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concerned； your wife was a DROWNED WOMAN； hey？'
'Heaven forbid all that； Charlson！'
'Well； well； 'twas a wrong way of showing gratitude； I suppose。 And
now a drop of something to drink for old acquaintance' sake！ And
Mr。 Barnet； she's again freethere's a chance now if you care for
itha； ha！' And the speaker pushed his tongue into his hollow
cheek and slanted his eye in the old fashion。
'I know all；' said Barnet quickly； and slipping a small present into
the hands of the needy； saddening man； he stepped ahead and was soon
in the outskirts of the town。
He reached the harbour…road； and paused before the entrance to a
well…known house。 It was so highly bosomed in trees and shrubs
planted since the erection of the building that one would scarcely
have recognized the spot as that which had been a mere neglected
slope till chosen as a site for a dwelling。 He opened the swing…
gate； closed it noiselessly； and gently moved into the semicircular
drive； which remained exactly as it had been marked out by Barnet on
the morning when Lucy Savile ran in to thank him for procuring her
the post of governess to Downe's children。 But the growth of trees
and bushes which revealed itself at every step was beyond all
expectation； sun…proof and moon…proof bowers vaulted the walks； and
the walls of the house were uniformly bearded with creeping plants
as high as the first…floor windows。
After lingering for a few minutes in the dusk of the bending boughs；
the visitor rang the door…bell； and on the servant appearing； he
announced himself as 'an old friend of Mrs。 Downe's。'
The hall was lighted； but not brightly； the gas being turned low； as
if visitors were rare。 There was a stagnation in the dwelling； it
seemed to be waiting。 Could it really be waiting for him？ The
partitions which had been probed by Barnet's walking…stick when the
mortar was green； were now quite brown with the antiquity of their
varnish； and the ornamental woodwork of the staircase； which had
glistened with a pale yellow newness when first erected； was now of
a rich wine…colour。 During the servant's absence the following
colloquy could be dimly heard through the nearly closed door of the
drawing…room。
'He didn't give his name？'
'He only said 〃an old friend；〃 ma'am。'
'What kind of gentleman is he？'
'A staidish gentleman； with gray hair。'
The voice of the second speaker seemed to affect the listener
greatly。 After a pause； the lady said； 'Very well； I will see him。'
And the stranger was shown in face to face with the Lucy who had
once been Lucy Savile。 The round cheek of that formerly young lady
had； of course； alarmingly flattened its curve in her modern
representative； a pervasive grayness overspread her once dark brown
hair； like morning rime on heather。 The parting down the middle was
wide and jagged； once it had been a thin white line； a narrow
crevice between two high banks of shade。 But there was still enough
left to form a handsome knob behind； and some curls beneath
inwrought with a few hairs like silver wires were very becoming。 In
her eyes the only modification was that their originally mild
rectitude of expression had become a little more stringent than
heretofore。 Yet she was still girlisha girl who had been
gratuitously weighted by destiny with a burden of five…and…forty
years instead of her proper twenty。
'Lucy； don't you know me？' he said； when the servant had closed the
door。
'I knew you the instant I saw you！' she returned cheerfully。 'I
don't know why； but I always thought you would come back to your old
town again。'
She gave him her hand； and then they sat down。 'They said you were
dead；' continued Lucy； 'but I never thought so。 We should have
heard of it for certain if you had been。'
'It is a very long time since we met。'
'Yes； what you must have seen； Mr。 Barnet； in all these roving
years； in comparison with what I have seen in this quiet place！'
Her face grew more serious。 'You know my husband has been dead a
long time？ I am a lonely old woman now； considering what I have
been； though Mr。 Downe's daughtersall marriedmanage to keep me
pretty cheerful。'
'And I am a lonely old man； and have been any time these twenty
years。'
'But where have you kept yourself？ And why did you go off so
mysteriously？'
'Well； Lucy； I have kept myself a little in America； and a little in
Australia； a little in India； a little at the Cape； and so on； I
have not stayed in any place for a long time； as it seems to me； and
yet more than twenty years have flown。 But when people get to my
age two years go like one！Your second question； why did I go away
so mysteriously； is surely not necessary。 You guessed why； didn't
you？'
'No； I never once guessed；' she said simply； 'nor did Charles； nor
did anybody as far as I know。'
'Well； indeed！ Now think it over again； and then look at me； and
say if you can't guess？'
She looked him in the face with an inquiring smile。 'Surely not
because of me？' she said； pausing at the commencement of surprise。
Barnet nodded； and smiled again； but his smile was sadder than hers。
'Because I married Charles？' she asked。
'Yes； solely because you married him on the day I was free to ask
you to marry me。 My wife died four…and…twenty hours before you went
to church with Downe。 The fixing of my journey at that particular
moment was because of her funeral； but once away I knew I should
have no inducement to come back； and took my steps accordingly。'
Her face assumed an aspect of gentle reflection； and she looked up
and down his form with great interest in her eyes。 'I never thought
of it！' she said。 'I knew； of course； that you had once implied
some warmth of feeling towards me； but I concluded that it passed
off。 And I have always been under the impression that your wife was
alive at the time of my marriage。 Was it not stupid of me！But you
will have some tea or something？ I have never dined late； you know；
since my husband's death。 I have got into the way of making a
regular meal of tea。 You will have some tea with me； will you not？'
The travelled man assented quite readily； and tea was brought in。
They sat and chatted over the meal； regardless of the flying hour。
'Well； well！' said Barnet presently； as for the first time he
leisurely surveyed the room； 'how like it all is； and yet how
different！ Just where your piano stands was a board on a couple of
trestles； bearing the patterns of wall…papers； when I was last here。
I was choosing themstanding in this way； as it might be。 Then my
servant came in at the door； and handed me a note； so。 It was from
Downe； and announced that you were just going to be married to him。
I chose no more wall…paperstore up all those I had selected； and
left the house。 I never entered it again till now。'
'Ah； at last I understand it all；' she murmured。
They had both risen and gone to the fireplace。 The mantel came
almost on a level with her shoulder； which gently rested against it；
and Barnet laid his hand upon the shelf close beside her shoulder。
'Lucy；' he said； 'better late than never。 Will you marry me now？'
She started back； and the surprise which was so obvious in her
wrought even greater surprise in him that it should be so。 It was
difficult to believe that she had been quite blind to the situation；
and yet all reason and common sense went to prove that she was not
acting。
'You take me quite unawares by such a question！' she said； with a
forced laugh of uneasiness。 It was the first time she had shown any
embarrassment at all。 'Why；' she added； 'I couldn't marry you for
the world。'
'Not after all this！ Why not？'
'It isI wouldI really think I may say itI would upon the whole
rather marry you； Mr。 Barnet； than any other man I have ever met； if
I ever dreamed of marriage again。 But I don't dream of itit is
quite out of my thoughts； I have not the least intention of marrying
again。'
'Buton my accountcouldn't you alter your plans a little？ Come！'
'Dear Mr。 Barnet；' she said with a little flutter； 'I would on your
account if on anybody's in existence。 But you don't know in the
least what it is you are