Gentleman first. Mr Lilly and Maud stood at to
see ched from her window. She shook his
O rap took o the
station at Marlo put back, his
face our way, his eyes now on hers, now on mine.
t.
of sign. o. . o travel train, t. e o keep to Mauds parlour till midnigo meet us at truck the half.
t day passed just like all t to o do, and I slo ime, of course, I for ake. e sat at lunco t ime we
, yet t s came togetarted apart, as if stung; but if, like me, s kno look at ood still, like a statue. Only no at able ones. I , I t, to look. ting. It made miing, too.
t to to mine. Doairs in t, everyone was gloomy.
Dohey said.
Mrs Cakebreads face let a spoon drop, s arted our di out g at table, and o run from t his .
ook it very set on going to London as Mr Riverss man.
You get bading up, his powder flying. Boy ye, fellow like him, Id be ashamed!
But e baot for Mr ay nor anyone. akileman s, poliss, bruss. No house in England.
on tairs and , and ters. Mr ay and gave ing. e against Charless backside, and yelps.
t put rate it in silence, and ilt, I did not go iles to try to take my pudding. I said I did. Mrs Stiles looked me over, then looked away.
your h in London.
But it o me, w s. I s see , or Mrs Cakebread—ever again.
I said Good-nig upstairs. Maud, of course, ill il s ogets and pieces o be taken. It uff dress I left be in more t it at ttom of my trunk. I left t, too. e could only take bags. Maud te. tters so bold even I could read thers name, which was like hers.
I liig one, o save tumbling about and gro in one of e kid glove, tons of pearl. S ond supposed it lost. I meant to keep it, to remind me of her.
I t my wo.
ting onight!
I and take a little, t a and rubbed at t, greered. ed, I stepped from her.
tly, .
S y stuff. s, I finis through me like a flame.
No c out leave off the cage.
For t it, dress at last became a long one, and shan ever. She
out boots to ouchem, and shook her head.
Youve done everyt of it all. I s, you.
Seful and sad. God knotling do up. t nine. She said,
til he es.
S in t I hree weeks.
e put t in ood at see t t of ter lying beyond it, cool and ready, ing like us. e stood for an notimes s s cold. At last ting began to tell even on me, and I began to fidget. I t I mig I mig out ; but I to took out all tigrap on a buckle, it broke. t peris a needle, and serap tig, itc my mouto to bite it, and tasted salt.
the opening of Mauds door.
My gave a jump. I put t of sigood and listened. No sound at all. I to to tains t in; but ty, Maud was gone.
S tiptoed to it and squinted into t tigs of the opening
and sting of anot I couldnt be sure. I called once, in a , straining my ears, looking teps into tening again. I put my ogetig I o be , rat it like o go te a reason or a word?
ruck eleven I called again, and took anoteps along t t caug tripped. S a dle, s so it rao me. I didnt dare er ook a urning in t never make my again.
So I only ed, ting tes. I back to t out tood at t c t, ter leman, ing closer as I c?
At last, o a latruck tood and trembled at eag of t one sounded, a as it.—And, as I t it, I ts—s ts.
Five me, Sue! s to my uncles library. I ed to see it, a final time. But I couldnt go until I knew he was asleep.
Sured and silent, alone among t, be quick. e here, e on.
I gave ened up mine. S all seeto cter. I gave est bag. tood before a fio h.
Noeady, I said.
All my nervousness me, and I of my mothe dark and sleeping houses she
must olen like wine.
e by ts stairs. I eps t particularly creaked; no tart of to trs Stiless pantry, I made op and and listen. S ; but t, and no sounds from any, t softened our ss rustle and swish.
to t t in it: I dre out before I tur, and put a little beef fat to t; and t more fat to ts t faste ttom and top. I t from Mrs Cakebreads cupboard. t tounded sort of look. I said softly,
t would be hard.
t isfa of t t , t my so t tigo its frame: after t, turned smoots slid in tle as babies.
tside, great black seful for t to t , going quickly and softly from oo anot across a er of lao trees beyond. So run. Only once I felt ate, and turned and found t seemed a smile. ts in tc, like a and for almost a mihen pulled her hand.
No e, I said.
Surned look agai, along a damp and tangled pat at tures leapt in t trample t o t t brig me and took out us t, te fast at our backs.
No of ttle freer. e set doood still in truck ts. t er, tleman. e ened, and t all tars t . More stars tural. t Maud. S o ook my ook it, not to be led by me, not to be forted; only to , because it was mine.
In tar moved, and uro c.
ts luck, I said.
truck. t air made it s t rose anotler sound—epped apart—it er against t. I sater s of moonlig a sile glided toleman . see us, see us; but it me wepped forward
first, it iffly to ters edge, took t tugging of t, until t eady.
I dont remember if Gentleman spoke. I dont believe me, except, once landing-place, to give me ten planks. I t all in silence. I kno s bulged as —for, ook up to turn us, er filling all t Maud sat steady. I saleman looking ill no-one spoke, all in a moment, and t moved quick. tream e, trees instead. Maud sat looking.
e very carefully. t ill. Gentlema as close as o trees . But t, to ear to t up and dark. Once, opped t us glide in silence; but still no-one o look. ter t, ts. t, tlemans e of his cheek above his whisker.
e did not keep upon t a spot upon t. tarted from. a . er, sat Maud upon trapped her bags beside her. he said,
e must go anot ans be brave. e are very close now.
t me and nodded. e started off—iff upon it, me no-one. Again I looked at tars. You never saars s he sky was never so dark and so clear.
ts of the road.
e rat be s and made sick. S last to t tages, and a great dark carted barking. Gentleman kicked it and made it yelp. o ttage t t, and tern. ting. t t stretco get a good look at Maud. Sleman a curtsey. tever you call y ed shaving. he said,
Good-nigo you. Good-nigo you, miss. And , for an escapade!
Gentleman said only, Is everyt o Maud, to epped ao me, but stood aloill studied udying , s of fear. Perleman , o age, if it came to a c to seem t miscarried, later.
I , I t, for five hundred more.
I t t, even as I stood c
Maud and ing ; even as I ed myself, for t. ther bow.
Alls ready indeed, sir, tle matter of— In ligances—
Yes, yes, said Gentleman. ook t -book. tossed its from one of ttages a boy o lead it a to me, and it was me ouco. Of course, seen e a lady; and sood in suc she maid.
S see it. S under ogeto cume? So visit once?
ell do it at once, said Gentleman, before anyone else could anstle ood very stiff. I to tled ter folds; and t look at me. tens, miss.—For I kne, bee kid gloves. I said, You ter go to your tens.
S me draood and crossed o me, No flo Gentleman. he shrugged.
S anshe absence of a flower. Now, sir, if you will—
I said, You mig least get one floo church!
I t of it until t; but now—ohe
cruelty of taking a bloom, to be once a frig bear it. My voice came out sounding almost leman gazed at me and frourned o me and said slowly,
I s oo.
it seemed to grotle stranger. Gentlema out o look about of of t. e stood in a muddy kind of green, o the woman,
you not take? you a flo? S a miepped nimbly bato tage; and last alks t looked ready to snap.
It ood and gazed at it, and no-oook talks and divided to me, but keeping t for leman lit up a cigarette and took t, t a stayed gloo took up tern, and led us te and along a patilting gravesto tleman, and o be nesses. her name was Mrs Cream.
e far? she said.
I did not answer.
t and, even , looked quite black. I e uro yello, about tar and t t try to sit, but straigo tar, and tood
before us tood and tding at Gentlemans side, igo oue t only to ruin her.
S to be married, and h. And soon no-one would love her, ever again.
I saleman look at to t of t asked if anybody to w be married; and ill.
I hing.
So t on, looking at Maud and at Gentleman, asking t, on t to give up all ts of ts; and ter give t.
Again there was a silence.
So turo Gentleman. ill you, of it—ill you have her and honour her, for as long as you live?
I leman.
tated, then spoke.
I will, she said.
tleman stood a little easier. tret c.
o be married? he said.
I kept quite still, till Gentleman turo me; and tured and stood at Mauds side, and t take to to put it into Gentlemans. I , t anyt
iff and cold as fingers made of leman o ook seemed to rise like smoke into to vanish.
tleman broug, and ook time repeating t seemed gold in t, but—I sa later—it was bad.
It hen raised his hands and closed his eyes.
t God oget no man put in sunder.
And t .
they were married.
Gentleman kissed ood and swayed, as if dazed. Mrs Cream said in a murmur,
S knoer— plum feller like him. heh heh.
I did not turn to ar to t ter. leman e o be Mrs Rivers—e ours beleman o e Smit still, I e it clumsily and tered—pers. I sa things should swoop.
Gentleman took , and t off. fast, and as ook —o snuff like a ligook us to her
cottage. Sern, and of tilting stairs too narros, and to a landing, about as big as a cupboard, for a moment and t laid upon tern and was singed.
to ttle bedrooms of t ratress on a pallet on tleman and Maud. S into it, and stood not. to took , one by one, and put t cleman ste. It icoat but Mauds sogs, afraid. he said,
ell, I ste doairs. Sue, youll make table up here?
I did not anss sounding loud as taircase trembling. I side triking a match.
I looked at Maud. Sill alks of y. Sook a step towards me and said quickly,
If I s to you later, will you e?
I took t t; It e.
S still . Sen to me, I mean it. Never mind o you, say youll e. Ill give you money for it.
range. gripped me of hing was awful. I said,
er take your drops and they will make you sleep.
Sleep? s to sleep, on my ?
Sood at o undress aken I turned and said, quietly,
You ter use t. You ter wash ys, before he es.
I t c er. to stand at, and o to able, no box, no portrait, no lig out her hand as if blind.
ts and pulled t . Against te of t I k alking toget light showed.
I looked at Maud. S my gaze. gleamed like glass. ill you look aill? surn my urned back. I could not , t errible to see. Gentleman talked on. Some breeze got into till shen she spoke again.
e here, she said.
I s again. I s t to softly to ed o mout ears; and I could not kiss my , no, and noer, running, from t of her lips.
But t oo hers; and she seized my hand
and took it, first to o hey burned.
t feeling uro somet you do it? sly, reacer me. Didnt you do it before, for t? t you leave me to ouco ter?—Dont go! S, before. You said I dreamed you. Im not dreaming no Briar again!
ood, clasping and unclasping my s s cry out, loud enougleman or Mrs Cream to I had kissed her.
o be different. You are a —
I fell silent. Sed aken up and moved. Gentlemans boots came loud again upon tairs. I ep, tate at to knock at Briar. At last o tch, and came in.
Are you ready? he said.
t in say anoto o look at to my otress; and all I ime I , tle creatures trah my cheek.
In tleman came to my room. sleeves.
Ss you, to dress her, he said.
ook doairs. Maud up a tray, e upon it. te touc very still, in t once dark about ttered. S me, as s everyte of eggs, to place over , odd, distant kind of gaze; and ened, aion, and t of making tly surprising and strange.
I dressed again beside t at t, tly lifted, as if even to let t against t stuff of migo them.
S a tilt. I t s be listening for t Briar. But sioned all.
I took aied it, in t t of tairs Mrs Cream came to me. S over her arm. She said,
Mr Rivers says the bed needs ging.
So gaze at o let ten about t. I sloairs and ssey, t to ts. ts of dark blood t ood and looked at t my eye—as muco say, ell, I s . Quite a little love-matcer all! Maud sat gazing out of tairs came tlemans knife on e. Mrs Cream raised t, to see if ttress under , and t pleased her.
I , to tsey, and seen Mauds queer, soft gaze.
took it hard, have she? she whispered. Maybe missing her ma?
I said not first. t, and o ter, I t drearily, to make it ood on ttle landing ly,
t. trouble, up es on bear gossip— o t place, ry air will calm her.
Calm likely to break out—turn t the place afire?
No, no, I said. Soo mu her head.
Poor lady, said Mrs Cream. But I could see bargained on a tray up t Maud a do bitten.
S like me, said Maud, after s times; and I s like you? an idea! like you?
I t say, sly, looking do her hands.
Later Gentleman , too; and t me on my os good, tood. t ime to call in tor.
a t ay a day; but on t her and said,
quite to stay a little longer, until your strengto you.
Stay longer? s t o your house in London?
I really t well enough.
Not , I am quite only ask Sue. Sue, you tell Mr Rivers how well I am?
S and s a day or tleman. Until you are rested. Until you are calm. Pero keep more to the bed—?
So o made tears at my to see you like t it to you, of course I sake you to London at once—I s? But do you look at yourself noill tell me you are well?
I dont kne here. Im afraid, Richard—
And it be stranger, in London? And s you be frigs so loud and croable—
Mrs Cream es me.
es you? Oo t; and Sue s you, Sue? I ansoo, tleman took her head in his hands and kissed her brow.
t us . ell stay anotil t paleness is driven from your c again!
day. On tern o mean to disappoint o make , , and said he loved her.
After t, s ask o stay tayed dull. Gentleman told Mrs Cream to make she
broug made t none of it. I ate it instead—sinebody must. I ate it, and s beside t, turning tretd of h.
let me in travelled from Briar in, t t gown—a silk one—so me. She said,
, . You ter , t it lie in the press.
Our fioucepped apart. Sried to kiss me, after t first night.
I took t o pass ttiing out t; and so like to c. , and put it on and stood befe. s off your eyes ay—arent you? And I am plain—dont you think?
I tle looking-glass from Mrs Cream. S it up in rembling before our faces. I remembered time sers; and o stand before leman. No! I sa, in te slyness of o see it meant her.
I could old her anyway.
No kno I did it all in a trance, s and feeling—I , as sleman, to do ice, seemed troubled on . o
kiss or bully tle ime in Mrs Creams parlour, ligtes—to mix , t, ts on t tir at Briar, no-one knee and at a fe ttle, in t t to stretctes, but co ep, as if bear the feel of azes on his back.
t nigling mattress.
I so do it to ened t like o do, now h.
And every m, o before; and my eye less, and plucked at his whiskers, his swagger all gone.
least knehe bloody villain.
At last for tor to e.
I ing tter in Mrs Creams parlour. tor o t ty. in olemans plot. Gentleman o cut th him.
Besides, tory oo sound. And to back it. Maud he
leman, and t been married an arted to turn queer.
I tor one did, lemans story, and seeing Maud, and me, as hen.
or, ant. You ors o put a lady aters and, on its back, spikes. t to take Maud, t t time; only to study aking came later.
Gentleman told o care. S me le er, and tidy t to are, and begin to breattle quicker—and I ot doleman quickly out to talk toget our window.
tleman came back, aing. airs. ogether and smiling. he said,
ell, ie, e doo visit from London. You remember, Maud, I spoke to you of t believe t me really married! to see themselves.
Still look at him.
S, dear, o you? I th Mrs Cream.
I could alking in loions t ansleman ed for Maud to speak and, w me. he said,
Sue, ?
ure er us, blinking. I o t my back.
I tly, whey
go to c keeps oo calm, her.
I said, Do her.
laugo keep tics safe. ts if t too, and a sdal to look at alk to o talk to you. Youll know o answer, of course.
I made a face. ill I? I said.
make game of me, Sue. Not noo say?
I sill sulky. I think so.
Good girl. I s to you.
o put and stepped a to my little room, aors came after a moment. Gentleman came ood before it, his eyes on my face.
tall men, like out. ts aic boots. cseyed.
Aor quietly, questions? e are friends of Mr Riverss, and very curious to his marriage, and his new wife.
Yes, I said. You mean, my mistress.
Aress. Now, refresh my memory. ho is she?
Mrs Rivers, I said. t was Miss Lilly.
Mrs Rivers, t was Miss Lilly. Ah.
doctraves—took out a pencil and a book. t one on:
Your mistress. And you are—?
her maid, sir.
Of course. And w is your name?
Dr Graves o e. Gentleman caugh, sir, I said.
Dr Cie looked at me o ate, is your name, you are quite sure?
I should say I know my own name! I said.
Of course.
still beat . o grow kind. he said,
ell, Miss Smitell us now, ress . . .?
It ime, at Lant Street, leman and me ter. I told t Lady Aliayfair, alemans old nurse, and my dead mot Maud. I said so like Mr Rivers but noer , she was grown very sad and careless of herself, and made me afraid.
Dr Graves e it all down. Dr Cie said,
Afraid. Do you mean, for your own sake?
I said, Not for mine, sir. For harm herself, she is so miserable.
I see, ress. You ell me t care do you tress ougo er?
I said, I think—
Yes?
I wish—
he nodded. Go on.
I wiscouc her—
My seemed all at once , and my voice ears. Gentleman still he
doctor took my , close about t, in a familiar way.
t not be so distressed. Your mistress so , as you!
ted and smoot it go. tlemans eye, and nodded. Very good, just show us—?
Of course, said Gentleman quickly. Of course. turo me and all moved off. I d say if it ook a step and called out after them.
S like eggs, sir! I called. Dr Cie urned. I ed my it fall. S like eggs, I said more feebly, in any kind of dish.
It in a e—or preteo e— in care fs. Gentlemao Mauds room. to me.
Youll keep il theyve seen her? he said.
I did not ans t, caugors questions; ter a minute or so, came tears.
t stay to leman anding be o ened and said,
Look, Sue, at your mistress. Dont you ttle brighter?
t, of ears still in t the rims.
Are you well, miss? I said.
Sleman. I tie and Graves, e deligell me, Sue, o flourislemans delight?
Surle ood loepped away.
a fool Ive been, o me. Ive asked Mrs Rivers to gr, in t place, tness y. Graves and Cie sa, too. to Cie is giving us to leave tomorroo t?
Surned o ted o tle blood struggled into e cheeks.
tomorrow? s?
omorroo a great rooms, and good servants in it, t s t for you.
day s of eggs a aside, as usual; but even I could it. I dressed looking at of ill, t ained let me c of it, even for travelling, t would crease.
I t of ba t believe t I was dark.
I packed slo , a brus ake to to t everyt ioned, did I keep to one side; and , ly, i.
to tilting staircase, and
sepped out of ttage s tig to of to feel t air slapped her.
I put my fingers over hers.
God bless you, maam! cried Mrs Cream, our first nigo see us leaving; and one or to stare, and to stand at t t ed out black. t tened s upon t teps doleman my eye.
Noime for se.
S and leaned beside opposite. to to a safe: , t t.
ravel? asked Maud.
he said, An hour.
It seemed lo seemed like a life. truck t made t, but t to open—I suppose, so a lunatic s o leap out. At last Gentleman pulled a cord to make t jolting in t and t speaking. In time I began to gro, but could not see if her hands before her, clasped.
Gentleman fidgeted, c imes ook out ime to to peer t
slo to a stop, and began to turn: straigigie.
e are almost there, he said.
Maud turned o moved t tart of a green lane, one ard, be, iron gates. A man il like at Briar, ter. Its windows co see w s back be I saw a rising kind of knowledge or dread.
Dont be afraid, said Gentleman.
t o o me. turn, and stopped. Dr Graves and Dr Cie ing for us, stout up t tleman put ie made a bow.
Good day, h. Mrs Rivers, you remember me of course?
his hand.
to me.
t stillness. I looked at leman leaned and caug at first to keep me in my seat; tood t rying to press me from it. tor took my ot me to my feet. My s upon teps. I said,
ait! are you doing? —?
Dont struggle, Mrs Rivers, said tor. e are o care for you.
he woman came forward. I said,
Its not me you ! are you doing? Mrs Rivers? Im Susan Smitlemalemahem!
Dr Cie shook his head.
Still keeping up tion? o Gentleman.
Gentleman nodded and said notoo uno speak. I urned and took doie ige of reet, Mayfair? Dont you kno. And ing it, t take us a year. No t so, Mrs Rivers! You are spoiling your handsome dress.
I ruggled against my sleeve of silk, and at my o plump and smoot t my feet, s letters of brass—the L.
It sed t I guessed, at last, trick t Gentleman had played on me.
I howled.
You bloody sing again, and pulling towards er! Oh!
ood in t tilt. tripped me ern.
those in my house, Mrs Rivers, he said.
You sod, I said to you see ? It aint me you , its—
I still pulled, and ill no o tleman in bars upon Maud. s dress. ears starting in t beyond tears, her gaze was hard. hard as marble, hard as brass.
t lies i.
Dr Cie saw me looking.
Now, ware? hink?
I could not speak. Srembling voiot her own:
My oress. O is breaking!
You t bit tart.
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