THEservant，appearingthenextmorninginAnne’sroomwiththebreakfasttray，closedthedoorwithanairofmystery，andannouncedthatstrangethingsweregoingoninthehouse。
　　“Didyouhearnothinglastnight，ma’am，“sheasked，“downstairsinthepassage？“
　　“IthoughtIheardsomevoiceswhisperingoutsidemyroom，“Annereplied。“Hasanythinghappened？“
　　Extricatedfromtheconfusioninwhichsheinvolvedit，thegirl’snarrativeamountedinsubstancetothis。Shehadbeenstartledbythesuddenappearanceofhermistressinthepassage，staringaboutherwildly，likeawomanwhohadgoneoutofhersenses。Almostatthesamemoment“themaster“hadflungopenthedrawing-roomdoor。HehadcaughtMrs。Dethridgebythearm，haddraggedherintotheroom，andhadclosedthedooragain。Afterthetwohadremainedshutuptogetherformorethanhalfanhour，Mrs。Dethridgehadcomeout，aspaleasashes，andhadgoneupstairstremblinglikeapersoningreatterror。Sometimelater，whentheservantwasinbed，butnotasleep，shehadseenalightunderherdoor，inthenarrowwoodenpassagewhichseparatedAnne’sbedroomfromHester’sbedroom，andbywhichsheobtainedaccesstoherownlittlesleeping-chamberbeyond。Shehadgotoutofbed；hadlookedthroughthekeyhole；andhadseen“themaster“
　　andMrs。Dethridgestandingtogetherexaminingthewallsofthepassage。“Themaster“hadlaidhishanduponthewall，onthesideofhiswife’sroom，andhadlookedatMrs。Dethridge。AndMrs。Dethridgehadlookedbackathim，andhadshakenherhead。
　　Uponthathehadsaidinawhisperstillwithhishandonthewoodenwall，“Nottobedonehere？“AndMrs。Dethridgehadshakenherhead。Hehadconsideredamoment，andhadwhisperedagain，“Theotherroomwilldo!won’tit？“AndMrs。Dethridgehadnoddedherhead——andsotheyhadparted。Thatwasthestoryofthenight。Earlyinthemorning，morestrangethingshadhappened。Themasterhadgoneout，withalargesealedpacketinhishand，coveredwithmanystamps；takinghisownlettertothepost，insteadofsendingtheservantwithitasusual。Onhisreturn，Mrs。Dethridgehadgoneoutnext，andhadcomebackwithsomethinginajarwhichshehadlockedupinherownsitting-room。Shortlyafterward，aworking-manhadbroughtabundleoflaths，andsomemortarandplasterofParis，whichhadbeencarefullyplacedtogetherinacornerofthescullery。Last，andmostremarkableintheseriesofdomesticevents，thegirlhadreceivedpermissiontogohomeandseeherfriendsinthecountry，onthatveryday；havingbeenpreviouslyinformed，whensheenteredMrs。Dethridge’sservice，thatshewasnottoexpecttohaveaholidaygrantedtoheruntilafterChristmas。Suchwerethestrangethingswhichhadhappenedinthehousesincethepreviousnight。Whatwastheinterpretationtobeplacedonthem？
　　Therightinterpretationwasnoteasytodiscover。
　　Someoftheeventspointedapparentlytowardcomingrepairsoralterationsinthecottage。ButwhatGeoffreycouldhavetodowiththembeingatthetimeservedwithanoticetoquit，andwhyHesterDethridgeshouldhaveshowntheviolentagitationwhichhadbeendescribed，weremysterieswhichitwasimpossibletopenetrate。
　　Annedismissedthegirlwithalittlepresentandafewkindwords。Underothercircumstances，theincomprehensibleproceedingsinthehousemighthavemadeherseriouslyuneasy。
　　Buthermindwasnowoccupiedbymorepressinganxieties。
　　Blanche’ssecondletterreceivedfromHesterDethridgeonthepreviouseveninginformedherthatSirPatrickpersistedinhisresolution，andthatheandhisniecemightbeexpected，comewhatmightofit，topresentthemselvesatthecottageonthatday。
　　Anneopenedtheletter，andlookedatitforthesecondtime。ThepassagesrelatingtoSirPatrickwereexpressedintheseterms：
　　“Idon’tthink，darling，youhaveanyideaoftheinterestthatyouhaverousedinmyuncle。Althoughhehasnottoreproachhimself，asIhave，withbeingthemiserablecauseofthesacrificethatyouhavemade，heisquiteaswretchedandquiteasanxiousaboutyouasIam。Wetalkofnobodyelse。Hesaidlastnightthathedidnotbelievetherewasyourequalintheworld。Thinkofthatfromamanwhohassuchterriblysharpeyesforthefaultsofwomeningeneral，andsuchaterriblysharptongueintalkingofthem!Iampledgedtosecrecy；butImusttellyouoneotherthing，betweenourselves。LordHolchester’sannouncementthathisbrotherrefusestoconsenttoaseparationputmyunclealmostbesidehimself。Ifthereisnotsomechangeforthebetterinyourlifeinafewdays’time，SirPatrickwillfindoutawayofhisown——lawfulornot，hedoesn’tcare——forrescuingyoufromthedreadfulpositioninwhichyouareplaced，andArnoldwithmyfullapprovalwillhelphim。Asweunderstandit，youare，underonepretenseoranother，keptacloseprisoner。SirPatrickhasalreadysecuredapostofobservationnearyou。HeandArnoldwentallroundthecottagelastnight，andexaminedadoorinyourbackgardenwall，withalocksmithtohelpthem。YouwillnodoubthearfurtheraboutthisfromSirPatrickhimself。Praydon’tappeartoknowanythingofitwhenyouseehim!Iamnotinhisconfidence——butArnoldis，whichcomestothesamethingexactly。YouwillseeusImeanyouwillseemyuncleandmeto-morrow，inspiteofthebrutewhokeepsyouunderlockandkey。Arnoldwillnotaccompanyus；
　　heisnottobetrustedheownsithimselftocontrolhisindignation。Courage，dearest!Therearetwopeopleintheworldtowhomyouareinestimablyprecious，andwhoaredeterminednottoletyourhappinessbesacrificed。Iamoneofthem，andforHeaven’ssakekeepthisasecretalso!SirPatrickistheother。“
　　Absorbedintheletter，andintheconflictofoppositefeelingswhichitroused——hercolorrisingwhenitturnedherthoughtsinwardonherself，andfadingagainwhenshewasremindedbyitofthecomingvisit——Annewascalledbacktoasenseofpresenteventsbythereappearanceoftheservant，chargedwithamessage。Mr。Speedwellhadbeenforsometimeinthecottage，andhewasnowwaitingtoseeherdownstairs。
　　Annefoundthesurgeonaloneinthedrawing-room。Heapologizedfordisturbingheratthatearlyhour。
　　“ItwasimpossibleformetogettoFulhamyesterday，“hesaid，“andIcouldonlymakesureofcomplyingwithLordHolchester’srequestbycomingherebeforethetimeatwhichIreceivepatientsathome。IhaveseenMr。Delamayn，andIhaverequestedpermissiontosayawordtoyouonthesubjectofhishealth。“
　　Annelookedthroughthewindow，andsawGeoffreysmokinghispipe——notinthebackgarden，asusual，butinfrontofthecottage，wherehecouldkeephiseyeonthegate。
　　“Isheill？“sheasked。
　　“Heisseriouslyill，“answeredMr。Speedwell。“Ishouldnototherwisehavetroubledyouwiththisinterview。Itisamatterofprofessionaldutytowarnyou，ashiswife，thatheisindanger。Hemaybeseizedatanymomentbyaparalyticstroke。Theonlychanceforhim——averypoorone，Iamboundtosay——istomakehimalterhispresentmodeoflifewithoutlossoftime。“
　　“Inonewayhewillbeobligedtoalterit，“saidAnne。“Hehasreceivednoticefromthelandladytoquitthiscottage。“
　　Mr。Speedwelllookedsurprised。
　　“Ithinkyouwillfindthatthenoticehasbeenwithdrawn，“hesaid。“IcanonlyassureyouthatMr。Delamayndistinctlyinformedme，whenIadvisedchangeofair，thathehaddecided，forreasonsofhisown，onremaininghere。“
　　Anotherintheseriesofincomprehensibledomesticevents!
　　HesterDethridge——onallotheroccasionsthemostimmovableofwomen——hadchangedhermind!
　　“Settingthataside，“proceededthesurgeon，“therearetwopreventivemeasureswhichIfeelboundtosuggest。Mr。Delamaynisevidentlysufferingthoughhedeclinestoadmitithimself
　　frommentalanxiety。Ifheistohaveachanceforhislife，thatanxietymustbesetatrest。Isitinyourpowertorelieveit？“
　　“Itisnoteveninmypower，Mr。Speedwell，totellyouwhatitis。“
　　Thesurgeonbowed，andwenton：
　　“ThesecondcautionthatIhavetogiveyou，“hesaid，“istokeephimfromdrinkingspirits。Headmitshavingcommittedanexcessinthatwaythenightbeforelast。Inhisstateofhealth，drinkingmeansliterallydeath。Ifhegoesbacktothebrandy-bottle——forgivemeforsayingitplainly；thematteristooserioustobetrifledwith——ifhegoesbacktothebrandy-bottle，hislife，inmyopinion，isnotworthfiveminutes’purchase。Canyoukeephimfromdrinking？“
　　Anneansweredsadlyandplainly：
　　“Ihavenoinfluenceoverhim。Thetermswearelivingonhere——“
　　Mr。Speedwellconsideratelystoppedher。
　　“Iunderstand，“hesaid。“Iwillseehisbrotheronmywayhome。“
　　HelookedforamomentatAnne。“Youarefarfromwellyourself，“
　　heresumed。“CanIdoanythingforyou？“
　　“WhileIamlivingmypresentlife，Mr。Speedwell，notevenyourskillcanhelpme。“
　　Thesurgeontookhisleave。Annehurriedbackupstairs，beforeGeoffreycouldre-enterthecottage。Toseethemanwhohadlaidherlifewaste——tomeetthevindictivehatredthatlookedfurtivelyatheroutofhiseyes——atthemomentwhensentenceofdeathhadbeenpronouncedonhim，wasanordealfromwhicheveryfinerinstinctinhernatureshrankinhorror。
　　Hourbyhour，themorningworeon，andhemadenoattempttocommunicatewithher，Strangerstill，HesterDethridgeneverappeared。Theservantcameupstairstosaygoodby；andwentawayforherholiday。Shortlyafterward，certainsoundsreachedAnne’searsfromtheoppositesideofthepassage。Sheheardthestrokesofahammer，andthenanoiseasofsomeheavypieceoffurniturebeingmoved。Themysteriousrepairswereapparentlybeingbeguninthespareroom。
　　Shewenttothewindow。ThehourwasapproachingatwhichSirPatrickandBlanchemightbeexpectedtomaketheattempttoseeher。
　　Forthethirdtime，shelookedattheletter。
　　Itsuggested，onthisoccasion，anewconsiderationtoher。DidthestrongmeasureswhichSirPatrickhadtakeninsecretindicatealarmaswellassympathy？Didhebelieveshewasinapositioninwhichtheprotectionofthelawwaspowerlesstoreachher？Itseemedjustpossible。Supposeshewerefreetoconsultamagistrate，andtoowntohimifwordscouldexpressitthevaguepresentimentofdangerwhichwasthenpresentinhermind——whatproofcouldsheproducetosatisfythemindofastranger？Theproofswereallinherhusband’sfavor。Witnessescouldtestifytotheconciliatorywordswhichhehadspokentoherintheirpresence。Theevidenceofhismotherandbrotherwouldshowthathehadpreferredtosacrificehisownpecuniaryinterestsratherthanconsenttopartwithher。Shecouldfurnishnobodywiththesmallestexcuse，inhercase，forinterferingbetweenmanandwife。DidSirPatrickseethis？AnddidBlanche’sdescriptionofwhatheandArnoldBrinkworthweredoingpointtotheconclusionthattheyweretakingthelawintotheirownhandsindespair？Themoreshethoughtofit，themorelikelyitseemed。