of
joy in her ears and made her forget all else. But the money she would
not use; she had enough to pay her fare, and in any case she would
somehow have obtained it rather than spend this, which came she knew
not from whom. It might be that Thyrza had earned it, but perhaps it
was given to her by an enemy--under this name Lydia had come to think
of Egremont.

She told Gilbert in private. The concealment from him of Thyrza's
address he seemed to accept as something quite natural. He drew a sigh
of relief, and, as Lydia left him, gave her a look whose meaning was
not hard to understand.

The new day did come at last, and at last Lydia was in the train; she
had remembered that by which Thyrza went with Bessie, and she took the
same. A strange feeling she had as, instead of going to the work-room,
she set off through the sunshine to the railway station; a holiday
feeling, had she known what holiday meant. That she was going for the
first time to the sea-side was nothing; her anticipation was only of
Thyrza's look and Thyrza's first kiss. Why were all the other people
who went by the same train so joyous and so full of hope? Were they too
going to meet someone very dear to them?

She had copied the address on to a piece of paper, which she kept
inside her glove; impossible that she should forget, but even
impossibilities must be provided for. When she descended at Eastbourne,
she was so agitated and so perplexed by the novelty of the experience
that with difficulty she found her way into the street. She hurried on
a little way, then remembered that the first thing was to ask a
direction. On inquiring from a woman who stood in a shop-door, she at
once had her course clearly indicated. Forwards then, as quickly as she
could walk. How astonishingly clean the streets were! What great green
trees grew everywhere! How bright and hot was the sunshine!--Yes, this
turn; but to make quite sure she would ask again. A policeman, in an
unfamiliar uniform, reassured her. Now a turn to the right--and of a
sudden everything ceased; there seemed to be nothing but blue sky
before her. Ah, that was the sea, then; its breath came with wondrous
sweetness on her heated face. But what was the sea to her! Along here
to the left again. She must be very near now. Again she asked, and in
so uncertain a voice that she had to repeat her question before it was
understood. Number so-and-so; why, it was just over yonder; the cottage
that seemed to be