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recovering the character she had lost by promising to make her
his wife。
She had taken possession； not of his passions only； but of his
faculties as well。 All the mind he had he put into her keeping。
She directed him on every pointeven instructing him how to
break the news of his approaching marriage in the safest manner
to his mother。
〃If you tell her how you met me and who I am at first；〃 said the
cunning woman； 〃she will move heaven and earth to prevent our
marriage。 Say l am the sister of one of your fellow…servantsask
her to see me before you go into any more particularsand leave
it to me to do the rest。 I mean to make her love me next best to
you； Isaac； before she knows anything of who I really am。〃 The
motive of the deceit was sufficient to sanctify it to Isaac。 The
stratagem proposed relieved him of his one great anxiety； and
quieted his uneasy conscience on the subject of his mother。
Still； there was something wanting to perfect his happiness；
something that he could not realize； something mysteriously
untraceable； and yet something that perpetually made itself felt；
not when he was absent from Rebecca Murdoch； but； strange to say；
when he was actually in her presence！ She was kindness itself
with him。 She never made him feel his inferior capacities and
inferior manners。 She showed the sweetest anxiety to please him
in the smallest trifles； but； in spite of all these attractions；
he never could feel quite at his ease with her。 At their first
meeting； there had mingled with his admiration； when he looked in
her face； a faint； involuntary feeling of doubt whether that face
was entirely strange to him。 No after familiarity had the
slightest effect on this inexplicable； wearisome uncertainty。
Concealing the truth as he had been directed； he announced his
marriage engagement precipitately and confusedly to his mother on
the day when he contracted it。 Poor Mrs。 Scatchard showed her
perfect confidence in her son by flinging her arms round his
neck； and giving him joy of having found at last； in the sister
of one of his fellow…servants； a woman to comfort and care for
him after his mother was gone。 She was all eagerness to see the
woman of her son's choice； and the next day was fixed for the
introduction。
It was a bright sunny morning； and the little cottage parlor was
full of light as Mrs。 Scatchard； happy and expectant； dressed for
the occasion in her Sunday gown； sat waiting for her son and her
future daughter…in…law。
Punctual to the appointed time； Isaac hurriedly and nervously led
his promised wife into the room。 His mother rose to receive
heradvanced a few steps； smilinglooked Rebecca full in the
eyes； and suddenly stopped。 Her face； which had been flushed the
moment before； turned white in an instant； her eyes lost their
expression of softness and kindness； and assumed a blank look of
terror； her outstretched hands fell to her sides； and she
staggered back a few steps with a low cry to her son。
〃Isaac；〃 she whispered； clutching him fast by the arm when he
asked alarmedly if she was taken ill； 〃Isaac； does that woman's
face remind you of nothing？〃
Before he could answerbefore he could look round to where
Rebecca stood； astonished and angered by her reception； at the
lower end of the room； his mother pointed impatiently to her
writing…desk； and gave him the key。
〃Open it；〃 she said； in a quick breathless whisper。
〃What does this mean？ Why am I treated as if I had no business
here？ Does your mother want to insult me？〃 asked Rebecca；
angrily。
〃Open it； and give me the paper in the left…hand drawer。 Quick！
quick； for Heaven's sake！〃 said Mrs。 Scatchard； shrinking further
back in terror。
Isaac gave her the paper。 She looked it over eagerly for a
moment； then followed Rebecca； who was now turning away haughtily
to leave the room； and caught her by the shoulderabruptly
raised the long； loose sleeve of her gown； and glanced at her
hand and arm。 Something like fear began to steal over the angry
expression of Rebecca's face as she shook herself free from the
old woman's grasp。 〃Mad！〃 she said to herself； 〃and Isaac never
told me。〃 With these few words she left the room。
Isaac was hastening after her when his mother turned and stopped
his further progress。 It wrung his heart to see the misery and
terror in her face as she looked at him。
〃Light gray eyes；〃 she said； in low； mournful； awe…struck tones；
pointing toward the open door； 〃a droop in the left eyelid；
flaxen hair； with a gold…yellow streak in it； white arms； with a
down upon them； little lady's hand； with a reddish look under the
finger nailsThe Dream… Woman； Isaac； the Dream…Woman！〃
That faint cleaving doubt which he had never been able to shake
off in Rebecca Murdoch's presence was fatally set at rest
forever。 He had seen her face； then； beforeseven years before；
on his birthday； in the bedroom of the lonely inn。
〃Be warned！ oh； my son； be warned！ Isaac； Isaac； let her go； and
do you stop with me！〃
Something darkened the parlor window as those words were said。 A
sudden chill ran through him； and he glanced sidelong at the
shadow。 Rebecca Murdoch had come back。 She was peering in
curiously at them over the low window…blind。
〃I have promised to marry； mother；〃 he said； 〃and marry I must。〃
The tears came into his eyes as he spoke and dimmed his sight；
but he could just discern the fatal face outside moving away
again from the window。
His mother's head sank lower。
〃Are you faint？〃 he whispered。
〃Broken…hearted； Isaac。〃
He stooped down and kissed her。 The shadow； as he did so；
returned to the window； and the fatal face peered in curiously
once more。
CHAPTER IV。
THREE weeks after that day Isaac and Rebecca were man and wife。
All that was hopelessly dogged and stubborn in the man's moral
nature seemed to have closed round his fatal passion； and to have
fixed it unassailably in his heart。
After that first interview in the cottage parlor no consideration
would induce Mrs。 Scatchard to see her son's wife again or even
to talk of her when Isaac tried hard to plead her cause after
their marriage。
This course of conduct was not in any degree occasioned by a
discovery of the degradation in which Rebecca had lived。 There
was no question of that between mother and son。 There was no
question of anything but the fearfully…exact resemblance between
the living； breathing woman and the specter…woman of Isaac's
dream。
Rebecca on her side neither felt nor expressed the slightest
sorrow at the estrangement between herself and her mother…in…law。
Isaac； for the sake of peace； had never contradicted her first
idea that age and long illness had affected Mrs。 Scatchard's
mind。 He even allowed his wife to upbraid him for not having
confessed this to her at the time of their marriage engagement；
rather than risk anything by hinting at the truth。 The sacrifice
of his integrity before his one all…mastering delusion seemed but
a small thing； and cost his conscience but little after the
sacrifices he had already made。
The time of waking from this delusionthe cruel and the rueful
timewas not far off。 After some quiet months of mar