d round it. He was there, writing busily at a distant
table, with his back toward the door (in fact, Sir Hugo had asked him
to answer some constituents' letters which had become pressing). An
enormous log fire, with the scent of Russia from the books, made the
great room as warmly odorous as a private chapel in which the censors
have been swinging. It seemed too daring to go in--too rude to speak
and interrupt him; yet she went in on the noiseless carpet, and stood
still for two or three minutes, till Deronda, having finished a letter,
pushed it aside for signature, and threw himself back to consider
whether there were anything else for him to do, or whether he could
walk out for the chance of meeting the party which included Gwendolen,
when he heard her voice saying, "Mr. Deronda."

It was certainly startling. He rose hastily, turned round, and pushed
away his chair with a strong expression of surprise.

"Am I wrong to come in?" said Gwendolen.

"I thought you were far on your walk," said Deronda.

"I turned back," said Gwendolen.

"Do you intend to go out again? I could join you now, if you would
allow me."

"No; I want to say something, and I can't stay long," said Gwendolen,
speaking quickly in a subdued tone, while she walked forward and rested
her arms and muff on the back of the chair he had pushed away from him.
"I want to tell you that it is really so--I can't help feeling remorse
for having injured others. That was what I meant when I said that I had
done worse than gamble again and pawn the necklace again--something
more injurious, as you called it. And I can't alter it. I am punished,
but I can't alter it. You said I could do many things. Tell me again.
What should you do--what should you feel if you were in my place?"

The hurried directness with which she spoke--the absence of all her
little airs, as if she were only concerned to use the time in getting
an answer that would guide her, made her appeal unspeakably touching.

Deronda said,--"I should feel something of what you feel--deep sorrow."

"But what would you try to do?" said Gwendolen, with urgent quickness.

"Order my life so as to make any possible amends, and keep away from
doing any sort of injury again," said Deronda, catching her sense that
the time for speech was brief.

"But I can't--I can't; I must go on," said Gwendolen, in a passionate
loud whisper. "I have thrust out others--I have made my gain out of
their loss--tried to make