to him: Martin Poyser was there--the whole Poyser
family.

What--Hetty?

Yes; for Arthur was at ease about Hetty--not quite at ease about the
past, for a certain burning of the ears would come whenever he thought
of the scenes with Adam last August, but at ease about her present lot.
Mr. Irwine, who had been a regular correspondent, telling him all the
news about the old places and people, had sent him word nearly three
months ago that Adam Bede was not to marry Mary Burge, as he had
thought, but pretty Hetty Sorrel. Martin Poyser and Adam himself had
both told Mr. Irwine all about it--that Adam had been deeply in love
with Hetty these two years, and that now it was agreed they were to be
married in March. That stalwart rogue Adam was more susceptible than the
rector had thought; it was really quite an idyllic love affair; and if
it had not been too long to tell in a letter, he would have liked to
describe to Arthur the blushing looks and the simple strong words with
which the fine honest fellow told his secret. He knew Arthur would like
to hear that Adam had this sort of happiness in prospect.

Yes, indeed! Arthur felt there was not air enough in the room to satisfy
his renovated life, when he had read that passage in the letter. He
threw up the windows, he rushed out of doors into the December air, and
greeted every one who spoke to him with an eager gaiety, as if there had
been news of a fresh Nelson victory. For the first time that day since
he had come to Windsor, he was in true boyish spirits. The load that
had been pressing upon him was gone, the haunting fear had vanished. He
thought he could conquer his bitterness towards Adam now--could offer
him his hand, and ask to be his friend again, in spite of that painful
memory which would still make his ears burn. He had been knocked down,
and he had been forced to tell a lie: such things make a scar, do what
we will. But if Adam were the same again as in the old days, Arthur
wished to be the same too, and to have Adam mixed up with his business
and his future, as he had always desired before the accursed meeting
in August. Nay, he would do a great deal more for Adam than he should
otherwise have done, when he came into the estate; Hetty's husband had
a special claim on him--Hetty herself should feel that any pain she
had suffered through Arthur in the past was compensated to her a
hundredfold. For really she could not have felt much, since she had so
soon made up