnet more slowly； dropping her hand； which he
had taken at the moment of pleading； 'I am in earnest。 The resolve；
two months ago； at the Cape； to come back once more was； it is true；
rather sudden； and as I see now； not well considered。 But I am in
earnest in asking。'
'And I in declining。 With all good feeling and all kindness； let me
say that I am quite opposed to the idea of marrying a second time。'
'Well； no harm has been done；' he answered； with the same subdued
and tender humorousness that he had shown on such occasions in early
life。 'If you really won't accept me； I must put up with it； I
suppose。' His eye fell on the clock as he spoke。 'Had you any
notion that it was so late？' he asked。 'How absorbed I have been！'
She accompanied him to the hall； helped him to put on his overcoat；
and let him out of the house herself。
'Good…night；' said Barnet； on the doorstep； as the lamp shone in his
face。 'You are not offended with me？'
'Certainly not。 Nor you with me？'
'I'll consider whether I am or not；' he pleasantly replied。 'Good…
night。'
She watched him safely through the gate； and when his footsteps had
died away upon the road； closed the door softly and returned to the
room。 Here the modest widow long pondered his speeches； with eyes
dropped to an unusually low level。 Barnet's urbanity under the blow
of her refusal greatly impressed her。 After having his long period
of probation rendered useless by her decision； he had shown no
anger； and had philosophically taken her words as if he deserved no
better ones。 It was very gentlemanly of him； certainly； it was more
than gentlemanly； it was heroic and grand。 The more she meditated；
the more she questioned the virtue of her conduct in checking him so
peremptorily； and went to her bedroom in a mood of dissatisfaction。
On looking in the glass she was reminded that there was not so m