Iwastheoffender，andIknewitThatknowledgetransformedmypityintopassiveendurance，and，eventually，intoblindhat~thesameinstinct，Isuppose，whichpromptsamantosavagelystamponthespiderhehasbuthalfkilledAndwiththishateinmybosomtheseasonof1882cametoanend。
NextyearwemetagainatSimla-shewithhermonotonousfaceandtimidattemptsatreconciliation，andIwithloathingofherineveryfibreofmyframeSeveraltimesIcouldnotavoidmeetingheralone；andoneachoccasionherwordswereidenticallythesameStilltheunreasoningwailthatitwasalla“mistake“；andstillthehopeofeventually“makingfriends。”ImighthaveseenhadIcaredtolook，thatthathopeonlywaskeepingheraliveShegrewmorewanandthinmonthbymonthYouwillagreewithme，atleast，thatsuchconductwouldhavedrivenanyonetodespairItwasuncalledfor；childish；unwomanlyImaintainthatshewasmuchtoblameAndagain，sometimes，intheblack，fever-strickennight-watches，IhavebeguntothinkthatImighthavebeenalittlekindertoherButthatreallyisa“delusion。”I
couldnothavecontinuedpretendingtoloveherwhenIdidn’t；
couldI？Itwouldhavebeenunfairtousboth。
Lastyearwemetagain-onthesametermsasbeforeThesamewearyappeal，andthesamecurtanswersfrommylipsAtleastI
wouldmakeherseehowwhollywrongandhopelesswereherattemptsatresumingtheoldrelationshipAstheseasonworeon，wefellapart-thatistosay，shefounditdifficulttomeetme，forI
hadotherandmoreabsorbingintereststoattendtoWhenIthinkitoverquietlyinmysick-room，theseasonof1884seemsaconfusednightmarewhereinlightandshadewerefantasticallyintermingled-mycourtshipoflittleKittyMannering；myhopes，doubts，andfears；ourlongridestogether；mytremblingavowalofattachment；
herreply；andnowandagainavisionofawhitefaceflittingbyinthe’rickshawwiththeblackandwhiteliveriesIoncewatchedforsoearnestly；thewaveofMrsWessington’sglovedhand；and，whenshemetmealone，whichwasbutseldom，theirksomemonotonyofherappealIlovedKittyMannering；honestly，heartilylovedher，andwithmyloveforhergrewmyhatredforAgnesInAugustKittyandIwereengagedThenextdayImetthoseaccursed“magpie“jhampaniesatthebackofJakko，and，movedbysomepassingsentimentofpity，stoppedtotellMrs。
WessingtoneverythingSheknewitalready。
“SoIhearyou’reengaged，Jackdear。”Then，withoutamoment’spause-“I’msureit’sallamistake-ahideousmistakeWeshallbeasgoodfriendssomeday，Jack，asweeverwere。”
MyanswermighthavemadeevenamanwinceItcutthedyingwomanbeforemeliketheblowof’awhip“Pleaseforgiveme，Jack；Ididn’tmeantomakeyouangry；butit’strue，it’strue！”
AndMrsWessingtonbrokedowncompletelyIturnedawayandlefthertofinishherjourneyinpeace，feeling，butonlyforamomentortwo，thatIhadbeenanunutterablymeanhoundI
lookedback，andsawthatshehadturnedher’rickshawwiththeidea，Isuppose，ofovertakingme。
Thesceneanditssurroundingswerephotographedonmymemory。
Therain-sweptskywewereattheendofthewetweather，thesodden，dingypines，themuddyroad，andtheblackpowder-rivencliffsformedagloomybackgroundagainstwhichtheblackandwhiteliveriesofthejhampanies，theyellow-paneled’rickshawandMrsWessington’sdown-bowedgoldenheadstoodoutclearly。
Shewasholdingherhandkerchiefinherlefthandandwasleaninghackexhaustedagainstthe’rickshawcushionsIturnedmyhorseupabypathneartheSanjowlieReservoirandliterallyranaway。
OnceIfanciedIheardafaintcallof“Jack！”ThismayhavebeenimaginationIneverstoppedtoverifyitTenminuteslaterIcameacrossKittyonhorseback；and，inthedelightofalongridewithher，forgotallabouttheinterview。
AweeklaterMrsWessingtondied，andtheinexpressibleburdenofherexistencewasremovedfrommylifeIwentPlainswardperfectlyhappyBeforethreemonthswereoverIhadforgottenallabouther，exceptthatattimesthediscoveryofsomeofheroldlettersremindedmeunpleasantlyofourbygonerelationshipByJanuaryIhaddisinterredwhatwasleftofourcorrespondencefromamongmyscatteredbelongingsandhadburneditAtthebeginningofAprilofthisyear，1885，IwasatSimla-semi-desertedSimla-oncemore，andwasdeepinlover’stalksandwalkswithKittyItwasdecidedthatweshouldbemarriedattheendofJune。
Youwillunderstand，therefore，that，lovingKittyasIdid，IamnotsayingtoomuchwhenIpronouncemyselftohavebeen，atthattime，thehappiestmaninIndia。
FourteendelightfuldayspassedalmostbeforeInoticedtheirflight。
Then，arousedtothesenseofwhatwasproperamongmortalscircumstancedaswewere，IpointedouttoKittythatanengagementringwastheoutwardandvisiblesignofherdignityasanengagedgirl；andthatshemustforthwithcometoHamilton’stobemeasuredforoneUptothatmoment，Igiveyoumyword，wehadcompletelyforgottensotrivialamatterToHamilton’sweaccordinglywentonthe15thofApril，1885Rememberthat-whatevermydoctormaysaytothecontrary-Iwastheninperfecthealth，enjoyingawell-balancedmindandanabsolutetranquilspiritKittyandIenteredHamilton’sshoptogether，andthere，regardlessoftheorderofaffairs，ImeasuredKittyfortheringinthepresenceoftheamusedassistantTheringwasasapphirewithtwodiamondsWethenrodeoutdowntheslopethatleadstotheCombermereBridgeandPeliti’sshop。
WhilemyWalerwascautiouslyfeelinghiswayoverthelooseshale，andKittywaslaughingandchatteringatmyside-whileallSimla，thatistosayasmuchofitashadthencomefromthePlains，wasgroupedroundtheReading-roomandPeliti’sveranda，-Iwasawarethatsomeone，apparentlyatavastdistance，wascallingmebymyChristiannameItstruckmethatIhadheardthevoicebefore，butwhenandwhereIcouldnotatoncedetermineIntheshortspaceittooktocovertheroadbetweenthepathfromHamilton’sshopandthefirstplankoftheComber-mereBridgeIhadthoughtoverhalfadozenpeoplewhomighthavecommittedsuchasolecism，andhadeventuallydecidedthatitmusthavebeensinginginmyearsImmediatelyoppositePeliti’sshopmyeyewasarrestedbythesightoffourjharnpaniesin“magpie“livery，pullingayellow-paneled，cheap，bazar’rickshaw。
InamomentmymindflewbacktothepreviousseasonandMrs。
WessingtonwithasenseofirritationanddisgustWasitnotenoughthatthewomanwasdeadanddonewith，withoutherblackandwhiteservitorsreappearingtospoiltheday’shappiness？
WhoeveremployedthemnowIthoughtIwouldcallupon，andaskasapersonalfavortochangeherJhampanies’liveryIwouldhirethemenmyself，and，ifnecessary，buytheircoatsfromofftheirbacksItisimpossibletosayherewhatafloodofundesirablememoriestheirpresenceevoked。
“Kitty。”Icried，“therearepoorMrsWessington’sjhampaniesturnedupagain！Iwonderwhohasthemnow？”
KittyhadknownMrsWessingtonslightlylastseason，andhadalwaysbeeninterestedinthesicklywoman。
“What？Where？”sheasked“Ican’tseethemanywhere。”
Evenasshespokeherhorse，swervingfromaladenmule，threwhimselfdirectlyinfrontoftheadvancing’rickshawIhadscarcelytimetoutterawordofwarningwhen，tomyunutterablehorror，horseandriderpassedthroughmenandcarriageasiftheyhadbeenthinair。
“What’sthematter？”criedKitty；“whatmadeyoucalloutsofoolishly，Jack？IfIamengagedIdon’twantallcreationtoknowaboutitTherewaslotsofspacebetweenthemuleandtheveranda；and，ifyouthinkIcan’tride-There！”
WhereuponwilfulKittysetoff，herdaintylittleheadintheair，atahand-gallopinthedirectionoftheBandstand；fullyexpecting，assheherselfafterwardtoldme，thatIshouldfollowherWhatwasthematter？NothingindeedEitherthatIwasmadordrunk，orthatSimlawashauntedwithdevilsIreinedinmyimpatientcob，andturnedroundThe’rickshawhadturnedtoo，andnowstoodimmediatelyfacingme，neartheleftrailingoftheComber-mereBridge。
“Jack！Jack，darling！”Therewasnomistakeaboutthewordsthistime：theyrangthroughmybrainasiftheyhadbeenshoutedinmyear。“It’ssomehideousmistake，I’msurePleaseforgiveme，jack，andlet’sbefriendsagain。”
The’rickshaw-hoodhadfallenback，andinside，asIhopeandpraydailyforthedeathIdreadbynight，satMrsKeith-Wessington，handkerchiefinhand，andgoldenheadbowedonherbreast。
HowlongIstaredmotionlessIdonotknowFinally，IwasarousedbymyyscetakingtheWaler’sbridleandaskingwhetherI
wasillFromthehorribletothecommonplaceisbutastepI
tumbledoffmyhorseanddashed，halffainting，intoPeliti’sforaglassofcherry-brandyTheretwoorthreecouplesweregatheredroundthecoffee-tablesdiscussingthegossipofthedayTheirtrivialitiesweremorecomfortingtomejustthenthantheconsolationsofreligioncouldhavebeenIplungedintothemidstoftheconversationatonce；chatted，laughed，andjestedwithafacewhenIcaughtaglimpseofitinamirroraswhiteanddrawnasthatofacorpseThreeorfourmemnoticedmycondition；and，evidentlysettingitdowntotheresultsofover-manypegs，charitablyendeavouredtodrawmeapartfromtherestoftheloungersButIrefusedtobeledawayIwantedthecompanyofmykind-asachildrushesintothemidstofthedinner-partyafterafrightinthedarkImusthavetalkedforabouttenminutesorso，thoughitseemedaneternitytome，whenIheardKitty’sclearvoiceoutsideinquiringformeInanotherminuteshehadenteredtheshop，preparedtoroundlyupbraidmeforfailingsosignallyinmydutiesSomethinginmyfacestoppedher。
“Why，Jack。”shecried，“whathaveyoubeendoing？Whathashappened？Areyouill？”Thusdrivenintoadirectlie，IsaidthatthesunhadbeenalittletoomuchformeItwascloseuponfiveo’clockofacloudyAprilafternoon，andthesunhadbeenhiddenalldayIsawmymistakeassoonasthewordswereoutofmymouth：attemptedtorecoverit；blunderedhopelesslyandfollowedKittyinaregalrage，outofdoors，amidthesmilesofmyacquaintancesImadesomeexcuseIhaveforgottenwhatonthescoreofmyfeelingfaint；andcanteredawaytomyhotel，leavingKittytofinishtheridebyherself。
InmyroomIsatdownandtriedcalmlytoreasonoutthematter。
HerewasI，TheobaldJackPansay，awell-educatedBengalCivilianintheyearofgrace，1885，presumablysane，certainlyhealthy，driveninterrorfrommysweetheart’ssidebytheapparitionofawomanwhohadbeendeadandburiedeightmonthsagoThesewerefactsthatIcouldnotblinkNothingwasfurtherfrommythoughtthananymemoryofMrsWessingtonwhenKittyandIleftHamilton’sshopNothingwasmoreutterlycommonplacethanthestretchofwalloppositePeliti’sItwasbroaddaylightTheroadwasfullofpeople；andyethere，lookyou，indefianceofeverylawofprobability，indirectoutrageofNature’sordinance，therehadappearedtomeafacefromthegrave。
Kitty’sArabhadgonethroughthe’rickshaw：sothatmyfirsthopethatsomewomanmarvelouslylikeMrsWessingtonhadhiredthecarriageandthecoolieswiththeiroldliverywaslostAgainandagainIwentroundthistreadmillofthought；andagainandagaingaveupbaffledandindespairThevoicewasasinexplicableastheapparitionIhadoriginallysomewildnotionofconfidingitalltoKitty；ofbegginghertomarrymeatonce；andinherarmsdefyingtheghostlyoccupantofthe’rickshaw“Afterall。”I
argued，“thepresenceofthe’rickshawisinitselfenoughtoprovetheexistenceofaspectralillusionOnemayseeghostsofmenandwomen，butsurelyneverofcooliesandcarriagesThewholethingisabsurdFancytheghostofahill-man！”