Thesimpleservicewenton；thefirstlessonwasread。Itcriedwoeuponthemthatjoinedhousetohouseandfieldtofield，thatdrawiniquitywithcordsofvanityandsinasitwerewithacartrope；
thatcallevilgoodandgoodevil，thatputdarknessforlightandlightfordarkness，thatjustifythewickedforreward；thatfeastfullbutregardnottheworkoftheLord，neitherconsidertheoperationofHishand，forofsuchitprophesiedthattheirhousesgreatandfairshouldbewithoutinhabitantanddesolate。
Itwasverywellread，andAlan，listening，thoughtthatthedenunciationsoftheoldseerofthousandsofyearsagowerenotinappropriatetothedwellersinsomehousesgreatandfairofhisownday，who，whatevertheydidorleftundone，regardednottheworkoftheLord，neitherconsideredtheoperationofHishand。PerhapsBarbarathoughtsotoo；atanyratearathersadlittlesmileappearedonceortwiceuponhersweet，firmfaceastheimmortalpoemechoeddowntheaisle。
Thepeacethatpassethunderstandingwasinvokedupontheirheads，andrisingwiththerestofthescantycongregationtheywentaway。
“Shallwewalkhomebythewoods，Alan？“askedBarbara。“Itisthreemilesround，butwedon’tlunchtilltwo。“
Henodded，andpresentlytheywerealoneinthosewoods，thebeautifulwoodsthroughwhichthebreathofspringwasbreathing，treadinguponcarpetsofbluebells，violetandprimrose；quitealone，unaccompaniedsavebythewildthingsthatstoleacrosstheirpath，undisturbedsavebythesoundofthesingingbirdsandofthewindamongthetrees。
“Whatdidyoumean，Barbara，whenyousaidthatIshouldbeagratefulmanto-day？“askedAlanpresently。
Barbaralookedhimintheeyesinthatopen，virginalfashionofhersandansweredinthewordsofthelesson，“’Woeuntothemthatdrawiniquitywiththecordsofvanityandsinasitwerewithacart-rope，thatlayhousetohouse，’“andthroughanopeninginthewoodsshepointedtotheroofofTheCourtstandingononehill，andtotheroofofOldHallstandinguponanother——“’andfieldtofield，’“andwithasweepofherhandsheindicatedallthecountryround，“’formanyhousesgreatandfairthathavemusicintheirfeastsshallbeleftdesolate。’“Thenturningshesaid:
“Doyouunderstandnow，Alan？“
“Ithinkso，“heanswered。“YoumeanthatIhavebeeninbadcompany。“
“Verybad，Alan。Oneofthemismyownuncle，butthetruthremainsthetruth。Alan，theyarenobetterthanthieves；allthiswealthisstolen，andIthankGodthatyouhavefounditoutintimebeforeyoubecameoneoftheminheartaswellasinname。“
“IfyourefertotheSaharaSyndicate，“hesaid，“theideaissoundenough；indeed，Iamresponsibleforit。Thethingcanbedone，greatbenefitswouldresult，toolongtogointo。“
“Yes，yes，Alan，butyouknowthattheynevermeantodoit，theyonlymeantogetthemillionsfromthepublic。Ihavelivedwithmyunclefortenyears，eversincemypoorfatherdied，andIknowthebackstairsofthebusiness。Therehavebeenhalfadozenschemeslikethis，andalthoughtheyhavehadtheirbadtimes，verybadtimes，heandSirRoberthavegrownricherandricher。Butwhathashappenedtothosewhohaveinvestedinthem？Oh！letusdropthesubject，itisunpleasant。Formyselfitdoesn’tmatter，becausealthoughitisn’tundermycontrol，Ihavemoneyofmyown。Youknowweareaplebeianlotonthemaleside，mygrandfatherwasadraperinalargewayofbusiness，myfatherwasacoal-merchantwhomadeagreatfortune。Hisbrother，myuncle，inwhommyfatheralwaysbelievedimplicitly，tooktowhatiscalledFinance，andwhenmyfatherdiedheleftme，hisonlychild，inhisguardianship。UntilIamfiveandtwentyIcannotevenmarryortouchahalfpennywithouthisconsent；infactifI
shouldmarryagainsthiswillthemostofmymoneygoestohim。“
“Iexpectthathehasgotitalready，“saidAlan。
“No，Ithinknot。Ifoundoutthat，althoughitisnotmine，itisnothis。Hecan’tdrawitwithoutmysignature，andIsteadilyrefusetosignanything。Againandagaintheyhavebroughtmedocuments，andI
havealwayssaidthatIwouldconsiderthematfiveandtwenty，whenI
cameofageundermyfather’swill。IwentontheslytoalawyerinKingswellandpaidhimaguineaforhisadvice，andheputmeuptothat。’Signnothing，’hesaid，andIhavesignednothing，so，exceptbyforgerynothingcanhavegone。Stillforallthatitmayhavegone。
ForanythingIknowIamnotworthmorethantheclothesIstandin，althoughmyfatherwasaveryrichman。“
“Ifso，weareaboutinthesameboat，Barbara，“Alanansweredwithalaugh，“formypresentpossessionsareYarleys，whichbringsinabout￡100ayearlessthantheinterestonitsmortgagesandcostofupkeep，andthe￡1700thatAylwardpaidmebackonFridayformyshares。IfIhadstucktothemIunderstandthatinaweekortwoI
shouldhavebeenworth￡100，000，andnowyousee，hereIam，overthirtyyearsofagewithoutaprofession，invalidedoutofthearmyandhavingfailedinfinance，amerebitofdriftwoodwithouthopeandwithoutatrade。“
Barbara’sbrowneyesgrewsoftwithsympathy，orwasittears？
“Youareacuriouscreature，Alan，“shesaid。“Whydidn’tyoutakethe￡17，000forthatfetishofyours？Itwouldhavebeenafairdealandhavesetyouonyourlegs。“
“Idon’tknow，“heanswereddejectedly。“Itwentagainstthegrain，sowhatistheuseoftalkingaboutit？IthinkmyolduncleAustintoldmeitwasn’ttobepartedwith——no，perhapsitwasJeekie。BothertheYellowGod！itisalwayscroppingup。“
“Yes，“repliedBarbara，“theYellowGodisalwayscroppingup，especiallyinthisneighbourhood。“
Theywalkedonawhileinsilence，tillsuddenlyBarbarasatdownuponaboleoffelledoakandbegantocry。
“Whatisthematterwithyou？“askedAlan。
“Idon’tknow，“sheanswered。“Everythinggoeswrong。Iliveinakindofgildedhell。Idon’tlikemyuncleandIloaththemenhebringsabouttheplace。Ihavenofriends，Iscarcelyknowawomanintimately，IhavetroublesIcan’ttellyouand——Iamwretched。YouaretheonlycreatureIhavelefttotalkto，andIsupposethatafterthisrowyoumustgoawaytootomakeyourliving。“
Alanlookedatherthereweepingonthelogandhisheartswelledwithinhim，forhehadlovedthisgirlforyears。
“Barbara，“hegasped，“pleasedon’tcry，itupsetsme。Youknowyouareagreatheiress——“
“Thatremainstobeproved，“sheanswered。“Butanyway，whathasittodowiththecase？“
“Ithaseverythingtodowithit，atleastsofarasIamconcerned。
Ifithadn’tbeenforthatIshouldhaveaskedyoutomarrymealongwhileago，becauseIloveyou，asIwouldnow，butofcourseitisimpossible。“
Barbaraceasedherweeping，wipedhereyeswiththebackofherhand，andlookedupathim。
“Alan，“shesaid，“IthinkthatyouarethebiggestfoolIeverknew——
notbutthatafoolisratherrefreshingwhenonelivesamongknaves。“
“IknowIamafool，“heanswered。“IfIwasn’tIshouldnothavementionedmymisfortunetoyou，butsometimesthingsaretoomuchforone。Forgetitandforgiveme。“
“Oh！yes，“shesaid；“Iforgiveyou；awomancangenerallyforgiveamanforbeingfondofher。Whatevershemaybe，sheisreadytotakealenientviewofhishumanweakness。Butastoforgetting，thatisadifferentmatter。Idon’texactlyseewhyIshouldbesoanxioustoforget，whohaven’tmanypeopletocareaboutme，“andshelookedathiminquiteanewfashion，oneindeedwhichgavehimsomethingofashock，forhehadnotthoughtthenymph-likeBarbaracapableofsuchalookasthat。Sheandanysortofpassionhadalwaysseemedsofarapart。
NowafterallAlanwasverymuchaman，ifamodestone，withallaman’sinstincts，andthereforethereareappearancesofthefemalefacewhichevensuchashecouldnotentirelymisinterpret。
“You——don’t——mean，“hesaiddoubtfully，“youdon’treallymean——“
andhestoodhesitatingbeforeher。
“Ifyouwouldputyourquestionalittlemoreclearly，Alan，Imightbeabletogiveyouananswer，“shereplied，thatquaintlittlesmileofherscreepingtothecornersofhermouthlikesunshinethroughamistofrain。
“Youdon’treallymean，“hewenton，“thatyoucareanythingaboutme，like，likeIhavecaredforyouforyears？“
“Oh！Alan，“shesaid，laughingoutright，“whyinthenameofgoodnessshouldn’tIcareaboutyou？Ididn’tsaythatIdo，mind，butwhyshouldn’tI？Whatisthegulfbetweenus？“
“Theoldone，“heanswered，“thatbetweenDivesandLazarus——thatbetweentherichandthepoor。“
“Alan，“saidBarbara，lookingdown，“Idon’tknowwhathascomeoverme，butforsomeunexplainedandinexplicablereasonIaminclinedtogiveLazarusalead——acrossthatgulf，thefirstone，Imean，notthesecond！“
Liketheglancewhichprecededit，thiswasasayingthatevenAlancouldnotmisunderstand。Hesathimselfonthelogbesideher，whileshe，stilllookingdown，watchedhimoutofthecornersofhereyes。
Hewentred，hewentwhite，hisheartbeatveryviolently。Thenhestretchedouthisbigbrownhandandtookhersmallwhiteone，andasthisfamiliarityproducednoremonstrance，letitfall，andpassinghisarmabouther，drewhertohimandembracedher，notonce，butoften，withsuchvigourthatasquirrelwhichhadbeenwatchingtheseproceedingsfromaneighbouringtree，boltedrounditscandalizedandwasseennomore。
