VIII

           SHEhadlostthesenseoftime,anddidnotknowhowlateitwastillshecameoutintothestreetandsawthatallthewindowsweredarkbetweenMissHatchard’sandtheRoyallhouse.

           AsshepassedfromundertheblackpalloftheNorwaysprucesshefanciedshesawtwofiguresintheshadeabouttheduck-pond.Shedrewbackandwatched;butnothingmoved,andshehadstaredsolongintothelamp-litroomthatthedarknessconfusedher,andshethoughtshemusthavebeenmistaken.

           Shewalkedon,wonderingwhetherMr.Royallwasstillintheporch.Inherexaltedmoodshedidnotgreatlycarewhetherhewaswaitingforherornot:sheseemedtobefloatinghighoverlife,onagreatcloudofmiserybeneathwhichevery-dayrealitieshaddwindledtomerespecksinspace.Buttheporchwasempty,Mr.Royall’shathungonitspeginthepassage,andthekitchenlamphadbeenlefttolighthertobed.Shetookitandwentup.

           Themorninghoursofthenextdaydraggedbywithoutincident.Charityhadimaginedthat,insomewayorother,shewouldlearnwhetherHarneyhadalreadyleft;butVerena’sdeafnesspreventedherbeingasourceofnews,andnoonecametothehousewhocouldbringenlightenment.

           Mr.Royallwentoutearly,anddidnotreturntillVerenahadsetthetableforthemiddaymeal.Whenhecameinhewentstraighttothekitchenandshoutedtotheoldwoman:“Readyfordinner——”thenheturnedintothedining-room,whereCharitywasalreadyseated.Harney’splatewasinitsusualplace,butMr.Royallofferednoexplanationofhisabsence,andCharityaskednone.