第15章

ThoughtsthatIhadhithertorestrained，thoughtsthatmademypositionharderthanevertoendure，crowdedonmenowthatIwasalone。

Shewasengagedtobemarried，andherfuturehusbandwasSirPercivalGlyde。AmanoftherankofBaronet，andtheownerofpropertyinHampshire。

TherewerehundredsofbaronetsinEngland，anddozensoflandownersinHampshire。Judgingbytheordinaryrulesofevidence，Ihadnottheshadowofareason，thusfar，forconnectingSirPercivalGlydewiththesuspiciouswordsofinquirythathadbeenspokentomebythewomaninwhite。Andyet，Ididconnecthimwiththem。WasitbecausehehadnowbecomeassociatedinmymindwithMissFairlie，MissFairliebeing，inherturn，associatedwithAnneCatherick，sincethenightwhenIhaddiscoveredtheominouslikenessbetweenthem？HadtheeventsofthemorningsounnervedmealreadythatIwasatthemercyofanydelusionwhichcommonchancesandcommoncoincidencesmightsuggesttomyimagination？Impossibletosay。IcouldonlyfeelthatwhathadpassedbetweenMissHalcombeandmyself，onourwayfromthesummer-house，hadaffectedmeverystrangely。Theforebodingofsomeundiscoverabledangerlyinghidfromusallinthedarknessofthefuturewasstrongonme。ThedoubtwhetherIwasnotlinkedalreadytoachainofeventswhichevenmyapproachingdeparturefromCumberlandwouldbePowerlesstosnapasunder——thedoubtwhetherweanyofussawtheendastheendwouldreallybe——gatheredmoreandmoredarklyovermymind。Poignantasitwas，thesenseofsufferingcausedbythemiserableendofmybrief，presumptuousloveseemedtobebluntedanddeadenedbythestillstrongersenseofsomethingobscurelyimpending，somethinginvisiblythreatening，thatTimewasholdingoverourheads。

Ihadbeenengagedwiththedrawingslittlemorethanhalfanhour，whentherewasaknockatthedoor。Itopened，onmyanswering；and，tomysurprise，MissHalcombeenteredtheroom。

Hermannerwasangryandagitated。ShecaughtupachairforherselfbeforeIcouldgiveherone，andsatdowninit，closeatmyside。

`MrHartright，’shesaid，`Ihadhopedthatallpainfulsubjectsofconversationwereexhaustedbetweenus，fortodayatleast。Butitisnottobeso。Thereissomeunderhandvillainyatworktofrightenmysisteraboutherapproachingmarriage。Yousawmesendthegardenerontothehouse，withaletteraddressed，inastrangehandwriting，toMissFairlie？’

`Certainly。’

`Theletterisananonymousletter——avileattempttoinjureSirPercivalGlydeinmysister’sestimation。IthassoagitatedandalarmedherthatIhavehadthegreatestpossibledifficultyincomposingherspiritssufficientlytoallowmetoleaveherroomandcomehere。IknowthisisafamilymatteronwhichIoughtnottoconsultyou，andinwhichyoucanfeelnoconcernorinterest——’

`Ibegyourpardon，MissHalcombe。IfeelthestrongestpossibleconcernandinterestinanythingthataffectsMissFairlie’shappinessoryours。’

`Iamgladtohearyousayso。Youaretheonlypersoninthehouse，oroutofit，whocanadviseme。MrFairlie，inhisstateofhealthandwithhishorrorofdifficultiesandmysteriesofallkinds，isnottobethoughtof。Theclergymanisagood，weakman，whoknowsnothingoutoftheroutineofhisduties；andourneighboursarejustthesortofcomfortable，jog-trotacquaintanceswhomonecannotdisturbintimesoftroubleanddanger。WhatIwanttoknowisthis：oughtIatoncetotakesuchstepsasIcantodiscoverthewriteroftheletter？oroughtItowait，andapplytoMrFairlie’slegaladvisertomorrow？Itisaquestion——perhapsaveryimportantone——ofgainingorlosingaday。Tellmewhatyouthink，MrHartright。Ifnecessityhadnotalreadyobligedmetotakeyouintomyconfidenceunderverydelicatecircumstances，evenmyhelplesssituationwould，perhaps，benoexcuseforme。ButasthingsareIcannotsurelybewrong，afterallthathaspassedbetweenus，inforgettingthatyouareafriendofonlythreemonths’standing。’

Shegavemetheletter。Itbeganabruptly，withoutanypreliminaryformofaddress，asfollows——

`Doyoubelieveindreams？Ihope，foryourownsake，thatyoudo。SeewhatScripturesaysaboutdreamsandtheirfulfilment(Genesisxl。8，xli。

25；Danieliv。18-25)，andtakethewarningIsendyoubeforeitistoolate。

`LastnightIdreamedaboutyou，MissFairlie。IdreamedthatIwasstandinginsidethecommunionrailsofachurch——Iononesideofthealtar-table，andtheclergyman，withhissurpliceandhisprayer-book，ontheother。

`Afteratimetherewalkedtowardsus，downtheaisleofthechurch，amanandawoman，comingtobemarried。Youwerethewoman。Youlookedsoprettyandinnocentinyourbeautifulwhitesilkdress，andyourlongwhitelaceveil，thatmyheartfeltforyou，andthetearscameintomyeyes。

`Theyweretearsofpity，younglady，thatheavenblesses；andinsteadoffallingfrommyeyesliketheeverydaytearsthatweallofusshed，theyturnedintotworaysoflightwhichslantednearerandnearertothemanstandingatthealtarwithyou，tilltheytouchedhisbreast。Thetworaysspranginarchesliketworainbowsbetweenmeandhim。Ilookedalongthem，andIsawdownintohisinmostheart。

`Theoutsideofthemanyouweremarryingwasfairenoughtosee。Hewasneithertallnorshort——hewasalittlebelowthemiddlesize。A

light，active，high-spiritedman——aboutfive-and-fortyyearsold，tolookat。Hehadapaleface，andwasbaldovertheforehead，buthaddarkhairontherestofhishead。Hisbeardwasshavenonhischin，butwaslettogrow，ofafinerichbrown，onhischeeksandhisupperlip。Hiseyeswerebrowntoo，andverybright；hisnosestraightandhandsome，anddelicateenoughtohavedoneforawoman’s。Hishandsthesame。Hewastroubledfromtimetotimewithadryhackingcough，andwhenheputuphiswhiterighthandtohismouth，heshowedtheredscarofanoldwoundacrossthebackofit。HaveIdreamtoftherightman？Youknowbest，MissFairlie，andyoucansayifIwasdeceivedornot。Readnext，whatIsawbeneaththeoutside——Ientreatyou，read，andprofit。

`Ilookedalongthetworaysoflight，andIsawdownintohisinmostheart。Itwasblackasnight，andonitwerewritten，intheredflamingletterswhicharethehandwritingofthefallenangel，``Withoutpityandwithoutremorse。Hehasstrewnwithmiserythepathsofothers，andhewilllivetostrewwithmiserythepathofthiswomanbyhisside。’’I

readthat，andthentheraysoflightshiftedandpointedoverhisshoulder；

andthere，behindhim，stoodafiendlaughing。Andtheraysoflightshiftedoncemore，andpointedoveryourshoulder；andthere，behindyou，stoodanangelweeping。Andtheraysoflightshiftedforthethirdtime，andpointedstraightbetweenyouandthatman。Theywidenedandwidened，thrustingyoubothasunder，onefromtheother。Andtheclergymanlookedforthemarriage-serviceinvain；itwasgoneoutofthebook，andheshutuptheleaves，andputitfromhimindespair。AndIwokewithmyeyesfulloftearsandmyheartbeating——forIbelieveindreams。

`Believetoo，MissFairlie——Ibegofyou，foryourownsake，believeasIdo。JosephandDaniel，andothersintheScripture，believedindreams。

Inquireintothepastlifeofthatmanwiththescaronhishand，beforeyousaythewordsthatmakeyouhismiserablewife。Idon’tgiveyouthiswarningonmyaccount，butonyours。Ihaveaninterestinyourwell-beingthatwillliveaslongasIdrawbreath。Yourmother’sdaughterhasatenderplaceinmyheart——foryourmotherwasmyfirst，mybest，myonlyfriend。’

Theretheextraordinaryletterended，withoutasignatureofanysort。

Thehandwritingaffordednoprospectofaclue。Itwastracedonruledlines，inthecramped，conventionalcopy-bookcharactertechnicallytermed`mallhand。’Itwasfeebleandfaint，anddefacedbyblots，buthadotherwisenothingtodistinguishit。

`Thatisnotanilliterateletter，’saidMissHalcombe，`andatthesametime，itissurelytooincoherenttobetheletterofaneducatedpersoninthehigherranksoflife。Thereferencetothebridaldressandveil，andotherlittleexpressions，seemtopointtoitastheproductionofsomewoman。Whatdoyouthink，MrHartright？’

`Ithinksotoo。Itseemstometobenotonlytheletterofawoman，butofawomanwhosemindmustbe——’

`Deranged？’suggestedMissHalcombe。`Itstruckmeinthatlighttoo。’

Ididnotanswer。WhileIwasspeaking，myeyesrestedonthelastsentenceoftheletter：`Yourmother’sdaughterhasatenderplaceinmyheart——

foryourmotherwasmyfirst，mybest，myonlyfriend。’Thosewordsandthedoubtwhichhadjustescapedmeastothesanityofthewriteroftheletter，actingtogetheronmymind，suggestedanidea，whichIwasliterallyafraidtoexpressopenly，oreventoencouragesecretly。Ibegantodoubtwhethermyownfacultieswerenotindangeroflosingtheirbalance。Itseemedalmostlikeamonomaniatobetracingbackeverythingstrangethathappened，everythingunexpectedthatwassaid，alwaystothesamehiddensourceandthesamesinisterinfluence。Iresolved，thistime，indefenceofmyowncourageandmyownsense，tocometonodecisionthatplainfactdidnotwarrant，andtoturnmybackresolutelyoneverythingthattemptedmeintheshapeofsurmise。

`Ifwehaveanychanceoftracingthepersonwhohaswrittenthis，’

Isaid，returningthelettertoMissHalcombe，`therecanbenoharminseizingouropportunitythemomentitoffers。Ithinkweoughttospeaktothegardeneragainabouttheelderlywomanwhogavehimtheletter，andthentocontinueourinquiriesinthevillage。Butfirstletmeaskaquestion。YoumentionedjustnowthealternativeofconsultingMrFairlie’slegaladvisertomorrow。Istherenopossibilityofcommunicatingwithhimearlier？Whynottoday？’

`Icanonlyexplain，’repliedMissHalcombe，`byenteringintocertainparticulars，connectedwithmysister’smarriage-engagement，whichIdidnotthinkitnecessaryordesirabletomentiontoyouthismorning。OneofSirPercivalGlyde’sobjectsincominghereonMonday，istofixtheperiodofhismarriage，whichhashithertobeenleftquiteunsettled。Heisanxiousthattheeventshouldtakeplacebeforetheendoftheyear。’

`DoesMissFairlieknowofthatwish？’Iaskedeagerly。

`Shehasnosuspicionofit，andafterwhathashappened，Ishallnottaketheresponsibilityuponmyselfofenlighteningher。SirPercivalhasonlymentionedhisviewstoMrFairlie，whohastoldmehimselfthatheisreadyandanxious，asLaura’sguardian，toforwardthem。HehaswrittentoLondon，tothefamilysolicitor，MrGilmore。MrGilmorehappenstobeawayinGlasgowonbusiness，andhehasrepliedbyproposingtostopatLimmeridgeHouseonhiswaybacktotown。Hewillarrivetomorrow，andwillstaywithusafewdays，soastoallowSirPercivaltimetopleadhisowncause。Ifhesucceeds，MrGilmorewillthenreturntoLondon，takingwithhimhisinstructionsformysister’smarriage-settlement。Youunderstandnow，MrHartright，whyIspeakofwaitingtotakelegaladviceuntiltomorrow？