“Iaskyouwhyyouhavemovedit。“
　　Shewrotethesefourwordsontheslate：“Thewallisdamp。“
　　Annelookedatthewall。Therewasnosignofdamponthepaper。
　　Shepassedherhandoverit。Feelwhereshemight，thewallwasdry。
　　“Thatisnotyourreason，“shesaid。
　　Hesterstoodimmovable。
　　“Thereisnodampnessinthewall。“
　　Hesterpointedpersistentlywithherpenciltothefourwords，stillwithoutlookingup——waitedamomentforAnnetoreadthemagain——andlefttheroom。
　　Itwasplainlyuselesstocallherback。Anne’sfirstimpulsewhenshewasaloneagainwastosecurethedoor。Shenotonlylockedit，butbolteditattopandbottom。Themortiseofthelockandthestaplesofthebolts，whenshetriedthem，werefirm。Thelurkingtreachery——whereverelseitmightbe——wasnotinthefasteningsofthedoor。
　　Shelookedallroundtheroom；examiningthefireplace，thewindowanditsshutters，theinteriorofthewardrobe，thehiddenspaceunderthebed。Nothingwasanywheretobediscoveredwhichcouldjustifythemosttimidpersonlivinginfeelingsuspicionoralarm。
　　Appearances，fairastheywere，failedtoconvinceher。Thepresentimentofsomehiddentreachery，steadilygettingnearerandnearertoherinthedark，hadrooteditselffirmlyinhermind。Shesatdown，andtriedtotraceherwaybacktotheclew，throughtheearliereventsoftheday。
　　Theeffortwasfruitless：nothingdefinite，nothingtangible，rewardedit。Worsestill，anewdoubtgrewoutofit——adoubtwhetherthemotivewhichSirPatrickhadavowedthroughBlanche
　　wasthemotiveforhelpingherwhichwasreallyinhismind。
　　DidhesincerelybelieveGeoffrey’sconducttobeanimatedbynoworseobjectthanamercenaryobject？andwashisonlypurposeinplanningtoremoveheroutofherhusband’sreach，toforceGeoffrey’sconsenttotheirseparationonthetermswhichJuliushadproposed？Wasthisreallythesoleendthathehadinview？
　　orwashesecretlyconvincedknowingAnne’spositionasheknewitthatshewasinpersonaldangeratthecottage？andhadheconsideratelykeptthatconvictionconcealed，inthefearthathemightotherwiseencouragehertofeelalarmedaboutherself？Shelookedroundthestrangeroom，inthesilenceofthenight，andshefeltthatthelatterinterpretationwasthelikeliestinterpretationofthetwo。
　　Thesoundscausedbytheclosingofthedoorsandwindowsreachedherfromtheground-floor。Whatwastobedone？
　　Itwasimpossible，toshowthesignalwhichhadbeenagreedontoSirPatrickandArnold。Thewindowinwhichtheyexpectedtoseeitwasthewindowoftheroominwhichthefirehadbrokenout——theroomwhichHesterDethridgehadlockedupforthenight。
　　Itwasequallyhopelesstowaituntilthepolicemanpassedonhisbeat，andtocallforhelp。Evenifshecouldprevailuponherselftomakethatopenacknowledgmentofdistrustunderherhusband’sroof，andevenifhelpwasnear，whatvalidreasoncouldshegiveforraisinganalarm？Therewasnottheshadowofareasontojustifyanyoneinplacingherundertheprotectionofthelaw。
　　Asalastresource，impelledbyherblinddistrustofthechangeinthepositionofthebed，sheattemptedtomoveit。Theutmostexertionofherstrengthdidnotsufficetostirtheheavypieceoffurnitureoutofitsplace，bysomuchasahair’sbreadth。
　　Therewasnoalternativebuttotrusttothesecurityofthelockedandbolteddoor，andtokeepwatchthroughthenight——certainthatSirPatrickandArnoldwere，ontheirpart，alsokeepingwatchinthenearneighborhoodofthecottage。Shetookoutherworkandherbooks；andreturnedtoherchair，placingitnearthetable，inthemiddleoftheroom。
　　Thelastnoiseswhichtoldoflifeandmovementaboutherdiedaway。Thebreathlessstillnessofthenightclosedroundher。
　　THEnewdaydawned；thesunrose；thehouseholdwasastiragain。
　　Insidethespareroom，andoutsidethespareroom，nothinghadhappened。
　　AtthehourappointedforleavingthecottagetopaythepromisedvisittoHolchesterHouse，HesterDethridgeandGeoffreywerealonetogetherinthebedroominwhichAnnehadpassedthenight。
　　“She’sdressed，andwaitingformeinthefrontgarden，“saidGeoffrey。“Youwantedtoseemeherealone。Whatisit？“
　　Hesterpointedtothebed。
　　“Youwantitmovedfromthewall？“
　　Hesternoddedherhead。
　　Theymovedthebedsomefeetawayfromthepartitionwall。Afteramomentarypause，Geoffreyspokeagain。
　　“Itmustbedoneto-night，“hesaid。“Herfriendsmayinterfere；
　　thegirlmaycomeback。Itmustbedoneto-night。“
　　Hesterbowedherheadslowly。
　　“Howlongdoyouwanttobeleftbyyourselfinthehouse？“
　　Sheheldupthreeofherfingers。
　　“Doesthatmeanthreehours？“
　　Shenoddedherhead。
　　“Willitbedoneinthattime？“
　　Shemadetheaffirmativesignoncemore。
　　Thusfar，shehadneverliftedhereyestohis。Inhermanneroflisteningtohimwhenhespoke，intheslightestmovementthatshemadewhennecessityrequiredit，thesamelifelesssubmissiontohim，thesamemutehorrorofhim，wasexpressed。Hehad，thusfar，silentlyresentedthis，onhisside。Onthepointofleavingtheroomtherestraintwhichhehadlaidonhimselfgaveway。Forthefirsttime，heresenteditinwords。
　　“Whythedevilcan’tyoulookatme？“heaskedSheletthequestionpass，withoutasigntoshowthatshehadheardhim。Heangrilyrepeatedit。Shewroteonherslate，andhelditouttohim——stillwithoutraisinghereyestohisface。
　　“Youknowyoucanspeak，“hesaid。“YouknowIhavefoundyouout。What’stheuseofplayingthefoolwith_me？_“
　　Shepersistedinholdingtheslatebeforehim。Hereadthesewords：
　　“Iamdumbtoyou，andblindtoyou。Letmebe。“
　　“Letyoube!“herepeated。“It’salittlelateinthedaytobescrupulous，afterwhatyouhavedone。DoyouwantyourConfessionback，ornot？“
　　AsthereferencetotheConfessionpassedhislips，sheraisedherhead。Afainttingeofcolorshoweditselfonherlividcheeks；amomentaryspasmofpainstirredherdeathlikeface。Theonelastinterestleftinthewoman’slifewastheinterestofrecoveringthemanuscriptwhichhadbeentakenfromher。To_that_appealthestunnedintelligencestillfaintlyanswered——andtonoother。
　　“Rememberthebargainonyourside，“Geoffreywenton，“andI’llrememberthebargainonmine。Thisishowitstands，youknow。I
　　havereadyourConfession；andIfindonethingwanting。Youdon’ttellhowitwasdone。Iknowyousmotheredhim——butIdon’tknowhow。Iwanttoknow。You’redumb；andyoucan’ttellme。Youmustdotothewallherewhatyoudidintheotherhouse。Yourunnorisks。Thereisn’tasoultoseeyou。Youhavegottheplacetoyourself。WhenIcomebackletmefindthiswallliketheotherwall——atthatsmallhourofthemorningyouknow，whenyouwerewaiting，withthetowelinyourhand，forthefirststrokeoftheclock。Letmefindthat；andto-morrowyoushallhaveyourConfessionbackagain。“
　　AsthereferencetotheConfessionpassedhislipsforthesecondtime，thesinkingenergyinthewomanleapedupinheroncemore。
　　Shesnatchedherslatefromherside；and，writingonitrapidly，heldit，withbothhands，closeunderhiseyes。Hereadthesewords：
　　“Iwon’twait。Imusthaveitto-night。“
　　“DoyouthinkIkeepyourConfessionaboutme？“saidGeoffrey。“I