CHAPTERXXVI
Philippa，latethatafternoon，foundwhatshesought-solitude。
ShehadwalkedalongthesandsuntilDreymarshlayoutofsightontheothersideofaspurofthecliffs。Beforeherstretchedalongandlevelplain，afringeofsand，andabeltofshinglybeach。Therewasnotasignofanyhumanbeinginsight，andofbuildingsonlyaquainttoweronthefarhorizon。
Shefoundadryplaceonthepebbles，removedherhatandsatdown，herhandsclaspedaroundherknees，hereyesturnedseaward。Shehadcomeoutheretothink，butitwasoddhowfugitiveandtransientherthoughtsbecame。Herhusbandwasalwaysthereinthebackground，butinthosemomentsitwasLessinghamwhowasthepredominantfigure。Sherememberedhisearnestness，histendersolicitudeforher，thecouragewhich，whennecessitydemanded，hadflamedupinhim，abornandnaturalquality。Sherememberedtheagonyofthosefewminutesontheprecedingday，whennothingbutwhatstillseemedamiraclehadsavedhim。Atonemomentshefeltherselfinclinedtopraythathemightnevercomeback。Atanother，herheartachedtoseehimoncemore。Sheknewsowellthatifhecameitwouldbeforhersake，thathewouldcometoaskherfinallythequestionwithwhichshehadfenced。Sheknew，too，thathiscomingwouldbethemomentofherlife。Shewassomuchofawoman，andthepassionatecravingofhersextogiveloveforlovewasthereinherheart，almostomnipotent。Andinthebackgroundtherewasthatbitterdesiretobringsufferinguponthemanwhohadtreatedherlikeachild，whohadplacedherinafalsepositionwithallotherwomen，whohaddawdledandidledawayhisdays，heedlessofhisduty，heedlessofeveryseriousobligation。Whenshetriedtoreason，herwayseemedsoclear，andyet，behinditall，therewasthatcoldimpulseofalmostVictorianprudishness，theinheritanceofalonglineofvirtuouswomen，aprudishnesswhichshehadonce，whenshehadbelievedthatitwaspartofhersecondnature，scoffedatasbeingtheoutcomeofoneofthefinerformsofselfishness。
Shetoldherselfthatshehadcometheretodecide，anddecisioncamenonearertoher。Alateafternoonstarshoneweaklyinthesky。Afaint，vaporousmistobscuredthehorizonandfloatedintangledwreathsuponthefaceofthesea。Onlythatlineofsandseemedstillclear-cutanddistinct，andassheglancedalongithereyeswereheldbysomethingapproaching，somethingwhichseemedatfirstnothingbutablack，movingspeck，thengraduallyresolveditselfintothesemblanceofamanonhorseback，gallopingfuriously。Shewatchedhimashedrewnearerandnearer，thesandflyingfromhishorse’shoofs，hisfiguremotionless，hiseyesapparentlyfixeduponsomedistantspot。Itwasnotuntilhehadcomewithinfiftyyardsofherthatsherecognisedhim。Hishorseshiedatthesightofherandwassuddenlyswungroundwithapowerfulwrist。Littlespecksofsand，churnedupinthemomentarystampedeofhoofs，felluponherskirt。Fortherest，shewatchedthestrugglecomposedly，astrugglewhichwasoveralmostassoonasitwasbegun。CaptainGriffithsleaneddownfromhistremblingbutsubduedhorse。