Wasagreatoratorgoingtoaddresstheassembly？Wasagloriousanniversarytobecommemorated？Wasareligiousservicetobeperformed？Helookedroundhimtoapplyforinformationoncemore。Twogentlemen——whocontrastedfavorably，sofarasrefinementofmannerwasconcerned，withmostofthespectatorspresent——wereslowlymakingtheirway，atthatmoment，throughthecrowdnearhim。Herespectfullyaskedwhatnationalsolemnitywasnowabouttotakeplace。Theyinformedhimthatapairofstrongyoungmenweregoingtorunroundtheinclosureforagivennumberofturns，withtheobjectofascertainingwhichcouldrunthefastestofthetwo。
Theforeignerliftedhishandsandeyestoheaven。Oh，multifariousProvidence!whowouldhavesuspectedthattheinfinitediversitiesofthycreationincludedsuchbeingsasthese!Withthataspiration，heturnedhisbackontherace-course，andlefttheplace。
Onhiswayoutofthegroundshehadoccasiontousehishandkerchief，andfoundthatitwasgone。Hefeltnextforhispurse。Hispursewasmissingtoo。Whenhewasbackagaininhisowncountry，intelligentinquirieswereaddressedtohimonthesubjectofEngland。Hehadbutonereplytogive。“Thewholenationisamysterytome。OfalltheEnglishpeopleIonlyunderstandtheEnglishthieves!“
Inthemeantimethetwogentlemen，makingtheirwaythroughthecrowd，reachedawicket-gateinthefencewhichsurroundedtheinclosure。
Presentingawrittenordertothepolicemaninchargeofthegate，theywereforthwithadmittedwithinthesacredprecinctsThecloselypackedspectators，regardingthemwithmixedfeelingsofenvyandcuriosity，wonderedwhotheymightbe。Weretheyrefereesappointedtoactatthecomingrace？orreportersforthenewspapers？orcommissionersofpolice？Theywereneithertheonenortheother。TheywereonlyMr。Speedwell，thesurgeon，andSirPatrickLundie。
Thetwogentlemenwalkedintothecentreoftheinclosure，andlookedroundthem。
Thegrassonwhichtheywerestandingwasgirdledbyabroadsmoothpath，composedoffinely-siftedashesandsand——andthisagainwassurroundedbythefenceandbythespectatorsrankedbehindit。Abovethelinesthusformedroseononesidetheamphitheatreswiththeirtiersofcrowdedbenches，andontheotherthelongrowsofcarriageswiththesight-seersinsideandout。Theeveningsunwasshiningbrightly，thelightandshadelaytogetheringrandmasses，thevariedcolorsofobjectsblendedsoftlyonewiththeother。Itwasasplendidandaninspiritingscene。
SirPatrickturnedfromtherowsofeagerfacesallroundhimtohisfriendthesurgeon。
“Isthereonepersontobefoundinthisvastcrowd，“heasked，“whohascometoseetheracewiththedoubtinhismindwhichhasbrought_us_toseeit？“
Mr。Speedwellshookhishead。“Notoneofthemknowsorcareswhatthestrugglemaycostthemenwhoengageinit。“
SirPatricklookedroundhimagain。“IalmostwishIhadnotcometoseeit，“hesaid。“Ifthiswretchedman——“
Thesurgeoninterposed。“Don’tdwellneedlessly，SirPatrick，onthegloomyview，“herejoined。“TheopinionIhaveformedhas，thusfar，nopositivegroundstoreston。Iamguessingrightly，asIbelieve，butatthesametimeIamguessinginthedark。
Appearances_may_havemisledme。TheremaybereservesofvitalforceinMr。Delamayn’sconstitutionwhichIdon’tsuspect。Iamheretolearnalesson——nottoseeapredictionfulfilled。Iknowhishealthisbroken，andIbelieveheisgoingtorunthisraceathisownproperperil。Don’tfeeltoosurebeforehandoftheevent。Theeventmayprovemetobewrong。“
ForthemomentSirPatrickdroppedthesubject。Hewasnotinhisusualspirits。
SincehisinterviewwithAnnehadsatisfiedhimthatshewasGeoffrey’slawfulwife，theconvictionhadinevitablyforceditselfonhismindthattheonepossiblechanceforherinthefuture，wasthechanceofGeoffrey’sdeath。Horribleasitwastohim，hehadbeenpossessedbythatoneidea——gowherehemight，dowhathemight，struggleashemighttoforcehisthoughtsinotherdirections。Helookedroundthebroadashenpathonwhichtheracewastoberun，consciousthathehadasecretinterestinitwhichitwasunutterablyrepugnanttohimtofeel。Hetriedtoresumetheconversationwithhisfriend，andtoleadittoothertopics。Theeffortwasuseless。Indespiteofhimself，hereturnedtotheonefatalsubjectofthestrugglethatwasnowcloseathand。
“Howmanytimesmusttheygoroundthisinclosure，“heinquired，“beforetheraceisended？“
Mr。Speedwellturnedtowardagentlemanwhowasapproachingthematthemoment。“Hereissomebodycomingwhocantellus，“hesaid。
“Youknowhim？“
“Heisoneofmypatients。“
“Whoishe？“
“Afterthetworunnersheisthemostimportantpersonageontheground。Heisthefinalauthority——theumpireoftherace。“
Thepersonthusdescribedwasamiddle-agedman，withaprematurelywrinkledface，withprematurelywhitehairandwithsomethingofamilitarylookabouthim——briefinspeech，andquickinmanner。
“Thepathmeasuresfourhundredandfortyyardsround，“hesaid，whenthesurgeonhadrepeatedSirPatrick’squestiontohim。“Inplainerwords，andnottoputyoutoyourarithmeticoncerounditisaquarterofamile。Eachroundiscalleda’Lap。’ThemenmustrunsixteenLapstofinishtherace。Nottoputyoutoyourarithmeticagain，theymustrunfourmiles——thelongestraceofthiskindwhichitiscustomarytoattemptatSportslikethese。“
“Professionalpedestriansexceedthatlimit，dotheynot？“
“Considerably——oncertainoccasions。“
“Aretheyalong-livedrace？“
“Farfromit。Theyareexceptionswhentheylivetobeoldmen。“
Mr。SpeedwelllookedatSirPatrick。SirPatrickputaquestiontotheumpire。
“Youhavejusttoldus，“hesaid，“thatthetwoyoungmenwhoappearto-dayaregoingtorunthelongestdistanceyetattemptedintheirexperience。Isitgenerallythought，bypersonswhounderstandsuchthings，thattheyarebothfittobeartheexertiondemandedofthem？“
“Youcanjudgeforyourself，Sir。Hereisoneofthem。“
Hepointedtowardthepavilion。Atthesamemomentthereroseamightyclappingofhandsfromthegreatthrongofspectators。Fleetwood，championoftheNorth，decoratedinhispinkcolors，descendedthepavilionstepsandwalkedintothearena。
Young，lithe，andelegant，withsupplestrengthexpressedineverymovementofhislimbs，withabrightsmileonhisresoluteyoungface，themanofthenorthwonthewomen’sheartsatstarting。Themurmurofeagertalkroseamongthemonallsides。
Themenwerequieter——especiallythemenwhounderstoodthesubject。ItwasaseriousquestionwiththeseexpertswhetherFleetwoodwasnot“alittletoofine。“Superblytrained，itwasadmitted——but，possibly，alittleover-trainedforafour-milerace。
Thenorthernherowasfollowedintotheinclosurebyhisfriendsandbackers，andbyhistrainer。Thislastcarriedatincaninhishand。“Coldwater，“theumpireexplained。“Ifhegetsexhausted，histrainerwillpickhimupwithadashofitashegoesby。“
Anewburstofhand-clappingrattledallroundthearena。
Delamayn，championoftheSouth，decoratedinhisyellowcolors，presentedhimselftothepublicview。
Theimmensehumofvoicesroselouderandlouderashewalkedintothecentreofthegreatgreenspace。Surpriseattheextraordinarycontrastbetweenthetwomenwastheprevalentemotionofthemoment。Geoffreywasmorethanaheadtallerthanhisantagonist，andbroaderinfullproportion。ThewomenwhohadbeencharmedwiththeeasygaitandconfidentsmileofFleetwood，wereallmoreorlesspainfullyimpressedbythesullenstrengthofthesouthernman，ashepassedbeforethemslowly，withhisheaddownandhisbrowsknit，deaftotheapplauseshoweredonhim，recklessoftheeyesthatlookedathim；speakingtonobody；
concentratedinhimself；bidinghistime。Heheldthemenwhounderstoodthesubjectbreathlesswithinterest。Thereitwas!
thefamous“stayingpower“thatwastoendureinthelastterriblehalf-mileoftherace，whenthenimbleandjauntyFleetwoodwasrunoffhislegs。WhispershadbeenspreadabroadhintingatsomethingwhichhadgonewrongwithDelamayninhistraining。Andnowthatalleyescouldjudgehim，hisappearancesuggestedcriticisminsomequarters。Itwasexactlytheoppositeofthecriticismpassedonhisantagonist。ThedoubtastoDelamaynwaswhetherhehadbeensufficientlytrained。Stillthesolidstrengthoftheman，theslow，panther-likesmoothnessofhismovements——and，aboveall，hisgreatreputationintheworldofmuscleandsport——hadtheireffect。Thebettingwhich，withoccasionalfluctuations，hadheldsteadilyinhisfavorthusfar，held，nowthathewaspubliclyseen，steadilyinhisfavorstill。
“Fleetwoodforshorterdistances，ifyoulike；butDelamaynforafour-milerace。“
“Doyouthinkheseesus？“whisperedSirPatricktothesurgeon。
“Heseesnobody。“
“Canyoujudgeoftheconditionheisin，atthisdistance？“
“Hehastwicethemuscularstrengthoftheotherman。Histrunkandlimbsaremagnificent。Itisuselesstoaskmemorethanthatabouthiscondition。Wearetoofarfromhimtoseehisfaceplainly。“
Theconversationamongtheaudiencebegantoflagagain；andthesilentexpectationsetinamongthemoncemore。Onebyone，thedifferentpersonsofficiallyconnectedwiththeracegatheredtogetheronthegrass。ThetrainerPerrywasamongthem，withhiscanofwaterinhishand，inanxiouswhisperingconversationwithhisprincipal——givinghimthelastwordsofadvicebeforethestart。Thetrainer’sdoctor，leavingthemtogether，cameuptopayhisrespectstohisillustriouscolleague。