byan
artistic
upholsterer
,
multiplied
my
lady
's
image
,
and
in
that
image
reflected
the
most
beautiful
object
in
the
enchanted
chamber
.
Amid
all
this
lamplight
,
gilding
,
color
,
wealth
,
and
beauty
,
Lucy
Audley
sat
down
on
a
low
seat
by
the
fire
to
think
.
If
Mr.
Holman
Hunt
could
have
peeped
into
the
pretty
boudoir
,
I
think
the
picture
would
have
been
photographed
upon
his
brain
to
be
reproduced
by-and-by
upon
a
bishop
's
half-length
for
the
glorification
of
the
pre-Raphaelite
brotherhood
.
My
lady
in
that
half-recumbent
attitude
,
with
her
elbow
resting
on
one
knee
,
and
her
perfect
chin
supported
by
her
hand
,
the
rich
folds
of
drapery
falling
away
in
long
undulating
lines
from
the
exquisite
outline
of
her
figure
,
and
the
luminous
,
rose-colored
firelight
enveloping
her
in
a
soft
haze
,
only
broken
by
the
golden
glitter
of
her
yellow
hair
—
beautiful
in
herself
,
but
made
bewilderingly
beautiful
by
the
gorgeous
surroundings
which
adorn
the
shrine
of
her
loveliness
.
Drinking-cups
of
gold
and
ivory
,
chiseled
by
Benvenuto
Cellini
;
cabinets
of
buhl
and
porcelain
,
bearing
the
cipher
of
Austrian
Marie-Antoinette
,
amid
devices
of
rosebuds
and
true-lovers
'
knots
,
birds
and
butterflies
,
cupidons
and
shepherdesses
,
goddesses
,
courtiers
,
cottagers
,
and
milkmaids
;
statuettes
of
Parian
marble
and
biscuit
china
;
gilded
baskets
of
hothouse
flowers
;
fantastical
caskets
of
Indian
filigree-work
;
fragile
tea-cups
of
turquoise
china
,
adorned
by
medallion
miniatures
of
Louis
the
Great
and
Louis
the
Well-beloved
,
Louise
de
la
Valliere
,
Athenais
de
Montespan
,
and
Marie
Jeanne
Gomard
de
Vaubernier
:
cabinet
pictures
and
gilded
mirrors
,
shimmering
satin
and
diaphanous
lace
;
all
that
gold
can
buy
or
art
devise
had
been
gathered
together
for
the
beautification
of
this
quiet
chamber
in
which
my
lady
sat
listening
to
the
mourning
of
the
shrill
March
wind
,
and
the
flapping
of
the
ivy
leaves
against
the
casements
,
and
looking
into
the
red
chasms
in
the
burning
coals
.
I
should
be
preaching
a
very
stale
sermon
,
and
harping
upon
a
very
familiar
moral
,
if
I
were
to
seize
this
opportunity
of
declaiming
against
art
and
beauty
,
because
my
lady
was
more
wretched
in
this
elegant
apartment
than
many
a
half-starved
seamstress
in
her
dreary
garret
.
She
was
wretched
by
reason
of
a
wound
which
lay
too
deep
for
the
possibility
of
any
solace
from
such
plasters
as
wealth
and
luxury
;
but
her
wretchedness
was
of
an
abnormal
nature
,
and
I
can
see
no
occasion
for
seizing
upon
the
fact
of
her
misery
as
an
argument
in
favor
of
poverty
and
discomfort
as
opposed
to
opulence
.
The
Benvenuto
Cellini
carvings
and
the
Sevres
porcelain
could
not
give
her
happiness
,
because
she
had
passed
out
of
their
region
.
She
was
no
longer
innocent
;
and
the
pleasure
we
take
in
art
and
loveliness
being
an
innocent
pleasure
,
had
passed
beyond
her
reach
.
Six
or
seven
years
before
,
she
would
have
been
happy
in
the
possession
of
this
little
Aladdin
's
palace
;
but
she
had
wandered
out
of
the
circle
of
careless
,
pleasure
seeking
creatures
,
she
had
strayed
far
away
into
a
desolate
labyrinth
of
guilt
and
treachery
,
terror
and
crime
,
and
all
the
treasures
that
had
been
collected
for
her
could
have
given
her
no
pleasure
but
one
,
the
pleasure
of
flinging
them
into
a
heap
beneath
her
feet
and
trampling
upon
them
and
destroying
them
in
her
cruel
despair
.
There
were
some
things
that
would
have
inspired
her
with
an
awful
joy
,
a
horrible
rejoicing
.
If
Robert
Audley
,
her
pitiless
enemy
,
her
unrelenting
pursuer
,
had
lain
dead
in
the
adjoining
chamber
,
she
would
have
exulted
over
his
bier
.
What
pleasures
could
have
remained
for
Lucretia
Borgia
and
Catharine
de
Medici
,
when
the
dreadful
boundary
line
between
innocence
and
guilt
was
passed
,
and
the
lost
creatures
stood
upon
the
lonely
outer
side
?
Only
horrible
,
vengeful
joys
,
and
treacherous
delights
were
left
for
these
miserable
women
.
With
what
disdainful
bitterness
they
must
have
watched
the
frivolous
vanities
,
the
petty
deceptions
,
the
paltry
sins
of
ordinary
offenders
.
Perhaps
they
took
a
horrible
pride
in
the
enormity
of
their
wickedness
;
in
this
"
Divinity
of
Hell
,
"
which
made
them
greatest
among
sinful
creatures
.
My
lady
,
brooding
by
the
fire
in
her
lonely
chamber
,
with
her
large
,
clear
blue
eyes
fixed
upon
the
yawning
gulfs
of
lurid
crimson
in
the
burning
coals
,
may
have
thought
of
many
things
very
far
away
from
the
terribly
silent
struggle
in
which
she
was
engaged
.
She
may
have
thought
of
long-ago
years
of
childish
innocence
,
childish
follies
and
selfishness
,
of
frivolous
,
feminine
sins
that
had
weighed
very
lightly
upon
her
conscience
.
Perhaps
in
that
retrospective
revery
she
recalled
that
early
time
in
which
she
had
first
looked
in
the
glass
and
discovered
that
she
was
beautiful
;
that
fatal
early
time
in
which
she
had
first
begun
to
look
upon
her
loveliness
as
a
right
divine
,
a
boundless
possession
which
was
to
be
a
set-off
against
all
girlish
shortcomings
,
a
counterbalance
of
every
youthful
sin
.
Did
she
remember
the
day
in
which
that
fairy
dower
of
beauty
had
first
taught
her
to
be
selfish
and
cruel
,
indifferent
to
the
joys
and
sorrows
of
others
,
cold-hearted
and
capricious
,
greedy
of
admiration
,
exacting
and
tyrannical
with
that
petty
woman
's
tyranny
which
is
the
worst
of
despotism
?
Did
she
trace
every
sin
of
her
life
back
to
its
true
source
?
and
did
she
discover
that
poisoned
fountain
in
her
own
exaggerated
estimate
of
the
value
of
a
pretty
face
?
Surely
,
if
her
thoughts
wandered
so
far
along
the
backward
current
of
her
life
,
she
must
have
repented
in
bitterness
and
despair
of
that
first
day
in
which
the
master-passions
of
her
life
had
become
her
rulers
,
and
the
three
demons
of
Vanity
,
Selfishness
,
and
Ambition
,
had
joined
hands
and
said
,
"
This
woman
is
our
slave
,
let
us
see
what
she
will
become
under
our
guidance
.
"
How
small
those
first
youthful
errors
seemed
as
my
lady
looked
back
upon
them
in
that
long
revery
by
the
lonely
hearth
!
What
small
vanities
,
what
petty
cruelties
!
A
triumph
over
a
schoolfellow
;
a
flirtation
with
the
lover
of
a
friend
;
an
assertion
of
the
right
divine
invested
in
blue
eyes
and
shimmering
golden-tinted
hair
.
But
how
terribly
that
narrow
pathway
had
widened
out
into
the
broad
highroad
of
sin
,
and
how
swift
the
footsteps
had
become
upon
the
now
familiar
way
!
My
lady
twisted
her
fingers
in
her
loose
amber
curls
,
and
made
as
if
she
would
have
torn
them
from
her
head
.
But
even
in
that
moment
of
mute
despair
the
unyielding
dominion
of
beauty
asserted
itself
,
and
she
released
the
poor
tangled
glitter
of
ringlets
,
leaving
them
to
make
a
halo
round
her
head
in
the
dim
firelight
.
"
I
was
not
wicked
when
I
was
young
,
"
she
thought
,
as
she
stared
gloomingly
at
the
fire
,
"
I
was
only
thoughtless
.
I
never
did
any
harm
—
at
least
,
wilfully
.
Have
I
ever
been
really
wicked
,
I
wonder
?
"
she
mused
.
"
My
worst
wickednesses
have
been
the
result
of
wild
impulses
,
and
not
of
deeply-laid
plots
.
I
am
not
like
the
women
I
have
read
of
,
who
have
lain
night
after
night
in
the
horrible
darkness
and
stillness
,
planning
out
treacherous
deeds
,
and
arranging
every
circumstance
of
an
appointed
crime
.
I
wonder
whether
they
suffered
—
those
women
—
whether
they
ever
suffered
as
—
"
Her
thoughts
wandered
away
into
a
weary
maze
of
confusion
.
Suddenly
she
drew
herself
up
with
a
proud
,
defiant
gesture
,
and
her
eyes
glittered
with
a
light
that
was
not
entirely
reflected
from
the
fire
.
"
You
are
mad
,
Mr.
Robert
Audley
,
"
she
said
,
"
you
are
mad
,
and
your
fancies
are
a
madman
's
fancies
.
I
know
what
madness
is
.
I
know
its
signs
and
tokens
,
and
I
say
that
you
are
mad
.
"
She
put
her
hand
to
her
head
,
as
if
thinking
of
something
which
confused
and
bewildered
her
,
and
which
she
found
it
difficult
to
contemplate
with
calmness
.
"
Dare
I
defy
him
?
"
she
muttered
.
"
Dare
I
?
dare
I
?
Will
he
stop
,
now
that
he
has
once
gone
so
far
?
Will
he
stop
for
fear
of
me
?
Will
he
stop
for
fear
of
me
,
when
the
thought
of
what
his
uncle
must
suffer
has
not
stopped
him
?
Will
anything
stop
him
—
but
death
?
"
She
pronounced
the
last
words
in
an
awful
whisper
;
and
with
her
head
bent
forward
,
her
eyes
dilated
,
and
her
lips
still
parted
as
they
had
been
parted
in
her
utterance
of
that
final
word
"
death
,
"
she
sat
blankly
staring
at
the
fire
.
"
I
ca
n't
plot
horrible
things
,
"
she
muttered
,
presently
;
"
my
brain
is
n't
strong
enough
,
or
I
'm
not
wicked
enough
,
or
brave
enough
.
If
I
met
Robert
Audley
in
those
lonely
gardens
,
as
I
—
"
The
current
of
her
thoughts
was
interrupted
by
a
cautious
knocking
at
her
door
.
She
rose
suddenly
,
startled
by
any
sound
in
the
stillness
of
her
room
.
She
rose
,
and
threw
herself
into
a
low
chair
near
the
fire
.
She
flung
her
beautiful
head
back
upon
the
soft
cushions
,
and
took
a
book
from
the
table
near
her
.
Insignificant
as
this
action
was
,
it
spoke
very
plainly
.
It
spoke
very
plainly
of
ever-recurring
fears
—
of
fatal
necessities
for
concealment
—
of
a
mind
that
in
its
silent
agonies
was
ever
alive
to
the
importance
of
outward
effect
.
It
told
more
plainly
than
anything
else
could
have
told
how
complete
an
actress
my
lady
had
been
made
by
the
awful
necessity
of
her
life
.
The
modest
rap
at
the
door
was
repeated
.
"
Come
in
,
"
cried
Lady
Audley
,
in
her
liveliest
tone
.
The
door
was
opened
with
that
respectful
noiselessness
peculiar
to
a
well-bred
servant
,
and
a
young
woman
,
plainly
dressed
,
and
carrying
some
of
the
cold
March
winds
in
the
folds
of
her
garments
,
crossed
the
threshold
of
the
apartment
and
lingered
near
the
door
,
waiting
permission
to
approach
the
inner
regions
of
my
lady
's
retreat
.
It
was
Phoebe
Marks
,
the
pale-faced
wife
of
the
Mount
Stanning
innkeeper
.
"
I
beg
pardon
,
my
lady
,
for
intruding
without
leave
,
"
she
said
;
"
but
I
thought
I
might
venture
to
come
straight
up
without
waiting
for
permission
.
"
"
Yes
,
yes
,
Phoebe
,
to
be
sure
.
Take
off
your
bonnet
,
you
wretched
,
cold-looking
creature
,
and
come
sit
down
here
.
"
Lady
Audley
pointed
to
the
low
ottoman
upon
which
she
had
herself
been
seated
a
few
minutes
before
.
The
lady
's
maid
had
often
sat
upon
it
listening
to
her
mistress
'
prattle
in
the
old
days
,
when
she
had
been
my
lady
's
chief
companion
and
confidante
.
"
Sit
down
here
,
Phoebe
,
"
Lady
Audley
repeated
;
"
sit
down
here
and
talk
to
me
;
I
'm
very
glad
you
came
here
to-night
.
I
was
horribly
lonely
in
this
dreary
place
.
"
My
lady
shivered
and
looked
round
at
the
bright
collection
of
bric-a-brac
,
as
if
the
Sevres
and
bronze
,
the
buhl
and
ormolu
,
had
been
the
moldering
adornments
of
some
ruined
castle
.
The
dreary
wretchedness
of
her
thoughts
had
communicated
itself
to
every
object
about
her
,
and
all
outer
things
took
their
color
from
that
weary
inner
life
which
held
its
slow
course
of
secret
anguish
in
her
breast
.
She
had
spoken
the
entire
truth
in
saying
that
she
was
glad
of
her
lady
's
maid
's
visit
.
Her
frivolous
nature
clung
to
this
weak
shelter
in
the
hour
of
her
fear
and
suffering
.
There
were
sympathies
between
her
and
this
girl
,
who
was
like
herself
,
inwardly
as
well
as
outwardly
—
like
herself
,
selfish
,
and
cold
,
and
cruel
,
eager
for
her
own
advancement
,
and
greedy
of
opulence
and
elegance
;
angry
with
the
lot
that
had
been
cast
her
,
and
weary
of
dull
dependence
.
My
lady
hated
Alicia
for
her
frank
,
passionate
,
generous
,
daring
nature
;
she
hated
her
step-daughter
,
and
clung
to
this
pale-faced
,
pale-haired
girl
,
whom
she
thought
neither
better
nor
worse
than
herself
.
Phoebe
Marks
obeyed
her
late
mistress
'
commands
,
and
took
off
her
bonnet
before
seating
herself
on
the
ottoman
at
Lady
Audley
's
feet
.
Her
smooth
bands
of
light
hair
were
unruffled
by
the
March
winds
;
her
trimly-made
drab
dress
and
linen
collar
were
as
neatly
arranged
as
they
could
have
been
had
she
only
that
moment
completed
her
toilet
.
"
Sir
Michael
is
better
,
I
hope
,
my
lady
,
"
she
said
.
"
Yes
,
Phoebe
,
much
better
.
He
is
asleep
.
You
may
close
that
door
,
"
added
Lady
Audley
,
with
a
motion
of
her
head
toward
the
door
of
communication
between
the
rooms
,
which
had
been
left
open
.
Mrs.
Marks
obeyed
submissively
,
and
then
returned
to
her
seat
.
"
I
am
very
,
very
unhappy
,
Phoebe
,
"
my
lady
said
,
fretfully
;
"
wretchedly
miserable
.
"
"
About
the
—
secret
?
"
asked
Mrs.
Marks
,
in
a
half
whisper
.
My
lady
did
not
notice
that
question
.
She
resumed
in
the
same
complaining
tone
.
She
was
glad
to
be
able
to
complain
even
to
this
lady
's
maid
.
She
had
brooded
over
her
fears
,
and
had
suffered
in
secret
so
long
,
that
it
was
an
inexpressible
relief
to
her
to
bemoan
her
fate
aloud
.
"
I
am
cruelly
persecuted
and
harassed
,
Phoebe
Marks
,
"
she
said
.
"
I
am
pursued
and
tormented
by
a
man
whom
I
never
injured
,
whom
I
have
never
wished
to
injure
.
I
am
never
suffered
to
rest
by
this
relentless
tormentor
,
and
—
"
She
paused
,
staring
at
the
fire
again
,
as
she
had
done
in
her
loneliness
.
Lost
again
in
the
dark
intricacies
of
thoughts
which
wandered
hither
and
thither
in
a
dreadful
chaos
of
terrified
bewilderments
,
she
could
not
come
to
any
fixed
conclusion
.
Phoebe
Marks
watched
my
lady
's
face
,
looking
upward
at
her
late
mistress
with
pale
,
anxious
eyes
,
that
only
relaxed
their
watchfulness
when
Lady
Audley
's
glance
met
that
of
her
companion
.
"
I
think
I
know
whom
you
mean
,
my
lady
,
"
said
the
innkeeper
's
wife
,
after
a
pause
;
"
I
think
I
know
who
it
is
who
is
so
cruel
to
you
.
"
"
Oh
,
of
course
,
"
answered
my
lady
,
bitterly
;
"
my
secrets
are
everybody
's
secrets
.
You
know
all
about
it
,
no
doubt
.
"
"
The
person
is
a
gentleman
—
is
he
not
,
my
lady
?
"
"
Yes
.
"
"
A
gentleman
who
came
to
the
Castle
Inn
two
months
ago
,
when
I
warned
you
—
"
"
Yes
,
yes
,
"
answered
my
lady
,
impatiently
.
"
I
thought
so
.
The
same
gentleman
is
at
our
place
to-night
,
my
lady
.
"
Lady
Audley
started
up
from
her
chair
—
started
up
as
if
she
would
have
done
something
desperate
in
her
despairing
fury
;
but
she
sank
back
again
with
a
weary
,
querulous
sigh
.
What
warfare
could
such
a
feeble
creature
wage
against
her
fate
?
What
could
she
do
but
wind
like
a
hunted
hare
till
she
found
her
way
back
to
the
starting-point
of
the
cruel
chase
,
to
be
there
trampled
down
by
her
pursuers
?
"
At
the
Castle
Inn
?
"
she
cried
.
"
I
might
have
known
as
much
.
He
has
gone
there
to
wring
my
secrets
from
your
husband
.
Fool
!
"
she
exclaimed
,
suddenly
turning
upon
Phoebe
Marks
in
a
transport
of
anger
,
"
do
you
want
to
destroy
me
that
you
have
left
those
two
men
together
?
"
Mrs.
Marks
clasped
her
hands
piteously
.
"
I
did
n't
come
away
of
my
own
free
will
,
my
lady
,
"
she
said
;
"
no
one
could
have
been
more
unwilling
to
leave
the
house
than
I
was
this
night
.
I
was
sent
here
.
"
"
Who
sent
you
here
?
"
"
Luke
,
my
lady
.
You
ca
n't
tell
how
hard
he
can
be
upon
me
if
I
go
against
him
.
"
"
Why
did
he
send
you
?
"
The
innkeeper
's
wife
dropped
her
eyelids
under
Lady
Audley
's
angry
glances
,
and
hesitated
confusedly
before
she
answered
this
question
.
"
Indeed
,
my
lady
,
"
she
stammered
,
"
I
did
n't
want
to
come
.
I
told
Luke
that
it
was
too
bad
for
us
to
worry
you
,
first
asking
this
favor
,
and
then
asking
that
,
and
never
leaving
you
alone
for
a
month
together
;
but
—
but
—
he
bore
me
down
with
his
loud
,
blustering
talk
,
and
he
made
me
come
.
"
"
Yes
,
yes
,
"
cried
Lady
Audley
,
impatiently
.
"
I
know
that
.
I
want
to
know
why
you
have
come
.
"
"
Why
,
you
know
,
my
lady
,
"
answered
Phoebe
,
half
reluctantly
,
"
Luke
is
very
extravagant
;
and
all
I
can
say
to
him
,
I
ca
n't
get
him
to
be
careful
or
steady
.
He
's
not
sober
;
and
when
he
's
drinking
with
a
lot
of
rough
countrymen
,
and
drinking
,
perhaps
even
more
than
they
do
,
it
is
n't
likely
that
his
head
can
be
very
clear
for
accounts
.
If
it
had
n't
been
for
me
we
should
have
been
ruined
before
this
;
and
hard
as
I
've
tried
,
I
have
n't
been
able
to
keep
the
ruin
off
.
You
remember
giving
me
the
money
for
the
brewer
's
bill
,
my
lady
?
"
"
Yes
,
I
remember
very
well
,
"
answered
Lady
Audley
,
with
a
bitter
laugh
,
"
for
I
wanted
that
money
to
pay
my
own
bills
.
"
"
I
know
you
did
,
my
lady
,
and
it
was
very
,
very
hard
for
me
to
have
to
come
and
ask
you
for
it
,
after
all
that
we
'd
received
from
you
before
.
But
that
is
n't
the
worst
:
when
Luke
sent
me
down
here
to
beg
the
favor
of
that
help
he
never
told
me
that
the
Christmas
rent
was
still
owing
;
but
it
was
,
my
lady
,
and
it
's
owing
now
,
and
—
and
there
's
a
bailiff
in
the
house
to-night
,
and
we
're
to
be
sold
up
to-morrow
unless
—
"
"
Unless
I
pay
your
rent
,
I
suppose
,
"
cried
Lucy
Audley
.
"
I
might
have
guessed
what
was
coming
.
"
"
Indeed
,
indeed
,
my
lady
,
I
would
n't
have
asked
it
,
"
sobbed
Phoebe
Marks
,
"
but
he
made
me
come
.
"
"
Yes
,
"
answered
my
lady
,
bitterly
,
"
he
made
you
come
;
and
he
will
make
you
come
whenever
he
pleases
,
and
whenever
he
wants
money
for
the
gratification
of
his
low
vices
;
and
you
and
he
are
my
pensioners
as
long
as
I
live
,
or
as
long
as
I
have
any
money
to
give
;
for
I
suppose
when
my
purse
is
empty
and
my
credit
ruined
,
you
and
your
husband
will
turn
upon
me
and
sell
me
to
the
highest
bidder
.
Do
you
know
,
Phoebe
Marks
,
that
my
jewel-case
has
been
half
emptied
to
meet
your
claims
?
Do
you
know
that
my
pin-money
,
which
I
thought
such
a
princely
allowance
when
my
marriage
settlement
was
made
,
and
when
I
was
a
poor
governess
at
Mr.
Dawson
's
,
Heaven
help
me
!
my
pin-money
has
been
overdrawn
half
a
year
to
satisfy
your
demands
?
What
can
I
do
to
appease
you
?
Shall
I
sell
my
Marie
Antoinette
cabinet
,
or
my
pompadour
china
,
Leroy
's
and
Benson
's
ormolu
clocks
,
or
my
Gobelin
tapestried
chairs
and
ottomans
?
How
shall
I
satisfy
you
next
?
"
"
Oh
,
my
lady
,
my
lady
,
"
cried
Phoebe
,
piteously
,
"
do
n't
be
so
cruel
to
me
;
you
know
,
you
know
that
it
is
n't
I
who
want
to
impose
upon
you
.
"
"
I
know
nothing
,
"
exclaimed
Lady
Audley
,
"
except
that
I
am
the
most
miserable
of
women
.
Let
me
think
,
"
she
cried
,
silencing
Phoebe
's
consolatory
murmurs
with
an
imperious
gesture
.
"
Hold
your
tongue
,
girl
,
and
let
me
think
of
this
business
,
if
I
can
.
"
She
put
her
hands
to
her
forehead
,
clasping
her
slender
fingers
across
her
brow
,
as
if
she
would
have
controlled
the
action
of
her
brain
by
their
convulsive
pressure
.
"
Robert
Audley
is
with
your
husband
,
"
she
said
,
slowly
,
speaking
to
herself
rather
than
to
her
companion
.
"
These
two
men
are
together
,
and
there
are
bailiffs
in
the
house
,
and
your
brutal
husband
is
no
doubt
brutally
drunk
by
this
time
,
and
brutally
obstinate
and
ferocious
in
his
drunkenness
.
If
I
refuse
to
pay
this
money
his
ferocity
will
be
multiplied
by
a
hundredfold
.
There
's
little
use
in
discussing
that
matter
.
The
money
must
be
paid
.
"
"
But
if
you
do
pay
it
,
"
said
Phoebe
,
earnestly
,
"
I
hope
you
will
impress
upon
Luke
that
it
is
the
last
money
you
will
ever
give
him
while
he
stops
in
that
house
.
"
"
Why
?
"
asked
Lady
Audley
,
letting
her
hands
fall
on
her
lap
,
and
looking
inquiringly
at
Mrs.
Marks
.
"
Because
I
want
Luke
to
leave
the
Castle
.
"
"
But
why
do
you
want
him
to
leave
?
"
"
Oh
,
for
ever
so
many
reasons
,
my
lady
,
"
answered
Phoebe
.
"
He
's
not
fit
to
be
the
landlord
of
a
public-house
.
I
did
n't
know
that
when
I
married
him
,
or
I
would
have
gone
against
the
business
,
and
tried
to
persuade
him
to
take
to
the
farming
line
.
Not
that
I
suppose
he
'd
have
given
up
his
own
fancy
,
either
;
for
he
's
obstinate
enough
,
as
you
know
,
my
lady
.
He
's
not
fit
for
his
present
business
.
He
's
scarcely
ever
sober
after
dark
;
and
when
he
's
drunk
he
gets
almost
wild
,
and
does
n't
seem
to
know
what
he
does
.
We
've
had
two
or
three
narrow
escapes
with
him
already
.
"
"
Narrow
escapes
!
"
repeated
Lady
Audley
.
"
What
do
you
mean
?
"
"
Why
,
we
've
run
the
risk
of
being
burnt
in
our
beds
through
his
carelessness
.
"
"
Burnt
in
your
beds
through
his
carelessness
!
Why
,
how
was
that
?
"
asked
my
lady
,
rather
listlessly
.
She
was
too
selfish
,
and
too
deeply
absorbed
in
her
own
troubles
to
take
much
interest
in
any
danger
which
had
befallen
her
some-time
lady's-maid
.
"
You
know
what
a
queer
old
place
the
Castle
is
,
my
lady
;
all
tumble-down
wood-work
,
and
rotten
rafters
,
and
such
like
.
The
Chelmsford
Insurance
Company
wo
n't
insure
it
;
for
they
say
if
the
place
did
happen
to
catch
fire
of
a
windy
night
it
would
blaze
away
like
so
much
tinder
,
and
nothing
in
the
world
could
save
it
.
Well
,
Luke
knows
this
;
and
the
landlord
has
warned
him
of
it
times
and
often
,
for
he
lives
close
against
us
,
and
he
keeps
a
pretty
sharp
eye
upon
all
my
husband
's
goings
on
;
but
when
Luke
's
tipsy
he
does
n't
know
what
he
's
about
,
and
only
a
week
ago
he
left
a
candle
burning
in
one
of
the
out-houses
,
and
the
flame
caught
one
of
the
rafters
of
the
sloping
roof
,
and
if
it
had
n't
been
for
me
finding
it
out
when
I
went
round
the
house
the
last
thing
,
we
should
have
all
been
burnt
to
death
,
perhaps
.
And
that
's
the
third
time
the
same
kind
of
thing
has
happened
in
the
six
months
we
've
had
the
place
,
and
you
ca
n't
wonder
that
I
'm
frightened
,
can
you
,
my
lady
?
"
My
lady
had
not
wondered
,
she
had
not
thought
about
the
business
at
all
.
She
had
scarcely
listened
to
these
commonplace
details
;
why
should
she
care
for
this
low-born
waiting-woman
's
perils
and
troubles
?
Had
she
not
her
own
terrors
,
her
own
soul-absorbing
perplexities
to
usurp
every
thought
of
which
her
brain
was
capable
?
She
did
not
make
any
remark
upon
that
which
poor
Phoebe
just
told
her
;
she
scarcely
comprehended
what
had
been
said
,
until
some
moments
after
the
girl
had
finished
speaking
,
when
the
words
assumed
their
full
meaning
,
as
some
words
do
after
they
have
been
heard
without
being
heeded
.
"
Burnt
in
your
beds
,
"
said
the
young
lady
,
at
last
.
"
It
would
have
been
a
good
thing
for
me
if
that
precious
creature
,
your
husband
,
had
been
burnt
in
his
bed
before
to-night
.
"
A
vivid
picture
had
flashed
upon
her
as
she
spoke
.
The
picture
of
that
frail
wooden
tenement
,
the
Castle
Inn
,
reduced
to
a
roofless
chaos
of
lath
and
plaster
,
vomiting
flames
from
its
black
mouth
,
and
spitting
blazing
sparks
upward
toward
the
cold
night
sky
.
She
gave
a
weary
sigh
as
she
dismissed
this
image
from
her
restless
brain
.
She
would
be
no
better
off
even
if
this
enemy
should
be
for
ever
silenced
.
She
had
another
and
far
more
dangerous
foe
—
a
foe
who
was
not
to
be
bribed
or
bought
off
,
though
she
had
been
as
rich
as
an
empress
.
"
I
'll
give
you
the
money
to
send
this
bailiff
away
,
"
my
lady
said
,
after
a
pause
.
"
I
must
give
you
the
last
sovereign
in
my
purse
,
but
what
of
that
?
you
know
as
well
as
I
do
that
I
dare
not
refuse
you
.
"
Lady
Audley
rose
and
took
the
lighted
lamp
from
her
writing-table
.
"
The
money
is
in
my
dressing-room
,
"
she
said
;
"
I
will
go
and
fetch
it
.
"
"
Oh
,
my
lady
,
"
exclaimed
Phoebe
,
suddenly
,
"
I
forgot
something
;
I
was
in
such
a
way
about
this
business
that
I
quite
forgot
it
.
"
"
Quite
forgot
what
?
"
"
A
letter
that
was
given
me
to
bring
to
you
,
my
lady
,
just
before
I
left
home
.
"
"
What
letter
?
"
"
A
letter
from
Mr.
Audley
.
He
heard
my
husband
mention
that
I
was
coming
down
here
,
and
he
asked
me
to
carry
this
letter
.
"
Lady
Audley
set
the
lamp
down
upon
the
table
nearest
to
her
,
and
held
out
her
hand
to
receive
the
letter
.
Phoebe
Marks
could
scarcely
fail
to
observe
that
the
little
jeweled
hand
shook
like
a
leaf
.
"
Give
it
me
—
give
it
me
,
"
she
cried
;
"
let
me
see
what
more
he
has
to
say
.
"
Lady
Audley
almost
snatched
the
letter
from
Phoebe
's
hand
in
her
wild
impatience
.
She
tore
open
the
envelope
and
flung
it
from
her
;
she
could
scarcely
unfold
the
sheet
of
note-paper
in
her
eager
excitement
.
The
letter
was
very
brief
.
It
contained
only
these
words
:
"
Should
Mrs.
George
Talboys
really
have
survived
the
date
of
her
supposed
death
,
as
recorded
in
the
public
prints
,
and
upon
the
tombstone
in
Ventnor
churchyard
,
and
should
she
exist
in
the
person
of
the
lady
suspected
and
accused
by
the
writer
of
this
,
there
can
be
no
great
difficulty
in
finding
some
one
able
and
willing
to
identify
her
.
Mrs.
Barkamb
,
the
owner
of
North
Cottages
,
Wildernsea
,
would
no
doubt
consent
to
throw
some
light
upon
this
matter
;
either
to
dispel
a
delusion
or
to
confirm
a
suspicion
.
"
ROBERT
AUDLEY
.
"
March
3
,
1859.
"
The
Castle
Inn
,
Mount
Stanning
.
"
CHAPTER
XXXII
.
THE
RED
LIGHT
IN
THE
SKY
.
My
lady
crushed
the
letter
fiercely
in
her
hand
,
and
flung
it
from
her
into
the
flames
.
"
If
he
stood
before
me
now
,
and
I
could
kill
him
,
"
she
muttered
in
a
strange
,
inward
whisper
,
"
I
would
do
it
—
I
would
do
it
!
"
She
snatched
up
the
lamp
and
rushed
into
the
adjoining
room
.
She
shut
the
door
behind
her
.
She
could
not
endure
any
witness
of
her
horrible
despair
—
she
could
endure
nothing
,
neither
herself
nor
her
surroundings
.
The
red
light
in
the
sky
The
door
between
my
lady
's
dressing-room
and
the
bed-chamber
in
which
Sir
Michael
lay
,
had
been
left
open
.
The
baronet
slept
peacefully
,
his
noble
face
plainly
visible
in
the
subdued
lamplight
.
His
breathing
was
low
and
regular
,
his
lips
curved
into
a
half
smile
—
a
smile
of
tender
happiness
which
he
often
wore
when
he
looked
at
his
beautiful
wife
,
the
smile
of
an
all-indulgent
father
,
who
looks
admiringly
at
his
favorite
child
.
Some
touch
of
womanly
feeling
,
some
sentiment
of
compassion
softened
Lady
Audley
's
glance
as
it
fell
upon
that
noble
,
reposing
figure
.
For
a
moment
the
horrible
egotism
of
her
own
misery
yielded
to
her
pitying
tenderness
for
another
.
It
was
perhaps
only
a
semi-selfish
tenderness
after
all
,
in
which
pity
for
herself
was
as
powerful
as
pity
for
her
husband
;
but
for
once
in
a
way
,
her
thoughts
ran
out
of
the
narrow
groove
of
her
own
terrors
and
her
own
troubles
to
dwell
with
prophetic
grief
upon
the
coming
sorrows
of
another
.
"
If
they
make
him
believe
,
how
wretched
he
will
be
,
"
she
thought
.
But
intermingled
with
that
thought
there
was
another
—
there
was
the
thought
of
her
lovely
face
,
her
bewitching
manner
,
her
arch
smile
,
her
low
,
musical
laugh
,
which
was
like
a
peal
of
silvery
bells
ringing
across
a
broad
expanse
of
flat
meadow-land
and
a
rippling
river
in
the
misty
summer
evening
.
She
thought
of
all
these
things
with
a
transient
thrill
of
triumph
,
which
was
stronger
even
than
her
terror
.
If
Sir
Michael
Audley
lived
to
be
a
hundred
years
old
,
whatever
he
might
learn
to
believe
of
her
,
however
he
might
grow
to
despise
her
,
would
he
ever
be
able
to
disassociate
her
from
these
attributes
?
No
;
a
thousand
times
no.
To
the
last
hour
of
his
life
his
memory
would
present
her
to
him
invested
with
the
loveliness
that
had
first
won
his
enthusiastic
admiration
,
his
devoted
affection
.
Her
worst
enemies
could
not
rob
her
of
that
fairy
dower
which
had
been
so
fatal
in
its
influence
upon
her
frivolous
mind
.
She
paced
up
and
down
the
dressing-room
in
the
silvery
lamplight
,
pondering
upon
the
strange
letter
which
she
had
received
from
Robert
Audley
.
She
walked
backward
and
forward
in
that
monotonous
wandering
for
some
time
before
she
was
able
to
steady
her
thoughts
—
before
she
was
able
to
bring
the
scattered
forces
of
her
narrow
intellect
to
bear
upon
the
one
all-important
subject
of
the
threat
contained
in
the
barrister
's
letter
.
"
He
will
do
it
,
"
she
said
,
between
her
set
teeth
—
"
he
will
do
it
,
unless
I
get
him
into
a
lunatic-asylum
first
;
or
unless
—
"
She
did
not
finish
the
thought
in
words
.
She
did
not
even
think
out
the
sentence
;
but
some
new
and
unnatural
impulse
in
her
heart
seemed
to
beat
each
syllable
against
her
breast
.
The
thought
was
this
:
"
He
will
do
it
,
unless
some
strange
calamity
befalls
him
,
and
silences
him
for
ever
.
"
The
red
blood
flashed
up
into
my
lady
's
face
with
as
sudden
and
transient
a
blaze
as
the
flickering
flame
of
a
fire
,
and
died
as
suddenly
away
,
leaving
her
more
pale
than
winter
snow
.
Her
hands
,
which
had
before
been
locked
convulsively
together
,
fell
apart
and
dropped
heavily
at
her
sides
.
She
stopped
in
her
rapid
pacing
to
and
fro
—
stopped
as
Lot
's
wife
may
have
stopped
,
after
that
fatal
backward
glance
at
the
perishing
city
—
with
every
pulse
slackening
,
with
every
drop
of
blood
congealing
in
her
veins
,
in
the
terrible
process
that
was
to
transform
her
from
a
woman
into
a
statue
.
Lady
Audley
stood
still
for
about
five
minutes
in
that
strangely
statuesque
attitude
,
her
head
erect
,
her
eyes
staring
straight
before
her
—
staring
far
beyond
the
narrow
boundary
of
her
chamber
wall
,
into
dark
distances
of
peril
and
horror
.
But
by-and-by
she
started
from
that
rigid
attitude
almost
as
abruptly
as
she
had
fallen
into
it
.
She
roused
herself
from
that
semi-lethargy
.
She
walked
rapidly
to
her
dressing-table
,
and
,
seating
herself
before
it
,
pushed
away
the
litter
of
golden-stoppered
bottles
and
delicate
china
essence-boxes
,
and
looked
at
her
reflection
in
the
large
,
oval
glass
.
She
was
very
pale
;
but
there
was
no
other
trace
of
agitation
visible
in
her
girlish
face
.
The
lines
of
her
exquisitely
molded
lips
were
so
beautiful
,
that
it
was
only
a
very
close
observer
who
could
have
perceived
a
certain
rigidity
that
was
unusual
to
them
.
She
saw
this
herself
,
and
tried
to
smile
away
that
statue-like
immobility
:
but
to-night
the
rosy
lips
refused
to
obey
her
;
they
were
firmly
locked
,
and
were
no
longer
the
slaves
of
her
will
and
pleasure
.
All
the
latent
forces
of
her
character
concentrated
themselves
in
this
one
feature
.
She
might
command
her
eyes
,
but
she
could
not
control
the
muscles
of
her
mouth
.
She
rose
from
before
her
dressing-table
,
and
took
a
dark
velvet
cloak
and
bonnet
from
the
recesses
of
her
wardrobe
,
and
dressed
herself
for
walking
.
The
little
ormolu
clock
on
the
chimney-piece
struck
the
quarter
after
eleven
while
Lady
Audley
was
employed
in
this
manner
;
five
minutes
afterward
she
re-entered
the
room
in
which
she
had
left
Phoebe
Marks
.
The
innkeeper
's
wife
was
sitting
before
the
low
fender
very
much
in
the
same
attitude
as
that
in
which
her
late
mistress
had
brooded
over
that
lonely
hearth
earlier
in
the
evening
.
Phoebe
had
replenished
the
fire
,
and
had
reassumed
her
bonnet
and
shawl
.
She
was
anxious
to
get
home
to
that
brutal
husband
,
who
was
only
too
apt
to
fall
into
some
mischief
in
her
absence
.
She
looked
up
as
Lady
Audley
entered
the
room
,
and
uttered
an
exclamation
of
surprise
at
seeing
her
late
mistress
in
a
walking-costume
.
"
My
lady
,
"
she
cried
,
"
you
are
not
going
out
to-night
?
"
"
Yes
,
I
am
,
Phoebe
,
"
Lady
Audley
answered
,
very
quietly
.
"
I
am
going
to
Mount
Stanning
with
you
to
see
this
bailiff
,
and
to
pay
and
dismiss
him
myself
.
"
"
But
,
my
lady
,
you
forget
what
the
time
is
;
you
ca
n't
go
out
at
such
an
hour
.
"
Lady
Audley
did
not
answer
.
She
stood
with
her
finger
resting
lightly
upon
the
handle
of
the
bell
,
meditating
quietly
.
"
The
stables
are
always
locked
,
and
the
men
in
bed
by
ten
o'clock
,
"
she
murmured
,
"
when
we
are
at
home
.
It
will
make
a
terrible
hubbub
to
get
a
carriage
ready
;
but
yet
I
dare
say
one
of
the
servants
could
manage
the
matter
quietly
for
me
.
"
"
But
why
should
you
go
to-night
,
my
lady
?
"
cried
Phoebe
Marks
.
"
To-morrow
will
do
quite
as
well
.
A
week
hence
will
do
as
well
.
Our
landlord
would
take
the
man
away
if
he
had
your
promise
to
settle
the
debt
.
"
Lady
Audley
took
no
notice
of
this
interruption
.
She
went
hastily
into
the
dressing-room
,
and
flung
off
her
bonnet
and
cloak
,
and
then
returned
to
the
boudoir
,
in
her
simple
dinner-costume
,
with
her
curls
brushed
carelessly
away
from
her
face
.
"
Now
,
Phoebe
Marks
,
listen
to
me
,
"
she
said
,
grasping
her
confidante
's
wrist
,
and
speaking
in
a
low
,
earnest
voice
,
but
with
a
certain
imperious
air
that
challenged
contradiction
and
commanded
obedience
.
"
Listen
to
me
,
Phoebe
,
"
she
repeated
.
"
I
am
going
to
the
Castle
Inn
to-night
;
whether
it
is
early
or
late
is
of
very
little
consequence
to
me
;
I
have
set
my
mind
upon
going
,
and
I
shall
go
.
You
have
asked
me
why
,
and
I
have
told
you
.
I
am
going
in
order
that
I
may
pay
this
debt
myself
;
and
that
I
may
see
for
myself
that
the
money
I
give
is
applied
to
the
purpose
for
which
I
give
it
.
There
is
nothing
out
of
the
common
course
of
life
in
my
doing
this
.
I
am
going
to
do
what
other
women
in
my
position
very
often
do
.
I
am
going
to
assist
a
favorite
servant
.
"
"
But
it
's
getting
on
for
twelve
o'clock
,
my
lady
,
"
pleaded
Phoebe
.
Lady
Audley
frowned
impatiently
at
this
interruption
.
"
If
my
going
to
your
house
to
pay
this
man
should
be
known
,
"
she
continued
,
still
retaining
her
hold
of
Phoebe
's
wrist
,
"
I
am
ready
to
answer
for
my
conduct
;
but
I
would
rather
that
the
business
should
be
kept
quiet
.
I
think
that
I
can
leave
this
house
without
being
seen
by
any
living
creature
,
if
you
will
do
as
I
tell
you
.
"
"
I
will
do
anything
you
wish
,
my
lady
,
"
answered
Phoebe
,
submissively
.
"
Then
you
will
wish
me
good-night
presently
,
when
my
maid
comes
into
the
room
,
and
you
will
suffer
her
to
show
you
out
of
the
house
.
You
will
cross
the
courtyard
and
wait
for
me
in
the
avenue
upon
the
other
side
of
the
archway
.
It
may
be
half
an
hour
before
I
am
able
to
join
you
,
for
I
must
not
leave
my
room
till
the
servants
have
all
gone
to
bed
,
but
you
may
wait
for
me
patiently
,
for
come
what
may
I
will
join
you
.
"
Lady
Audley
's
face
was
no
longer
pale
.
An
unnatural
luster
gleamed
in
her
great
blue
eyes
.
She
spoke
with
an
unnatural
rapidity
.
She
had
altogether
the
appearance
and
manner
of
a
person
who
has
yielded
to
the
dominant
influence
of
some
overpowering
excitement
.
Phoebe
Marks
stared
at
her
late
mistress
in
mute
bewilderment
.
She
began
to
fear
that
my
lady
was
going
mad
.
The
bell
which
Lady
Audley
rang
was
answered
by
the
smart
lady's-maid
who
wore
rose-colored
ribbons
,
and
black
silk
gowns
,
and
other
adornments
which
were
unknown
to
the
humble
people
who
sat
below
the
salt
in
the
good
old
days
when
servants
wore
linsey-woolsey
.
"
I
did
not
know
that
it
was
so
late
,
Martin
,
"
said
my
lady
,
in
that
gentle
tone
which
always
won
for
her
the
willing
service
of
her
inferiors
.
"
I
have
been
talking
with
Mrs.
Marks
and
have
let
the
time
slip
by
me
.
I
sha'
n't
want
anything
to-night
,
so
you
may
go
to
bed
when
you
please
.
"
"
Thank
you
,
my
lady
,
"
answered
the
girl
,
who
looked
very
sleepy
,
and
had
some
difficulty
in
repressing
a
yawn
even
in
her
mistress
'
presence
,
for
the
Audley
household
usually
kept
very
early
hours
.
"
I
'd
better
show
Mrs.
Marks
out
,
my
lady
,
had
n't
I
?
"
asked
the
maid
,
"
before
I
go
to
bed
?
"
"
Oh
,
yes
,
to
be
sure
;
you
can
let
Phoebe
out
.
All
the
other
servants
have
gone
to
bed
,
then
,
I
suppose
?
"
"
Yes
,
my
lady
.
"
Lady
Audley
laughed
as
she
glanced
at
the
timepiece
.
"
We
have
been
terrible
dissipated
up
here
,
Phoebe
,
"
she
said
.
"
Good-night
.
You
may
tell
your
husband
that
his
rent
shall
be
paid
.
"
"
Thank
you
very
much
,
my
lady
,
and
good-night
,
"
murmured
Phoebe
as
she
backed
out
of
the
room
,
followed
by
the
lady
's
maid
.
Lady
Audley
listened
at
the
door
,
waiting
till
the
muffled
sounds
of
their
footsteps
died
away
in
the
octagon
chamber
and
on
the
carpeted
staircase
.
"
Martin
sleeps
at
the
top
of
the
house
,
"
she
said
,
"
half
a
mile
away
from
this
room
.
In
ten
minutes
I
may
safely
make
my
escape
.
"
She
went
back
into
her
dressing-room
,
and
put
on
her
cloak
and
bonnet
for
the
second
time
.
The
unnatural
color
still
burnt
like
a
flame
in
her
cheeks
;
the
unnatural
light
still
glittered
in
her
eyes
.
The
excitement
which
she
was
under
held
her
in
so
strong
a
spell
that
neither
her
mind
nor
her
body
seemed
to
have
any
consciousness
of
fatigue
.
However
verbose
I
may
be
in
my
description
of
her
feelings
,
I
can
never
describe
a
tithe
of
her
thoughts
or
her
sufferings
.
She
suffered
agonies
that
would
fill
closely
printed
volumes
,
bulky
with
a
thousand
pages
,
in
that
one
horrible
night
.
She
underwent
volumes
of
anguish
,
and
doubt
,
and
perplexity
;
sometimes
repeating
the
same
chapters
of
her
torments
over
and
over
again
;
sometimes
hurrying
through
a
thousand
pages
of
her
misery
without
one
pause
,
without
one
moment
of
breathing
time
.
She
stood
by
the
low
fender
in
her
boudoir
,
watching
the
minute-hand
of
the
clock
,
and
waiting
till
it
should
be
time
for
her
to
leave
the
house
in
safety
.
"
I
will
wait
ten
minutes
,
"
she
said
,
"
not
a
moment
beyond
,
before
I
enter
on
my
new
peril
.
"
She
listened
to
the
wild
roaring
of
the
March
wind
,
which
seemed
to
have
risen
with
the
stillness
and
darkness
of
the
night
.
The
hand
slowly
made
its
inevitable
way
to
the
figures
which
told
that
the
ten
minutes
were
past
.
It
was
exactly
a
quarter
to
twelve
when
my
lady
took
her
lamp
in
her
hand
,
and
stole
softly
from
the
room
.
Her
footfall
was
as
light
as
that
of
some
graceful
wild
animal
,
and
there
was
no
fear
of
that
airy
step
awakening
any
echo
upon
the
carpeted
stone
corridors
and
staircase
.
She
did
not
pause
until
she
reached
the
vestibule
upon
the
ground
floor
.
Several
doors
opened
out
of
the
vestibule
,
which
was
octagon
,
like
my
lady
's
ante-chamber
.
One
of
these
doors
led
into
the
library
,
and
it
was
this
door
which
Lady
Audley
opened
softly
and
cautiously
.
To
have
attempted
to
leave
the
house
secretly
by
any
of
the
principal
outlets
would
have
been
simple
madness
,
for
the
housekeeper
herself
superintended
the
barricading
of
the
great
doors
,
back
and
front
.
The
secrets
of
the
bolts
,
and
bars
,
and
chains
,
and
bells
which
secured
these
doors
,
and
provided
for
the
safety
of
Sir
Michael
Audley
's
plate-room
,
the
door
of
which
was
lined
with
sheet-iron
,
were
known
only
to
the
servants
who
had
to
deal
with
them
.
But
although
all
these
precautions
were
taken
with
the
principal
entrances
to
the
citadel
,
a
wooden
shutter
and
a
slender
iron
bar
,
light
enough
to
be
lifted
by
a
child
,
were
considered
sufficient
safeguard
for
the
half-glass
door
which
opened
out
of
the
breakfast-room
into
the
graveled
pathway
and
smooth
turf
in
the
courtyard
.
It
was
by
this
outlet
that
Lady
Audley
meant
to
make
her
escape
.
She
could
easily
remove
the
bar
and
unfasten
the
shutter
,
and
she
might
safely
venture
to
leave
the
window
ajar
while
she
was
absent
.
There
was
little
fear
of
Sir
Michael
's
awaking
for
some
time
,
as
he
was
a
heavy
sleeper
in
the
early
part
of
the
night
,
and
had
slept
more
heavily
than
usual
since
his
illness
.
Lady
Audley
crossed
the
library
,
and
opened
the
door
of
the
breakfast-room
,
which
communicated
with
it
.
This
latter
apartment
was
one
of
the
later
additions
to
the
Court
.
It
was
a
simple
,
cheerful
chamber
,
with
brightly
papered
walls
and
pretty
maple
furniture
,
and
was
more
occupied
by
Alicia
than
any
one
else
.
The
paraphernalia
of
that
young
lady
's
favorite
pursuits
were
scattered
about
the
room
—
drawing-materials
,
unfinished
scraps
of
work
,
tangled
skeins
of
silk
,
and
all
the
other
tokens
of
a
careless
damsel
's
presence
;
while
Miss
Audley
's
picture
—
a
pretty
crayon
sketch
of
a
rosy-faced
hoyden
in
a
riding-habit
and
hat
—
hung
over
the
quaint
Wedgewood
ornaments
on
the
chimneypiece
.
My
lady
looked
upon
these
familiar
objects
with
scornful
hatred
flaming
in
her
blue
eyes
.
"
How
glad
she
will
be
if
any
disgrace
befalls
me
,
"
she
thought
;
"
how
she
will
rejoice
if
I
am
driven
out
of
this
house
!
"
Lady
Audley
set
the
lamp
upon
a
table
near
the
fireplace
,
and
went
to
the
window
.
She
removed
the
iron-bar
and
the
light
wooden
shutter
,
and
then
opened
the
glass-door
.
The
March
night
was
black
and
moonless
,
and
a
gust
of
wind
blew
in
upon
her
as
she
opened
this
door
,
and
filled
the
room
with
its
chilly
breath
,
extinguishing
the
lamp
upon
the
table
.
"
No
matter
,
"
my
lady
muttered
,
"
I
could
not
have
left
it
burning
.
I
shall
know
how
to
find
my
way
through
the
house
when
I
come
back
.
I
have
left
all
the
doors
ajar
.
"
She
stepped
quickly
out
upon
the
smooth
gravel
,
and
closed
the
glass-door
behind
her
.
She
was
afraid
lest
that
treacherous
wind
should
blow-to
the
door
opening
into
the
library
,
and
thus
betray
her
.
She
was
in
the
quadrangle
now
,
with
that
chill
wind
sweeping
against
her
,
and
swirling
her
silken
garments
round
her
with
a
shrill
,
rustling
noise
,
like
the
whistling
of
a
sharp
breeze
against
the
sails
of
a
yacht
.
She
crossed
the
quadrangle
and
looked
back
—
looked
back
for
a
moment
at
the
firelight
gleaming
between
the
rosy-tinted
curtains
in
her
boudoir
,
and
the
dim
gleam
of
the
lamp
through
the
mullioned
windows
in
the
room
where
Sir
Michael
Audley
lay
asleep
.
"
I
feel
as
if
I
were
running
away
,
"
she
thought
;
"
I
feel
as
if
I
were
running
away
secretly
in
the
dead
of
the
night
,
to
lose
myself
and
be
forgotten
.
Perhaps
it
would
be
wiser
in
me
to
run
away
,
to
take
this
man
's
warning
,
and
escape
out
of
his
power
forever
.
If
I
were
to
run
away
and
disappear
as
—
as
George
Talboys
disappeared
.
But
where
could
I
go
?
what
would
become
of
me
?
I
have
no
money
;
my
jewels
are
not
worth
a
couple
of
hundred
pounds
,
now
that
I
have
got
rid
of
the
best
part
of
them
.
What
could
I
do
?
I
must
go
back
to
the
old
life
,
the
old
,
hard
,
cruel
,
wretched
life
—
the
life
of
poverty
,
and
humiliation
,
and
vexation
,
and
discontent
.
I
should
have
to
go
back
and
wear
myself
out
in
that
long
struggle
,
and
die
—
as
my
mother
died
,
perhaps
!
"
My
lady
stood
still
for
a
moment
on
the
smooth
lawn
between
the
quadrangle
and
the
archway
,
with
her
head
drooping
upon
her
breast
and
her
hands
locked
together
,
debating
this
question
in
the
unnatural
activity
of
her
mind
.
Her
attitude
reflected
the
state
of
that
mind
—
it
expressed
irresolution
and
perplexity
.
But
presently
a
sudden
change
came
over
her
;
she
lifted
her
head
—
lifted
it
with
an
action
of
defiance
and
determination
.
"
No
!
Mr.
Robert
Audley
,
"
she
said
,
aloud
,
in
a
low
,
clear
voice
;
"
I
will
not
go
back
—
I
will
not
go
back
.
If
the
struggle
between
us
is
to
be
a
duel
to
the
death
,
you
shall
not
find
me
drop
my
weapon
.
"
She
walked
with
a
firm
and
rapid
step
under
the
archway
.
As
she
passed
under
that
massive
arch
,
it
seemed
as
if
she
disappeared
into
some
black
gulf
that
had
waited
open
to
receive
her
.
The
stupid
clock
struck
twelve
,
and
the
whole
archway
seemed
to
vibrate
under
its
heavy
strokes
,
as
Lady
Audley
emerged
upon
the
other
side
and
joined
Phoebe
Marks
,
who
had
waited
for
her
late
mistress
very
near
the
gateway
of
the
Court
.
"
Now
,
Phoebe
,
"
she
said
,
"
it
is
three
miles
from
here
to
Mount
Stanning
,
is
n't
it
?
"
"
Yes
,
my
lady
.
"
"
Then
we
can
walk
the
distance
in
an
hour
and
a
half
.
"
Lady
Audley
had
not
stopped
to
say
this
;
she
was
walking
quickly
along
the
avenue
with
her
humble
companion
by
her
side
.
Fragile
and
delicate
as
she
was
in
appearance
,
she
was
a
very
good
walker
.
She
had
been
in
the
habit
of
taking
long
country
rambles
with
Mr.
Dawson
's
children
in
her
old
days
of
dependence
,
and
she
thought
very
little
of
a
distance
of
three
miles
.
"
Your
beautiful
husband
will
sit
up
for
you
,
I
suppose
,
Phoebe
?
"
she
said
,
as
they
struck
across
an
open
field
that
was
used
as
a
short
cut
from
Audley
Court
to
the
high-road
.
"
Oh
,
yes
,
my
lady
;
he
's
sure
to
sit
up
.
He
'll
be
drinking
with
the
man
,
I
dare
say
.
"
"
The
man
!
What
man
?
"
"
The
man
that
's
in
possession
,
my
lady
.
"
"
Ah
,
to
be
sure
,
"
said
Lady
Audley
,
indifferently
.
It
was
strange
that
Phoebe
's
domestic
troubles
should
seem
so
very
far
away
from
her
thoughts
at
the
time
she
was
taking
such
an
extraordinary
step
toward
setting
things
right
at
the
Castle
Inn
.
The
two
women
crossed
the
field
and
turned
into
the
high
road
.
The
way
to
Mount
Stanning
was
all
up
hill
,
and
the
long
road
looked
black
and
dreary
in
the
dark
night
;
but
my
lady
walked
on
with
a
desperate
courage
,
which
was
no
common
constituent
in
her
selfish
sensuous
nature
,
but
a
strange
faculty
born
out
of
her
great
despair
.
She
did
not
speak
again
to
her
companion
until
they
were
close
upon
the
glimmering
lights
at
the
top
of
the
hill
.
One
of
these
village
lights
,
glaring
redly
through
a
crimson
curtain
,
marked
out
the
particular
window
behind
which
it
was
likely
that
Luke
Marks
sat
nodding
drowsily
over
his
liquor
,
and
waiting
for
the
coming
of
his
wife
.
"
He
has
not
gone
to
bed
,
Phoebe
,
"
said
my
lady
,
eagerly
.
"
But
there
is
no
other
light
burning
at
the
inn
.
I
suppose
Mr.
Audley
is
in
bed
and
asleep
.
"
"
Yes
,
my
lady
,
I
suppose
so
.
"
"
You
are
sure
he
was
going
to
stay
at
the
Castle
to
night
?
"
"
Oh
,
yes
,
my
lady
.
I
helped
the
girl
to
get
his
room
ready
before
I
came
away
.
"
The
wind
,
boisterous
everywhere
,
was
even
shriller
and
more
pitiless
in
the
neighborhood
of
that
bleak
hill-top
upon
which
the
Castle
Inn
reared
its
rickety
walls
.
The
cruel
blasts
raved
wildly
round
that
frail
erection
.
They
disported
themselves
with
the
shattered
pigeon-house
,
the
broken
weathercock
,
the
loose
tiles
,
and
unshapely
chimneys
;
they
rattled
at
the
window-panes
,
and
whistled
in
the
crevices
;
they
mocked
the
feeble
building
from
foundation
to
roof
,
and
battered
,
and
banged
,
and
tormented
it
in
their
fierce
gambols
,
until
it
trembled
and
rocked
with
the
force
of
their
rough
play
.
Mr.
Luke
Marks
had
not
troubled
himself
to
secure
the
door
of
his
dwelling-house
before
sitting
down
to
booze
with
the
man
who
held
provisional
possession
of
his
goods
and
chattels
.
The
landlord
of
the
Castle
Inn
was
a
lazy
,
sensual
brute
,
who
had
no
thought
higher
than
a
selfish
concern
for
his
own
enjoyments
,
and
a
virulent
hatred
for
anybody
who
stood
in
the
way
of
his
gratification
.
Phoebe
pushed
open
the
door
with
her
hand
,
and
went
into
the
house
,
followed
by
my
lady
.
The
gas
was
flaring
in
the
bar
,
and
smoking
the
low
plastered
ceiling
.
The
door
of
the
bar-parlor
was
half
open
,
and
Lady
Audley
heard
the
brutal
laughter
of
Mr.
Marks
as
she
crossed
the
threshold
of
the
inn
.
"
I
'll
tell
him
you
're
here
,
my
lady
,
"
whispered
Phoebe
to
her
late
mistress
.
"
I
know
he
'll
be
tipsy
.
You
—
you
wo
n't
be
offended
,
my
lady
,
if
he
should
say
anything
rude
?
You
know
it
was
n't
my
wish
that
you
should
come
.
"
"
Yes
,
yes
,
"
answered
Lady
Audley
,
impatiently
,
"
I
know
that
.
What
should
I
care
for
his
rudeness
!
Let
him
say
what
he
likes
.
"
Phoebe
Marks
pushed
open
the
parlor
door
,
leaving
my
lady
in
the
bar
close
behind
her
.
Luke
sat
with
his
clumsy
legs
stretched
out
upon
the
hearth
.
He
held
a
glass
of
gin-and-water
in
one
hand
and
the
poker
in
the
other
.
He
had
just
thrust
the
poker
into
a
heap
of
black
coals
,
and
was
scattering
them
to
make
a
blaze
,
when
his
wife
appeared
upon
the
threshold
of
the
room
.
He
snatched
the
poker
from
between
the
bars
,
and
made
a
half
drunken
,
half
threatening
motion
with
it
as
he
saw
her
.
"
So
you
've
condescended
to
come
home
at
last
,
ma'am
,
"
he
said
;
"
I
thought
you
was
never
coming
no
more
.
"
He
spoke
in
a
thick
and
drunken
voice
,
and
was
by
no
means
too
intelligible
.
He
was
steeped
to
the
very
lips
in
alcohol
.
His
eyes
were
dim
and
watery
;
his
hands
were
unsteady
;
his
voice
was
choked
and
muffled
with
drink
.
A
brute
,
even
when
most
sober
;
a
brute
,
even
on
his
best
behavior
,
he
was
ten
times
more
brutal
in
his
drunkenness
,
when
the
few
restraints
which
held
his
ignorant
,
every
day
brutality
in
check
were
flung
aside
in
the
indolent
recklessness
of
intoxication
.
"
I
—
I
've
been
longer
than
I
intended
to
be
,
Luke
,
"
Phoebe
answered
,
in
her
most
conciliatory
manner
;
"
but
I
've
seen
my
lady
,
and
she
's
been
very
kind
,
and
—
and
she
'll
settle
this
business
for
us
.
"
"
She
's
been
very
kind
,
has
she
?
"
muttered
Mr.
Marks
,
with
a
drunken
laugh
;
"
thank
her
for
nothing
.
I
know
the
vally
of
her
kindness
.
She
'd
be
oncommon
kind
,
I
dessay
,
if
she
war
n't
obligated
to
be
it
.
"
The
man
in
possession
,
who
had
fallen
into
a
maudlin
and
semi-unconscious
state
of
intoxication
upon
about
a
third
of
the
liquor
that
Mr.
Marks
had
consumed
,
only
stared
in
feeble
wonderment
at
his
host
and
hostess
.
He
sat
near
the
table
.
Indeed
,
he
had
hooked
himself
on
to
it
with
his
elbows
,
as
a
safeguard
against
sliding
under
it
,
and
he
was
making
imbecile
attempts
to
light
his
pipe
at
the
flame
of
a
guttering
tallow
candle
near
him
.
"
My
lady
has
promised
to
settle
the
business
for
