第117章

Tousehisownphrase，hewas“outofsorts。“Asluggishreluctancetofacechangeofanykindpossessedhim。HedecidedonstayingatSaltPatchuntilhismarriagetoMrs。Glenarm(whichhethenlookeduponasacertainty)obligedhimtoalterhishabitscompletely，onceforall。FromFulhamhehadgone，thenextday，toattendtheinquiryinPortlandPlace。AndtoFulhamhereturned，whenhebroughtthewifewhohadbeenforceduponhimtoher“home。“

Suchwasthepositionofthetenant，andsuchwerethearrangementsoftheinteriorofthecottage，onthememorableeveningwhenAnneSilvesterentereditasGeoffrey’swife。

CHAPTERTHEFORTY-NINTH。

THENIGHT。

ONleavingLadyLundie’shouse，Geoffreycalledthefirstemptycabthatpassedhim。Heopenedthedoor，andsignedtoAnnetoenterthevehicle。Sheobeyedhimmechanically。Heplacedhimselfontheseatoppositetoher，andtoldthemantodrivetoFulham。

Thecabstartedonitsjourney；husbandandwifepreservingabsolutesilence。Annelaidherheadbackwearily，andclosedhereyes。Herstrengthhadbrokendownundertheeffortwhichhadsustainedherfromthebeginningtotheendoftheinquiry。Herpowerofthinkingwasgone。Shefeltnothing，knewnothing，fearednothing。Halfinfaintness，halfinslumber，shehadlostallsenseofherownterriblepositionbeforethefirstfiveminutesofthejourneytoFulhamhadcometoanend。

Sittingoppositetoher，savagelyself-concentratedinhisownthoughts，Geoffreyrousedhimselfonasudden。Anideahadsprungtolifeinhissluggishbrain。Heputhisheadoutofthewindowofthecab，anddirectedthedrivertoturnback，andgotoanhotelneartheGreatNorthernRailway。

Resuminghisseat，helookedfurtivelyatAnne。Sheneithermovednoropenedhereyes——shewas，toallappearance，unconsciousofwhathadhappened。Heobservedherattentively。Wasshereallyill？Wasthetimecomingwhenhewouldbefreedfromher？Heponderedoverthatquestion——watchingherclosely。Littlebylittlethevilehopeinhimslowlydiedaway，andavilesuspiciontookitsplace。What，ifthisappearanceofillnesswasapretense？What，ifshewaswaitingtothrowhimoffhisguard，andescapefromhimatthefirstopportunity？Heputhisheadoutofthewindowagain，andgaveanotherordertothedriver。Thecabdivergedfromthedirectroute，andstoppedatapublichouseinHolborn，kept(underanassumedname)byPerrythetrainer。

Geoffreywrotealineinpencilonhiscard，andsentitintothehousebythedriver。Afterwaitingsomeminutes，aladappearedandtouchedhishat。Geoffreyspoketohim，outofthewindow，inanunder-tone。Theladtookhisplaceontheboxbythedriver。

Thecabturnedback，andtooktheroadtothehotelneartheGreatNorthernRailway。

Arrivedattheplace，Geoffreypostedtheladcloseatthedoorof