Rememberthisdaymonth——notonewordsooner。’
　　Hethenrose，andIlefttheroom，muchagitatedandexhausted。
　　Thisinterview，allthecircumstancesattendingit，butmostparticularlytheformidableexpressionofmyuncle’scountenancewhilehetalked，thoughhypothetically，ofmurder，combinedtoarouseallmyworstsuspicionsofhim。Idreadedtolookuponthefacethathadsorecentlyworntheappallingliveryofguiltandmalignity。Iregardeditwiththemingledfearandloathingwithwhichonelooksuponanobjectwhichhastorturedtheminanightmare。
　　Inafewdaysaftertheinterview，theparticularsofwhichIhavejustrelated，I
　　foundanoteuponmytoilet-table，andonopeningitIreadasfollows：
　　’MYDEARLADYMARGARET，’Youwillbeperhapssurprisedtoseeastrangefaceinyourroomto-day。I
　　havedismissedyourIrishmaid，andsecuredaFrenchonetowaituponyou——asteprenderednecessarybymyproposingshortlytovisittheContinent，withallmyfamily。
　　’Yourfaithfulguardian，’ARTHURT——N。’
　　Oninquiry，Ifoundthatmyfaithfulattendantwasactuallygone，andfaronherwaytothetownofGalway；andinhersteadthereappearedatall，raw-boned，ill-looking，elderlyFrenchwoman，whosesullenandpresumingmannersseemedtoimplythathervocationhadneverbeforebeenthatofalady’s-maid。Icouldnothelpregardingherasacreatureofmyuncle’s，andthereforetobedreaded，evenhadshebeeninnootherwaysuspicious。
　　Daysandweekspassedawaywithoutany，evenamomentarydoubtuponmypart，astothecoursetobepursuedbyme。
　　Theallottedperiodhadatlengthelapsed；
　　thedayarrivedonwhichIwastocommunicatemydecisiontomyuncle。
　　Althoughmyresolutionhadneverforamomentwavered，Icouldnotshakeofthedreadoftheapproachingcolloquy；
　　andmyheartsunkwithinmeasIheardtheexpectedsummons。
　　IhadnotseenmycousinEdwardsincetheoccurrenceofthegrandeclaircissment；
　　hemusthavestudiouslyavoidedme——Isupposefrompolicy，itcouldnothavebeenfromdelicacy。Iwaspreparedforaterrificburstoffuryfrommyuncle，assoonasIshouldmakeknownmydetermination；andInotunreasonablyfearedthatsomeactofviolenceorofintimidationwouldnextberesortedto。
　　Filledwiththesedrearyforebodings，I
　　fearfullyopenedthestudydoor，andthenextminuteIstoodinmyuncle’spresence。HereceivedmewithapolitenesswhichIdreaded，asarguingafavourableanticipationrespectingtheanswerwhichIwastogive；andaftersomeslightdelay，hebeganbysaying：
　　’Itwillbearelieftobothofus，I
　　believe，tobringthisconversationassoonaspossibletoanissue。Youwillexcuseme，then，mydearniece，forspeakingwithanabruptnesswhich，underothercircumstances，wouldbeunpardonable。Youhave，Iamcertain，giventhesubjectofourlastinterviewfairandseriouscon-
　　sideration；andItrustthatyouarenowpreparedwithcandourtolayyouranswerbeforeme。Afewwordswillsuffice——weperfectlyunderstandoneanother。’
　　Hepaused，andI，thoughfeelingthatI
　　stooduponaminewhichmightinaninstantexplode，neverthelessansweredwithperfectcomposure：
　　’Imustnow，sir，makethesamereplywhichIdiduponthelastoccasion，andI
　　reiteratethedeclarationwhichIthenmade，thatInevercannorwill，whilelifeandreasonremain，consenttoaunionwithmycousinEdward。’
　　ThisannouncementwroughtnoapparentchangeinSirArthur，exceptthathebecamedeadly，almostlividlypale。Heseemedlostindarkthoughtforaminute，andthenwithaslighteffortsaid：
　　’Youhaveansweredmehonestlyanddirectly；andyousayyourresolutionisunchangeable。Well，wouldithadbeenotherwise——wouldithadbeenotherwise——
　　butbeitasitis——Iamsatisfied。’
　　Hegavemehishand——itwascoldanddampasdeath；underanassumedcalmness，itwasevidentthathewasfearfullyagitated。Hecontinuedtoholdmyhandwithanalmostpainfulpressure，while，asifunconsciously，seemingtoforgetmypresence，hemuttered：
　　’Strange，strange，strange，indeed!
　　fatuity，helplessfatuity!’therewasherealongpause。’MadnessINDEEDtostrainacablethatisrottentotheveryheart——itmustbreak——andthen——allgoes。’
　　Therewasagainapauseofsomeminutes，afterwhich，suddenlychanginghisvoiceandmannertooneofwakefulalacrity，heexclaimed：
　　’Margaret，mysonEdwardshallplagueyounomore。Heleavesthiscountryonto-morrowforFrance——heshallspeaknomoreuponthissubject——never，nevermore——whatevereventsdependeduponyouranswermustnowtaketheirowncourse；but，asforthisfruitlessproposal，ithasbeentriedenough；itcanberepeatednomore。’
　　Atthesewordshecoldlysufferedmyhandtodrop，asiftoexpresshistotalabandonmentofallhisprojectedschemesofalliance；andcertainlytheaction，withtheaccompanyingwords，produceduponmymindamoresolemnanddepressingeffectthanIbelievedpossibletohavebeencausedbythecoursewhichIhaddeterminedtopursue；itstruckuponmyheartwithanaweandheavinesswhichWILLaccompanytheaccomplishmentofanimportantandirrevocableact，eventhoughnodoubtorscrupleremainstomakeitpossiblethattheagentshouldwishitundone。
　　’Well，’saidmyuncle，afteralittletime，’wenowceasetospeakuponthistopic，nevertoresumeitagain。RememberyoushallhavenofartheruneasinessfromEdward；heleavesIrelandforFranceonto-morrow；thiswillbearelieftoyou。
　　MayIdependuponyourHONOURthatnowordtouchingthesubjectofthisinterviewshalleverescapeyou？’
　　Igavehimthedesiredassurance；hesaid：
　　’Itiswell——Iamsatisfied——wehavenothingmore，Ibelieve，tosayuponeitherside，andmypresencemustbearestraintuponyou，Ishallthereforebidyoufarewell。’
　　Ithenlefttheapartment，scarcelyknowingwhattothinkofthestrangeinterviewwhichhadjusttakenplace。
　　OnthenextdaymyuncletookoccasiontotellmethatEdwardhadactuallysailed，ifhisintentionhadnotbeeninterferedwithbyadversecircumstances；andtwodayssubsequentlyheactuallyproducedaletterfromhisson，written，asitsaid，ONBOARD，anddespatchedwhiletheshipwasgettingunderweigh。Thiswasagreatsatisfactiontome，andasbeinglikelytoproveso，itwasnodoubtcommunicatedtomebySirArthur。
　　Duringallthistryingperiod，IhadfoundinfiniteconsolationinthesocietyandsympathyofmydearcousinEmily。
　　Ineverinafter-lifeformedafriendshipsoclose，sofervent，anduponwhich，inallitsprogress，Icouldlookbackwithfeelingsofsuchunalloyedpleasure，uponwhoseterminationImusteverdwellwithsodeep，yetsounembitteredregret。IncheerfulconversewithherIsoonrecoveredmyspiritsconsiderably，andpassedmytimeagreeablyenough，althoughstillinthestrictestseclusion。
　　Matterswentonsufficientlysmooth，althoughIcouldnothelpsometimesfeelingamomentary，buthorribleuncertaintyrespectingmyuncle’scharacter；
　　whichwasnotaltogetherunwarrantedbythecircumstancesofthetwotryinginterviewswhoseparticularsIhavejustdetailed。Theunpleasantimpressionwhichtheseconferenceswerecalculatedtoleaveuponmymind，wasfastwearingaway，whenthereoccurredacircumstance，slightindeedinitself，butcalculatedirresistiblytoawakenallmyworstsuspicions，andtooverwhelmmeagainwithanxietyandterror。
　　IhadonedayleftthehousewithmycousinEmily，inordertotakearambleofconsiderablelength，forthepurposeofsketchingsomefavouriteviews，andwehadwalkedabouthalfamilewhenI
　　perceivedthatwehadforgottenourdrawingmaterials，theabsenceofwhichwouldhavedefeatedtheobjectofourwalk。Laughingatourownthoughtlessness，wereturnedtothehouse，andleavingEmilywithout，I
　　ranupstairstoprocurethedrawing-booksandpencils，whichlayinmybedroom。
　　AsIranupthestairsIwasmetbythetall，ill-lookingFrenchwoman，evidentlyagooddealflurried。
　　’Queveut，madame？’saidshe，withamoredecidedefforttobepolitethanIhadeverknownhermakebefore。
　　’No，no——nomatter，’saidI，hastilyrunningbyherinthedirectionofmyroom。
　　’Madame，’criedshe，inahighkey，’restezici，s’ilvousplait；votrechambren’estpasfaite——yourroomisnotreadyforyourreceptionyet。’
　　Icontinuedtomoveonwithoutheedingher。Shewassomewaybehindme，andfeelingthatshecouldnototherwisepreventmyentrance，forIwasnowupontheverylobby，shemadeadesperateattempttoseizeholdofmyperson：shesucceededingraspingtheendofmyshawl，whichshedrewfrommyshoulders；butslippingatthesametimeuponthepolishedoakfloor，shefellatfulllengthupontheboards。
　　Alittlefrightenedaswellasangryattherudenessofthisstrangewoman，I
　　hastilypushedopenthedoorofmyroom，atwhichInowstood，inordertoescapefromher；butgreatwasmyamazementonenteringtofindtheapartmentpreoccupied。
　　Thewindowwasopen，andbesideitstoodtwomalefigures；theyappearedtobeexaminingthefasteningsofthecasement，andtheirbackswereturnedtowardsthedoor。Oneofthemwasmyuncle；
　　theybothturnedonmyentrance，asifstartled。Thestrangerwasbootedandcloaked，andworeaheavybroad-leafedhatoverhisbrows。Heturnedbutforamoment，andavertedhisface；butIhadseenenoughtoconvincemethathewasnootherthanmycousinEdward。Myunclehadsomeironinstrumentinhishand，whichhehastilyconcealedbehindhisback；
　　andcomingtowardsme，saidsomethingasifinanexplanatorytone；butIwastoomuchshockedandconfoundedtounderstandwhatitmightbe。Hesaidsomethingabout’REPAIRS——window——frames——
　　cold，andsafety。’
　　Ididnotwait，however，toaskortoreceiveexplanations，buthastilylefttheroom。AsIwentdownthestairsI
　　thoughtIheardthevoiceoftheFrenchwomaninalltheshrillvolubilityofexcuse，whichwasmet，however，bysuppressedbutvehementimprecations，orwhatseemedtometobesuch，inwhichthevoiceofmycousinEdwarddistinctlymingled。
　　IjoinedmycousinEmilyquiteoutofbreath。Ineednotsaythatmyheadwastoofullofotherthingstothinkmuchofdrawingforthatday。Iimpartedtoherfranklythecauseofmyalarms，butatthesametimeasgentlyasIcould；andwithtearsshepromisedvigilance，anddevotion，andlove。IneverhadreasonforamomenttorepenttheunreservedconfidencewhichIthenreposedinher。ShewasnolesssurprisedthanIattheunexpectedappearanceofEdward，whosedepartureforFranceneitherofushadforamomentdoubted，butwhichwasnowprovedbyhisactualpresencetobenothingmorethananimposture，practised，Ifeared，fornogoodend。
　　ThesituationinwhichIhadfoundmyunclehadremovedcompletelyallmydoubtsastohisdesigns。Imagnifiedsuspicionsintocertainties，anddreadednightafternightthatIshouldbemurderedinmybed。Thenervousnessproducedbysleeplessnightsanddaysofanxiousfearsincreasedthehorrorsofmysituationtosuchadegree，thatIatlengthwrotealettertoaMr。Jefferies，anoldandfaithfulfriendofmyfather’s，andperfectlyacquaintedwithallhisaffairs，prayinghim，forGod’ssake，torelievemefrommypresentterriblesituation，andcommunicatingwithoutreservethenatureandgroundsofmysuspicions。
　　ThisletterIkeptsealedanddirectedfortwoorthreedaysalwaysaboutmyperson，fordiscoverywouldhavebeenruinous，inexpectationofanopportunitywhichmightbesafelytrusted，wherebytohaveitplacedinthepost-office。AsneitherEmilynorIwerepermittedtopassbeyondtheprecinctsofthedemesneitself，whichwassurroundedbyhighwallsformedofdrystone，thedifficultyofprocuringsuchanopportunitywasgreatlyenhanced。
　　AtthistimeEmilyhadashortconver-
　　sationwithherfather，whichshereportedtomeinstantly。
　　Aftersomeindifferentmatter，hehadaskedherwhethersheandIwereupongoodterms，andwhetherIwasunreservedinmydisposition。Sheansweredintheaffirmative；andhetheninquiredwhetherIhadbeenmuchsurprisedtofindhiminmychamberontheotherday。SheansweredthatIhadbeenbothsurprisedandamused。
　　’AndwhatdidshethinkofGeorgeWilson’sappearance？’
　　’Who？’inquiredshe。
　　’Oh，thearchitect，’heanswered，’whoistocontractfortherepairsofthehouse；
　　heisaccountedahandsomefellow。’