easterlydirection
.
He
undertook
to
drive
me
there
and
to
bring
me
back
again
to
Saint
Paul’s
(
if
necessary
)
,
in
less
than
twenty
minutes
.
I
opened
the
door
of
the
cab
,
and
told
my
little
friend
to
get
in
.
The
boy
hesitated
.
“
Are
we
going
to
the
chemist’s
,
if
you
please
,
sir
?
”
he
asked
.
“
No.
You
are
going
home
first
,
with
me
.
”
The
boy
began
to
cry
again
.
“
Mother
will
beat
me
,
sir
,
if
I
go
back
without
the
medicine
.
”
“
I
will
take
care
that
your
mother
doesn’t
beat
you
.
I
am
a
doctor
myself
;
and
I
want
to
see
the
lady
before
we
get
the
medicine
.
”
The
announcement
of
my
profession
appeared
to
inspire
the
boy
with
a
certain
confidence
.
But
he
still
showed
no
disposition
to
accompany
me
to
his
mother’s
house
.
“
Do
you
mean
to
charge
the
lady
anything
?
”
he
asked
.
“
The
money
I’ve
got
on
the
ring
isn’t
much
.
Mother
won’t
like
having
it
taken
out
of
her
rent
.
”
“
I
won’t
charge
the
lady
a
farthing
,
”
I
answered
.
The
boy
instantly
got
into
the
cab
.
“
All
right
,
”
he
said
,
“
as
long
as
mother
gets
her
money
.
”
Alas
for
the
poor
!
The
child’s
education
in
the
sordid
anxieties
of
life
was
completed
already
at
ten
years
old
!
We
drove
away
.
CHAPTER
XXV
.
I
KEEP
MY
APPOINTMENT
.
THE
poverty-stricken
aspect
of
the
street
when
we
entered
it
,
the
dirty
and
dilapidated
condition
of
the
house
when
we
drew
up
at
the
door
,
would
have
warned
most
men
,
in
my
position
,
to
prepare
themselves
for
a
distressing
discovery
when
they
were
admitted
to
the
interior
of
the
dwelling
.
The
first
impression
which
the
place
produced
on
my
mind
suggested
,
on
the
contrary
,
that
the
boy’s
answers
to
my
questions
had
led
me
astray
.
It
was
simply
impossible
to
associate
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
(
as
I
remembered
her
)
with
the
spectacle
of
such
squalid
poverty
as
I
now
beheld
.
I
rang
the
door-bell
,
feeling
persuaded
beforehand
that
my
inquiries
would
lead
to
no
useful
result
.
As
I
lifted
my
hand
to
the
bell
,
my
little
companion’s
dread
of
a
beating
revived
in
full
force
.
He
hid
himself
behind
me
;
and
when
I
asked
what
he
was
about
,
he
answered
,
confidentially
:
“
Please
stand
between
us
,
sir
,
when
mother
opens
the
door
!
”
A
tall
and
truculent
woman
answered
the
bell
.
No
introduction
was
necessary
.
Holding
a
cane
in
her
hand
,
she
stood
self-proclaimed
as
my
small
friend’s
mother
.
“
I
thought
it
was
that
vagabond
of
a
boy
of
mine
,
”
she
explained
,
as
an
apology
for
the
exhibition
of
the
cane
.
“
He
has
been
gone
on
an
errand
more
than
two
hours
.
What
did
you
please
to
want
,
sir
?
”
I
interceded
for
the
unfortunate
boy
before
I
entered
on
my
own
business
.
“
I
must
beg
you
to
forgive
your
son
this
time
,
”
I
said
.
“
I
found
him
lost
in
the
streets
;
and
I
have
brought
him
home
.
”
The
woman’s
astonishment
when
she
heard
what
I
had
done
,
and
discovered
her
son
behind
me
,
literally
struck
her
dumb
.
The
language
of
the
eye
,
superseding
on
this
occasion
the
language
of
the
tongue
,
plainly
revealed
the
impression
that
I
had
produced
on
her
:
“
You
bring
my
lost
brat
home
in
a
cab
!
Mr.
Stranger
,
you
are
mad
.
”
“
I
hear
that
you
have
a
lady
named
Brand
lodging
in
the
house
,
”
I
went
on
.
“
I
dare
say
I
am
mistaken
in
supposing
her
to
be
a
lady
of
the
same
name
whom
I
know
.
But
I
should
like
to
make
sure
whether
I
am
right
or
wrong
.
Is
it
too
late
to
disturb
your
lodger
to-night
?
”
The
woman
recovered
the
use
of
her
tongue
.
“
My
lodger
is
up
and
waiting
for
that
little
fool
,
who
doesn’t
know
his
way
about
London
yet
!
”
She
emphasized
those
words
by
shaking
her
brawny
fist
at
her
son
—
who
instantly
returned
to
his
place
of
refuge
behind
the
tail
of
my
coat
.
“
Have
you
got
the
money
?
”
inquired
the
terrible
person
,
shouting
at
her
hidden
offspring
over
my
shoulder
.
“
Or
have
you
lost
that
as
well
as
your
own
stupid
little
self
?
”
The
boy
showed
himself
again
,
and
put
the
money
into
his
mother’s
knotty
hand
.
She
counted
it
,
with
eyes
which
satisfied
themselves
fiercely
that
each
coin
was
of
genuine
silver
—
and
then
became
partially
pacified
.
“
Go
along
upstairs
,
”
she
growled
,
addressing
her
son
;
“
and
don’t
keep
the
lady
waiting
any
longer
.
They’re
half
starved
,
she
and
her
child
,
”
the
woman
proceeded
,
turning
to
me
.
“
The
food
my
boy
has
got
for
them
in
his
basket
will
be
the
first
food
the
mother
has
tasted
today
.
She’s
pawned
everything
by
this
time
;
and
what
she’s
to
do
unless
you
help
her
is
more
than
I
can
say
.
The
doctor
does
what
he
can
;
but
he
told
me
today
,
if
she
wasn’t
better
nourished
,
it
was
no
use
sending
for
him
.
Follow
the
boy
;
and
see
for
yourself
if
it’s
the
lady
you
know
.
”
I
listened
to
the
woman
,
still
feeling
persuaded
that
I
had
acted
under
a
delusion
in
going
to
her
house
.
How
was
it
possible
to
associate
the
charming
object
of
my
heart’s
worship
with
the
miserable
story
of
destitution
which
I
had
just
heard
?
I
stopped
the
boy
on
the
first
landing
,
and
told
him
to
announce
me
simply
as
a
doctor
,
who
had
been
informed
of
Mrs.
Brand’s
illness
,
and
who
had
called
to
see
her
.
We
ascended
a
second
flight
of
stairs
,
and
a
third
.
Arrived
now
at
the
top
of
the
house
,
the
boy
knocked
at
the
door
that
was
nearest
to
us
on
the
landing
.
No
audible
voice
replied
.
He
opened
the
door
without
ceremony
,
and
went
in
.
I
waited
outside
to
hear
what
was
said
.
The
door
was
left
ajar
.
If
the
voice
of
“
Mrs.
Brand
”
was
(
as
I
believed
it
would
prove
to
be
)
the
voice
of
a
stranger
,
I
resolved
to
offer
her
delicately
such
help
as
lay
within
my
power
,
and
to
return
forthwith
to
my
post
under
“
the
shadow
of
Saint
Paul’s
.
”
The
first
voice
that
spoke
to
the
boy
was
the
voice
of
a
child
.
“
I’m
so
hungry
,
Jemmy
—
I’m
so
hungry
!
”
“
All
right
,
missy
—
I’ve
got
you
something
to
eat
.
”
“
Be
quick
,
Jemmy
!
Be
quick
!
”
There
was
a
momentary
pause
;
and
then
I
heard
the
boy’s
voice
once
more
.
“
There’s
a
slice
of
bread-and-butter
,
missy
.
You
must
wait
for
your
egg
till
I
can
boil
it
.
Don’t
you
eat
too
fast
,
or
you’ll
choke
yourself
.
What’s
the
matter
with
your
mamma
?
Are
you
asleep
,
ma’am
?
”
I
could
barely
hear
the
answering
voice
—
it
was
so
faint
;
and
it
uttered
but
one
word
:
“
No
!
”
The
boy
spoke
again
.
“
Cheer
up
,
missus
.
There’s
a
doctor
outside
waiting
to
see
you
.
”
This
time
there
was
no
audible
reply
.
The
boy
showed
himself
to
me
at
the
door
.
“
Please
to
come
in
,
sir
.
I
can’t
make
anything
of
her
.
”
It
would
have
been
misplaced
delicacy
to
have
hesitated
any
longer
to
enter
the
room
.
I
went
in
.
There
,
at
the
opposite
end
of
a
miserably
furnished
bed-chamber
,
lying
back
feebly
in
a
tattered
old
arm-chair
,
was
one
more
among
the
thousands
of
forlorn
creatures
,
starving
that
night
in
the
great
city
.
A
white
handkerchief
was
laid
over
her
face
as
if
to
screen
it
from
the
flame
of
the
fire
hard
by
.
She
lifted
the
handkerchief
,
startled
by
the
sound
of
my
footsteps
as
I
entered
the
room
.
I
looked
at
her
,
and
saw
in
the
white
,
wan
,
death-like
face
the
face
of
the
woman
I
loved
!
For
a
moment
the
horror
of
the
discovery
turned
me
faint
and
giddy
.
In
another
instant
I
was
kneeling
by
her
chair
.
My
arm
was
round
her
—
her
head
lay
on
my
shoulder
.
She
was
past
speaking
,
past
crying
out
:
she
trembled
silently
,
and
that
was
all
.
I
said
nothing
.
No
words
passed
my
lips
,
no
tears
came
to
my
relief
.
I
held
her
to
me
;
and
she
let
me
hold
her
.
The
child
,
devouring
its
bread-and-butter
at
a
little
round
table
,
stared
at
us
.
The
boy
,
on
his
knees
before
the
grate
,
mending
the
fire
,
stared
at
us
.
And
the
slow
minutes
lagged
on
;
and
the
buzzing
of
a
fly
in
a
corner
was
the
only
sound
in
the
room
.
The
instincts
of
the
profession
to
which
I
had
been
trained
,
rather
than
any
active
sense
of
the
horror
of
the
situation
in
which
I
was
placed
,
roused
me
at
last
.
She
was
starving
!
I
saw
it
in
the
deadly
color
of
her
skin
;
I
felt
it
in
the
faint
,
quick
flutter
of
her
pulse
.
I
called
the
boy
to
me
,
and
sent
him
to
the
nearest
public-house
for
wine
and
biscuits
.
“
Be
quick
about
it
,
”
I
said
;
“
and
you
shall
have
more
money
for
yourself
than
ever
you
had
in
your
life
!
”
The
boy
looked
at
me
,
spit
on
the
coins
in
his
hand
,
said
,
“
That’s
for
luck
!
”
and
ran
out
of
the
room
as
never
boy
ran
yet
.
I
turned
to
speak
my
first
words
of
comfort
to
the
mother
.
The
cry
of
the
child
stopped
me
.
“
I’m
so
hungry
!
I’m
so
hungry
!
”
I
set
more
food
before
the
famished
child
and
kissed
her
.
She
looked
up
at
me
with
wondering
eyes
.
“
Are
you
a
new
papa
?
”
the
little
creature
asked
.
“
My
other
papa
never
kisses
me
.
”
I
looked
at
the
mother
.
Her
eyes
were
closed
;
the
tears
flowed
slowly
over
her
worn
,
white
cheeks
.
I
took
her
frail
hand
in
mine
.
“
Happier
days
are
coming
,
”
I
said
;
“
you
are
my
care
now
.
”
There
was
no
answer
.
She
still
trembled
silently
,
and
that
was
all
.
In
less
than
five
minutes
the
boy
returned
,
and
earned
his
promised
reward
.
He
sat
on
the
floor
by
the
fire
counting
his
treasure
,
the
one
happy
creature
in
the
room
.
I
soaked
some
crumbled
morsels
of
biscuit
in
the
wine
,
and
,
little
by
little
,
I
revived
her
failing
strength
by
nourishment
administered
at
intervals
in
that
cautious
form
.
After
a
while
she
raised
her
head
,
and
looked
at
me
with
wondering
eyes
that
were
pitiably
like
the
eyes
of
her
child
.
A
faint
,
delicate
flush
began
to
show
itself
in
her
face
.
She
spoke
to
me
,
for
the
first
time
,
in
whispering
tones
that
I
could
just
hear
as
I
sat
close
at
her
side
.
“
How
did
you
find
me
?
Who
showed
you
the
way
to
this
place
?
”
She
paused
;
painfully
recalling
the
memory
of
something
that
was
slow
to
come
back
.
Her
color
deepened
;
she
found
the
lost
remembrance
,
and
looked
at
me
with
a
timid
curiosity
.
“
What
brought
you
here
?
”
she
asked
.
“
Was
it
my
dream
?
”
“
Wait
,
dearest
,
till
you
are
stronger
,
and
I
will
tell
you
all
.
”
I
lifted
her
gently
,
and
laid
her
on
the
wretched
bed
.
The
child
followed
us
,
and
climbing
to
the
bedstead
with
my
help
,
nestled
at
her
mother’s
side
.
I
sent
the
boy
away
to
tell
the
mistress
of
the
house
that
I
should
remain
with
my
patient
,
watching
her
progress
toward
recovery
,
through
the
night
.
He
went
out
,
jingling
his
money
joyfully
in
his
pocket
.
We
three
were
left
together
.
As
the
long
hours
followed
each
other
,
she
fell
at
intervals
into
a
broken
sleep
;
waking
with
a
start
,
and
looking
at
me
wildly
as
if
I
had
been
a
stranger
at
her
bedside
.
Toward
morning
the
nourishment
which
I
still
carefully
administered
wrought
its
healthful
change
in
her
pulse
,
and
composed
her
to
quieter
slumbers
.
When
the
sun
rose
she
was
sleeping
as
peacefully
as
the
child
at
her
side
.
I
was
able
to
leave
her
,
until
my
return
later
in
the
day
,
under
the
care
of
the
woman
of
the
house
.
The
magic
of
money
transformed
this
termagant
and
terrible
person
into
a
docile
and
attentive
nurse
—
so
eager
to
follow
my
instructions
exactly
that
she
begged
me
to
commit
them
to
writing
before
I
went
away
.
For
a
moment
I
still
lingered
alone
at
the
bedside
of
the
sleeping
woman
,
and
satisfied
myself
for
the
hundredth
time
that
her
life
was
safe
,
before
I
left
her
.
It
was
the
sweetest
of
all
rewards
to
feel
sure
of
this
—
to
touch
her
cool
forehead
lightly
with
my
lips
—
to
look
,
and
look
again
,
at
the
poor
worn
face
,
always
dear
,
always
beautiful
,
to
my
eyes
.
change
as
it
might
.
I
closed
the
door
softly
and
went
out
in
the
bright
morning
,
a
happy
man
again
.
So
close
together
rise
the
springs
of
joy
and
sorrow
in
human
life
!
So
near
in
our
heart
,
as
in
our
heaven
,
is
the
brightest
sunshine
to
the
blackest
cloud
!
CHAPTER
XXVI
.
CONVERSATION
WITH
MY
MOTHER
.
I
REACHED
my
own
house
in
time
to
snatch
two
or
three
hours
of
repose
,
before
I
paid
my
customary
morning
visit
to
my
mother
in
her
own
room
.
I
observed
,
in
her
reception
of
me
on
this
occasion
,
certain
peculiarities
of
look
and
manner
which
were
far
from
being
familiar
in
my
experience
of
her
.
When
our
eyes
first
met
,
she
regarded
me
with
a
wistful
,
questioning
look
,
as
if
she
were
troubled
by
some
doubt
which
she
shrunk
from
expressing
in
words
.
And
when
I
inquired
after
her
health
,
as
usual
,
she
surprised
me
by
answering
as
impatiently
as
if
she
resented
my
having
mentioned
the
subject
.
For
a
moment
,
I
was
inclined
to
think
these
changes
signified
that
she
had
discovered
my
absence
from
home
during
the
night
,
and
that
she
had
some
suspicion
of
the
true
cause
of
it
.
But
she
never
alluded
,
even
in
the
most
distant
manner
,
to
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
;
and
not
a
word
dropped
from
her
lips
which
implied
,
directly
or
indirectly
,
that
I
had
pained
or
disappointed
her
.
I
could
only
conclude
that
she
had
something
important
to
say
in
relation
to
herself
or
to
me
—
and
that
for
reasons
of
her
own
she
unwillingly
abstained
from
giving
expression
to
it
at
that
time
.
Reverting
to
our
ordinary
topics
of
conversation
,
we
touched
on
the
subject
(
always
interesting
to
my
mother
)
of
my
visit
to
Shetland
.
Speaking
of
this
,
we
naturally
spoke
also
of
Miss
Dunross
.
Here
,
again
,
when
I
least
expected
it
,
there
was
another
surprise
in
store
for
me
.
“
You
were
talking
the
other
day
,
”
said
my
mother
,
“
of
the
green
flag
which
poor
Dermody’s
daughter
worked
for
you
,
when
you
were
both
children
.
Have
you
really
kept
it
all
this
time
?
”
“
Yes
.
”
“
Where
have
you
left
it
?
In
Scotland
?
”
“
I
have
brought
it
with
me
to
London
.
”
“
Why
?
”
“
I
promised
Miss
Dunross
to
take
the
green
flag
with
me
,
wherever
I
might
go
.
”
My
mother
smiled
.
“
Is
it
possible
,
George
,
that
you
think
about
this
as
the
young
lady
in
Shetland
thinks
?
After
all
the
years
that
have
passed
,
you
believe
in
the
green
flag
being
the
means
of
bringing
Mary
Dermody
and
yourself
together
again
?
”
“
Certainly
not
!
I
am
only
humoring
one
of
the
fancies
of
poor
Miss
Dunross
.
Could
I
refuse
to
grant
her
trifling
request
,
after
all
I
owed
to
her
kindness
?
”
The
smile
left
my
mother’s
face
.
She
looked
at
me
attentively
.
“
Miss
Dunross
seems
to
have
produced
a
very
favorable
impression
on
you
,
”
she
said
.
“
I
own
it
.
I
feel
deeply
interested
in
her
.
”
“
If
she
had
not
been
an
incurable
invalid
,
George
,
I
too
might
have
become
interested
in
Miss
Dunross
—
perhaps
in
the
character
of
my
daughter-in-law
?
”
“
It
is
useless
,
mother
,
to
speculate
on
what
might
have
happened
.
The
sad
reality
is
enough
.
”
My
mother
paused
a
little
before
she
put
her
next
question
to
me
.
“
Did
Miss
Dunross
always
keep
her
veil
drawn
in
your
presence
,
when
there
happened
to
be
light
in
the
room
?
”
“
Always
.
”
“
She
never
even
let
you
catch
a
momentary
glance
at
her
face
?
”
“
Never
.
”
“
And
the
only
reason
she
gave
you
was
that
the
light
caused
her
a
painful
sensation
if
it
fell
on
her
uncovered
skin
?
”
“
You
say
that
,
mother
,
as
if
you
doubt
whether
Miss
Dunross
told
me
the
truth
.
”
“
No
,
George
.
I
only
doubt
whether
she
told
you
all
the
truth
.
”
“
What
do
you
mean
?
”
“
Don’t
be
offended
,
my
dear
.
I
believe
Miss
Dunross
has
some
more
serious
reason
for
keeping
her
face
hidden
than
the
reason
that
she
gave
you
.
”
I
was
silent
.
The
suspicion
which
those
words
implied
had
never
occurred
to
my
mind
.
I
had
read
in
medical
books
of
cases
of
morbid
nervous
sensitiveness
exactly
similar
to
the
case
of
Miss
Dunross
,
as
described
by
herself
—
and
that
had
been
enough
for
me
.
Now
that
my
mother’s
idea
had
found
its
way
from
her
mind
to
mine
,
the
impression
produced
on
me
was
painful
in
the
last
degree
.
Horrible
imaginings
of
deformity
possessed
my
brain
,
and
profaned
all
that
was
purest
and
dearest
in
my
recollections
of
Miss
Dunross
.
It
was
useless
to
change
the
subject
—
the
evil
influence
that
was
on
me
was
too
potent
to
be
charmed
away
by
talk
.
Making
the
best
excuse
that
I
could
think
of
for
leaving
my
mother’s
room
,
I
hurried
away
to
seek
a
refuge
from
myself
,
where
alone
I
could
hope
to
find
it
,
in
the
presence
of
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
.
CHAPTER
XXVII
.
CONVERSATION
WITH
MRS.
VAN
BRANDT
.
THE
landlady
was
taking
the
air
at
her
own
door
when
I
reached
the
house
.
Her
reply
to
my
inquiries
justified
my
most
hopeful
anticipations
.
The
poor
lodger
looked
already
“
like
another
woman
”
;
and
the
child
was
at
that
moment
posted
on
the
stairs
,
watching
for
the
return
of
her
“
new
papa
.
”
“
There’s
one
thing
I
should
wish
to
say
to
you
,
sir
,
before
you
go
upstairs
,
”
the
woman
went
on
.
“
Don’t
trust
the
lady
with
more
money
at
a
time
than
the
money
that
is
wanted
for
the
day’s
housekeeping
.
If
she
has
any
to
spare
,
it’s
as
likely
as
not
to
be
wasted
on
her
good-for-nothing
husband
.
”
Absorbed
in
the
higher
and
dearer
interests
that
filled
my
mind
,
I
had
thus
far
forgotten
the
very
existence
of
Mr.
Van
Brandt
.
“
Where
is
he
?
”
I
asked
.
“
Where
he
ought
to
be
,
”
was
the
answer
.
“
In
prison
for
debt
.
”
In
those
days
a
man
imprisoned
for
debt
was
not
infrequently
a
man
imprisoned
for
life
.
There
was
little
fear
of
my
visit
being
shortened
by
the
appearance
on
the
scene
of
Mr.
Van
Brandt
.
Ascending
the
stairs
,
I
found
the
child
waiting
for
me
on
the
upper
landing
,
with
a
ragged
doll
in
her
arms
.
I
had
bought
a
cake
for
her
on
my
way
to
the
house
.
She
forthwith
turned
over
the
doll
to
my
care
,
and
,
trotting
before
me
into
the
room
with
her
cake
in
her
arms
,
announced
my
arrival
in
these
words
:
“
Mamma
,
I
like
this
papa
better
than
the
other
.
You
like
him
better
,
too
.
”
The
mother’s
wasted
face
reddened
for
a
moment
,
then
turned
pale
again
,
as
she
held
out
her
hand
to
me
.
I
looked
at
her
anxiously
,
and
discerned
the
welcome
signs
of
recovery
,
clearly
revealed
.
Her
grand
gray
eyes
rested
on
me
again
with
a
glimmer
of
their
old
light
.
The
hand
that
had
lain
so
cold
in
mine
on
the
past
night
had
life
and
warmth
in
it
now
.
“
Should
I
have
died
before
the
morning
if
you
had
not
come
here
?
”
she
asked
,
softly
.
“
Have
you
saved
my
life
for
the
second
time
?
I
can
well
believe
it
.
”
Before
I
was
aware
of
her
,
she
bent
her
head
over
my
hand
,
and
touched
it
tenderly
with
her
lips
.
“
I
am
not
an
ungrateful
woman
,
”
she
murmured
—
“
and
yet
I
don’t
know
how
to
thank
you
.
”
The
child
looked
up
quickly
from
her
cake
.
“
Why
don’t
you
kiss
him
?
”
the
quaint
little
creature
asked
,
with
a
broad
stare
of
astonishment
.
Her
head
sunk
on
her
breast
.
She
sighed
bitterly
.
“
No
more
of
Me
!
”
she
said
,
suddenly
recovering
her
composure
,
and
suddenly
forcing
herself
to
look
at
me
again
.
“
Tell
me
what
happy
chance
brought
you
here
last
night
?
”
“
The
same
chance
,
”
I
answered
,
“
which
took
me
to
Saint
Anthony’s
Well
.
”
She
raised
herself
eagerly
in
the
chair
.
“
You
have
seen
me
again
—
as
you
saw
me
in
the
summer-house
by
the
waterfall
!
”
she
exclaimed
.
“
Was
it
in
Scotland
once
more
?
”
“
No.
Further
away
than
Scotland
—
as
far
away
as
Shetland
.
”
“
Tell
me
about
it
!
Pray
,
pray
tell
me
about
it
!
”
I
related
what
had
happened
as
exactly
as
I
could
,
consistently
with
maintaining
the
strictest
reserve
on
one
point
.
Concealing
from
her
the
very
existence
of
Miss
Dunross
,
I
left
her
to
suppose
that
the
master
of
the
house
was
the
one
person
whom
I
had
found
to
receive
me
during
my
sojourn
under
Mr.
Dunross’s
roof
.
“
That
is
strange
!
”
she
exclaimed
,
after
she
had
heard
me
attentively
to
the
end
.
“
What
is
strange
?
”
I
asked
.
She
hesitated
,
searching
my
face
earnestly
with
her
large
grave
eyes
.
“
I
hardly
like
speaking
of
it
,
”
she
said
.
“
And
yet
I
ought
to
have
no
concealments
in
such
a
matter
from
you
.
I
understand
everything
that
you
have
told
me
—
with
one
exception
.
It
seems
strange
to
me
that
you
should
only
have
had
one
old
man
for
your
companion
while
you
were
at
the
house
in
Shetland
.
”
“
What
other
companion
did
you
expect
to
hear
of
?
”
I
inquired
.
“
I
expected
,
”
she
answered
,
“
to
hear
of
a
lady
in
the
house
.
”
I
cannot
positively
say
that
the
reply
took
me
by
surprise
:
it
forced
me
to
reflect
before
I
spoke
again
.
I
knew
,
by
my
past
experience
,
that
she
must
have
seen
me
,
in
my
absence
from
her
,
while
I
was
spiritually
present
to
her
mind
in
a
trance
or
dream
.
Had
she
also
seen
the
daily
companion
of
my
life
in
Shetland
—
Miss
Dunross
?
I
put
the
question
in
a
form
which
left
me
free
to
decide
whether
I
should
take
her
unreservedly
into
my
confidence
or
not
.
“
Am
I
right
,
”
I
began
,
“
in
supposing
that
you
dreamed
of
me
in
Shetland
,
as
you
once
before
dreamed
of
me
while
I
was
at
my
house
in
Perthshire
?
”
“
Yes
,
”
she
answered
.
“
It
was
at
the
close
of
evening
,
this
time
.
I
fell
asleep
,
or
became
insensible
—
I
cannot
say
which
.
And
I
saw
you
again
,
in
a
vision
or
a
dream
.
”
“
Where
did
you
see
me
?
”
“
I
first
saw
you
on
the
bridge
over
the
Scotch
river
—
just
as
I
met
you
on
the
evening
when
you
saved
my
life
.
After
a
while
the
stream
and
the
landscape
about
it
faded
,
and
you
faded
with
them
,
into
darkness
.
I
waited
a
little
,
and
the
darkness
melted
away
slowly
.
I
stood
,
as
it
seemed
to
me
,
in
a
circle
of
starry
lights
;
fronting
a
window
,
with
a
lake
behind
me
,
and
before
me
a
darkened
room
.
And
I
looked
into
the
room
,
and
the
starry
light
showed
you
to
me
again
.
”
“
When
did
this
happen
?
Do
you
remember
the
date
?
”
“
I
remember
that
it
was
at
the
beginning
of
the
month
.
The
misfortunes
which
have
since
brought
me
so
low
had
not
then
fallen
on
me
;
and
yet
,
as
I
stood
looking
at
you
,
I
had
the
strangest
prevision
of
calamity
that
was
to
come
.
I
felt
the
same
absolute
reliance
on
your
power
to
help
me
that
I
felt
when
I
first
dreamed
of
you
in
Scotland
.
And
I
did
the
same
familiar
things
.
I
laid
my
hand
on
your
bosom
.
I
said
to
you
:
‘Remember
me
.
Come
to
me.’
I
even
wrote
—
”
She
stopped
,
shuddering
as
if
a
sudden
fear
had
laid
its
hold
on
her
.
Seeing
this
,
and
dreading
the
effect
of
any
violent
agitation
,
I
hastened
to
suggest
that
we
should
say
no
more
,
for
that
day
,
on
the
subject
of
her
dream
.
“
No
,
”
she
answered
,
firmly
.
“
There
is
nothing
to
be
gained
by
giving
me
time
.
My
dream
has
left
one
horrible
remembrance
on
my
mind
.
As
long
as
I
live
,
I
believe
I
shall
tremble
when
I
think
of
what
I
saw
near
you
in
that
darkened
room
.
”
She
stopped
again
.
Was
she
approaching
the
subject
of
the
shrouded
figure
,
with
the
black
veil
over
its
head
?
Was
she
about
to
describe
her
first
discovery
,
in
the
dream
,
of
Miss
Dunross
?
“
Tell
me
one
thing
first
,
”
she
resumed
.
“
Have
I
been
right
in
what
I
have
said
to
you
,
so
far
?
Is
it
true
that
you
were
in
a
darkened
room
when
you
saw
me
?
”
“
Quite
true
.
”
“
Was
the
date
the
beginning
of
the
month
?
and
was
the
hour
the
close
of
evening
?
”
“
Yes
.
”
“
Were
you
alone
in
the
room
?
Answer
me
truly
!
”
“
I
was
not
alone
.
”
“
Was
the
master
of
the
house
with
you
?
or
had
you
some
other
companion
?
”
It
would
have
been
worse
than
useless
(
after
what
I
had
now
heard
)
to
attempt
to
deceive
her
.
“
I
had
another
companion
,
”
I
answered
.
“
The
person
in
the
room
with
me
was
a
woman
.
”
Her
face
showed
,
as
I
spoke
,
that
she
was
again
shaken
by
the
terrifying
recollection
to
which
she
had
just
alluded
.
I
had
,
by
this
time
,
some
difficulty
myself
in
preserving
my
composure
.
Still
,
I
was
determined
not
to
let
a
word
escape
me
which
could
operate
as
a
suggestion
on
the
mind
of
my
companion
.
“
Have
you
any
other
question
to
ask
me
?
”
was
all
I
said
.
“
One
more
,
”
she
answered
.
“
Was
there
anything
unusual
in
the
dress
of
your
companion
?
”
“
Yes
.
She
wore
a
long
black
veil
,
which
hung
over
her
head
and
face
,
and
dropped
to
below
her
waist
.
”
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
leaned
back
in
her
chair
,
and
covered
her
eyes
with
her
hands
.
“
I
understand
your
motive
for
concealing
from
me
the
presence
of
that
miserable
woman
in
the
house
,
”
she
said
.
“
It
is
good
and
kind
,
like
all
your
motives
;
but
it
is
useless
.
While
I
lay
in
the
trance
I
saw
everything
exactly
as
it
was
in
the
reality
;
and
I
,
too
,
saw
that
frightful
face
!
”
Those
words
literally
electrified
me
.
My
conversation
of
that
morning
with
my
mother
instantly
recurred
to
my
memory
.
I
started
to
my
feet
.
“
Good
God
!
”
I
exclaimed
,
“
what
do
you
mean
?
”
“
Don’t
you
understand
yet
?
”
she
asked
in
amazement
on
her
side
.
“
Must
I
speak
more
plainly
still
?
When
you
saw
the
apparition
of
me
,
did
you
see
me
write
?
”
“
Yes
.
On
a
letter
that
the
lady
was
writing
for
me
.
I
saw
the
words
afterward
;
the
words
that
brought
me
to
you
last
night
:
‘At
the
month’s
end
,
In
the
shadow
of
Saint
Paul’s.’
”
“
How
did
I
appear
to
write
on
the
unfinished
letter
?
”
“
You
lifted
the
writing-case
,
on
which
the
letter
and
the
pen
lay
,
off
the
lady’s
lap
;
and
,
while
you
wrote
,
you
rested
the
case
on
her
shoulder
.
”
“
Did
you
notice
if
the
lifting
of
the
case
produced
any
effect
on
her
?
”
“
I
saw
no
effect
produced
,
”
I
answered
.
“
She
remained
immovable
in
her
chair
.
”
“
I
saw
it
differently
in
my
dream
.
She
raised
her
hand
—
not
the
hand
that
was
nearest
to
you
,
but
nearest
to
me
.
As
I
lifted
the
writing-case
,
she
lifted
her
hand
,
and
parted
the
folds
of
the
veil
from
off
her
face
—
I
suppose
to
see
more
clearly
.
It
was
only
for
a
moment
;
and
in
that
moment
I
saw
what
the
veil
hid
.
Don’t
let
us
speak
of
it
!
You
must
have
shuddered
at
that
frightful
sight
in
the
reality
,
as
I
shuddered
at
it
in
the
dream
.
You
must
have
asked
yourself
,
as
I
did
:
‘Is
there
nobody
to
poison
the
terrible
creature
,
and
hide
her
mercifully
in
the
grave
?
’
”
At
those
words
,
she
abruptly
checked
herself
.
I
could
say
nothing
—
my
face
spoke
for
me
.
She
saw
it
,
and
guessed
the
truth
.
“
Good
heavens
!
”
she
cried
,
“
you
have
not
seen
her
!
She
must
have
kept
her
face
hidden
from
you
behind
the
veil
!
Oh
,
why
,
why
did
you
cheat
me
into
talking
of
it
!
I
will
never
speak
of
it
again
.
See
,
we
are
frightening
the
child
!
Come
here
,
darling
;
there
is
nothing
to
be
afraid
of
.
Come
,
and
bring
your
cake
with
you
.
You
shall
be
a
great
lady
,
giving
a
grand
dinner
;
and
we
will
be
two
friends
whom
you
have
invited
to
dine
with
you
;
and
the
doll
shall
be
the
little
girl
who
comes
in
after
dinner
,
and
has
fruit
at
dessert
!
”
So
she
ran
on
,
trying
vainly
to
forget
the
shock
that
she
had
inflicted
on
me
in
talking
nursery
nonsense
to
the
child
.
Recovering
my
composure
in
some
degree
,
I
did
my
best
to
second
the
effort
that
she
had
made
.
My
quieter
thoughts
suggested
that
she
might
well
be
self-deceived
in
believing
the
horrible
spectacle
presented
to
her
in
the
vision
to
be
an
actual
reflection
of
the
truth
.
In
common
justice
toward
Miss
Dunross
I
ought
surely
not
to
accept
the
conviction
of
her
deformity
on
no
better
evidence
than
the
evidence
of
a
dream
?
Reasonable
as
it
undoubtedly
was
,
this
view
left
certain
doubts
still
lingering
in
my
mind
.
The
child’s
instinct
soon
discovered
that
her
mother
and
I
were
playfellows
who
felt
no
genuine
enjoyment
of
the
game
.
She
dismissed
her
make-believe
guests
without
ceremony
,
and
went
back
with
her
doll
to
the
favorite
play-ground
on
which
I
had
met
her
—
the
landing
outside
the
door
.
No
persuasion
on
her
mother’s
part
or
on
mine
succeeded
in
luring
her
back
to
us
.
We
were
left
together
,
to
face
each
other
as
best
we
might
—
with
the
forbidden
subject
of
Miss
Dunross
between
us
.
CHAPTER
XXVIII
.
LOVE
AND
MONEY
.
FEELING
the
embarrassment
of
the
moment
most
painfully
on
her
side
,
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
spoke
first
.
“
You
have
said
nothing
to
me
about
yourself
,
”
she
began
.
“
Is
your
life
a
happier
one
than
it
was
when
we
last
met
?
”
“
I
cannot
honestly
say
that
it
is
,
”
I
answered
.
“
Is
there
any
prospect
of
your
being
married
?
”
“
My
prospect
of
being
married
still
rests
with
you
.
”
“
Don’t
say
that
!
”
she
exclaimed
,
with
an
entreating
look
at
me
.
“
Don’t
spoil
my
pleasure
in
seeing
you
again
by
speaking
of
what
can
never
be
!
Have
you
still
to
be
told
how
it
is
that
you
find
me
here
alone
with
my
child
?
”
I
forced
myself
to
mention
Van
Brandt’s
name
,
rather
than
hear
it
pass
her
lips
.
“
I
have
been
told
that
Mr.
Van
Brandt
is
in
prison
for
debt
,
”
I
said
.
“
And
I
saw
for
myself
last
night
that
he
had
left
you
helpless
.
”
“
He
left
me
the
little
money
he
had
with
him
when
he
was
arrested
,
”
she
rejoined
,
sadly
.
“
His
cruel
creditors
are
more
to
blame
than
he
is
for
the
poverty
that
has
fallen
on
us
.
”
Even
this
negative
defense
of
Van
Brandt
stung
me
to
the
quick
.
“
I
ought
to
have
spoken
more
guardedly
of
him
,
”
I
said
,
bitterly
.
“
I
ought
to
have
remembered
that
a
woman
can
forgive
almost
any
wrong
that
a
man
can
inflict
on
her
—
when
he
is
the
man
whom
she
loves
.
”
She
put
her
hand
on
my
mouth
,
and
stopped
me
before
I
could
say
any
more
.
“
How
can
you
speak
so
cruelly
to
me
?
”
she
asked
.
“
You
know
—
to
my
shame
I
confessed
it
to
you
the
last
time
we
met
—
you
know
that
my
heart
,
in
secret
,
is
all
yours
.
What
‘wrong’
are
you
talking
of
?
Is
it
the
wrong
I
suffered
when
Van
Brandt
married
me
,
with
a
wife
living
at
the
time
(
and
living
still
)
?
Do
you
think
I
can
ever
forget
the
great
misfortune
of
my
life
—
the
misfortune
that
has
made
me
unworthy
of
you
?
It
is
no
fault
of
mine
,
God
knows
;
but
it
is
not
the
less
true
that
I
am
not
married
,
and
that
the
little
darling
who
is
playing
out
there
with
her
doll
is
my
child
.
And
you
talk
of
my
being
your
wife
—
knowing
that
!
”
“
The
child
accepts
me
as
her
second
father
,
”
I
said
.
“
It
would
be
better
and
happier
for
us
both
if
you
had
as
little
pride
as
the
child
.
”
“
Pride
?
”
she
repeated
.
“
In
such
a
position
as
mine
?
A
helpless
woman
,
with
a
mock-husband
in
prison
for
debt
!
Say
that
I
have
not
fallen
quite
so
low
yet
as
to
forget
what
is
due
to
you
,
and
you
will
pay
me
a
compliment
that
will
be
nearer
to
the
truth
.
Am
I
to
marry
you
for
my
food
and
shelter
?
Am
I
to
marry
you
,
because
there
is
no
lawful
tie
that
binds
me
to
the
father
of
my
child
?
Cruelly
as
he
has
behaved
,
he
has
still
that
claim
upon
me
.
Bad
as
he
is
,
he
has
not
forsaken
me
;
he
has
been
forced
away
.
My
only
friend
,
is
it
possible
that
you
think
me
ungrateful
enough
to
consent
to
be
your
wife
?
The
woman
(
in
my
situation
)
must
be
heartless
indeed
who
could
destroy
your
place
in
the
estimation
of
the
world
and
the
regard
of
your
friends
!
The
wretchedest
creature
that
walks
the
streets
would
shrink
from
treating
you
in
that
way
.
Oh
,
what
are
men
made
of
?
How
can
you
—
how
can
you
speak
of
it
!
”
I
yielded
—
-and
spoke
of
it
no
more
.
Every
word
she
uttered
only
increased
my
admiration
of
the
noble
creature
whom
I
had
loved
,
and
lost
.
What
refuge
was
now
left
to
me
?
But
one
refuge
;
I
could
still
offer
to
her
the
sacrifice
of
myself
.
Bitterly
as
I
hated
the
man
who
had
parted
us
,
I
loved
her
dearly
enough
to
be
even
capable
of
helping
him
for
her
sake
.
Hopeless
infatuation
!
I
don’t
deny
it
;
I
don’t
excuse
it
—
hopeless
infatuation
!
“
You
have
forgiven
me
,
”
I
said
.
“
Let
me
deserve
to
be
forgiven
.
It
is
something
to
be
your
only
friend
.
You
must
have
plans
for
the
future
;
tell
me
unreservedly
how
I
can
help
you
.
”
“
Complete
the
good
work
that
you
have
begun
,
”
she
answered
,
gratefully
.
“
Help
me
back
to
health
.
Make
me
strong
enough
to
submit
to
a
doctor’s
estimate
of
my
chances
of
living
for
some
years
yet
.
”
“
A
doctor’s
estimate
of
your
chances
of
living
?
”
I
repeated
.
“
What
do
you
mean
?
”
“
I
hardly
know
how
to
tell
you
,
”
she
said
,
“
without
speaking
again
of
Mr.
Van
Brandt
.
”
“
Does
speaking
of
him
again
mean
speaking
of
his
debts
?
”
I
asked
.
“
Why
need
you
hesitate
?
You
know
that
there
is
nothing
I
will
not
do
to
relieve
your
anxieties
.
”
She
looked
at
me
for
a
moment
,
in
silent
distress
.
“
Oh
!
do
you
think
I
would
let
you
give
your
money
to
Van
Brandt
?
”
she
asked
,
as
soon
as
she
could
speak
.
“
I
,
who
owe
everything
to
your
devotion
to
me
?
Never
!
Let
me
tell
you
the
plain
truth
.
There
is
a
serious
necessity
for
his
getting
out
of
prison
.
He
must
pay
his
creditors
;
and
he
has
found
out
a
way
of
doing
it
—
with
my
help
.
”
“
Your
help
?
”
I
exclaimed
.
“
Yes
.
This
is
his
position
,
in
two
words
:
A
little
while
since
,
he
obtained
an
excellent
offer
of
employment
abroad
,
from
a
rich
relative
of
his
,
and
he
had
made
all
his
arrangements
to
accept
it
.
Unhappily
,
he
returned
to
tell
me
of
his
good
fortune
,
and
the
same
day
he
was
arrested
for
debt
.
His
relative
has
offered
to
keep
the
situation
open
for
a
certain
time
,
and
the
time
has
not
yet
expired
.
If
he
can
pay
a
dividend
to
his
creditors
,
they
will
give
him
his
freedom
;
and
he
believes
he
can
raise
the
money
if
I
consent
to
insure
my
life
.
”
To
insure
her
life
!
The
snare
that
had
been
set
for
her
was
plainly
revealed
in
those
four
words
.
In
the
eye
of
the
law
she
was
,
of
course
,
a
single
woman
:
she
was
of
age
;
she
was
,
to
all
intents
and
purposes
,
her
own
mistress
.
What
was
there
to
prevent
her
from
insuring
her
life
,
if
she
pleased
,
and
from
so
disposing
of
the
insurance
as
to
give
Van
Brandt
a
direct
interest
in
her
death
?
Knowing
what
I
knew
of
him
—
believing
him
,
as
I
did
,
to
be
capable
of
any
atrocity
—
I
trembled
at
the
bare
idea
of
what
might
have
happened
if
I
had
failed
to
find
my
way
back
to
her
until
a
later
date
.
Thanks
to
the
happy
accident
of
my
position
,
the
one
certain
way
of
protecting
her
lay
easily
within
my
reach
.
I
could
offer
to
lend
the
scoundrel
the
money
that
he
wanted
at
an
hour’s
notice
,
and
he
was
the
man
to
accept
my
proposal
quite
as
easily
as
I
could
make
it
.
“
You
don’t
seem
to
approve
of
our
idea
,
”
she
said
,
noticing
,
in
evident
perplexity
,
the
effect
which
she
had
produced
on
me
.
“
I
am
very
unfortunate
;
I
seem
to
have
innocently
disturbed
and
annoyed
you
for
the
second
time
.
”
“
You
are
quite
mistaken
,
”
I
replied
.
“
I
am
only
doubting
whether
your
plan
for
relieving
Mr.
Van
Brandt
of
his
embarrassments
is
quite
so
simple
as
you
suppose
.
Are
you
aware
of
the
delays
that
are
likely
to
take
place
before
it
will
be
possible
to
borrow
money
on
your
policy
of
insurance
?
”
“
I
know
nothing
about
it
,
”
she
said
,
sadly
.
“
Will
you
let
me
ask
the
advice
of
my
lawyers
?
They
are
trustworthy
and
experienced
men
,
and
I
am
sure
they
can
be
of
use
to
you
.
”
Cautiously
as
I
had
expressed
myself
,
her
delicacy
took
the
alarm
.
“
Promise
that
you
won’t
ask
me
to
borrow
money
of
you
for
Mr.
Van
Brandt
,
”
she
rejoined
,
“
and
I
will
accept
your
help
gratefully
.
”
I
could
honestly
promise
that
.
My
one
chance
of
saving
her
lay
in
keeping
from
her
knowledge
the
course
that
I
had
now
determined
to
pursue
.
I
rose
to
go
,
while
my
resolution
still
sustained
me
.
The
sooner
I
made
my
inquiries
(
I
reminded
her
)
the
more
speedily
our
present
doubts
and
difficulties
would
be
resolved
.
She
rose
,
as
I
rose
—
with
the
tears
in
her
eyes
,
and
the
blush
on
her
cheeks
.
“
Kiss
me
,
”
she
whispered
,
“
before
you
go
!
And
don’t
mind
my
crying
.
I
am
quite
happy
now
.
It
is
only
your
goodness
that
overpowers
me
.
”
I
pressed
her
to
my
heart
,
with
the
unacknowledged
tenderness
of
a
parting
embrace
.
It
was
impossible
to
disguise
the
position
in
which
I
had
now
placed
myself
.
I
had
,
so
to
speak
,
pronounced
my
own
sentence
of
banishment
.
When
my
interference
had
restored
my
unworthy
rival
to
his
freedom
,
could
I
submit
to
the
degrading
necessity
of
seeing
her
in
his
presence
,
of
speaking
to
her
under
his
eyes
?
That
sacrifice
of
myself
was
beyond
me
—
and
I
knew
it
.
“
For
the
last
time
!
”
I
thought
,
as
I
held
her
to
me
for
a
moment
longer
—
“
for
the
last
time
!
”
The
child
ran
to
meet
me
with
open
arms
when
I
stepped
out
on
the
landing
.
My
manhood
had
sustained
me
through
the
parting
with
the
mother
.
It
was
only
when
the
child’s
round
,
innocent
little
face
laid
itself
lovingly
against
mine
that
my
fortitude
gave
way
.
I
was
past
speaking
;
I
put
her
down
gently
in
silence
,
and
waited
on
the
lower
flight
of
stairs
until
I
was
fit
to
face
the
world
outside
.
CHAPTER
XXIX
.
OUR
DESTINIES
PART
US
.
DESCENDING
to
the
ground-floor
of
the
house
,
I
sent
to
request
a
moment’s
interview
with
the
landlady
.
I
had
yet
to
learn
in
which
of
the
London
prisons
Van
Brandt
was
confined
;
and
she
was
the
only
person
to
whom
I
could
venture
to
address
the
question
.
Having
answered
my
inquiries
,
the
woman
put
her
own
sordid
construction
on
my
motive
for
visiting
the
prisoner
.
“
Has
the
money
you
left
upstairs
gone
into
his
greedy
pockets
already
?
”
she
asked
.
“
If
I
was
as
rich
as
you
are
,
I
should
let
it
go
.
In
your
place
,
I
wouldn’t
touch
him
with
a
pair
of
tongs
!
”
The
woman’s
coarse
warning
actually
proved
useful
to
me
;
it
started
a
new
idea
in
my
mind
!
Before
she
spoke
,
I
had
been
too
dull
or
too
preoccupied
to
see
that
it
was
quite
needless
to
degrade
myself
by
personally
communicating
with
Van
Brandt
in
his
prison
.
It
only
now
occurred
to
me
that
my
legal
advisers
were
,
as
a
matter
of
course
,
the
proper
persons
to
represent
me
in
the
matter
—
with
this
additional
advantage
,
that
they
could
keep
my
share
in
the
transaction
a
secret
even
from
Van
Brandt
himself
.
I
drove
at
once
to
the
office
of
my
lawyers
.
The
senior
partner
—
the
tried
friend
and
adviser
of
our
family
—
received
me
.
My
instructions
,
naturally
enough
,
astonished
him
.
He
was
immediately
to
satisfy
the
prisoner’s
creditors
,
on
my
behalf
,
without
mentioning
my
name
to
any
one
.
And
he
was
gravely
to
accept
as
security
for
repayment
—
Mr.
Van
Brandt’s
note
of
hand
!
“
I
thought
I
was
well
acquainted
with
the
various
methods
by
which
a
gentleman
can
throw
away
his
money
,
”
the
senior
partner
remarked
.
“
I
congratulate
you
,
Mr.
Germaine
,
on
having
discovered
an
entirely
new
way
of
effectually
emptying
your
purse
.
Founding
a
newspaper
,
taking
a
theater
,
keeping
race-horses
,
gambling
at
Monaco
,
are
highly
efficient
as
modes
of
losing
money
.
But
they
all
yield
,
sir
,
to
paying
the
debts
of
Mr.
Van
Brandt
!
”
I
left
him
,
and
went
home
.
The
servant
who
opened
the
door
had
a
message
for
me
from
my
mother
.
She
wished
to
see
me
as
soon
as
I
was
at
leisure
to
speak
to
her
.
I
presented
myself
at
once
in
my
mother’s
sitting-room
.
“
Well
,
George
?
”
she
said
,
without
a
word
to
prepare
me
for
what
was
coming
.
“
How
have
you
left
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
?
”
I
was
completely
thrown
off
my
guard
.
“
Who
has
told
you
that
I
have
seen
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
?
”
I
asked
.
“
My
dear
,
your
face
has
told
me
.
Don’t
I
know
by
this
time
how
you
look
and
how
you
speak
when
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
is
in
your
mind
.
Sit
down
by
me
.
I
have
something
to
say
to
you
which
I
wanted
to
say
this
morning
;
but
,
I
hardly
know
why
,
my
heart
failed
me
.
I
am
bolder
now
,
and
I
can
say
it
.
My
son
,
you
still
love
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
.
You
have
my
permission
to
marry
her
.
”
Those
were
the
words
!
Hardly
an
hour
had
elapsed
since
Mrs.
Van
Brandt’s
own
lips
had
told
me
that
our
union
was
impossible
.
Not
even
half
an
hour
had
passed
since
I
had
given
the
directions
which
would
restore
to
liberty
the
man
who
was
the
one
obstacle
to
my
marriage
.
And
this
was
the
time
that
my
mother
had
innocently
chosen
for
consenting
to
receive
as
her
daughter-in-law
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
!
“
I
see
that
I
surprise
you
,
”
she
resumed
.
“
Let
me
explain
my
motive
as
plainly
as
I
can
.
I
should
not
be
speaking
the
truth
,
George
,
if
I
told
you
that
I
have
ceased
to
feel
the
serious
objections
that
there
are
to
your
marrying
this
lady
.
The
only
difference
in
my
way
of
thinking
is
,
that
I
am
now
willing
to
set
my
objections
aside
,
out
of
regard
for
your
happiness
.
I
am
an
old
woman
,
my
dear
.
In
the
course
of
nature
,
I
cannot
hope
to
be
with
you
much
longer
.
When
I
am
gone
,
who
will
be
left
to
care
for
you
and
love
you
,
in
the
place
of
your
mother
?
No
one
will
be
left
,
unless
you
marry
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
.
Your
happiness
is
my
first
consideration
,
and
the
woman
you
love
(
sadly
as
she
has
been
led
astray
)
is
a
woman
worthy
of
a
better
fate
.
Marry
her
.
”
I
could
not
trust
myself
to
speak
.
I
could
only
kneel
at
my
mother’s
feet
,
and
hide
my
face
on
her
knees
,
as
if
I
had
been
a
boy
again
.
“
Think
of
it
,
George
,
”
she
said
.
“
And
come
back
to
me
when
you
are
composed
enough
to
speak
as
quietly
of
the
future
as
I
do
.
”
She
lifted
my
head
and
kissed
me
.
As
I
rose
to
leave
her
,
I
saw
something
in
the
dear
old
eyes
that
met
mine
so
tenderly
,
which
struck
a
sudden
fear
through
me
,
keen
and
cutting
,
like
a
stroke
from
a
knife
.
The
moment
I
had
closed
the
door
,
I
went
downstairs
to
the
porter
in
the
hall
.
“
Has
my
mother
left
the
house
,
”
I
asked
,
“
while
I
have
been
away
?
”
“
No
,
sir
.
”
“
Have
any
visitors
called
?
”
“
One
visitor
has
called
,
sir
.
”
“
Do
you
know
who
it
was
?
”
The
porter
mentioned
the
name
of
a
celebrated
physician
—
a
man
at
the
head
of
his
profession
in
those
days
.
I
instantly
took
my
hat
and
went
to
his
house
.
He
had
just
returned
from
his
round
of
visits
.
My
card
was
taken
to
him
,
and
was
followed
at
once
by
my
admission
to
his
consulting-room
.
“
You
have
seen
my
mother
,
”
I
said
.
“
Is
she
seriously
ill
?
and
have
you
not
concealed
it
from
her
?
For
God’s
sake
,
tell
me
the
truth
;
I
can
bear
it
.
”
The
great
man
took
me
kindly
by
the
hand
.
“
Your
mother
stands
in
no
need
of
any
warning
;
she
is
herself
aware
of
the
critical
state
of
her
health
,
”
he
said
.
“
She
sent
for
me
to
confirm
her
own
conviction
.
I
could
not
conceal
from
her
—
I
must
not
conceal
from
you
—
that
the
vital
energies
are
sinking
.
She
may
live
for
some
months
longer
in
a
milder
air
than
the
air
of
London
.
That
is
all
I
can
say
.
At
her
age
,
her
days
are
numbered
.
”
He
gave
me
time
to
steady
myself
under
the
blow
;
and
then
he
placed
his
vast
experience
,
his
matured
and
consummate
knowledge
,
at
my
disposal
.
From
his
dictation
,
I
committed
to
writing
the
necessary
instructions
for
watching
over
the
frail
tenure
of
my
mother’s
life
.
“
Let
me
give
you
one
word
of
warning
,
”
he
said
,
as
we
parted
.
“
Your
mother
is
especially
desirous
that
you
should
know
nothing
of
the
precarious
condition
of
her
health
.
Her
one
anxiety
is
to
see
you
happy
.
If
she
discovers
your
visit
to
me
,
I
will
not
answer
for
the
consequences
.
Make
the
best
excuse
you
can
think
of
for
at
once
taking
her
away
from
London
,
and
,
whatever
you
may
feel
in
secret
,
keep
up
an
appearance
of
good
spirits
in
her
presence
.
”
That
evening
I
made
my
excuse
.
It
was
easily
found
.
I
had
only
to
tell
my
poor
mother
of
Mrs.
Van
Brandt’s
refusal
to
marry
me
,
and
there
was
an
intelligible
motive
assigned
for
my
proposing
to
leave
London
.
The
same
night
I
wrote
to
inform
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
of
the
sad
event
which
was
the
cause
of
my
sudden
departure
,
and
to
warn
her
that
there
no
longer
existed
the
slightest
necessity
for
insuring
her
life
.
“
My
lawyers
”
(
I
wrote
)
“
have
undertaken
to
arrange
Mr.
Van
Brandt’s
affairs
immediately
.
In
a
few
hours
he
will
be
at
liberty
to
accept
the
situation
that
has
been
offered
to
him
.
”
The
last
lines
of
the
letter
assured
her
of
my
unalterable
love
,
and
entreated
her
to
write
to
me
before
she
left
England
.
This
done
,
all
was
done
.
I
was
conscious
,
strange
to
say
,
of
no
acutely
painful
suffering
at
this
saddest
time
of
my
life
.
There
is
a
limit
,
morally
as
well
as
physically
,
to
our
capacity
for
endurance
.
I
can
only
describe
my
sensations
under
the
calamities
that
had
now
fallen
on
me
in
one
way
:
I
felt
like
a
man
whose
mind
had
been
stunned
.
The
next
day
my
mother
and
I
set
forth
on
the
first
stage
of
our
journey
to
the
south
coast
of
Devonshire
.
CHAPTER
XXX
.
THE
PROSPECT
DARKENS
.
THREE
days
after
my
mother
and
I
had
established
ourselves
at
Torquay
,
I
received
Mrs.
Van
Brandt’s
answer
to
my
letter
.
After
the
opening
sentences
(
informing
me
that
Van
Brandt
had
been
set
at
liberty
,
under
circumstances
painfully
suggestive
to
the
writer
of
some
unacknowledged
sacrifice
on
my
part
)
,
the
letter
proceeded
in
these
terms
:
“
The
new
employment
which
Mr.
Van
Brandt
is
to
undertake
secures
to
us
the
comforts
,
if
not
the
luxuries
,
of
life
.
For
the
first
time
since
my
troubles
began
,
I
have
the
prospect
before
me
of
a
peaceful
existence
,
among
a
foreign
people
from
whom
all
that
is
false
in
my
position
may
be
concealed
—
not
for
my
sake
,
but
for
the
sake
of
my
child
.
To
more
than
this
,
to
the
happiness
which
some
women
enjoy
,
I
must
not
,
I
dare
not
,
aspire
.
“
We
leave
England
for
the
Continent
early
tomorrow
morning
.
Shall
I
tell
you
in
what
part
of
Europe
my
new
residence
is
to
be
?
“
No
!
You
might
write
to
me
again
;
and
I
might
write
back
.
The
one
poor
return
I
can
make
to
the
good
angel
of
my
life
is
to
help
him
to
forget
me
.
What
right
have
I
to
cling
to
my
usurped
place
in
your
regard
?
The
time
will
come
when
you
will
give
your
heart
to
a
woman
who
is
worthier
of
it
than
I
am
.
Let
me
drop
out
of
your
life
—
except
as
an
occasional
remembrance
,
when
you
sometimes
think
of
the
days
that
have
gone
forever
.
“
I
shall
not
be
without
some
consolation
on
my
side
,
when
I
too
look
back
at
the
past
.
I
have
been
a
better
woman
since
I
met
with
you
.
Live
as
long
as
I
may
,
I
shall
always
remember
that
.
“
Yes
!
The
influence
that
you
have
had
over
me
has
been
from
first
to
last
an
influence
for
good
.
Allowing
that
I
have
done
wrong
(
in
my
position
)
to
love
you
,
and
,
worse
even
than
that
,
to
own
it
,
still
the
love
has
been
innocent
,
and
the
effort
to
control
it
has
been
an
honest
effort
at
least
.
But
,
apart
from
this
,
my
heart
tells
me
that
I
am
the
better
for
the
sympathy
which
has
united
us
.
I
may
confess
to
you
what
I
have
never
yet
acknowledged
—
now
that
we
are
so
widely
parted
,
and
so
little
likely
to
meet
again
—
whenever
I
have
given
myself
up
unrestrainedly
to
my
own
better
impulses
,
they
have
always
seemed
to
lead
me
to
you
.
Whenever
my
mind
has
been
most
truly
at
peace
,
and
I
have
been
able
to
pray
with
a
pure
and
a
penitent
heart
,
I
have
felt
as
if
there
was
some
unseen
tie
that
was
drawing
us
nearer
and
nearer
together
.
And
,
strange
to
say
,
