“Themasterwantsyou，ma’am，downstairs。“
　　Sheroseinstantlyandputawaythelittlebook。
　　“Isthatallthemessage？“sheasked，openingthedoor。
　　“Yes，ma’am。“
　　Shefollowedthegirldownstairs；recallingtohermemorythestrangewordsaddressedtoherbyGeoffrey，inthepresenceoftheservants，ontheeveningbefore。Wasshenowtoknowwhatthosewordsreallymeant？Thedoubtwouldsoonbesetatrest。
　　“Bethetrialwhatitmay，“shethoughttoherself，“letmebearitasmymotherwouldhaveborneit。“
　　Theservantopenedthedoorofthedining-room。Breakfastwasonthetable。Geoffreywasstandingatthewindow。HesterDethridgewaswaiting，postednearthedoor。Hecameforward——withthenearestapproachtogentlenessinhismannerwhichshehadeveryetseeninit——hecameforward，withasetsmileonhislips，andofferedherhishand!
　　Shehadenteredtheroom，preparedasshebelievedforanythingthatcouldhappen。Shewasnotpreparedforthis。Shestoodspeechless，lookingathim。
　　Afteroneglanceather，whenshecamein，HesterDethridgelookedathim，too——andfromthatmomentneverlookedawayagain，aslongasAnneremainedintheroom。
　　Hebrokethesilence——inavoicethatwasnotlikehisown；withafurtiverestraintinhismannerwhichshehadnevernoticedinitbefore。
　　“Won’tyoushakehandswithyourhusband，“heasked，“whenyourhusbandasksyou？“
　　Shemechanicallyputherhandinhis。Hedroppeditinstantly，withastart。“God!howcold!“heexclaimed。Hisownhandwasburninghot，andshookincessantly。
　　Hepointedtoachairattheheadofthetable。
　　“Willyoumakethetea？“heasked。
　　Shehadgivenhimherhandmechanically；sheadvancedastepmechanically——andthenstopped。
　　“Wouldyoupreferbreakfastingbyyourself？“hesaid。
　　“Ifyouplease，“sheanswered，faintly。
　　“Waitaminute。Ihavesomethingtosaybeforeyougo。“
　　Shewaited。Heconsideredwithhimself；consultinghismemory——visibly，unmistakably，consultingitbeforehespokeagain。
　　“Ihavehadthenighttothinkin，“hesaid。“Thenighthasmadeanewmanofme。IbegyourpardonforwhatIsaidyesterday。I
　　wasnotmyselfyesterday。Italkednonsenseyesterday。Pleasetoforgetit，andforgiveit。Iwishtoturnoveranewleaf。andmakeamends——makeamendsformypastconduct。Itshallbemyendeavortobeagoodhusband。InthepresenceofMrs。Dethridge，Irequestyoutogivemeachance。Iwon’tforceyourinclinations。Wearemarried——what’stheuseofregrettingit？Stayhere，asyousaidyesterday，onyourownterms。Iwishtomakeitup。
　　InthepresenceofMrs。Dethridge，IsayIwishtomakeitup。I
　　won’tdetainyou。Irequestyoutothinkofit。Good-morning。“
　　Hesaidthoseextraordinarywordslikeaslowboysayingahardlesson——hiseyesontheground，hisfingersrestlesslyfasteningandunfasteningabuttononhiswaistcoat。
　　Annelefttheroom。Inthepassageshewasobligedtowait，andsupportherselfagainstthewall。Hisunnaturalpolitenesswashorrible；hiscarefullyassertedrepentancechilledhertothesoulwithdread。Shehadneverfelt——inthetimeofhisfiercestangerandhisfoulestlanguage——theunutterablehorrorofhimthatshefeltnow。
　　HesterDethridgecameout，closingthedoorbehindher。ShelookedattentivelyatAnne——thenwroteonherslate，andhelditout，withthesewordsonit：
　　“Doyoubelievehim？“
　　Annepushedtheslateaway，andranupstairs。Shefastenedthedoor——andsankintoachair。
　　“Heisplottingsomethingagainstme，“shesaidtoherself。
　　“What？“
　　Asickening，physicalsenseofdread——entirelynewinherexperienceofherself——madehershrinkfrompursuingthequestion。Thesinkingatherheartturnedherfaint。Shewenttogettheairattheopenwindow。
　　Atthesamemomenttherewasaringatthegatebell。Suspiciousofanythingandeverything。shefeltasuddendistrustoflettingherselfbeseen。Shedrewbackbehindthecurtainandlookedout。
　　Aman-servant，inlivery，wasletin。Hehadaletterinhishand。HesaidtothegirlashepassedAnne’swindow，“IcomefromLadyHolchester；ImustseeMr。Delamayninstantly。“
　　Theywentin。Therewasaninterval。Thefootmanreappeared，leavingtheplace。Therewasanotherinterval。Thentherecameaknockatthedoor。Annehesitated。Theknockwasrepeated，andthedumbmurmuringofHesterDethridgewasheardoutside。Anneopenedthedoor。
　　Hestercameinwiththebreakfast。Shepointedtoaletteramongotherthingsonthetray。ItwasaddressedtoAnne，inGeoffrey’shandwriting，anditcontainedthesewords：
　　“Myfatherdiedyesterday。Writeyourordersforyourmourning。
　　Theboywilltakethem。YouarenottotroubleyourselftogotoLondon。Somebodyistocomeheretoyoufromtheshop。“
　　Annedroppedthepaperonherlapwithoutlookingup。AtthesamemomentHesterDethridge’sslatewaspassedstealthilybetweenhereyesandthenote——withthesewordstracedonit。“Hismotheriscomingto-day。HisbrotherhasbeentelegraphedfromScotland。Hewasdrunklastnight。He’sdrinkingagain。Iknowwhatthatmeans。Lookout，missus——lookout。“
　　Annesignedtohertoleavetheroom。Shewentout，pullingthedoorto，butnotclosingitbehindher。
　　Therewasanotherringatthegatebell。OncemoreAnnewenttothewindow。Onlythelad，thistime；arrivingtotakehisordersfortheday。Hehadbarelyenteredthegardenwhenhewasfollowedbythepostmanwithletters。InaminutemoreGeoffrey’svoicewasheardinthepassage，andGeoffrey’sheavystepascendedthewoodenstairs。Annehurriedacrosstheroomtodrawthebolts。Geoffreymetherbeforeshecouldclosethedoor。
　　“Aletterforyou，“hesaid，keepingscrupulouslyoutoftheroom。“Idon’twishtoforceyourinclinations——Ionlyrequestyoutotellmewhoit’sfrom。“
　　Hismannerwasascarefullysubduedasever。Buttheunacknowledgeddistrustinhimwhenhelookedatherbetrayeditselfinhiseye。
　　Sheglancedatthehandwritingontheaddress。
　　“FromBlanche，“sheanswered。
　　Hesoftlyputhisfootbetweenthedoorandthepost——andwaiteduntilshehadopenedandreadBlanche’sletter。
　　“MayIseeit？“heasked——andputinhishandforitthroughthedoor。
　　ThespiritinAnnewhichwouldoncehaveresistedhimwasdeadinhernow。Shehandedhimtheopenletter。
　　Itwasveryshort。Exceptingsomebriefexpressionsoffondness，itwasstudiouslyconfinedtostatingthepurposeforwhichithadbeenwritten。BlancheproposedtovisitAnnethatafternoon，accompaniedbyheruncle，shesentwordbeforehand，tomakesureoffindingAnneathome。Thatwasall。TheletterhadevidentlybeenwrittenunderSirPatrick’sadvice。
　　Geoffreyhandeditback，afterfirstwaitingamomenttothink。
　　“Myfatherdiedyesterday，“hesaid。“Mywifecan’treceivevisitorsbeforeheisburied。Idon’twishtoforceyourinclinations。IonlysayIcan’tletvisitorsinherebeforethefuneral——exceptmyownfamily。Sendanotedownstairs。TheladwilltakeittoyourfriendwhenhegoestoLondon。“WiththosewordsheleftAnappealtotheproprietiesoflife，inthemouthofGeoffreyDelamayn，couldonlymeanoneoftwothings。Eitherhehadspokeninbrutalmockery——orhehadspokenwithsomeulteriorobjectinview。Hadheseizedontheeventofhisfather’sdeathasapretextforisolatinghiswifefromallcommunicationwiththeouterworld？Weretherereasons，whichhadnotyetassertedthemselves，forhisdreadingtheresult，ifheallowedAnnetocommunicatewithherfriends？
　　Thehourworeon，andHesterDethridgeappearedagain。TheladwaswaitingforAnne’sordersforhermourning，andforhernotetoMrs。ArnoldBrinkworth。
　　Annewrotetheordersandthenote。Oncemorethehorribleslateappearedwhenshehaddone，betweenthewritingpaperandhereyes，withthehardlinesofwarningpitilesslytracedonit。“
　　Hehaslockedthegate。Whenthere’saringwearetocometohimforthekey。Hehaswrittentoawoman。Nameoutsidetheletter，Mrs。Glenarm。Hehashadmorebrandy。Likemyhusband。Mindyourself。“
　　Theonewayoutofthehighwallsallroundthecottagelocked。
　　Friendsforbiddentoseeher。Solitaryimprisonment，withherhusbandforajailer。Beforeshehadbeenfour-and-twentyhoursinthecottageithadcometothat。Andwhatwastofollow？
　　Shewentbackmechanicallytothewindow。Thesightoftheouterworld，theoccasionalviewofapassingvehicle，helpedtosustainher。