He, meanwhile, was sitting down alone in the old familiar house which
had ceased to be his, taking a calm if somewhat dismal survey of
affairs. The pendulum of the clock bumped every now and then against
one side of the case in which it swung, as the muffled drum to his
worldly march. Looking out of the window he could perceive that a
paralysis had come over Creedle's occupation of manuring the garden,
owing, obviously, to a conviction that they might not be living there
long enough to profit by next season's crop.

He looked at the leases again and the letter attached. There was no
doubt that he had lost his houses by an accident which might easily
have been circumvented if he had known the true conditions of his
holding. The time for performance had now lapsed in strict law; but
might not the intention be considered by the landholder when she became
aware of the circumstances, and his moral right to retain the holdings
for the term of his life be conceded?

His heart sank within him when he perceived that despite all the legal
reciprocities and safeguards prepared and written, the upshot of the
matter amounted to this, that it depended upon the mere caprice--good
or ill--of the woman he had met the day before in such an unfortunate
way, whether he was to possess his houses for life or no.

While he was sitting and thinking a step came to the door, and Melbury
appeared, looking very sorry for his position. Winterborne welcomed him
by a word and a look, and went on with his examination of the
parchments. His visitor sat down.