\"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。\"
