第35章

Blanche，inMrs。Inchbare’sbestgown——anancientandhigh-waistedsilkgarment，ofthehuecalled“bottle-green，“

pinnedupinfront，andtrailingfarbehindher——withashort，orange-coloredshawloverhershoulders，andatoweltiedturbanfashionroundherhead，todryherwethair，lookedatoncethestrangestandtheprettiesthumananomalythateverwasseen。

“Forheaven’ssake，“shesaid，gayly，“don’ttellyourhusbandI

aminMrs。Inchbare’sclothes!Iwanttoappearsuddenly，withoutawordtowarnhimofwhatafigureIam!Ishouldhavenothinglefttowishforinthisworld，“sheadded，“ifArnoldcouldonlyseemenow!“

Lookingintheglass，shenoticedAnne’sfacereflectedbehindher，andstartedatthesightofit。

“What_is_thematter？“sheasked。“Yourfacefrightensme。“

Itwasuselesstoprolongthepainoftheinevitablemisunderstandingbetweenthem。Theonecoursetotakewastosilenceallfurtherinquiriesthenandthere。Stronglyasshefeltthis，Anne’sinbredloyaltytoBlanchestillshrankfromdeceivinghertoherface。“Imightwriteit，“shethought。“I

can’tsayit，withArnoldBrinkworthinthesamehousewithher!

“Writeit？Asshereconsideredtheword，asuddenideastruckher。Sheopenedthebedroomdoor，andledthewaybackintothesitting-room。

“Goneagain!“exclaimedBlanche，lookinguneasilyroundtheemptyroom。“Anne!there’ssomethingsostrangeinallthis，thatI

neithercan，norwill，putupwithyoursilenceanylonger。It’snotjust，it’snotkind，toshutmeoutofyourconfidence，afterwehavelivedtogetherlikesistersallourlives!“

Annesighedbitterly，andkissedherontheforehead。“YoushallknowallIcantellyou——allI_dare_tellyou，“shesaid，gently。“Don’treproachme。Ithurtsmemorethanyouthink。“

Sheturnedawaytothesidetable，andcamebackwithaletterinherhand。“Readthat，“shesaid，andhandedittoBlanche。

Blanchesawherownname，ontheaddress，inthehandwritingofAnne。

“Whatdoesthismean？“sheasked。

“Iwrotetoyou，afterSirPatrickhadleftme，“Annereplied。“I

meantyoutohavereceivedmyletterto-morrow，intimetopreventanylittleimprudenceintowhichyouranxietymighthurryyou。AllthatI_can_saytoyouissaidthere。Sparemethedistressofspeaking。Readit，Blanche。“

Blanchestillheldtheletter，unopened。

“Aletterfromyoutome!whenwearebothtogether，andbothaloneinthesameroom!It’sworsethanformal，Anne!It’sasiftherewasaquarrelbetweenus。Whyshoulditdistressyoutospeaktome？“

Anne’seyesdroppedtotheground。Shepointedtotheletterforthesecondtime。

Blanchebroketheseal。

Shepassedrapidlyovertheopening