`No，no，’shesaid，earnestlyandkindly，`leaveuslikeafriend——
　　breakbreadwithusoncemore。Stayhereanddine，stayhereandhelpustospendourlasteveningwithyouashappily，aslikeourfirstevenings，aswecan。Itismyinvitation——MrsVesey’sinvitation——’shehesitatedalittle，andthenadded，`Laura’sinvitationaswell。’
　　Ipromisedtoremain。GodknowsIhadnowishtoleaveeventheshadowofasorrowfulimpressionwithanyofthem。
　　Myownroomwasthebestplaceformetillthedinnerbellrang。Iwaitedtheretillitwastimetogodownstairs。
　　IhadnotspokentoMissFairlie——Ihadnotevenseenher——allthatday。Thefirstmeetingwithher，whenIenteredthedrawing-room，wasahardtrialtoherself-controlandtomine。She，too，haddoneherbesttomakeourlasteveningrenewthegoldenbygonetime——thetimethatcouldnevercomeagain。ShehadputonthedresswhichIusedtoadmiremorethananyotherthatshepossessed——adarkbluesilk，trimmedquaintlyandprettilywithold-fashionedlace；shecameforwardtomeetmewithherformerreadiness——shegavemeherhandwiththefrank，innocentgood-willofhappierdays。Thecoldfingersthattrembledroundmine——thepalecheekswithabrightredspotburninginthemidstofthem——thefaintsmilethatstruggledtoliveonherlipsanddiedawayfromthemwhileIlookedatit，toldmeatwhatsacrificeofherselfheroutwardcomposurewasmaintained。Myheartcouldtakehernoclosertome，orIshouldhavelovedherthenasIhadneverlovedheryet。
　　MrGilmorewasagreatassistancetous。Hewasinhighgood-humour，andheledtheconversationwithunflaggingspirit。MissHalcombesecondedhimresolutely，andIdidallIcouldtofollowherexample。Thekindblueeyes，whoseslightestchangesofexpressionIhadlearnttointerpretsowell，lookedatmeappealinglywhenwefirstsatdowntotable。Helpmysister——thesweetanxiousfaceseemedtosay——helpmysister，andyouwillhelpme。
　　Wegotthroughthedinner，toalloutwardappearanceatleast，happilyenough。Whentheladieshadrisenfromtable，andMrGilmoreandIwereleftaloneinthedining-room，anewinterestpresenteditselftooccupyourattention，andtogivemeanopportunityofquietingmyselfbyafewminutesofneedfulandwelcomesilence。TheservantwhohadbeendespatchedtotraceAnneCatherickandMrsClementsreturnedwithhisreport，andwasshownintothedining-roomimmediately。
　　`Well，’saidMrGilmore，`whathaveyoufoundout？’
　　`Ihavefoundout，sir，’answeredtheman，`thatboththewomentookticketsatourstationhereforCarlisle。’
　　`YouwenttoCarlisle，ofcourse，whenyouheardthat？’
　　`ldid，sir，butIamsorrytosayIcouldfindnofurthertraceofthem。’
　　`Youinquiredattherailway？’
　　`Yes，sir。’
　　`Andatthedifferentinns？’
　　`Yes，sir。’
　　`AndyouleftthestatementIwroteforyouatthePolicestation？’
　　`Idid，sir。’。
　　`Well，myfriend，youhavedoneallyoucould，andIhavedoneallI
　　could，andtherethemattermustresttillfurthernotice。Wehaveplayedourtrumpcards，MrHartright，’continuedtheoldgentlemanwhentheservanthadwithdrawn。`Forthepresent，atleast，thewomenhaveoutmanoeuvredus，andouronlyresourcenowistowaittillSirpercivalGlydecomeshereonMondaynext。Won’tyoufillyourglassagain？Goodbottleofport，that——sound，substantial，oldwine。Ihavegotbetterinmyowncellar，though。’
　　Wereturnedtothedrawing-room——theroominwhichthehappiesteveningsofmylifehadbeenpassed——theroomwhich，afterthislastnight，I
　　wasnevertoseeagain。Itsaspectwasalteredsincethedayshadshortenedandtheweatherhadgrowncold。Theglassdoorsontheterracesidewereclosed，andhiddenbythickcurtains。Insteadofthesofttwilightobscurity，inwhichweused-cosit，thebrightradiantglowoflamplightnowdazzledmyeyes。Allwaschanged-in-doorsandoutallwaschanged。
　　MissHalcombeandMrGilmoresatdowntogetheratthecard-table——
　　MrsVeseytookhercustomarychair。Therewasnorestraintonthedisposaloftheirevening，andIfelttherestraintonthedisposalofmineallthemorepainfullyfromobservingit。lsawMissFairlielingeringnearthemusic-stand。ThetimehadbeenwhenImighthavejoinedherthere。
　　Iwaitedirresolutely——Iknewneitherwheretogonorwhattodonext。
　　Shecastonequickglanceatme，tookapieceofmusicsuddenlyfromthestand，andcametowardsmeofherownaccord。
　　`ShallIplaysomeofthoselittlemelodiesofMozart’swhichyouusedtolikesomuch？’sheasked，openingthemusicnervously，andlookingdownatitwhileshespoke。
　　BeforeIcouldthankhershehastenedtothepiano。Thechairnearit，whichIhadalwaysbeenaccustomedtooccupy，stoodempty。Shestruckafewchords——thenglancedroundatme——thenlookedbackagainathermusic。
　　`Won’tyoutakeyouroldplace？’shesaid，speakingveryabruptlyandinverylowtones。
　　`Imaytakeitonthelastnight，’Ianswered。
　　Shedidnotreply——shekeptherattentionrivetedonthemusic——
　　musicwhichsheknewbymemory，whichshehadplayedoverandoveragain，informertimes，withoutthebook。Ionlyknewthatshehadheardme，I
　　onlyknewthatshewasawareofmybeingclosetoher，byseeingtheredspotonthecheekthatwasnearesttomefadeout，andthefacegrowpaleallover。
　　`Iamverysorryyouaregoing，’shesaid，hervoicealmostsinkingtoawhisper，hereyeslookingmoreandmoreintentlyatthemusic，herfingersflyingoverthekeysofthepianowithastrangefeverishenergywhichIhadnevernoticedinherbefore。
　　`Ishallrememberthosekindwords，MissFairlie，longaftertomorrowhascomeandgone。’
　　Thepalenessgrewwhiteronherface，andsheturneditfartherawayfromme。
　　`Don’tspeakoftomorrow，’shesaid。`Letthemusicspeaktousoftonight，inahappierlanguagethanours。’
　　Herlipstrembled——afaintsighflutteredfromthem，whichshetriedvainlytosuppress。Herfingerswaveredonthepiano——shestruckafalsenote，confusedherselfintryingtosetitright，anddroppedherhandsangrilyonherlap。MissHalcombeandMrGilmorelookedupinastonishmentfromthecard-tableatwhichtheywereplaying。EvenMrsVesey，dozinginherchair，wokeatthesuddencessationofthemusic，andinquiredwhathadhappened。
　　`Youplayatwhist，MrHartright？’askedMissHalcombe，withhereyesdirectedsignificantlyattheplaceIoccupied。
　　Iknewwhatshemeant——Iknewshewasright，andIroseatoncetogotothecard-table。AsIleftthepianoMissFairlieturnedapageofthemusic，andtouchedthekeysagainwithasurerhand。
　　`Iwillplayit，’shesaid，strikingthenotesalmostpassionately。
　　`Iwillplayitonthelastnight。’
　　`Come，MrsVesey，’saidMissHalcombe，`MrGilmoreandIaretiredofé；carté；——comeandbeMrHartright’spartneratwhist。’
　　Theoldlawyersmiledsatirically。Hishadbeenthewinninghand，andhehadjustturnedupaking。HeevidentlyattributedMissHalcombe’sabruptchangeinthecard-tablearrangementstoalady’sinabilitytoplaythelosinggame。
　　Therestoftheeveningpassedwithoutawordoralookfromher。Shekeptherplaceatthepiano，andIkeptmineatthecard-table。Sheplayedunintermittingly——playedasifthemusicwasheronlyrefugefromherself。
　　Sometimesherfingerstouchedthenoteswithalingeringfondness——asoft，plaintive，dyingtenderness，unutterablybeautifulandmournfultohear；sometimestheyfalteredandfailedher，orhurriedovertheinstrumentmechanically，asiftheirtaskwasaburdentothem。Butstill，changeandwaverastheymightintheexpressiontheyimpartedtothemusic，theirresolutiontoplayneverfaltered。SheonlyrosefromthepianowhenweallrosetosayGood-night。
　　MrsVeseywasthenearesttothedoor，andthefirsttoshakehandswithme。
　　`Ishallnotseeyouagain，MrHartright，’saidtheoldlady。`Iamtrulysorryyouaregoingaway。Youhavebeenverykindandattentive，andanoldwomanlikemefeelskindnessandattention。Iwishyouhappy，sir——Iwishyouakindgood-bye。’
　　MrGilmorecamenext。
　　`Ihopeweshallhaveafutureopportunityofbetteringouracquaintance，MrHartright。Youquiteunderstandaboutthatlittlematterofbusinessbeingsafeinmyhands？Yes，yes，ofcourse。Blessme，howcolditis！
　　Don’tletmekeepyouatthedoor。Bonvoyage，mydearsir——bonvoyage，astheFrenchsay。’
　　Icouldaddnomore。Myvoicefaltered，myeyesmoistenedinspiteofme。
　　Shecaughtmebybothhands——shepressedthemwiththestrong，steadygraspofaman——herdarkeyesglittered——herbrowncomplexionflusheddeep——theforceandenergyofherfaceglowedandgrewbeautifulwiththepureinnerlightofhergenerosityandherpity。
　　`Iwilltrustyou——ifeverthetimecomesIwilltrustyouasmyfriendandherfriend，asmaybrotherandherbrother。’Shestopped，drewmenearertoher——thefearless，noblecreature——touchedmyforehead，sister-like，withherlips，andcalledmebymyChristianname。`Godblessyou，Walter！’shesaid。`Waitherealoneandcomposeyourself——Ihadbetternotstayforbothoursakes——Ihadbetterseeyougofromthebalconyupstairs。’