hrough the
seasons of wandering generations like a plant with wandering seed, that
gives the far-off lands a kinship to the exile's home--while, also, his
mind went toward Gwendolen, with anxious remembrance of what had been,
and with a half-admitted impression that it would be hardness in him
willingly to go away at once without making some effort, in spite of
Grandcourt's probable dislike, to manifest the continuance of his
sympathy with her since their abrupt parting.

In this state of mind he deferred departure, ate his dinner without
sense of flavor, rose from it quickly to find the synagogue, and in
passing the porter asked if Mr. and Mrs. Grandcourt were still in the
hotel, and what was the number of their apartment. The porter gave him
the number, but added that they were gone out boating. That information
had somehow power enough over Deronda to divide his thoughts with the
memories wakened among the sparse _talithim_ and keen dark faces of
worshippers whose way of taking awful prayers and invocations with the
easy familiarity which might be called Hebrew dyed Italian, made him
reflect that his grandfather, according to the Princess's hints of his
character, must have been almost as exceptional a Jew as Mordecai. But
were not men of ardent zeal and far-reaching hope everywhere
exceptional? the men who had the visions which, as Mordecai said, were
the creators and feeders of the world--moulding and feeding the more
passive life which without them would dwindle and shrivel into the
narrow tenacity of insects, unshaken by thoughts beyond the reach of
their antennae. Something of a mournful impatience perhaps added itself
to the solicitude about Gwendolen (a solicitude that had room to grow
in his present release from immediate cares) as an incitement to hasten
from the synagogue and choose to take his evening walk toward the quay,
always a favorite haunt with him, and just now attractive with the
possibility that he might be in time to see the Grandcourts come in
from their boating. In this case, he resolved that he would advance to
greet them deliberately, and ignore any grounds that the husband might
have for wishing him elsewhere.

The sun had set behind a bank of cloud, and only a faint yellow light
was giving its farewell kisses to the waves, which were agitated by an
active breeze. Deronda, sauntering slowly within sight of what took
place on the strand, observed the groups there concentrating their
attent