Suchaterribleletteritwasinitsimport，thoughcouchedinthegentlestlanguage。InhisabsenceGracehadgrowntoregardhimwithtoleration，andherrelationtohimwithequanimity，tillshehadalmostforgottenhowtryinghispresencewouldbe。Hewrotebrieflyandunaffectedly；hemadenoexcuses，butinformedherthathewaslivingquitealone，andhadbeenledtothinkthattheyoughttobetogether，ifshewouldmakeuphermindtoforgivehim。HethereforepurportedtocrosstheChanneltoBudmouthbythesteameronadayhenamed，whichshefoundtobethreedaysafterthetimeofherpresentreading。
HesaidthathecouldnotcometoHintockforobviousreasons，whichherfatherwouldunderstandevenbetterthanherself。Astheonlyalternativeshewastobeonthequaytomeetthesteamerwhenitarrivedfromtheoppositecoast，probablyabouthalfanhourbeforemidnight，bringingwithheranyluggageshemightrequire；joinhimthere，andpasswithhimintothetwinvessel，whichleftimmediatelytheotherenteredtheharbor；returningthuswithhimtohiscontinentaldwelling-place，whichhedidnotname。Hehadnointentionofshowinghimselfonlandatall。
ThetroubledGracetookthelettertoherfather，whonowcontinuedforlonghoursbythefirelesssummerchimney-corner，asifhethoughtitwerewinter，thepitcherofciderstandingbesidehim，mostlyuntasted，andcoatedwithafilmofdust。Afterreadingithelookedup。
“Yousha’n’tgo。”saidhe。
“IhadfeltIwouldnot。”sheanswered。“ButIdidnotknowwhatyouwouldsay。”