dandmywifewalkedout.
“Iwasstruckdumbwithastonishmentatthesightofherbutmyemotionswerenothingtothosewhichshowedthemselvesuponherfacewhenoureyesmet.Sheseemedforaninstanttowishtoshrinkbackinsidethehouseagainandthen,seeinghowuselessallconcealmentmustbe,shecameforward,withaverywhitefaceandfrightenedeyeswhichbeliedthesmileuponherlips.
“‘Ah,Jack,’shesaid,‘IhavejustbeenintoseeifIcanbeofanyassistancetoournewneighbours.Whydoyoulookatmelikethat,Jack?Youarenotangrywithme?’
“‘So,’saidI,‘thisiswhereyouwentduringthenight.’
“‘Whatdoyoumean?’shecried.
“‘Youcamehere.Iamsureofit.Whoarethesepeople,thatyoushouldvisitthematsuchanhour?’
“‘Ihavenotbeenherebefore.’
“‘Howcanyoutellmewhatyouknowisfalse?’Icried.‘Yourveryvoicechangesasyouspeak.WhenhaveIeverhadasecretfromyou?Ishallenterthatcottage,andIshallprobethemattertothebottom.’
“‘No,no,Jack,forGod’ssake!’shegasped,inuncontrollableemotion.Then,asIapproachedthedoor,sheseizedmysleeveandpulledmebackwithconvulsivestrength.
“‘Iimploreyounottodothis,Jack,’shecried.‘IswearthatIwilltellyoueverythingsomeday,butnothingbutmiserycancomeofitifyouenterthatcottage.’Then,asItriedtoshakeheroff,sheclungtomeinafrenzyofentreaty.
“‘Trustme,Jack!’shecried.‘Trustmeonlythisonce.Youwillneverhavecausetoregretit.YouknowthatIwouldnothaveasecretfromyouifitwerenotforyourownsake.Ourwholelivesareatstakeinthis.Ifyoucomehomewithme,allwillbewell.Ifyouforceyourwayintothatcottage,allisoverbetweenus.’
“Therewassuchearnestness,suchdespair,inhermannerthatherwordsarrestedme,andIstoodirresolutebeforethedoor.
“‘Iwilltrustyouononecondition,andononeconditiononly,’saidIatlast.‘Itisthatthismysterycomestoanendfromnow.Youareatlibertytopreserveyoursecret,butyoumustpromisemethatthereshallbenomorenightlyvisits,nomoredoingswhicharekeptfrommyknowledge.Iamwillingtoforgetthosewhicharepassedifyouwillpromisethatthereshallbenomoreinthefuture.’
“‘Iwassurethatyouwouldtrustme,’shecried,withagreatsighofrelief.‘Itshallbejustasyouwish.Comeaway—oh,comeawayuptothehouse.’
“Stillpullingatmysleeve,sheledmeawayfromthecottage.AswewentIglancedback,andtherewasthatyellowlividfacewatchingusoutoftheupperwindow.Whatlinkcouldtherebebetweenthatcreatureandmywife?Orhowcouldthecoarse,roughwomanwhomIhadseenthedaybeforebeconnectedwithher?Itwasastrangepuzzle,andyetIknewthatmymindcouldneverknoweaseagainuntilIhadsolvedit.
“FortwodaysafterthisIstayedathome,andmywifeappearedtoabideloyallybyourengagement,for,asfarasIknow,sheneverstirredoutofthehouse.Onthethirdday,however,Ihadampleevidencethathersolemnpromisewasnotenoughtoholdherbackfromthissecretinfluencewhichdrewherawayfromherhusbandandherduty.
“Ihadgoneintotownonthatday,butIreturnedbythe2.40insteadofthe3.36,whichismyusualtrain.AsIenteredthehousethemaidranintothehallwithastartledface.
“‘Whereisyourmistress?’Iasked.
“‘Ithinkthatshehasgoneoutforawalk,’sheanswered.
“Mymindwasinstantlyfilledwithsuspicion.Irushedupstairstomakesurethatshewasnotinthehouse.AsIdidsoIhappenedtoglanceoutofoneoftheupperwindows,andsawthemaidwithwhomIhadjustbeenspeakingrunningacrossthefieldinthedirectionofthecottage.ThenofcourseIsawexactlywhatitallmeant.Mywifehadgoneoverthere,andhadaskedtheservanttocallherifIshouldreturn.Tinglingwith