`Themisfortuneofmybeingshutup，’sheanswered，witheveryappearanceoffeelingsurprisedatmyquestion。`Whatothermisfortunecouldtherebe？’
　　Ideterminedtopersist，asdelicatelyandforbearinglyaspossible。
　　ItwasofverygreatimportancethatIshouldbeabsolutelysureofeverystepintheinvestigationwhichInowgainedinadvance。
　　`Thereisanothermisfortune，’Isaid，`towhichawomanmaybeliable，andbywhichshemaysufferlifelongsorrowandshame。’
　　`Whatisit？’sheaskedeagerly。
　　`Themisfortuneofbelievingtooinnocentlyinherownvirtue，andinthefaithandhonourofthemansheloves，’Ianswered。
　　Shelookedupatmewiththeartlessbewildermentofachild。Nottheslightestconfusionorchangeofcolour——notthefaintesttraceofanysecretconsciousnessofshamestrugglingtothesurfaceappearedinherface——thatfacewhichbetrayedeveryotheremotionwithsuchtransparentclearness。Nowordsthateverwerespokencouldhaveassuredme，asherlookandmannernowassuredme，thatthemotivewhichIhadassignedforherwritingtheletterandsendingittoMissFairliewasplainlyanddistinctlythewrongone。Thatdoubt，atanyrate，wasnowsetatrest；buttheveryremovalofitopenedanewprospectofuncertainty。Theletter，asIknewfrompositivetestimony，pointedatSirPercivalGlyde，thoughitdidnotnamehim。Shemusthavehadsomestrongmotive，originatinginsomedeepsenseofinjury，forsecretlydenouncinghimtoMissFairlieinsuchtermsasshehademployed，andthatmotivewasunquestionablynottobetracedtothelossofherinnocenceandhercharacter。Whateverwronghemighthaveinflictedonherwasnotofthatnature。Ofwhatnaturecoulditbe？
　　`Idon’tunderstandyou，’shesaid，afterevidentlytryinghard，andtryinginvain，todiscoverthemeaningofthewordsIhadlastsaidtoher。
　　`Nevermind，’Ianswered。`Letusgoonwithwhatweweretalkingabout。
　　TellmehowlongyoustayedwithMrsClementsinLondon，andhowyoucamehere。’
　　`Howlong？’sherepeated。`IstayedwithMrsClementstillwebothcametothisplace，twodaysago。’
　　`Youarelivinginthevillage，then？’Isaid。`ItisstrangeIshouldnothaveheardofyou，thoughyouhaveonlybeenheretwodays。’
　　`No，no，notinthevillage。Threemilesawayatafarm。Doyouknowthefarm？TheycallitTodd’sCorner。’
　　Irememberedtheplaceperfectly——wehadoftenpassedbyitinourdrives。Itwasoneoftheoldestfarmsintheneighbourhood，situatedinasolitary，shelteredspot，inlandatthejunctionoftwohills。
　　`TheyarerelationsofMrsClementsatTodd’sCorner，’shewenton，`andtheyhadoftenaskedhertogoandseethem。Shesaidshewouldgo，andtakemewithher，forthequietandthefreshair。Itwasverykind，wasitnot？Iwouldhavegoneanywheretobequiet，andsafe，andoutoftheway。ButwhenIheardthatTodd’sComerwasnearLimmeridge——ohI
　　IwassohappyIwouldhavewalkedallthewaybarefoottogetthere，andseetheschoolsandthevillageandLimmeridgeHouseagain。TheyareverygoodpeopleatTodd’sCorner。IhopeIshallstaytherealongtime。ThereisonlyonethingIdon’tlikeaboutthem，anddon’tlikeaboutMrsClements——’
　　`Whatisit？’
　　`Theywillteasemeaboutdressingallinwhite——theysayitlookssoparticular。Howdotheyknow？MrsFairlieknewbest。MrsFairliewouldneverhavemademewearthisuglybluecloakIAhIshewasfondofwhiteinherlifetime，andhereiswhitestoneabouthergrave——andIammakingitwhiterforhersake。Sheoftenworewhiteherself，andshealwaysdressedherlittledaughterinwhite。IsMissFairliewellandhappy？Doesshewearwhitenow，assheusedwhenshewasagirl？’
　　HervoicesankwhenshePutthequestionsaboutMissFairlie，andsheturnedherheadfartherandfartherawayfromme。IthoughtIdetected，inthealterationofhermanner，anuneasyconsciousnessoftheriskshehadruninsendingtheanonymousletter，andIinstantlydeterminedsotoframemyanswerastosurpriseherintoowningit。
　　`MissFairliewasnotverywellorveryhappythismorning，’Isaid。
　　Shemurmuredafewwords，buttheywerespokensoconfusedly，andinsuchalowtone，thatIcouldnotevenguessatwhattheymeant。
　　`DidyouaskmewhyMissFairliewasneitherwellnorhappythismorning？’
　　Icontinued。
　　`No，’shesaidquicklyandeagerly——`ohno，Ineveraskedthat。’
　　`Iwilltellyouwithoutyourasking，’Iwenton。`MissFairliehasreceivedyourletter。’
　　Shehadbeendownonherkneesforsomelittletimepast，carefullyremovingthelastweather-stainsleftabouttheinscriptionwhilewewerespeakingtogether。ThefistsentenceofthewordsIhadjustaddressedtohermadeherpauseinheroccupation，andturnslowlywithoutrisingfromherknees，soastofaceme。Thesecondsentenceliterallypetrifiedher。Theclothshehadbeenholdingdroppedfromherhands——herlipsfellapart——allthelittlecolourthattherewasnaturallyinherfaceleftitinaninstant。
　　`Howdoyouknow？shesaidfaintly。`Whoshowedittoyou？’Thebloodrushedbackintoherface——rushedoverwhelmingly，asthesenserusheduponhermindthatherownwordshadbetrayedher。Shestruckherhandstogetherindespair。`Ineverwroteit，’shegaspedaffrightedly；`Iknownothingaboutit！’
　　`Yes，’Isaid，`youwroteit，andyouknowaboutit。Itwaswrongtosendsuchaletter，itwaswrongtofrightenMissFairlie。Ifyouhadanythingtosaythatitwasrightandnecessaryforhertohear，youshouldhavegoneyourselftoLimmeridgeHouse——youshouldhavespokentotheyoungladywithyourownlips。’
　　Shecroucheddownovertheflatstoneofthegave，tillherfacewashiddenonit，andmadenoreply。
　　`MissFairliewillbeasgoodandkindtoyouashermotherwas，ifyoumeanwell，’Iwenton。`MissFairliewillkeepyoursecret，andnotletyoucometoanyharm。Willyouseehertomorrowatthefarm？WillyoumeetherinthegardenatLimmeridgeHouse？’
　　`Oh，ifIcoulddie，andbehiddenandatrestwithyou！’Herlipsmurmuredthewordscloseonthegrave-stone，murmuredthemintonesofpassionateendearment，tothedeadremainsbeneath。`YouknowhowI
　　loveyourchild，foryoursake！Oh，MrsFairlie！MrsFairlie！tellmehowtosaveher。Bemydarlingandmymotheroncemore，andtellmewhattodoforthebest。’
　　Iheardherlipskissingthestone——Isawherhandsbeatingonitpassionately。Thesoundandthesightdeeplyaffectedme。Istoopeddown，andtookthepoorhelplesshandstenderlyinmine，andtriedtosootheher。
　　Itwasuseless。Shesnatchedherhandsfromme，andnevermovedherfacefromthestone。Seeingtheurgentnecessityofquietingheratanyhazardandbyanymeans，Iappealedtotheonlyanxietythatsheappearedtofeel，inconnectionwithmeandwithmyopinionofher——theanxietytoconvincemeofherfitnesstobemistressofherownactions。
　　`Come，come，’Isaidgently。`Trytocomposeyourself，oryouwillmakemealtermyopinionofyou。Don’tletmethinkthatthepersonwhoputyouintheAsylummighthavehadsomeexcuse——’
　　Thenextwordsdiedawayonmylips。TheinstantIriskedthatchancereferencetothepersonwhohadputherintheAsylumshespranguponherknees。Amostextraordinaryandstartlingchangepassedoverher。Herface，atallordinarytimessotouchingtolookat，initsnervoussensitiveness，weakness，anduncertainty，becamesuddenlydarkenedbyanexpressionofmaniacallyintensehatredandfear，whichcommunicatedawild，unnaturalforcetoeveryfeature。Hereyesdilatedinthedimeveninglight，liketheeyesofawildanimal。Shecaughtupthecloththathadfallenatherside，asifithadbeenalivingcreaturethatshecouldkill，andcrusheditinbothherhandswithsuchconvulsivestrength，thatthefewdropsofmoistureleftinittrickleddownonthestonebeneathher。
　　`Talkofsomethingelse，’shesaid，whisperingthroughherteeth。`I
　　shalllosemyselfifyoutalkofthat。’
　　EveryvestigeofthegentlerthoughtswhichhadWedhermindhardlyaminutesinceseemedtobesweptfromitnow。ItwasevidentthattheimpressionleftbyMrsFairlie’skindnesswasnot，asIhadsupposed，theonlystrongimpressiononhermemory。Withthegratefulremembranceofherschool-daysatLimmeridge，thereexistedthevindictiveremembranceofthewronginflictedonherbyherconfinementintheAsylum。Whohaddonethatwrong？Coulditreallybehermother？
　　Itwashardtogiveuppursuingtheinquirytothatfinalpoint，butIforcedmyselftoabandonallideaofcontinuingit。SeeingherasIsawhernow，itwouldhavebeencrueltothinkofanythingbutthenecessityandthehumanityofrestoringhercomposure。
　　`Iwilltalkofnothingtodistressyou，’Isaidsoothingly。
　　`Youwantsomething，’sheansweredsharplyandsuspiciously。`Don’tlookatmelikethat。Speaktome——tellmewhatyouwant。’
　　`Ionlywantyoutoquietyourself，adwhenyouarecalmer，tothinkoverwhatIhavesaid。’
　　`Said？’Shepaused——twistedtheclothinherhands，backwardsandforwards，andwhisperedtoherself，`Whatisithesaid？’Sheturnedagaintowardsme，andshookherheadimpatiently，`Whydon’tyouhelpme？’sheasked，withangrysuddenness。
　　`Yes，yes，’Isaid，`Iwillhelpyou，andyouwillsoonremember。I
　　askedyoutoseeMissFairlietomorrow，andtotellherthetruthabouttheletter。’
　　`Ah！MissFairlie——Fairlie——Fairlie——’