Ishouldhavethegreatestdifficultytotellyouwhatfollowednextafterthistragiccircumstance。Itisalltome，asIlookbackuponit，mixed，strenuous，andineffectual，likethestrugglesofasleeperinanightmare。Clara，Iremember，utteredabrokensighandwouldhavefallenforwardtoearth，hadnotNorthmourandIsupportedherinsensiblebody。Idonotthinkwewereattacked:
Idonotremembereventohaveseenanassailant；andIbelievewedesertedMr。Huddlestonewithoutaglance。Ionlyrememberrunninglikeamaninapanic，nowcarryingClaraaltogetherinmyownarms，nowsharingherweightwithNorthmour，nowscufflingconfusedlyforthepossessionofthatdearburden。WhyweshouldhavemadeformycampintheHemlockDen，orhowwereachedit，arepointslostforevertomyrecollection。ThefirstmomentatwhichIbecamedefinitelysure，Clarahadbeensufferedtofallagainsttheoutsideofmylittletent，NorthmourandIweretumblingtogetherontheground，andhe，withcontainedferocity，wasstrikingformyheadwiththebuttofhisrevolver。Hehadalreadytwicewoundedmeonthescalp；anditistotheconsequentlossofbloodthatIamtemptedtoattributethesuddenclearnessofmymind。
Icaughthimbythewrist。
“Northmour，“Iremembersaying，“youcankillmeafterwards。LetusfirstattendtoClara。“
Hewasatthatmomentuppermost。Scarcelyhadthewordspassedmylips，whenhehadleapedtohisfeetandrantowardthetent；andthenextmoment，hewasstrainingClaratohisheartandcoveringherunconscioushandsandfacewithhiscaresses。
“Shame！“Icried。“Shametoyou，Northmour！“
And，giddythoughIstillwas，Istruckhimrepeatedlyupontheheadandshoulders。
Herelinquishedhisgrasp，andfacedmeinthebrokenmoonlight。
“Ihadyouunder，andIletyougo，“saidhe；“andnowyoustrikeme！Coward！“
“Youarethecoward，“Iretorted。“Didshewishyourkisseswhileshewasstillsensibleofwhatyouwanted？Notshe！Andnowshemaybedying；andyouwastethisprecioustime，andabuseherhelplessness。Standaside，andletmehelpher。“
Heconfrontedmeforamoment，whiteandmenacing；thensuddenlyhesteppedaside。
“Helpherthen，“saidhe。
Ithrewmyselfonmykneesbesideher，andloosened，aswellasI
wasable，herdressandcorset；butwhileIwasthusengaged，agraspdescendedonmyshoulder。
“Keepyourhandsoffher，“saidNorthmour，fiercely。“DoyouthinkIhavenobloodinmyveins？“
“Northmour，“Icried，“ifyouwillneitherhelpheryourself，norletmedoso，doyouknowthatIshallhavetokillyou？“
“Thatisbetter！“hecried。“Letherdiealso，where’stheharm？
Stepasidefromthatgirl！andstanduptofight。“
“Youwillobserve，“saidI，halfrising，“thatIhavenotkissedheryet。“
“Idareyouto，“hecried。
Idonotknowwhatpossessedme；itwasoneofthethingsIammostashamedofinmylife，though，asmywifeusedtosay，Iknewthatmykisseswouldbealwayswelcomewereshedeadorliving；downI
fellagainuponmyknees，partedthehairfromherforehead，and，withthedearestrespect，laidmylipsforamomentonthatcoldbrow。Itwassuchacaressasafathermighthavegiven；itwassuchaoneaswasnotunbecomingfromamansoontodietoawomanalreadydead。
“Andnow，“saidI，“Iamatyourservice，Mr。Northmour。“
ButIsaw，tomysurprise，thathehadturnedhisbackuponme。
“Doyouhear？“Iasked。
“Yes，“saidhe，“Ido。Ifyouwishtofight，Iamready。Ifnot，goonandsaveClara。Allisonetome。“
Ididnotwaittobetwicebidden；but，stoopingagainoverClara，continuedmyeffortstoreviveher。Shestilllaywhiteandlifeless；Ibegantofearthathersweetspirithadindeedfledbeyondrecall，andhorrorandasenseofutterdesolationseizeduponmyheart。Icalledherbynamewiththemostendearinginflections；Ichafedandbeatherhands；nowIlaidherheadlow，nowsupporteditagainstmyknee；butallseemedtobeinvain，andthelidsstilllayheavyonhereyes。
“Northmour，“Isaid，“thereismyhat。ForGod’ssakebringsomewaterfromthespring。“
Almostinamomenthewasbymysidewiththewater。
“Ihavebroughtitinmyown，“hesaid。“Youdonotgrudgemetheprivilege？“
“Northmour，“Iwasbeginningtosay，asIlavedherheadandbreast；butheinterruptedmesavagely。
“Oh，youhushup！“hesaid。“Thebestthingyoucandoistosaynothing。“
Ihadcertainlynodesiretotalk，mymindbeingswallowedupinconcernformydearloveandhercondition；soIcontinuedinsilencetodomybesttowardherrecovery，and，whenthehatwasempty，returnedittohim，withoneword——“More。“Hehad，perhaps，goneseveraltimesuponthiserrand，whenClarareopenedhereyes。
“Now，“saidhe，“sincesheisbetter，youcanspareme，canyounot？Iwishyouagoodnight，Mr。Cassilis。“
Andwiththathewasgoneamongthethicket。Imadeafire，forI
hadnownofearoftheItalians，whohadevensparedallthelittlepossessionsleftinmyencampment；and，brokenasshewasbytheexcitementandthehideouscatastropheoftheevening，Imanaged，inonewayoranother——bypersuasion，encouragement，warmth，andsuchsimpleremediesasIcouldlaymyhandon——tobringherbacktosomecomposureofmindandstrengthofbody。
Dayhadalreadycome，whenasharp“Hist！“soundedfromthethicket。Istartedfromtheground；butthevoiceofNorthmourwasheardadding，inthemosttranquiltones:“Comehere，Cassilis，andalone；Iwanttoshowyousomething。“
IconsultedClarawithmyeyes，and，receivinghertacitpermission，leftheralone，andclamberedoutoftheden。AtsomedistanceoffIsawNorthmourleaningagainstanelder；and，assoonasheperceivedme，hebeganwalkingseaward。Ihadalmostovertakenhimashereachedtheoutskirtsofthewood。
“Look，“saidhe，pausing。
Acoupleofstepsmorebroughtmeoutofthefoliage。Thelightofthemorninglaycoldandclearoverthatwell-knownscene。Thepavilionwasbutablackenedwreck；theroofhadfallenin，oneofthegableshadfallenout；and，farandnear，thefaceofthelinkswascicatrizedwithlittlepatchesofburnedfurze。Thicksmokestillwentstraightupwardinthewindlessairofthemorning，andagreatpileofardentcindersfilledthebarewallsofthehouse，likecoalsinanopengrate。Closebytheisletaschooneryachtlayto，andawell-mannedboatwaspullingvigorouslyfortheshore。
“The’RedEarl’！“Icried。“The’RedEarl’twelvehourstoolate！“
“Feelinyourpocket，Frank。Areyouarmed？“askedNorthmour。
Iobeyedhim，andIthinkImusthavebecomedeadlypale。Myrevolverhadbeentakenfromme。
“Yousee，Ihaveyouinmypower，“hecontinued。“IdisarmedyoulastnightwhileyouwerenursingClara；butthismorning——here——
takeyourpistol。Nothanks！“hecried，holdinguphishand。“I
donotlikethem；thatistheonlywayyoucanannoymenow。“
Hebegantowalkforwardacrossthelinkstomeettheboat，andI
followedasteportwobehind。InfrontofthepavilionIpausedtoseewhereMr。Huddlestonehadfallen；buttherewasnosignofhim，norsomuchasatraceofblood。
“GradenFloe，“saidNorthmour。
Hecontinuedtoadvancetillwehadcometotheheadofthebeach。
“Nofarther，please，“saidhe。“WouldyouliketotakehertoGradenHouse？“
“Thankyou，“repliedI；“IshalltrytogethertotheministeratGradenWester。“
Theprowoftheboatheregratedonthebeach，andasailorjumpedashorewithalineinhishand。
“Waitaminute，lads！“criedNorthmour；andthenlowerandtomyprivateear，“Youhadbettersaynothingofallthistoher，“headded。
“Onthecontrary！“Ibrokeout，“sheshallknoweverythingthatI
cantell。“
“Youdonotunderstand，“hereturned，withanairofgreatdignity。
“Itwillbenothingtoher；sheexpectsitofme。Good-by！“headded，withanod。
Iofferedhimmyhand。
“Excuseme，“saidhe。“It’ssmall，Iknow；butIcan’tpushthingsquitesofarasthat。Idon’twishanysentimentalbusiness，tositbyyourhearthawhite-hairedwanderer，andallthat。Quitethecontrary:IhopetoGodIshallneveragainclapeyesoneitheroneofyou。“
“Well，Godblessyou，Northmour！“Isaidheartily。
“Oh，yes，“hereturned。
Hewalkeddownthebeach；andthemanwhowasashoregavehimanarmonboard，andthenshovedoffandleapedintothebowshimself。
Northmourtookthetiller；theboatrosetothewaves，andtheoarsbetweenthetholepinssoundedcrispandmeasuredinthemorningair。
Theywerenotyethalfwaytothe“RedEarl，“andIwasstillwatchingtheirprogress，whenthesunroseoutofthesea。
Onewordmore，andmystoryisdone。Yearsafter，NorthmourwaskilledfightingunderthecolorsofGaribaldifortheliberationoftheTyrol。
WilkieCollinsTheDreamWomanAMysteryinFourNarrativesTHEFIRSTNARRATIVE
INTRODUCTORYSTATEMENTOFTHEFACTSBYPERCYFAIRBANK
“Hullo，there！Hostler！Hullo-o-o！“
“Mydear！whydon’tyoulookforthebell？“
“IHAVElooked——thereisnobell。“
“Andnobodyintheyard。Howveryextraordinary！Callagain，dear。“
“Hostler！Hullo，there！Hostler-r-r！“
Mysecondcallechoesthroughemptyspace，androusesnobody——
produces，inshort，novisibleresult。Iamattheendofmyresources——Idon’tknowwhattosayorwhattodonext。HereI
standinthesolitaryinnyardofastrangetown，withtwohorsestohold，andaladytotakecareof。Bywayofaddingtomyresponsibilities，itsohappensthatoneofthehorsesisdeadlame，andthattheladyismywife。
WhoamI？——youwillask。
Thereisplentyoftimetoanswerthequestion。Nothinghappens；
andnobodyappearstoreceiveus。Letmeintroducemyselfandmywife。
IamPercyFairbank——Englishgentleman——ageletussayforty——noprofession——moderatepolitics——middleheight——faircomplexion——easycharacter——plentyofmoney。
MywifeisaFrenchlady。ShewasMademoiselleClotildeDelorge——
whenIwasfirstpresentedtoheratherfather’shouseinFrance。
Ifellinlovewithher——Ireallydon’tknowwhy。ItmighthavebeenbecauseIwasperfectlyidle，andhadnothingelsetodoatthetime。OritmighthavebeenbecauseallmyfriendssaidshewastheverylastwomanwhomIoughttothinkofmarrying。Onthesurface，Imustown，thereisnothingincommonbetweenMrs。
Fairbankandme。Sheistall；sheisdark；sheisnervous，excitable，romantic；inallheropinionssheproceedstoextremes。
Whatcouldsuchawomanseeinme？whatcouldIseeinher？Iknownomorethanyoudo。Insomemysteriousmannerweexactlysuiteachother。Wehavebeenmanandwifefortenyears，andouronlyregretis，thatwehavenochildren。Idon’tknowwhatYOUmaythink；Icallthat——uponthewhole——ahappymarriage。
Somuchforourselves。Thenextquestionis——whathasbroughtusintotheinnyard？andwhyamIobligedtoturngroom，andholdthehorses？
WeliveforthemostpartinFrance——atthecountryhouseinwhichmywifeandIfirstmet。Occasionally，bywayofvariety，wepayvisitstomyfriendsinEngland。Wearepayingoneofthosevisitsnow。Ourhostisanoldcollegefriendofmine，possessedofafineestateinSomersetshire；andwehavearrivedathishouse