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on my feet of course； and with an immense deal to ask； the more that my
friend had discernibly now girded her loins to meet me once more。
This I felt as soon as I had put to her the question of her sense
of the child's sincerity as against my own。 〃She persists in denying
to you that she saw； or has ever seen； anything？〃
My visitor's trouble； truly； was great。 〃Ah； miss； it isn't a matter on which
I can push her！ Yet it isn't either； I must say； as if I much needed to。
It has made her； every inch of her； quite old。〃
〃Oh； I see her perfectly from here。 She resents； for all
the world like some high little personage； the imputation
on her truthfulness and； as it were； her respectability。
‘Miss Jessel indeedSHE！' Ah； she's ‘respectable；' the chit！
The impression she gave me there yesterday was； I assure you；
the very strangest of all； it was quite beyond any of the others。
I DID put my foot in it！ She'll never speak to me again。〃
Hideous and obscure as it all was； it held Mrs。 Grose briefly silent；
then she granted my point with a frankness which； I made sure；
had more behind it。 〃I think indeed； miss； she never will。
She do have a grand manner about it！〃
〃And that manner〃I summed it up〃is practically what's the matter
with her now！〃
Oh； that manner； I could see in my visitor's face； and not
a little else besides！ 〃She asks me every three minutes if I
think you're coming in。〃
〃I seeI see。〃 I； too； on my side； had so much more than worked it out。
〃Has she said to you since yesterdayexcept to repudiate her familiarity
with anything so dreadfula single other word about Miss Jessel？〃
〃Not one； miss。 And of course you know；〃 my friend added；
〃I took it from her； by the lake； that； just then and there
at least； there WAS nobody。〃
〃Rather！ and； naturally； you take it from her still。〃
〃I don't contradict her。 What else can I do？〃
〃Nothing in the world！ You've the cleverest little person to deal with。
They've made themtheir two friends； I meanstill cleverer
even than nature did； for it was wondrous material to play on！
Flora has now her grievance； and she'll work it to the end。〃
〃Yes； miss； but to WHAT end？〃
〃Why； that of dealing with me to her uncle。 She'll make me out to him
the lowest creature！〃
I winced at the fair show of the scene in Mrs。 Grose's face；
she looked for a minute as if she sharply saw them together。
〃And him who thinks so well of you！〃
〃He has an odd wayit comes over me now；〃 I laughed；〃of proving it！
But that doesn't matter。 What Flora wants； of course； is to get rid of me。〃
My companion bravely concurred。 〃Never again to so much as look at you。〃
〃So that what you've come to me now for；〃 I asked； 〃is to speed me on
my way？〃 Before she had time to reply； however； I had her in check。
〃I've a better ideathe result of my reflections。 My going WOULD seem
the right thing； and on Sunday I was terribly near it。 Yet that won't do。
It's YOU who must go。 You must take Flora。〃
My visitor； at this； did speculate。 〃But where in the world？〃
〃Away from here。 Away from THEM。 Away； even most of all； now； from me。
Straight to her uncle。〃
〃Only to tell on you？〃
〃No； not ‘only'！ To leave me； in addition； with my remedy。〃
She was still vague。 〃And what IS your remedy？〃
〃Your loyalty； to begin with。 And then Miles's。〃
She looked at me hard。 〃Do you think he？〃
〃Won't； if he has the chance； turn on me？ Yes； I venture still
to think it。 At all events； I want to try。 Get off with his
sister as soon as possible and leave me with him alone。〃
I was amazed； myself； at the spirit I had still in reserve；
and therefore perhaps a trifle the more disconcerted
at the way in which； in spite of this fine example of it；
she hesitated。 〃There's one thing； of course；〃 I went on：
〃they mustn't； before she goes； see each other for three seconds。〃
Then it came over me that； in spite of Flora's presumable
sequestration from the instant of her return from the pool；
it might already be too late。 〃Do you mean；〃 I anxiously asked；
〃that they HAVE met？〃
At this she quite flushed。 〃Ah； miss； I'm not such a fool as that！
If I've been obliged to leave her three or four times；
it has been each time with one of the maids； and at present；
though she's alone； she's locked in safe。 And yetand yet！〃
There were too many things。
〃And yet what？〃
〃Well； are you so sure of the little gentleman？〃
〃I'm not sure of anything but YOU。 But I have； since last evening；
a new hope。 I think he wants to give me an opening。
I do believe thatpoor little exquisite wretch！he wants to speak。
Last evening； in the firelight and the silence； he sat with me
for two hours as if it were just coming。〃
Mrs。 Grose looked hard； through the window； at the gray； gathering day。
〃And did it come？〃
〃No； though I waited and waited； I confess it didn't； and it was
without a breach of the silence or so much as a faint allusion to his
sister's condition and absence that we at last kissed for good night。
All the same；〃 I continued； 〃I can't； if her uncle sees her；
consent to his seeing her brother without my having given the boy
and most of all because things have got so bada little more time。〃
My friend appeared on this ground more reluctant than I could
quite understand。 〃What do you mean by more time？〃
〃Well； a day or tworeally to bring it out。 He'll then be on
MY sideof which you see the importance。 If nothing comes；
I shall only fail； and you will； at the worst； have helped me by doing；
on your arrival in town； whatever you may have found possible。〃
So I put it before her； but she continued for a little so inscrutably
embarrassed that I came again to her aid。 〃Unless； indeed；〃
I wound up； 〃you really want NOT to go。〃
I could see it； in her face； at last clear itself；
she put out her hand to me as a pledge。 〃I'll goI'll go。
I'll go this morning。〃
I wanted to be very just。 〃If you SHOULD wish still to wait；
I would engage she shouldn't see me。〃
〃No； no： it's the place itself。 She must leave it。〃
She held me a moment with heavy eyes； then brought out the rest。
〃Your idea's the right one。 I myself； miss〃
〃Well？〃
〃I can't stay。〃
The look she gave me with it made me jump at possibilities。
〃You mean that； since yesterday； you HAVE seen？〃
She shook her head with dignity。 〃I've HEARD！〃
〃Heard？〃
〃From that childhorrors！ There！〃 she sighed with tragic relief。
〃On my honor； miss； she says things！〃 But at this evocation she broke down；
she dropped； with a sudden sob； upon my sofa and； as I had seen her do before；
gave way to all the grief of it。
It was quite in another manner that I； for my part； let myself go。
〃Oh； thank God！〃
She sprang up again at this； drying her eyes with a groan。 〃'Thank God'？〃
〃It so justifies me！〃
〃It does that； miss！〃
I couldn't have desired more emphasis； but I just hesitated。
〃She's so horrible？〃
I saw my colleague scarce knew how to put it。 〃Really shocking。〃
〃And about me？〃
〃About you； misssince you must have it。 It's beyond everything；
for a young lady； and I can't think wherever she must have picked up〃
〃The appalling language she applied to me？ I can； then！〃
I broke in with a laugh that was doubtless significant enough。
It only； in truth； left my friend still more grave。
〃Well； perhaps I ought to alsosince I've heard some of it before！
Yet I can't bear it；〃 the poor woman went on while； with the same movement；
she glanced； on my dressing table； at the face of my watch。
〃But I must go back。〃
I kept her； however。 〃Ah； if you can't bear it！〃
〃How can I stop with her； you mean？ Why； just FOR that：
to get her away。 Far from this；〃 she pursued； 〃far from THEM…〃
〃She may be different？ She may be free？〃 I seized her almost with joy。
〃T