第20章

Rememberthisdaymonth——notonewordsooner。’

Hethenrose，andIlefttheroom，muchagitatedandexhausted。

Thisinterview，allthecircumstancesattendingit，butmostparticularlytheformidableexpressionofmyuncle’scountenancewhilehetalked，thoughhypothetically，ofmurder，combinedtoarouseallmyworstsuspicionsofhim。Idreadedtolookuponthefacethathadsorecentlyworntheappallingliveryofguiltandmalignity。Iregardeditwiththemingledfearandloathingwithwhichonelooksuponanobjectwhichhastorturedtheminanightmare。

Inafewdaysaftertheinterview，theparticularsofwhichIhavejustrelated，I

foundanoteuponmytoilet-table，andonopeningitIreadasfollows：

’MYDEARLADYMARGARET，’Youwillbeperhapssurprisedtoseeastrangefaceinyourroomto-day。I

havedismissedyourIrishmaid，andsecuredaFrenchonetowaituponyou——asteprenderednecessarybymyproposingshortlytovisittheContinent，withallmyfamily。

’Yourfaithfulguardian，’ARTHURT——N。’

Oninquiry，Ifoundthatmyfaithfulattendantwasactuallygone，andfaronherwaytothetownofGalway；andinhersteadthereappearedatall，raw-boned，ill-looking，elderlyFrenchwoman，whosesullenandpresumingmannersseemedtoimplythathervocationhadneverbeforebeenthatofalady’s-maid。Icouldnothelpregardingherasacreatureofmyuncle’s，andthereforetobedreaded，evenhadshebeeninnootherwaysuspicious。

Daysandweekspassedawaywithoutany，evenamomentarydoubtuponmypart，astothecoursetobepursuedbyme。

Theallottedperiodhadatlengthelapsed；

thedayarrivedonwhichIwastocommunicatemydecisiontomyuncle。

Althoughmyresolutionhadneverforamomentwavered，Icouldnotshakeofthedreadoftheapproachingcolloquy；

andmyheartsunkwithinmeasIheardtheexpectedsummons。

IhadnotseenmycousinEdwardsincetheoccurrenceofthegrandeclaircissment；

hemusthavestudiouslyavoidedme——Isupposefrompolicy，itcouldnothavebeenfromdelicacy。Iwaspreparedforaterrificburstoffuryfrommyuncle，assoonasIshouldmakeknownmydetermination；andInotunreasonablyfearedthatsomeactofviolenceorofintimidationwouldnextberesortedto。

Filledwiththesedrearyforebodings，I

fearfullyopenedthestudydoor，andthenextminuteIstoodinmyuncle’spresence。HereceivedmewithapolitenesswhichIdreaded，asarguingafavourableanticipationrespectingtheanswerwhichIwastogive；andaftersomeslightdelay，hebeganbysaying：

’Itwillbearelieftobothofus，I

believe，tobringthisconversationassoonaspossibletoanissue。Youwillexcuseme，then，mydearniece，forspeakingwithanabruptnesswhich，underothercircumstances，wouldbeunpardonable。Youhave，Iamcertain，giventhesubjectofourlastinterviewfairandseriouscon-

sideration；andItrustthatyouarenowpreparedwithcandourtolayyouranswerbeforeme。Afewwordswillsuffice——weperfectlyunderstandoneanother。’

Hepaused，andI，thoughfeelingthatI

stooduponaminewhichmightinaninstantexplode，neverthelessansweredwithperfectcomposure：

’Imustnow，sir，makethesamereplywhichIdiduponthelastoccasion，andI

reiteratethedeclarationwhichIthenmade，thatInevercannorwill，whilelifeandreasonremain，consenttoaunionwithmycousinEdward。’

ThisannouncementwroughtnoapparentchangeinSirArthur，exceptthathebecamedeadly，almostlividlypale。Heseemedlostindarkthoughtforaminute，andthenwithaslighteffortsaid：

’Youhaveansweredmehonestlyanddirectly；andyousayyourresolutionisunchangeable。Well，wouldithadbeenotherwise——wouldithadbeenotherwise——

butbeitasitis——Iamsatisfied。’

Hegavemehishand——itwascoldanddampasdeath；underanassumedcalmness，itwasevidentthathewasfearfullyagitated。Hecontinuedtoholdmyhandwithanalmostpainfulpressure，while，asifunconsciously，seemingtoforgetmypresence，hemuttered：

’Strange，strange，strange，indeed!

fatuity，helplessfatuity!’therewasherealongpause。’MadnessINDEEDtostrainacablethatisrottentotheveryheart——itmustbreak——andthen——allgoes。’

Therewasagainapauseofsomeminutes，afterwhich，suddenlychanginghisvoiceandmannertooneofwakefulalacrity，heexclaimed：

’Margaret，mysonEdwardshallplagueyounomore。Heleavesthiscountryonto-morrowforFrance——heshallspeaknomoreuponthissubject——never，nevermore——whatevereventsdependeduponyouranswermustnowtaketheirowncourse；but，asforthisfruitlessproposal，ithasbeentriedenough；itcanberepeatednomore。’

Atthesewordshecoldlysufferedmyhandtodrop，asiftoexpresshistotalabandonmentofallhisprojectedschemesofalliance；andcertainlytheaction，withtheaccompanyingwords，produceduponmymindamoresolemnanddepressingeffectthanIbelievedpossibletohavebeencausedbythecoursewhichIhaddeterminedtopursue；itstruckuponmyheartwithanaweandheavinesswhichWILLaccompanytheaccomplishmentofanimportantandirrevocableact，eventhoughnodoubtorscrupleremainstomakeitpossiblethattheagentshouldwishitundone。

’Well，’saidmyuncle，afteralittletime，’wenowceasetospeakuponthistopic，nevertoresumeitagain。RememberyoushallhavenofartheruneasinessfromEdward；heleavesIrelandforFranceonto-morrow；thiswillbearelieftoyou。

MayIdependuponyourHONOURthatnowordtouchingthesubjectofthisinterviewshalleverescapeyou？’

Igavehimthedesiredassurance；hesaid：

’Itiswell——Iamsatisfied——wehavenothingmore，Ibelieve，tosayuponeitherside，andmypresencemustbearestraintuponyou，Ishallthereforebidyoufarewell。’

Ithenlefttheapartment，scarcelyknowingwhattothinkofthestrangeinterviewwhichhadjusttakenplace。

OnthenextdaymyuncletookoccasiontotellmethatEdwardhadactuallysailed，ifhisintentionhadnotbeeninterferedwithbyadversecircumstances；andtwodayssubsequentlyheactuallyproducedaletterfromhisson，written，asitsaid，ONBOARD，anddespatchedwhiletheshipwasgettingunderweigh。Thiswasagreatsatisfactiontome，andasbeinglikelytoproveso，itwasnodoubtcommunicatedtomebySirArthur。

Duringallthistryingperiod，IhadfoundinfiniteconsolationinthesocietyandsympathyofmydearcousinEmily。

Ineverinafter-lifeformedafriendshipsoclose，sofervent，anduponwhich，inallitsprogress，Icouldlookbackwithfeelingsofsuchunalloyedpleasure，uponwhoseterminationImusteverdwellwithsodeep，yetsounembitteredregret。IncheerfulconversewithherIsoonrecoveredmyspiritsconsiderably，andpassedmytimeagreeablyenough，althoughstillinthestrictestseclusion。

Matterswentonsufficientlysmooth，althoughIcouldnothelpsometimesfeelingamomentary，buthorribleuncertaintyrespectingmyuncle’scharacter；

whichwasnotaltogetherunwarrantedbythecircumstancesofthetwotryinginterviewswhoseparticularsIhavejustdetailed。Theunpleasantimpressionwhichtheseconferenceswerecalculatedtoleaveuponmymind，wasfastwearingaway，whenthereoccurredacircumstance，slightindeedinitself，butcalculatedirresistiblytoawakenallmyworstsuspicions，andtooverwhelmmeagainwithanxietyandterror。

IhadonedayleftthehousewithmycousinEmily，inordertotakearambleofconsiderablelength，forthepurposeofsketchingsomefavouriteviews，andwehadwalkedabouthalfamilewhenI

perceivedthatwehadforgottenourdrawingmaterials，theabsenceofwhichwouldhavedefeatedtheobjectofourwalk。Laughingatourownthoughtlessness，wereturnedtothehouse，andleavingEmilywithout，I

ranupstairstoprocurethedrawing-booksandpencils，whichlayinmybedroom。

AsIranupthestairsIwasmetbythetall，ill-lookingFrenchwoman，evidentlyagooddealflurried。

’Queveut，madame？’saidshe，withamoredecidedefforttobepolitethanIhadeverknownhermakebefore。

’No，no——nomatter，’saidI，hastilyrunningbyherinthedirectionofmyroom。

’Madame，’criedshe，inahighkey，’restezici，s’ilvousplait；votrechambren’estpasfaite——yourroomisnotreadyforyourreceptionyet。’

Icontinuedtomoveonwithoutheedingher。Shewassomewaybehindme，andfeelingthatshecouldnototherwisepreventmyentrance，forIwasnowupontheverylobby，shemadeadesperateattempttoseizeholdofmyperson：shesucceededingraspingtheendofmyshawl，whichshedrewfrommyshoulders；butslippingatthesametimeuponthepolishedoakfloor，shefellatfulllengthupontheboards。

Alittlefrightenedaswellasangryattherudenessofthisstrangewoman，I

hastilypushedopenthedoorofmyroom，atwhichInowstood，inordertoescapefromher；butgreatwasmyamazementonenteringtofindtheapartmentpreoccupied。

Thewindowwasopen，andbesideitstoodtwomalefigures；theyappearedtobeexaminingthefasteningsofthecasement，andtheirbackswereturnedtowardsthedoor。Oneofthemwasmyuncle；

theybothturnedonmyentrance，asifstartled。Thestrangerwasbootedandcloaked，andworeaheavybroad-leafedhatoverhisbrows。Heturnedbutforamoment，andavertedhisface；butIhadseenenoughtoconvincemethathewasnootherthanmycousinEdward。Myunclehadsomeironinstrumentinhishand，whichhehastilyconcealedbehindhisback；

andcomingtowardsme，saidsomethingasifinanexplanatorytone；butIwastoomuchshockedandconfoundedtounderstandwhatitmightbe。Hesaidsomethingabout’REPAIRS——window——frames——

cold，andsafety。’

Ididnotwait，however，toaskortoreceiveexplanations，buthastilylefttheroom。AsIwentdownthestairsI

thoughtIheardthevoiceoftheFrenchwomaninalltheshrillvolubilityofexcuse，whichwasmet，however，bysuppressedbutvehementimprecations，orwhatseemedtometobesuch，inwhichthevoiceofmycousinEdwarddistinctlymingled。

IjoinedmycousinEmilyquiteoutofbreath。Ineednotsaythatmyheadwastoofullofotherthingstothinkmuchofdrawingforthatday。Iimpartedtoherfranklythecauseofmyalarms，butatthesametimeasgentlyasIcould；andwithtearsshepromisedvigilance，anddevotion，andlove。IneverhadreasonforamomenttorepenttheunreservedconfidencewhichIthenreposedinher。ShewasnolesssurprisedthanIattheunexpectedappearanceofEdward，whosedepartureforFranceneitherofushadforamomentdoubted，butwhichwasnowprovedbyhisactualpresencetobenothingmorethananimposture，practised，Ifeared，fornogoodend。

ThesituationinwhichIhadfoundmyunclehadremovedcompletelyallmydoubtsastohisdesigns。Imagnifiedsuspicionsintocertainties，anddreadednightafternightthatIshouldbemurderedinmybed。Thenervousnessproducedbysleeplessnightsanddaysofanxiousfearsincreasedthehorrorsofmysituationtosuchadegree，thatIatlengthwrotealettertoaMr。Jefferies，anoldandfaithfulfriendofmyfather’s，andperfectlyacquaintedwithallhisaffairs，prayinghim，forGod’ssake，torelievemefrommypresentterriblesituation，andcommunicatingwithoutreservethenatureandgroundsofmysuspicions。

ThisletterIkeptsealedanddirectedfortwoorthreedaysalwaysaboutmyperson，fordiscoverywouldhavebeenruinous，inexpectationofanopportunitywhichmightbesafelytrusted，wherebytohaveitplacedinthepost-office。AsneitherEmilynorIwerepermittedtopassbeyondtheprecinctsofthedemesneitself，whichwassurroundedbyhighwallsformedofdrystone，thedifficultyofprocuringsuchanopportunitywasgreatlyenhanced。

AtthistimeEmilyhadashortconver-

sationwithherfather，whichshereportedtomeinstantly。

Aftersomeindifferentmatter，hehadaskedherwhethersheandIwereupongoodterms，andwhetherIwasunreservedinmydisposition。Sheansweredintheaffirmative；andhetheninquiredwhetherIhadbeenmuchsurprisedtofindhiminmychamberontheotherday。SheansweredthatIhadbeenbothsurprisedandamused。

’AndwhatdidshethinkofGeorgeWilson’sappearance？’

’Who？’inquiredshe。

’Oh，thearchitect，’heanswered，’whoistocontractfortherepairsofthehouse；

heisaccountedahandsomefellow。’