Chapter 49

           Theappealdulyfounditswaytothebreakfast-tableofthequietVicaragetothewestward,inthatvalleywheretheairissosoftandthesoilsorichthattheeffortofgrowthrequiresbutsuperficialaidbycomparisonwiththetillageatFlintcomb-Ash,andwheretoTessthehumanworldseemedsodifferent(thoughitwasmuchthesame).ItwaspurelyforsecuritythatshehadbeenrequestedbyAngeltosendhercommunicationsthroughhisfather,whomhekeptprettywellinformedofhischangingaddressesinthecountryhehadgonetoexploitforhimselfwithaheavyheart.

           “Now,”saidoldMrClaretohiswife,whenhehadreadtheenvelope,“ifAngelproposesleavingRioforavisithomeattheendofnextmonth,ashetoldusthathehopedtodo,Ithinkthismayhastenhisplans;forIbelieveittobefromhiswife.”Hebreatheddeeplyatthethoughtofher;andtheletterwasredirectedtobepromptlysentontoAngel.

           “Dearfellow,Ihopehewillgethomesafely,”murmuredMrsClare.“TomydyingdayIshallfeelthathehadbeenill-used.YoushouldhavesenthimtoCambridgeinspiteofhiswantoffaith,andgivenhimthesamechanceastheotherboyshad.Hewouldhavegrownoutofitunderproperinfluence,andperhapswouldhavetakenOrdersafterall.ChurchornoChurch,itwouldhavebeenfairertohim.”

           ThiswastheonlywailwithwhichMrsClareeverdisturbedherhusband’speaceinrespecttotheirsons.