Gentleman  first. Mr Lilly and Maud stood at to

    see ched from her window. She shook his

    O rap took o the

    station at Marlo put back, his

    face our way, his eyes now on hers, now on mine.

    t.

    of sign.  need to. . o travel train, t. e o keep to Mauds parlour till midnigo meet us at truck the half.

    t day passed just like all t to o do, and I  slo ime, of course, I  for ake. e sat at lunco t ime we

    , yet t s came togetarted apart, as if stung; but if, like me, s kno look at ood still, like a statue. Only no at able ones. I , I t, to look. ting. It made mine sting, too.

    t to  to mine. Doairs in tchen, everyone was gloomy.

    Dont seem they said.

    Mrs Cakebreads face  let a spoon drop, s arted our dinners t out crying at table, and o run from tc from his chin.

    ook it very  set on going to London as Mr Riverss man.

    You get back anding up, his powder flying. Boy your age, fellow like him, Id be ashamed!

    But C come back, not for Mr ay nor anyone. aking Gentleman s, poliss, bruss. No house in England.

    on tairs and , and   ters. Mr ay  and gave ing. e  against Charless backside, and yelps.

    t put rate it in silence, and ilt, I did not go iles to try to take my pudding. I said I  did. Mrs Stiles looked me over, then looked away.

    your h in London.

    But it o me, w s. I s see , or Mrs Cakebread—ever again.

    I said Good-nig upstairs. Maud, of course, ill il s ogets and pieces o be taken. It  uff dress I left be  in more t it at ttom of my trunk. I left t, too. e could only take bags. Maud  te. tters so bold even I could read thers name, which was like hers.

    I lined tig one, o save tumbling about and gro in one of e kid glove, tons of pearl. S once and supposed it lost. I meant to keep it, to remind me of her.

    I t my  wo.

    ting  onight!

    I   and take a little, t a  and rubbed at t, greered. ed, I stepped from her.

    tly, .

    S y stuff.  s, I finis  through me like a flame.

    No c out   leave off the cage.

    For t it,  dress at last became a long one, and shan ever. She

    out boots to ouchem, and shook her head.

    Youve done everyt of it all. I s,  you.

    Seful and sad. God knotling do up. t nine. She said,

    til he comes.

    S in t I hree weeks.

    e put t in ood at  see t  t of ter lying beyond it, cool and ready, ing like us. e stood for an  notimes s s cold. At last ting began to tell even on me, and I began to fidget. I t I mig  I mig out  ; but I  to  took out all tigrap on a buckle, it broke. t  peris a needle, and serap tig, itc my mouto to bite it, and tasted salt.

    the opening of Mauds door.

    My  gave a jump. I put t of sigood and listened. No sound at all. I  to to tains  t in; but ty, Maud was gone.

    S tiptoed to it and squinted into t tickings of the opening

    and sting of anot I couldnt be sure. I called once, in a , straining my ears, looking  teps into tening again. I put my ogetig I o be , rat it like o go  te  a reason or a word?

    ruck  eleven I called again, and took anoteps along t t caug tripped. S a candle, s so  it range to me. I didnt dare er ook a urning in t never make my  again.

    So I only ed, counting tes. I  back to t out tood at t c t, ter leman, coming closer as I c?

    At last, o a latruck tood and trembled at eacing of t one sounded, and left an ec, ts it.—And, as I t it, I  ts—s ts.

    Forgive me, Sue! s to my uncles library. I ed to see it, a final time. But I couldnt go until I knew he was asleep.

    Sured  and silent, alone among t,  be quick. Come here, come on.

    I gave ened up mine. S  all seeto cter. I gave est bag. tood before  a finger to h.

    Noeady, I said.

    All my nervousness  me, and I  of my mothe dark and sleeping houses she

    must olen   like wine.

    e  by ts stairs. I eps t particularly creaked; no tart of to tco Mrs Stiless pantry, I made op and  and listen. S ; but t, and no sounds from any, t softened our ss  rustle and swish.

    to t t in it: I dre out before I turned it, and put a little beef fat to t; and t more fat to ts t fastened t ttom and top. I  t from Mrs Cakebreads cupboard. t  tounded sort of look. I said softly,

    t would be hard.

    t isfaction of t t , t my so t tigo its frame: after t, turned smoots slid in tle as babies.

    tside,  great black seful for t to t , going quickly and softly from one to anot across a corner of lao trees beyond. So run. Only once I felt ate, and turned and found  t seemed   a smile. ts in tc, like a  and for almost a minute, then pulled her hand.

    No come, I said.

    Surned  look again. e o t, along a damp and tangled pat at tures leapt in t  trample t o t t brig me and took out  us t, te fast at our backs.

    No of ttle freer. e set doood still in truck ts. t er, tleman. e ened, and  t all tars t . More stars tural. t Maud. S  o ook my ook it, not to be led by me, not to be comforted; only to , because it was mine.

    In tar moved, and urned to c.

    ts luck, I said.

    truck.  t air made it s  t rose anotler sound—epped apart—it er against  t. I sater coins of moonlig a silence. t glided toleman .  see us,  see us; but it  me wepped forward

    first, it iffly to ters edge, took t tugging of t, until t eady.

    I dont remember if Gentleman spoke. I dont believe  me, except, once  landing-place, to give me ten planks. I t all in silence. I kno s bulged as —for, ook up to turn us, er filling all t Maud sat steady. I saleman looking ill no-one spoke,  all in a moment, and t moved quick. tream e, trees instead. Maud sat  looking.

    e  very carefully. t ill. Gentleman kept t as close as o trees . But t, to c near to t up and dark. Once, opped t us glide in silence; but still no-one o look. ter t, ts. t, tlemans e of his cheek above his whisker.

    e did not keep upon t a spot upon t. tarted from.  a . er, sat Maud upon trapped her bags beside her. he said,

    e must go anot ans be brave. e are very close now.

    t me and nodded. e started off—iff upon it, me  no-one. Again I looked at tars. You never saars so brig he sky was never so dark and so clear.

    ts  of the road.

    e  rat be s and made sick. S last to t tages, and a great dark carted barking. Gentleman kicked it and made it yelp. o ttage t  t, and tern. ting. t t stretco get a good look at Maud. Sleman a curtsey. tever you call y ed shaving. he said,

    Good-nigo you. Good-nigo you, miss. And , for an escapade!

    Gentleman said only, Is everyt o Maud, to  epped ao me, but stood alone. till studied udying ,  s of fear. Perleman , o age, if it came to a c to seem t  miscarried, later.

    I , I t, for five hundred more.

    I t t, even as I stood c

    Maud and ing ; even as I ed myself, for t. ther bow.

    Alls ready indeed, sir, tle matter of— In ligances—

    Yes, yes, said Gentleman. ook t -book. tossed its  from one of ttages a boy o lead it a to me, and it was me ouco. Of course,  seen  e a lady; and sood in suc she maid.

    S see it. S  under ogeto cume? So visit  once?

    ell do it at once, said Gentleman, before anyone else could anstle  ood very stiff. I  to  tled ter folds; and t look at me.  tens, miss.—For I kne, beneate kid gloves. I said, You ter go to your tens.

    S me draood and crossed o me, No flo Gentleman. he shrugged.

    S anshe absence of a flower. Now, sir, if you will—

    I said, You mig least get  one floo church!

    I  t of it until t; but now—ohe

    cruelty of taking  a bloom, to be  once a frig bear it. My voice came out sounding almost leman gazed at me and frourned o me and said slowly,

    I s oo.

    it seemed to grotle stranger. Gentleman let out o look about  of   of t. e stood in a muddy kind of green, o the woman,

    you not take?  you a flo? S a minute, tepped nimbly back into tage; and  last alks t looked ready to snap.

    It ood and gazed at it, and no-one . took talks and divided to me, but keeping t for leman lit up a cigarette and took t, t a stayed gloo took up tern, and led us te and along a patilting gravestones t tleman, and o be nesses. her name was Mrs Cream.

    Come far? she said.

    I did not answer.

    t and, even , looked quite black. Inside it e urned to yello, about tar and t t try to sit, but  straigo tar, and tood

    before us  tood and  tcanding at Gentlemans side, igo ouco me t only to ruin her.

    S to be married, and h. And soon no-one would love her, ever again.

    I saleman look at  to t of t asked if anybody to w be married; and ill.

    I hing.

    So t on, looking at Maud and at Gentleman, asking t, on t to give up all ts of ts; and ter give t.

    Again there was a silence.

    So turned to Gentleman. ill you,  of it—ill you have her and honour her, for as long as you live?

    I leman.

    tated, then spoke.

    I will, she said.

    tleman stood a little easier. tretc from c.

    o be married? he said.

    I kept quite still, till Gentleman turned to me; and tured  and stood at Mauds side, and t take  to to put it into Gentlemans. I , t anyt

    iff and cold as fingers made of leman o ook  seemed to rise like smoke into to vanish.

    tleman broug, and ook  time repeating t  seemed gold in t, but—I sa later—it was bad.

    It  hen raised his hands and closed his eyes.

    t God oget no man put in sunder.

    And t .

    they were married.

    Gentleman kissed ood and swayed, as if dazed. Mrs Cream said in a murmur,

    S knoer— plum feller like him. heh heh.

    I did not turn to  ar to t ter. leman e o be Mrs Rivers—e  ours beneatleman o e Smit still, I e it clumsily and tered—pers. I sa things should swoop.

    Gentleman took , and t  off.  fast, and as ook —o snuff  like a ligook us to her

    cottage. Sern, and  of tilting stairs too narros, and to a landing, about as big as a cupboard,  for a moment and t laid upon tern and was singed.

    to ttle bedrooms of t ratress on a pallet on tleman and Maud. S into it, and stood  not.  to took , one by one, and put t cleman stood range. It icoat but noake out Mauds sockings,  afraid. he said,

    ell, I ste doairs. Sue, youll make table up here?

    I did not anss sounding loud as taircase trembling. I side triking a match.

    I looked at Maud. Sill alks of y. Sook a step towards me and said quickly,

    If I s to you later, will you come?

    I took t t; It e.

    S

    still . Sen to me, I mean it. Never mind o you, say youll come. Ill give you money for it.

    range.  gripped me  of hing was awful. I said,

    er  take your drops and they will make you sleep.

    Sleep? s  to sleep, on my ?

    Sood at o undress aken  I turned and said, quietly,

    You ter use t. You ter wash your legs, before he comes.

    I t c er. to stand at, and o to able, no box, no portrait, no lig out her hand as if blind.

    ts and pulled t . Against te of t I kne it alking toget light showed.

    I looked at Maud. S my gaze.  gleamed like glass. ill you look aill? surn my urned back. I could not , t errible to see. Gentleman talked on. Some breeze got into till shen she spoke again.

    Come here, she said.

    I s again. I s t to  softly to ed o  mout ears; and I could not  kiss  my , no, and noer, running, from t of her lips.

    But t oo  hers; and she seized my hand

    and took it, first to o hey burned.

    t feeling urned to somet you do it? sly, reacer me. Didnt you do it before, for t? Cant you leave me to ouco ter?—Dont go! S, before. You said I dreamed you. Im not dreaming no Briar again!

    ood, clasping and unclasping my  s s cry out, loud enougleman or Mrs Cream to  I had kissed her.

    o  be different. You are a —

    I fell silent. Sed  aken up and moved. Gentlemans boots came loud again upon tairs. I ep, tate at to knock at Briar. At last  o tch, and came in.

    Are you ready? he said.

    t in  say anoto o  look at  to my otress; and all I ime I , tle creatures trah my cheek.

    In tleman came to my room. sleeves.

    Ss you, to dress her, he said.

    ook  doairs. Maud  up a tray, e upon it. te  touc very still, in t once   dark about ttered. S me, as s everyte of eggs, to place over , odd, distant kind of gaze; and ened, and ed, tion, and t of  making tly surprising and strange.

    I dressed  again beside t  at t, tly lifted, as if even to let t against t stuff of  migo  them.

    S a tilt. I t s be listening for t Briar. But sioned  all.

    I took  and emptied it, in t t of tairs Mrs Cream came to me. S over her arm. She said,

    Mr Rivers says the bed needs changing.

    So  gaze at o let ten about t. I  sloairs and ssey, t to ts. ts of dark blood t ood and looked at t my eye—as muco say, ell, I s . Quite a little love-matcer all! Maud sat gazing out of tairs came tlemans knife on e. Mrs Cream raised t, to see if ttress underneat , and t pleased her.

    I , to tsey, and seen Mauds queer, soft gaze.

    took it hard, have she? she whispered. Maybe missing her ma?

    I said not first. t, and o ter, I t drearily, to make it ood on ttle landing ly,

    t. trouble, up es on  bear gossip— o t place, ry air will calm her.

    Calm  likely to break out—turn t the place afire?

    No, no, I said. Soo much in her head.

    Poor lady, said Mrs Cream. But I could see  bargained on  a tray up t Maud and set it do bitten.

    S like me, said Maud, after s times; and I s like you?  an idea!  like you?

    I cant say, sly, looking do her hands.

    Later Gentleman , too; and t me on my os good,  to—very good. t ime to call in tor.

    a  t ay a day; but on t her and said,

    quite  to stay a little longer, until your strengto you.

    Stay longer? s cant o your house in London?

    I really t well enough.

    Not , I am quite  only ask Sue. Sue,  you tell Mr Rivers how well I am?

    S and s a day or tleman. Until you are rested. Until you are calm. Pero keep more to the bed—?

    So o  made  tears at my  to see you like t it  to you, of course I sake you to London at once—I s? But do you look at yourself noill tell me you are well?

    I dont knorange here. Im afraid, Richard—

    And  it be stranger, in London? And s you be frigs so loud and croable—

    Mrs Cream es me.

    es you? Oo t; and Sue s you, Sue? I  ansoo, tleman took her head in his hands and kissed her brow.

    t us . ell stay anotil t paleness is driven from your c again!

    day. On tern o mean to disappoint o make , , and said he loved her.

    After t, s ask o stay tayed dull. Gentleman told Mrs Cream to make  she

    broug made t none of it. I ate it instead—since somebody must. I ate it, and s beside t, turning tretcrand of h.

    let me  in travelled from Briar in, t  t gown—a silk one—so me. She said,

    , . You ter , t it lie in the press.

    Our fingers toucepped apart. Sried to kiss me, after t first night.

    I took t o pass tting letting out t; and so like to c. , and put it on and stood before range. s off your eyes and  e ty—arent you? And I am plain—dont you think?

    I  tle looking-glass from Mrs Cream. S it up in rembling  before our faces. I remembered time sers; and o stand before leman. No! I sa, in te slyness of o see  it meant   her.

    I could old   her anyway.

    No kno  I did it all in a trance, s and feeling—I , as sleman, to do ice, seemed troubled on . o

    kiss or bully tle ime  in Mrs Creams parlour, ligtes—to mix , t, ts on t  tir at Briar, no-one knee and at a fence at ttle, in t tc in to stretctes, but co ep, as if  bear the feel of our gazes on his back.

    t nigling mattress.

    I so do it to   ened   t  like o do, now  h.

    And every morning, o  before; and  my eye less, and plucked at his whiskers, his swagger all gone.

    least knehe bloody villain.

    At last  for tor to come.

    I ing tter in Mrs Creams parlour. tor o t ty.  in on Gentlemans plot. Gentleman  o cut th him.

    Besides, tory oo sound. And to back it. Maud he

    leman, and  t been married an arted to turn queer.

    I tor  one did, lemans story, and seeing Maud, and me, as hen.

    or, ant. You need tors o put a lady aters and, on its back, spikes. t to take Maud, t t time; only to study aking came later.

    Gentleman told o care. S me le neater, and tidy  t to are, and begin to breattle quicker—and I ors got doleman  quickly out to talk  toget our window.

    tleman came back, and left ting. airs. ogether and smiling. he said,

    ell, ie, come doo visit from London. You remember, Maud, I spoke to you of t believe t me really married! to see themselves.

    Still  look at him.

    S, dear, o you? I  th Mrs Cream.

    I could alking in loions t ansleman ed for Maud to speak and, w me. he said,

    Sue, ?

    ure er us, blinking. I  o t my back.

    I tly, whey

    go to c keeps oo calm,  her.

    I said, Dont let t her.

    laugo keep tics safe. ts if t   too, and a scandal  to look at alk to o talk to you. Youll know o answer, of course.

    I made a face. ill I? I said.

    make game of me, Sue. Not noo say?

    I sill sulky. I think so.

    Good girl. I s to you.

    o put  and stepped a to my little room, and ed. tors came after a moment. Gentleman came ood before it, his eyes on my face.

    tall men, like out. ts and elastic boots.  cseyed.

    Aor quietly,  questions? e are friends of Mr Riverss, and very curious to  his marriage, and his new wife.

    Yes, I said. You mean, my mistress.

    Aress. Now, refresh my memory. ho is she?

    Mrs Rivers, I said. t was Miss Lilly.

    Mrs Rivers, t was Miss Lilly. Ah.

    doctor—Dr Graves—took out a pencil and a book. t one  on:

    Your mistress. And you are—?

    her maid, sir.

    Of course. And w is your name?

    Dr Graves o e. Gentleman caugh, sir, I said.

    Dr Cie looked at me o ate,  is your name, you are quite sure?

    I should say I know my own name! I said.

    Of course.

    still beat . o grow kind. he said,

    ell, Miss Smitell us now, ress . . .?

    It ime, at Lant Street, leman and  me ter. I told t Lady Alice of Mayfair, and Gentlemans old nurse, and my dead mot Maud. I said so like Mr Rivers but noer , she was grown very sad and careless of herself, and made me afraid.

    Dr Graves e it all down. Dr Cie said,

    Afraid. Do you mean, for your own sake?

    I said, Not for mine, sir. For  harm herself, she is so miserable.

    I see, ress. You ell me t care do you tress ougo  er?

    I said, I think—

    Yes?

    I wish—

    he nodded. Go on.

    I wiscouc her—

    My  seemed all at once , and my voice ears. Gentleman still he

    doctor took my , close about t, in a familiar way.

    t not be so distressed. Your mistress so , as you!

    ted and smoot it go.  c Gentlemans eye, and nodded. Very good,  just show us—?

    Of course, said Gentleman quickly. Of course. turned to me and all moved off. I c, and  say if it ook a step and called out after them.

    S like eggs, sir! I called. Dr Cie urned. I ed my  it fall. S like eggs, I said more feebly, in any kind of dish.

    It  in a e—or pretended to e— in  care for eggs. Gentleman led to Mauds room. to me.

    Youll keep il theyve seen her? he said.

    I did not ans t, caugors questions; ter a minute or so, came tears.

    t stay  to leman anding be o ened and said,

    Look, Sue, at your mistress. Dont you ttle brighter?

    t,  of ears still in t the rims.

    Are you well, miss? I said.

    Sleman. I tie and Graves, e deligell me, Sue, o flourislemans delight?

    Surned tle  ood  longer, tepped away.

    a fool Ive been, o me. Ive asked Mrs Rivers to grorong, in t place, tness y. Graves and Cie sa, too. to  Cie is giving us to leave tomorroo t?

    Surned o ted o tle blood struggled into e cheeks.

    tomorrow? s?

    omorroo a great  rooms, and good servants in it, t s t for you.

    Next day s  of eggs and meat aside, as usual; but even I could not eat it. I dressed  looking at  of ill, t ained  let me c of it, even for travelling, t would crease.

    I t of  back in t believe t I   was dark.

    I packed  slo , a brus ake to to t everyt  ioned, did I keep to one side; and , neatly, inside t.

    to tilting staircase, and

    sepped out of ttage s tig to  of to feel t air  slapped her.

    I put my fingers over hers.

    God bless you, maam! cried Mrs Cream, caken our  first nigo see us leaving; and one or to stare, and to stand at t t ed out black. t tened our bags upon t teps doleman  my eye.

    Noime for sentiment.

    S and leaned  beside  opposite. to to a safe: , t t.

    ravel? asked Maud.

    he said, An hour.

    It seemed longer t seemed like a life. truck t made t, but t to open—I suppose, so a lunatic s o leap out. At last Gentleman pulled a cord to make t jolting in t and t speaking. In time I began to gro, but could not see if  her hands before her, clasped.

    Gentleman fidgeted,  c imes ook out ime to to peer t

    slo to a stop, and began to turn:  straigigie.

    e are almost there, he said.

    Maud turned o  moved t tart of a green lane, one arc and, beneat, iron gates. A man il   like at Briar, ter. Its windows co see w s back  be I saw a rising kind of knowledge or dread.

    Dont be afraid, said Gentleman.

    t o o me. turn, and stopped. Dr Graves and Dr Cie ing for us,  stout  up t tleman put ie made a bow.

    Good day, h. Mrs Rivers, you remember me of course?

    his hand.

    to me.

    t stillness. I looked at leman leaned and caug at first  to keep me in my seat; tood t rying to press me from it. tor took my ot me to my feet. My s upon teps. I said,

    ait!  are you doing? —?

    Dont struggle, Mrs Rivers, said tor. e are o care for you.

    he woman came forward. I said,

    Its not me you !  are you doing? Mrs Rivers? Im Susan Smitleman! Gentleman, tell them!

    Dr Cie shook his head.

    Still keeping up tion? o Gentleman.

    Gentleman nodded and said notoo uno speak. I urned and took doie ige of reet, Mayfair? Dont you kno. And ing it, t take us a year. No t so, Mrs Rivers! You are spoiling your handsome dress.

    I ruggled against   my sleeve of silk, and at my o  plump and smoot t my feet, s letters of brass—the L.

    It  second t I guessed, at last, trick t Gentleman had played on me.

    I howled.

    You bloody sing again, and pulling towards er! Oh!

    ood in t tilt. tor gripped me ern.

    those in my house, Mrs Rivers, he said.

    You sod, I said to  you see ? It aint me you , its—

    I still pulled, and ill  no o tleman  in bars upon  Maud. s dress. ears starting in t beyond tears, her gaze was hard. hard as marble, hard as brass.

    t lies inside it.

    Dr Cie saw me looking.

    Now, ware? hink?

    I could not speak. Srembling voice, not her own:

    My oress. O is breaking!

    You t  bitc from tart.