第17章

`Ignorantlywhat？’inquiredMissHalcombesharply。

`Ignorantlyshockingyourfeelings，’saidMrDempster，lookingverymuchdiscomposed。

`Uponmyword，MrDempster，youpaymyfeelingsagreatcomplimentinthinkingthemweakenoughtobeshockedbysuchanurchinasthat！’SheturnedwithanairofsatiricaldefiancetolittleJacob，andbegantoquestionhimdirectly。`Come！’shesaid，`Imeantoknowallaboutthis。

Younaughtyboy，whendidyouseetheghost？’

`Yestere’en，atthegloaming，’repliedJacob。

`Oh！yousawityesterdayevening，inthetwilight？Andwhatwasitlike？’

`Arlinwhite——asaghaistshouldbe，’answeredtheghostseer，withaconfidencebeyondhisyears。

`Andwherewasit？’

`Awayyander，int’kirkyard——whereaghaistoughttobe。’

`Asa``ghaist’’shouldbe——wherea``ghaist’’oughttobe——why，youlittlefool，youtalkasifthemannersandcustomsofghostshadbeenfamiliartoyoufromyourinfancy！Youhavegotyourstoryatyourfingers’

ends，atanyrate。IsupposeIshallhearnextthatyoucanactuallytellmewhoseghostitwas？’

`Eh！butIjustcan，’repliedJacob，noddinghisheadwithanairofgloomytriumph。

MrDempsterhadalreadytriedseveraltimestospeakwhileMissHalcombewasexamininghispupil，andhenowinterposedresolutelyenoughtomakehimselfheard。

`Excuseme，MissHalcombe，’hesaid，`ifIventuretosaythatyouareonlyencouragingtheboybyaskinghimthesequestions。’

`Iwillmerelyaskonemore，MrDempster，andthenIshallbequitesatisfied。Well，’shecontinued，turningtotheboy，`andwhoseghostwasit？’

`T’ghaistofMistressFairlie，’answeredJacobinawhisper。

TheeffectwhichthisextraordinaryreplyproducedonMissHalcombefullyjustifiedtheanxietywhichtheschoolmasterhadshowntopreventherfromhearingit。Herfacecrimsonedwithindignation——sheturneduponlittleJacobwithanangrysuddennesswhichterrifiedhimintoafreshburstoftears——openedherlipstospeaktohim——thencontrolledherself，andaddressedthemasterinsteadoftheboy。

`Itisuseless，’shesaid，`toholdsuchachildasthatresponsibleforwhathesays。Ihavelittledoubtthattheideahasbeenputintohisheadbyothers。Iftherearepeopleinthisvillage，MrDempster，whohaveforgottentherespectandgratitudeduefromeverysoulinittomymother’smemory，Iwillfindthemout，andifIhaveanyinfluencewithMrFairlie，theyshallsufferforit。’

`Ihope——indeed。Iamsure，MissHalcombe——thatyouaremistaken。’

saidtheschoolmaster。`Thematterbeginsandendswiththeboy’sownperversityandfolly。Hesaw，orthoughthesaw，awomaninwhite，yesterdayevening，ashewaspassingthechurchyard；andthefigure。realorfancied，wasstandingbythemarblecross，whichheandeveryoneelseinLimmeridgeknowstohethemonumentoverMrsFairlie’sgrave。Thesetwocircumstancesaresurelysufficienttohavesuggestedtotheboyhimselftheanswerwhichhassonaturallyshockedyou？’

AlthoughMissHalcombedidnotseemtobeconvinced，sheevidentlyfeltthattheschoolmaster’sstatementofthecasewastoosensibletobeopenlycombated。Shemerelyrepliedbythankinghimforhisattention，andbypromisingtoseehimagainwhenherdoubtsweresatisfied。Thissaid，shebowed，andledthewayoutoftheschoolroom。

ThroughoutthewholeofthisstrangesceneIhadstoodapart，listeningattentively，anddrawingmyownconclusions。Assoonaswewerealoneagain，MissHalcombeaskedmeifIhadformedanyopiniononwhatIhadheard。

`Averystrongopinion，’Ianswered；`theboy’sstory，asIbelieve，hasafoundationinfact。IconfessIamanxioustoseethemonumentoverMrsFairlie’sgrave，andtoexaminethegroundaboutit。’

`Youshallseethegrave。’

Shepausedaftermakingthatreply，andreflectedalittleaswewalkedon。`Whathashappenedintheschoolroom，’sheresumed，`hassocompletelydistractedmyattentionfromthesubjectoftheletter，thatIfeelalittlebewilderedwhenItrytoreturntoit。Mustwegiveupallideaofmakinganyfurtherinquiries，andwaittoplacethethinginMrGilmore’shandstomorrow？’

`Bynomeans，MissHalcombe。Whathashappenedintheschoolroomencouragesmetopersevereintheinvestigation。’

`Whydoesitencourageyou？’

`BecauseitstrengthensasuspicionIfeltwhenyougavemethelettertoread。’

`Isupposeyouhadyourreasons，MrHartright，forconcealingthatsuspicionfrommetillthismoment？’

`Iwasafraidtoencourageitinmyself。Ithoughtitwasutterlypreposterous——Idistrusteditastheresultofsomeperversityinmyownimagination。

ButIcandosonolonger。Notonlytheboy’sownanswerstoyourquestions，butevenachanceexpressionthatdroppedfromtheschoolmaster’slipsinexplaininghisstory，haveforcedtheideahackintomymind。Eventsmayyetprovethatideatobeadelusion，MissHalcombe；butthebeliefisstronginme，atthismoment，thatthefanciedghostinthechurchyard，andthewriteroftheanonymousletter，areoneandthesameperson。’

Shestopped，turnedpale，andlookedmeeagerlyintheface，`Whatperson？’

`Theschoolmasterunconsciouslytoldyou。Whenhespokeofthefigurethattheboysawinthechurchyardhecalledit``awomaninwhite。’’’

`NotAnneCatherick？’

`Yes，AnneCatherick。’

Sheputherhandthroughmyarmandleanedonitheavily。

`Idon’tknowwhy，’shesaidinlowtones，`butthereissomethinginthissuspicionofyoursthatseemstostartleandunnerveme。Ifeel——’

Shestopped，andtriedtolaughitoff。`MrHartright，’shewenton，`I

willshowyouthegrave，andthengobackatoncetothehouse。IhadbetternotleaveLauratoolongalone。Ihadbettergobackandsitwithher。’

Wewereclosetothechurchyardwhenshespoke。Thechurch，adrearybuildingofgreystone，wassituatedinalittlevalley，soastobeshelteredfromthebleakwindsblowingoverthemoorlandallroundit。Theburial-groundadvanced，fromthesideofthechurch，alittlewayuptheslopeofthehill。Itwassurroundedbyarough，lowstonewall。andwasbareandopentothesky，exceptatoneextremity，whereabrooktrickleddownthestonyhillside，andaclumpofdwarftreesthrewtheirnarrowshadowsovertheshort，meagregrass。Justbeyondthebrookandthetrees，andnotfarfromoneofthethreestonestileswhichaffordedentrance，atvariouspoints，tothechurchyard，rosethewhitemarblecrossthatdistinguishedMrsFairlie’sgravefromthehumblermonumentsscatteredaboutit。

`Ineedgonofartherwithyou，’saidMissHalcombe，pointingtothegrave。`Youwillletmeknowifyoufindanythingtoconfirmtheideayouhavejustmentionedtome。Letusmeetagainatthehouse。’

Sheleftme。Idescendedatoncetothechurchyard，andcrossedthestilewhichleddirectlytoMrsFairlie’sgrave。

Thegrassaboutitwastooshort，andthegroundtoohard，toshowanymarksoffootsteps。Disappointedthusfar，Inextlookedattentivelyatthecross，andatthesquareblockofmarblebelowit，onwhichtheinscriptionwascut。

Thenaturalwhitenessofthecrosswasalittleclouded，hereandthere，byweatherstains，andrathermorethanonehalfofthesquareblockbeneathit。onthesidewhichboretheinscription，wasinthesamecondition。

Theotherhalf，however，attractedmyattentionatoncebyitssingularfreedomfromstainorimpurityofanykind。Ilookedcloser，andsawthatithadbeencleaned——recentlycleaned，inadownwarddirectionfromtoptobottom。Theboundarylinebetweenthepartthathadbeencleanedandthepartthathadnotwastraceablewherevertheinscriptionleftablankspaceofmarble——sharplytraceableasalinethathadbeenproducedbyartificialmeans。Whohadbegunthecleansingofthemarble，andwhohadleftitunfinished？

Ilookedaboutme，wonderinghowthequestionwastobesolved。NosignofahabitationcouldbediscernedfromthepointatwhichIwasstanding——theburial-groundwasleftinthelonelypossessionofthedead。Ireturnedtothechurch，andwalkedroundittillIcametothebackofthebuilding；

thencrossedtheboundarywallbeyond，byanotherofthestonestiles，andfoundmyselfattheheadofapathleadingdownintoadesertedstonequarry。Againstonesideofthequarryalittletwo-roomcottagewasbuilt，andjustoutsidethedooranoldwomanwasengagedinwashing。

Iwalkeduptoher，andenteredintoconversationaboutthechurchandburial-ground。Shewasreadyenoughtotalk，andalmostthefirstwordsshesaidinformedmethatherhusbandfilledthetwoofficesofclerkandsexton。IsaidafewwordsnextinpraiseofMrsFairlie’smonument。Theoldwomanshookherhead，andtoldmeIhadnotseenitatitsbest。Itwasherhusband’sbusinesstolookafterit，buthehadbeensoailingandweakformonthsandmonthspast，thathehadhardlybeenabletocrawlintochurchonSundaystodohisduty，andthemonumenthadbeenneglectedinconsequence。Hewasgettingalittlebetternow，andinaweekortendays’timehehopedtobestrongenoughtosettoworkandcleanit。

Thisinformation——extractedfromalongramblinganswerinthebroadestCumberlanddialect——toldmeallthatImostwantedtoknow。Igavethepoorwomanatrifle，andreturnedatoncetoLimmeridgeHouse。

Thepartialcleansingofthemonumenthadevidentlybeenaccomplishedbyastrangehand。ConnectingwhatIhaddiscovered，thusfar，withwhatIhadsuspectedafterhearingthestoryoftheghostseenattwilight，IwantednothingmoretoconfirmmyresolutiontowatchMrsFairlie’sgrave，insecret，thatevening，returningtoitatsunset，andwaitingwithinsightofittillthenightfell。Theworkofcleansingthemonumenthadbeenleftunfinished，andthepersonbywhomithadbeenbegunmightreturntocompleteit。