brain
whirled. She could not work out the sum. She could not pray. She
could recall no prayer. She could look to nothing beyond the
country of the Gergesenes. And yet, never in her life had she so
needed prayer, strength, as now, when this new guilty passion
was waking in her heart.

Shuddering at the thought of revolt against her duty, unable
altogether to abandon the hope, the longing to see Iver again,
filled with vague terror of what the future might bring forth,
she remained as struck with paralysis, kneeling, speechless, with
head bowed, hands fallen at her side, seeing, hearing, knowing
nothing; and was roused with a start by the voice of Jonas who
entered, and asked--,

"Wot's up now?"

She could not answer him. She sprang to her feet and eagerly
flew to the execution of her domestic duties.

Iver returned from his visit to the Punch-Bowl with a mind occupied
and ill at ease.

He had allowed himself, without a struggle, to give way to the
impression produced on him by the beauty of Mehetabel. He enjoyed
her society--found pleasure in talking of the past. Her mind was
fresh; she was intelligent, and receptive of new ideas. She alone
of all the people of Thursley, whom he had encountered, was
endowed with artistic sense--was able to set the ideal above what
was material. He did not ask himself whether he loved her. He knew
that he did, but the knowledge did not trouble him. After a
fashion, Mehetabel belonged to him as to none other. She was
associated with his earliest and sunniest recollections.

Mehetabel could sympathize with him in his love for the beautiful
in Nature. She had ever been linked with his mother in love for
him. She had been the vehicle of communication between him and his
mother till almost the last moment; it was through her that all
tidings of home had reached him.

When his father had refused to allow Iver's name to be mentioned
in his presence, for hours daily the thoughts of him had been in
the hearts of his mother and this girl. With united pity and love,
they had followed his struggles to make his way.

There was much obstinacy in Iver.

Resolution to have his own way had made him leave home to follow
an artistic career, regardless of the heartache he would cause
his mother, and the resentment he would breed in his father.

Thus, without consideration of the consequences to himself, to
Mehetabel, to Jonas, he allowed his glowing affection for the
young wife to gather heat