`NowMrs。Huntingdon，’saidHargrave，ashearrangedthemenontheboard，speakingdistinctly，andwithapeculiaremphasisasifhehadadoublemeaningtoallhiswords，`youareagoodplayer，——butIamabetter：weshallhavealonggame，andyouwillgivemesometrouble；butIcanbeaspatientasyou，and，intheend，Ishallcertainlywin。’HefixedhiseyesuponmewithaglanceIdidnotlike——keen，crafty，bold，andalmostimpudent；alreadyhalftriumphantinhisanticipatedsuccess。
　　`Ihopenot，Mr。Hargrave！’returnedI，withavehemencethatmusthavestartledMilicentatleast；butheonlysmiledandmurmured，——
　　`Timewillshew。’
　　Wesettowork；he，sufficientlyinterestedinthegame，butcalmandfearlessintheconsciousnessofsuperiorskill；I，intenselyeagertodisappointhisexpectations，forIconsideredthisthetypeofamoreseriouscontestsIimaginedhedid——andIfeltanalmostsuperstitiousdreadofbeingbeaten：atallevents，Icouldillendurethatpresentsuccessshouldaddonetittletohisconsciouspowerhisinsolentself-confidence，Ioughttosay，orencourage，foramoment，hisdreamoffutureconquest。
　　Hisplaywascautiousanddeep，butIstruggledhardagainsthim。Forsometimethecombatwasdoubtful；atlength，tomyjoy，thevictoryseemedincliningtomyside：Ihadtakenseveralofhisbestpieces，andmanifestlybaffledhisprojects。Heputhishandtohisbrowandpaused，inevidentperplexity。Irejoicedinmyadvantage，butdarednotgloryinityet。
　　Atlength，heliftedhishead，and，quietlymakinghismove，lookedatmeandsaid，calmly，——
　　`Nowyouthinkyouwillwin，don’tyou。’
　　`Ihopeso，’repliedI，takinghispawn，thathehadpushedintothewayofmybishopwithsocarelessanairthatIthoughtitwasanoversight，butwasnotgenerousenough，underthecircumstances，todirecthisattentiontoit，andtooheedless，atthemoment，toforeseetheafterconsequencesofmymove。
　　`Itisthosebishopsthattroubleme，’saidhe；`buttheboldknightcanoverleapthereverendgentleman，’takingmylastbishopwithhisknight；——’andnow，thosesacredpersonsonceremoved，Ishallcarryallbeforeme。
　　`OhWalter，howyoutalk！’criedMilicent——’Shehasfarmorepiecesthanyoustill。’
　　`Iintendtogiveyousometroubleyet，’saidI；`andperhaps，sir，youwillfindyourselfcheckmatedbeforeyouareaware。Looktoyourqueen。’
　　Thecombatdeepened。Thegamewasalongone，andIdidgivehimsometrouble：buthewasabetterplayerthanI。
　　`Whatkeengamestersyouare！’saidMr。Hattersley，whohadnowentered，andbeenwatchingusforsometime。`Why，Mrs。Huntingdon，yourhandtremblesasifyouhadstakedyouralluponit！andWalter——youdog——youlookasdeepandcoolasifyouwerecertainofsuccess，——andaskeenandcruelasifyouwoulddrainherheart’sblood！ButifIwereyou，Iwouldn’tbeather，forveryfear：she’llhateyouifyoudo——hewill，byHeaven！——I
　　seeitinhereye。’
　　`Holdyourtongue，willyou？’saidI——histalkdistractedme，forIwasdriventoextremities。AfewmoremovesandIwasinextricablyentangledinthesnareofmyantagonist。
　　`Check，’——criedhe：Isoughtinagonysomemeansofescape——`mate！’
　　headded，quietlybutwithevidentdelight。Hehadsuspendedtheutteranceofthatlastfatalsyllablethebettertoenjoymydismay。Iwasfoolishlydisconcertedbytheevent。Hattersleylaughed；Milicentwastroubledtoseemesodisturbed。Hargraveplacedhishandonminethatrestedonthetable，andsqueezingitwithafirmbutgentlepressure，murmured`Beaten——beaten！’
　　andgazedintomyfacewithalookwhereexultationwasblendedwithanexpressionofardourandtendernessyetmoreinsulting。
　　`No，never，Mr。Hargrave！’exclaimedI，quicklywithdrawingmyhand。
　　`Doyoudeny？’repliedhe，smilinglypointingtotheboard。
　　`No，no，’Ianswered，recollectinghowstrangemyconductmustappear；`youhavebeatenmeinthatgame。
　　`Willyoutryanother，then？’
　　`No。’
　　`Youacknowledgemysuperiority？’
　　`Yes——asachess-player。’
　　Irosetoresumemywork。
　　`WhereisAnnabella？’saidHargrave，gravely，afterglancingroundtheroom。
　　`GoneoutwithLordLowborough，’answeredI，forhelookedatmeforareply。
　　`Andnotyetreturned！’hesaidseriously。
　　`Isupposenot。’
　　`WhereisHuntingdon？’lookingroundagain。
　　`GoneoutwithGrimsby——asyouknow，’saidHattersleysuppressingalaugh，whichbrokeforthasheconcludedthesentence。
　　Whydidhelaugh？WhydidHargraveconnectthemthustogether？
　　Wasittrue，then？——Andwasthisthedreadfulsecrethehadwishedtorevealtome？Imustknow——andthatquickly。IinstantlyroseandlefttheroomtogoinsearchofRachel，anddemandanexplanationofherwords；butMr。Hargravefollowedmeintotheante-room，andbeforeIcouldopenitsouterdoor，gentlylaidhishanduponthelock。
　　`MayItellyousomething，Mrs。Huntingdon？’saidhe，inasubduedtone，withserious，downcasteyes。
　　`Ifitbeanythingworthhearing，’repliedI，strugglingtobecomposed，forItrembledineverylimb。
　　Hequietlypushedachairtowardsme。Imerelyleantmyhanduponit，andbidhimgoon。
　　`Donotbealarmed，’saidhe：`whatIwishtosayisnothinginitself，andIwillleaveyoutodrawyourowninferencesfromit。YousaythatAnnabellaisnotyetreturned？’
　　`Yes，yes——goon！’saidI，impatiently，forIfearedmyforcedcalmnesswouldleavemebeforetheendofhisdisclosure，whateveritmightbe。
　　`Andyouhear，’continuedhe，`thatHuntingdonisgoneoutwithGrimsby？’
　　`Well？’
　　`Iheardthelattersaytoyourhusband——orthemanwhocallshimselfso——’
　　`Goon，sir！’
　　Hebowedsubmissively，andcontinued，`Iheardhimsay，——“Ishallmanageit，you’llsee！They’regonedownbythewater；Ishallmeetthemthere，andtellhimIwantabitoftalkwithhimaboutsomethingsthatweneedn’ttroubletheladywith；andshe’llsayshecanbewalkingbacktothehouse；andthenIshallapologize，youknow，andallthat，andtipherawinktotakethewayoftheshrubbery。I’llkeephimtalkingthere，aboutthosemattersImentioned，andanythingelseIcanthinkof，aslongasIcan，andthenbringhimroundtheotherway，stoppingtolookatthetrees，thefields，andanythingelseIcanfindtodiscourseof。”’Mr。
　　Hargravepaused，andlookedatme。
　　Withoutawordofcommentorfurtherquestioning，Irose，anddartedfromtheroomandoutofthehouse。Thetormentofsuspensewasnottobeendured：Iwouldnotsuspectmyhusbandfalsely，onthisman’saccusation，andIwouldnottrusthimunworthily——Imustknowthetruthatonce。Iflewtotheshrubbery。ScarcelyhadIreachedit，whenasoundofvoicesarrestedmybreathlessspeed。
　　`Wehavelingeredtoolong；hewillbeback，’saidLadyLowborough’svoice。
　　`Surelynot，dearest！’washisreply，`butyoucanrunacrossthelawn，andgetinasquietlyasyoucan：I’llfollowinawhile。’
　　Mykneestrembledunderme；mybrainswamround：Iwasreadytofaint。Shemustnotseemethus。Ishrunkamongthebushes，andleantagainstthetrunkofatreetoletherpass。
　　`Ah，Huntingdon！’saidshereproachfully，pausingwhereIhadstoodwithhimthenightbefore——`itwashereyoukissedthatwoman！’
　　Shelookedbackintotheleafyshade。Advancingthence，heanswered，withacarelesslaugh——
　　`Well，dearest，Icouldn’thelpit。YouknowImustkeepstraightwithheraslongasIcan。Haven’tIseenyoukissyourdoltofahusband，scoresoftimes？——anddoIevercomplain？’
　　`Buttellme，don’tyouloveherstillslittle？’saidsheplacingherhandonhisarmandlookingearnestlyinhisface——forIcouldseethemplainly，themoonshiningfulluponthemfrombetweenthebranchesofthetreethatshelteredme。
　　`Notonebit，byallthat’ssacred！’hereplied，kissingherglowingcheek。
　　`GoodHeavens，Imustbegone！’criedshe，suddenlybreakingfromhim，andawaysheflew。
　　Therehestoodbeforeme；butIhadnotstrengthtoconfronthimnow；mytonguecleavedtotheroofofmymouth，*Iwaswellnighsinkingtotheearth，andIalmostwonderedhedidnothearthebeatingofmyheartabovethelowsighingofthewind，andthefitfulrustleofthefallingleaves。Mysensesseemedtofailme，butstillIsawhisshadowyformpassbeforeme，andthroughtherushingsoundinmyears，Idistinctlyheardhimsay，ashestoodlookingupthelawn——
　　`Theregoesthefool！RunAnnabella，run！There——inwithyou！
　　Ah，hedidn’tsee！That’srightGrimsby，keephimback！’Andevenhislowlaughreachedmeashewalkedaway。
　　`Godhelpmenow！’Imurmured，sinkingonmykneesamongthedampweedsandbrushwoodthatsurroundedme，andlookingupatthemoonlitsky，throughthescantfoliageabove。Itseemedalldimandquiveringnowtomydarkenedsight。Myburning，burstingheartstrovetopourforthitsagonytoGod，butcouldnotframeitsanguishintoprayer；untilagustofwindsweptoverme，which，whileitscatteredthedeadleaves，likeblightedhopes，around，cooledmyforehead，andseemedalittletorevivemysinkingframe。Then，whileIliftedupmysoulinspeechless，earnestsupplication，someheavenlyinfluenceseemedtostrengthenmewithin：*
　　Ibreathedmorefreely；myvisioncleared；Isawdistinctlythepuremoonshiningon，andthelightcloudsskimmingtheclear，darksky；andthen，Isawtheeternalstarstwinklingdownuponme；IknewtheirGodwasmine，andHewasstrongtosaveandswifttohear。`Iwillneverleavethee，norforsakethee，’seemedwhisperedfromabovetheirmyriadorbs。No，no；
　　IfeltHewouldnotleavemecomfortless：*inspiteofearthandhellI
　　shouldhavestrengthforallmytrials，andwinagloriousrestatlast！
　　Refreshed，invigoratedifnotcomposed，Iroseandreturnedtothehouse。Muchofmynewbornstrengthandcourageforsookme，Iconfess，asIenteredit，andshutoutthefreshwindandtheglorioussky：everythingIsawandheardseemedtosickenmyheart——thehall，thelamp，thestaircase，thedoorsofthedifferentapartments，thesocialsoundoftalkandlaughterfromthedrawing-room。HowcouldIbearmyfuturelife？Inthishouse，amongthosepeople——oh，howcouldIenduretolive！Johnjustthenenteredthehall，andseeingme，toldmehehadbeensentinsearchofme，addingthathehadtakeninthetea，andmasterwishedtoknowifIwerecoming。
　　`AskMrs。Hattersleytobesokindastomakethetea，John，’
　　saidI。`SayIamnotwellto-night，andwishtobeexcused。’
　　Iretiredintothelarge，emptydining-room，whereallwassilenceanddarkness，butforthesoftsighingofthewindwithout，andthefaintgleamofmoonlightthatpiercedtheblindsandcurtains；andthereIwalkedrapidlyupanddown，thinkingmybitterthoughtsalone。Howdifferentwasthisfromtheeveningofyesterday！Thatitseems，wasthelastexpiringflashofmylife’shappiness。Poor，blindedfoolthatIwas，tobesohappy！IcouldnowseethereasonofArthur’sstrangereceptionofmeintheshrubbery：theburstofkindnesswasforhisparamour，thestartofhorrorforhiswife。Now，too，IcouldbetterunderstandtheconversationbetweenHattersleyandGrimsby：itwasdoubtlessofhisloveforhertheyspoke，notforme。
　　Iheardthedrawing-roomdooropen：alightquickstepcameoutoftheante-room，crossedthehall，andascendedthestairs。ItwasMilicent，poorMilicent，gonetoseehowIwas——nooneelsecaredforme；butshestillwaskind。Ihadshednotearsbefore，butnowtheycame——fastandfree。Thusshedidmegood，withoutapproachingme。Disappointedinhersearch，Iheardhercomedown——moreslowlythanshehadascended。Wouldshecomeinthere，andfindmeout？No；sheturnedintheoppositedirectionandre-enteredthedrawing-room。Iwasglad，forIknewnothowtomeether，orwhattosay。Iwantednoconfidantinmydistress。Ideservednone——andIwantednone。Ihadtakentheburdenuponmyself：letmebearitalone。
　　Astheusualhourofretirementapproached，Idriedmyeyes，andtriedtoclearmyvoiceandcalmmymind。ImustseeArthurto-night，andspeaktohim；butIwoulddoitcalmly：thereshouldbenoscene——nothingtocomplainortoboastoftohiscompanions——nothingtolaughatwithhisladylove。Whenthecompanywereretiringtotheirchambers，Igentlyopenedthedoor，andjustashepassed，Ibeckonedhimin。
　　`What’stodowithyou，Helen？’saidhe。`Whycouldn’tyoucometomaketeaforus？andwhatthedeuceareyouherefor，inthedark？Whatailsyou，youngwoman——youlooklikeaghost？’hecontinued，surveyingmebythelightofhiscandle。