"And
in
the
mind
of
one
other
person
.
"
"
May
I
ask
who
that
person
is
?
"
"
No
,
Mr.
Dawson
,
"
answered
Robert
,
decisively
;
"
I
cannot
reveal
anything
more
than
what
I
have
already
told
you
.
I
am
a
very
irresolute
,
vacillating
man
in
most
things
.
In
this
matter
I
am
compelled
to
be
decided
.
I
repeat
once
more
that
I
must
know
the
history
of
Lucy
Graham
's
life
.
If
you
refuse
to
help
me
to
the
small
extent
in
your
power
,
I
will
find
others
who
will
help
me
.
Painful
as
it
would
become
,
I
will
ask
my
uncle
for
the
information
which
you
would
withhold
,
rather
than
be
baffled
in
the
first
step
of
my
investigation
.
"
Mr.
Dawson
was
silent
for
some
minutes
.
"
I
cannot
express
how
much
you
have
astonished
and
alarmed
me
,
Mr.
Audley
.
"
he
said
.
"
I
can
tell
you
so
little
about
Lady
Audley
's
antecedents
,
that
it
would
be
mere
obstinacy
to
withhold
the
small
amount
of
information
I
possess
.
I
have
always
considered
your
uncle
's
wife
one
of
the
most
amiable
of
women
.
I
cannot
bring
myself
to
think
her
otherwise
.
It
would
be
an
uprooting
of
one
of
the
strongest
convictions
of
my
life
were
I
compelled
to
think
her
otherwise
.
You
wish
to
follow
her
life
backward
from
the
present
hour
to
the
year
fifty-three
?
"
"
I
do
.
"
"
She
was
married
to
your
uncle
last
June
twelvemonth
,
in
the
midsummer
of
fifty-seven
.
She
had
lived
in
my
house
a
little
more
than
thirteen
months
.
She
became
a
member
of
my
household
upon
the
fourteenth
of
May
,
in
the
year
fifty-six
.
"
"
And
she
came
to
you
—
"
"
From
a
school
at
Brompton
,
a
school
kept
by
a
lady
of
the
name
of
Vincent
.
It
was
Mrs.
Vincent
's
strong
recommendation
that
induced
me
to
receive
Miss
Graham
into
my
family
without
any
more
special
knowledge
of
her
antecedents
.
"
"
Did
you
see
this
Mrs.
Vincent
?
"
"
I
did
not
.
I
advertised
for
a
governess
,
and
Miss
Graham
answered
my
advertisement
.
In
her
letter
she
referred
me
to
Mrs.
Vincent
,
the
proprietress
of
a
school
in
which
she
was
then
residing
as
junior
teacher
.
My
time
is
always
so
fully
occupied
,
that
I
was
glad
to
escape
the
necessity
of
a
day
's
loss
in
going
from
Audley
to
London
to
inquire
about
the
young
lady
's
qualifications
.
I
looked
for
Mrs.
Vincent
's
name
in
the
directory
,
found
it
,
and
concluded
that
she
was
a
responsible
person
,
and
wrote
to
her
.
Her
reply
was
perfectly
satisfactory
;
—
Miss
Lucy
Graham
was
assiduous
and
conscientious
;
as
well
as
fully
qualified
for
the
situation
I
offered
.
I
accepted
this
reference
,
and
I
had
no
cause
to
regret
what
may
have
been
an
indiscretion
.
And
now
,
Mr.
Audley
,
I
have
told
you
all
that
I
have
the
power
to
tell
.
"
"
Will
you
be
so
kind
as
to
give
me
the
address
of
this
Mrs.
Vincent
?
"
asked
Robert
,
taking
out
his
pocketbook
.
"
Certainly
;
she
was
then
living
at
No.
9
Crescent
Villas
,
Brompton
.
"
"
Ah
,
to
be
sure
,
"
muttered
Mr.
Audley
,
a
recollection
of
last
September
flashing
suddenly
back
upon
him
as
the
surgeon
spoke
.
"
Crescent
Villas
—
yes
,
I
have
heard
the
address
before
from
Lady
Audley
herself
.
This
Mrs.
Vincent
telegraphed
to
my
uncle
's
wife
early
in
last
September
.
She
was
ill
—
dying
,
I
believe
—
and
sent
for
my
lady
;
but
had
removed
from
her
old
house
and
was
not
to
be
found
.
"
"
Indeed
!
I
never
heard
Lady
Audley
mention
the
circumstance
.
"
"
Perhaps
not
.
It
occurred
while
I
was
down
here
.
Thank
you
,
Mr.
Dawson
,
for
the
information
you
have
so
kindly
and
honestly
given
me
.
It
takes
me
back
two
and
a-half
years
in
the
history
of
my
lady
's
life
;
but
I
have
still
a
blank
of
three
years
to
fill
up
before
I
can
exonerate
her
from
my
terrible
suspicion
.
Good
evening
.
"
Robert
shook
hands
with
the
surgeon
and
returned
to
his
uncle
's
room
.
He
had
been
away
about
a
quarter
of
an
hour
.
Sir
Michael
had
fallen
asleep
once
more
,
and
my
lady
's
loving
hands
had
lowered
the
heavy
curtains
and
shaded
the
lamp
by
the
bedside
.
Alicia
and
her
father
's
wife
were
taking
tea
in
Lady
Audley
's
boudoir
,
the
room
next
to
the
antechamber
in
which
Robert
and
Mr.
Dawson
had
been
seated
.
Lucy
Audley
looked
up
from
her
occupation
among
the
fragile
china
cups
and
watched
Robert
rather
anxiously
as
he
walked
softly
to
his
uncle
's
room
and
back
again
to
the
boudoir
.
She
looked
very
pretty
and
innocent
,
seated
behind
the
graceful
group
of
delicate
opal
china
and
glittering
silver
.
Surely
a
pretty
woman
never
looks
prettier
than
when
making
tea
.
The
most
feminine
and
most
domestic
of
all
occupations
imparts
a
magic
harmony
to
her
every
movement
,
a
witchery
to
her
every
glance
.
The
floating
mists
from
the
boiling
liquid
in
which
she
infuses
the
soothing
herbs
;
whose
secrets
are
known
to
her
alone
,
envelope
her
in
a
cloud
of
scented
vapor
,
through
which
she
seems
a
social
fairy
,
weaving
potent
spells
with
Gunpowder
and
Bohea
.
At
the
tea-table
she
reigns
omnipotent
,
unapproachable
.
What
do
men
know
of
the
mysterious
beverage
?
Read
how
poor
Hazlitt
made
his
tea
,
and
shudder
at
the
dreadful
barbarism
.
How
clumsily
the
wretched
creatures
attempt
to
assist
the
witch
president
of
the
tea-tray
;
how
hopelessly
they
hold
the
kettle
,
how
continually
they
imperil
the
frail
cups
and
saucers
,
or
the
taper
hands
of
the
priestess
.
To
do
away
with
the
tea-table
is
to
rob
woman
of
her
legitimate
empire
.
To
send
a
couple
of
hulking
men
about
among
your
visitors
,
distributing
a
mixture
made
in
the
housekeeper
's
room
,
is
to
reduce
the
most
social
and
friendly
of
ceremonies
to
a
formal
giving
out
of
rations
.
Better
the
pretty
influence
of
the
tea
cups
and
saucers
gracefully
wielded
in
a
woman
's
hand
than
all
the
inappropriate
power
snatched
at
the
point
of
the
pen
from
the
unwilling
sterner
sex
.
Imagine
all
the
women
of
England
elevated
to
the
high
level
of
masculine
intellectuality
,
superior
to
crinoline
;
above
pearl
powder
and
Mrs.
Rachael
Levison
;
above
taking
the
pains
to
be
pretty
;
above
tea-tables
and
that
cruelly
scandalous
and
rather
satirical
gossip
which
even
strong
men
delight
in
;
and
what
a
drear
,
utilitarian
,
ugly
life
the
sterner
sex
must
lead
.
My
lady
was
by
no
means
strong-minded
.
The
starry
diamonds
upon
her
white
fingers
flashed
hither
and
thither
among
the
tea-things
,
and
she
bent
her
pretty
head
over
the
marvelous
Indian
tea-caddy
of
sandal-wood
and
silver
,
with
as
much
earnestness
as
if
life
held
no
higher
purpose
than
the
infusion
of
Bohea
.
"
You
'll
take
a
cup
of
tea
with
us
,
Mr.
Audley
?
"
she
asked
,
pausing
with
the
teapot
in
her
hand
to
look
up
at
Robert
,
who
was
standing
near
the
door
.
"
If
you
please
.
"
"
But
you
have
not
dined
,
perhaps
?
Shall
I
ring
and
tell
them
to
bring
you
something
a
little
more
substantial
than
biscuits
and
transparent
bread
and
butter
?
"
"
No
,
thank
you
,
Lady
Audley
.
I
took
some
lunch
before
I
left
town
.
I
'll
trouble
you
for
nothing
but
a
cup
of
tea
.
"
He
seated
himself
at
the
little
table
and
looked
across
it
at
his
Cousin
Alicia
,
who
sat
with
a
book
in
her
lap
,
and
had
the
air
of
being
very
much
absorbed
by
its
pages
.
The
bright
brunette
complexion
had
lost
its
glowing
crimson
,
and
the
animation
of
the
young
lady
's
manner
was
suppressed
—
on
account
of
her
father
's
illness
,
no
doubt
,
Robert
thought
.
"
Alicia
,
my
dear
,
"
the
barrister
said
,
after
a
very
leisurely
contemplation
of
his
cousin
,
"
you
're
not
looking
well
.
"
Miss
Audley
shrugged
her
shoulders
,
but
did
not
condescend
to
lift
her
eyes
from
her
book
.
"
Perhaps
not
,
"
she
answered
,
contemptuously
.
"
What
does
it
matter
?
I
'm
growing
a
philosopher
of
your
school
,
Robert
Audley
.
What
does
it
matter
?
Who
cares
whether
I
am
well
or
ill
?
"
"
What
a
spitfire
she
is
,
"
thought
the
barrister
.
He
always
knew
his
cousin
was
angry
with
him
when
she
addressed
him
as
"
Robert
Audley
.
"
"
You
need
n't
pitch
into
a
fellow
because
he
asks
you
a
civil
question
,
Alicia
,
"
he
said
,
reproachfully
.
"
As
to
nobody
caring
about
your
health
,
that
's
nonsense
.
I
care
.
"
Miss
Audley
looked
up
with
a
bright
smile
.
"
Sir
Harry
Towers
cares
.
"
Miss
Audley
returned
to
her
book
with
a
frown
.
"
What
are
you
reading
there
,
Alicia
?
"
Robert
asked
,
after
a
pause
,
during
which
he
had
sat
thoughtfully
stirring
his
tea
.
"
Changes
and
Chances
.
"
"
A
novel
?
"
"
Yes
.
"
"
Who
is
it
by
?
"
"
The
author
of
Follies
and
Faults
,
"
answered
Alicia
,
still
pursuing
her
study
of
the
romance
upon
her
lap
.
"
Is
it
interesting
?
"
Miss
Audley
pursed
up
her
mouth
and
shrugged
her
shoulders
.
"
Not
particularly
,
"
she
said
.
"
Then
I
think
you
might
have
better
manners
than
to
read
it
while
your
first
cousin
is
sitting
opposite
you
,
"
observed
Mr.
Audley
,
with
some
gravity
,
"
especially
as
he
has
only
come
to
pay
you
a
flying
visit
,
and
will
be
off
to-morrow
morning
.
"
"
To-morrow
morning
!
"
exclaimed
my
lady
,
looking
up
suddenly
.
Though
the
look
of
joy
upon
Lady
Audley
's
face
was
as
brief
as
a
flash
of
lightning
on
a
summer
sky
,
it
was
not
unperceived
by
Robert
.
"
Yes
,
"
he
said
;
"
I
shall
be
obliged
to
run
up
to
London
to-morrow
on
business
,
but
I
shall
return
the
next
day
,
if
you
will
allow
me
,
Lady
Audley
,
and
stay
here
till
my
uncle
recovers
.
"
"
But
you
are
not
seriously
alarmed
about
him
,
are
you
?
"
asked
my
lady
,
anxiously
.
"
You
do
not
think
him
very
ill
?
"
"
No
,
"
answered
Robert
.
"
Thank
Heaven
,
I
think
there
is
not
the
slightest
cause
for
apprehension
.
"
My
lady
sat
silent
for
a
few
moments
,
looking
at
the
empty
teacups
with
a
prettily
thoughtful
face
—
a
face
grave
with
the
innocent
seriousness
of
a
musing
child
.
"
But
you
were
closeted
such
a
long
time
with
Mr.
Dawson
,
just
now
,
"
she
said
,
after
this
brief
pause
.
"
I
was
quite
alarmed
at
the
length
of
your
conversation
.
Were
you
talking
of
Sir
Michael
all
the
time
?
"
"
No
;
not
all
the
time
?
"
My
lady
looked
down
at
the
teacups
once
more
.
"
Why
,
what
could
you
find
to
say
to
Mr.
Dawson
,
or
he
to
say
to
you
?
"
she
asked
,
after
another
pause
.
"
You
are
almost
strangers
to
each
other
.
"
"
Suppose
Mr.
Dawson
wished
to
consult
me
about
some
law
business
.
"
"
Was
it
that
?
"
cried
Lady
Audley
,
eagerly
.
"
It
would
be
rather
unprofessional
to
tell
you
if
it
were
so
,
my
lady
,
"
answered
Robert
,
gravely
.
My
lady
bit
her
lip
,
and
relapsed
into
silence
.
Alicia
threw
down
her
book
,
and
watched
her
cousin
's
preoccupied
face
.
He
talked
to
her
now
and
then
for
a
few
minutes
,
but
it
was
evidently
an
effort
to
him
to
arouse
himself
from
his
revery
.
"
Upon
my
word
,
Robert
Audley
,
you
are
a
very
agreeable
companion
,
"
exclaimed
Alicia
at
length
,
her
rather
limited
stock
of
patience
quite
exhausted
by
two
or
three
of
these
abortive
attempts
at
conversation
.
"
Perhaps
the
next
time
you
come
to
the
Court
you
will
be
good
enough
to
bring
your
mind
with
you
.
By
your
present
inanimate
appearance
,
I
should
imagine
that
you
had
left
your
intellect
,
such
as
it
is
,
somewhere
in
the
Temple
.
You
were
never
one
of
the
liveliest
of
people
,
but
latterly
you
have
really
grown
almost
unendurable
.
I
suppose
you
are
in
love
,
Mr.
Audley
,
and
are
thinking
of
the
honored
object
of
your
affections
.
"
He
was
thinking
of
Clara
Talboys
'
uplifted
face
,
sublime
in
its
unutterable
grief
;
of
her
impassioned
words
still
ringing
in
his
ears
as
clearly
as
when
they
were
first
spoken
.
Again
he
saw
her
looking
at
him
with
her
bright
brown
eyes
.
Again
he
heard
that
solemn
question
:
"
Shall
you
or
I
find
my
brother
's
murderer
?
"
And
he
was
in
Essex
;
in
the
little
village
from
which
he
firmly
believed
George
Talboys
had
never
departed
.
He
was
on
the
spot
at
which
all
record
of
his
friend
's
life
ended
as
suddenly
as
a
story
ends
when
the
reader
shuts
the
book
.
And
could
he
withdraw
now
from
the
investigation
in
which
he
found
himself
involved
?
Could
he
stop
now
?
For
any
consideration
?
No
;
a
thousand
times
no
!
Not
with
the
image
of
that
grief-stricken
face
imprinted
on
his
mind
.
Not
with
the
accents
of
that
earnest
appeal
ringing
on
his
ear
.
CHAPTER
XXVI
.
SO
FAR
AND
NO
FARTHER
.
Robert
left
Audley
the
next
morning
by
an
early
train
,
and
reached
Shoreditch
a
little
after
nine
o'clock
.
He
did
not
return
to
his
chambers
,
but
called
a
cab
and
drove
straight
to
Crescent
Villas
,
West
Brompton
.
He
knew
that
he
should
fail
in
finding
the
lady
he
went
to
seek
at
this
address
,
as
his
uncle
had
failed
a
few
months
before
,
but
he
thought
it
possible
to
obtain
some
clew
to
the
schoolmistress
'
new
residence
,
in
spite
of
Sir
Michael
's
ill-success
.
"
Mrs.
Vincent
was
in
a
dying
state
,
according
to
the
telegraphic
message
,
"
Robert
thought
.
"
If
I
do
find
her
,
I
shall
at
least
succeed
in
discovering
whether
that
message
was
genuine
.
"
He
found
Crescent
Villas
after
some
difficulty
.
The
houses
were
large
,
but
they
lay
half
imbedded
among
the
chaos
of
brick
and
rising
mortar
around
them
.
New
terraces
,
new
streets
,
new
squares
led
away
into
hopeless
masses
of
stone
and
plaster
on
every
side
.
The
roads
were
sticky
with
damp
clay
,
which
clogged
the
wheels
of
the
cab
and
buried
the
fetlocks
of
the
horse
.
The
desolations
—
that
awful
aspect
of
incompleteness
and
discomfort
which
pervades
a
new
and
unfinished
neighborhood
—
had
set
its
dismal
seal
upon
the
surrounding
streets
which
had
arisen
about
and
intrenched
Crescent
Villas
;
and
Robert
wasted
forty
minutes
by
his
watch
,
and
an
hour
and
a
quarter
by
the
cabman
's
reckoning
,
in
driving
up
and
down
uninhabited
streets
and
terraces
,
trying
to
find
the
Villas
;
whose
chimney-tops
were
frowning
down
upon
him
black
and
venerable
,
amid
groves
of
virgin
plaster
,
undimmed
by
time
or
smoke
.
But
having
at
last
succeeded
in
reaching
his
destination
,
Mr.
Audley
alighted
from
the
cab
,
directed
the
driver
to
wait
for
him
at
a
certain
corner
,
and
set
out
upon
his
voyage
of
discovery
.
"
If
I
were
a
distinguished
Q.C.
,
I
could
not
do
this
sort
of
thing
,
"
he
thought
;
"
my
time
would
be
worth
a
guinea
or
so
a
minute
,
and
I
should
be
retained
in
the
great
case
of
Hoggs
vs.
Boggs
,
going
forward
this
very
day
before
a
special
jury
at
Westminster
Hall
.
As
it
is
,
I
can
afford
to
be
patient
.
"
He
inquired
for
Mrs.
Vincent
at
the
number
which
Mr.
Dawson
had
given
him
.
The
maid
who
opened
the
door
had
never
heard
that
lady
's
name
;
but
after
going
to
inquire
of
her
mistress
,
she
returned
to
tell
Robert
that
Mrs.
Vincent
had
lived
there
,
but
that
she
had
left
two
months
before
the
present
occupants
had
entered
the
house
,
"
and
missus
has
been
here
fifteen
months
,
"
the
girl
added
emphatically
.
"
But
you
cannot
tell
where
she
went
on
leaving
here
?
"
Robert
asked
,
despondingly
.
"
No
,
sir
;
missus
says
she
believes
the
lady
failed
,
and
that
she
left
sudden
like
,
and
did
n't
want
her
address
to
be
known
in
the
neighborhood
.
"
Mr.
Audley
felt
himself
at
a
standstill
once
more
.
If
Mrs.
Vincent
had
left
the
place
in
debt
,
she
had
no
doubt
scrupulously
concealed
her
whereabouts
.
There
was
little
hope
,
then
,
of
learning
her
address
from
the
tradespeople
;
and
yet
,
on
the
other
hand
,
it
was
just
possible
that
some
of
her
sharpest
creditors
might
have
made
it
their
business
to
discover
the
defaulter
's
retreat
.
He
looked
about
him
for
the
nearest
shops
,
and
found
a
baker
's
,
a
stationer
's
,
and
a
fruiterer
's
a
few
paces
from
the
Crescent
.
Three
empty-looking
,
pretentious
shops
,
with
plate-glass
windows
,
and
a
hopeless
air
of
gentility
.
He
stopped
at
the
baker
's
,
who
called
himself
a
pastrycook
and
confectioner
,
and
exhibited
some
specimens
of
petrified
sponge-cake
in
glass
bottles
,
and
some
highly-glazed
tarts
,
covered
with
green
gauze
.
"
She
must
have
bought
bread
,
"
Robert
thought
,
as
he
deliberated
before
the
baker
's
shop
;
"
and
she
is
likely
to
have
bought
it
at
the
handiest
place
.
I
'll
try
the
baker
.
"
The
baker
was
standing
behind
his
counter
,
disputing
the
items
of
a
bill
with
a
shabby-genteel
young
woman
.
He
did
not
trouble
himself
to
attend
to
Robert
Audley
until
he
had
settled
the
dispute
,
but
he
looked
up
as
he
was
receipting
the
bill
,
and
asked
the
barrister
what
he
pleased
to
want
.
"
Can
you
tell
me
the
address
of
a
Mrs.
Vincent
,
who
lived
at
No.
9
Crescent
Villas
a
year
and
a
half
ago
?
"
Mr.
Audley
inquired
,
mildly
.
"
No
,
I
ca
n't
,
"
answered
the
baker
,
growing
very
red
in
the
face
,
and
speaking
in
an
unnecessarily
loud
voice
;
"
and
what
's
more
,
I
wish
I
could
.
That
lady
owes
me
upward
of
eleven
pound
for
bread
,
and
it
's
rather
more
than
I
can
afford
to
lose
.
If
anybody
can
tell
me
where
she
lives
,
I
shall
be
much
obliged
to
'
em
for
so
doing
.
"
Robert
Audley
shrugged
his
shoulders
and
wished
the
man
good-morning
.
He
felt
that
his
discovery
of
the
lady
's
whereabouts
would
involve
more
trouble
than
he
had
expected
.
He
might
have
looked
for
Mrs.
Vincent
's
name
in
the
Post-Office
directory
,
but
he
thought
it
scarcely
likely
that
a
lady
who
was
on
such
uncomfortable
terms
with
her
creditors
,
would
afford
them
so
easy
a
means
of
ascertaining
her
residence
.
"
If
the
baker
ca
n't
find
her
,
how
should
I
find
her
?
"
he
thought
,
despairingly
.
"
If
a
resolute
,
sanguine
,
active
and
energetic
creature
,
such
as
the
baker
,
fail
to
achieve
this
business
,
how
can
a
lymphatic
wretch
like
me
hope
to
accomplish
it
?
Where
the
baker
has
been
defeated
,
what
preposterous
folly
it
would
be
for
me
to
try
to
succeed
.
"
Mr.
Audley
abandoned
himself
to
these
gloomy
reflections
as
he
walked
slowly
back
toward
the
corner
at
which
he
had
left
the
cab
.
About
half-way
between
the
baker
's
shop
and
this
corner
he
was
arrested
by
hearing
a
woman
's
step
close
at
his
side
,
and
a
woman
's
voice
asking
him
to
stop
.
He
turned
and
found
himself
face
to
face
with
the
shabbily-dressed
woman
whom
he
had
left
settling
her
account
with
the
baker
.
"
Eh
,
what
?
"
he
asked
,
vaguely
.
"
Can
I
do
anything
for
you
,
ma'am
?
Does
Mrs.
Vincent
owe
you
money
,
too
?
"
"
Yes
,
sir
,
"
the
woman
answered
,
with
a
semi-genteel
manner
which
corresponded
with
the
shabby
gentility
of
her
dress
.
"
Mrs.
Vincent
is
in
my
debt
;
but
it
is
n't
that
,
sir
.
I
—
I
want
to
know
,
please
,
what
your
business
may
be
with
her
—
because
—
because
—
"
"
You
can
give
me
her
address
if
you
choose
,
ma'am
.
That
's
what
you
mean
to
say
,
is
n't
it
?
"
The
woman
hesitated
a
little
,
looking
rather
suspiciously
at
Robert
.
"
You
're
not
connected
with
—
with
the
tally
business
,
are
you
,
sir
?
"
she
asked
,
after
considering
Mr.
Audley
's
personal
appearance
for
a
few
moments
.
"
The
what
,
ma'am
?
"
asked
the
young
barrister
,
staring
aghast
at
his
questioner
.
"
I
'm
sure
I
beg
your
pardon
,
sir
,
"
exclaimed
the
little
woman
,
seeing
that
she
had
made
some
awful
mistake
.
"
I
thought
you
might
have
been
,
you
know
.
Some
of
the
gentlemen
who
collect
for
the
tally
shops
do
dress
so
very
handsome
;
and
I
know
Mrs.
Vincent
owes
a
good
deal
of
money
.
"
Robert
Audley
laid
his
hand
upon
the
speaker
's
arm
.
"
My
dear
madam
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
want
to
know
nothing
of
Mrs.
Vincent
's
affairs
.
So
far
from
being
concerned
in
what
you
call
the
tally
business
,
I
have
not
the
remotest
idea
what
you
mean
by
that
expression
.
You
may
mean
a
political
conspiracy
;
you
may
mean
some
new
species
of
taxes
.
Mrs.
Vincent
does
not
owe
me
any
money
,
however
badly
she
may
stand
with
that
awful-looking
baker
.
I
never
saw
her
in
my
life
;
but
I
wish
to
see
her
to-day
for
the
simple
purpose
of
asking
her
a
few
very
plain
questions
about
a
young
lady
who
once
resided
in
her
house
.
If
you
know
where
Mrs.
Vincent
lives
and
will
give
me
her
address
,
you
will
be
doing
me
a
great
favor
.
"
He
took
out
his
card-case
and
handed
a
card
to
the
woman
,
who
examined
the
slip
of
pasteboard
anxiously
before
she
spoke
again
.
"
I
'm
sure
you
look
and
speak
like
a
gentleman
,
sir
,
"
she
said
,
after
a
brief
pause
,
"
and
I
hope
you
will
excuse
me
if
I
've
seemed
mistrustful
like
;
but
poor
Mrs.
Vincent
has
had
dreadful
difficulties
,
and
I
'm
the
only
person
hereabouts
that
she
's
trusted
with
her
addresses
.
I
'm
a
dressmaker
,
sir
,
and
I
've
worked
for
her
for
upward
of
six
years
,
and
though
she
does
n't
pay
me
regular
,
you
know
,
sir
,
she
gives
me
a
little
money
on
account
now
and
then
,
and
I
get
on
as
well
as
I
can
.
I
may
tell
you
where
she
lives
,
then
,
sir
?
You
have
n't
deceived
me
,
have
you
?
"
"
On
my
honor
,
no.
"
"
Well
,
then
sir
,
"
said
the
dressmaker
,
dropping
her
voice
as
if
she
thought
the
pavement
beneath
her
feet
,
or
the
iron
railings
before
the
houses
by
her
side
,
might
have
ears
to
hear
her
,
"
it
's
Acacia
Cottage
,
Peckham
Grove
.
I
took
a
dress
there
yesterday
for
Mrs.
Vincent
.
"
"
Thank
you
,
"
said
Robert
,
writing
the
address
in
his
pocketbook
.
"
I
am
very
much
obliged
to
you
,
and
you
may
rely
upon
it
,
Mrs.
Vincent
shall
not
suffer
any
inconvenience
through
me
.
"
He
lifted
his
hat
,
bowed
to
the
little
dressmaker
,
and
turned
back
to
the
cab
.
"
I
have
beaten
the
baker
,
at
any
rate
,
"
he
thought
.
"
Now
for
the
second
stage
,
traveling
backward
,
in
my
lady
's
life
.
"
The
drive
from
Brompton
to
the
Peckham
Road
was
a
very
long
one
,
and
between
Crescent
Villas
and
Acacia
Cottage
,
Robert
Audley
had
ample
leisure
for
reflection
.
He
thought
of
his
uncle
lying
weak
and
ill
in
the
oak-room
at
Audley
Court
.
He
thought
of
the
beautiful
blue
eyes
watching
Sir
Michael
's
slumbers
;
the
soft
,
white
hands
tending
on
his
waking
moments
;
the
low
musical
voice
soothing
his
loneliness
,
cheering
and
consoling
his
declining
years
.
What
a
pleasant
picture
it
might
have
been
,
had
he
been
able
to
look
upon
it
ignorantly
,
seeing
no
more
than
others
saw
,
looking
no
further
than
a
stranger
could
look
.
But
with
the
black
cloud
which
he
saw
brooding
over
it
,
what
an
arch
mockery
,
what
a
diabolical
delusion
it
seemed
.
Peckham
Grove
—
pleasant
enough
in
the
summer-time
—
has
rather
a
dismal
aspect
upon
a
dull
February
day
,
when
the
trees
are
bare
and
leafless
,
and
the
little
gardens
desolate
.
Acacia
Cottage
bore
small
token
of
the
fitness
of
its
nomenclature
,
and
faced
the
road
with
its
stuccoed
walls
sheltered
only
by
a
couple
of
attenuated
poplars
.
But
it
announced
that
it
was
Acacia
Cottage
by
means
of
a
small
brass
plate
upon
one
of
the
gate-posts
,
which
was
sufficient
indication
for
the
sharp-sighted
cabman
,
who
dropped
Mr.
Audley
upon
the
pavement
before
the
little
gate
.
Acacia
Cottage
was
much
lower
in
the
social
scale
than
Crescent
Villas
,
and
the
small
maid-servant
who
came
to
the
low
wooden
gate
and
parleyed
with
Mr.
Audley
,
was
evidently
well
used
to
the
encounter
of
relentless
creditors
across
the
same
feeble
barricade
.
She
murmured
the
familiar
domestic
fiction
of
the
uncertainty
regarding
her
mistress
's
whereabouts
;
and
told
Robert
that
if
he
would
please
to
state
his
name
and
business
,
she
would
go
and
see
if
Mrs.
Vincent
was
at
home
.
Mr.
Audley
produced
a
card
,
and
wrote
in
pencil
under
his
own
name
:
"
a
connection
of
the
late
Miss
Graham
.
"
He
directed
the
small
servant
to
carry
his
card
to
her
mistress
,
and
quietly
awaited
the
result
.
The
servant
returned
in
about
five
minutes
with
the
key
of
the
gate
.
Her
mistress
was
at
home
,
she
told
Robert
as
she
admitted
him
,
and
would
be
happy
to
see
the
gentleman
.
The
square
parlor
into
which
Robert
was
ushered
bore
in
every
scrap
of
ornament
,
in
every
article
of
furniture
,
the
unmistakable
stamp
of
that
species
of
poverty
which
is
most
comfortless
because
it
is
never
stationary
.
The
mechanic
who
furnishes
his
tiny
sitting-room
with
half-a-dozen
cane
chairs
,
a
Pembroke
table
,
a
Dutch
clock
,
a
tiny
looking-glass
,
a
crockery
shepherd
and
shepherdess
,
and
a
set
of
gaudily-japanned
iron
tea-trays
,
makes
the
most
of
his
limited
possessions
,
and
generally
contrives
to
get
some
degree
of
comfort
out
of
them
;
but
the
lady
who
loses
the
handsome
furniture
of
the
house
she
is
compelled
to
abandon
and
encamps
in
some
smaller
habitation
with
the
shabby
remainder
—
bought
in
by
some
merciful
friend
at
the
sale
of
her
effects
—
carries
with
her
an
aspect
of
genteel
desolation
and
tawdry
misery
not
easily
to
be
paralleled
in
wretchedness
by
any
other
phase
which
poverty
can
assume
.
The
room
which
Robert
Audley
surveyed
was
furnished
with
the
shabbier
scraps
snatched
from
the
ruin
which
had
overtaken
the
imprudent
schoolmistress
in
Crescent
Villas
.
A
cottage
piano
,
a
chiffonier
,
six
sizes
too
large
for
the
room
,
and
dismally
gorgeous
in
gilded
moldings
that
were
chipped
and
broken
;
a
slim-legged
card-table
,
placed
in
the
post
of
honor
,
formed
the
principal
pieces
of
furniture
.
A
threadbare
patch
of
Brussels
carpet
covered
the
center
of
the
room
,
and
formed
an
oasis
of
roses
and
lilies
upon
a
desert
of
shabby
green
drugget
.
Knitted
curtains
shaded
the
windows
,
in
which
hung
wire
baskets
of
horrible-looking
plants
of
the
cactus
species
,
that
grew
downward
,
like
some
demented
class
of
vegetation
,
whose
prickly
and
spider-like
members
had
a
fancy
for
standing
on
their
heads
.
The
green-baize
covered
card-table
was
adorned
with
gaudily-bound
annuals
or
books
of
beauty
,
placed
at
right
angles
;
but
Robert
Audley
did
not
avail
himself
of
these
literary
distractions
.
He
seated
himself
upon
one
of
the
rickety
chairs
,
and
waited
patiently
for
the
advent
of
the
schoolmistress
.
He
could
hear
the
hum
of
half-a-dozen
voices
in
a
room
near
him
,
and
the
jingling
harmonies
of
a
set
of
variations
in
Deh
Conte
,
upon
a
piano
,
whose
every
wire
was
evidently
in
the
last
stage
of
attenuation
.
He
had
waited
for
about
a
quarter
of
an
hour
,
when
the
door
was
opened
,
and
a
lady
,
very
much
dressed
,
and
with
the
setting
sunlight
of
faded
beauty
upon
her
face
,
entered
the
room
.
"
Mr.
Audley
,
I
presume
,
"
she
said
,
motioning
to
Robert
to
reseat
himself
,
and
placing
herself
in
an
easy-chair
opposite
to
him
.
"
You
will
pardon
me
,
I
hope
,
for
detaining
you
so
long
;
my
duties
—
"
"
It
is
I
who
should
apologize
for
intruding
upon
you
,
"
Robert
answered
,
politely
;
"
but
my
motive
for
calling
upon
you
is
a
very
serious
one
,
and
must
plead
my
excuse
.
You
remember
the
lady
whose
name
I
wrote
upon
my
card
?
"
"
Perfectly
.
"
"
May
I
ask
how
much
you
know
of
that
lady
's
history
since
her
departure
from
your
house
?
"
"
Very
little
.
In
point
of
fact
,
scarcely
anything
at
all
.
Miss
Graham
,
I
believe
,
obtained
a
situation
in
the
family
of
a
surgeon
resident
in
Essex
.
Indeed
,
it
was
I
who
recommended
her
to
that
gentleman
.
I
have
never
heard
from
her
since
she
left
me
.
"
"
But
you
have
communicated
with
her
?
"
Robert
asked
,
eagerly
.
"
No
,
indeed
.
"
Mr.
Audley
was
silent
for
a
few
moments
,
the
shadow
of
gloomy
thoughts
gathering
darkly
on
his
face
.
"
May
I
ask
if
you
sent
a
telegraphic
dispatch
to
Miss
Graham
early
in
last
September
,
stating
that
you
were
dangerously
ill
,
and
that
you
wished
to
see
her
?
"
Mrs.
Vincent
smiled
at
her
visitor
's
question
.
"
I
had
no
occasion
to
send
such
a
message
,
"
she
said
;
"
I
have
never
been
seriously
ill
in
my
life
.
"
Robert
Audley
paused
before
he
asked
any
further
questions
,
and
scrawled
a
few
penciled
words
in
his
note-book
.
"
If
I
ask
you
a
few
straightforward
questions
about
Miss
Lucy
Graham
,
madam
,
"
he
said
.
"
Will
you
do
me
the
favor
to
answer
them
without
asking
my
motive
in
making
such
inquiries
?
"
"
Most
certainly
,
"
replied
Mrs.
Vincent
.
"
I
know
nothing
to
Miss
Graham
's
disadvantage
,
and
have
no
justification
for
making
a
mystery
of
the
little
I
do
know
.
"
"
Then
will
you
tell
me
at
what
date
the
young
lady
first
came
to
you
?
"
Mrs.
Vincent
smiled
and
shook
her
head
.
She
had
a
pretty
smile
—
the
frank
smile
of
a
woman
who
had
been
admired
,
and
who
has
too
long
felt
the
certainty
of
being
able
to
please
,
to
be
utterly
subjugated
by
any
worldly
misfortune
.
"
It
's
not
the
least
use
to
ask
me
,
Mr.
Audley
,
"
she
said
.
"
I
'm
the
most
careless
creature
in
the
world
;
I
never
did
,
and
never
could
remember
dates
,
though
I
do
all
in
my
power
to
impress
upon
my
girls
how
important
it
is
for
their
future
welfare
that
they
should
know
when
William
the
Conqueror
began
to
reign
,
and
all
that
kind
of
thing
.
But
I
have
n't
the
remotest
idea
when
Miss
Graham
came
to
me
,
although
I
know
it
was
ages
ago
,
for
it
was
the
very
summer
I
had
my
peach-colored
silk
.
But
we
must
consult
Tonks
—
Tonks
is
sure
to
be
right
.
"
Robert
Audley
wondered
who
or
what
Tonks
could
be
;
a
diary
,
perhaps
,
or
a
memorandum-book
—
some
obscure
rival
of
Letsome
.
Mrs.
Vincent
rung
the
bell
,
which
was
answered
by
the
maid-servant
who
had
admitted
Robert
.
"
Ask
Miss
Tonks
to
come
to
me
,
"
she
said
.
"
I
want
to
see
her
particularly
.
"
In
less
than
five
minutes
Miss
Tonks
made
her
appearance
.
She
was
wintry
and
rather
frost-bitten
in
aspect
,
and
seemed
to
bring
cold
air
in
the
scanty
folds
of
her
somber
merino
dress
.
She
was
no
age
in
particular
,
and
looked
as
if
she
had
never
been
younger
,
and
would
never
grow
older
,
but
would
remain
forever
working
backward
and
forward
in
her
narrow
groove
,
like
some
self-feeding
machine
for
the
instruction
of
young
ladies
.
"
Tonks
,
my
dear
,
"
said
Mrs.
Vincent
,
without
ceremony
,
"
this
gentleman
is
a
relative
of
Miss
Graham
's
.
Do
you
remember
how
long
it
is
since
she
came
to
us
at
Crescent
Villas
?
"
"
She
came
in
August
,
1854
,
"
answered
Miss
Tonks
;
"
I
think
it
was
the
eighteenth
of
August
,
but
I
'm
not
quite
sure
that
it
was
n't
the
seventeenth
.
I
know
it
was
on
a
Tuesday
.
"
"
Thank
you
,
Tonks
;
you
are
a
most
invaluable
darling
,
"
exclaimed
Mrs.
Vincent
,
with
her
sweetest
smile
.
It
was
,
perhaps
,
because
of
the
invaluable
nature
of
Miss
Tonks
'
services
that
she
had
received
no
remuneration
whatever
from
her
employer
for
the
last
three
or
four
years
.
Mrs.
Vincent
might
have
hesitated
to
pay
from
very
contempt
for
the
pitiful
nature
of
the
stipend
as
compared
with
the
merits
of
the
teacher
.
"
Is
there
anything
else
that
Tonks
or
I
can
tell
you
,
Mr.
Audley
?
"
asked
the
schoolmistress
.
"
Tonks
has
a
far
better
memory
than
I
have
.
"
"
Can
you
tell
me
where
Miss
Graham
came
from
when
she
entered
your
household
?
"
Robert
inquired
.
"
Not
very
precisely
,
"
answered
Mrs.
Vincent
.
"
I
have
a
vague
notion
that
Miss
Graham
said
something
about
coming
from
the
seaside
,
but
she
did
n't
say
where
,
or
if
she
did
I
have
forgotten
it
.
Tonks
,
did
Miss
Graham
tell
you
where
she
came
from
?
"
"
Oh
,
no
!
"
replied
Miss
Tonks
,
shaking
her
grim
little
head
significantly
.
"
Miss
Graham
told
me
nothing
;
she
was
too
clever
for
that
.
She
knows
how
to
keep
her
own
secrets
,
in
spite
of
her
innocent
ways
and
her
curly
hair
,
"
Miss
Tonks
added
,
spitefully
.
"
You
think
she
had
secrets
?
"
Robert
asked
,
rather
eagerly
.
"
I
know
she
had
,
"
replied
Miss
Tonks
,
with
frosty
decision
;
"
all
manner
of
secrets
.
I
would
n't
have
engaged
such
a
person
as
junior
teacher
in
a
respectable
school
,
without
so
much
as
one
word
of
recommendation
from
any
living
creature
.
"
"
You
had
no
reference
,
then
,
from
Miss
Graham
?
"
asked
Robert
,
addressing
Mrs.
Vincent
.
"
No
,
"
the
lady
answered
,
with
some
little
embarrassment
;
"
I
waived
that
.
Miss
Graham
waived
the
question
of
salary
;
I
could
not
do
less
than
waive
the
question
of
reference
.
She
quarreled
with
her
papa
,
she
told
me
,
and
she
wanted
to
find
a
home
away
from
all
the
people
she
had
ever
known
.
She
wished
to
keep
herself
quite
separate
from
these
people
.
She
had
endured
so
much
,
she
said
,
young
as
she
was
,
and
she
wanted
to
escape
from
her
troubles
.
How
could
I
press
her
for
a
reference
under
these
circumstances
,
especially
when
I
saw
that
she
was
a
perfect
lady
.
You
know
that
Lucy
Graham
was
a
perfect
lady
,
Tonks
,
and
it
is
very
unkind
for
you
to
say
such
cruel
things
about
my
taking
her
without
a
reference
.
"
"
When
people
make
favorites
,
they
are
apt
to
be
deceived
in
them
,
"
Miss
Tonks
answered
,
with
icy
sententiousness
,
and
with
no
very
perceptible
relevance
to
the
point
in
discussion
.
"
I
never
made
her
a
favorite
,
you
jealous
Tonks
,
"
Mrs.
Vincent
answered
,
reproachfully
.
"
I
never
said
she
was
as
useful
as
you
,
dear
.
You
know
I
never
did
.
"
"
Oh
,
no
!
"
replied
Miss
Tonks
,
with
a
chilling
accent
,
"
you
never
said
she
was
useful
.
She
was
only
ornamental
;
a
person
to
be
shown
off
to
visitors
,
and
to
play
fantasias
on
the
drawing-room
piano
.
"
"
Then
you
can
give
me
no
clew
to
Miss
Graham
's
previous
history
?
"
Robert
asked
,
looking
from
the
schoolmistress
to
her
teacher
.
He
saw
very
clearly
that
Miss
Tonks
bore
an
envious
grudge
against
Lucy
Graham
—
a
grudge
which
even
the
lapse
of
time
had
not
healed
.
"
If
this
woman
knows
anything
to
my
lady
's
detriment
,
she
will
tell
it
,
"
he
thought
.
"
She
will
tell
it
only
too
willingly
.
"
But
Miss
Tonks
appeared
to
know
nothing
whatever
;
except
that
Miss
Graham
had
sometimes
declared
herself
an
ill-used
creature
,
deceived
by
the
baseness
of
mankind
,
and
the
victim
of
unmerited
sufferings
,
in
the
way
of
poverty
and
deprivation
.
Beyond
this
,
Miss
Tonks
could
tell
nothing
;
and
although
she
made
the
most
of
what
she
did
know
,
Robert
soon
sounded
the
depth
of
her
small
stock
of
information
.
"
I
have
only
one
more
question
to
ask
,
"
he
said
at
last
.
"
It
is
this
:
Did
Miss
Graham
leave
any
books
or
knick-knacks
,
or
any
other
kind
of
property
whatever
,
behind
her
,
when
she
left
your
establishment
?
"
"
Not
to
my
knowledge
,
"
Mrs.
Vincent
replied
.
"
Yes
,
"
cried
Miss
Tonks
,
sharply
.
"
She
did
leave
something
.
She
left
a
box
.
It
's
up-stairs
in
my
room
.
I
've
got
an
old
bonnet
in
it
.
Would
you
like
to
see
the
box
?
"
she
asked
,
addressing
Robert
.
"
If
you
will
be
so
good
as
to
allow
me
,
"
he
answered
,
"
I
should
very
much
like
to
see
it
.
"
"
I
'll
fetch
it
down
,
"
said
Miss
Tonks
.
"
It
's
not
very
big
.
"
She
ran
out
of
the
room
before
Mr.
Audley
had
time
to
utter
any
polite
remonstrance
.
"
How
pitiless
these
women
are
to
each
other
,
"
he
thought
,
while
the
teacher
was
absent
.
"
This
one
knows
intuitively
that
there
is
some
danger
to
the
other
lurking
beneath
my
questions
.
She
sniffs
the
coming
trouble
to
her
fellow
female
creature
,
and
rejoices
in
it
,
and
would
take
any
pains
to
help
me
.
What
a
world
it
is
,
and
how
these
women
take
life
out
of
her
hands
.
Helen
Maldon
,
Lady
Audley
,
Clara
Talboys
,
and
now
Miss
Tonks
—
all
womankind
from
beginning
to
end
.
"
Miss
Tonks
re-entered
while
the
young
barrister
was
meditating
upon
the
infamy
of
her
sex
.
She
carried
a
dilapidated
paper-covered
bonnet-box
,
which
she
submitted
to
Robert
's
inspection
.
Mr.
Audley
knelt
down
to
examine
the
scraps
of
railway
labels
and
addresses
which
were
pasted
here
and
there
upon
the
box
.
It
had
been
battered
upon
a
great
many
different
lines
of
railway
,
and
had
evidently
traveled
considerably
.
Many
of
the
labels
had
been
torn
off
,
but
fragments
of
some
of
them
remained
,
and
upon
one
yellow
scrap
of
paper
Robert
read
the
letters
,
TURI
.
"
The
box
has
been
to
Italy
,
"
he
thought
.
"
Those
are
the
first
four
letters
of
the
word
Turin
,
and
the
label
is
a
foreign
one
.
"
The
only
direction
which
had
not
been
either
defaced
or
torn
away
was
the
last
,
which
bore
the
name
of
Miss
Graham
,
passenger
to
London
.
Looking
very
closely
at
this
label
,
Mr.
Audley
discovered
that
it
had
been
pasted
over
another
.
"
Will
you
be
so
good
as
to
let
me
have
a
little
water
and
a
piece
of
sponge
?
"
he
said
.
"
I
want
to
get
off
this
upper
label
.
Believe
me
that
I
am
justified
in
what
I
am
doing
.
"
Miss
Tonks
ran
out
of
the
room
and
returned
immediately
with
a
basin
of
water
and
a
sponge
.
"
Shall
I
take
off
the
label
?
"
she
asked
.
"
No
,
thank
you
,
"
Robert
answered
,
coldly
.
"
I
can
do
it
very
well
myself
.
"
He
damped
the
upper
label
several
times
before
he
could
loosen
the
edges
of
the
paper
;
but
after
two
or
three
careful
attempts
the
moistened
surface
peeled
off
,
without
injury
to
the
underneath
address
.
Miss
Tonks
could
not
contrive
to
read
this
address
across
Robert
's
shoulder
,
though
she
exhibited
considerable
dexterity
in
her
endeavors
to
accomplish
that
object
.
Mr.
Audley
repeated
his
operations
upon
the
lower
label
,
which
he
removed
from
the
box
,
and
placed
very
carefully
between
two
blank
leaves
of
his
pocket-book
.
"
I
need
intrude
upon
you
no
longer
,
ladies
,
"
he
said
,
when
he
had
done
this
.
"
I
am
extremely
obliged
to
you
for
having
afforded
me
all
the
information
in
your
power
.
I
wish
you
good-morning
.
"
Mrs.
Vincent
smiled
and
bowed
,
murmuring
some
complacent
conventionality
about
the
delight
she
had
felt
in
Mr.
Audley
's
visit
.
Miss
Tonks
,
more
observant
,
stared
at
the
white
change
,
which
had
come
over
the
young
man
's
face
since
he
had
removed
the
upper
label
from
the
box
.
Robert
walked
slowly
away
from
Acacia
Cottage
.
"
If
that
which
I
have
found
to-day
is
no
evidence
for
a
jury
,
"
he
thought
,
"
it
is
surely
enough
to
convince
my
uncle
that
he
has
married
a
designing
and
infamous
woman
.
"
CHAPTER
XXVII
.
BEGINNING
AT
THE
OTHER
END
.
Robert
Audley
walked
slowly
through
the
leafless
grove
,
under
the
bare
and
shadowless
trees
in
the
gray
February
atmosphere
,
thinking
as
he
went
of
the
discovery
he
had
just
made
.
"
I
have
that
in
my
pocket-book
,
"
he
pondered
,
"
which
forms
the
connecting
link
between
the
woman
whose
death
George
Talboys
read
of
in
the
Times
newspaper
and
the
woman
who
rules
in
my
uncle
's
house
.
The
history
of
Lucy
Graham
ends
abruptly
on
the
threshold
of
Mrs.
Vincent
's
school
.
She
entered
that
establishment
in
August
,
1854.
The
schoolmistress
and
her
assistant
can
tell
me
this
but
they
cannot
tell
me
whence
she
came
.
They
cannot
give
me
one
clew
to
the
secrets
of
her
life
from
the
day
of
her
birth
until
the
day
she
entered
that
house
.
I
can
go
no
further
in
this
backward
investigation
of
my
lady
's
antecedents
.
What
am
I
to
do
,
then
,
if
I
mean
to
keep
my
promise
to
Clara
Talboys
?
"
He
walked
on
for
a
few
paces
revolving
this
question
in
his
mind
,
with
a
darker
shadow
than
the
shadows
of
the
gathering
winter
twilight
on
his
face
,
and
a
heavy
oppression
of
mingled
sorrow
and
dread
weighing
down
his
heart
.
"
My
duty
is
clear
enough
,
"
he
thought
—
"
not
the
less
clear
because
it
leads
me
step
by
step
,
carrying
ruin
and
desolation
with
me
,
to
the
home
I
love
.
I
must
begin
at
the
other
end
—
I
must
begin
at
the
other
end
,
and
discover
the
history
of
Helen
Talboys
from
the
hour
of
George
's
departure
until
the
day
of
the
funeral
in
the
churchyard
at
Ventnor
.
"
Mr.
Audley
hailed
a
passing
hansom
,
and
drove
back
to
his
chambers
.
He
reached
Figtree
Court
in
time
to
write
a
few
lines
to
Miss
Talboys
,
and
to
post
his
letter
at
St.
Martin's-le-Grand
off
before
six
o'clock
.
"
It
will
save
me
a
day
,
"
he
thought
,
as
he
drove
to
the
General
Post
Office
with
this
brief
epistle
.
He
had
written
to
Clara
Talboys
to
inquire
the
name
of
the
little
seaport
town
in
which
George
had
met
Captain
Maldon
and
his
daughter
;
for
in
spite
of
the
intimacy
between
the
two
young
men
,
Robert
Audley
knew
very
few
particulars
of
his
friend
's
brief
married
life
.
From
the
hour
in
which
George
Talboys
had
read
the
announcement
of
his
wife
's
death
in
the
columns
of
the
Times
,
he
had
avoided
all
mention
of
the
tender
history
which
had
been
so
cruelly
broken
,
the
familiar
record
which
had
been
so
darkly
blotted
out
.
There
was
so
much
that
was
painful
in
that
brief
story
!
There
was
such
bitter
self-reproach
involved
in
the
recollection
of
that
desertion
which
must
have
seemed
so
cruel
to
her
who
waited
and
watched
at
home
!
Robert
Audley
comprehended
this
,
and
he
did
not
wonder
at
his
friend
's
silence
.
The
sorrowful
story
had
been
tacitly
avoided
by
both
,
and
Robert
was
as
ignorant
of
the
unhappy
history
of
this
one
year
in
his
schoolfellow
's
life
as
if
they
had
never
lived
together
in
friendly
companionship
in
those
snug
Temple
chambers
.
The
letter
,
written
to
Miss
Talboys
by
her
brother
George
,
within
a
month
of
his
marriage
,
was
dated
Harrowgate
.
It
was
at
Harrowgate
,
therefore
,
Robert
concluded
,
the
young
couple
spent
their
honeymoon
.
Robert
Audley
had
requested
Clara
Talboys
to
telegraph
an
answer
to
his
question
,
in
order
to
avoid
the
loss
of
a
day
in
the
accomplishment
of
the
investigation
he
had
promised
to
perform
.
The
telegraphic
answer
reached
Figtree
Court
before
twelve
o'clock
the
next
day
.
The
name
of
the
seaport
town
was
Wildernsea
,
Yorkshire
.
Within
an
hour
of
the
receipt
of
this
message
,
Mr.
Audley
arrived
at
the
King's-cross
station
,
and
took
his
ticket
for
Wildernsea
by
an
express
train
that
started
at
a
quarter
before
two
.
The
shrieking
engine
bore
him
on
the
dreary
northward
journey
,
whirling
him
over
desert
wastes
of
flat
meadow-land
and
bare
cornfields
,
faintly
tinted
with
fresh
sprouting
green
.
This
northern
road
was
strange
and
unfamiliar
to
the
young
barrister
,
and
the
wide
expanse
of
the
wintry
landscape
chilled
him
by
its
aspect
of
bare
loneliness
.
The
knowledge
of
the
purpose
of
his
journey
blighted
every
object
upon
which
his
absent
glances
fixed
themselves
for
a
moment
,
only
to
wander
wearily
away
;
only
to
turn
inward
upon
that
far
darker
picture
always
presenting
itself
to
his
anxious
mind
.
It
was
dark
when
the
train
reached
the
Hull
terminus
,
but
Mr.
Audley
's
journey
was
not
ended
.
Amidst
a
crowd
of
porters
and
scattered
heaps
of
that
incongruous
and
heterogeneous
luggage
with
which
travelers
incumber
themselves
,
he
was
led
,
bewildered
and
half
asleep
,
to
another
train
which
was
to
convey
him
along
the
branch
line
that
swept
past
Wildernsea
,
and
skirted
the
border
of
the
German
Ocean
.
Half
an
hour
after
leaving
Hull
,
Robert
felt
the
briny
freshness
of
the
sea
upon
the
breeze
that
blew
in
at
the
open
window
of
the
carriage
,
and
an
hour
afterward
the
train
stopped
at
a
melancholy
station
,
built
amid
a
sandy
desert
,
and
inhabited
by
two
or
three
gloomy
officials
,
one
of
whom
rung
a
terrific
peal
upon
a
harshly
clanging
bell
as
the
train
approached
.
Mr.
Audley
was
the
only
passenger
who
alighted
at
the
dismal
station
.
The
train
swept
on
to
the
gayer
scenes
before
the
barrister
had
time
to
collect
his
senses
,
or
to
pick
up
the
portmanteau
which
had
been
discovered
with
some
difficulty
amid
a
black
cavern
of
baggage
only
illuminated
by
one
lantern
.
"
I
wonder
whether
settlers
in
the
backwoods
of
America
feel
as
solitary
and
strange
as
I
feel
to-night
?
"
he
thought
,
as
he
stared
hopelessly
about
him
in
the
darkness
.
He
called
to
one
of
the
officials
,
and
pointed
to
his
portmanteau
.
"
Will
you
carry
that
to
the
nearest
hotel
for
me
?
"
he
asked
—
"
that
is
to
say
,
if
I
can
get
a
good
bed
there
.
"
The
man
laughed
as
he
shouldered
the
portmanteau
.
"
You
can
get
thirty
beds
,
I
dare
say
,
sir
,
if
you
wanted
'
em
,
"
he
said
.
"
We
ai
n't
over
busy
at
Wildernsea
at
this
time
o
'
year
.
This
way
,
sir
.
"
The
porter
opened
a
wooden
door
in
the
station
wall
,
and
Robert
Audley
found
himself
upon
a
wide
bowling-green
of
smooth
grass
,
which
surrounded
a
huge
,
square
building
,
that
loomed
darkly
on
him
through
the
winter
's
night
,
its
black
solidity
only
relieved
by
two
lighted
windows
,
far
apart
from
each
other
,
and
glimmering
redly
like
beacons
on
the
darkness
.
"
This
is
the
Victoria
Hotel
,
sir
,
"
said
the
porter
.
"
You
would
n't
believe
the
crowds
of
company
we
have
down
here
in
the
summer
.
"
In
the
face
of
the
bare
grass-plat
,
the
tenantless
wooden
alcoves
,
and
the
dark
windows
of
the
hotel
,
it
was
indeed
rather
difficult
to
imagine
that
the
place
was
ever
gay
with
merry
people
taking
pleasure
in
the
bright
summer
weather
;
but
Robert
Audley
declared
himself
willing
to
believe
anything
the
porter
pleased
to
tell
him
,
and
followed
his
guide
meekly
to
a
little
door
at
the
side
of
the
big
hotel
,
which
led
into
a
comfortable
bar
,
where
the
humbler
classes
of
summer
visitors
were
accommodated
with
such
refreshments
as
they
pleased
to
pay
for
,
without
running
the
gantlet
of
the
prim
,
white-waistcoated
waiters
on
guard
at
the
principal
entrance
.
But
there
were
very
few
attendants
retained
at
the
hotel
in
the
bleak
February
season
,
and
it
was
the
landlord
himself
who
ushered
Robert
into
a
dreary
wilderness
of
polished
mahogany
tables
and
horsehair
cushioned
chairs
,
which
he
called
the
coffee-room
.
Mr.
Audley
seated
himself
close
to
the
wide
steel
fender
,
and
stretched
his
cramped
legs
upon
the
hearth-rug
,
while
the
landlord
drove
the
poker
into
the
vast
pile
of
coal
,
and
sent
a
ruddy
blaze
roaring
upward
through
the
chimney
.
"
If
you
would
prefer
a
private
room
,
sir
—
"
the
man
began
.
"
No
,
thank
you
,
"
said
Robert
,
indifferently
;
"
this
room
seems
quite
private
enough
just
now
.
If
you
will
order
me
a
mutton
chop
and
a
pint
of
sherry
,
I
shall
be
obliged
.
"
"
Certainly
,
sir
.
"
"
And
I
shall
be
still
more
obliged
if
you
will
favor
me
with
a
few
minutes
'
conversation
before
you
do
so
.
"
"
With
very
great
pleasure
,
sir
,
"
the
landlord
answered
,
good-naturedly
.
"
We
see
so
very
little
company
at
this
season
of
the
year
,
that
we
are
only
too
glad
to
oblige
those
gentlemen
who
do
visit
us
.
Any
information
which
I
can
afford
you
respecting
the
neighborhood
of
Wildernsea
and
its
attractions
,
"
added
the
landlord
,
unconsciously
quoting
a
small
hand-book
of
the
watering-place
which
he
sold
in
the
bar
,
"
I
shall
be
most
happy
to
—
"
"
But
I
do
n't
want
to
know
anything
about
the
neighborhood
of
Wildernsea
,
"
interrupted
Robert
,
with
a
feeble
protest
against
the
landlord
's
volubility
.
"
I
want
to
ask
you
a
few
questions
about
some
people
who
once
lived
here
.
"
The
landlord
bowed
and
smiled
,
with
an
air
which
implied
his
readiness
to
recite
the
biographies
of
all
the
inhabitants
of
the
little
seaport
,
if
required
by
Mr.
Audley
to
do
so
.
"
How
many
years
have
you
lived
here
?
"
Robert
asked
,
taking
his
memorandum
book
from
his
pocket
.
"
Will
it
annoy
you
if
I
make
notes
of
your
replies
to
my
questions
?
"
"
Not
at
all
,
sir
,
"
replied
the
landlord
,
with
a
pompous
enjoyment
of
the
air
of
solemnity
and
importance
which
pervaded
this
business
.
"
Any
information
which
I
can
afford
that
is
likely
to
be
of
ultimate
value
—
"
"
Yes
,
thank
you
,
"
Robert
murmured
,
interrupting
the
flow
of
words
.
"
You
have
lived
here
—
"
"
Six
years
,
sir
.
"
"
Since
the
year
fifty-three
?
"
"
Since
November
,
in
the
year
fifty-two
,
sir
.
I
was
in
business
at
Hull
prior
to
that
time
.
This
house
was
only
completed
in
the
October
before
I
entered
it
.
"
"
Do
you
remember
a
lieutenant
in
the
navy
,
on
half-pay
,
I
believe
,
at
that
time
,
called
Maldon
?
"
"
Captain
Maldon
,
sir
?
"
"
Yes
,
commonly
called
Captain
Maldon
.
I
see
you
do
remember
him
.
"
"
Yes
,
sir
.
Captain
Maldon
was
one
of
our
best
customers
.
He
used
to
spend
his
evenings
in
this
very
room
,
though
the
walls
were
damp
at
that
time
,
and
we
were
n't
able
to
paper
the
place
for
nearly
a
twelvemonth
afterward
.
His
daughter
married
a
young
officer
that
came
here
with
his
regiment
,
at
Christmas
time
in
fifty-two
.
They
were
married
here
,
sir
,
and
they
traveled
on
the
Continent
for
six
months
,
and
came
back
here
again
.
But
the
gentleman
ran
away
to
Australia
,
and
left
the
lady
,
a
week
or
two
after
her
baby
was
born
.
The
business
made
quite
a
sensation
in
Wildernsea
,
sir
,
and
Mrs.
—
Mrs.
—
I
forgot
the
name
—
"
"
Mrs.
Talboys
,
"
suggested
Robert
.
"
To
be
sure
,
sir
,
Mrs.
Talboys
.
Mrs.
Talboys
was
very
much
pitied
by
the
Wildernsea
folks
,
sir
,
I
was
going
to
say
,
for
she
was
very
pretty
,
and
had
such
nice
winning
ways
that
she
was
a
favorite
with
everybody
who
knew
her
.
"
"
Can
you
tell
me
how
long
Mr.
Maldon
and
his
daughter
remained
at
Wildernsea
after
Mr.
Talboys
left
them
?
"
Robert
asked
.
"
Well
—
no
,
sir
,
"
answered
the
landlord
,
after
a
few
moments
'
deliberation
.
"
I
ca
n't
say
exactly
how
long
it
was
.
I
know
Mr.
Maldon
used
to
sit
here
in
this
very
parlor
,
and
tell
people
how
badly
his
daughter
had
been
treated
,
and
how
he
'd
been
deceived
by
a
young
man
he
'd
put
so
much
confidence
in
;
but
I
ca
n't
say
how
long
it
was
before
he
left
Wildernsea
.
But
Mrs.
Barkamb
could
tell
you
,
sir
,
"
added
the
landlord
,
briskly
.
"
Mrs.
Barkamb
.
"
"
Yes
,
Mrs.
Barkamb
is
the
person
who
owns
No.
17
North
Cottages
,
the
house
in
which
Mr.
Maldon
and
his
daughter
lived
.
She
's
a
nice
,
civil
spoken
,
motherly
woman
,
sir
,
and
I
'm
sure
she
'll
tell
you
anything
you
may
want
to
know
.
"
"
Thank
you
,
I
will
call
upon
Mrs.
Barkamb
to-morrow
.
Stay
—
one
more
question
.
Should
you
recognize
Mrs.
Talboys
if
you
were
to
see
her
?
"
"
Certainly
,
sir
.
As
sure
as
I
should
recognize
one
of
my
own
daughters
.
"
Robert
Audley
wrote
Mrs.
Barkamb
's
address
in
his
pocket-book
,
ate
his
solitary
dinner
,
drank
a
couple
of
glasses
of
sherry
,
smoked
a
cigar
,
and
then
retired
to
the
apartment
