'

'And then I am going to Castle Boterel. Good-bye.'

He spoke the farewell as if it were but for the day--lightly, as he had
spoken such temporary farewells many times before--and she seemed to
understand it as such. Knight had not the power to tell her plainly that
he was going for ever; he hardly knew for certain that he was: whether
he should rush back again upon the current of an irresistible emotion,
or whether he could sufficiently conquer himself, and her in him, to
establish that parting as a supreme farewell, and present himself to the
world again as no woman's.

Ten minutes later he had left the house, leaving directions that if he
did not return in the evening his luggage was to be sent to his chambers
in London, whence he intended to write to Mr. Swancourt as to the
reasons of his sudden departure. He descended the valley, and could not
forbear turning his head. He saw the stubble-field, and a slight girlish
figure in the midst of it--up against the sky. Elfride, docile as ever,
had hardly moved a step, for he had said, Remain. He looked and saw her
again--he saw her for weeks and months. He withdrew his eyes from
the scene, swept his hand across them, as if to brush away the sight,
breathed a low groan, and went on.

Chapter XXXV

'And wilt thou leave me thus?--say nay--say nay!'

The scene shifts to Knight's chambers in Bede's Inn. It was late in the
evening of the day following his departure from Endelstow. A drizzling
rain descended upon London, forming a humid and dreary halo over every
well-lighted street. The rain had not yet been prevalent long enough to
give to rapid vehicles that clear and distinct rattle which follows
the thorough washing of the stones by a drenching rain, but was just
sufficient to make footway and roadway slippery, adhesive, and clogging
to both feet and wheels.

Knight was standing by the fire, looking into its expiring embers,
previously to emerging from his door for a dreary journey home to
Richmond. His hat was on, and the gas turned off. The blind of the
window overlooking the alley was not drawn down; and with the light from
beneath, which shone over the ceiling of the room, came, in place of the
usual babble, only the reduced clatter and quick speech which were the
result of necessity rather than choice.

Whilst he thus stood, waiting for the expiration of the few minutes that
were wanting to the time for his catching the train, a light tapping
up