tanding on the bank of Bale Water (thus was it named), he
could see the topmost branches of that pear-tree which grew in the
garden behind Mrs. Wade's cottage; two meadows lay between--a stretch
of about a quarter of a mile. It was scarcely the hour for calling upon
ladies, but he knew that Mrs. Wade sat among her books through the
morning, and he wished especially to see her as soon as possible.

Polterham clocks were counting eleven as he presented himself at the
door of the cottage. Once already he had paid a call here, not many
days after his meeting with the widow in Mr. Hornibrook's library; he
came at three in the afternoon, and sat talking till nearly six. Not a
few Polterham matrons would have considered that proceeding highly
improper, but such a thought never occurred to Denzil; and Mrs. Wade
would have spoken her mind very distinctly to any one who wished to
circumscribe female freedom in such respects. They had conversed on a
great variety of subjects with unflagging animation. Since then he had
not seen his acquaintance.

A young girl opened to him, and left him standing in the porch for a
minute or two. She returned, and asked him to walk into the
sitting-room, where Mrs. Wade was studying with her feet on the fender.

"Do I come unseasonably?" he asked, offering his hand.

"Not if you have anything interesting to say," was the curious reply.

The widow was not accounted for reception of visitors. She wore an old
though quite presentable dress, with a light shawl about her shoulders,
and had evidently postponed the arrangement of her hair until the time
of going abroad. Yet her appearance could hardly be called
disconcerting, for it had nothing of slovenliness. She looked a
student, that was all. For some reason, however, she gave Quarrier a
less cordial welcome than he had anticipated. Her eyes avoided his, she
shook hands in a perfunctory way.

"It depends what you call interesting," was his rejoinder to the
unconventional reply. "I got here yesterday, and brought a wife with
me--there, at all events, is a statement of fact."

"You have done me the honour to hasten here with the announcement?"

"I came out to see if Bale Water was skateable, and I thought I might
venture to make a friendly call whilst I was so near. But I'm afraid I
disturb you?"

"Not a bit Pray sit down and talk. Of course I have heard of your
marriage. Why didn't you let me know it was impending?"

"Because I told nobody.