His "calculus of probabilities" had not failed him. He had not walked
far upon the forest-shaded banks of the river before he saw Marian
walking before him. He hastened and overtook her.
At first seeing him her face flushed radiant with surprise and joy.
She seemed to think that nothing short of necromancy could have conjured
him to that spot. She had no reproaches for him, because she had no
suspicion that he had trifled with his promise not to seek her. But she
expressed her astonishment.
"I did not know you ever came this way," she said.
"Nor did I ever before, love; but I remembered my pledge, not to follow
or to seek you, and so I avoided the woodland path where we met last
Sunday," said Thurston, persuading himself that he spoke the precise
truth.
It is not necessary to pursue with them this walk; lovers scarcely thank
us for such intrusions. It is sufficient to say that this was not the
last one.
Blinded by passion and self-deception, and acting upon the same astute
calculus of probabilities, Thurston often contrived to meet Marian in
places where his presence might be least expected, and most often in
paths that she had taken for the express purpose of keeping out of his
way.
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