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she would murmur to herself： 〃It might be better to tell Jenny to go to Bartletts。 After all； it's quicker that way； and she'll be able to tell the boy to bring the things back。 She needn't wait。 All the same she's stupid； she'll make a muddle of it as likely as not。 And Womball's boy is livelier than Bartletts'。 That's something after all。 But if she goes out at two…thirty she'll never be back by fourunless she went by Smith's lane of courseshe might do that 。 。 。 Oh； dear； these stairs are a trial 。 。 。 yes； she might do that； and then she'd only be an hour altogether。 I'll suggest that 。 。 。〃
Her murmur was a cheerful monotonous sound accompanying her as she went。 She would stop and rub the side of her nose with her thumb； considering。 In the house； when there was no fear of callers； she wore large loose slippers that tap…tapped as she went。 In the evenings she sat in Paul's study all amongst the Cornhills； The Temple Bars； and The Bible Concordances。 They were very cosy and happy； and she talked incessantly。 For some reason she did not dare to ask him whether he were not happier now that Maggie was away。 She did not dare。 There was not the complete confidence that there had been。 Paul was strange a little； bewitched by Maggie's strangeness 。 。 。 There was something there that Grace did not understand。 So she said nothing； but she tried to convey to him； in the peculiar warmth of her good…night kiss； what she felt。
Then Maggie returned。 She came back in her black clothes and with her pale face。 Her aunt had died。 She was more alone even than before。 She was very quiet； and agreed to everything that Grace said。 Nevertheless； although she agreed； she was more antagonistic than she had been。 She had now something that intensely preoccupied her。 Grace could see that she was always thinking about something that had nothing to do with Skeaton or Paul or the house。 She was more absent…minded than ever； forgot everything； liked best to sit in her bedroom all alone。
〃Oh； she's mad！〃 said Grace。 〃She's really mad！ Just fancy if she should go right off her head！〃 Grace was now so desperately frightened that she lay awake at night； sweating； listening to every sound。 〃If she should come and murder me one night；〃 she thought。 Another thought she had was： 〃It's just as though she sees some one all the time who isn't there。〃
Then came 13th March； that dreadful day that would be never forgotten by Grace so long as she lived。 During the whole of the past week Skeaton had been delivered up to a tempest of wind and rain。 The High Street； emptied of human beings； had glittered and swayed under the sweeping storm。 The Skeaton sea； possessing suddenly a life of its own； had stormed upon the Skeaton promenade； and worried and lashed and soaked that hideous structure to within an inch of its unnatural life。 Behind the town the woods had swayed and creaked； funeral black against the grey thick sky。 Across the folds the rain fell in slanting sheets with the sibilant hiss of relentless power and resolve。
After luncheon； on this day the 13th； Maggie disappeared into the upper part of the house and Grace settled down on the drawing…room sofa to a nice little nap。 She fell asleep to the comforting patter of rain upon the windows and the howling of the storm down the chimney。 She dreamt； as she often did； about food。
She was awakened； with a sudden start； by a sense of apprehension。 This happened to her now so often that there was nothing strange in it； but she jumped up； with beating heart； from the sofa； crying out： 〃What's happened？ What's the matter？〃
She realised that the room had grown darker since she fell asleep； and although it was early still there was a sort of grey twilight that stood out against a deeper dusk in the garden beyond。
〃What is it？〃 she said again； and then saw that Jenny； the maid； was standing in the doorway。
〃Well； Jenny？〃 she asked； trying to recover some of her dignity。
〃It's a man； mum；〃 said the little girl。 （Grace had got her cheap from an orphanage。） 〃A gentleman； mum。 He's asking for Mrs。 Trenchard。 'E give me 'is card。 Oh； mum； 'e is wet too！〃
She had scarcely finished； and Grace had only taken the card； when Mathew Cardinal came forward out of the hall。 He was a dim and mysterious figure in that half…light； but Grace could see that he was more battered and shabby than on his last visit。 His coat collar was turned up。 She could only very vaguely see his face； but it seemed to her strangely white when before it had been so grossly red。
She was struck by his immobility。 Partly perhaps because she had been roused from sleep and was yet neither clear nor resolved； he seemed to her some nightmare figure。 This was the man who was responsible for all the trouble and scandal； this was the man who threatened to drive Paul and herself from her home； this was the blackguard who had not known how to behave in decent society。 But behind that was the terror of the mystery that enveloped Maggiethe girl's uncle； the man who had shared in her strange earlier life； and made her what she now was。 As he stood there； motionless； silent； the water dripping from his clothes； Grace was as frightened as though he had already offered her personal violence or held a pistol to her head。
〃What do you want？〃 she asked hoarsely； stepping back to the sofa。 Jenny had left the room。
〃I want to see my niece；〃 he answered； still without moving。 She recognised then； strangely； in his voice a terror akin to her own。 He also was afraid of something。 Of what？ It was not that his voice shook or that his tongue faltered。 But he was terrified 。 。 。 She could feel his heart thumping behind the words。
〃I'm sorry；〃 she said。 〃You can't see her。 She's upstairs resting。〃
She did not know whence the resolution had come that he was not； in any case； to see Maggie； she did not know what catastrophe she anticipated from their meeting。 She was simply resolved； as though acting under the blind orders of some other power； that Maggie should not see him and that he should leave the house at once。
〃I must see her；〃 he said； and the desperate urgency in his voice would have touched any one less terrified than Grace。 〃I must。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 she answered。 The fear in his voice seemed now to give her superiority over him。 〃It's impossible。〃
〃Oh no；〃 he said。 〃If she's here it can't be impossible。 She'd want to see me。 We have things 。 。 。 I must 。 。 。 You don't understand； Miss Trenchard。〃
〃I only know；〃 said Grace； 〃that after what occurred on your last visit here； Mr。 Cardinal； Maggie said that she would never see you again。〃
〃That's a lie！〃 he said。
She made no answer。 Then at last he said pitifully：
〃She didn't really say that； did she？〃
〃Yes。 I'm sorry。 But you can understand after what occurred〃
He came suddenly forward； the water trickling from him on to the carpet。
〃You swear that's true？〃
She could see now his face and realised that he was； indeed； desperatebreathless as though he had been running from some one。
〃Yes； that's true；〃 she answered。
〃Maggie said that。〃
〃Those were Maggie's words。〃
〃Oh； well； I'm done 。 。 。〃 He turned away from her as though her announcement had settle