Kaleidoscopicdreamsofaweirdalchemist-surgeon，GrammerOliver’sskeleton，andthefaceofGilesWinterborne，broughtGraceMelburytothemorningofthenextday。Itwasfine。A
northwindwasblowing——thatnotunacceptablecompromisebetweentheatmosphericcutleryoftheeasternblastandthespongygalesofthewestquarter。Shelookedfromherwindowinthedirectionofthelightofthepreviousevening，andcouldjustdiscernthroughthetreestheshapeofthesurgeon’shouse。Somehow，inthebroad，practicaldaylight，thatunknownandlonelygentlemanseemedtobeshornofmuchoftheinterestwhichhadinvestedhispersonalityandpursuitsinthehoursofdarkness，andasGrace’sdressingproceededhefadedfromhermind。
Meanwhile，Winterborne，thoughhalfassuredofherfather’sfavor，wasrenderedalittlerestlessbyMissMelbury’sbehavior。
Despitehisdryself-control，hecouldnothelplookingcontinuallyfromhisowndoortowardsthetimber-merchant’s，intheprobabilityofsomebody’semergencetherefrom。Hisattentionwasatlengthjustifiedbytheappearanceoftwofigures，thatofMr。Melburyhimself，andGracebesidehim。Theysteppedoutinadirectiontowardsthedensestquarterofthewood，andWinterbornewalkedcontemplativelybehindthem，tillallthreeweresoonunderthetrees。
Althoughthetimeofbareboughshadnowsetin，therewereshelteredhollowsamidtheHintockplantationsandcopsesinwhichamoretardyleave-takingthanonwindysummitswastherulewiththefoliage。Thiscausedhereandthereanapparentmixtureoftheseasons；sothatinsomeofthedellsthattheypassedbyholly-berriesinfullredwerefoundgrowingbesideoakandhazelwhoseleaveswereasyetnotfarremovedfromgreen，andbrambleswhoseverdurewasrichanddeepasinthemonthofAugust。ToGracethesewell-knownpeculiaritieswereasanoldpaintingrestored。