Mylooking-glasswasnear。OneglanceatitsatisfiedmethatnowomaninhersensescouldprefertheEnglishmantoMe。Irecoveredmyself-respect。IhastenedtotheEnglishman’sbedside。
　　ThemomentIappearedhepointedeagerlytowardmyroom。Heoverwhelmedmewithatorrentofwordsinhisownlanguage。Imadeout，fromhisgesturesandhislooks，thathehad，insomeincomprehensiblemanner，discoveredthepresenceofmyguest；and，strangerstill，thathewasscaredbytheideaofapersoninmyroom。IendeavoredtocomposehimonthesystemwhichIhavealreadymentioned——thatistosay，IsworeathiminMYlanguage。
　　Theresultnotprovingsatisfactory，IownIshookmyfistinhisface，andleftthebedchamber。
　　Returningtomyfairfriend，Ifoundherwalkingbackwardandforwardinastateofexcitementwonderfultobehold。Shehadnotwaitedformetofillherglass——shehadbegunthegenerousMoselleinmyabsence。Iprevailedonherwithdifficultytoplaceherselfatthetable。Nothingwouldinducehertoeat。“Myappetiteisgone，“shesaid。“Givemewine。“
　　ThegenerousMoselledeservesitsname——delicateonthepalate，withprodigious“body。“Thestrengthofthisfinewineproducednostupefyingeffectonmyremarkableguest。Itappearedtostrengthenandexhilarateher——nothingmore。Shealwaysspokeinthesamelowtone，andalways，turntheconversationasImight，broughtitbackwiththesamedexteritytothesubjectoftheEnglishmaninthenextroom。Inanyotherwomanthispersistencywouldhaveoffendedme。Mylovelyguestwasirresistible；I
　　answeredherquestionswiththedocilityofachild。Shepossessedalltheamusingeccentricityofhernation。WhenItoldheroftheaccidentwhichconfinedtheEnglishmantohisbed，shesprangtoherfeet。Anextraordinarysmileirradiatedhercountenance。Shesaid，“ShowmethehorsewhobroketheEnglishman’sleg！Imustseethathorse！“Itookhertothestables。Shekissedthehorse——
　　onmywordofhonor，shekissedthehorse！Thatstruckme。I
　　said。“YouDOknowtheman；andhehaswrongedyouinsomeway。“
　　No！shewouldnotadmitit，eventhen。“Ikissallbeautifulanimals，“shesaid。“Haven’tIkissedYOU？“Withthatcharmingexplanationofherconduct，sheranbackupthestairs。Ionlyremainedbehindtolockthestabledooragain。WhenIrejoinedher，Imadeastartlingdiscovery。IcaughthercomingoutoftheEnglishman’sroom。
　　“Iwasjustgoingdownstairsagaintocallyou，“shesaid。“Themaninthereisgettingnoisyoncemore。“
　　ThemadEnglishman’svoiceassailedourearsonceagain。
　　“Rigobert！Rigobert！“
　　HewasafrightfulobjecttolookatwhenIsawhimthistime。Hiseyeswerestaringwildly；theperspirationwaspouringoverhisface。Inapanicofterrorheclaspedhishands；hepointeduptoheaven。Byeverysignandgesturethatamancanmake，heentreatedmenottoleavehimagain。Ireallycouldnothelpsmiling。TheideaofmystayingwithHIM，andleavingmyfairfriendbyherselfinthenextroom！
　　Iturnedtothedoor。Whenthemadwretchsawmeleavinghimheburstoutintoascreechofdespair——soshrillthatIfeareditmightawakenthesleepingservants。
　　Mypresenceofmindinemergenciesisproverbialamongthosewhoknowme。Itoreopenthecupboardinwhichhekepthislinen——
　　seizedahandfulofhishandkerchief’s——gaggedhimwithoneofthem，andsecuredhishandswiththeothers。Therewasnownodangerofhisalarmingtheservants。Aftertyingthelastknot，I
　　lookedup。
　　ThedoorbetweentheEnglishman’sroomandminewasopen。Myfairfriendwasstandingonthethreshold——watchingHIMashelayhelplessonthebed；watchingMEasItiedthelastknot。
　　“Whatareyoudoingthere？“Iasked。“Whydidyouopenthedoor？“
　　Shesteppeduptome，andwhisperedheranswerinmyear，withhereyesallthetimeuponthemanonthebed:
　　“Iheardhimscream。“
　　“Well？“
　　“Ithoughtyouhadkilledhim。“
　　Idrewbackfromherinhorror。Thesuspicionofmewhichherwordsimpliedwassufficientlydetestableinitself。Buthermannerwhensheutteredthewordswasmorerevoltingstill。ItsopowerfullyaffectedmethatIstartedbackfromthatbeautifulcreatureasImighthaverecoiledfromareptilecrawlingovermyflesh。
　　BeforeIhadrecoveredmyselfsufficientlytoreply，mynerveswereassailedbyanothershock。Isuddenlyheardmymistress’svoicecallingtomefromthestableyard。
　　Therewasnotimetothink——therewasonlytimetoact。TheonethingneededwastokeepMrs。Fairbankfromascendingthestairs，anddiscovering——notmyladyguestonly——buttheEnglishmanalso，gaggedandboundonhisbed。Iinstantlyhurriedtotheyard。AsIrandownthestairsIheardthestableclockstrikethequartertotwointhemorning。
　　Mymistresswaseagerandagitated。Thedoctorinattendanceonherwassmilingtohimself，likeamanamusedathisownthoughts。
　　“IsFrancisawakeorasleep？“Mrs。Fairbankinquired。
　　“Hehasbeenalittlerestless，madam。Butheisnowquietagain。
　　Ifheisnotdisturbed“Iaddedthosewordstopreventherfromascendingthestairs，“hewillsoonfalloffintoaquietsleep。“
　　“HasnothinghappenedsinceIwasherelast？“
　　“Nothing，madam。“
　　Thedoctorliftedhiseyebrowswithacomicallookofdistress。
　　“Alas，alas，Mrs。Fairbank！“hesaid。“Nothinghashappened！Thedaysofromanceareover！“
　　“Itisnottwoo’clockyet，“mymistressanswered，alittleirritably。
　　Thesmellofthestableswasstrongonthemorningair。Sheputherhandkerchieftohernoseandledthewayoutoftheyardbythenorthentrance——theentrancecommunicatingwiththegardensandthehouse。Iwasorderedtofollowher，alongwiththedoctor。Onceoutofthesmellofthestablesshebegantoquestionmeagain。
　　Shewasunwillingtobelievethatnothinghadoccurredinherabsence。IinventedthebestanswersIcouldthinkofonthespurofthemoment；andthedoctorstoodbylaughing。Sotheminutespassedtilltheclockstrucktwo。Uponthat，Mrs。FairbankannouncedherintentionofpersonallyvisitingtheEnglishmaninhisroom。Tomygreatrelief，thedoctorinterferedtostopherfromdoingthis。
　　“YouhaveheardthatFrancisisjustfallingasleep，“hesaid。“Ifyouenterhisroomyoumaydisturbhim。Itisessentialtothesuccessofmyexperimentthatheshouldhaveagoodnight’srest，andthatheshouldownithimself，beforeItellhimthetruth。I
　　mustrequest，madam，thatyouwillnotdisturbtheman。Rigobertwillringthealarmbellifanythinghappens。“
　　Mymistresswasunwillingtoyield。Forthenextfiveminutes，atleast，therewasawarmdiscussionbetweenthetwo。IntheendMrs。Fairbankwasobligedtogiveway——forthetime。“Inhalfanhour，“shesaid，“Franciswilleitherbesoundasleep，orawakeagain。InhalfanhourIshallcomeback。“Shetookthedoctor’sarm。Theyreturnedtogethertothehouse。
　　Leftbymyself，withhalfanhourbeforeme，IresolvedtotaketheEnglishwomanbacktothevillage——then，returningtothestables，toremovethegagandthebindingsfromFrancis，andtolethimscreechtohisheart’scontent。WhatwouldhisalarmingthewholeestablishmentmattertoMEafterIhadgotridofthecompromisingpresenceofmyguest？
　　ReturningtotheyardIheardasoundlikethecreakingofanopendooronitshinges。ThegateofthenorthentranceIhadjustclosedwithmyownhand。Iwentroundtothewestentrance，atthebackofthestables。ItopenedonafieldcrossedbytwofootpathsinMr。Fairbank’sgrounds。Thenearestfootpathledtothevillage。Theotherledtothehighroadandtheriver。
　　ArrivingatthewestentranceIfoundthedooropen——swingingtoandfroslowlyinthefreshmorningbreeze。Ihadmyselflockedandboltedthatdoorafteradmittingmyfairfriendateleveno’clock。Avaguedreadofsomethingwrongstoleitswayintomymind。Ihurriedbacktothestables。
　　Ilookedintomyownroom。Itwasempty。Iwenttotheharnessroom。Notasignofthewomanwasthere。Ireturnedtomyroom，andapproachedthedooroftheEnglishman’sbedchamber。Wasitpossiblethatshehadremainedthereduringmyabsence？Anunaccountablereluctancetoopenthedoormademehesitate，withmyhandonthelock。Ilistened。Therewasnotasoundinside。I
　　calledsoftly。Therewasnoanswer。Idrewbackastep，stillhesitating。Inoticedsomethingdarkmovingslowlyinthecrevicebetweenthebottomofthedoorandtheboardedfloor。Snatchingupthecandlefromthetable，Ihelditlow，andlooked。Thedark，slowlymovingobjectwasastreamofblood！
　　Thathorridsightrousedme。Iopenedthedoor。TheEnglishmanlayonhisbed——aloneintheroom。Hewasstabbedintwoplaces——
　　inthethroatandintheheart。Theweaponwasleftinthesecondwound。ItwasaknifeofEnglishmanufacture，withahandleofbuckhornasgoodasnew。
　　Iinstantlygavethealarm。Witnessescanspeaktowhatfollowed。
　　ItismonstroustosupposethatIamguiltyofthemurder。IadmitthatIamcapableofcommittingfollies:butIshrinkfromthebareideaofacrime。Besides，Ihadnomotiveforkillingtheman。
　　Thewomanmurderedhiminmyabsence。ThewomanescapedbythewestentrancewhileIwastalkingtomymistress。Ihavenomoretosay。IsweartoyouwhatIhaveherewrittenisatruestatementofallthathappenedonthemorningofthefirstofMarch。
　　Accept，sir，theassuranceofmysentimentsofprofoundgratitudeandrespect。
　　JOSEPHRIGOBERT。
　　LASTLINES——ADDEDBYPERCYFAIRBANK
　　TriedforthemurderofFrancisRaven，JosephRigobertwasfoundNotGuilty；thepapersoftheassassinatedmanpresentedampleevidenceofthedeadlyanimosityfelttowardhimbyhiswife。
　　Theinvestigationspursuedonthemorningwhenthecrimewascommittedshowedthatthemurderess，afterleavingthestable，hadtakenthefootpathwhichledtotheriver。Theriverwasdragged——
　　withoutresult。Itremainsdoubtfultothisdaywhethershediedbydrowningornot。Theonethingcertainis——thatAliciaWarlockwasneverseenagain。
　　So——beginninginmystery，endinginmystery——theDreamWomanpassesfromyourview。Ghost；demon；orlivinghumancreature——sayforyourselveswhichsheis。Or，knowingwhatunfathomedwondersarearoundyou，whatunfathomedwondersareINyou，letthewisewordsofthegreatestofallpoetsbeexplanationenough:
　　“WearesuchstuffAsdreamsaremadeof，andourlittlelifeIsroundedwithasleep。“
　　AnonymousTheLostDuchessI
　　“Hastheduchessreturned？“
　　“No，yourgrace。“
　　Knowlescamefartherintotheroom。Hehadaletteronasalver。
　　Whenthedukehadtakenit，Knowlesstilllingered。Thedukeglancedathim。
　　“Isananswerrequired？“
　　“No，yourgrace。“StillKnowleslingered。“Somethingalittlesingularhashappened。Thecarriagehasreturnedwithouttheduchess，andthemensaythattheythoughthergracewasinit。“
　　“Whatdoyoumean？“
　　“Ihardlyunderstandmyself，yourgrace。PerhapsyouwouldliketoseeBarnes。“
　　Barneswasthecoachman。
　　“Sendhimup。“WhenKnowleshadgone，andhewasalone，hisgraceshowedsignsofbeingslightlyannoyed。Helookedathiswatch。
　　“Itoldhershe’dbetterbeinbyfour。Shesaysthatshe’snotfeelingwell，andyetonewouldthinkthatshewasnotawareofthefatigueentailedinhavingtheprincecometodinner，andamobofpeopletofollow。Iparticularlywishedhertoliedownforacoupleofhours。“
　　KnowlesusheredinnotonlyBarnes，thecoachman，butMoysey，thefootman，too。Boththesepersonsseemedtobeillatease。Thedukeglancedatthemsharply。Inhisvoicetherewasasuggestionofimpatience。
　　“Whatisthematter？“
　　Barnesexplainedasbesthecould。
　　“Ifyouplease，yourgrace，wewaitedfortheduchessoutsideCaneandWilson’s，thedrapers。Theduchesscameout，gotintothecarriage，andMoyseyshutthedoor，andhergracesaid，’Home！’andyetwhenwegothomeshewasn’tthere。“