`Iamsorrytohearhermothersayso。’
`Hermotherdoessayso。Howdoyouknowsheisdead？’
`IamnotatlibertytosayhowIknowit-butIdoknowit。’
`Areyouatlibertytosayhowyoufoundoutmyaddress？’
`Certainly。IgotyouraddressfromMrsClements。’
`MrsClementsisafoolishwoman。Didshetellyoutocomehere？’
`Shedidnot。’
`Then，Iaskyouagain，whydidyoucome？’
Asshewasdeterminedtohaveheranswer，Igaveittoherintheplainestpossibleform。
`Icame，’Isaid，`becauseIthoughtAnneCatherick’smothermighthavesomenaturalinterestinknowingwhethershewasaliveordead。’
`Justso，’saidMrsCatherick，withadditionalself-possession。`Hadyounoothermotive？’
Ihesitated。Therightanswertothatquestionwasnoteasytofindatamoment’snotice。
`Ifyouhavenoothermotive，’shewenton，deliberatelytakingoffherslate-colouredmittens，androllingthemup，`Ihaveonlytothankyouforyourvisit，andtosaythatIwillnotdetainyouhereanylonger。
Yourinformationwouldbemoresatisfactoryifyouwerewillingtoexplainhowyoubecamepossessedofit。However，itjustifiesme，Isuppose，ingoingintomourning。Thereisnotmuchalterationnecessaryinmydress，asyousee。WhenIhavechangedmymittens，Ishallbeallinblack。’
Shesearchedinthepocketofhergown，drewoutapairofblacklacemittens，putthemonwiththestoniestandsteadiestcomposure，andthenquietlycrossedherhandsinherlap。
`Iwishyougoodmorning，’shesaid。
Thecoolcontemptofhermannerirritatedmeintodirectlyavowingthatthepurposeofmyvisithadnotbeenansweredyet。
`Ihaveanothermotiveincominghere，’Isaid。
`Ah！Ithoughtso，’remarkedMrsCatherick。
`Yourdaughter’sdeath——’
`Whatdidshedieof？’
`Ofdiseaseoftheheart。’
`Yes。Goon。’
`Yourdaughter’sdeathhasbeenmadethepretextforinflictingseriousinjuryonapersonwhoisverydeartome。Twomenhavebeenconcerned，tomycertainknowledge，indoingthatwrong。OneofthemisSirPercivalGlyde。’
`Indeed！’
Ilookedattentivelytoseeifsheflinchedatthesuddenmentionofthatname。Notamuscleofherstirred——thehard，defiant，implacablestareinhereyesneverwaveredforaninstant。
`Youmaywonder，’Iwenton，`howtheeventofyourdaughter’sdeathcanhavebeenmadethemeansofinflictinginjuryonanotherperson。’
`No。’saidMrsCatherick；`Idon’twonderatall。Thisappearstobeyouraffair。Youareinterestedinmyaffairs。Iamnotinterestedinyours。’
`Youmayask，then，’Ipersisted，`whyImentionthematterinyourpresence。’
`Yes，Idoaskthat。’
`ImentionitbecauseIamdeterminedtobringSirPercivalGlydetoaccountforthewickednesshehascommitted。’
`WhathaveItodowithyourdetermination？’
`Youshallhear。TherearecertaineventsinSirPercival’spastlifewhichitisnecessaryformypurposetobefullyacquaintedwith。Youknowthem——andforthatreasonIcometoyou。’
`Whateventsdoyoumean？’
`EventsthatoccurredatOldWelminghamwhenyourhusbandwasparish-clerkatthatplace，andbeforethetimewhenyourdaughterwasborn。’
Ihadreachedthewomanatlastthroughthebarrierofimpenetrablereservethatshehadtriedtosetupbetweenus。Isawhertempersmoulderinginhereyes——asplainlyasIsawherhandsgrowrestless，thenunclaspthemselves，andbeginmechanicallysmoothingherdressoverherknees。
`Whatdoyouknowofthoseevents？’sheasked。
`AllthatMrsClementscouldtellme，’Ianswered。
Therewasamomentaryflushonherfirmsquareface，amomentarystillnessinherrestlesshands，whichseemedtobetokenacomingoutburstofangerthatmightthrowheroffherguard。Butno——shemasteredtherisingirritation，leanedbackinherchair，crossedherarmsonherbroadbosom，andwithasmileofgrimsarcasmonherthicklips，lookedatmeassteadilyasever。
`Ah！Ibegintounderstanditallnow，’shesaid，hertamedanddisciplinedangeronlyexpressingitselfintheelaboratemockeryofhertoneandmanner。
`YouhavegotagrudgeofyourownagainstSirPercivalGlyde，andImusthelpyoutowreakit。Imusttellyouthis，that，andtheotheraboutSirPercivalandmyself，mustI？Yes，indeed？Youhavebeenpryingintomyprivateaffairs。Youthinkyouhavefoundalostwomantodealwith，wholiveshereonsufferance，andwhowilldoanythingyouaskforfearyoumayinjureherintheopinionsofthetown’speople。Iseethroughyouandyourpreciousspeculation——Ido！anditamusesme。Ha！ha！’
Shestoppedforamoment，herarmstightenedoverherbosom，andshelaughedtoherself——ahard，harsh，angrylaugh。
`Youdon’tknowhowIhavelivedinthisplace，andwhatIhavedoneinthisplace，MrWhat’s-your-name，’shewenton。`I’lltellyou，beforeIringthebellandhaveyoushownout。Icamehereawrongedwoman——
Icamehererobbedofmycharacteranddeterminedtoclaimitback。I’vebeenyearsandyearsaboutIt——andIhaveclaimeditback。Ihavematchedtherespectablepeoplefairlyandopenlyontheirownground。Iftheysayanythingagainstmenowtheymustsayitinsecret——theycan’tsayit，theydaren’tsayit，openly。Istandhighenoughinthistowntobeoutofyourreach。Theclergymanbowstome。Aha！youdidn’tbargainforthatwhenyoucamehere。Gotothechurchandinquireaboutme——youwillfindMrsCatherickhashersittingliketherestofthem，andpaystherentonthedayit’sdue。Gotothetown-hall。There’sapetitionlyingthere——apetitionoftherespectableinhabitantsagainstallowingacircustocomeandperformhereandcorruptourmorals——yes！ourmorals。Isignedthatpetitionthismorning。Gotothebookseller’sshop。Theclergyman’sWednesdayeveningLecturesonJustificationbyFaitharepublishingtherebysubscription——I’mdownonthelist。Thedoctor’swifeonlyputashillingintheplateatourlastcharitysermon——Iputhalf-a-crown。MrChurchwardenSowardheldthePlate，andbowedtome。TenyearsagohetoldPigrumthechemistIoughttobewhippedoutofthetownatthecart’stail。Isyourmotheralive？HasshegotabetterBibleonhertablethanIhavegotonmine？Doesshestandbetterwithhertrades-peoplethanIdowithmine？
Hasshealwayslivedwithinherincome？Ihavealwayslivedwithinmine。
Ah！thereistheclergymancomingalongthesquare。Look，MrWhat’s-your-name——look，ifyouplease！’
Shestartedupwiththeactivityofayoungwoman，wenttothewindow，waitedtilltheclergymanpassed，andbowedtohimsolemnly。Theclergymanceremoniouslyraisedhishat，andwalkedon。MrsCatherickreturnedtoherchair，andlookedatmewithagrimmersarcasmthanever。
`There！’shesaid。`Whatdoyouthinkofthatforawomanwithalostcharacter？Howdoesyourspeculationlooknow？’
Thesingularmannerinwhichshehadchosentoassertherself，theextraordinarypracticalvindicationofherpositioninthetownwhichshehadjustoffered，hadsoperplexedmethatIlistenedtoherinsilentsurprise。Iwasnotthelessresolved，however，tomakeanotherefforttothrowheroffherguard。Ifthewoman’sfiercetemperoncegotbeyondhercontrol，andonceflamedoutonme，shemightyetsaythewordswhichwouldputtheclueinmyhands。
`Howdoesyourspeculationlooknow？’sherepeated。
`ExactlyasitlookedwhenIfirstcamein，’Ianswered。`Idon’tdoubtthepositionyouhavegainedinthetown，andIdon’twishtoassailitevenifIcould。IcameherebecauseSirPercivalGlydeis，tomycertainknowledge，yourenemy，aswellasmine。IfIhaveagrudgeagainsthim，youhaveagrudgeagainsthimtoo。Youmaydenyitifyoulike，youmaydistrustmeasmuchasyouplease，youmaybeasangryasyouwill——but，ofallthewomeninEngland，you，ifyouhaveanysenseofinjury，arethewomanwhooughttohelpmetocrushthatman。’
`Crushhimforyourself，’shesaid；`thencomebackhere，andseewhatIsaytoyou。’
Shespokethosewordsasshehadnotspokenyet，quickly，fiercely，vindictively。Ihadstirredinitslairtheserpent-hatredofyears，butonlyforamoment。LikealurkingreptileitleapedupatmeassheeagerlybentforwardtowardstheplaceinwhichIwassitting。Likealurkingreptileitdroppedoutofsightagainassheinstantlyresumedherformerpositioninthechair。
`Youwon’ttrustme？’Isaid。
`No。’