Rose came down out of her chamber after supper on a warm still evening.
She had stayed in retirement nearly all day. Grandmother had been
suffering discomfort from the heat and was better alone. Peter had gone
to town, and he had not come back. The girl stopped in the doorway of
the silent house and looked out into the night. It was all moonlight,
all mysterious shadows and enchanting stillnesses. The glamour of the
hour lay over it like a veil, and her heart responded to the calling
from mysterious distances, voices that were those of life itself
springing within her and echoing back from that delusive world. She
stood there smiling a little, trying to keep the wholesome bitterness of
her mood, because she thought she knew what a deceiving jade fortune is,
and yet with her young heart pathetically craving life and the fullness
of it. Rose thought she had quite fathomed the worth of things. She knew
the bravest shows are made by the trickiest design, and she had sworn,
in desperate defense of herself, to "take the world but as the
world,"--a gaming-ground for base passions and self-love. But to-night
all the instincts of youth in her were innocently vocal. Here was the
beautiful earth, again fecund and full of gifts. She could not help
believing in it. She gathered her skirts about her, and stepped out into
the dew, and with no avowed purpose, but, straight as inevitable intent
could lead her, crossed the orchard and went down across the field to
Osmond. She had selected that way, in her unconscious mind, when
grandmother had that morning sent her into the attic to look at some
precious heirlooms in disuse. Looking out of the attic window she had
noted his little shack and fields of growing things, and some impatience
then had said to her, That would be the way to get to him. Before the
last wall, she came out on a low rise where there was a spreading tree.
It was an oak tree, and though there seemed to be no wind that night,
the leaves rustled thinly.
"Where are you going?" It was Osmond's voice out of the shadow near the
wall.