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Hardy, Thomas, 1840-1928

"The Woodlanders"

But Felice Charmond's sobs came
to her ear: deep darkness circled her about, the funereal trees
rocked and chanted their diriges and placebos around her, and she
did not know which way to go. After a moment of energy she felt
mild again, and turned to the motionless woman at her feet.
"Are you rested?" she asked, in what seemed something like her own
voice grown ten years older.
Without an answer Mrs. Charmond slowly rose.
"You mean to betray me!" she said from the bitterest depths of her
soul. "Oh fool, fool I!"
"No," said Grace, shortly. "I mean no such thing. But let us be
quick now. We have a serious undertaking before us. Think of
nothing but going straight on."
They walked on in profound silence, pulling back boughs now
growing wet, and treading down woodbine, but still keeping a
pretty straight course. Grace began to be thoroughly worn out,
and her companion too, when, on a sudden, they broke into the
deserted highway at the hill-top on which the Sherton man had
waited for Mrs.


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