`No，no，’shesaid，earnestlyandkindly，`leaveuslikeafriend——
breakbreadwithusoncemore。Stayhereanddine，stayhereandhelpustospendourlasteveningwithyouashappily，aslikeourfirstevenings，aswecan。Itismyinvitation——MrsVesey’sinvitation——’shehesitatedalittle，andthenadded，`Laura’sinvitationaswell。’
Ipromisedtoremain。GodknowsIhadnowishtoleaveeventheshadowofasorrowfulimpressionwithanyofthem。
Myownroomwasthebestplaceformetillthedinnerbellrang。Iwaitedtheretillitwastimetogodownstairs。
IhadnotspokentoMissFairlie——Ihadnotevenseenher——allthatday。Thefirstmeetingwithher，whenIenteredthedrawing-room，wasahardtrialtoherself-controlandtomine。She，too，haddoneherbesttomakeourlasteveningrenewthegoldenbygonetime——thetimethatcouldnevercomeagain。ShehadputonthedresswhichIusedtoadmiremorethananyotherthatshepossessed——adarkbluesilk，trimmedquaintlyandprettilywithold-fashionedlace；shecameforwardtomeetmewithherformerreadiness——shegavemeherhandwiththefrank，innocentgood-willofhappierdays。Thecoldfingersthattrembledroundmine——thepalecheekswithabrightredspotburninginthemidstofthem——thefaintsmilethatstruggledtoliveonherlipsanddiedawayfromthemwhileIlookedatit，toldmeatwhatsacrificeofherselfheroutwardcomposurewasmaintained。Myheartcouldtakehernoclosertome，orIshouldhavelovedherthenasIhadneverlovedheryet。
MrGilmorewasagreatassistancetous。Hewasinhighgood-humour，andheledtheconversationwithunflaggingspirit。MissHalcombesecondedhimresolutely，andIdidallIcouldtofollowherexample。Thekindblueeyes，whoseslightestchangesofexpressionIhadlearnttointerpretsowell，lookedatmeappealinglywhenwefirstsatdowntotable。Helpmysister——thesweetanxiousfaceseemedtosay——helpmysister，andyouwillhelpme。
Wegotthroughthedinner，toalloutwardappearanceatleast，happilyenough。Whentheladieshadrisenfromtable，andMrGilmoreandIwereleftaloneinthedining-room，anewinterestpresenteditselftooccupyourattention，andtogivemeanopportunityofquietingmyselfbyafewminutesofneedfulandwelcomesilence。TheservantwhohadbeendespatchedtotraceAnneCatherickandMrsClementsreturnedwithhisreport，andwasshownintothedining-roomimmediately。
`Well，’saidMrGilmore，`whathaveyoufoundout？’
`Ihavefoundout，sir，’answeredtheman，`thatboththewomentookticketsatourstationhereforCarlisle。’
`YouwenttoCarlisle，ofcourse，whenyouheardthat？’
`ldid，sir，butIamsorrytosayIcouldfindnofurthertraceofthem。’
`Youinquiredattherailway？’
`Yes，sir。’
`Andatthedifferentinns？’
`Yes，sir。’
`AndyouleftthestatementIwroteforyouatthePolicestation？’
`Idid，sir。’。
`Well，myfriend，youhavedoneallyoucould，andIhavedoneallI
could，andtherethemattermustresttillfurthernotice。Wehaveplayedourtrumpcards，MrHartright，’continuedtheoldgentlemanwhentheservanthadwithdrawn。`Forthepresent，atleast，thewomenhaveoutmanoeuvredus，andouronlyresourcenowistowaittillSirpercivalGlydecomeshereonMondaynext。Won’tyoufillyourglassagain？Goodbottleofport，that——sound，substantial，oldwine。Ihavegotbetterinmyowncellar，though。’
Wereturnedtothedrawing-room——theroominwhichthehappiesteveningsofmylifehadbeenpassed——theroomwhich，afterthislastnight，I
wasnevertoseeagain。Itsaspectwasalteredsincethedayshadshortenedandtheweatherhadgrowncold。Theglassdoorsontheterracesidewereclosed，andhiddenbythickcurtains。Insteadofthesofttwilightobscurity，inwhichweused-cosit，thebrightradiantglowoflamplightnowdazzledmyeyes。Allwaschanged-in-doorsandoutallwaschanged。
MissHalcombeandMrGilmoresatdowntogetheratthecard-table——
MrsVeseytookhercustomarychair。Therewasnorestraintonthedisposaloftheirevening，andIfelttherestraintonthedisposalofmineallthemorepainfullyfromobservingit。lsawMissFairlielingeringnearthemusic-stand。ThetimehadbeenwhenImighthavejoinedherthere。
Iwaitedirresolutely——Iknewneitherwheretogonorwhattodonext。
Shecastonequickglanceatme，tookapieceofmusicsuddenlyfromthestand，andcametowardsmeofherownaccord。
`ShallIplaysomeofthoselittlemelodiesofMozart’swhichyouusedtolikesomuch？’sheasked，openingthemusicnervously，andlookingdownatitwhileshespoke。
BeforeIcouldthankhershehastenedtothepiano。Thechairnearit，whichIhadalwaysbeenaccustomedtooccupy，stoodempty。Shestruckafewchords——thenglancedroundatme——thenlookedbackagainathermusic。
`Won’tyoutakeyouroldplace？’shesaid，speakingveryabruptlyandinverylowtones。
`Imaytakeitonthelastnight，’Ianswered。
Shedidnotreply——shekeptherattentionrivetedonthemusic——
musicwhichsheknewbymemory，whichshehadplayedoverandoveragain，informertimes，withoutthebook。Ionlyknewthatshehadheardme，I
onlyknewthatshewasawareofmybeingclosetoher，byseeingtheredspotonthecheekthatwasnearesttomefadeout，andthefacegrowpaleallover。
`Iamverysorryyouaregoing，’shesaid，hervoicealmostsinkingtoawhisper，hereyeslookingmoreandmoreintentlyatthemusic，herfingersflyingoverthekeysofthepianowithastrangefeverishenergywhichIhadnevernoticedinherbefore。
`Ishallrememberthosekindwords，MissFairlie，longaftertomorrowhascomeandgone。’
Thepalenessgrewwhiteronherface，andsheturneditfartherawayfromme。
`Don’tspeakoftomorrow，’shesaid。`Letthemusicspeaktousoftonight，inahappierlanguagethanours。’
Herlipstrembled——afaintsighflutteredfromthem，whichshetriedvainlytosuppress。Herfingerswaveredonthepiano——shestruckafalsenote，confusedherselfintryingtosetitright，anddroppedherhandsangrilyonherlap。MissHalcombeandMrGilmorelookedupinastonishmentfromthecard-tableatwhichtheywereplaying。EvenMrsVesey，dozinginherchair，wokeatthesuddencessationofthemusic，andinquiredwhathadhappened。
`Youplayatwhist，MrHartright？’askedMissHalcombe，withhereyesdirectedsignificantlyattheplaceIoccupied。
Iknewwhatshemeant——Iknewshewasright，andIroseatoncetogotothecard-table。AsIleftthepianoMissFairlieturnedapageofthemusic，andtouchedthekeysagainwithasurerhand。
`Iwillplayit，’shesaid，strikingthenotesalmostpassionately。
`Iwillplayitonthelastnight。’
`Come，MrsVesey，’saidMissHalcombe，`MrGilmoreandIaretiredofé；carté；——comeandbeMrHartright’spartneratwhist。’
Theoldlawyersmiledsatirically。Hishadbeenthewinninghand，andhehadjustturnedupaking。HeevidentlyattributedMissHalcombe’sabruptchangeinthecard-tablearrangementstoalady’sinabilitytoplaythelosinggame。
Therestoftheeveningpassedwithoutawordoralookfromher。Shekeptherplaceatthepiano，andIkeptmineatthecard-table。Sheplayedunintermittingly——playedasifthemusicwasheronlyrefugefromherself。
Sometimesherfingerstouchedthenoteswithalingeringfondness——asoft，plaintive，dyingtenderness，unutterablybeautifulandmournfultohear；sometimestheyfalteredandfailedher，orhurriedovertheinstrumentmechanically，asiftheirtaskwasaburdentothem。Butstill，changeandwaverastheymightintheexpressiontheyimpartedtothemusic，theirresolutiontoplayneverfaltered。SheonlyrosefromthepianowhenweallrosetosayGood-night。
MrsVeseywasthenearesttothedoor，andthefirsttoshakehandswithme。
`Ishallnotseeyouagain，MrHartright，’saidtheoldlady。`Iamtrulysorryyouaregoingaway。Youhavebeenverykindandattentive，andanoldwomanlikemefeelskindnessandattention。Iwishyouhappy，sir——Iwishyouakindgood-bye。’
MrGilmorecamenext。
`Ihopeweshallhaveafutureopportunityofbetteringouracquaintance，MrHartright。Youquiteunderstandaboutthatlittlematterofbusinessbeingsafeinmyhands？Yes，yes，ofcourse。Blessme，howcolditis！
Don’tletmekeepyouatthedoor。Bonvoyage，mydearsir——bonvoyage，astheFrenchsay。’
Icouldaddnomore。Myvoicefaltered，myeyesmoistenedinspiteofme。
Shecaughtmebybothhands——shepressedthemwiththestrong，steadygraspofaman——herdarkeyesglittered——herbrowncomplexionflusheddeep——theforceandenergyofherfaceglowedandgrewbeautifulwiththepureinnerlightofhergenerosityandherpity。
`Iwilltrustyou——ifeverthetimecomesIwilltrustyouasmyfriendandherfriend，asmaybrotherandherbrother。’Shestopped，drewmenearertoher——thefearless，noblecreature——touchedmyforehead，sister-like，withherlips，andcalledmebymyChristianname。`Godblessyou，Walter！’shesaid。`Waitherealoneandcomposeyourself——Ihadbetternotstayforbothoursakes——Ihadbetterseeyougofromthebalconyupstairs。’
