bonnet，shawl，andgownallofwhite——was，sofarasIcouldguess，certainlynotcomposedofverydelicateorveryexpensivematerials。Herfigurewasslight，andratherabovetheaverageheight——hergaitandactionsfreefromtheslightestapproachtoextravagance。ThiswasallthatIcouldobserveofherinthedimlightandundertheperplexinglystrangecircumstancesofourmeeting。Whatsortofawomanshewas，andhowshecametobeoutaloneinthehigh-road，anhouraftermidnight，Ialtogetherfailedtoguess。TheonethingofwhichIfeltcertainwas，thatthegrossestofmankindcouldnothavemisconstruedhermotiveinspeaking，evenatthatsuspiciouslylatehourandinthatsuspiciouslylonelyplace。
`Didyouhearme？’shesaid，stillquietlyandrapidly，andwithouttheleastfretfulnessorimpatience。`IaskedifthatwasthewaytoLondon。’
`Yes，’Ireplied，`thatistheway：itleadstoStJohn’sWoodandtheRegent’sPark。Youmustexcusemynotansweringyoubefore。Iwasratherstartledbyyoursuddenappearanceintheroad；andIam，evennow，quiteunabletoaccountforit。’
`Youdon’tsuspectmeofdoinganythingwrong，doyou？Ihavedonenothingwrong。Ihavemetwithanaccident——Iamveryunfortunateinbeingherealonesolate。Whydoyoususpectmeofdoingwrong？’
Shespokewithunnecessaryearnestnessandagitation，andshrankbackfrommeseveralplaces。Ididmybesttoreassureher。
`Praydon’tsupposethatIhaveanyideaofsuspectingyou，’Isaid，`oranyotherwishthantobeofassistancetoyou，ifIcan。Ionlywonderedatyourappearanceintheroad，becauseitseemedtometobeemptytheinstantbeforeIsawyou。’
Sheturned，andpointedbacktoaplaceatthejunctionoftheroadtoLondonandtheroadtoHampstead，wheretherewasagapinthehedge。
`Iheardyoucoming，’shesaid，`andhidtheretoseewhatsortofmanyouwere，beforeIriskedspeaking。Idoubtedandfearedaboutittillyoupassed；andthenIwasobligedtostealafteryou，andtouchyou。’
Stealaftermeandtouchme？Whynotcalltome？Strange，tosaytheleastofit`MayItrustyou？’sheasked。`Youdon’tthinktheworseofmebecauseIhavemetwithanaccident？’Shestoppedinconfusion；shiftedherbagfromonehandtotheother；andsighedbitterly。
Thelonelinessandhelplessnessofthewomantouchedme。Thenaturalimpulsetoassistherandtosparehergotthebetterofthejudgment，thecaution，theworldlytact，whichanolder，wiser，andcoldermanmighthavesummonedtohelphiminthisstrangeemergency。
`Youmaytrustmeforanyharmlesspurposes，’Isaid。`Ifittroublesyoutoexplainyourstrangesituationtome，don’tthinkofreturningtothesubjectagain。Ihavenorighttoaskyouforanyexplanations。TellmehowIcanhelpyou；andifIcan，Iwill。’
`Youareverykind，andIamvery，verythankfulltohavemetyou。’
ThefirsttouchofwomanlytendernessthatIhadheardfromhertrembledinhervoiceasshesaidthewords：butnotearsglistenedinthoselarge，wistfullyattentiveeyesofhers，whichwerestillfixedonme，`IhaveonlybeeninLondononcebefore，’shewenton，moreandmorerapidly，`andIknownothingaboutthatsideofit，yonder。CanISetafly，oracarriageofanykind？Isittoolate？Idon’tknow。Ifyoucouldshowmewheretogetafly——andifyouwillonlypromisenottointerferewithme，andtoletmeleaveyou，whenandhowIplease——IhaveafriendinLondonwhowillbegladtoreceiveme——Iwantnothingelse——willyoupromise？’
Shelookedanxiouslyupanddowntheroad；shiftedherbagagainfromonehandtotheother；repeatedthewords，`Willyoupromise？’andlookedhardinmyface，withapleadingfearandconfusionthatittroubledmetosee。
WhatcouldIdo？Herewasastrangerutterlyandhelplesslyatmymercy——andthatstrangeraforlornwoman。Nohousewasnear；noonewaspassingwhomIcouldconsult；andnoearthlyrightexistedonmyparttogivemeapowerofcontroloverher，evenifIhadknownhowtoexerciseit。I
tracetheselines，self-distrustfully，withtheshadowsofaftereventsdarkeningtheverypaperIwriteon；andstillIsay，whatcouldIdo？
WhatIdiddo，wastotryandgaintimebyquestioningher。
`AreyousurethatyourfriendinLondonwillreceiveyouatsuchalatehourasthis？’Isaid。
`Quitesure。OnlysayyouwillletmeleaveyouwhenandhowIplease——onlysayyouwon’tinterferewithme。Willyoupromise？’
Assherepeatedthewordsforthethirdtime，shecarneclosetomeandlaidherhand，withasuddengentlestealthiness，onmybosom——athinhand；acoldhand(whenIremoveditwithmine)evenonthatsultrynight。RememberthatIwasyoung；rememberthatthehandwhichtouchedmewasawoman’s。
`Willyoupromise？’
`Yes。’
Oneword！Thelittlefamiliarwordthatisoneverybody’slips，everyhourintheday。Ohme！andItremble，now，whenIwriteit。
WesetourfacestowardsLondon，andwalkedontogetherinthefirststillhourofthenewday——I，andthiswoman，whosename，whosecharacter，whosestory，whoseobjectsinlife，whoseverypresencebymyside，atthatmoment，werefathomlessmysteriestome。Itwaslikeadream。WasIWalterHartright？Wasthisthewell-known，uneventfulroad，whereholidaypeoplestrolledonSundays？HadIreallyleft，littlemorethananhoursince，thequiet，decent，conventionallydomesticatmosphereofmymother’scottage？Iwastoobewildered——tooconsciousalsoofavaguesenseofsomethinglikeself-reproach——tospeaktomystrangecompanionforsomeminutes。Itwashervoiceagainthatfirstbrokethesilencebetweenus。
`Iwanttoaskyousomething，’shesaidsuddenly。`DoyouknowmanypeopleinLondon？’
`Yes，agreatmany。’
`Manymenofrankandtitle？’Therewasanunmistakabletoneofsuspicioninthestrangequestion。Ihesitatedaboutansweringit。
`Some，’Isaid，afteramoment’ssilence。
`Many’——shecametoafullstop，andlookedmesearchinglyintheface——`manymenoftherankofBaronet？’
Toomuchastonishedtoreply，Iquestionedherinmyturn。
`Whydoyouask？’
`BecauseIhope，formyownsake，thereisoneBaronetthatyoudon’tknow。’
`Willyoutellmehisname？’
`Ican’t——Idaren’t——IforgetmyselfwhenImentionit。’Shespokeloudlyandalmostfiercely，raisedherclenchedhandintheair，andshookitpassionately；then，onasudden，controlledherselfagain，andadded，intonesloweredtoawhisper，`Tellmewhichofthemyouknow。’
Icouldhardlyrefusetohumourherinsuchatrifle，andImentionedthreenames。Two，thenamesoffathersoffamilieswhosedaughtersItaught；
one，thenameofabachelorwhohadoncetakenmeacruiseinhisyacht，tomakesketchesforhim。
`Ah！youdon’tknowhim，’shesaid，withasighofrelief。`Areyouamanofrankandtitleyourself？’
`Farfromit。Iamonlyadrawing-master。’
Asthereplypassedmylips——alittlebitterly，perhaps——shetookmyarmwiththeabruptnesswhichcharacterisedallheractions。
`Notamanofrankandtitle，’sherepeatedtoherself。`ThankGod！
Imaytrusthim。’
Ihadhithertocontrivedtomastermycuriosityoutofconsiderationformycompanion；butitgotthebetterofmenow。
`Iamafraidyouhaveseriousreasontocomplainofsomemanofrankandtitle？’Isaid。`Iamafraidthebaronet，whosenameyouareunwillingtomentiontome，hasdoneyousomegrievouswrong？Ishethecauseofyourbeingouthereatthisstrangetimeofnight？’
`Don’taskme：don’tmakemetalkofit，’sheanswered。`I’mnotfitnow。Ihavebeencruellyusedandcruellywronged。Youwillbekinderthanever，ifyouwillwalkonfast，andnotspeaktome。Isadlywanttoquietmyself，ifIcan。’
Wemovedforwardagainataquickpace；andforhalfanhour，atleast，notawordpassedoneitherside。Fromtimetotime，beingforbiddentomakeanymoreinquiries，Istolealookatherface。Itwasalwaysthesame；thelipscloseshut，thebrowfrowning，theeyeslookingstraightforward，eagerlyandyetabsently。Wehadreachedthefirsthouses，andwerecloseonthenewWesleyancollege，beforehersetfeaturesrelaxed，andshespokeoncemore。
`DoyouliveinLondon？’shesaid。
`Yes。’AsIanswered，itstruckmethatshemighthaveformedsomeintentionofappealingtomeforassistanceoradvice，andthatIoughttospareherapossibledisappointmentbywarmingherofmyapproachingabsencefromhome。SoIadded，`ButtomorrowIshallbeawayfromLondonforsometime。Iamgoingintothecountry。’
`Where？’sheasked。`Northorsouth？’
`North——toCumberland。’
`Cumberland！’sherepeatedthewordtenderly。`Ah！IwishIwasgoingtheretoo。IwasoncehappyinCumberland。’
Itriedagaintolifttheveilthathungbetweenthiswomanandme。
`Perhapsyouwereborn，’Isaid，`inthebeautifulLakecountry。’
`No，’sheanswered。`IwasborninHampshire；butIoncewenttoschoolforalittlewhileinCumberland。Lakes？Idon’trememberanylakes。It’sLimmeridgevillage，andLimmeridgeHouse，Ishouldliketoseeagain。’
Itwasmyturnnowtostopsuddenly。Intheexcitedstateofmycuriosity，atthatmoment，thechancereferencetoMrFairlie’splaceofresidence，onthelipsofmystrangecompanion，staggeredmewithastonishment。
