aword
,
without
taking
my
offered
hand
.
Her
companion
broke
the
silence
.
“
Who
is
this
gentleman
?
”
he
asked
,
speaking
in
a
foreign
accent
,
with
an
under-bred
insolence
of
tone
and
manner
.
She
controlled
herself
the
moment
he
addressed
her
.
“
This
is
Mr.
Germaine
,
”
she
answered
:
“
a
gentleman
who
was
very
kind
to
me
in
Scotland
.
”
She
raised
her
eyes
for
a
moment
to
mine
,
and
took
refuge
,
poor
soul
,
in
a
conventionally
polite
inquiry
after
my
health
.
“
I
hope
you
are
quite
well
,
Mr.
Germaine
,
”
said
the
soft
,
sweet
voice
,
trembling
piteously
.
I
made
the
customary
reply
,
and
explained
that
I
had
seen
her
at
the
opera
.
“
Are
you
staying
in
London
?
”
I
asked
.
“
May
I
have
the
honor
of
calling
on
you
?
”
Her
companion
answered
for
her
before
she
could
speak
.
“
My
wife
thanks
you
,
sir
,
for
the
compliment
you
pay
her
.
She
doesn’t
receive
visitors
.
We
both
wish
you
good-night
.
”
Saying
those
words
,
he
took
off
his
hat
with
a
sardonic
assumption
of
respect
;
and
,
holding
her
arm
in
his
,
forced
her
to
walk
on
abruptly
with
him
.
Feeling
certainly
assured
by
this
time
that
the
man
was
no
other
than
Van
Brandt
,
I
was
on
the
point
of
answering
him
sharply
,
when
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
checked
the
rash
words
as
they
rose
to
my
lips
.
“
For
my
sake
!
”
she
whispered
,
over
her
shoulder
,
with
an
imploring
look
that
instantly
silenced
me
.
After
all
,
she
was
free
(
if
she
liked
)
to
go
back
to
the
man
who
had
so
vilely
deceived
and
deserted
her
.
I
bowed
and
left
them
,
feeling
with
no
common
bitterness
the
humiliation
of
entering
into
rivalry
with
Mr.
Van
Brandt
.
I
crossed
to
the
other
side
of
the
street
.
Before
I
had
taken
three
steps
away
from
her
,
the
old
infatuation
fastened
its
hold
on
me
again
.
I
submitted
,
without
a
struggle
against
myself
,
to
the
degradation
of
turning
spy
and
following
them
home
.
Keeping
well
behind
,
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
way
,
I
tracked
them
to
their
own
door
,
and
entered
in
my
pocket-book
the
name
of
the
street
and
the
number
of
the
house
.
The
hardest
critic
who
reads
these
lines
cannot
feel
more
contemptuously
toward
me
than
I
felt
toward
myself
.
Could
I
still
love
a
woman
after
she
had
deliberately
preferred
to
me
a
scoundrel
who
had
married
her
while
he
was
the
husband
of
another
wife
?
Yes
!
Knowing
what
I
now
knew
,
I
felt
that
I
loved
her
just
as
dearly
as
ever
.
It
was
incredible
,
it
was
shocking
;
but
it
was
true
.
For
the
first
time
in
my
life
,
I
tried
to
take
refuge
from
my
sense
of
my
own
degradation
in
drink
.
I
went
to
my
club
,
and
joined
a
convivial
party
at
a
supper
table
,
and
poured
glass
after
glass
of
champagne
down
my
throat
,
without
feeling
the
slightest
sense
of
exhilaration
,
without
losing
for
an
instant
the
consciousness
of
my
own
contemptible
conduct
.
I
went
to
my
bed
in
despair
;
and
through
the
wakeful
night
I
weakly
cursed
the
fatal
evening
at
the
river-side
when
I
had
met
her
for
the
first
time
.
But
revile
her
as
I
might
,
despise
myself
as
I
might
,
I
loved
her
—
I
loved
her
still
!
Among
the
letters
laid
on
my
table
the
next
morning
there
were
two
which
must
find
their
place
in
this
narrative
.
The
first
letter
was
in
a
handwriting
which
I
had
seen
once
before
,
at
the
hotel
in
Edinburgh
.
The
writer
was
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
.
“
For
your
own
sake
”
(
the
letter
ran
)
“
make
no
attempt
to
see
me
,
and
take
no
notice
of
an
invitation
which
I
fear
you
will
receive
with
this
note
.
I
am
living
a
degraded
life
.
I
have
sunk
beneath
your
notice
.
You
owe
it
to
yourself
,
sir
,
to
forget
the
miserable
woman
who
now
writes
to
you
for
the
last
time
,
and
bids
you
gratefully
a
last
farewell
.
”
Those
sad
lines
were
signed
in
initials
only
.
It
is
needless
to
say
that
they
merely
strengthened
my
resolution
to
see
her
at
all
hazards
.
I
kissed
the
paper
on
which
her
hand
had
rested
,
and
then
I
turned
to
the
second
letter
.
It
contained
the
“
invitation
”
to
which
my
correspondent
had
alluded
,
and
it
was
expressed
in
these
terms
:
“
Mr.
Van
Brandt
presents
his
compliments
to
Mr.
Germaine
,
and
begs
to
apologize
for
the
somewhat
abrupt
manner
in
which
he
received
Mr.
Germaine’s
polite
advances
.
Mr.
Van
Brandt
suffers
habitually
from
nervous
irritability
,
and
he
felt
particularly
ill
last
night
.
He
trusts
Mr.
Germaine
will
receive
this
candid
explanation
in
the
spirit
in
which
it
is
offered
;
and
he
begs
to
add
that
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
will
be
delighted
to
receive
Mr.
Germaine
whenever
he
may
find
it
convenient
to
favor
her
with
a
visit
.
”
That
Mr.
Van
Brandt
had
some
sordid
interest
of
his
own
to
serve
in
writing
this
grotesquely
impudent
composition
,
and
that
the
unhappy
woman
who
bore
his
name
was
heartily
ashamed
of
the
proceeding
on
which
he
had
ventured
,
were
conclusions
easily
drawn
after
reading
the
two
letters
.
The
suspicion
of
the
man
and
of
his
motives
which
I
naturally
felt
produced
no
hesitation
in
my
mind
as
to
the
course
which
I
had
determined
to
pursue
.
On
the
contrary
,
I
rejoiced
that
my
way
to
an
interview
with
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
was
smoothed
,
no
matter
with
what
motives
,
by
Mr.
Van
Brandt
himself
.
I
waited
at
home
until
noon
,
and
then
I
could
wait
no
longer
.
Leaving
a
message
of
excuse
for
my
mother
(
I
had
just
sense
of
shame
enough
left
to
shrink
from
facing
her
)
,
I
hastened
away
to
profit
by
my
invitation
on
the
very
day
when
I
received
it
.
CHAPTER
XIV
.
MRS.
VAN
BRANDT
AT
HOME
.
As
I
lifted
my
hand
to
ring
the
house
bell
,
the
door
was
opened
from
within
,
and
no
less
a
person
than
Mr.
Van
Brandt
himself
stood
before
me
.
He
had
his
hat
on
.
We
had
evidently
met
just
as
he
was
going
out
.
“
My
dear
sir
,
how
good
this
is
of
you
!
You
present
the
best
of
all
replies
to
my
letter
in
presenting
yourself
.
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
is
at
home
.
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
will
be
delighted
.
Pray
walk
in
.
”
He
threw
open
the
door
of
a
room
on
the
ground-floor
.
His
politeness
was
(
if
possible
)
even
more
offensive
than
his
insolence
.
“
Be
seated
,
Mr.
Germaine
,
I
beg
of
you
.
”
He
turned
to
the
open
door
,
and
called
up
the
stairs
,
in
a
loud
and
confident
voice
:
“
Mary
!
come
down
directly
.
”
“
Mary
”
!
I
knew
her
Christian
name
at
last
,
and
knew
it
through
Van
Brandt
.
No
words
can
tell
how
the
name
jarred
on
me
,
spoken
by
his
lips
.
For
the
first
time
for
years
past
my
mind
went
back
to
Mary
Dermody
and
Greenwater
Broad
.
The
next
moment
I
heard
the
rustling
of
Mrs.
Van
Brandt’s
dress
on
the
stairs
.
As
the
sound
caught
my
ear
,
the
old
times
and
the
old
faces
vanished
again
from
my
thoughts
as
completely
as
if
they
had
never
existed
.
What
had
she
in
common
with
the
frail
,
shy
little
child
,
her
namesake
,
of
other
days
?
What
similarity
was
perceivable
in
the
sooty
London
lodging-house
to
remind
me
of
the
bailiff’s
flower-scented
cottage
by
the
shores
of
the
lake
?
Van
Brandt
took
off
his
hat
,
and
bowed
to
me
with
sickening
servility
.
“
I
have
a
business
appointment
,
”
he
said
,
“
which
it
is
impossible
to
put
off
.
Pray
excuse
me
.
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
will
do
the
honors
.
Good
morning
.
”
The
house
door
opened
and
closed
again
.
The
rustling
of
the
dress
came
slowly
nearer
and
nearer
.
She
stood
before
me
.
“
Mr.
Germaine
!
”
she
exclaimed
,
starting
back
,
as
if
the
bare
sight
of
me
repelled
her
.
“
Is
this
honorable
?
Is
this
worthy
of
you
?
You
allow
me
to
be
entrapped
into
receiving
you
,
and
you
accept
as
your
accomplice
Mr.
Van
Brandt
!
Oh
,
sir
,
I
have
accustomed
myself
to
look
up
to
you
as
a
high-minded
man
.
How
bitterly
you
have
disappointed
me
!
”
Her
reproaches
passed
by
me
unheeded
.
They
only
heightened
her
color
;
they
only
added
a
new
rapture
to
the
luxury
of
looking
at
her
.
“
If
you
loved
me
as
faithfully
as
I
love
you
,
”
I
said
,
“
you
would
understand
why
I
am
here
.
No
sacrifice
is
too
great
if
it
brings
me
into
your
presence
again
after
two
years
of
absence
.
”
She
suddenly
approached
me
,
and
fixed
her
eyes
in
eager
scrutiny
on
my
face
.
“
There
must
be
some
mistake
,
”
she
said
.
“
You
cannot
possibly
have
received
my
letter
,
or
you
have
not
read
it
?
”
“
I
have
received
it
,
and
I
have
read
it
.
”
“
And
Van
Brandt’s
letter
—
you
have
read
that
too
?
”
“
Yes
.
”
She
sat
down
by
the
table
,
and
,
leaning
her
arms
on
it
,
covered
her
face
with
her
hands
.
My
answers
seemed
not
only
to
have
distressed
,
but
to
have
perplexed
her
.
“
Are
men
all
alike
?
”
I
heard
her
say
.
“
I
thought
I
might
trust
in
his
sense
of
what
was
due
to
himself
and
of
what
was
compassionate
toward
me
.
”
I
closed
the
door
and
seated
myself
by
her
side
.
She
removed
her
hands
from
her
face
when
she
felt
me
near
her
.
She
looked
at
me
with
a
cold
and
steady
surprise
.
“
What
are
you
going
to
do
?
”
she
asked
.
“
I
am
going
to
try
if
I
can
recover
my
place
in
your
estimation
,
”
I
said
.
“
I
am
going
to
ask
your
pity
for
a
man
whose
whole
heart
is
yours
,
whose
whole
life
is
bound
up
in
you
.
”
She
started
to
her
feet
,
and
looked
round
her
incredulously
,
as
if
doubting
whether
she
had
rightly
heard
and
rightly
interpreted
my
last
words
.
Before
I
could
speak
again
,
she
suddenly
faced
me
,
and
struck
her
open
hand
on
the
table
with
a
passionate
resolution
which
I
now
saw
in
her
for
the
first
time
.
“
Stop
!
”
she
cried
.
“
There
must
be
an
end
to
this
.
And
an
end
there
shall
be
.
Do
you
know
who
that
man
is
who
has
just
left
the
house
?
Answer
me
,
Mr.
Germaine
!
I
am
speaking
in
earnest
.
”
There
was
no
choice
but
to
answer
her
.
She
was
indeed
in
earnest
—
vehemently
in
earnest
.
“
His
letter
tells
me
,
”
I
said
,
“
that
he
is
Mr.
Van
Brandt
.
”
She
sat
down
again
,
and
turned
her
face
away
from
me
.
“
Do
you
know
how
he
came
to
write
to
you
?
”
she
asked
.
“
Do
you
know
what
made
him
invite
you
to
this
house
?
”
I
thought
of
the
suspicion
that
had
crossed
my
mind
when
I
read
Van
Brandt’s
letter
.
I
made
no
reply
.
“
You
force
me
to
tell
you
the
truth
,
”
she
went
on
.
“
He
asked
me
who
you
were
,
last
night
on
our
way
home
.
I
knew
that
you
were
rich
,
and
that
he
wanted
money
.
I
told
him
I
knew
nothing
of
your
position
in
the
world
.
He
was
too
cunning
to
believe
me
;
he
went
out
to
the
public-house
and
looked
at
a
directory
.
He
came
back
and
said
,
‘Mr
.
Germaine
has
a
house
in
Berkeley
Square
and
a
country-seat
in
the
Highlands
.
He
is
not
a
man
for
a
poor
devil
like
me
to
offend
;
I
mean
to
make
a
friend
of
him
,
and
I
expect
you
to
make
a
friend
of
him
too.’
He
sat
down
and
wrote
to
you
.
I
am
living
under
that
man’s
protection
,
Mr.
Germaine
.
His
wife
is
not
dead
,
as
you
may
suppose
;
she
is
living
,
and
I
know
her
to
be
living
.
I
wrote
to
you
that
I
was
beneath
your
notice
,
and
you
have
obliged
me
to
tell
you
why
.
Am
I
sufficiently
degraded
to
bring
you
to
your
senses
?
”
I
drew
closer
to
her
.
She
tried
to
get
up
and
leave
me
.
I
knew
my
power
over
her
,
and
used
it
(
as
any
man
in
my
place
would
have
used
it
)
without
scruple
.
I
took
her
hand
.
“
I
don’t
believe
you
have
voluntarily
degraded
yourself
,
”
I
said
.
“
You
have
been
forced
into
your
present
position
:
there
are
circumstances
which
excuse
you
,
and
which
you
are
purposely
keeping
back
from
me
.
Nothing
will
convince
me
that
you
are
a
base
woman
.
Should
I
love
you
as
I
love
you
,
if
you
were
really
unworthy
of
me
?
”
She
struggled
to
free
her
hand
;
I
still
held
it
.
She
tried
to
change
the
subject
.
“
There
is
one
thing
you
haven’t
told
me
yet
,
”
she
said
,
with
a
faint
,
forced
smile
.
“
Have
you
seen
the
apparition
of
me
again
since
I
left
you
?
”
“
No.
Have
you
ever
seen
me
again
,
as
you
saw
me
in
your
dream
at
the
inn
in
Edinburgh
?
”
“
Never
.
Our
visions
of
each
other
have
left
us
.
Can
you
tell
why
?
”
If
we
had
continued
to
speak
on
this
subject
,
we
must
surely
have
recognized
each
other
.
But
the
subject
dropped
.
Instead
of
answering
her
question
,
I
drew
her
nearer
to
me
—
I
returned
to
the
forbidden
subject
of
my
love
.
“
Look
at
me
,
”
I
pleaded
,
“
and
tell
me
the
truth
.
Can
you
see
me
,
can
you
hear
me
,
and
do
you
feel
no
answering
sympathy
in
your
own
heart
?
Do
you
really
care
nothing
for
me
?
Have
you
never
once
thought
of
me
in
all
the
time
that
has
passed
since
we
last
met
?
”
I
spoke
as
I
felt
—
fervently
,
passionately
.
She
made
a
last
effort
to
repel
me
,
and
yielded
even
as
she
made
it
.
Her
hand
closed
on
mine
,
a
low
sigh
fluttered
on
her
lips
.
She
answered
with
a
sudden
self-abandonment
;
she
recklessly
cast
herself
loose
from
the
restraints
which
had
held
her
up
to
this
time
.
“
I
think
of
you
perpetually
,
”
she
said
.
“
I
was
thinking
of
you
at
the
opera
last
night
.
My
heart
leaped
in
me
when
I
heard
your
voice
in
the
street
.
”
“
You
love
me
!
”
I
whispered
.
“
Love
you
!
”
she
repeated
.
“
My
whole
heart
goes
out
to
you
in
spite
of
myself
.
Degraded
as
I
am
,
unworthy
as
I
am
—
knowing
as
I
do
that
nothing
can
ever
come
of
it
—
I
love
you
!
I
love
you
!
”
She
threw
her
arms
round
my
neck
,
and
held
me
to
her
with
all
her
strength
.
The
moment
after
,
she
dropped
on
her
knees
.
“
Oh
,
don’t
tempt
me
!
”
she
murmured
.
“
Be
merciful
—
and
leave
me
.
”
I
was
beside
myself
.
I
spoke
as
recklessly
to
her
as
she
had
spoken
to
me
.
“
Prove
that
you
love
me
,
”
I
said
.
“
Let
me
rescue
you
from
the
degradation
of
living
with
that
man
.
Leave
him
at
once
and
forever
.
Leave
him
,
and
come
with
me
to
a
future
that
is
worthy
of
you
—
your
future
as
my
wife
.
”
“
Never
!
”
she
answered
,
crouching
low
at
my
feet
.
“
Why
not
?
What
obstacle
is
there
?
”
“
I
can’t
tell
you
—
I
daren’t
tell
you
.
”
“
Will
you
write
it
?
”
“
No
,
I
can’t
even
write
it
—
to
you
.
Go
,
I
implore
you
,
before
Van
Brandt
comes
back
.
Go
,
if
you
love
me
and
pity
me
.
”
She
had
roused
my
jealousy
.
I
positively
refused
to
leave
her
.
“
I
insist
on
knowing
what
binds
you
to
that
man
,
”
I
said
.
“
Let
him
come
back
!
If
you
won’t
answer
my
question
,
I
will
put
it
to
him
.
”
She
looked
at
me
wildly
,
with
a
cry
of
terror
.
She
saw
my
resolution
in
my
face
.
“
Don’t
frighten
me
,
”
she
said
.
“
Let
me
think
.
”
She
reflected
for
a
moment
.
Her
eyes
brightened
,
as
if
some
new
way
out
of
the
difficulty
had
occurred
to
her
.
“
Have
you
a
mother
living
?
”
she
asked
.
“
Yes
.
”
“
Do
you
think
she
would
come
and
see
me
?
”
“
I
am
sure
she
would
if
I
asked
her
.
”
She
considered
with
herself
once
more
.
“
I
will
tell
your
mother
what
the
obstacle
is
,
”
she
said
,
thoughtfully
.
“
When
?
”
“
To-morrow
,
at
this
time
.
”
She
raised
herself
on
her
knees
;
the
tears
suddenly
filled
her
eyes
.
She
drew
me
to
her
gently
.
“
Kiss
me
,
”
she
whispered
.
“
You
will
never
come
here
again
.
Kiss
me
for
the
last
time
.
”
My
lips
had
barely
touched
hers
,
when
she
started
to
her
feet
and
snatched
up
my
hat
from
the
chair
on
which
I
had
placed
it
.
“
Take
your
hat
,
”
she
said
.
“
He
has
come
back
.
”
My
duller
sense
of
hearing
had
discovered
nothing
.
I
rose
and
took
my
hat
to
quiet
her
.
At
the
same
moment
the
door
of
the
room
opened
suddenly
and
softly
.
Mr.
Van
Brandt
came
in
.
I
saw
in
his
face
that
he
had
some
vile
motive
of
his
own
for
trying
to
take
us
by
surprise
,
and
that
the
result
of
the
experiment
had
disappointed
him
.
“
You
are
not
going
yet
?
”
he
said
,
speaking
to
me
with
his
eye
on
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
.
“
I
have
hurried
over
my
business
in
the
hope
of
prevailing
on
you
to
stay
and
take
lunch
with
us
.
Put
down
your
hat
,
Mr.
Germaine
.
No
ceremony
!
”
“
You
are
very
good
,
”
I
answered
.
“
My
time
is
limited
to-day
.
I
must
beg
you
and
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
to
excuse
me
.
”
I
took
leave
of
her
as
I
spoke
.
She
turned
deadly
pale
when
she
shook
hands
with
me
at
parting
.
Had
she
any
open
brutality
to
dread
from
Van
Brandt
as
soon
as
my
back
was
turned
?
The
bare
suspicion
of
it
made
my
blood
boil
.
But
I
thought
of
her
.
In
her
interests
,
the
wise
thing
and
the
merciful
thing
to
do
was
to
conciliate
the
fellow
before
I
left
the
house
.
“
I
am
sorry
not
to
be
able
to
accept
your
invitation
,
”
I
said
,
as
we
walked
together
to
the
door
.
“
Perhaps
you
will
give
me
another
chance
?
”
His
eyes
twinkled
cunningly
.
“
What
do
you
say
to
a
quiet
little
dinner
here
?
”
he
asked
.
“
A
slice
of
mutton
,
you
know
,
and
a
bottle
of
good
wine
.
Only
our
three
selves
,
and
one
old
friend
of
mine
to
make
up
four
.
We
will
have
a
rubber
of
whist
in
the
evening
.
Mary
and
you
partners
—
eh
?
When
shall
it
be
?
Shall
we
say
the
day
after
to-morrow
?
”
She
had
followed
us
to
the
door
,
keeping
behind
Van
Brandt
while
he
was
speaking
to
me
.
When
he
mentioned
the
“
old
friend
”
and
the
“
rubber
of
whist
,
”
her
face
expressed
the
strongest
emotions
of
shame
and
disgust
.
The
next
moment
(
when
she
had
heard
him
fix
the
date
of
the
dinner
for
“
the
day
after
to-morrow
”
)
her
features
became
composed
again
,
as
if
a
sudden
sense
of
relief
had
come
to
her
.
What
did
the
change
mean
?
“
To-morrow
”
was
the
day
she
had
appointed
for
seeing
my
mother
.
Did
she
really
believe
,
when
I
had
heard
what
passed
at
the
interview
,
that
I
should
never
enter
the
house
again
,
and
never
attempt
to
see
her
more
?
And
was
this
the
secret
of
her
composure
when
she
heard
the
date
of
the
dinner
appointed
for
“
the
day
after
to-morrow
”
?
Asking
myself
these
questions
,
I
accepted
my
invitation
,
and
left
the
house
with
a
heavy
heart
.
That
farewell
kiss
,
that
sudden
composure
when
the
day
of
the
dinner
was
fixed
,
weighed
on
my
spirits
.
I
would
have
given
twelve
years
of
my
life
to
have
annihilated
the
next
twelve
hours
.
In
this
frame
of
mind
I
reached
home
,
and
presented
myself
in
my
mother’s
sitting-room
.
“
You
have
gone
out
earlier
than
usual
to-day
,
”
she
said
.
“
Did
the
fine
weather
tempt
you
,
my
dear
?
”
She
paused
,
and
looked
at
me
more
closely
.
“
George
!
”
she
exclaimed
,
“
what
has
happened
to
you
?
Where
have
you
been
?
”
I
told
her
the
truth
as
honestly
as
I
have
told
it
here
.
The
color
deepened
in
my
mother’s
face
.
She
looked
at
me
,
and
spoke
to
me
with
a
severity
which
was
rare
indeed
in
my
experience
of
her
.
“
Must
I
remind
you
,
for
the
first
time
in
your
life
,
of
what
is
due
to
your
mother
?
”
she
asked
.
“
Is
it
possible
that
you
expect
me
to
visit
a
woman
,
who
,
by
her
own
confession
—
”
“
I
expect
you
to
visit
a
woman
who
has
only
to
say
the
word
and
to
be
your
daughter-in-law
,
”
I
interposed
.
“
Surely
I
am
not
asking
what
is
unworthy
of
you
,
if
I
ask
that
?
”
My
mother
looked
at
me
in
blank
dismay
.
“
Do
you
mean
,
George
,
that
you
have
offered
her
marriage
?
”
“
Yes
.
”
“
And
she
has
said
No
?
”
“
She
has
said
No
,
because
there
is
some
obstacle
in
her
way
.
I
have
tried
vainly
to
make
her
explain
herself
.
She
has
promised
to
confide
everything
to
you
.
”
The
serious
nature
of
the
emergency
had
its
effect
.
My
mother
yielded
.
She
handed
me
the
little
ivory
tablets
on
which
she
was
accustomed
to
record
her
engagements
.
“
Write
down
the
name
and
address
,
”
she
said
resignedly
.
“
I
will
go
with
you
,
”
I
answered
,
“
and
wait
in
the
carriage
at
the
door
.
I
want
to
hear
what
has
passed
between
you
and
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
the
instant
you
have
left
her
.
”
“
Is
it
as
serious
as
that
,
George
?
”
“
Yes
,
mother
,
it
is
as
serious
as
that
.
”
CHAPTER
XV
.
THE
OBSTACLE
BEATS
ME
.
HOW
long
was
I
left
alone
in
the
carriage
at
the
door
of
Mrs.
Van
Brandt’s
lodgings
?
Judging
by
my
sensations
,
I
waited
half
a
life-time
.
Judging
by
my
watch
,
I
waited
half
an
hour
.
When
my
mother
returned
to
me
,
the
hope
which
I
had
entertained
of
a
happy
result
from
her
interview
with
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
was
a
hope
abandoned
before
she
had
opened
her
lips
.
I
saw
,
in
her
face
,
that
an
obstacle
which
was
beyond
my
power
of
removal
did
indeed
stand
between
me
and
the
dearest
wish
of
my
life
.
“
Tell
me
the
worst
,
”
I
said
,
as
we
drove
away
from
the
house
,
“
and
tell
it
at
once
.
”
“
I
must
tell
it
to
you
,
George
,
”
my
mother
answered
,
sadly
,
“
as
she
told
it
to
me
.
She
begged
me
herself
to
do
that
.
‘We
must
disappoint
him
,
’
she
said
,
‘but
pray
let
it
be
done
as
gently
as
possible.’
Beginning
in
those
words
,
she
confided
to
me
the
painful
story
which
you
know
already
—
the
story
of
her
marriage
.
From
that
she
passed
to
her
meeting
with
you
at
Edinburgh
,
and
to
the
circumstances
which
have
led
her
to
live
as
she
is
living
now
.
This
latter
part
of
her
narrative
she
especially
requested
me
to
repeat
to
you
.
Do
you
feel
composed
enough
to
hear
it
now
?
Or
would
you
rather
wait
?
”
“
Let
me
hear
it
now
,
mother
;
and
tell
it
,
as
nearly
as
you
can
,
in
her
own
words
.
”
“
I
will
repeat
what
she
said
to
me
,
my
dear
,
as
faithfully
as
I
can
.
After
speaking
of
her
father’s
death
,
she
told
me
that
she
had
only
two
relatives
living
.
‘I
have
a
married
aunt
in
Glasgow
,
and
a
married
aunt
in
London
,
’
she
said
.
‘When
I
left
Edinburgh
,
I
went
to
my
aunt
in
London
.
She
and
my
father
had
not
been
on
good
terms
together
;
she
considered
that
my
father
had
neglected
her
.
But
his
death
had
softened
her
toward
him
and
toward
me
.
She
received
me
kindly
,
and
she
got
me
a
situation
in
a
shop
.
I
kept
my
situation
for
three
months
,
and
then
I
was
obliged
to
leave
it.’
”
My
mother
paused
.
I
thought
directly
of
the
strange
postscript
which
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
had
made
me
add
to
the
letter
that
I
wrote
for
her
at
the
Edinburgh
inn
.
In
that
case
also
she
had
only
contemplated
remaining
in
her
employment
for
three
months’
time
.
“
Why
was
she
obliged
to
leave
her
situation
?
”
I
asked
.
“
I
put
that
question
to
her
myself
,
”
replied
my
mother
.
“
She
made
no
direct
reply
—
she
changed
color
,
and
looked
confused
.
‘I
will
tell
you
afterward
,
madam
,
’
she
said
.
‘Please
let
me
go
on
now
.
My
aunt
was
angry
with
me
for
leaving
my
employment
—
and
she
was
more
angry
still
,
when
I
told
her
the
reason
.
She
said
I
had
failed
in
duty
toward
her
in
not
speaking
frankly
at
first
.
We
parted
coolly
.
I
had
saved
a
little
money
from
my
wages
;
and
I
did
well
enough
while
my
savings
lasted
.
When
they
came
to
an
end
,
I
tried
to
get
employment
again
,
and
I
failed
.
My
aunt
said
,
and
said
truly
,
that
her
husband’s
income
was
barely
enough
to
support
his
family
:
she
could
do
nothing
for
me
,
and
I
could
do
nothing
for
myself
.
I
wrote
to
my
aunt
at
Glasgow
,
and
received
no
answer
.
Starvation
stared
me
in
the
face
,
when
I
saw
in
a
newspaper
an
advertisement
addressed
to
me
by
Mr.
Van
Brandt
.
He
implored
me
to
write
to
him
;
he
declared
that
his
life
without
me
was
too
desolate
to
be
endured
;
he
solemnly
promised
that
there
should
be
no
interruption
to
my
tranquillity
if
I
would
return
to
him
.
If
I
had
only
had
myself
to
think
of
,
I
would
have
begged
my
bread
in
the
streets
rather
than
return
to
him
—
‘
”
I
interrupted
the
narrative
at
that
point
.
“
What
other
person
could
she
have
had
to
think
of
?
”
I
said
.
“
Is
it
possible
,
George
,
”
my
mother
rejoined
,
“
that
you
have
no
suspicion
of
what
she
was
alluding
to
when
she
said
those
words
?
”
The
question
passed
by
me
unheeded
:
my
thoughts
were
dwelling
bitterly
on
Van
Brandt
and
his
advertisement
.
“
She
answered
the
advertisement
,
of
course
?
”
I
said
.
“
And
she
saw
Mr.
Van
Brandt
,
”
my
mother
went
on
.
“
She
gave
me
no
detailed
account
of
the
interview
between
them
.
‘He
reminded
me
,
’
she
said
,
‘of
what
I
knew
to
be
true
—
that
the
woman
who
had
entrapped
him
into
marrying
her
was
an
incurable
drunkard
,
and
that
his
ever
living
with
her
again
was
out
of
the
question
.
Still
she
was
alive
,
and
she
had
a
right
to
the
name
at
least
of
his
wife
.
I
won’t
attempt
to
excuse
my
returning
to
him
,
knowing
the
circumstances
as
I
did
.
I
will
only
say
that
I
could
see
no
other
choice
before
me
,
in
my
position
at
the
time
.
It
is
needless
to
trouble
you
with
what
I
have
suffered
since
,
or
to
speak
of
what
I
may
suffer
still
.
I
am
a
lost
woman
.
Be
under
no
alarm
,
madam
,
about
your
son
.
I
shall
remember
proudly
to
the
end
of
my
life
that
he
once
offered
me
the
honor
and
the
happiness
of
becoming
his
wife
;
but
I
know
what
is
due
to
him
and
to
you
.
I
have
seen
him
for
the
last
time
.
The
one
thing
that
remains
to
be
done
is
to
satisfy
him
that
our
marriage
is
impossible
.
You
are
a
mother
;
you
will
understand
why
I
reveal
the
obstacle
which
stands
between
us
—
not
to
him
,
but
to
you.’
She
rose
saying
those
words
,
and
opened
the
folding-doors
which
led
from
the
parlor
into
a
back
room
.
After
an
absence
of
a
few
moments
only
,
she
returned
.
”
At
that
crowning
point
in
the
narrative
,
my
mother
stopped
.
Was
she
afraid
to
go
on
?
or
did
she
think
it
needless
to
say
more
?
“
Well
?
”
I
said
.
“
Must
I
really
tell
it
to
you
in
words
,
George
?
Can’t
you
guess
how
it
ended
,
even
yet
?
”
There
were
two
difficulties
in
the
way
of
my
understanding
her
.
I
had
a
man’s
bluntness
of
perception
,
and
I
was
half
maddened
by
suspense
.
Incredible
as
it
may
appear
,
I
was
too
dull
to
guess
the
truth
even
now
.
“
When
she
returned
to
me
,
”
my
mother
resumed
,
“
she
was
not
alone
.
She
had
with
her
a
lovely
little
girl
,
just
old
enough
to
walk
with
the
help
of
her
mother’s
hand
.
She
tenderly
kissed
the
child
,
and
then
she
put
it
on
my
lap
.
‘There
is
my
only
comfort
,
’
she
said
,
simply
;
‘and
there
is
the
obstacle
to
my
ever
becoming
Mr.
Germaine’s
wife.’
”
Van
Brandt’s
child
!
Van
Brandt’s
child
!
The
postscript
which
she
had
made
me
add
to
my
letter
;
the
incomprehensible
withdrawal
from
the
employment
in
which
she
was
prospering
;
the
disheartening
difficulties
which
had
brought
her
to
the
brink
of
starvation
;
the
degrading
return
to
the
man
who
had
cruelly
deceived
her
—
all
was
explained
,
all
was
excused
now
!
With
an
infant
at
the
breast
,
how
could
she
obtain
a
new
employment
?
With
famine
staring
her
in
the
face
,
what
else
could
the
friendless
woman
do
but
return
to
the
father
of
her
child
?
What
claim
had
I
on
her
,
by
comparison
with
him
?
What
did
it
matter
,
now
that
the
poor
creature
secretly
returned
the
love
that
I
felt
for
her
?
There
was
the
child
,
an
obstacle
between
us
—
there
was
his
hold
on
her
,
now
that
he
had
got
her
back
!
What
was
my
hold
worth
?
All
social
proprieties
and
all
social
laws
answered
the
question
:
Nothing
!
My
head
sunk
on
my
breast
;
I
received
the
blow
in
silence
.
My
good
mother
took
my
hand
.
“
You
understand
it
now
,
George
?
”
she
said
,
sorrowfully
.
“
Yes
,
mother
;
I
understand
it
.
”
“
There
was
one
thing
she
wished
me
to
say
to
you
,
my
dear
,
which
I
have
not
mentioned
yet
.
She
entreats
you
not
to
suppose
that
she
had
the
faintest
idea
of
her
situation
when
she
attempted
to
destroy
herself
.
Her
first
suspicion
that
it
was
possible
she
might
become
a
mother
was
conveyed
to
her
at
Edinburgh
,
in
a
conversation
with
her
aunt
.
It
is
impossible
,
George
,
not
to
feel
compassionately
toward
this
poor
woman
.
Regrettable
as
her
position
is
,
I
cannot
see
that
she
is
to
blame
for
it
.
She
was
the
innocent
victim
of
a
vile
fraud
when
that
man
married
her
;
she
has
suffered
undeservedly
since
;
and
she
has
behaved
nobly
to
you
and
to
me
.
I
only
do
her
justice
in
saying
that
she
is
a
woman
in
a
thousand
—
a
woman
worthy
,
under
happier
circumstances
,
to
be
my
daughter
and
your
wife
.
I
feel
for
you
,
and
feel
with
you
,
my
dear
—
I
do
,
with
my
whole
heart
.
”
So
this
scene
in
my
life
was
,
to
all
appearance
,
a
scene
closed
forever
.
As
it
had
been
with
my
love
,
in
the
days
of
my
boyhood
,
so
it
was
again
now
with
the
love
of
my
riper
age
!
Later
in
the
day
,
when
I
had
in
some
degree
recovered
my
self-possession
,
I
wrote
to
Mr.
Van
Brandt
—
as
she
had
foreseen
I
should
write
!
—
to
apologize
for
breaking
my
engagement
to
dine
with
him
.
Could
I
trust
to
a
letter
also
,
to
say
the
farewell
words
for
me
to
the
woman
whom
I
had
loved
and
lost
?
No
!
It
was
better
for
her
,
and
better
for
me
,
that
I
should
not
write
.
And
yet
the
idea
of
leaving
her
in
silence
was
more
than
my
fortitude
could
endure
.
Her
last
words
at
parting
(
as
they
were
repeated
to
me
by
my
mother
)
had
expressed
the
hope
that
I
should
not
think
hardly
of
her
in
the
future
.
How
could
I
assure
her
that
I
should
think
of
her
tenderly
to
the
end
of
my
life
?
My
mother’s
delicate
tact
and
true
sympathy
showed
me
the
way
.
“
Send
a
little
present
,
George
,
”
she
said
,
“
to
the
child
.
You
bear
no
malice
to
the
poor
little
child
?
”
God
knows
I
was
not
hard
on
the
child
!
I
went
out
myself
and
bought
her
a
toy
.
I
brought
it
home
,
and
before
I
sent
it
away
,
I
pinned
a
slip
of
paper
to
it
,
bearing
this
inscription
:
“
To
your
little
daughter
,
from
George
Germaine
.
”
There
is
nothing
very
pathetic
,
I
suppose
,
in
those
words
.
And
yet
I
burst
out
crying
when
I
had
written
them
.
The
next
morning
my
mother
and
I
set
forth
for
my
country-house
in
Perthshire
.
London
was
now
unendurable
to
me
.
Traveling
abroad
I
had
tried
already
.
Nothing
was
left
but
to
go
back
to
the
Highlands
,
and
to
try
what
I
could
make
of
my
life
,
with
my
mother
still
left
to
live
for
.
CHAPTER
XVI
.
MY
MOTHER’S
DIARY
.
THERE
is
something
repellent
to
me
,
even
at
this
distance
of
time
,
in
looking
back
at
the
dreary
days
,
of
seclusion
which
followed
each
other
monotonously
in
my
Highland
home
.
The
actions
of
my
life
,
however
trifling
they
may
have
been
,
I
can
find
some
interest
in
recalling
:
they
associate
me
with
my
fellow-creatures
;
they
connect
me
,
in
some
degree
,
with
the
vigorous
movement
of
the
world
.
But
I
have
no
sympathy
with
the
purely
selfish
pleasure
which
some
men
appear
to
derive
from
dwelling
on
the
minute
anatomy
of
their
own
feelings
,
under
the
pressure
of
adverse
fortune
.
Let
the
domestic
record
of
our
stagnant
life
in
Perthshire
(
so
far
as
I
am
concerned
in
it
)
be
presented
in
my
mother’s
words
,
not
in
mine
.
A
few
lines
of
extract
from
the
daily
journal
which
it
was
her
habit
to
keep
will
tell
all
that
need
be
told
before
this
narrative
advances
to
later
dates
and
to
newer
scenes
.
“
20th
August
.
—
We
have
been
two
months
at
our
home
in
Scotland
,
and
I
see
no
change
in
George
for
the
better
.
He
is
as
far
as
ever
,
I
fear
,
from
being
reconciled
to
his
separation
from
that
unhappy
woman
.
Nothing
will
induce
him
to
confess
it
himself
.
He
declares
that
his
quiet
life
here
with
me
is
all
that
he
desires
.
But
I
know
better
!
I
have
been
into
his
bedroom
late
at
night
.
I
have
heard
him
talking
of
her
in
his
sleep
,
and
I
have
seen
the
tears
on
his
eyelids
.
My
poor
boy
!
What
thousands
of
charming
women
there
are
who
would
ask
nothing
better
than
to
be
his
wife
!
And
the
one
woman
whom
he
can
never
marry
is
the
only
woman
whom
he
loves
!
“
25th
.
—
A
long
conversation
about
George
with
Mr.
MacGlue
.
I
have
never
liked
this
Scotch
doctor
since
he
encouraged
my
son
to
keep
the
fatal
appointment
at
Saint
Anthony’s
Well
.
But
he
seems
to
be
a
clever
man
in
his
profession
—
and
I
think
,
in
his
way
,
he
means
kindly
toward
George
.
His
advice
was
given
as
coarsely
as
usual
,
and
very
positively
at
the
same
time
.
‘Nothing
will
cure
your
son
,
madam
,
of
his
amatory
passion
for
that
half-drowned
lady
of
his
but
change
—
and
another
lady
.
Send
him
away
by
himself
this
time
;
and
let
him
feel
the
want
of
some
kind
creature
to
look
after
him
.
And
when
he
meets
with
that
kind
creature
(
they
are
as
plenty
as
fish
in
the
sea
)
,
never
trouble
your
head
about
it
if
there’s
a
flaw
in
her
character
.
I
have
got
a
cracked
tea-cup
which
has
served
me
for
twenty
years
.
Marry
him
,
ma’am
,
to
the
new
one
with
the
utmost
speed
and
impetuosity
which
the
law
will
permit.’
I
hate
Mr.
MacGlue’s
opinions
—
so
coarse
and
so
hard-hearted
!
—
but
I
sadly
fear
that
I
must
part
with
my
son
for
a
little
while
,
for
his
own
sake
.
“
26th
.
—
Where
is
George
to
go
?
I
have
been
thinking
of
it
all
through
the
night
,
and
I
cannot
arrive
at
a
conclusion
.
It
is
so
difficult
to
reconcile
myself
to
letting
him
go
away
alone
.
“
29th
.
—
I
have
always
believed
in
special
providences
;
and
I
am
now
confirmed
in
my
belief
.
This
morning
has
brought
with
it
a
note
from
our
good
friend
and
neighbor
at
Belhelvie
.
Sir
James
is
one
of
the
commissioners
for
the
Northern
Lights
.
He
is
going
in
a
Government
vessel
to
inspect
the
lighthouses
on
the
North
of
Scotland
,
and
on
the
Orkney
and
Shetland
Islands
—
and
,
having
noticed
how
worn
and
ill
my
poor
boy
looks
,
he
most
kindly
invites
George
to
be
his
guest
on
the
voyage
.
They
will
not
be
absent
for
more
than
two
months
;
and
the
sea
(
as
Sir
James
reminds
me
)
did
wonders
for
George’s
health
when
he
returned
from
India
.
I
could
wish
for
no
better
opportunity
than
this
of
trying
what
change
of
air
and
scene
will
do
for
him
.
However
painfully
I
may
feel
the
separation
myself
,
I
shall
put
a
cheerful
face
on
it
;
and
I
shall
urge
George
to
accept
the
invitation
.
“
30th
.
—
I
have
said
all
I
could
;
but
he
still
refuses
to
leave
me
.
I
am
a
miserable
,
selfish
creature
.
I
felt
so
glad
when
he
said
No.
“
31st
.
—
Another
wakeful
night
.
George
must
positively
send
his
answer
to
Sir
James
to-day
.
I
am
determined
to
do
my
duty
toward
my
son
—
he
looks
so
dreadfully
pale
and
ill
this
morning
!
Besides
,
if
something
is
not
done
to
rouse
him
,
how
do
I
know
that
he
may
not
end
in
going
back
to
Mrs.
Van
Brandt
after
all
?
From
every
point
of
view
,
I
feel
bound
to
insist
on
his
accepting
Sir
James’s
invitation
.
I
have
only
to
be
firm
,
and
the
thing
is
done
.
He
has
never
yet
disobeyed
me
,
poor
fellow
.
He
will
not
disobey
me
now
.
“
2d
September
.
—
He
has
gone
!
Entirely
to
please
me
—
entirely
against
his
own
wishes
.
Oh
,
how
is
it
that
such
a
good
son
cannot
get
a
good
wife
!
He
would
make
any
woman
happy
.
I
wonder
whether
I
have
done
right
in
sending
him
away
?
The
wind
is
moaning
in
the
fir
plantation
at
the
back
of
the
house
.
Is
there
a
storm
at
sea
?
I
forgot
to
ask
Sir
James
how
big
the
vessel
was
.
The
‘Guide
to
Scotland’
says
the
coast
is
rugged
;
and
there
is
a
wild
sea
between
the
north
shore
and
the
Orkney
Islands
.
I
almost
regret
having
insisted
so
strongly
—
how
foolish
I
am
!
We
are
all
in
the
hands
of
God
.
May
God
bless
and
prosper
my
good
son
!
“
10th
.
—
Very
uneasy
.
No
letter
from
George
.
Ah
,
how
full
of
trouble
this
life
is
!
and
how
strange
that
we
should
cling
to
it
as
we
do
!
“
15th
.
—
A
letter
from
George
!
They
have
done
with
the
north
coast
and
they
have
crossed
the
wild
sea
to
the
Orkneys
.
Wonderful
weather
has
favored
them
so
far
;
and
George
is
in
better
health
and
spirits
.
Ah
!
how
much
happiness
there
is
in
life
if
we
only
have
the
patience
to
wait
for
it
.
“
2d
October
.
—
Another
letter
.
They
are
safe
in
the
harbor
of
Lerwick
,
the
chief
port
in
the
Shetland
Islands
.
The
weather
has
not
latterly
been
at
all
favorable
.
But
the
amendment
in
George’s
health
remains
.
He
writes
most
gratefully
of
Sir
James’s
unremitting
kindness
to
him
.
I
am
so
happy
,
I
declare
I
could
kiss
Sir
James
—
though
he
is
a
great
man
,
and
a
Commissioner
for
Northern
Lights
!
In
three
weeks
more
(
wind
and
weather
permitting
)
they
hope
to
get
back
.
Never
mind
my
lonely
life
here
,
if
I
can
only
see
George
happy
and
well
again
!
He
tells
me
they
have
passed
a
great
deal
of
their
time
on
shore
;
but
not
a
word
does
he
say
about
meeting
any
ladies
.
Perhaps
they
are
scarce
in
those
wild
regions
?
I
have
heard
of
Shetland
shawls
and
Shetland
ponies
.
Are
there
any
Shetland
ladies
,
I
wonder
?
”
CHAPTER
XVII
.
SHETLAND
HOSPITALITY
.
“
GUIDE
!
Where
are
we
?
”
“
I
can’t
say
for
certain
.
”
“
Have
you
lost
your
way
?
”
The
guide
looks
slowly
all
round
him
,
and
then
looks
at
me
.
That
is
his
answer
to
my
question
.
And
that
is
enough
.
The
lost
persons
are
three
in
number
.
My
traveling
companion
,
myself
,
and
the
guide
.
We
are
seated
on
three
Shetland
ponies
—
so
small
in
stature
,
that
we
two
strangers
were
at
first
literally
ashamed
to
get
on
their
backs
.
We
are
surrounded
by
dripping
white
mist
so
dense
that
we
become
invisible
to
one
another
at
a
distance
of
half
a
dozen
yards
.
We
know
that
we
are
somewhere
on
the
mainland
of
the
Shetland
Isles
.
We
see
under
the
feet
of
our
ponies
a
mixture
of
moorland
and
bog
—
here
,
the
strip
of
firm
ground
that
we
are
standing
on
,
and
there
,
a
few
feet
off
,
the
strip
of
watery
peat-bog
,
which
is
deep
enough
to
suffocate
us
if
we
step
into
it
.
Thus
far
,
and
no
further
,
our
knowledge
extends
.
This
question
of
the
moment
is
,
What
are
we
to
do
next
?
The
guide
lights
his
pipe
,
and
reminds
me
that
he
warned
us
against
the
weather
before
we
started
for
our
ride
.
My
traveling
companion
looks
at
me
resignedly
,
with
an
expression
of
mild
reproach
.
I
deserve
it
.
My
rashness
is
to
blame
for
the
disastrous
position
in
which
we
now
find
ourselves
.
In
writing
to
my
mother
,
I
have
been
careful
to
report
favorably
of
my
health
and
spirits
.
But
I
have
not
confessed
that
I
still
remember
the
day
when
I
parted
with
the
one
hope
and
renounced
the
one
love
which
made
life
precious
to
me
.
My
torpid
condition
of
mind
,
at
home
,
has
simply
given
place
to
a
perpetual
restlessness
,
produced
by
the
excitement
of
my
new
life
.
I
must
now
always
be
doing
something
—
no
matter
what
,
so
long
as
it
diverts
me
from
my
own
thoughts
.
Inaction
is
unendurable
;
solitude
has
become
horrible
to
me
.
While
the
other
members
of
the
party
which
has
accompanied
Sir
James
on
his
voyage
of
inspection
among
the
lighthouses
are
content
to
wait
in
the
harbor
of
Lerwick
for
a
favorable
change
in
the
weather
,
I
am
obstinately
bent
on
leaving
the
comfortable
shelter
of
the
vessel
to
explore
some
inland
ruin
of
prehistoric
times
,
of
which
I
never
heard
,
and
for
which
I
care
nothing
.
The
movement
is
all
I
want
;
the
ride
will
fill
the
hateful
void
of
time
.
I
go
,
in
defiance
of
sound
advice
offered
to
me
on
all
sides
.
The
youngest
member
of
our
party
catches
the
infection
of
my
recklessness
(
in
virtue
of
his
youth
)
and
goes
with
me
.
And
what
has
come
of
it
?
We
are
blinded
by
mist
;
we
are
lost
on
a
moor
;
and
the
treacherous
peat-bogs
are
round
us
in
every
direction
!
What
is
to
be
done
?
“
Just
leave
it
to
the
pownies
,
”
the
guide
says
.
“
Do
you
mean
leave
the
ponies
to
find
the
way
?
”
“
That’s
it
,
”
says
the
guide
.
“
Drop
the
bridle
,
and
leave
it
to
the
pownies
.
See
for
yourselves
.
I’m
away
on
my
powny
.
”
He
drops
his
bridle
on
the
pommel
of
his
saddle
,
whistles
to
his
pony
,
and
disappears
in
the
mist
;
riding
with
his
hands
in
his
pockets
,
and
his
pipe
in
his
mouth
,
as
composedly
as
if
he
were
sitting
by
his
own
fireside
at
home
.
We
have
no
choice
but
to
follow
his
example
,
or
to
be
left
alone
on
the
moor
.
The
intelligent
little
animals
,
relieved
from
our
stupid
supervision
,
trot
off
with
their
noses
to
the
ground
,
like
hounds
on
the
scent
.
Where
the
intersecting
tract
of
bog
is
wide
,
they
skirt
round
it
.
Where
it
is
narrow
enough
to
be
leaped
over
,
they
cross
it
by
a
jump
.
Trot
!
trot
!
—
away
the
hardy
little
creatures
go
;
never
stopping
,
never
hesitating
.
Our
“
superior
intelligence
,
”
perfectly
useless
in
the
emergency
,
wonders
how
it
will
end
.
Our
guide
,
in
front
of
us
,
answers
that
it
will
end
in
the
ponies
finding
their
way
certainly
to
the
nearest
village
or
the
nearest
house
.
“
Let
the
bridles
be
,
”
is
his
one
warning
to
us
.
“
Come
what
may
of
it
,
let
the
bridles
be
!
”
It
is
easy
for
the
guide
to
let
his
bridle
be
—
he
is
accustomed
to
place
himself
in
that
helpless
position
under
stress
of
circumstances
,
and
he
knows
exactly
what
his
pony
can
do
.
To
us
,
however
,
the
situation
is
a
new
one
;
and
it
looks
dangerous
in
the
extreme
.
More
than
once
I
check
myself
,
not
without
an
effort
,
in
the
act
of
resuming
the
command
of
my
pony
on
passing
the
more
dangerous
points
in
the
journey
.
The
time
goes
on
;
and
no
sign
of
an
inhabited
dwelling
looms
through
the
mist
.
I
begin
to
get
fidgety
and
irritable
;
I
find
myself
secretly
doubting
the
trustworthiness
of
the
guide
.
While
I
am
in
this
unsettled
frame
of
mind
,
my
pony
approaches
a
dim
,
black
,
winding
line
,
where
the
bog
must
be
crossed
for
the
hundredth
time
at
least
.
The
breadth
of
it
(
deceptively
enlarged
in
appearance
by
the
mist
)
looks
to
my
eyes
beyond
the
reach
of
a
leap
by
any
pony
that
ever
was
foaled
.
I
lose
my
presence
of
mind
.
At
the
critical
moment
before
the
jump
is
taken
,
I
am
foolish
enough
to
seize
the
bridle
,
and
suddenly
check
the
pony
.
He
starts
,
throws
up
his
head
,
and
falls
instantly
as
if
he
had
been
shot
.
My
right
hand
,
as
we
drop
on
the
ground
together
,
gets
twisted
under
me
,
and
I
feel
that
I
have
sprained
my
wrist
.
If
I
escape
with
no
worse
injury
than
this
,
I
may
consider
myself
well
off
.
But
no
such
good
fortune
is
reserved
for
me
.
In
his
struggles
to
rise
,
before
I
have
completely
extricated
myself
from
him
,
the
pony
kicks
me
;
and
,
as
my
ill-luck
will
have
it
,
his
hoof
strikes
just
where
the
poisoned
spear
struck
me
in
the
past
days
of
my
service
in
India
.
The
old
wound
opens
again
—
and
there
I
lie
bleeding
on
the
barren
Shetland
moor
!
This
time
my
strength
has
not
been
exhausted
in
attempting
to
breast
the
current
of
a
swift-flowing
river
with
a
drowning
woman
to
support
.
I
preserve
my
senses
;
and
I
am
able
to
give
the
necessary
directions
for
bandaging
the
wound
with
the
best
materials
which
we
have
at
our
disposal
.
To
mount
my
pony
again
is
simply
out
of
the
question
.
I
must
remain
where
I
am
,
with
my
traveling
companion
to
look
after
me
;
and
the
guide
must
trust
his
pony
to
discover
the
nearest
place
of
shelter
to
which
I
can
be
removed
.
Before
he
abandons
us
on
the
moor
,
the
man
(
at
my
suggestion
)
takes
our
“
bearings
,
”
as
correctly
as
he
can
by
the
help
of
my
pocket-compass
.
This
done
,
he
disappears
in
the
mist
,
with
the
bridle
hanging
loose
,
and
the
pony’s
nose
to
the
ground
,
as
before
.
I
am
left
,
under
my
young
friend’s
care
,
with
a
cloak
to
lie
on
,
and
a
saddle
for
a
pillow
.
Our
ponies
composedly
help
themselves
to
such
grass
as
they
can
find
on
the
moor
;
keeping
always
near
us
as
companionably
as
if
they
were
a
couple
of
dogs
.
In
this
position
we
wait
events
,
while
the
dripping
mist
hangs
thicker
than
ever
all
round
us
.
The
slow
minutes
follow
each
other
wearily
in
the
majestic
silence
of
the
moor
.
We
neither
of
us
acknowledge
it
in
words
,
but
we
both
feel
that
hours
may
pass
before
the
guide
discovers
us
again
.
The
penetrating
damp
slowly
strengthens
its
clammy
hold
on
me
.
My
companion’s
pocket-flask
of
sherry
has
about
a
teaspoonful
of
wine
left
in
the
bottom
of
it
.
We
look
at
one
another
—
having
nothing
else
to
look
at
in
the
present
state
of
the
weather
—
and
we
try
to
make
the
best
of
it
.
So
the
slow
minutes
follow
each
other
,
until
our
watches
tell
us
that
forty
minutes
have
elapsed
since
the
guide
and
his
pony
vanished
from
our
view
.
My
friend
suggests
that
we
may
as
well
try
what
our
voices
can
do
toward
proclaiming
our
situation
to
any
living
creature
who
may
,
by
the
barest
possibility
,
be
within
hearing
of
us
.
I
leave
him
to
try
the
experiment
,
having
no
strength
to
spare
for
vocal
efforts
of
any
sort
.
My
companion
shouts
at
the
highest
pitch
of
his
voice
.
Silence
follows
his
first
attempt
.
He
tries
again
;
and
,
this
time
,
an
answering
hail
reaches
us
faintly
through
the
white
fog
.
A
fellow-creature
of
some
sort
,
guide
or
stranger
,
is
near
us
—
help
is
coming
at
last
!
An
interval
passes
;
and
voices
reach
our
ears
—
the
voices
of
two
men
.
Then
the
shadowy
appearance
of
the
two
becomes
visible
in
the
mist
.
Then
the
guide
advances
near
enough
to
be
identified
.
He
is
followed
by
a
sturdy
fellow
in
a
composite
dress
,
which
presents
him
under
the
double
aspect
of
a
groom
and
a
gardener
.
The
guide
speaks
a
few
words
of
rough
sympathy
.
The
composite
man
stands
by
impenetrably
silent
;
the
sight
of
a
disabled
stranger
fails
entirely
either
to
surprise
or
to
interest
the
gardener-groom
.
After
a
little
private
consultation
,
the
two
men
decide
to
cross
their
hands
,
and
thus
make
a
seat
for
me
between
them
.
My
arms
rest
on
their
shoulders
;
and
so
they
carry
me
off
.
My
friend
trudges
behind
them
,
with
the
saddle
and
the
cloak
.
The
ponies
caper
and
kick
,
in
unrestrained
enjoyment
of
their
freedom
;
and
sometimes
follow
,
sometimes
precede
us
,
as
the
humor
of
the
moment
inclines
them
.
I
am
,
fortunately
for
my
bearers
,
a
light
weight
.
After
twice
resting
,
they
stop
altogether
,
and
set
me
down
on
the
driest
place
they
can
find
.
I
look
eagerly
through
the
mist
for
some
signs
of
a
dwelling-house
—
and
I
see
nothing
but
a
little
shelving
beach
,
and
a
sheet
of
dark
water
beyond
.
Where
are
we
?
The
gardener-groom
vanishes
,
and
appears
again
on
the
water
,
looming
large
in
a
boat
.
I
am
laid
down
in
the
bottom
of
the
boat
,
with
my
saddle-pillow
;
and
we
shove
off
,
leaving
the
ponies
to
the
desolate
freedom
of
the
moor
.
They
will
pick
up
plenty
to
eat
(
the
guide
says
)
;
and
when
night
comes
on
they
will
find
their
own
way
to
shelter
in
a
village
hard
by
.
The
last
I
see
of
the
hardy
little
creatures
they
are
taking
a
drink
of
water
,
side
by
side
,
and
biting
each
other
sportively
in
higher
spirits
than
ever
!
Slowly
we
float
over
the
dark
water
—
not
a
river
,
as
I
had
at
first
supposed
,
but
a
lake
—
until
we
reach
the
shores
of
a
little
island
;
a
flat
,
lonely
,
barren
patch
of
ground
.
I
am
carried
along
a
rough
pathway
made
of
great
flat
stones
,
until
we
reach
the
firmer
earth
,
and
discover
a
human
dwelling-place
at
last
.
It
is
a
long
,
low
house
of
one
story
high
;
forming
(
as
well
as
I
can
see
)
three
sides
of
a
square
.
The
door
stands
hospitably
open
.
The
hall
within
is
bare
and
cold
and
dreary
.
The
men
open
an
inner
door
,
and
we
enter
a
long
corridor
,
comfortably
warmed
by
a
peat
fire
.
On
one
wall
I
notice
the
closed
oaken
doors
of
rooms
;
on
the
other
,
rows
on
rows
of
well-filled
book-shelves
meet
my
eye
.
Advancing
to
the
end
of
the
first
passage
,
we
turn
at
right
angles
into
a
second
.
Here
a
door
is
opened
at
last
:
I
find
myself
in
a
spacious
room
,
completely
and
tastefully
furnished
,
having
two
beds
in
it
,
and
a
large
fire
burning
in
the
grate
.
The
change
to
this
warm
and
cheerful
place
of
shelter
from
the
chilly
and
misty
solitude
of
the
moor
is
so
luxuriously
delightful
that
I
am
quite
content
,
for
the
first
few
minutes
,
to
stretch
myself
on
a
bed
,
in
lazy
enjoyment
of
my
new
position
;
without
caring
to
inquire
into
whose
house
we
have
intruded
