Theinterimclosedupitsperspectivesurelyandsilently。
WheneverGracehadanydoubtsofherposition，thesenseofcontractingtimewaslikeashorteningchamber：atothermomentsshewascomparativelyblithe。Dayafterdaywaxedandwaned；theoneortwowoodmenwhosawed，shaped，spokeshavedonherfather’spremisesatthisinactiveseasonoftheyear，regularlycameandunlockedthedoorsinthemorning，lockedthemintheevening，supped，leanedovertheirgarden-gatesforawhiffofeveningair，andtocatchanylastandfarthestthrobofnewsfromtheouterworld，whichenteredandexpiredatLittleHintockliketheexhaustedswellofawaveinsomeinnermostcavernofsomeinnermostcreekofanembayedsea；yetnonewsinterferedwiththenuptialpurposeattheirneighbor’shouse。Thesappygreentwig-
tipsoftheseason’sgrowthwouldnot，shethought，beappreciablywoodieronthedayshebecameawife，sonearwasthetime；thetintsofthefoliagewouldhardlyhavechanged。Everythingwassomuchasusualthatnoitinerantstrangerwouldhavesupposedawoman’sfatetobehanginginthebalanceatthatsummer’sdecline。
Buttherewerepreparations，imaginablereadilyenoughbythosewhohadspecialknowledge。IntheremoteandfashionabletownofSandbournesomethingwasgrowingupunderthehandsofseveralpersonswhohadneverseenGraceMelbury，neverwouldseeher，orcareanythingaboutheratall，thoughtheircreationhadsuchinterestingrelationtoherlifethatitwouldencloseherveryheartatamomentwhenthatheartwouldbeat，ifnotwithmoreemotionalardor，atleastwithmoreemotionalturbulencethanatanyprevioustime。
WhydidMrs。Dollery’svan，insteadofpassingalongattheendofthesmallervillagetoGreatHintockdirect，turnoneSaturdaynightintoLittleHintockLane，andneverpulluptillitreachedMr。Melbury’sgates？Thegildingshineofeveningfelluponalarge，flatboxnotlessthanayardsquare，andsafelytiedwithcord，asitwashandedoutfromunderthetiltwithagreatdealofcare。Butitwasnotheavyforitssize；Mrs。Dolleryherselfcarrieditintothehouse。TimTangs，thehollow-turner，Bawtree，SukeDamson，andothers，lookedknowing，andmaderemarkstoeachotherastheywatcheditsentrance。Melburystoodatthedoorofthetimber-shedintheattitudeofamantowhomsuchanarrivalwasatriflingdomesticdetailwithwhichhedidnotcondescendtobeconcerned。Yethewelldivinedthecontentsofthatbox，andwasintruthallthewhileinapleasantexaltationattheproofthatthusfar，atanyrate，nodisappointmenthadsupervened。