Ishouldhavethegreatestdifficultytotellyouwhatfollowednextafterthistragiccircumstance。Itisalltome，asIlookbackuponit，mixed，strenuous，andineffectual，likethestrugglesofasleeperinanightmare。Clara，Iremember，utteredabrokensighandwouldhavefallenforwardtoearth，hadnotNorthmourandIsupportedherinsensiblebody。Idonotthinkwewereattacked:
　　Idonotremembereventohaveseenanassailant；andIbelievewedesertedMr。Huddlestonewithoutaglance。Ionlyrememberrunninglikeamaninapanic，nowcarryingClaraaltogetherinmyownarms，nowsharingherweightwithNorthmour，nowscufflingconfusedlyforthepossessionofthatdearburden。WhyweshouldhavemadeformycampintheHemlockDen，orhowwereachedit，arepointslostforevertomyrecollection。ThefirstmomentatwhichIbecamedefinitelysure，Clarahadbeensufferedtofallagainsttheoutsideofmylittletent，NorthmourandIweretumblingtogetherontheground，andhe，withcontainedferocity，wasstrikingformyheadwiththebuttofhisrevolver。Hehadalreadytwicewoundedmeonthescalp；anditistotheconsequentlossofbloodthatIamtemptedtoattributethesuddenclearnessofmymind。
　　Icaughthimbythewrist。
　　“Northmour，“Iremembersaying，“youcankillmeafterwards。LetusfirstattendtoClara。“
　　Hewasatthatmomentuppermost。Scarcelyhadthewordspassedmylips，whenhehadleapedtohisfeetandrantowardthetent；andthenextmoment，hewasstrainingClaratohisheartandcoveringherunconscioushandsandfacewithhiscaresses。
　　“Shame！“Icried。“Shametoyou，Northmour！“
　　And，giddythoughIstillwas，Istruckhimrepeatedlyupontheheadandshoulders。
　　Herelinquishedhisgrasp，andfacedmeinthebrokenmoonlight。
　　“Ihadyouunder，andIletyougo，“saidhe；“andnowyoustrikeme！Coward！“
　　“Youarethecoward，“Iretorted。“Didshewishyourkisseswhileshewasstillsensibleofwhatyouwanted？Notshe！Andnowshemaybedying；andyouwastethisprecioustime，andabuseherhelplessness。Standaside，andletmehelpher。“
　　Heconfrontedmeforamoment，whiteandmenacing；thensuddenlyhesteppedaside。
　　“Helpherthen，“saidhe。
　　Ithrewmyselfonmykneesbesideher，andloosened，aswellasI
　　wasable，herdressandcorset；butwhileIwasthusengaged，agraspdescendedonmyshoulder。
　　“Keepyourhandsoffher，“saidNorthmour，fiercely。“DoyouthinkIhavenobloodinmyveins？“
　　“Northmour，“Icried，“ifyouwillneitherhelpheryourself，norletmedoso，doyouknowthatIshallhavetokillyou？“
　　“Thatisbetter！“hecried。“Letherdiealso，where’stheharm？
　　Stepasidefromthatgirl！andstanduptofight。“
　　“Youwillobserve，“saidI，halfrising，“thatIhavenotkissedheryet。“
　　“Idareyouto，“hecried。
　　Idonotknowwhatpossessedme；itwasoneofthethingsIammostashamedofinmylife，though，asmywifeusedtosay，Iknewthatmykisseswouldbealwayswelcomewereshedeadorliving；downI
　　fellagainuponmyknees，partedthehairfromherforehead，and，withthedearestrespect，laidmylipsforamomentonthatcoldbrow。Itwassuchacaressasafathermighthavegiven；itwassuchaoneaswasnotunbecomingfromamansoontodietoawomanalreadydead。
　　“Andnow，“saidI，“Iamatyourservice，Mr。Northmour。“
　　ButIsaw，tomysurprise，thathehadturnedhisbackuponme。
　　“Doyouhear？“Iasked。
　　“Yes，“saidhe，“Ido。Ifyouwishtofight，Iamready。Ifnot，goonandsaveClara。Allisonetome。“
　　Ididnotwaittobetwicebidden；but，stoopingagainoverClara，continuedmyeffortstoreviveher。Shestilllaywhiteandlifeless；Ibegantofearthathersweetspirithadindeedfledbeyondrecall，andhorrorandasenseofutterdesolationseizeduponmyheart。Icalledherbynamewiththemostendearinginflections；Ichafedandbeatherhands；nowIlaidherheadlow，nowsupporteditagainstmyknee；butallseemedtobeinvain，andthelidsstilllayheavyonhereyes。
　　“Northmour，“Isaid，“thereismyhat。ForGod’ssakebringsomewaterfromthespring。“
　　Almostinamomenthewasbymysidewiththewater。
　　“Ihavebroughtitinmyown，“hesaid。“Youdonotgrudgemetheprivilege？“
　　“Northmour，“Iwasbeginningtosay，asIlavedherheadandbreast；butheinterruptedmesavagely。
　　“Oh，youhushup！“hesaid。“Thebestthingyoucandoistosaynothing。“
　　Ihadcertainlynodesiretotalk，mymindbeingswallowedupinconcernformydearloveandhercondition；soIcontinuedinsilencetodomybesttowardherrecovery，and，whenthehatwasempty，returnedittohim，withoneword——“More。“Hehad，perhaps，goneseveraltimesuponthiserrand，whenClarareopenedhereyes。
　　“Now，“saidhe，“sincesheisbetter，youcanspareme，canyounot？Iwishyouagoodnight，Mr。Cassilis。“
　　Andwiththathewasgoneamongthethicket。Imadeafire，forI
　　hadnownofearoftheItalians，whohadevensparedallthelittlepossessionsleftinmyencampment；and，brokenasshewasbytheexcitementandthehideouscatastropheoftheevening，Imanaged，inonewayoranother——bypersuasion，encouragement，warmth，andsuchsimpleremediesasIcouldlaymyhandon——tobringherbacktosomecomposureofmindandstrengthofbody。
　　Dayhadalreadycome，whenasharp“Hist！“soundedfromthethicket。Istartedfromtheground；butthevoiceofNorthmourwasheardadding，inthemosttranquiltones:“Comehere，Cassilis，andalone；Iwanttoshowyousomething。“
　　IconsultedClarawithmyeyes，and，receivinghertacitpermission，leftheralone，andclamberedoutoftheden。AtsomedistanceoffIsawNorthmourleaningagainstanelder；and，assoonasheperceivedme，hebeganwalkingseaward。Ihadalmostovertakenhimashereachedtheoutskirtsofthewood。
　　“Look，“saidhe，pausing。
　　Acoupleofstepsmorebroughtmeoutofthefoliage。Thelightofthemorninglaycoldandclearoverthatwell-knownscene。Thepavilionwasbutablackenedwreck；theroofhadfallenin，oneofthegableshadfallenout；and，farandnear，thefaceofthelinkswascicatrizedwithlittlepatchesofburnedfurze。Thicksmokestillwentstraightupwardinthewindlessairofthemorning，andagreatpileofardentcindersfilledthebarewallsofthehouse，likecoalsinanopengrate。Closebytheisletaschooneryachtlayto，andawell-mannedboatwaspullingvigorouslyfortheshore。
　　“The’RedEarl’！“Icried。“The’RedEarl’twelvehourstoolate！“
　　“Feelinyourpocket，Frank。Areyouarmed？“askedNorthmour。
　　Iobeyedhim，andIthinkImusthavebecomedeadlypale。Myrevolverhadbeentakenfromme。
　　“Yousee，Ihaveyouinmypower，“hecontinued。“IdisarmedyoulastnightwhileyouwerenursingClara；butthismorning——here——
　　takeyourpistol。Nothanks！“hecried，holdinguphishand。“I
　　donotlikethem；thatistheonlywayyoucanannoymenow。“
　　Hebegantowalkforwardacrossthelinkstomeettheboat，andI
　　followedasteportwobehind。InfrontofthepavilionIpausedtoseewhereMr。Huddlestonehadfallen；buttherewasnosignofhim，norsomuchasatraceofblood。
　　“GradenFloe，“saidNorthmour。
　　Hecontinuedtoadvancetillwehadcometotheheadofthebeach。
　　“Nofarther，please，“saidhe。“WouldyouliketotakehertoGradenHouse？“
　　“Thankyou，“repliedI；“IshalltrytogethertotheministeratGradenWester。“
　　Theprowoftheboatheregratedonthebeach，andasailorjumpedashorewithalineinhishand。
　　“Waitaminute，lads！“criedNorthmour；andthenlowerandtomyprivateear，“Youhadbettersaynothingofallthistoher，“headded。
　　“Onthecontrary！“Ibrokeout，“sheshallknoweverythingthatI
　　cantell。“
　　“Youdonotunderstand，“hereturned，withanairofgreatdignity。
　　“Itwillbenothingtoher；sheexpectsitofme。Good-by！“headded，withanod。
　　Iofferedhimmyhand。
　　“Excuseme，“saidhe。“It’ssmall，Iknow；butIcan’tpushthingsquitesofarasthat。Idon’twishanysentimentalbusiness，tositbyyourhearthawhite-hairedwanderer，andallthat。Quitethecontrary:IhopetoGodIshallneveragainclapeyesoneitheroneofyou。“
　　“Well，Godblessyou，Northmour！“Isaidheartily。
　　“Oh，yes，“hereturned。
　　Hewalkeddownthebeach；andthemanwhowasashoregavehimanarmonboard，andthenshovedoffandleapedintothebowshimself。
　　Northmourtookthetiller；theboatrosetothewaves，andtheoarsbetweenthetholepinssoundedcrispandmeasuredinthemorningair。
　　Theywerenotyethalfwaytothe“RedEarl，“andIwasstillwatchingtheirprogress，whenthesunroseoutofthesea。
　　Onewordmore，andmystoryisdone。Yearsafter，NorthmourwaskilledfightingunderthecolorsofGaribaldifortheliberationoftheTyrol。
　　WilkieCollinsTheDreamWomanAMysteryinFourNarrativesTHEFIRSTNARRATIVE
　　INTRODUCTORYSTATEMENTOFTHEFACTSBYPERCYFAIRBANK
　　“Hullo，there！Hostler！Hullo-o-o！“
　　“Mydear！whydon’tyoulookforthebell？“
　　“IHAVElooked——thereisnobell。“
　　“Andnobodyintheyard。Howveryextraordinary！Callagain，dear。“
　　“Hostler！Hullo，there！Hostler-r-r！“
　　Mysecondcallechoesthroughemptyspace，androusesnobody——
　　produces，inshort，novisibleresult。Iamattheendofmyresources——Idon’tknowwhattosayorwhattodonext。HereI
　　standinthesolitaryinnyardofastrangetown，withtwohorsestohold，andaladytotakecareof。Bywayofaddingtomyresponsibilities，itsohappensthatoneofthehorsesisdeadlame，andthattheladyismywife。
　　WhoamI？——youwillask。
　　Thereisplentyoftimetoanswerthequestion。Nothinghappens；
　　andnobodyappearstoreceiveus。Letmeintroducemyselfandmywife。
　　IamPercyFairbank——Englishgentleman——ageletussayforty——noprofession——moderatepolitics——middleheight——faircomplexion——easycharacter——plentyofmoney。
　　MywifeisaFrenchlady。ShewasMademoiselleClotildeDelorge——
　　whenIwasfirstpresentedtoheratherfather’shouseinFrance。
　　Ifellinlovewithher——Ireallydon’tknowwhy。ItmighthavebeenbecauseIwasperfectlyidle，andhadnothingelsetodoatthetime。OritmighthavebeenbecauseallmyfriendssaidshewastheverylastwomanwhomIoughttothinkofmarrying。Onthesurface，Imustown，thereisnothingincommonbetweenMrs。
　　Fairbankandme。Sheistall；sheisdark；sheisnervous，excitable，romantic；inallheropinionssheproceedstoextremes。
　　Whatcouldsuchawomanseeinme？whatcouldIseeinher？Iknownomorethanyoudo。Insomemysteriousmannerweexactlysuiteachother。Wehavebeenmanandwifefortenyears，andouronlyregretis，thatwehavenochildren。Idon’tknowwhatYOUmaythink；Icallthat——uponthewhole——ahappymarriage。
　　Somuchforourselves。Thenextquestionis——whathasbroughtusintotheinnyard？andwhyamIobligedtoturngroom，andholdthehorses？
　　WeliveforthemostpartinFrance——atthecountryhouseinwhichmywifeandIfirstmet。Occasionally，bywayofvariety，wepayvisitstomyfriendsinEngland。Wearepayingoneofthosevisitsnow。Ourhostisanoldcollegefriendofmine，possessedofafineestateinSomersetshire；andwehavearrivedathishouse