s of the sky on north, east, west, and south.
North-eastwards lie the moorlands, and far off Manifold, the 'metropolis
of the moorlands,' as it is called. On this night the furnaces of Red
Cow Ironworks, in the hollow to the east, were in full blast; their
fluctuating yellow light illuminated queerly the grass of the fields
above Deane's house, and the regular roar of their breathing reached
that solitary spot like the distant rumour of some leviathan beast
angrily fuming. Further away to the south-west the Cauldon Bar Ironworks
reproduced the same phenomena, and round the whole horizon, near and
far, except to the north-east, the lesser fires of labour leapt and
flickered and glinted in their mists of smoke, burning ceaselessly, as
they burned every night and every day at all seasons of all years. The
town of Bursley slept in the deep valley to the west, and vast Hanbridge
in the shallower depression to the south, like two sleepers accustomed
to rest quietly amid great disturbances; the beacons of their Town Halls
and churches kept watch, and the whole scene was dominated by the
placidity of the moon, which had now risen clear of the Red Cow furnace
clouds, and was passing upwards through tracts of stars.

Into this scene, climbing up from the direction of Manifold, came Lionel
Woolley, nearly at midnight, having walked some eighteen miles in a
vain effort to re-establish his self-satisfaction by a process of
reasoning and ingenious excuses. Lionel felt that in the brief episode
of the afternoon he had scarcely behaved with dignity. In other words,
he was fully and painfully aware that he must have looked a fool, a
coward, an ass, a contemptible and pitiful person, in the eyes of at
least one girl, if not of two. He did not like this--no man would have
liked it; and to Lionel the memory of an undignified act was acute
torture. Why had he bidden the girls adieu and departed? Why had he, in
fact, run away? What precisely would May Lawton think of him? How could
he explain his conduct to her--and to himself? And had that worshipping,
affectionate thing, May Deane, taken note of his confusion--of the
confusion of him who was never confused, who was equal to every occasion
and every emergency? These were some of the questions which harried him
and declined to be settled. He had walked to Manifold, and had tea at
the Roebuck, and walked back, and still the questions were harrying; and
as he came over the hill by the field-pat