`NowMrs。Huntingdon，’saidHargrave，ashearrangedthemenontheboard，speakingdistinctly，andwithapeculiaremphasisasifhehadadoublemeaningtoallhiswords，`youareagoodplayer，——butIamabetter：weshallhavealonggame，andyouwillgivemesometrouble；butIcanbeaspatientasyou，and，intheend，Ishallcertainlywin。’HefixedhiseyesuponmewithaglanceIdidnotlike——keen，crafty，bold，andalmostimpudent；alreadyhalftriumphantinhisanticipatedsuccess。
`Ihopenot，Mr。Hargrave！’returnedI，withavehemencethatmusthavestartledMilicentatleast；butheonlysmiledandmurmured，——
`Timewillshew。’
Wesettowork；he，sufficientlyinterestedinthegame，butcalmandfearlessintheconsciousnessofsuperiorskill；I，intenselyeagertodisappointhisexpectations，forIconsideredthisthetypeofamoreseriouscontestsIimaginedhedid——andIfeltanalmostsuperstitiousdreadofbeingbeaten：atallevents，Icouldillendurethatpresentsuccessshouldaddonetittletohisconsciouspower(hisinsolentself-confidence，Ioughttosay)，orencourage，foramoment，hisdreamoffutureconquest。
Hisplaywascautiousanddeep，butIstruggledhardagainsthim。Forsometimethecombatwasdoubtful；atlength，tomyjoy，thevictoryseemedincliningtomyside：Ihadtakenseveralofhisbestpieces，andmanifestlybaffledhisprojects。Heputhishandtohisbrowandpaused，inevidentperplexity。Irejoicedinmyadvantage，butdarednotgloryinityet。
Atlength，heliftedhishead，and，quietlymakinghismove，lookedatmeandsaid，calmly，——
`Nowyouthinkyouwillwin，don’tyou。’
`Ihopeso，’repliedI，takinghispawn，thathehadpushedintothewayofmybishopwithsocarelessanairthatIthoughtitwasanoversight，butwasnotgenerousenough，underthecircumstances，todirecthisattentiontoit，andtooheedless，atthemoment，toforeseetheafterconsequencesofmymove。
`Itisthosebishopsthattroubleme，’saidhe；`buttheboldknightcanoverleapthereverendgentleman，’takingmylastbishopwithhisknight；——’andnow，thosesacredpersonsonceremoved，Ishallcarryallbeforeme。
`OhWalter，howyoutalk！’criedMilicent——’Shehasfarmorepiecesthanyoustill。’
`Iintendtogiveyousometroubleyet，’saidI；`andperhaps，sir，youwillfindyourselfcheckmatedbeforeyouareaware。Looktoyourqueen。’
Thecombatdeepened。Thegamewasalongone，andIdidgivehimsometrouble：buthewasabetterplayerthanI。
`Whatkeengamestersyouare！’saidMr。Hattersley，whohadnowentered，andbeenwatchingusforsometime。`Why，Mrs。Huntingdon，yourhandtremblesasifyouhadstakedyouralluponit！andWalter——youdog——youlookasdeepandcoolasifyouwerecertainofsuccess，——andaskeenandcruelasifyouwoulddrainherheart’sblood！ButifIwereyou，Iwouldn’tbeather，forveryfear：she’llhateyouifyoudo——hewill，byHeaven！——I
seeitinhereye。’
`Holdyourtongue，willyou？’saidI——histalkdistractedme，forIwasdriventoextremities。AfewmoremovesandIwasinextricablyentangledinthesnareofmyantagonist。
`Check，’——criedhe：Isoughtinagonysomemeansofescape——`mate！’
headded，quietlybutwithevidentdelight。Hehadsuspendedtheutteranceofthatlastfatalsyllablethebettertoenjoymydismay。Iwasfoolishlydisconcertedbytheevent。Hattersleylaughed；Milicentwastroubledtoseemesodisturbed。Hargraveplacedhishandonminethatrestedonthetable，andsqueezingitwithafirmbutgentlepressure，murmured`Beaten——beaten！’
andgazedintomyfacewithalookwhereexultationwasblendedwithanexpressionofardourandtendernessyetmoreinsulting。
`No，never，Mr。Hargrave！’exclaimedI，quicklywithdrawingmyhand。
`Doyoudeny？’repliedhe，smilinglypointingtotheboard。
`No，no，’Ianswered，recollectinghowstrangemyconductmustappear；`youhavebeatenmeinthatgame。
`Willyoutryanother，then？’
`No。’
`Youacknowledgemysuperiority？’
`Yes——asachess-player。’
Irosetoresumemywork。
`WhereisAnnabella？’saidHargrave，gravely，afterglancingroundtheroom。
`GoneoutwithLordLowborough，’answeredI，forhelookedatmeforareply。
`Andnotyetreturned！’hesaidseriously。
`Isupposenot。’
`WhereisHuntingdon？’lookingroundagain。
`GoneoutwithGrimsby——asyouknow，’saidHattersleysuppressingalaugh，whichbrokeforthasheconcludedthesentence。
Whydidhelaugh？WhydidHargraveconnectthemthustogether？
Wasittrue，then？——Andwasthisthedreadfulsecrethehadwishedtorevealtome？Imustknow——andthatquickly。IinstantlyroseandlefttheroomtogoinsearchofRachel，anddemandanexplanationofherwords；butMr。Hargravefollowedmeintotheante-room，andbeforeIcouldopenitsouterdoor，gentlylaidhishanduponthelock。
`MayItellyousomething，Mrs。Huntingdon？’saidhe，inasubduedtone，withserious，downcasteyes。
`Ifitbeanythingworthhearing，’repliedI，strugglingtobecomposed，forItrembledineverylimb。
Hequietlypushedachairtowardsme。Imerelyleantmyhanduponit，andbidhimgoon。
`Donotbealarmed，’saidhe：`whatIwishtosayisnothinginitself，andIwillleaveyoutodrawyourowninferencesfromit。YousaythatAnnabellaisnotyetreturned？’
`Yes，yes——goon！’saidI，impatiently，forIfearedmyforcedcalmnesswouldleavemebeforetheendofhisdisclosure，whateveritmightbe。
`Andyouhear，’continuedhe，`thatHuntingdonisgoneoutwithGrimsby？’
`Well？’
`Iheardthelattersaytoyourhusband——orthemanwhocallshimselfso——’
`Goon，sir！’
Hebowedsubmissively，andcontinued，`Iheardhimsay，——“Ishallmanageit，you’llsee！They’regonedownbythewater；Ishallmeetthemthere，andtellhimIwantabitoftalkwithhimaboutsomethingsthatweneedn’ttroubletheladywith；andshe’llsayshecanbewalkingbacktothehouse；andthenIshallapologize，youknow，andallthat，andtipherawinktotakethewayoftheshrubbery。I’llkeephimtalkingthere，aboutthosemattersImentioned，andanythingelseIcanthinkof，aslongasIcan，andthenbringhimroundtheotherway，stoppingtolookatthetrees，thefields，andanythingelseIcanfindtodiscourseof。”’Mr。
Hargravepaused，andlookedatme。
Withoutawordofcommentorfurtherquestioning，Irose，anddartedfromtheroomandoutofthehouse。Thetormentofsuspensewasnottobeendured：Iwouldnotsuspectmyhusbandfalsely，onthisman’saccusation，andIwouldnottrusthimunworthily——Imustknowthetruthatonce。Iflewtotheshrubbery。ScarcelyhadIreachedit，whenasoundofvoicesarrestedmybreathlessspeed。
`Wehavelingeredtoolong；hewillbeback，’saidLadyLowborough’svoice。
`Surelynot，dearest！’washisreply，`butyoucanrunacrossthelawn，andgetinasquietlyasyoucan：I’llfollowinawhile。’
Mykneestrembledunderme；mybrainswamround：Iwasreadytofaint。Shemustnotseemethus。Ishrunkamongthebushes，andleantagainstthetrunkofatreetoletherpass。
`Ah，Huntingdon！’saidshereproachfully，pausingwhereIhadstoodwithhimthenightbefore——`itwashereyoukissedthatwoman！’
Shelookedbackintotheleafyshade。Advancingthence，heanswered，withacarelesslaugh——
`Well，dearest，Icouldn’thelpit。YouknowImustkeepstraightwithheraslongasIcan。Haven’tIseenyoukissyourdoltofahusband，scoresoftimes？——anddoIevercomplain？’
`Buttellme，don’tyouloveherstillslittle？’saidsheplacingherhandonhisarmandlookingearnestlyinhisface——forIcouldseethemplainly，themoonshiningfulluponthemfrombetweenthebranchesofthetreethatshelteredme。
`Notonebit，byallthat’ssacred！’hereplied，kissingherglowingcheek。
`GoodHeavens，Imustbegone！’criedshe，suddenlybreakingfromhim，andawaysheflew。
Therehestoodbeforeme；butIhadnotstrengthtoconfronthimnow；mytonguecleavedtotheroofofmymouth，*Iwaswellnighsinkingtotheearth，andIalmostwonderedhedidnothearthebeatingofmyheartabovethelowsighingofthewind，andthefitfulrustleofthefallingleaves。Mysensesseemedtofailme，butstillIsawhisshadowyformpassbeforeme，andthroughtherushingsoundinmyears，Idistinctlyheardhimsay，ashestoodlookingupthelawn——
`Theregoesthefool！RunAnnabella，run！There——inwithyou！
Ah，hedidn’tsee！That’srightGrimsby，keephimback！’Andevenhislowlaughreachedmeashewalkedaway。
`Godhelpmenow！’Imurmured，sinkingonmykneesamongthedampweedsandbrushwoodthatsurroundedme，andlookingupatthemoonlitsky，throughthescantfoliageabove。Itseemedalldimandquiveringnowtomydarkenedsight。Myburning，burstingheartstrovetopourforthitsagonytoGod，butcouldnotframeitsanguishintoprayer；untilagustofwindsweptoverme，which，whileitscatteredthedeadleaves，likeblightedhopes，around，cooledmyforehead，andseemedalittletorevivemysinkingframe。Then，whileIliftedupmysoulinspeechless，earnestsupplication，someheavenlyinfluenceseemedtostrengthenmewithin：*
Ibreathedmorefreely；myvisioncleared；Isawdistinctlythepuremoonshiningon，andthelightcloudsskimmingtheclear，darksky；andthen，Isawtheeternalstarstwinklingdownuponme；IknewtheirGodwasmine，andHewasstrongtosaveandswifttohear。`Iwillneverleavethee，norforsakethee，’seemedwhisperedfromabovetheirmyriadorbs。No，no；
IfeltHewouldnotleavemecomfortless：*inspiteofearthandhellI
shouldhavestrengthforallmytrials，andwinagloriousrestatlast！
Refreshed，invigoratedifnotcomposed，Iroseandreturnedtothehouse。Muchofmynewbornstrengthandcourageforsookme，Iconfess，asIenteredit，andshutoutthefreshwindandtheglorioussky：everythingIsawandheardseemedtosickenmyheart——thehall，thelamp，thestaircase，thedoorsofthedifferentapartments，thesocialsoundoftalkandlaughterfromthedrawing-room。HowcouldIbearmyfuturelife？Inthishouse，amongthosepeople——oh，howcouldIenduretolive！Johnjustthenenteredthehall，andseeingme，toldmehehadbeensentinsearchofme，addingthathehadtakeninthetea，andmasterwishedtoknowifIwerecoming。
`AskMrs。Hattersleytobesokindastomakethetea，John，’
saidI。`SayIamnotwellto-night，andwishtobeexcused。’
Iretiredintothelarge，emptydining-room，whereallwassilenceanddarkness，butforthesoftsighingofthewindwithout，andthefaintgleamofmoonlightthatpiercedtheblindsandcurtains；andthereIwalkedrapidlyupanddown，thinkingmybitterthoughtsalone。Howdifferentwasthisfromtheeveningofyesterday！Thatitseems，wasthelastexpiringflashofmylife’shappiness。Poor，blindedfoolthatIwas，tobesohappy！IcouldnowseethereasonofArthur’sstrangereceptionofmeintheshrubbery：theburstofkindnesswasforhisparamour，thestartofhorrorforhiswife。Now，too，IcouldbetterunderstandtheconversationbetweenHattersleyandGrimsby：itwasdoubtlessofhisloveforhertheyspoke，notforme。
Iheardthedrawing-roomdooropen：alightquickstepcameoutoftheante-room，crossedthehall，andascendedthestairs。ItwasMilicent，poorMilicent，gonetoseehowIwas——nooneelsecaredforme；butshestillwaskind。Ihadshednotearsbefore，butnowtheycame——fastandfree。Thusshedidmegood，withoutapproachingme。Disappointedinhersearch，Iheardhercomedown——moreslowlythanshehadascended。Wouldshecomeinthere，andfindmeout？No；sheturnedintheoppositedirectionandre-enteredthedrawing-room。Iwasglad，forIknewnothowtomeether，orwhattosay。Iwantednoconfidantinmydistress。Ideservednone——andIwantednone。Ihadtakentheburdenuponmyself：letmebearitalone。
Astheusualhourofretirementapproached，Idriedmyeyes，andtriedtoclearmyvoiceandcalmmymind。ImustseeArthurto-night，andspeaktohim；butIwoulddoitcalmly：thereshouldbenoscene——nothingtocomplainortoboastoftohiscompanions——nothingtolaughatwithhisladylove。Whenthecompanywereretiringtotheirchambers，Igentlyopenedthedoor，andjustashepassed，Ibeckonedhimin。
`What’stodowithyou，Helen？’saidhe。`Whycouldn’tyoucometomaketeaforus？andwhatthedeuceareyouherefor，inthedark？Whatailsyou，youngwoman——youlooklikeaghost？’hecontinued，surveyingmebythelightofhiscandle。
