When Myles came in, during the forenoon, she was struck, for the first time, with his great stillness and the strange, haggard look upon his face. She remembered that he had been out all night, and asked him what he had been doing. ‘I dare say it seemed unkind,’ he replied, ‘but you may trust me, Molly, I couldn’t help it. I can’t explain to you why it was; something had happened. I couldn’t help it.’ He sat down beside her, and took her hand, and they both remained there, looking mournfully into the little fire; she with the sorrow of deep affection which knows its object removed; he sad too, but with a more incurable sadness than hers. They were both oppressed with sorrow, but he ‘Beneath a rougher sea, And whelmed in deeper gulfs than she.’ On this scene entered Harry Ashworth, with offers of his services if they were wanted, and also with the object of telling Myles what had passed between him and Mary. Myles heard it all out, down to Mary’s acknowledgment that she wished to marry Harry, ‘supposing thou hast nothing against it, Myles.’ ‘Against it? What could I have against it? You’ve my hearty consent and good wishes, both of you. There won’t be a better wife in Thanshope, nor in England, than you’ll get, Harry; and I know you so well that I’m not afraid to trust Molly to you. I’m glad it is so, for I don’t think I shall stay here long, and I should have been unhappy to leave her alone. I hope you’ll both be as happy as you deserve.’ He shook hands with Harry and kissed Mary, but he could not force a smile. They saw that he was glad, relieved to find that they had decided to be married; but they also saw that he had some sorrow behind it all, which was greater than the joy. * * * * * It was a little after eight on the same evening. Myles found himself standing opposite the Townhall, with his hand on the latch of the Oakenrod gate. He paused a moment before lifting it, then summoning up courage, did so, and stood within the garden of the house against which he had had so long and so strong a prejudice. He had never been so near it before. His feet were strange within the gates of rich or important people of any kind, but particularly here. It was with a sort of thrill that he looked round at the smoothly shaven grass, the dazzling flower-beds, in all the splendour of their June garments, the softly rolled gravel beneath his feet. The errand he came upon was one which, a month ago, he would have repudiated, would have said that no imaginable combination of circumstances could make him undertake. Yes, truly; but the combinations of circumstances which force us into the actions that humble us, and wound us, and sting our self-esteem with hornet-stings, are always such combinations as we should never imagine beforehand, because it never occurs to us that deserving persons, such as ourselves, can be put into positions only appropriate to ill-regulated conduct.