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my way through the withy copse to the churchyard； entering it from
the back。 Here I felt my way carefully along till I came to the
nook where pieces of bones from newly…dug graves are sometimes piled
behind the laurel…bushes。 I had been earnestly hoping to find a
skull among these old bones； but though I had frequently seen one or
two in the rubbish here； there was not one now。 I then groped in
the other corner with the same resultnowhere could I find a skull。
Three or four fragments of leg and back…bones were all I could
collect； and with these I was forced to be content。
'Taking them in my hand； I crossed the road； and got round behind
the inn； where the couch heap was still smouldering。 Keeping behind
the hedge； I could see the heads of the three or four men who
watched the spot。
'Standing in this place I took the bones； and threw them one by one
over the hedge and over the men's heads into the smoking embers。
When the bones had all been thrown； I threw the keys； last of all I
threw the watch。
'I then returned home as I had gone； and went to bed once more； just
as the dawn began to break。 I exulted〃Cytherea is mine again！〃
'At breakfast…time I thought； 〃Suppose the cupboard should by some
unlikely chance get moved to…day！〃
'I went to the mason's yard hard by； while the men were at
breakfast； and brought away a shovelful of mortar。 I took it into
the outhouse； again shifted the cupboard； and plastered over the
mouth of the oven behind。 Simply pushing the cupboard back into its
place； I waited for the next night that I might bury the body；
though upon the whole it was in a tolerably safe hiding…place。
'When the night came； my nerves were in some way weaker than they
had been on the previous night。 I felt reluctant to touch the body。
I went to the outhouse； but instead of opening the oven； I firmly
drove in the shoulder…nails that held the cupboard to the wall。 〃I
will bury her to…morrow night； however；〃 I thought。
'But the next night I was still more reluctant to touch her。 And my
reluctance increased； and there the body remained。 The oven was；
after all； never likely to be opened in my time。
'I married Cytherea Graye； and never did a bridegroom leave the
church with a heart more full of love and happiness； and a brain
more fixed on good intentions； than I did on that morning。
'When Cytherea's brother made his appearance at the hotel in
Southampton； bearing his strange evidence of the porter's
disclosure； I was staggered beyond expression。 I thought they had
found the body。 〃Am I to be apprehended and to lose her even now？〃
I mourned。 I saw my error； and instantly saw； too； that I must act
externally like an honourable man。 So at his request I yielded her
up to him； and meditated on several schemes for enabling me to claim
the woman I had a legal right to claim as my wife； without
disclosing the reason why I knew myself to have it。
'I went home to Knapwater the next day； and for nearly a week lived
in a state of indecision。 I could not hit upon a scheme for proving
my wife dead without compromising myself。
'Mr。 Raunham hinted that I should take steps to discover her
whereabouts by advertising。 I had no energy for the farce。 But one
evening I chanced to enter the Rising Sun Inn。 Two notorious
poachers were sitting in the settle； which screened my entrance。
They were half drunktheir conversation was carried on in the
solemn and emphatic tone common to that stage of intoxication； and I
myself was the subject of it。
'The following was the substance of their disjointed remarks： On
the night of the great fire at Carriford； one of them was sent to
meet me； and break the news of the death of my wife to me。 This he
did； but because I would not pay him for his news； he left me in a
mood of vindictiveness。 When the fire was over； he joined his
comrade。 The favourable hour of the night suggested to them the
possibility of some unlawful gain before daylight came。 My
fowlhouse stood in a tempting position； and still resenting his
repulse during the evening； one of them proposed to operate upon my
birds。 I was believed to have gone to the rectory with Mr。 Raunham。
The other was disinclined to go； and the first went off alone。
'It was now about three o'clock。 He had advanced as far as the
shrubbery； which grows near the north wall of the house； when he
fancied he heard； above the rush of the waterfall； noises on the
other side of the building。 He described them in these words；
〃Ghostly mouths talkingthen a fallthen a groanthen the rush of
the water and creak of the engine as before。〃 Only one explanation
occurred to him； the house was haunted。 And； whether those of the
living or the dead； voices of any kind were inimical to one who had
come on such an errand。 He stealthily crept home。
'His unlawful purpose in being behind the house led him to conceal
his adventure。 No suspicion of the truth entered his mind till the
railway…porter had startled everybody by his strange announcement。
Then he asked himself； had the horrifying sounds of that night been
really an enactment in the flesh between me and my wife？
'The words of the other man were：
'〃Why don't he try to find her if she's alive？〃
'〃True；〃 said the first。 〃Well； I don't forget what I heard； and if
she don't turn up alive my mind will be as sure as a Bible upon her
murder； and the parson shall know it； though I do get six months on
the treadmill for being where I was。〃
'〃And if she should turn up alive？〃
'〃Then I shall know that I am wrong； and believing myself a fool as
well as a rogue； hold my tongue。〃
'I glided out of the house in a cold sweat。 The only pressure in
heaven or earth which could have forced me to renounce Cytherea was
now put upon methe dread of a death upon the gallows。
'I sat all that night weaving strategy of various kinds。 The only
effectual remedy for my hazardous standing that I could see was a
simple one。 It was to substitute another woman for my wife before
the suspicions of that one easily…hoodwinked man extended further。
'The only difficulty was to find a practicable substitute。
'The one woman at all available for the purpose was a friendless；
innocent creature； named Anne Seaway； whom I had known in my youth；
and who had for some time been the housekeeper of a lady in London。
On account of this lady's sudden death； Anne stood in rather a
precarious position； as regarded her future subsistence。 She was
not the best kind of woman for the scheme； but there was no
alternative。 One quality of hers was valuable； she was not a
talker。 I went to London the very next day； called at the Hoxton
lodging of my wife （the only place at which she had been known as
Mrs。 Manston）； and found that no great difficulties stood in the way
of a personation。 And thus favouring circumstances determined my
course。 I visited Anne Seaway； made love to her； and propounded my
plan。
。 。 。
'We lived quietly enough until the Sunday before my apprehension。
Anne came home from church that morning； and told me of the
suspicious way in which a yo