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〃Why not；〃 I asked； 〃if we all keep the secret？〃
〃That for the secret！〃 cries Mr。 Dark； snapping his fingers。
〃Your master will let the cat out of the bag； if nobody else
does。〃
〃My master！〃 I repeated； in amazement。
〃Yes； your master！〃 says Mr。 Dark。 〃I have had some experience in
my time； and I say you have not seen the last of him yet。 Mark my
words； William； Mr。 James Smith will come back。〃
With that prophecy； Mr。 Dark fretfully treated himself to a last
pinch of snuff； and departed in dudgeon on his journey back to
his master in London。 His last words hung heavily on my mind for
days after he had gone。 It was some weeks before I got over a
habit of starting whenever the bell was rung at the front door。
CHAPTER IV。
OUR life at the Hall soon returned to its old； dreary course。 The
lawyer in London wrote to my mistress to ask her to come and stay
for a little while with his wife； but she declined the
invitation； being averse to facing company after what had
happened to her。 Though she tried hard to keep the real state of
her mind concealed from all about her； I； for one； could see
plainly enough that she was pining under the bitter injury that
had been inflicted on her。 What effect continued solitude might
have had on her spirits I tremble to think。
Fortunately for herself； it occurred to her； before long； to send
and invite Mr。 Meeke to resume his musical practicing with her at
the Hall。 She told himand； as it seemed to me； with perfect
truththat any implied engagement which he had made with Mr。
James Smith was now canceled； since the person so named had
morally forfeited all his claims as a husband； first； by his
desertion of her； and； secondly； by his criminal marriage with
another woman。 After stating this view of the matter； she left it
to Mr。 Meeke to decide whether the perfectly innocent connection
between them should be resumed or not。 The little parson； after
hesitating and pondering in his helpless way； ended by agreeing
with my mistress； and by coming back once more to the Hall with
his fiddle under his arm。 This renewal of their old habits might
have been imprudent enough； as tending to weaken my mistress's
case in the eyes of the world； but； for all that； it was the most
sensible course she could take for her own sake。 The harmless
company of Mr。 Meeke； and the relief of playing the old tunes
again in the old way； saved her； I verily believe； from sinking
altogether under the oppression of the shocking situation in
which she was now placed。
So； with the assistance of Mr。 Meeke and his fiddle； my mistress
got though the weary time。 The winter passed； the spring came；
and no fresh tidings reached us of Mr。 James Smith。 It had been a
long； hard winter that year； and the spring was backward and
rainy。 The first really fine day we had was the day that fell on
the fourteenth of March。
I am particular in mentioning this date merely because it is
fixed forever in my memory。 As long as there is life in me I
shall remember that fourteenth of March； and the smallest
circumstances connected with it。
The day began ill； with what superstitious people would think a
bad omen。 My mistress remained late in her room in the morning；
amusing herself by looking over her clothes； and by setting to
rights some drawers in her cabinet which she had not opened for
some time past。 Just before luncheon we were startled by hearing
the drawing…room bell rung violently。 I ran up to see what was
the matter； and the quadroon； Josephine； who had heard the bell
in another part of the house； hastened to answer it also。 She got
into the drawing…room first； and I followed close on her heels。
My mistress was standing alone on the hearth…rug； with an
appearance of great discomposure in her face and manner。
〃I have been robbed！〃 she said； vehemently； 〃I don't know when or
how； but I miss a pair of bracelets； three rings； and a quantity
of old…fashioned lace pocket…handkerchiefs。〃
〃If you have any suspicions； ma'am；〃 said Josephine； in a sharp；
sudden way； 〃say who they point at。 My boxes； for one； are quite
at your disposal。〃
〃Who asked about your boxes？〃 said my mistress； angrily。 〃Be a
little less ready with your answer； if you please； the next time
I speak。〃
She then turned to me； and began explaining the circumstances
under which she had discovered her loss。 I suggested that the
missing things should be well searched for first； and then； if
nothing came of that； that I should go for the constable； and
place the matter under his direction。
My mistress agreed to this plan； and the search was undertaken
immediately。 It lasted till dinner…time； and led to no results。 I
then proposed going for the constable。 But my mistress said it
was too late to do anything that day； and told me to wait at
table as usual； and to go on my errand the first thing the next
morning。 Mr。 Meeke was coming with some new music in the evening；
and I suspect she was not willing to be disturbed at her favorite
occupation by the arrival of the constable。
When dinner was over the parson came； and the concert went on as
usual through the evening。 At ten o'clock I took up the tray；
with the wine； and soda…water； and biscuits。 Just as I was
opening one of the bottles of soda…water； there was a sound of
wheels on the drive outside； and a ring at the bell。
I had unfastened the wires of the cork； and could not put the
bottle down to run at once to the door。 One of the female
servants answered it。 I heard a sort of half screamthen the
sound of a footstep that was familiar to me。
My mistress turned round from the piano； and looked me hard in
the face。
〃William；〃 she said； 〃do you know that step？〃 Before I could
answer the door was pushed open； and Mr。 James Smith walked into
the room。
He had his hat on。 His long hair flowed down under it over the
collar of his coat； his bright black eyes； after resting an
instant on my mistress； turned to Mr。 Meeke。 His heavy eyebrows
met together； and one of his hands went up to one of his bushy
black whiskers； and pulled at it angrily。
〃You here again！〃 he said； advancing a few steps toward the
little parson； who sat trembling all over； with his fiddle hugged
up in his arms as if it had been a child。
Seeing her villainous husband advance； my mistress moved； too； so
as to face him。 He turned round on her at the first step she
took； as quick as lightning。
〃You shameless woman！〃 he said。 〃Can you look me in the face in
the presence of that man？〃 He pointed；
as he spoke； to Mr。 Meeke。
My mistress never shrank when he turned upon her。 Not a sign of
fear was in her face when they confronted each other。 Not the
faintest flush of anger came into her cheeks when he spoke。 The
sense of the insult and injury that he had inflicted on her； and
the consciousness of knowing his guilty secret； gave her all her
self…possession at that trying moment。
〃I ask you again；〃 he repeated； finding that she did not answer
him； 〃how dare you look me in the face in the presence of that
man？〃
She raised her steady eyes to his hat； which he still kept on his
head。
〃Who has taught you to come into a room and sp