“Youmustnotthinkmeinquisitive，madame，“Ireplied；“but，ifGradenissodangerousaplace，youyourselfperhapsremainhereatsomerisk。“
Sheonlylookedatmereproachfully。
“Youandyourfather——“Iresumed；butsheinterruptedmealmostwithagasp。
“Myfather！Howdoyouknowthat？“shecried。
“Isawyoutogetherwhenyoulanded，“wasmyanswer；andIdonotknowwhy，butitseemedsatisfactorytobothofus，asindeeditwastruth。“But，“Icontinued，“youneedhavenofearfromme。I
seeyouhavesomereasontobesecret，and，youmaybelieveme，yoursecretisassafewithmeasifIwereinGradenFloe。Ihavescarcespokentoanyoneforyears；myhorseismyonlycompanion，andevenhe，poorbeast，isnotbesideme。Yousee，then，youmaycountonmeforsilence。Sotellmethetruth，mydearyounglady，areyounotindanger？“
“Mr。Northmoursaysyouareanhonorableman，“shereturned，“andI
believeitwhenIseeyou。Iwilltellyousomuch；youareright；
weareindreadful，dreadfuldanger，andyoushareitbyremainingwhereyouare。“
“Ah！“saidI；“youhaveheardofmefromNorthmour？Andhegivesmeagoodcharacter？“
“Iaskedhimaboutyoulastnight，“washerreply。“Ipretended，“
shehesitated，“Ipretendedtohavemetyoulongago，andspokentoyouofhim。Itwasnottrue；butIcouldnothelpmyselfwithoutbetrayingyou，andyouhadputmeinadifficulty。Hepraisedyouhighly。“
“And——youmaypermitmeonequestion——doesthisdangercomefromNorthmour？“Iasked。
“FromMr。Northmour？“shecried。“Oh，no，hestayswithustoshareit。“
“WhileyouproposethatIshouldrunaway？“Isaid。“Youdonotratemeveryhigh。“
“Whyshouldyoustay？“sheasked。“Youarenofriendofours。“
Iknownotwhatcameoverme，forIhadnotbeenconsciousofasimilarweaknesssinceIwasachild，butIwassomortifiedbythisretortthatmyeyesprickedandfilledwithtears，asI
continuedtogazeuponherface。
“No，no，“shesaid，inachangedvoice；“Ididnotmeanthewordsunkindly。“
“ItwasIwhooffended，“Isaid；andIheldoutmyhandwithalookofappealthatsomehowtouchedher，forshegavemehersatonce，andeveneagerly。Ihelditforawhileinmine，andgazedintohereyes。Itwasshewhofirsttoreherhandaway，and，forgettingallaboutherrequestandthepromiseshehadsoughttoextort，ranatthetopofherspeed，andwithoutturning，tillshewasoutofsight。AndthenIknewthatIlovedher，andthoughtinmygladheartthatshe——sheherself——wasnotindifferenttomysuit。Manyatimeshehasdenieditinafterdays，butitwaswithasmilingandnotaseriousdenial。Formypart，Iamsureourhandswouldnothavelainsocloselyineachotherifshehadnotbeguntomelttomealready。And，whenallissaid，itisnogreatcontention，since，byherownavowal，shebegantolovemeonthemorrow。
Andyetonthemorrowverylittletookplace。Shecameandcalledmedownasonthedaybefore，upbraidedmeforlingeringatGraden，and，whenshefoundIwasstillobdurate，begantoaskmemoreparticularlyastomyarrival。ItoldherbywhatseriesofaccidentsIhadcometowitnesstheirdisembarkation，andhowIhaddeterminedtoremain，partlyfromtheinterestwhichhadbeenawakenedinmebyNorthmour’sguests，andpartlybecauseofhisownmurderousattack。Astotheformer，IfearIwasdisingenuous，andledhertoregardherselfashavingbeenanattractiontomefromthefirstmomentthatIsawheronthelinks。Itrelievesmyhearttomakethisconfessionevennow，whenmywifeiswithGod，andalreadyknowsallthings，andthehonestyofmypurposeeveninthis；forwhileshelived，althoughitoftenprickedmyconscience，Ihadneverthehardihoodtoundeceiveher。Evenalittlesecret，insuchamarriedlifeasours，isliketheroseleafwhichkepttheprincessfromhersleep。
Fromthisthetalkbranchedintoothersubjects，andItoldhermuchaboutmylonelyandwanderingexistence；she，forherpart，givingear，andsayinglittle。Althoughwespokeverynaturally，andlatterlyontopicsthatmightseemindifferent，wewerebothsweetlyagitated。Toosoonitwastimeforhertogo；andweseparated，asifbymutualconsent，withoutshakinghands，forbothknewthat，betweenus，itwasnoidleceremony。
Thenext，andthatwasthefourthdayofouracquaintance，wemetinthesamespot，butearlyinthemorning，withmuchfamiliarityandyetmuchtimidityoneitherside。Whileshehadoncemorespokenaboutmydanger——andthat，Iunderstood，washerexcuseforcoming——I，whohadpreparedagreatdealoftalkduringthenight，begantotellherhowhighlyIvaluedherkindinterest，andhownoonehadevercaredtohearaboutmylife，norhadIevercaredtorelateit，beforeyesterday。Suddenlysheinterruptedme，sayingwithvehemence——
“Andyet，ifyouknewwhoIwas，youwouldnotsomuchasspeaktome！“
Itoldhersuchathoughtwasmadness，and，littleaswehadmet，I
countedheralreadyadearfriend；butmyprotestationsseemedonlytomakehermoredesperate。
“Myfatherisinhiding！“shecried。
“Mydear，“Isaid，forgettingforthefirsttimetoadd“younglady，““whatdoIcare？IfIwereinhidingtwentytimesover，woulditmakeonethoughtofchangeinyou？“
“Ah，butthecause！“shecried，“thecause！Itis“——shefalteredforasecond——“itisdisgracefultous！“
IV
Thiswasmywife’sstory，asIdrewitfromheramongtearsandsobs。HernamewasClaraHuddlestone:itsoundedverybeautifulinmyears；butnotsobeautifulasthatothernameofClaraCassilis，whichsheworeduringthelongerand，IthankGod，thehappierportionofherlife。Herfather，BernardHuddlestone，hadbeenaprivatebankerinaverylargewayofbusiness。Manyyearsbefore，hisaffairsbecomingdisordered，hehadbeenledtotrydangerous，andatlastcriminal，expedientstoretrievehimselffromruin。
Allwasinvain；hebecamemoreandmorecruellyinvolved，andfoundhishonorlostatthesamemomentwithhisfortune。Aboutthisperiod，Northmourhadbeencourtinghisdaughterwithgreatassiduity，thoughwithsmallencouragement；andtohim，knowinghimthusdisposedinhisfavor，BernardHuddlestoneturnedforhelpinhisextremity。Itwasnotmerelyruinanddishonor，normerelyalegalcondemnation，thattheunhappymanhadbroughtuponhishead。
Itseemshecouldhavegonetoprisonwithalightheart。Whathefeared，whatkepthimawakeatnightorrecalledhimfromslumberintofrenzy，wassomesecret，sudden，andunlawfulattemptuponhislife。Hence，hedesiredtoburyhisexistenceandescapetooneoftheislandsintheSouthPacific，anditwasinNorthmour’syacht，the“RedEarl，“thathedesignedtogo。TheyachtpickedthemupclandestinelyuponthecoastofWales，andhadoncemoredepositedthematGraden，tillshecouldberefittedandprovisionedforthelongervoyage。NorcouldClaradoubtthatherhandhadbeenstipulatedasthepriceofpassage。For，althoughNorthmourwasneitherunkind，norevendiscourteous，hehadshownhimselfinseveralinstancessomewhatoverboldinspeechandmanner。
Ilistened，Ineednotsay，withfixedattention，andputmanyquestionsastothemoremysteriouspart。Itwasinvain。Shehadnoclearideaofwhattheblowwas，norofhowitwasexpectedtofall。Herfather’salarmwasunfeignedandphysicallyprostrating，andhehadthoughtmorethanonceofmakinganunconditionalsurrendertothepolice。Buttheschemewasfinallyabandoned，forhewasconvincedthatnoteventhestrengthofourEnglishprisonscouldshelterhimfromhispursuers。HehadhadmanyaffairsinItaly，andwithItaliansresidentinLondon，inthelatteryearsofhisbusiness；andtheselast，asClarafancied，weresomehowconnectedwiththedoomthatthreatenedhim。HehadshowngreatterroratthepresenceofanItalianseamanonboardthe“RedEarl，“andhadbitterlyandrepeatedlyaccusedNorthmourinconsequence。ThelatterhadprotestedthatBeppothatwastheseaman’snamewasacapitalfellow，andcouldbetrustedtothedeath；butMr。Huddlestonehadcontinuedeversincetodeclarethatallwaslost，thatitwasonlyaquestionofdays，andthatBeppowouldbetheruinofhimyet。
Iregardedthewholestoryasthehallucinationofamindshakenbycalamity。HehadsufferedheavylossbyhisItaliantransactions；
andhencethesightofanItalianwashatefultohim，andtheprincipalpartinhisnightmarewouldnaturallyenoughbeplayedbyoneofthatnation。
“Whatyourfatherwants，“Isaid，“isagooddoctorandsomecalmingmedicine。“
“ButMr。Northmour？“objectedClara。“Heisuntroubledbylosses，andyethesharesinthisterror。“
IcouldnothelplaughingatwhatIconsideredhersimplicity。
“Mydear，“saidI，“youhavetoldmeyourselfwhatrewardhehastolookfor。Allisfairinlove，youmustremember；andifNorthmourfomentsyourfather’sterrors，itisnotatallbecauseheisafraidofanyItalianman，butsimplybecauseheisinfatuatedwithacharmingEnglishwoman。“
Sheremindedmeofhisattackuponmyselfonthenightofthedisembarkation，andthisIwasunabletoexplain。Inshort，andfromonethingtoanother，itwasagreedbetweenusthatIshouldsetoutatonceforthefishervillage，GradenWester，asitwascalled，lookupallthenewspapersIcouldfind，andseeformyselfifthereseemedanybasisoffactforthesecontinuedalarms。Thenextmorning，atthesamehourandplace，IwastomakemyreporttoClara。Shesaidnomoreonthatoccasionaboutmydeparture；
nor，indeed，didshemakeitasecretthatsheclungtothethoughtofmyproximityassomethinghelpfulandpleasant；and，formypart，Icouldnothavelefther，ifshehadgoneuponherkneestoaskit。
IreachedGradenWesterbeforetenintheforenoon；forinthosedaysIwasanexcellentpedestrian，andthedistance，asIthinkI
havesaid，waslittleoversevenmiles；finewalkingallthewayuponthespringyturf。Thevillageisoneofthebleakestonthatcoast，whichissayingmuch:thereisachurchinthehollow；amiserablehavenintherocks，wheremanyboatshavebeenlostastheyreturnedfromfishing；twoorthreescoreofstonehousesarrangedalongthebeachandintwostreets，oneleadingfromtheharbor，andanotherstrikingoutfromitatrightangles；and，atthecornerofthesetwo，averydarkandcheerlesstavern，bywayofprincipalhotel。
Ihaddressedmyselfsomewhatmoresuitablytomystationinlife，andatoncecalledupontheministerinhislittlemansebesidethegraveyard。Heknewme，althoughitwasmorethannineyearssincewehadmet；andwhenItoldhimthatIhadbeenlonguponawalkingtour，andwasbehindwiththenews，readilylentmeanarmfulofnewspapers，datingfromamonthbacktothedaybefore。WiththeseIsoughtthetavern，and，orderingsomebreakfast，satdowntostudythe“HuddlestoneFailure。“
Ithadbeen，itappeared，averyflagrantcase。Thousandsofpersonswerereducedtopoverty；andoneinparticularhadblownouthisbrainsassoonaspaymentwassuspended。Itwasstrangetomyselfthat，whileIreadthesedetails，IcontinuedrathertosympathizewithMr。Huddlestonethanwithhisvictims；socompletealreadywastheempireofmyloveformywife。Apricewasnaturallysetuponthebanker’shead；and，asthecasewasinexcusableandthepublicindignationthoroughlyaroused，theunusualfigureof750poundswasofferedforhiscapture。Hewasreportedtohavelargesumsofmoneyinhispossession。Oneday，hehadbeenheardofinSpain；thenext，therewassureintelligencethathewasstilllurkingbetweenManchesterandLiverpool，oralongtheborderofWales；andthedayafter，atelegramwouldannouncehisarrivalinCubaorYucatan。ButinallthistherewasnowordofanItalian，noranysignofmystery。
Intheverylastpaper，however，therewasoneitemnotsoclear。
Theaccountantswhowerechargedtoverifythefailurehad，itseemed，comeuponthetracesofaverylargenumberofthousands，whichfiguredforsometimeinthetransactionsofthehouseofHuddlestone；butwhichcamefromnowhere，anddisappearedinthesamemysteriousfashion。Itwasonlyoncereferredtobyname，andthenundertheinitials“X。X。“；butithadplainlybeenfloatedforthefirsttimeintothebusinessataperiodofgreatdepressionsomesixyearsago。Thenameofadistinguishedroyalpersonagehadbeenmentionedbyrumorinconnectionwiththissum。
“Thecowardlydesperado“——such，Iremember，wastheeditorialexpression——wassupposedtohaveescapedwithalargepartofthismysteriousfundstillinhispossession。
Iwasstillbroodingoverthefact，andtryingtotortureitintosomeconnectionwithMr。Huddlestone’sdanger，whenamanenteredthetavernandaskedforsomebreadandcheesewithadecidedforeignaccent。
“SieteItaliano？“saidI。
“Si，Signor，“washisreply。