Forhalfanhourmorethemusicstillwenton。AfterthatthebeautyofthemoonlightviewontheterracetemptedMissFairlieouttolookatit，andIfollowedher。WhenthecandlesatthepianohadbeenlightedMissHalcombehadchangedherplace，soastocontinueherexaminationofthelettersbytheirassistance。Welefther，onalowchair，atonesideoftheinstrument，soabsorbedoverherreadingthatshedidnotseemtonoticewhenwemoved。
　　Wehadbeenoutontheterracetogether，justinfrontoftheglassdoors，hardlysolongasfiveminutes，Ishouldthink；andMissFairliewas，bymyadvice，justtyingherwhitehandkerchiefoverherheadasaprecautionagainstthenightair——whenIheardMissHalcombe’svoice——low，eager，andalteredfromitsnaturallivelytone——pronouncemyname。
　　`MrHartright，’shesaid，`willyoucomehereforaminute？Iwanttospeaktoyou。’
　　Ienteredtheroomagainimmediately。Thepianostoodabouthalfwaydownalongtheinnerwall。OnthesideoftheinstrumentfarthestfromtheterraceMissHalcombewassittingwiththelettersscatteredonherlap，andwithoneinherhandselectedfromthem，andheldclosetothecandle。Onthesidenearesttotheterracetherestoodalowottoman，onwhichItookmyplace。InthispositionIwasnotfarfromtheglassdoors，andIcouldseeMissFairlieplainly，asshepassedandrepassedtheopeningontotheterrace，walkingslowlyfromendtoendofitinthefullradianceofthemoon。
　　`IwantyoutolistenwhileIreadtheconcludingpassagesinthisletter，’
　　saidMissHalcombe。`TellmeifyouthinktheythrowanylightuponyourstrangeadventureontheroadtoLondon。Theletterisaddressedbymymothertohersecondhusband，MrFairlie，andthedatereferstoaperiodofbetweenelevenandtwelveyearssince。AtthattimeMrandMrsFairlie，andmyhalf-sisterLaura，hadbeenlivingforyearsinthishouse；andIwasawayfromthemcompletingmyeducationataschoolinParis。’
　　Shelookedandspokeearnestly，and，asIthought，alittleuneasilyaswell。Atthemomentwhensheraisedthelettertothecandlebeforebeginningtoreadit，MissFairliepassedusontheterrace，lookedinforamoment，andseeingthatwewereengaged，slowlywalkedon。
　　MissHalcombebegantoreadasfollows：——
　　```Youwillbetired，mydearPhilip，ofhearingperpetuallyaboutmyschoolandmyscholars。Laytheblame，pray，onthedulluniformityoflifeatLimmeridge，andnotonme。Besides，thistimeIhavesomethingreallyinterestingtotellyouaboutanewscholar。
　　```YouknowoldMrsKempeatthevillageshop。Well，afteryearsofailing，thedoctorhasatlastgivenherup，andsheisdyingslowlydaybyday。Heronlylivingrelation，asister，arrivedlastweektotakecareofher。ThissistercomesallthewayfromHampshire——hernameisMrsCatherick。FourdaysagoMrsCatherickcameheretoseeme，andbroughtheronlychildwithher，asweetlittlegirlaboutayearolderthanourdarlingLaura——’’’
　　Asthelastsentencefellfromthereader’slips，MissFairliepassedusontheterraceoncemore。Shewassoftlysingingtoherselfoneofthemelodieswhichshehadbeenplayingearlierintheevening。MissHalcombewaitedtillshehadpassedoutofsightagain，andthenwentonwiththeletter——
　　```MrsCatherickisadecent，well-behaved，respectablewoman；middle-aged，andwiththeremainsofhavingbeenmoderately，onlymoderately，nice-looking。
　　Thereissomethinginhermannerandinherappearance，however，whichIcan’tmakeout。Sheisreservedaboutherselftothepointofdownrightsecrecy，andthereisalookinherface——Ican’tdescribeit——whichsuggeststomethatshehassomethingonhermind。Sheisaltogetherwhatyouwouldcallawalkingmystery。HererrandatLimmeridgeHouse，however，wassimpleenough。WhensheleftHampshiretonursehersister，MrsKempe，throughherlastillness，shehadbeenobligedtobringherdaughterwithher，throughhavingnooneathometotakecareofthelittlegirl。MrsKempemaydieinaweek’stime，ormaylingeronformonths；andMrsCatherick’sobjectwastoaskmetoletherdaughter，Anne，havethebenefitofattendingmyschool，subjecttotheconditionofherbeingremovedfromittogohomeagainwithhermother，afterMrsKempe’sdeath。Iconsentedatonce，andwhenLauraandIwentoutforourwalk，wetookthelittlegirlwhoisjustelevenyearsoldtotheschoolthatveryday。’’’
　　OncemoreMissFairlie’sfigure，brightandsoftinitssnowymuslindress——herfaceprettilyframedbythewhitefoldsofthehandkerchiefwhichshehadtiedunderherchin——passedbyusinthemoonlight。OncemoreMissHalcombewaitedtillshewasoutofsight，andthenwenton——
　　```Ihavetakenaviolentfancy。Philip，tomynewscholar，forareasonwhichImeantokeeptillthelastforthesakeofsurprisingyou。Hermotherhavingtoldmeaslittleaboutthechildasshetoldmeofherself，IwaslefttodiscoverwhichIdidonthefirstdaywhenwetriedheratlessonsthatthepoorlittlething’sintellectisnotdevelopedasitoughttobeatherage。SeeingthisIhadheruptothehousethenextday，andprivatelyarrangedwiththedoctortocomeandwatchherandquestionher，andtellmewhathethought。Hisopinionisthatshewillgrowoutofit。Ruthesayshercarefulbringing-upatschoolisamatterofgreatimportancejustnow，becauseherunusualslownessinacquiringideasimpliesanunusualtenacityinkeepingthem，whentheyareoncereceivedintohermind。Now，mylove，youmustnotimagine，inyouroff-handway，thatI
　　havebeenattachingmyselftoanidiot。ThispoorlittleAnneCatherickisasweet，affectionate，gratefulgirl，andsaysthequaintest，prettiestthingsasyoushalljudgebyaninstance，inthemostoddlysudden，surprised，half-frightenedway。Althoughsheisdressedveryneatly，herclothesshowasadwantoftasteincolourandpattern。SoIarranged，yesterday，thatsomeofourdarlingLaura’soldwhitefrocksandwhitehatsshouldbealteredforAnneCatherick，explainingtoherthatlittlegirlsofhercomplexionlookedneaterandbetterallinwhitethaninanythingelse。Shehesitatedandseemedpuzzledforaminute，thenflushedup，andappearedtounderstand。
　　Herlittlehandclaspedminesuddenly。Shekissedit，Philip，andsaidoh，soearnestly！，`IwillalwayswearwhiteaslongasIlive。Itwillhelpmetorememberyou，ma’am，andtothinkthatIampleasingyoustill，whenIgoawayandseeyounomore。’Thisisonlyonespecimenofthequaintthingsshesayssoprettily。Poorlittlesoul！Sheshallhaveastockofwhitefrocks，madewithgooddeeptucks，toletoutforherasshegrows——’’’
　　MissHalcombepaused，andlookedatmeacrossthepiano。
　　`Didtheforlornwomanwhomyoumetinthehigh-roadseemyoung？’sheasked。`Youngenoughtobetwo-orthree-and-twenty？’
　　`Yes，MissHalcombe，asyoungasthat。’
　　`Andshewasstrangelydressed，fromheadtofoot，allinwhite？’
　　`Allinwhite。’
　　WhiletheanswerwaspassingmylipsMissFairlieglidedintoviewontheterraceforthethirdtime。Insteadofproceedingonherwalk，shestopped，withherhackturnedtowardsus，and，leaningonthebalustradeoftheterrace，lookeddownintothegardenbeyond。Myeyesfixeduponthewhitegleamofhermuslingownandhead-dressinthemoonlight，andasensation，forwhichIcanfindnoname——asensationthatquickenedmypulse，andraisedaflutteringatmyheart——begantostealoverme。
　　`Allinwhite？’MissHalcomberepeated。`Themostimportantsentencesintheletter，MrHartright，arethoseattheend，whichIwillreadtoyouimmediately。ButIcan’thelpdwellingalittleuponthecoincidenceofthewhitecostumeofthewomanyoumet，andthewhitefrockswhichproducedthatstrangeanswerfrommymother’slittlescholar。Thedoctormayhavebeenwrongwhenhediscoveredthechild’sdefectsofintellect，andpredictedthatshewould`growoutofthem。’Shemayneverhavegrownoutofthem，andtheoldgratefulfancyaboutdressinginwhite，whichwasaseriousfeelingtothegirl，maybeaseriousfeelingtothewomanstill。’
　　Isaidafewwordsinanswer——Ihardlyknowwhat。AllmyattentionwasconcentratedonthewhitegleamofMissFairlie’smuslindress。
　　`Listentothelastsentencesoftheletter，’saidMissHalcombe。`I
　　thinktheywillsurpriseyou。’
　　Assheraisedthelettertothelightofthecandle，MissFairlieturnedfromthebalustrade，lookeddoubtfullyupanddowntheterrace，advancedasteptowardstheglassdoors，andthenstopped，facingus。
　　MeanwhileMissHalcombereadmethelastsentencestowhichshehadreferred——
　　```Andnow，mylove，seeingthatIamattheendofmypaper，nowfortherealreason，thesurprisingreason，formyfondnessforlittleAnneCatherick。MydearPhilip，althoughsheisnothalfsopretty，sheis，nevertheless，byoneofthoseextraordinarycapricesofaccidentalresemblancewhichonesometimessees，thelivinglikeness，inherhair，hercomplexion，thecolourofhereyes，andtheshapeofherface——’’’
　　IstartedupfromtheottomanbeforeMissHalcombecouldpronouncethenextwords。Athrillofthesamefeelingwhichranthroughmewhenthetouchwaslaiduponmyshoulderonthelonelyhigh-roadchilledmeagain。
　　TherestoodMissFairlie，awhitefigure，aloneinthemoonlight；inherattitude，intheturnofherhead，inhercomplexion，intheshapeofherface，thelivingimage，atthatdistanceandunderthosecircumstances，ofthewomaninwhite！Thedoubtwhichhadtroubledmymindforhoursandhourspastflashedintoconvictioninaninstant。That`somethingwanting’
　　wasmyownrecognitionoftheominouslikenessbetweenthefugitivefromtheasylumandmypupilatLimmeridgeHouse。
　　`Youseeit！’saidMissHalcombe。Shedroppedtheuselessletter，andhereyesflashedastheymetmine。`Youseeitnow，asmymothersawitelevenyearssince！’
　　`Iseeit——moreunwillinglythanIcansay。Toassociatethatforlorn，friendless，lostwoman，evenbyanaccidentallikenessonly，withMissFairlie，seemslikecastingashadowonthefutureofthebrightcreaturewhostandslookingatusnow。Letmelosetheimpressionagainassoonaspossible。Callherin，outofthedrearymoonlight——praycallherin！’
　　`MrHartright，yousurpriseme。Whateverwomenmaybe，Ithoughtthatmen，inthenineteenthcentury，wereabovesuperstition。’
　　`Praycallherin！’
　　`Hush，hush！Sheiscomingofherownaccord。Saynothinginherpresence。
　　Letthisdiscoveryofthelikenessbekeptasecretbetweenyouandme。