`Themisfortuneofmybeingshutup，’sheanswered，witheveryappearanceoffeelingsurprisedatmyquestion。`Whatothermisfortunecouldtherebe？’
Ideterminedtopersist，asdelicatelyandforbearinglyaspossible。
ItwasofverygreatimportancethatIshouldbeabsolutelysureofeverystepintheinvestigationwhichInowgainedinadvance。
`Thereisanothermisfortune，’Isaid，`towhichawomanmaybeliable，andbywhichshemaysufferlifelongsorrowandshame。’
`Whatisit？’sheaskedeagerly。
`Themisfortuneofbelievingtooinnocentlyinherownvirtue，andinthefaithandhonourofthemansheloves，’Ianswered。
Shelookedupatmewiththeartlessbewildermentofachild。Nottheslightestconfusionorchangeofcolour——notthefaintesttraceofanysecretconsciousnessofshamestrugglingtothesurfaceappearedinherface——thatfacewhichbetrayedeveryotheremotionwithsuchtransparentclearness。Nowordsthateverwerespokencouldhaveassuredme，asherlookandmannernowassuredme，thatthemotivewhichIhadassignedforherwritingtheletterandsendingittoMissFairliewasplainlyanddistinctlythewrongone。Thatdoubt，atanyrate，wasnowsetatrest；buttheveryremovalofitopenedanewprospectofuncertainty。Theletter，asIknewfrompositivetestimony，pointedatSirPercivalGlyde，thoughitdidnotnamehim。Shemusthavehadsomestrongmotive，originatinginsomedeepsenseofinjury，forsecretlydenouncinghimtoMissFairlieinsuchtermsasshehademployed，andthatmotivewasunquestionablynottobetracedtothelossofherinnocenceandhercharacter。Whateverwronghemighthaveinflictedonherwasnotofthatnature。Ofwhatnaturecoulditbe？
`Idon’tunderstandyou，’shesaid，afterevidentlytryinghard，andtryinginvain，todiscoverthemeaningofthewordsIhadlastsaidtoher。
`Nevermind，’Ianswered。`Letusgoonwithwhatweweretalkingabout。
TellmehowlongyoustayedwithMrsClementsinLondon，andhowyoucamehere。’
`Howlong？’sherepeated。`IstayedwithMrsClementstillwebothcametothisplace，twodaysago。’
`Youarelivinginthevillage，then？’Isaid。`ItisstrangeIshouldnothaveheardofyou，thoughyouhaveonlybeenheretwodays。’
`No，no，notinthevillage。Threemilesawayatafarm。Doyouknowthefarm？TheycallitTodd’sCorner。’
Irememberedtheplaceperfectly——wehadoftenpassedbyitinourdrives。Itwasoneoftheoldestfarmsintheneighbourhood，situatedinasolitary，shelteredspot，inlandatthejunctionoftwohills。
`TheyarerelationsofMrsClementsatTodd’sCorner，’shewenton，`andtheyhadoftenaskedhertogoandseethem。Shesaidshewouldgo，andtakemewithher，forthequietandthefreshair。Itwasverykind，wasitnot？Iwouldhavegoneanywheretobequiet，andsafe，andoutoftheway。ButwhenIheardthatTodd’sComerwasnearLimmeridge——ohI
IwassohappyIwouldhavewalkedallthewaybarefoottogetthere，andseetheschoolsandthevillageandLimmeridgeHouseagain。TheyareverygoodpeopleatTodd’sCorner。IhopeIshallstaytherealongtime。ThereisonlyonethingIdon’tlikeaboutthem，anddon’tlikeaboutMrsClements——’
`Whatisit？’
`Theywillteasemeaboutdressingallinwhite——theysayitlookssoparticular。Howdotheyknow？MrsFairlieknewbest。MrsFairliewouldneverhavemademewearthisuglybluecloakIAhIshewasfondofwhiteinherlifetime，andhereiswhitestoneabouthergrave——andIammakingitwhiterforhersake。Sheoftenworewhiteherself，andshealwaysdressedherlittledaughterinwhite。IsMissFairliewellandhappy？Doesshewearwhitenow，assheusedwhenshewasagirl？’
HervoicesankwhenshePutthequestionsaboutMissFairlie，andsheturnedherheadfartherandfartherawayfromme。IthoughtIdetected，inthealterationofhermanner，anuneasyconsciousnessoftheriskshehadruninsendingtheanonymousletter，andIinstantlydeterminedsotoframemyanswerastosurpriseherintoowningit。
`MissFairliewasnotverywellorveryhappythismorning，’Isaid。
Shemurmuredafewwords，buttheywerespokensoconfusedly，andinsuchalowtone，thatIcouldnotevenguessatwhattheymeant。
`DidyouaskmewhyMissFairliewasneitherwellnorhappythismorning？’
Icontinued。
`No，’shesaidquicklyandeagerly——`ohno，Ineveraskedthat。’
`Iwilltellyouwithoutyourasking，’Iwenton。`MissFairliehasreceivedyourletter。’
Shehadbeendownonherkneesforsomelittletimepast，carefullyremovingthelastweather-stainsleftabouttheinscriptionwhilewewerespeakingtogether。ThefistsentenceofthewordsIhadjustaddressedtohermadeherpauseinheroccupation，andturnslowlywithoutrisingfromherknees，soastofaceme。Thesecondsentenceliterallypetrifiedher。Theclothshehadbeenholdingdroppedfromherhands——herlipsfellapart——allthelittlecolourthattherewasnaturallyinherfaceleftitinaninstant。
`Howdoyouknow？shesaidfaintly。`Whoshowedittoyou？’Thebloodrushedbackintoherface——rushedoverwhelmingly，asthesenserusheduponhermindthatherownwordshadbetrayedher。Shestruckherhandstogetherindespair。`Ineverwroteit，’shegaspedaffrightedly；`Iknownothingaboutit！’
`Yes，’Isaid，`youwroteit，andyouknowaboutit。Itwaswrongtosendsuchaletter，itwaswrongtofrightenMissFairlie。Ifyouhadanythingtosaythatitwasrightandnecessaryforhertohear，youshouldhavegoneyourselftoLimmeridgeHouse——youshouldhavespokentotheyoungladywithyourownlips。’
Shecroucheddownovertheflatstoneofthegave，tillherfacewashiddenonit，andmadenoreply。
`MissFairliewillbeasgoodandkindtoyouashermotherwas，ifyoumeanwell，’Iwenton。`MissFairliewillkeepyoursecret，andnotletyoucometoanyharm。Willyouseehertomorrowatthefarm？WillyoumeetherinthegardenatLimmeridgeHouse？’
`Oh，ifIcoulddie，andbehiddenandatrestwithyou！’Herlipsmurmuredthewordscloseonthegrave-stone，murmuredthemintonesofpassionateendearment，tothedeadremainsbeneath。`YouknowhowI
loveyourchild，foryoursake！Oh，MrsFairlie！MrsFairlie！tellmehowtosaveher。Bemydarlingandmymotheroncemore，andtellmewhattodoforthebest。’
Iheardherlipskissingthestone——Isawherhandsbeatingonitpassionately。Thesoundandthesightdeeplyaffectedme。Istoopeddown，andtookthepoorhelplesshandstenderlyinmine，andtriedtosootheher。
Itwasuseless。Shesnatchedherhandsfromme，andnevermovedherfacefromthestone。Seeingtheurgentnecessityofquietingheratanyhazardandbyanymeans，Iappealedtotheonlyanxietythatsheappearedtofeel，inconnectionwithmeandwithmyopinionofher——theanxietytoconvincemeofherfitnesstobemistressofherownactions。
`Come，come，’Isaidgently。`Trytocomposeyourself，oryouwillmakemealtermyopinionofyou。Don’tletmethinkthatthepersonwhoputyouintheAsylummighthavehadsomeexcuse——’
Thenextwordsdiedawayonmylips。TheinstantIriskedthatchancereferencetothepersonwhohadputherintheAsylumshespranguponherknees。Amostextraordinaryandstartlingchangepassedoverher。Herface，atallordinarytimessotouchingtolookat，initsnervoussensitiveness，weakness，anduncertainty，becamesuddenlydarkenedbyanexpressionofmaniacallyintensehatredandfear，whichcommunicatedawild，unnaturalforcetoeveryfeature。Hereyesdilatedinthedimeveninglight，liketheeyesofawildanimal。Shecaughtupthecloththathadfallenatherside，asifithadbeenalivingcreaturethatshecouldkill，andcrusheditinbothherhandswithsuchconvulsivestrength，thatthefewdropsofmoistureleftinittrickleddownonthestonebeneathher。
`Talkofsomethingelse，’shesaid，whisperingthroughherteeth。`I
shalllosemyselfifyoutalkofthat。’
EveryvestigeofthegentlerthoughtswhichhadWedhermindhardlyaminutesinceseemedtobesweptfromitnow。ItwasevidentthattheimpressionleftbyMrsFairlie’skindnesswasnot，asIhadsupposed，theonlystrongimpressiononhermemory。Withthegratefulremembranceofherschool-daysatLimmeridge，thereexistedthevindictiveremembranceofthewronginflictedonherbyherconfinementintheAsylum。Whohaddonethatwrong？Coulditreallybehermother？
Itwashardtogiveuppursuingtheinquirytothatfinalpoint，butIforcedmyselftoabandonallideaofcontinuingit。SeeingherasIsawhernow，itwouldhavebeencrueltothinkofanythingbutthenecessityandthehumanityofrestoringhercomposure。
`Iwilltalkofnothingtodistressyou，’Isaidsoothingly。
`Youwantsomething，’sheansweredsharplyandsuspiciously。`Don’tlookatmelikethat。Speaktome——tellmewhatyouwant。’
`Ionlywantyoutoquietyourself，adwhenyouarecalmer，tothinkoverwhatIhavesaid。’
`Said？’Shepaused——twistedtheclothinherhands，backwardsandforwards，andwhisperedtoherself，`Whatisithesaid？’Sheturnedagaintowardsme，andshookherheadimpatiently，`Whydon’tyouhelpme？’sheasked，withangrysuddenness。
`Yes，yes，’Isaid，`Iwillhelpyou，andyouwillsoonremember。I
askedyoutoseeMissFairlietomorrow，andtotellherthetruthabouttheletter。’
`Ah！MissFairlie——Fairlie——Fairlie——’
