SirPatrick’smeditationswereinterruptedbytheappearanceofaservant，previouslyinstructedtokeephiminformedoftheprogressofeventsatthehouse。
　　“They’reallgone，SirPatrick，“saidtheman。
　　“That’sacomfort，Simpson。Wehavenovisitorstodealwithnow，exceptthevisitorswhoarestayinginthehouse？“
　　“None，SirPatrick。“
　　“They’reallgentlemen，aretheynot？“
　　“Yes，SirPatrick。“
　　“That’sanothercomfort，Simpson。Verygood。I’llseeLadyLundiefirst。“
　　Doesanyotherformofhumanresolutionapproachthefirmnessofawomanwhoisbentondiscoveringthefrailtiesofanotherwomanwhomshehates？Youmaymoverocks，underagivensetofcircumstances。Buthereisadelicatebeinginpetticoats，whoshrieksifaspiderdropsonherneck，andshuddersifyouapproachherafterhavingeatenanonion。Canyoumove_her，_
　　underagivensetofcircumstances，assetforthabove？Notyou!
　　SirPatrickfoundherladyshipinstitutingherinquiriesonthesameadmirablyexhaustivesystemwhichispursued，incasesofdisappearance，bythepolice。Whowasthelastwitnesswhohadseenthemissingperson？WhowasthelastservantwhohadseenAnneSilvester？Beginwiththemen-servants，fromthebutleratthetoptothestableboyatthebottom。Goonwiththewomen-servants，fromthecookinallherglorytothesmallfemalechildwhoweedsthegarden。LadyLundiehadcross-examinedherwaydownwardasfarasthepage，whenSirPatrickjoinedher。
　　“Mydearlady!pardonmeforremindingyouagain，thatthisisafreecountry，andthatyouhavenoclaimwhatevertoinvestigateMissSilvester’sproceedingsaftershehasleftyourhouse。“
　　LadyLundieraisedhereyes，devotionally，totheceiling。Shelookedlikeamartyrtoduty。Ifyouhadseenherladyshipatthatmoment，youwouldhavesaidyourself，“Amartyrtoduty。“
　　“No，SirPatrick!AsaChristianwoman，thatisnot_my_wayoflookingatit。Thisunhappypersonhaslivedundermyroof。ThisunhappypersonhasbeenthecompanionofBlanche。Iamresponsible——Iam，inamanner，morallyresponsible。Iwouldgivetheworldtobeabletodismissitasyoudo。Butno!Imustbesatisfiedthatshe_is_married。Intheinterestsofpropriety。
　　Forthequietingofmyownconscience。BeforeIlaymyheadonmypillowto-night，SirPatrick——beforeIlaymyheadonmypillowto-night!“
　　“Oneword，LadyLundie——“
　　“No!“repeatedherladyship，withthemostpatheticgentleness。
　　“Youareright，Idaresay，fromtheworldlypointofview。I
　　can’ttaketheworldlypointofview。Theworldlypointofviewhurtsme。“Sheturned，withimpressivegravity，tothepage。“Youknowwhereyouwillgo，Jonathan，ifyoutelllies!“
　　Jonathanwaslazy，Jonathanwaspimply，Jonathanwasfat——_but_
　　Jonathanwasorthodox。Heansweredthathedidknow；and，whatismore，hementionedtheplace。
　　SirPatricksawthatfurtheroppositiononhispart，atthatmoment，wouldbeworsethanuseless。Hewiselydeterminedtowait，beforeheinterferedagain，untilLadyLundiehadthoroughlyexhaustedherselfandherinquiries。Atthesametime——asitwasimpossible，inthepresentstateofherladyship’stemper，toprovideagainstwhatmighthappeniftheinquiriesafterAnneunluckilyprovedsuccessful——hedecidedontakingmeasurestoclearthehouseoftheguestsintheinterestsofallpartiesforthenextfour-and-twentyhours。
　　“Ionlywanttoaskyouaquestion，LadyLundie，“heresumed。
　　“Thepositionofthegentlemenwhoarestayinghereisnotaverypleasantonewhileallthisisgoingon。Ifyouhadbeencontenttoletthematterpasswithoutnotice，weshouldhavedoneverywell。Asthingsare，don’tyouthinkitwillbemoreconvenienttoeverybodyifIrelieveyouoftheresponsibilityofentertainingyourguests？“
　　“Asheadofthefamily？“stipulatedLadyLundie。
　　“Asheadofthefamily!“answeredSirPatrick。
　　“Igratefullyaccepttheproposal，“saidLadyLundie。
　　“Ibegyouwon’tmentionit，“rejoinedSirPatrick。
　　Hequittedtheroom，leavingJonathanunderexamination。HeandhisbrotherthelateSirThomashadchosenwidelydifferentpathsinlife，andhadseenbutlittleofeachothersincethetimewhentheyhadbeenboys。SirPatrick’srecollectionsonleavingLadyLundieappearedtohavetakenhimbacktothattime，andtohaveinspiredhimwithacertaintendernessforhisbrother’smemory。Heshookhishead，andsighedasadlittlesigh。“PoorTom!“hesaidtohimself，softly，afterhehadshutthedooronhisbrother’swidow。“PoorTom!“
　　Oncrossingthehall，hestoppedthefirstservanthemet，toinquireafterBlanche。MissBlanchewasquiet，upstairs，closetedwithhermaidinherownroom。“Quiet？“thoughtSirPatrick。“That’sabadsign。Ishallhearmoreofmyniece。“
　　Pendingthatevent，thenextthingtodowastofindtheguests。
　　UnerringinstinctledSirPatricktothebilliard-room。Therehefoundthem，insolemnconclaveassembled。wonderingwhattheyhadbetterdo。SirPatrickputthemallattheireaseintwominutes。
　　“Whatdoyousaytoaday’sshootingto-morrow？“heasked。
　　Everymanpresent——sportsmanornot——saidyes。
　　“Youcanstartfromthishouse，“pursuedSirPatrick；“oryoucanstartfromashooting-cottagewhichisontheWindygatesproperty——amongthewoods，ontheothersideofthemoor。TheweatherlooksprettywellsettledforScotland，andthereareplentyofhorsesinthestables。Itisuselesstoconcealfromyou，gentlemen，thateventshavetakenacertainunexpectedturninmysister-in-law’sfamilycircle。YouwillbeequallyLadyLundie’sguests，whetheryouchoosethecottageorthehouse。Forthenexttwenty-fourhoursletussay——whichshallitbe？“
　　Everybody——withorwithoutrheumatism——answered“thecottage。“
　　“Verygood，“pursuedSirPatrick，“Itisarrangedtorideovertotheshooting-cottagethisevening，andtotrythemoor，onthatside，thefirstthinginthemorning。Ifeventsherewillallowme，Ishallbedelightedtoaccompanyyou，anddothehonorsaswellasIcan。Ifnot，Iamsureyouwillacceptmyapologiesforto-night，andpermitLadyLundie’sstewardtoseetoyourcomfortinmyplace。“
　　Adoptedunanimously。SirPatrickleftthegueststotheirbilliards，andwentouttogivethenecessaryordersatthestables。
　　InthemeantimeBlancheremainedportentouslyquietintheupperregionsofthehouse；whileLadyLundiesteadilypursuedherinquiriesdownstairs。ShegotonfromJonathanlastofthemales，indoorstothecoachmanfirstofthemales，out-of-doors，anddugdown，manbyman，throughthatnewstratum，untilshestruckthestable-boyatthebottom。Notanatomofinformationhavingbeenextractedinthehouseoroutofthehouse，frommanorboy，herladyshipfellbackonthewomennext。Shepulledthebell，andsummonedthecook——HesterDethridge。
　　Averyremarkable-lookingpersonenteredtheroom。
　　Elderlyandquiet；scrupulouslyclean；eminentlyrespectable；hergrayhairneatandsmoothunderhermodestwhitecap；hereyes，setdeepintheirorbits，lookingstraightatanypersonwhospoketoher——here，atafirstview，wasasteady，trust-worthywoman。Herealsooncloserinspection，wasawomanwiththesealofsometerriblepastsufferingsetonherfortherestofherlife。Youfeltit，ratherthansawit，inthelookofimmovableendurancewhichunderlainherexpression——inthedeathliketranquillitywhichneverdisappearedfromhermanner。Herstorywasasadone——sofarasitwasknown。ShehadenteredLadyLundie’sserviceattheperiodofLadyLundie’smarriagetoSirThomas。Hercharactergivenbytheclergymanofherparish
　　describedherashavingbeenmarriedtoaninveteratedrunkard，andashavingsufferedunutterablyduringherhusband’slifetime。
　　Thereweredrawbackstoengagingher，nowthatshewasawidow。
　　Ononeofthemanyoccasionsonwhichherhusbandhadpersonallyill-treatedher，hehadstruckherablowwhichhadproducedveryremarkablenervousresults。Shehadlaininsensiblemanydaystogether，andhadrecoveredwiththetotallossofherspeech。Inadditiontothisobjection，shewasodd，attimes，inhermanner；
　　andshemadeitaconditionofacceptinganysituation，thatsheshouldbeprivilegedtosleepinaroombyherselfAsaset-offagainstallthis，itwastobesaid，ontheothersideofthequestion，thatshewassober；rigidlyhonestinallherdealings；
　　andoneofthebestcooksinEngland。Inconsiderationofthislastmerit，thelateSirThomashaddecidedongivingheratrial，andhaddiscoveredthathehadneverdinedinhislifeashedinedwhenHesterDethridgewasattheheadofhiskitchen。
　　Sheremainedafterhisdeathinhiswidow’sservice。LadyLundiewasfarfromlikingher。Anunpleasantsuspicionattachedtothecook，whichSirThomashadover-looked，butwhichpersonslesssensibleoftheimmenseimportanceofdiningwellcouldnotfailtoregardasaseriousobjectiontoher。Medicalmen，consultedabouthercasediscoveredcertainphysiologicalanomaliesinitwhichledthemtosuspectthewomanoffeigningdumbness，forsomereasonbestknowntoherself。Sheobstinatelydeclinedtolearnthedeafanddumbalphabet——onthegroundthatdumbnesswasnotassociatedwithdeafnessinhercase。Stratagemswereinventedseeingthatshereallydidpossesstheuseofherears