Theministerfollowed，smiling，andnotunpleasantlyexcitedbythewarofelements;for，bydintofhardworkthroughthelongsummer’sday，thegreaterpartofthehaywassafelyhousedinthebarninthefield。OnceortwiceinthesucceedingbustleIcameacrossPhillis，alwaysbusy，and，asitseemedtome，alwaysdoingtherightthing。WhenIwasaloneinmyownroomatnightIallowedmyselftofeelrelieved;andtobelievethattheworstwasover，andwasnotsoverybadafterall。Butthesucceedingdayswereverymiserable。SometimesIthoughtitmustbemyfancythatfalselyrepresentedPhillistomeasstrangelychanged，forsurely，ifthisideaofminewaswell-founded，herparents——herfatherandmother——herownfleshandblood——wouldhavebeenthefirsttoperceiveit。Yettheywentonintheirhouseholdpeaceandcontent;ifanything，alittlemorecheerfullythanusual，forthe’harvestofthefirst-fruits’，astheministercalledit，hadbeenmorebounteousthanusual，andtherewasplentyallaroundinwhichthehumblestlabourerwasmadetoshare。Aftertheonethunderstorm，cameoneortwolovelyserenesummerdays，duringwhichthehaywasallcarried;andthensucceededlongsoftrainsfillingtheearsofcorn，andcausingthemowngrasstospringafresh。Theministerallowedhimselfafewmorehoursofrelaxationandhomeenjoymentthanusualduringthiswetspell：hardearth-boundfrostwashiswinterholiday;thesewetdays，afterthehayharvest，hissummerholiday。Wesatewithopenwindows，thefragranceandthefreshnesscalledoutbythesoft-fallingrainfillingthehouse-place;whilethequietceaselesspatteramongtheleavesoutsideoughttohavehadthesamelullingeffectasallothergentleperpetualsounds，suchasmill-wheelsandbubblingsprings，haveonthenervesofhappypeople。Buttwoofuswerenothappy。Iwassureenoughofmyself，forone。Iwasworsethansure，——IwaswretchedlyanxiousaboutPhillis。
Eversincethatdayofthethunderstormtherehadbeenanew，sharp，discordantsoundtomeinhervoice，asortofjangleinhertone;andherrestlesseyeshadnoquietnessinthem;andhercolourcameandwentwithoutacausethatIcouldfindout。Theminister，happyinignoranceofwhatmostconcernedhim，broughtouthisbooks;hislearnedvolumesandclassics。WhetherhereadandtalkedtoPhillis，ortome，Idonotknow;butfeelingbyinstinctthatshewasnot，couldnotbe，attendingtothepeacefuldetails，sostrangeandforeigntotheturmoilinherheart，Iforcedmyselftolisten，andifpossibletounderstand。
’Lookhere！’saidtheminister，tappingtheoldvellum-boundbookheheld;’inthefirstGeorgichespeaksofrollingandirrigation，alittlefurtheronheinsistsonchoiceofthebestseed，andadvisesustokeepthedrainsclear。Again，noScotchfarmercouldgiveshrewderadvicethantocutlightmeadowswhilethedewison，eventhoughitinvolvenight-work。Itisalllivingtruthinthesedays。’Hebeganbeatingtimewitharuleruponhisknee，tosomeLatinlineshereadaloudjustthen。
IsupposethemonotonouschantirritatedPhillistosomeirregularenergy，forIrememberthequickknottingandbreakingofthethreadwithwhichshewassewing。Ineverhearthatsnaprepeatednow，withoutsuspectingsomestingorstabtroublingtheheartoftheworker。CousinHolman，atherpeacefulknitting，noticedthereasonwhyPhillishadsoconstantlytointerrupttheprogressofherseam。
’Itisbadthread，I’mafraid，’shesaid，inagentlesympatheticvoice。