`Ignorantlywhat？’inquiredMissHalcombesharply。
`Ignorantlyshockingyourfeelings，’saidMrDempster，lookingverymuchdiscomposed。
`Uponmyword，MrDempster，youpaymyfeelingsagreatcomplimentinthinkingthemweakenoughtobeshockedbysuchanurchinasthat！’SheturnedwithanairofsatiricaldefiancetolittleJacob，andbegantoquestionhimdirectly。`Come！’shesaid，`Imeantoknowallaboutthis。
Younaughtyboy，whendidyouseetheghost？’
`Yestere’en，atthegloaming，’repliedJacob。
`Oh！yousawityesterdayevening，inthetwilight？Andwhatwasitlike？’
`Arlinwhite——asaghaistshouldbe，’answeredtheghostseer，withaconfidencebeyondhisyears。
`Andwherewasit？’
`Awayyander，int’kirkyard——whereaghaistoughttobe。’
`Asa``ghaist’’shouldbe——wherea``ghaist’’oughttobe——why，youlittlefool，youtalkasifthemannersandcustomsofghostshadbeenfamiliartoyoufromyourinfancy！Youhavegotyourstoryatyourfingers’
ends，atanyrate。IsupposeIshallhearnextthatyoucanactuallytellmewhoseghostitwas？’
`Eh！butIjustcan，’repliedJacob，noddinghisheadwithanairofgloomytriumph。
MrDempsterhadalreadytriedseveraltimestospeakwhileMissHalcombewasexamininghispupil，andhenowinterposedresolutelyenoughtomakehimselfheard。
`Excuseme，MissHalcombe，’hesaid，`ifIventuretosaythatyouareonlyencouragingtheboybyaskinghimthesequestions。’
`Iwillmerelyaskonemore，MrDempster，andthenIshallbequitesatisfied。Well，’shecontinued，turningtotheboy，`andwhoseghostwasit？’
`T’ghaistofMistressFairlie，’answeredJacobinawhisper。
TheeffectwhichthisextraordinaryreplyproducedonMissHalcombefullyjustifiedtheanxietywhichtheschoolmasterhadshowntopreventherfromhearingit。Herfacecrimsonedwithindignation——sheturneduponlittleJacobwithanangrysuddennesswhichterrifiedhimintoafreshburstoftears——openedherlipstospeaktohim——thencontrolledherself，andaddressedthemasterinsteadoftheboy。
`Itisuseless，’shesaid，`toholdsuchachildasthatresponsibleforwhathesays。Ihavelittledoubtthattheideahasbeenputintohisheadbyothers。Iftherearepeopleinthisvillage，MrDempster，whohaveforgottentherespectandgratitudeduefromeverysoulinittomymother’smemory，Iwillfindthemout，andifIhaveanyinfluencewithMrFairlie，theyshallsufferforit。’
`Ihope——indeed。Iamsure，MissHalcombe——thatyouaremistaken。’
saidtheschoolmaster。`Thematterbeginsandendswiththeboy’sownperversityandfolly。Hesaw，orthoughthesaw，awomaninwhite，yesterdayevening，ashewaspassingthechurchyard；andthefigure。realorfancied，wasstandingbythemarblecross，whichheandeveryoneelseinLimmeridgeknowstohethemonumentoverMrsFairlie’sgrave。Thesetwocircumstancesaresurelysufficienttohavesuggestedtotheboyhimselftheanswerwhichhassonaturallyshockedyou？’
AlthoughMissHalcombedidnotseemtobeconvinced，sheevidentlyfeltthattheschoolmaster’sstatementofthecasewastoosensibletobeopenlycombated。Shemerelyrepliedbythankinghimforhisattention，andbypromisingtoseehimagainwhenherdoubtsweresatisfied。Thissaid，shebowed，andledthewayoutoftheschoolroom。
ThroughoutthewholeofthisstrangesceneIhadstoodapart，listeningattentively，anddrawingmyownconclusions。Assoonaswewerealoneagain，MissHalcombeaskedmeifIhadformedanyopiniononwhatIhadheard。
`Averystrongopinion，’Ianswered；`theboy’sstory，asIbelieve，hasafoundationinfact。IconfessIamanxioustoseethemonumentoverMrsFairlie’sgrave，andtoexaminethegroundaboutit。’
`Youshallseethegrave。’
Shepausedaftermakingthatreply，andreflectedalittleaswewalkedon。`Whathashappenedintheschoolroom，’sheresumed，`hassocompletelydistractedmyattentionfromthesubjectoftheletter，thatIfeelalittlebewilderedwhenItrytoreturntoit。Mustwegiveupallideaofmakinganyfurtherinquiries，andwaittoplacethethinginMrGilmore’shandstomorrow？’
`Bynomeans，MissHalcombe。Whathashappenedintheschoolroomencouragesmetopersevereintheinvestigation。’
`Whydoesitencourageyou？’
`BecauseitstrengthensasuspicionIfeltwhenyougavemethelettertoread。’
`Isupposeyouhadyourreasons，MrHartright，forconcealingthatsuspicionfrommetillthismoment？’
`Iwasafraidtoencourageitinmyself。Ithoughtitwasutterlypreposterous——Idistrusteditastheresultofsomeperversityinmyownimagination。
ButIcandosonolonger。Notonlytheboy’sownanswerstoyourquestions，butevenachanceexpressionthatdroppedfromtheschoolmaster’slipsinexplaininghisstory，haveforcedtheideahackintomymind。Eventsmayyetprovethatideatobeadelusion，MissHalcombe；butthebeliefisstronginme，atthismoment，thatthefanciedghostinthechurchyard，andthewriteroftheanonymousletter，areoneandthesameperson。’
Shestopped，turnedpale，andlookedmeeagerlyintheface，`Whatperson？’
`Theschoolmasterunconsciouslytoldyou。Whenhespokeofthefigurethattheboysawinthechurchyardhecalledit``awomaninwhite。’’’
`NotAnneCatherick？’
`Yes，AnneCatherick。’
Sheputherhandthroughmyarmandleanedonitheavily。
`Idon’tknowwhy，’shesaidinlowtones，`butthereissomethinginthissuspicionofyoursthatseemstostartleandunnerveme。Ifeel——’
Shestopped，andtriedtolaughitoff。`MrHartright，’shewenton，`I
willshowyouthegrave，andthengobackatoncetothehouse。IhadbetternotleaveLauratoolongalone。Ihadbettergobackandsitwithher。’
Wewereclosetothechurchyardwhenshespoke。Thechurch，adrearybuildingofgreystone，wassituatedinalittlevalley，soastobeshelteredfromthebleakwindsblowingoverthemoorlandallroundit。Theburial-groundadvanced，fromthesideofthechurch，alittlewayuptheslopeofthehill。Itwassurroundedbyarough，lowstonewall。andwasbareandopentothesky，exceptatoneextremity，whereabrooktrickleddownthestonyhillside，andaclumpofdwarftreesthrewtheirnarrowshadowsovertheshort，meagregrass。Justbeyondthebrookandthetrees，andnotfarfromoneofthethreestonestileswhichaffordedentrance，atvariouspoints，tothechurchyard，rosethewhitemarblecrossthatdistinguishedMrsFairlie’sgravefromthehumblermonumentsscatteredaboutit。
`Ineedgonofartherwithyou，’saidMissHalcombe，pointingtothegrave。`Youwillletmeknowifyoufindanythingtoconfirmtheideayouhavejustmentionedtome。Letusmeetagainatthehouse。’
Sheleftme。Idescendedatoncetothechurchyard，andcrossedthestilewhichleddirectlytoMrsFairlie’sgrave。
Thegrassaboutitwastooshort，andthegroundtoohard，toshowanymarksoffootsteps。Disappointedthusfar，Inextlookedattentivelyatthecross，andatthesquareblockofmarblebelowit，onwhichtheinscriptionwascut。
Thenaturalwhitenessofthecrosswasalittleclouded，hereandthere，byweatherstains，andrathermorethanonehalfofthesquareblockbeneathit。onthesidewhichboretheinscription，wasinthesamecondition。
Theotherhalf，however，attractedmyattentionatoncebyitssingularfreedomfromstainorimpurityofanykind。Ilookedcloser，andsawthatithadbeencleaned——recentlycleaned，inadownwarddirectionfromtoptobottom。Theboundarylinebetweenthepartthathadbeencleanedandthepartthathadnotwastraceablewherevertheinscriptionleftablankspaceofmarble——sharplytraceableasalinethathadbeenproducedbyartificialmeans。Whohadbegunthecleansingofthemarble，andwhohadleftitunfinished？
Ilookedaboutme，wonderinghowthequestionwastobesolved。NosignofahabitationcouldbediscernedfromthepointatwhichIwasstanding——theburial-groundwasleftinthelonelypossessionofthedead。Ireturnedtothechurch，andwalkedroundittillIcametothebackofthebuilding；
thencrossedtheboundarywallbeyond，byanotherofthestonestiles，andfoundmyselfattheheadofapathleadingdownintoadesertedstonequarry。Againstonesideofthequarryalittletwo-roomcottagewasbuilt，andjustoutsidethedooranoldwomanwasengagedinwashing。
Iwalkeduptoher，andenteredintoconversationaboutthechurchandburial-ground。Shewasreadyenoughtotalk，andalmostthefirstwordsshesaidinformedmethatherhusbandfilledthetwoofficesofclerkandsexton。IsaidafewwordsnextinpraiseofMrsFairlie’smonument。Theoldwomanshookherhead，andtoldmeIhadnotseenitatitsbest。Itwasherhusband’sbusinesstolookafterit，buthehadbeensoailingandweakformonthsandmonthspast，thathehadhardlybeenabletocrawlintochurchonSundaystodohisduty，andthemonumenthadbeenneglectedinconsequence。Hewasgettingalittlebetternow，andinaweekortendays’timehehopedtobestrongenoughtosettoworkandcleanit。
Thisinformation——extractedfromalongramblinganswerinthebroadestCumberlanddialect——toldmeallthatImostwantedtoknow。Igavethepoorwomanatrifle，andreturnedatoncetoLimmeridgeHouse。
Thepartialcleansingofthemonumenthadevidentlybeenaccomplishedbyastrangehand。ConnectingwhatIhaddiscovered，thusfar，withwhatIhadsuspectedafterhearingthestoryoftheghostseenattwilight，IwantednothingmoretoconfirmmyresolutiontowatchMrsFairlie’sgrave，insecret，thatevening，returningtoitatsunset，andwaitingwithinsightofittillthenightfell。Theworkofcleansingthemonumenthadbeenleftunfinished，andthepersonbywhomithadbeenbegunmightreturntocompleteit。
