`Iamsorrytohearhermothersayso。’
　　`Hermotherdoessayso。Howdoyouknowsheisdead？’
　　`IamnotatlibertytosayhowIknowit-butIdoknowit。’
　　`Areyouatlibertytosayhowyoufoundoutmyaddress？’
　　`Certainly。IgotyouraddressfromMrsClements。’
　　`MrsClementsisafoolishwoman。Didshetellyoutocomehere？’
　　`Shedidnot。’
　　`Then，Iaskyouagain，whydidyoucome？’
　　Asshewasdeterminedtohaveheranswer，Igaveittoherintheplainestpossibleform。
　　`Icame，’Isaid，`becauseIthoughtAnneCatherick’smothermighthavesomenaturalinterestinknowingwhethershewasaliveordead。’
　　`Justso，’saidMrsCatherick，withadditionalself-possession。`Hadyounoothermotive？’
　　Ihesitated。Therightanswertothatquestionwasnoteasytofindatamoment’snotice。
　　`Ifyouhavenoothermotive，’shewenton，deliberatelytakingoffherslate-colouredmittens，androllingthemup，`Ihaveonlytothankyouforyourvisit，andtosaythatIwillnotdetainyouhereanylonger。
　　Yourinformationwouldbemoresatisfactoryifyouwerewillingtoexplainhowyoubecamepossessedofit。However，itjustifiesme，Isuppose，ingoingintomourning。Thereisnotmuchalterationnecessaryinmydress，asyousee。WhenIhavechangedmymittens，Ishallbeallinblack。’
　　Shesearchedinthepocketofhergown，drewoutapairofblacklacemittens，putthemonwiththestoniestandsteadiestcomposure，andthenquietlycrossedherhandsinherlap。
　　`Iwishyougoodmorning，’shesaid。
　　Thecoolcontemptofhermannerirritatedmeintodirectlyavowingthatthepurposeofmyvisithadnotbeenansweredyet。
　　`Ihaveanothermotiveincominghere，’Isaid。
　　`Ah！Ithoughtso，’remarkedMrsCatherick。
　　`Yourdaughter’sdeath——’
　　`Whatdidshedieof？’
　　`Ofdiseaseoftheheart。’
　　`Yes。Goon。’
　　`Yourdaughter’sdeathhasbeenmadethepretextforinflictingseriousinjuryonapersonwhoisverydeartome。Twomenhavebeenconcerned，tomycertainknowledge，indoingthatwrong。OneofthemisSirPercivalGlyde。’
　　`Indeed！’
　　Ilookedattentivelytoseeifsheflinchedatthesuddenmentionofthatname。Notamuscleofherstirred——thehard，defiant，implacablestareinhereyesneverwaveredforaninstant。
　　`Youmaywonder，’Iwenton，`howtheeventofyourdaughter’sdeathcanhavebeenmadethemeansofinflictinginjuryonanotherperson。’
　　`No。’saidMrsCatherick；`Idon’twonderatall。Thisappearstobeyouraffair。Youareinterestedinmyaffairs。Iamnotinterestedinyours。’
　　`Youmayask，then，’Ipersisted，`whyImentionthematterinyourpresence。’
　　`Yes，Idoaskthat。’
　　`ImentionitbecauseIamdeterminedtobringSirPercivalGlydetoaccountforthewickednesshehascommitted。’
　　`WhathaveItodowithyourdetermination？’
　　`Youshallhear。TherearecertaineventsinSirPercival’spastlifewhichitisnecessaryformypurposetobefullyacquaintedwith。Youknowthem——andforthatreasonIcometoyou。’
　　`Whateventsdoyoumean？’
　　`EventsthatoccurredatOldWelminghamwhenyourhusbandwasparish-clerkatthatplace，andbeforethetimewhenyourdaughterwasborn。’
　　Ihadreachedthewomanatlastthroughthebarrierofimpenetrablereservethatshehadtriedtosetupbetweenus。Isawhertempersmoulderinginhereyes——asplainlyasIsawherhandsgrowrestless，thenunclaspthemselves，andbeginmechanicallysmoothingherdressoverherknees。
　　`Whatdoyouknowofthoseevents？’sheasked。
　　`AllthatMrsClementscouldtellme，’Ianswered。
　　Therewasamomentaryflushonherfirmsquareface，amomentarystillnessinherrestlesshands，whichseemedtobetokenacomingoutburstofangerthatmightthrowheroffherguard。Butno——shemasteredtherisingirritation，leanedbackinherchair，crossedherarmsonherbroadbosom，andwithasmileofgrimsarcasmonherthicklips，lookedatmeassteadilyasever。
　　`Ah！Ibegintounderstanditallnow，’shesaid，hertamedanddisciplinedangeronlyexpressingitselfintheelaboratemockeryofhertoneandmanner。
　　`YouhavegotagrudgeofyourownagainstSirPercivalGlyde，andImusthelpyoutowreakit。Imusttellyouthis，that，andtheotheraboutSirPercivalandmyself，mustI？Yes，indeed？Youhavebeenpryingintomyprivateaffairs。Youthinkyouhavefoundalostwomantodealwith，wholiveshereonsufferance，andwhowilldoanythingyouaskforfearyoumayinjureherintheopinionsofthetown’speople。Iseethroughyouandyourpreciousspeculation——Ido！anditamusesme。Ha！ha！’
　　Shestoppedforamoment，herarmstightenedoverherbosom，andshelaughedtoherself——ahard，harsh，angrylaugh。
　　`Youdon’tknowhowIhavelivedinthisplace，andwhatIhavedoneinthisplace，MrWhat’s-your-name，’shewenton。`I’lltellyou，beforeIringthebellandhaveyoushownout。Icamehereawrongedwoman——
　　Icamehererobbedofmycharacteranddeterminedtoclaimitback。I’vebeenyearsandyearsaboutIt——andIhaveclaimeditback。Ihavematchedtherespectablepeoplefairlyandopenlyontheirownground。Iftheysayanythingagainstmenowtheymustsayitinsecret——theycan’tsayit，theydaren’tsayit，openly。Istandhighenoughinthistowntobeoutofyourreach。Theclergymanbowstome。Aha！youdidn’tbargainforthatwhenyoucamehere。Gotothechurchandinquireaboutme——youwillfindMrsCatherickhashersittingliketherestofthem，andpaystherentonthedayit’sdue。Gotothetown-hall。There’sapetitionlyingthere——apetitionoftherespectableinhabitantsagainstallowingacircustocomeandperformhereandcorruptourmorals——yes！ourmorals。Isignedthatpetitionthismorning。Gotothebookseller’sshop。Theclergyman’sWednesdayeveningLecturesonJustificationbyFaitharepublishingtherebysubscription——I’mdownonthelist。Thedoctor’swifeonlyputashillingintheplateatourlastcharitysermon——Iputhalf-a-crown。MrChurchwardenSowardheldthePlate，andbowedtome。TenyearsagohetoldPigrumthechemistIoughttobewhippedoutofthetownatthecart’stail。Isyourmotheralive？HasshegotabetterBibleonhertablethanIhavegotonmine？Doesshestandbetterwithhertrades-peoplethanIdowithmine？
　　Hasshealwayslivedwithinherincome？Ihavealwayslivedwithinmine。
　　Ah！thereistheclergymancomingalongthesquare。Look，MrWhat’s-your-name——look，ifyouplease！’
　　Shestartedupwiththeactivityofayoungwoman，wenttothewindow，waitedtilltheclergymanpassed，andbowedtohimsolemnly。Theclergymanceremoniouslyraisedhishat，andwalkedon。MrsCatherickreturnedtoherchair，andlookedatmewithagrimmersarcasmthanever。
　　`There！’shesaid。`Whatdoyouthinkofthatforawomanwithalostcharacter？Howdoesyourspeculationlooknow？’
　　Thesingularmannerinwhichshehadchosentoassertherself，theextraordinarypracticalvindicationofherpositioninthetownwhichshehadjustoffered，hadsoperplexedmethatIlistenedtoherinsilentsurprise。Iwasnotthelessresolved，however，tomakeanotherefforttothrowheroffherguard。Ifthewoman’sfiercetemperoncegotbeyondhercontrol，andonceflamedoutonme，shemightyetsaythewordswhichwouldputtheclueinmyhands。
　　`Howdoesyourspeculationlooknow？’sherepeated。
　　`ExactlyasitlookedwhenIfirstcamein，’Ianswered。`Idon’tdoubtthepositionyouhavegainedinthetown，andIdon’twishtoassailitevenifIcould。IcameherebecauseSirPercivalGlydeis，tomycertainknowledge，yourenemy，aswellasmine。IfIhaveagrudgeagainsthim，youhaveagrudgeagainsthimtoo。Youmaydenyitifyoulike，youmaydistrustmeasmuchasyouplease，youmaybeasangryasyouwill——but，ofallthewomeninEngland，you，ifyouhaveanysenseofinjury，arethewomanwhooughttohelpmetocrushthatman。’
　　`Crushhimforyourself，’shesaid；`thencomebackhere，andseewhatIsaytoyou。’
　　Shespokethosewordsasshehadnotspokenyet，quickly，fiercely，vindictively。Ihadstirredinitslairtheserpent-hatredofyears，butonlyforamoment。LikealurkingreptileitleapedupatmeassheeagerlybentforwardtowardstheplaceinwhichIwassitting。Likealurkingreptileitdroppedoutofsightagainassheinstantlyresumedherformerpositioninthechair。
　　`Youwon’ttrustme？’Isaid。
　　`No。’