第4章

bonnet，shawl，andgownallofwhite——was，sofarasIcouldguess，certainlynotcomposedofverydelicateorveryexpensivematerials。Herfigurewasslight，andratherabovetheaverageheight——hergaitandactionsfreefromtheslightestapproachtoextravagance。ThiswasallthatIcouldobserveofherinthedimlightandundertheperplexinglystrangecircumstancesofourmeeting。Whatsortofawomanshewas，andhowshecametobeoutaloneinthehigh-road，anhouraftermidnight，Ialtogetherfailedtoguess。TheonethingofwhichIfeltcertainwas，thatthegrossestofmankindcouldnothavemisconstruedhermotiveinspeaking，evenatthatsuspiciouslylatehourandinthatsuspiciouslylonelyplace。

`Didyouhearme？’shesaid，stillquietlyandrapidly，andwithouttheleastfretfulnessorimpatience。`IaskedifthatwasthewaytoLondon。’

`Yes，’Ireplied，`thatistheway：itleadstoStJohn’sWoodandtheRegent’sPark。Youmustexcusemynotansweringyoubefore。Iwasratherstartledbyyoursuddenappearanceintheroad；andIam，evennow，quiteunabletoaccountforit。’

`Youdon’tsuspectmeofdoinganythingwrong，doyou？Ihavedonenothingwrong。Ihavemetwithanaccident——Iamveryunfortunateinbeingherealonesolate。Whydoyoususpectmeofdoingwrong？’

Shespokewithunnecessaryearnestnessandagitation，andshrankbackfrommeseveralplaces。Ididmybesttoreassureher。

`Praydon’tsupposethatIhaveanyideaofsuspectingyou，’Isaid，`oranyotherwishthantobeofassistancetoyou，ifIcan。Ionlywonderedatyourappearanceintheroad，becauseitseemedtometobeemptytheinstantbeforeIsawyou。’

Sheturned，andpointedbacktoaplaceatthejunctionoftheroadtoLondonandtheroadtoHampstead，wheretherewasagapinthehedge。

`Iheardyoucoming，’shesaid，`andhidtheretoseewhatsortofmanyouwere，beforeIriskedspeaking。Idoubtedandfearedaboutittillyoupassed；andthenIwasobligedtostealafteryou，andtouchyou。’

Stealaftermeandtouchme？Whynotcalltome？Strange，tosaytheleastofit`MayItrustyou？’sheasked。`Youdon’tthinktheworseofmebecauseIhavemetwithanaccident？’Shestoppedinconfusion；shiftedherbagfromonehandtotheother；andsighedbitterly。

Thelonelinessandhelplessnessofthewomantouchedme。Thenaturalimpulsetoassistherandtosparehergotthebetterofthejudgment，thecaution，theworldlytact，whichanolder，wiser，andcoldermanmighthavesummonedtohelphiminthisstrangeemergency。

`Youmaytrustmeforanyharmlesspurposes，’Isaid。`Ifittroublesyoutoexplainyourstrangesituationtome，don’tthinkofreturningtothesubjectagain。Ihavenorighttoaskyouforanyexplanations。TellmehowIcanhelpyou；andifIcan，Iwill。’

`Youareverykind，andIamvery，verythankfulltohavemetyou。’

ThefirsttouchofwomanlytendernessthatIhadheardfromhertrembledinhervoiceasshesaidthewords：butnotearsglistenedinthoselarge，wistfullyattentiveeyesofhers，whichwerestillfixedonme，`IhaveonlybeeninLondononcebefore，’shewenton，moreandmorerapidly，`andIknownothingaboutthatsideofit，yonder。CanISetafly，oracarriageofanykind？Isittoolate？Idon’tknow。Ifyoucouldshowmewheretogetafly——andifyouwillonlypromisenottointerferewithme，andtoletmeleaveyou，whenandhowIplease——IhaveafriendinLondonwhowillbegladtoreceiveme——Iwantnothingelse——willyoupromise？’

Shelookedanxiouslyupanddowntheroad；shiftedherbagagainfromonehandtotheother；repeatedthewords，`Willyoupromise？’andlookedhardinmyface，withapleadingfearandconfusionthatittroubledmetosee。

WhatcouldIdo？Herewasastrangerutterlyandhelplesslyatmymercy——andthatstrangeraforlornwoman。Nohousewasnear；noonewaspassingwhomIcouldconsult；andnoearthlyrightexistedonmyparttogivemeapowerofcontroloverher，evenifIhadknownhowtoexerciseit。I

tracetheselines，self-distrustfully，withtheshadowsofaftereventsdarkeningtheverypaperIwriteon；andstillIsay，whatcouldIdo？

WhatIdiddo，wastotryandgaintimebyquestioningher。

`AreyousurethatyourfriendinLondonwillreceiveyouatsuchalatehourasthis？’Isaid。

`Quitesure。OnlysayyouwillletmeleaveyouwhenandhowIplease——onlysayyouwon’tinterferewithme。Willyoupromise？’

Assherepeatedthewordsforthethirdtime，shecarneclosetomeandlaidherhand，withasuddengentlestealthiness，onmybosom——athinhand；acoldhand(whenIremoveditwithmine)evenonthatsultrynight。RememberthatIwasyoung；rememberthatthehandwhichtouchedmewasawoman’s。

`Willyoupromise？’

`Yes。’

Oneword！Thelittlefamiliarwordthatisoneverybody’slips，everyhourintheday。Ohme！andItremble，now，whenIwriteit。

WesetourfacestowardsLondon，andwalkedontogetherinthefirststillhourofthenewday——I，andthiswoman，whosename，whosecharacter，whosestory，whoseobjectsinlife，whoseverypresencebymyside，atthatmoment，werefathomlessmysteriestome。Itwaslikeadream。WasIWalterHartright？Wasthisthewell-known，uneventfulroad，whereholidaypeoplestrolledonSundays？HadIreallyleft，littlemorethananhoursince，thequiet，decent，conventionallydomesticatmosphereofmymother’scottage？Iwastoobewildered——tooconsciousalsoofavaguesenseofsomethinglikeself-reproach——tospeaktomystrangecompanionforsomeminutes。Itwashervoiceagainthatfirstbrokethesilencebetweenus。

`Iwanttoaskyousomething，’shesaidsuddenly。`DoyouknowmanypeopleinLondon？’

`Yes，agreatmany。’

`Manymenofrankandtitle？’Therewasanunmistakabletoneofsuspicioninthestrangequestion。Ihesitatedaboutansweringit。

`Some，’Isaid，afteramoment’ssilence。

`Many’——shecametoafullstop，andlookedmesearchinglyintheface——`manymenoftherankofBaronet？’

Toomuchastonishedtoreply，Iquestionedherinmyturn。

`Whydoyouask？’

`BecauseIhope，formyownsake，thereisoneBaronetthatyoudon’tknow。’

`Willyoutellmehisname？’

`Ican’t——Idaren’t——IforgetmyselfwhenImentionit。’Shespokeloudlyandalmostfiercely，raisedherclenchedhandintheair，andshookitpassionately；then，onasudden，controlledherselfagain，andadded，intonesloweredtoawhisper，`Tellmewhichofthemyouknow。’

Icouldhardlyrefusetohumourherinsuchatrifle，andImentionedthreenames。Two，thenamesoffathersoffamilieswhosedaughtersItaught；

one，thenameofabachelorwhohadoncetakenmeacruiseinhisyacht，tomakesketchesforhim。

`Ah！youdon’tknowhim，’shesaid，withasighofrelief。`Areyouamanofrankandtitleyourself？’

`Farfromit。Iamonlyadrawing-master。’

Asthereplypassedmylips——alittlebitterly，perhaps——shetookmyarmwiththeabruptnesswhichcharacterisedallheractions。

`Notamanofrankandtitle，’sherepeatedtoherself。`ThankGod！

Imaytrusthim。’

Ihadhithertocontrivedtomastermycuriosityoutofconsiderationformycompanion；butitgotthebetterofmenow。

`Iamafraidyouhaveseriousreasontocomplainofsomemanofrankandtitle？’Isaid。`Iamafraidthebaronet，whosenameyouareunwillingtomentiontome，hasdoneyousomegrievouswrong？Ishethecauseofyourbeingouthereatthisstrangetimeofnight？’

`Don’taskme：don’tmakemetalkofit，’sheanswered。`I’mnotfitnow。Ihavebeencruellyusedandcruellywronged。Youwillbekinderthanever，ifyouwillwalkonfast，andnotspeaktome。Isadlywanttoquietmyself，ifIcan。’

Wemovedforwardagainataquickpace；andforhalfanhour，atleast，notawordpassedoneitherside。Fromtimetotime，beingforbiddentomakeanymoreinquiries，Istolealookatherface。Itwasalwaysthesame；thelipscloseshut，thebrowfrowning，theeyeslookingstraightforward，eagerlyandyetabsently。Wehadreachedthefirsthouses，andwerecloseonthenewWesleyancollege，beforehersetfeaturesrelaxed，andshespokeoncemore。

`DoyouliveinLondon？’shesaid。

`Yes。’AsIanswered，itstruckmethatshemighthaveformedsomeintentionofappealingtomeforassistanceoradvice，andthatIoughttospareherapossibledisappointmentbywarmingherofmyapproachingabsencefromhome。SoIadded，`ButtomorrowIshallbeawayfromLondonforsometime。Iamgoingintothecountry。’

`Where？’sheasked。`Northorsouth？’

`North——toCumberland。’

`Cumberland！’sherepeatedthewordtenderly。`Ah！IwishIwasgoingtheretoo。IwasoncehappyinCumberland。’

Itriedagaintolifttheveilthathungbetweenthiswomanandme。

`Perhapsyouwereborn，’Isaid，`inthebeautifulLakecountry。’

`No，’sheanswered。`IwasborninHampshire；butIoncewenttoschoolforalittlewhileinCumberland。Lakes？Idon’trememberanylakes。It’sLimmeridgevillage，andLimmeridgeHouse，Ishouldliketoseeagain。’

Itwasmyturnnowtostopsuddenly。Intheexcitedstateofmycuriosity，atthatmoment，thechancereferencetoMrFairlie’splaceofresidence，onthelipsofmystrangecompanion，staggeredmewithastonishment。