Hervoiceroseasthetumultofherrecollectionspresseduponhermind。
Theinveteratedistrustwhichweighs，nightandday，onmyspiritsinthishouse，instantlyrousedmetowarnher——justasthesightofthebroochhadrousedmetoquestionher，themomentbefore。
`Speaklow，’Isaid。`Thewindowisopen，andthegardenpathrunsbeneathit。Beginatthebeginning，Laura。Tellme，wordforword，whatpassedbetweenthatwomanandyou。’
`ShallIclosethewindow？’
`No，onlyspeaklow——onlyrememberthatAnneCatherickisadangeroussubjectunderyourhusband’sroof。Wheredidyoufirstseeher？’
`Attheboat-house，Marian。Iwentout，asyouknow，tofindmybrooch，andIwalkedalongthepaththroughtheplantation，lookingdownonthegroundcarefullyateverystep。Inthatwaylgoton，afteralongtime，totheboat-house，andassoonasIwasinsideit，Iwentonmykneestohuntoverthefloor。Iwasstillsearchingwithmybacktothedoorway，whenIheardasoft，strangevoicebehindmesay，``MissFairlie。’’’
`MissFairlie！’
`Yes，myoldname——thedear，familiarnamethatIthoughtIhadpartedfromforever。Istartedup——notfrightened，thevoicewastookindandgentletofrightenanybody——butverymuchsurprised。There，lookingatmefromthedoorway，stoodawoman，whosefaceIneverrememberedtohaveseenbefore——’
`Howwasshedressed？’
`Shehadaneat，prettywhitegownon，andoveritapoorwornthindarkshawl。Herbonnetwasofbrownstraw，aspoorandwornastheshawl。
Iwasstruckbythedifferencebetweenhergownandtherestofherdress，andshesawthatInoticedit。``Don’tlookatmybonnetandshawl，’’shesaid，speakinginaquick，breathless，suddenway；``ifImustn’twearwhite，Idon’tcarewhatIwear。Lookatmygownasmuchasyouplease——I’mnotashamedofthat。’’Verystrange，wasitnot？BeforeIcouldsayanythingtosootheher，sheheldoutoneofherhands，andIsawmybroochinit。IwassopleasedandsogratefulthatIwentquiteclosetohertosaywhatIreallyfelt。``Areyouthankfulenoughtodomeonelittlekindness？’’sheasked。``Yes，indeed，’’Ianswered，``anykindnessinmypowerIshallbegladtoshowyou。’’``Thenletmepinyourbroochonforyou，nowIhavefoundit。’’Herrequestwassounexpected，Marian，andshemadeitwithsuchextraordinaryeagerness，thatIdrewbackasteportwo，notwellknowingwhattodo。``Ah！’’shesaid，``yourmotherwouldhaveletmepinonthebrooch。’’Therewassomethinginhervoiceandherlook，aswellasinhermentioningmymotherinthatreproachfulmanner，whichmademeashamedofmydistrust。Itookherhandwiththebroochinit，andputitupgentlyonthebosomofmydress。``Youknewmymother？’’
Isaid。``Wasitverylongago？haveIeverseenyoubefore？’’Herhandswerebusyfasteningthebrooch：shestoppedandpressedthemagainstmybreast。``Youdon’trememberafinespringdayatLimmeridge，’’shesaid，``andyourmotherwalkingdownthepaththatledtotheschool，withalittlegirloneachsideofher？lhavehadnothingelsetothinkofsince，andIrememberit。Youwereoneofthelittlegirls，andIwastheother。
Pretty，cleverMissFairlie，andpoordazedAnneCatherickwerenearertoeachotherthenthantheyarenow！’
`Didyourememberher，Laura，whenshetoldyouhername？’
`Yes，IrememberedyouraskingmeaboutAnneCatherickatLimmeridge，andyoursayingthatshehadoncebeenconsideredlikeme。’
`Whatremindedyouofthat，Laura？’
`Sheremindedme。WhileIwaslookingather，whileshewasveryclosetome，itcameovermymindsuddenlythatwewerelikeeachother！Herfacewaspaleandthinandweary——butthesightofitstartledme，asifithadbeenthesightofmyownfaceintheglassafteralongillness。
Thediscovery——Idon’tknowwhy——gavemesuchashock，thatIwasperfectlyincapableofspeakingtoherforthemoment。’
`Didsheseemhurtbyyoursilence？’
`Iamafraidshewashurtbyit。``Youhavenotgotyourmother’sface，’’
shesaid，``oryourmother’sheart。Yourmother’sfacewasdark，andyourmother’sheart，MissFairlie，wastheheartofanangel。’’``IamsureIfeelkindlytowardsyou，’’Isaid，``thoughImaynotbeabletoexpressitasIought。WhydoyoucallmeMissFairlie——？’’``BecauseIlovethenameofFairlieandhatethenameofGlyde，——’shebrokeoutviolently。
Ihadseennothinglikemadnessinherbeforethis，butIfanciedIsawitnowinhereyes。``lonlythoughtyoumightnotknowIwasmarried，’’
Isaid，rememberingthewildlettershewrotetomeatLimmeridge，andtryingtoquiether。Shesighedbitterly，andturnedawayfromme。``Notknowyouweremarried？’’sherepeated。``Iamherebecauseyouaremarried。
Iamheretomakeatonementtoyou，beforeImeetyourmotherintheworldbeyondthegrave。’’Shedrewfartherandfartherawayfromme，tillshewasoutoftheboat-house，andthenshewatchedandlistenedforalittlewhile。Whensheturnedroundtospeakagain，insteadofcomingback，shestoppedwhereshewas，lookinginatme，withahandoneachsideoftheentrance。``Didyouseemeatthelakelastnight？’’shesaid。``Didyouhearmefollowingyouinthewood？Ihavebeenwaitingfordaystogethertospeaktoyoualone——IhavelefttheonlyfriendIhaveintheworld，anxiousandfrightenedaboutme——Ihaveriskedbeingshutupagaininthemad-house——andallforyoursake，MissFairlie，allforyoursake。’’
Herwordsalarmedme，Marian，andyettherewassomethinginthewayshespokethatmademepityherwithallmyheart。Iamsuremypitymusthavebeensincere，foritmademeboldenoughtoaskthepoorcreaturetocomein，andsitdownintheboat-house，bymyside。’
`Didshedoso？’
`No。Sheshookherhead，andtoldmeshemuststopwhereshewas，towatchandlisten，andseethatnothirdpersonsurprisedus。Andfromfirsttolast，thereshewaitedattheentrance，withahandoneachsideofit，sometimesbendinginsuddenlytospeaktome，sometimesdrawingbacksuddenlytolookabouther。`Iwashereyesterday，’’shesaid，``beforeitcamedark，andIheardyou，andtheladywithyou，talkingtogether。
Iheardyoutellheraboutyourhusband。Iheardyousayyouhadnoinfluencetomakehimbelieveyou，andnoinfluencetokeephimsilent。Ah！Iknewwhatthosewordsmeant——myconsciencetoldmewhileIwaslistening。
WhydidIeverletyoumarryhim！Oh，myfear——mymad，miserable，wickedfear！——’’Shecoveredupherfaceinherpoorwornshawl，andmoanedandmurmuredtoherselfbehindit。IbegantobeafraidshemightbreakoutintosometerribledespairwhichneithershenorIcouldmaster。``Trytoquietyourself，’’Isaid；``trytotellmehowyoumighthavepreventedmymarriage。’’Shetooktheshawlfromherface，andlookedatmevacantly。
``IoughttohavehadheartenoughtostopatLimmeridge，’’sheanswered。
``Ioughtnevertohaveletthenewsofhiscomingtherefrightenmeaway。
Ioughttohavewarnedyouandsavedyoubeforeitwastoolate。WhydidIonlyhavecourageenoughtowriteyouthatletter？WhydidIonlydoharm，whenIwantedandmeanttodogood？Oh，myfear——mymad，miserable，wickedfear！’’Sherepeatedthosewordsagain，andhidherfaceagainintheendofherpoorwornshawl。Itwasdreadfultoseeher，anddreadfultohearher。’
`Surely，Laura，youaskedwhatthefearwaswhichshedweltonsoearnestly？’
`Yes，Iaskedthat。’
`Andwhatdidshesay？’
`Sheaskedmeinreturn，ifIshouldnotbeafraidofamanwhohadshutmeupinamad-house，andwhowouldshutmeupagain，ifhecould？
Isaid，``Areyouafraidstill？Surelyyouwouldnotbehereifyouwereafraidnow？’’``No，’’shesaid，``Iamnotafraidnow。’’IaskedwhynotShesuddenlybentforwardintotheboat-house，andsaid，``Can’tyouguesswhy？’’Ishookmyhead。``Lookatme，’’shewenton。ItoldherIwasgrievedtoseethatshelookedverysorrowfulandveryill。Shesmiledforthefirsttime。``Ill？’’sherepeated；``I’mdying。YouknowwhyI’mnotafraidofhimnow。DoyouthinkIshallmeetyourmotherinheaven？WillsheforgivemeifIdo？’’Iwassoshockedandsostartled，thatIcouldmakenoreply。
``Ihavebeenthinkingofit，’’shewenton，``allthetimeIhavebeeninhidingfromyourhusband，allthetimeIlayill。Mythoughtshavedrivenmehere——Iwanttomakeatonement——IwanttoundoallIcanoftheharmIoncedid。’’IbeggedherasearnestlyasIcouldtotellmewhatshemeant。Shestilllookedatmewithfixedvacanteyes。``ShallIundotheharm？’’shesaidtoherselfdoubtfully。``Youhavefriendstotakeyourpart。IfyouknowhisSecret，hewillbeafraidofyou，hewon’tdareuseyouasheusedme。Hemusttreatyoumercifullyfarhisownsake，ifheisafraidofyouandyourfriends。Andifhetreatsyoumercifully，andifIcansayitwasmydoing——’’Ilistenedeagerlyformore，butshestoppedatthosewords。’
`Youtriedtomakehergoon？’
`Itried，butsheonlydrewherselfawayfrommeagain，andleanedherfaceandarmsagainstthesideoftheboat-house。``Oh！’’Iheardhersay，withadreadful，distractedtendernessinhervoice，``oh！ifIcouldonlybeburiedwithyourmother！IfIcouldonlywakeatherside，whentheangel’strumpetsounds，andthegravesgiveuptheirdeadattheresurrection！’’——
Marian！Itrembledfromheadtofoot——itwashorribletohearher。
``Butthereisnohopeofthat，’’shesaid，movingalittle，soastolookatmeagain，``nohopeforapoorstrangerlikeme。IshallnotrestunderthemarblecrossthatIwashedwithmyownhands，andmadesowhiteandpureforhersake。Ohno！ohno！God’smercy，notman’s，willtakemetoher，wherethewickedceasefromtroublingandthewearyareatrest。’’
Shespokethosewordsquietlyandsorrowfully，withaheavy，hopelesssigh，andthenwaitedalittle。Herfacewasconfusedandtroubled，sheseemedtobethinking，ortryingtothink。``WhatwasitIsaidjustnow？’’sheaskedafterawhile。``Whenyourmotherisinmymind，everythingelsegoesoutofit。WhatwasIsaying？whatwasIsaying？’’Iremindedthepoorcreature，askindlyanddelicatelyasIcould。``Ah，yes，yes，’’shesaid，stillinavacant，perplexedmanner。``Youarehelplesswithyourwickedhusband。Yes。AndImustdowhatIhavecometodohere——Imustmakeituptoyouforhavingbeenafraidtospeakoutatabettertime。’’