ThesuddennessofElfride\'srenunciationofhimselfwasfoodformoretorture。Toanunimpassionedoutsider，itadmittedofatleasttwointerpretations——itmighteitherhaveproceededfromanendeavourtobefaithfultoherfirstchoice，tilltheloverseenabsolutelyoverpoweredtheloverremembered，orfromawishnottolosehislovetillsureoftheloveofanother。ButtoStephenSmiththemotiveinvolvedinthelatteralternativemadeituntenablewhereElfridewastheactor。
Hemusedonherletterstohim，inwhichshehadnevermentionedasyllableconcerningKnight。Itisdesirable，however，toobservethatonlyintwoletterscouldshepossiblyhavedoneso。OnewaswrittenaboutaweekbeforeKnight\'sarrival，when，thoughshedidnotmentionhispromisedcomingtoStephen，shehadhardlyadefinitereasoninhermindforneglectingtodoit。InthenextshedidcasuallyalludetoKnight。ButStephenhadleftBombaylongbeforethatletterarrived。
Stephenlookedattheblackformoftheadjacenthouse，whereitcutadarkpolygonalnotchoutofthesky，andfeltthathehatedthespot。Hedidnotknowmanyfactsofthecase，butcouldnothelpinstinctivelyassociatingElfride\'sficklenesswiththemarriageofherfather，andtheirintroductiontoLondonsociety。
Heclosedtheirongateboundingtheshrubberyasnoiselesslyashehadopenedit，andwentintothegrassyfield。Herehecouldseetheoldvicarage，thehousealonethatwasassociatedwiththesweetpleasanttimeofhisincipientloveforElfride。Turningsadlyfromtheplacethatwasnolongeranookinwhichhisthoughtsmightnestlewhenhewasfaraway，hewanderedinthedirectionoftheeastvillage，toreachhisfather\'shousebeforetheyretiredtorest。
Thenearestwaytothecottagewasbycrossingthepark。Hedidnothurry。Happinessfrequentlyhasreasonforhaste，butitisseldomthatdesolationneedscrambleorstrain。Sometimeshepausedunderthelow-hangingarmsofthetrees，lookingvacantlyontheground。