Hecalledtothewomanacrossthepear-trees。“Hullo!“
　　Thewomanraisedherself，andadvancedtowardhimslowly——lookingathim，asshecameon，withthesunkeneyes，thesorrow-strickenface，thestonytranquillityofHesterDethridge。
　　Geoffreywasstaggered。Hehadnotbargainedforexchangingthedullestproduciblevulgaritiesofhumanspeechcalledinthelanguageofslang，“Chaff“withsuchawomanasthis。
　　“What’sthatslatefor？“heasked，notknowingwhatelsetosay，tobeginwith。
　　Thewomanliftedherhandtoherlips——touchedthem——andshookherhead。
　　“Dumb？“
　　Thewomanbowedherhead。
　　“Whoareyou？“
　　Thewomanwroteonherslate，andhandedittohimoverthepear-trees。Heread：——“Iamthecook。“
　　“Well，cook，wereyouborndumb？“
　　Thewomanshookherhead。
　　“Whatstruckyoudumb？“
　　Thewomanwroteonherslate：——“Ablow。“
　　“Whogaveyoutheblow？“
　　Sheshookherhead。
　　“Won’tyoutellme？“
　　Sheshookherheadagain。
　　Hereyeshadrestedonhisfacewhilehewasquestioningher；
　　staringathim，cold，dull，andchangelessastheeyesofacorpse。Firmashisnerveswere——denseashewas，onallordinaryoccasions，toanythingintheshapeofanimaginativeimpression——theeyesofthedumbcookslowlypenetratedhimwithastealthyinnerchill。Somethingcreptatthemarrowofhisback，andshudderedundertherootsofhishair。Hefeltasuddenimpulsetogetawayfromher。Itwassimpleenough；hehadonlytosaygood-morning，andgoon。Hedidsaygood-morning——buthenevermoved。Heputhishandintohispocket，andofferedhersomemoney，asawayofmaking_her_go。Shestretchedoutherhandacrossthepear-treestotakeit——andstoppedabruptly，withherarmsuspendedintheair。Asinisterchangepassedoverthedeathliketranquillityofherface。Herclosedlipsslowlydroppedapart。Herdulleyesslowlydilated；lookedaway，sideways，from_his_eyes；stoppedagain；andstared，rigidandglittering，overhisshoulder——staredasiftheysawasightofhorrorbehindhim。“Whatthedevilareyoulookingat？“heasked——andturnedroundquickly，withastart。Therewasneitherpersonnorthingtobeseenbehindhim。Heturnedbackagaintothewoman。Thewomanhadlefthim，undertheinfluenceofsomesuddenpanic。Shewashurryingawayfromhim——running，oldasshewas——flyingthesightofhim，asifthesightofhimwasthepestilence。
　　“Mad!“hethought——andturnedhisbackonthesightofher。
　　Hefoundhimselfhardlyknowinghowhehadgotthereunderthewalnut-treeoncemore。Inafewminuteshishardynerveshadrecoveredthemselves——hecouldlaughovertheremembranceofthestrangeimpressionthathadbeenproducedonhim。“Frightenedforthefirsttimeinmylife，“hethought——“andthatbyanoldwoman!It’stimeIwentintotrainingagain，whenthingshavecometothis!“
　　Helookedathiswatch。Itwascloseontheluncheonhourupatthehouse；andhehadnotdecidedyetwhattodoabouthislettertoAnne。Heresolvedtodecide，thenandthere。
　　Thewoman——thedumbwoman，withthestonyfaceandthehorrideyes——reappearedinhisthoughts，andgotinthewayofhisdecision。Pooh!somecrazedoldservant，whomightoncehavebeencook；whowaskeptoutofcharitynow。Nothingmoreimportantthanthat。Nomoreofher!nomoreofher!
　　Helaidhimselfdownonthegrass，andgavehismindtotheseriousquestion。HowtoaddressAnneas“Mrs。ArnoldBrinkworth？“andhowtomakesureofherreceivingtheletter？
　　Thedumboldwomangotinhiswayagain。
　　Heclosedhiseyesimpatiently，andtriedtoshutheroutinadarknessofhisownmaking。
　　Thewomanshowedherselfthroughthedarkness。Hesawher，asifhehadjustaskedheraquestion，writingonherslate。Whatshewrotehefailedtomakeout。Itwasalloverinaninstant。Hestartedup，withafeelingofastonishmentathimself——and，atthesamemomenthisbrainclearedwiththesuddennessofaflashoflight。Hesawhisway，withoutaconsciouseffortonhisownpart，throughthedifficultythathadtroubledhim。Twoenvelopes，ofcourse：aninnerone，unsealed，andaddressedto“Mrs。ArnoldBrinkworth；“anouterone，sealed，andaddressedto“Mrs。Silvester：“andtherewastheproblemsolved!Surelythesimplestproblemthathadeverpuzzledastupidhead。
　　Whyhadhenotseenitbefore？Impossibletosay。
　　Howcamehetohaveseenitnow？
　　Thedumboldwomanreappearedinhisthoughts——asiftheanswertothequestionlayinsomethingconnectedwith_her。_
　　Hebecamealarmedabouthimself，forthefirsttimeinhislife。
　　Hadthispersistentimpression，producedbynothingbutacrazyoldwoman，anythingtodowiththebrokenhealthwhichthesurgeonhadtalkedabout？Washisheadontheturn？Orhadhesmokedtoomuchonanemptystomach，andgonetoolongaftertravelingallnightwithouthiscustomarydrinkofale？
　　Heleftthegardentoputthatlattertheorytothetestforthwith。Thebettingwouldhavegonedeadagainsthimifthepublichadseenhimatthatmoment。Helookedhaggardandanxious——andwithgoodreasontoo。Hisnervoussystemhadsuddenlyforceditselfonhisnotice，withouttheslightestpreviousintroduction，andwassayinginanunknowntongue，HereIam!
　　Returningtothepurelyornamentalpartofthegrounds，Geoffreyencounteredoneofthefootmengivingamessagetooneofthegardeners。Heatonceaskedforthebutler——astheonlysafeauthoritytoconsultinthepresentemergency。
　　Conductedtothebutler’spantry，Geoffreyrequestedthatfunctionarytoproduceajugofhisoldestale，withappropriatesolidnourishmentintheshapeof“ahunkofbreadandcheese。“
　　Thebutlerstared。Asaformofcondescensionamongtheupperclassesthiswasquitenewtohim。
　　“Luncheonwillbereadydirectly，Sir。“
　　“Whatisthereforlunch？“
　　Thebutlerranoveranappetizinglistofgooddishesandrarewines。
　　“Thedeviltakeyourkickshaws!“saidGeoffrey。“Givememyoldale，andmyhunkofbreadandcheese。“
　　“Wherewillyoutakethem，Sir？“
　　“Here，tobesure!Andthesoonerthebetter。“
　　Thebutlerissuedthenecessaryorderswithallneedfulalacrity。
　　Hespreadthesimplerefreshmentdemanded，beforehisdistinguishedguest，inastateofblankbewilderment。Herewasanobleman’sson，andapubliccelebrityintothebargain，fillinghimselfwithbreadandcheeseandale，inatoncethemostvoraciousandthemostunpretendingmanner，at_his_table!Thebutlerventuredonalittlecomplimentaryfamiliarity。Hesmiled，andtouchedthebetting-bookinhisbreast-pocket。“I’veputsixpoundonyou，Sir，fortheRace。““Allright，oldboy!youshallwinyourmoney!“Withthosenoblewordsthehonorablegentlemanclappedhimontheback，andheldouthistumblerforsomemoreale。ThebutlerfelttreblyanEnglishmanashefilledthefoamingglass。Ah!foreignnationsmayhavetheirrevolutions!foreignaristocraciesmaytumbledown!TheBritisharistocracylivesintheheartsofthepeople，andlivesforever!
　　“Another!“saidGeoffrey，presentinghisemptyglass。“Here’sluck!“Hetossedoffhisliquoratadraught，andnoddedtothebutler，andwentout。
　　Hadtheexperimentsucceeded？Hadheprovedhisowntheoryabouthimselftoberight？Notadoubtofit!Anemptystomach，andadeterminationoftobaccotothehead——thesewerethetruecausesofthatstrangestateofmindintowhichhehadfalleninthekitchen-garden。Thedumbwomanwiththestonyfacevanishedasifinamist。Hefeltnothingnowbutacomfortablebuzzinginhishead，agenialwarmthalloverhim，andanunlimitedcapacityforcarryinganyresponsibilitythatcouldrestonmortalshoulders。
　　Geoffreywashimselfagain。
　　Hewentroundtowardthelibrary，towritehislettertoAnne——andsohavedonewiththat，tobeginwith。Thecompanyhadcollectedinthelibrarywaitingfortheluncheon-bell。Allwereidlytalking；andsomewouldbecertain，ifheshowedhimself，tofastenon_him。_Heturnedbackagain，withoutshowinghimself。
　　Theonlywayofwritinginpeaceandquietnesswouldbetowaituntiltheywereallatluncheon，andthenreturntothelibrary。
　　Thesameopportunitywouldservealsoforfindingamessengertotaketheletter，withoutexcitingattention，andforgoingawayafterward，unseen，onalongwalkbyhimself。AnabsenceoftwoorthreehourswouldcastthenecessarydustinArnold’seyes；
　　foritwouldbecertainlyinterpretedbyhimasmeaningabsenceataninterviewwithAnne。
　　Hestrolledidlythroughthegrounds，fartherandfartherawayfromthehouse。
　　Thetalkinthelibrary——aimlessandemptyenough，forthemostpart——wastalktothepurpose，inonecorneroftheroom，inwhichSirPatrickandBlancheweresittingtogether。