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'I only came because the night was so clear。 I am now on my way
home。'
'I am glad we have met。 I want to know if you will let me do
something for you； to give me an occupation； as an idle man？ I am
sure I ought to help you； for I know you are almost without
friends。'
She hesitated。 'Why should you tell me that？' she said。
'In the hope that you will be frank with me。'
'I am not altogether without friends here。 But I am going to make a
little change in my lifeto go out as a teacher of freehand drawing
and practical perspective； of course I mean on a comparatively
humble scale； because I have not been specially educated for that
profession。 But I am sure I shall like it much。'
'You have an opening？'
'I have not exactly got it； but I have advertised for one。'
'Lucy； you must let me help you！'
'Not at all。'
'You need not think it would compromise you； or that I am
indifferent to delicacy。 I bear in mind how we stand。 It is very
unlikely that you will succeed as teacher of the class you mention；
so let me do something of a different kind for you。 Say what you
would like； and it shall be done。'
'No； if I can't be a drawing…mistress or governess； or something of
that sort； I shall go to India and join my brother。'
'I wish I could go abroad； anywhere； everywhere with you； Lucy； and
leave this place and its associations for ever！'
She played with the end of her bonnet…string； and hastily turned
aside。 'Don't ever touch upon that kind of topic again；' she said；
with a quick severity not free from anger。 'It simply makes it
impossible for me to see you； much less receive any guidance from
you。 No； thank you； Mr。 Barnet； you can do nothing for me at
present； and as I suppose my uncertainty will end in my leaving for
India； I fear you never will。 If ever I think you CAN do anything；
I will take the trouble to ask you。 Till then； good…bye。'
The tone of her latter words was equivocal； and while he remained in
doubt whether a gentle irony was or was not inwrought with their
sound； she swept lightly round and left him alone。 He saw her form
get smaller and smaller along the damp belt of sea…sand between ebb
and flood； and when she had vanished round the cliff into the
harbour…road； he himself followed in the same direction。
That her hopes from an advertisement should be the single thread
which held Lucy Savile in England was too much for Barnet。 On
reaching the town he went straight to the residence of Downe； now a
widower with four children。 The young motherless brood had been
sent to bed about a quarter of an hour earlier； and when Barnet
entered he found Downe sitting alone。 It was the same room as that
from which the family had been looking out for Downe at the
beginning of the year； when Downe had slipped into the gutter and
his wife had been so enviably tender towards him。 The old neatness
had gone from the house； articles lay in places which could show no
reason for their presence； as if momentarily deposited there some
months ago； and forgotten ever since； there were no flowers； things
were jumbled together on the furniture which should have been in
cupboards； and the place in general had that stagnant； unrenovated
air which usually pervades the maimed home of the widower。
Downe soon renewed his customary full…worded lament over his wife；
and even when he had worked himself up to tears； went on volubly； as
if a listener were a luxury to be enjoyed whenever he could be
caught。
'She was a treasure beyond compare； Mr。 Barnet！ I shall never see
such another。 Nobody now to nurse menobody to console me in those
daily troubles； you know； Barnet； which make consolation so
necessary to a nature like mine。 It would be unbecoming to repine；
for her spirit's home was elsewherethe tender light in her eyes
always showed it； but it is a long dreary time that I have before
me； and nobody else can ever fill the void left in my heart by her
lossnobodynobody！' And Downe wiped his eyes again。
'She was a good woman in the highest sense；' gravely answered
Barnet； who； though Downe's words drew genuine compassion from his
heart； could not help feeling that a tender reticence would have
been a finer tribute to Mrs。 Downe's really sterling virtues than
such a second…class lament as this。
'I have something to show you；' Downe resumed； producing from a
drawer a sheet of paper on which was an elaborate design for a
canopied tomb。 'This has been sent me by the architect； but it is
not exactly what I want。'
'You have got Jones to do it； I see； the man who is carrying out my
house；' said Barnet； as he glanced at the signature to the drawing。
'Yes； but it is not quite what I want。 I want something more
strikingmore like a tomb I have seen in St。 Paul's Cathedral。
Nothing less will do justice to my feelings； and how far short of
them that will fall！'
Barnet privately thought the design a sufficiently imposing one as
it stood； even extravagantly ornate； but； feeling that he had no
right to criticize； he said gently； 'Downe； should you not live more
in your children's lives at the present time； and soften the
sharpness of regret for your own past by thinking of their future？'
'Yes； yes； but what can I do more？' asked Downe； wrinkling his
forehead hopelessly。
It was with anxious slowness that Barnet produced his replythe
secret object of his visit to…night。 'Did you not say one day that
you ought by rights to get a governess for the children？'
Downe admitted that he had said so； but that he could not see his
way to it。 'The kind of woman I should like to have；' he said；
'would be rather beyond my means。 No； I think I shall send them to
school in the town when they are old enough to go out alone。'
'Now； I know of something better than that。 The late Lieutenant
Savile's daughter； Lucy； wants to do something for herself in the
way of teaching。 She would be inexpensive； and would answer your
purpose as well as anybody for six or twelve months。 She would
probably come daily if you were to ask her； and so your housekeeping
arrangements would not be much affected。'
'I thought she had gone away；' said the solicitor； musing。 'Where
does she live？'
Barnet told him； and added that； if Downe should think of her as
suitable； he would do well to call as soon as possible； or she might
be on the wing。 'If you do see her；' he said； 'it would be
advisable not to mention my name。 She is rather stiff in her ideas
of me； and it might prejudice her against a course if she knew that
I recommended it。'
Downe promised to give the subject his consideration； and nothing
more was said about it just then。 But when Barnet rose to go； which
was not till nearly bedtime； he reminded Downe of the suggestion and
went up the street to his own solitary home with a sense of
satisfaction at his promising diplomacy in a charitable cause。
CHAPTER VII
The walls of his new house were carried up nearly to their full
height。 By a curious though not infrequent reaction； Barnet's
feelings about that unnecessary structure had undergone a change； he
took considerable interest in its progress as a long…neglected
thing； his wife before her departure having grown quite weary of it
as a hobby。 Moreover； it was an excellent distraction for a man in
the unhappy position of having to live in a provincial town with
nothing to do。 He was probably the first of his line who had ever
passed a day without toil； and perhaps something like an inherited
instinct disqualifies such men for a life of pleasant inaction； such
as lies in the power of those whose leisure is not a personal
accident； but a vast historical accretion which has become part of
their natures。
Thus Barnet got into a way of spending many of his leisure hours on
the site of the new building； and he might have been seen on most
days at this time trying the temper of the mortar by punching the
joints with his stick； looking at the grain of a floor…board； and
meditating where it grew； or picturing under what circumstances the
last fire would be kindled in the at present sootless chimneys。 One
day when thus occupied he saw three children pass by in the company
of a fair young woman； whose sudden appearance caused him to flush
perceptibly。
'Ah； she is there；' he thought。 'That's a blessed thing。'
Casting an interested glance over the rising building and the busy
workmen； Lucy Savile and the little Downes passed by； and after that
time it became a regular though almost unconscious custom of Barnet
to stand in the half…completed house and look from the ungarnished
windows at the governess as she tripped towards the sea…shore with
her young charges； which she was in the habit of doing on most fine
afternoons。 It was on one of these occasions； when he had been
loitering on the first…floor landing； near the hole left for the
staircase； not yet erected； that there appeared above the edge of
the floor a little hat； followed by a little head。
Barnet withdrew through a doorway； and the child came to the top of
the ladder； stepping on to the floor and crying to her sisters and
Miss Savile to follow。 Another head rose above the fl