Shehadseenthehoppickers’hutsandhadrecognisedtheircondition。Merebrickshedsinwhichthepickerssleptuponbundlesofhayorstrawintheirbestdays；intheirdecaytheydidnotevenprovideshelter。Infineweatherthehopgathererssleptwellenoughinthem，cookingtheirfoodingypsy—fashionintheopen。Whentheraindescended，itmustrundownwallsanddripthroughtheholesintheroofsinstreamswhichwouldsoakclothesandbedding。TheworstthatNigelandMrs。
Brenthadimpliedwastrue。Illnessofanyorder，undersuchcircumstances，wouldhavesmallchanceofrecovery，butmalignanttyphoidwithoutshelter，withoutpropernourishmentornursing，hadnotonechanceinamillion。Andhe——thisoneman——stoodaloneinthemidstofthetragedy——responsibleandhelpless。Hewouldfeelhimselfresponsibleassheherselfwould，ifshewereinhisplace。Shewasconsciousthatsuddenlytheeventoftheafternoon——theinterviewuponthemarshes，hadrecededuntilithadbecomeanalmostunmeaningincident。Whatdidthedegenerate，melodramaticfollymatter————！
Shehadrestlesslyleftherchairbeforethedressing—table，andwaswalkingtoandfro。Shepausedandstoodlookingdownatthecarpet，thoughshescarcelysawit。
\"Nothingmattersbutonething——oneperson，\"sheownedtoherselfaloud。\"Isupposeitisalwayslikethis。Rosy，Ughtred，evenfatherandmother——everyoneseemslessnearthantheywere。Itistoostrong——toostrong。Itis————\"thewordsdroppedslowlyfromherlips，\"thestrongestthing——
intheworld。\"