Holmes，butitseemedtosendachillrightdownmyback。Iwassomelittlewayoff，sothatIcouldnotmakeoutthefeatures，buttherewassomethingunnaturalandinhumanabouttheface。ThatwastheimpressionthatIhad，andImovedquicklyforwardstogetanearerviewofthepersonwhowaswatchingme。
　　ButasIdidsothefacesuddenlydisappeared，sosuddenlythatitseemedtohavebeenpluckedawayintothedarknessoftheroom。Istoodforfiveminutesthinkingthebusinessover，andtryingtoanalyzemyimpressions。Icouldnottellifthefacewerethatofamanorawoman。Ithadbeentoofarfrommeforthat。Butitscolorwaswhathadimpressedmemost。
　　Itwasofalividchalkywhite，andwithsomethingsetandrigidaboutitwhichwasshockinglyunnatural。SodisturbedwasIthatIdeterminedtoseealittlemoreofthenewinmatesofthecottage。Iapproachedandknockedatthedoor，whichwasinstantlyopenedbyatall，gauntwomanwithaharsh，forbiddingface。”’Whatmayyoubewantin’?’sheasked，inaNorthernaccent。”’Iamyourneighboroveryonder，’saidI，noddingtowardsmyhouse。’Iseethatyouhaveonlyjustmovedin，soIthoughtthatifIcouldbeofanyhelptoyouinany——’”’Ay，we’lljustaskyewhenwewantye，’saidshe，andshutthedoorinmyface。Annoyedatthechurlishrebuff，Iturnedmybackandwalkedhome。Allevening，thoughItriedtothinkofotherthings，mymindwouldstillturntotheapparitionatthewindowandtherudenessofthewoman。Ideterminedtosaynothingabouttheformertomywife，forsheisanervous，highlystrungwoman，andIhadnowishthatshewouldsharetheunpleasantimpressionwhichhadbeenproduceduponmyself。Iremarkedtoher，however，beforeIfellasleep，thatthecottagewasnowoccupied，towhichshereturnednoreply。”Iamusuallyanextremelysoundsleeper。Ithasbeenastandingjestinthefamilythatnothingcouldeverwakemeduringthenight。Andyetsomehowonthatparticularnight，whetheritmayhavebeentheslightexcitementproducedbymylittleadventureornotI
　　knownot，butIsleptmuchmorelightlythanusual。
　　HalfinmydreamsIwasdimlyconsciousthatsomethingwasgoingonintheroom，andgraduallybecameawarethatmywifehaddressedherselfandwasslippingonhermantleandherbonnet。Mylipswerepartedtomurmuroutsomesleepywordsofsurpriseorremonstranceatthisuntimelypreparation，whensuddenlymyhalf-openedeyesfelluponherface，illuminatedbythecandle-light，andastonishmentheldmedumb。SheworeanexpressionsuchasIhadneverseenbefore——suchasIshouldhavethoughtherincapableofassuming。Shewasdeadlypaleandbreathingfast，glancingfurtivelytowardsthebedasshefastenedhermantle，toseeifshehaddisturbedme。Then，thinkingthatIwasstillasleep，sheslippednoiselesslyfromtheroom，andaninstantlaterIheardasharpcreakingwhichcouldonlycomefromthehingesofthefrontdoor。IsatupinbedandrappedmyknucklesagainsttherailtomakecertainthatIwastrulyawake。ThenItookmywatchfromunderthepillow。Itwasthreeinthemorning。
　　Whatonthisearthcouldmywifebedoingoutonthecountryroadatthreeinthemorning?”Ihadsatforabouttwentyminutesturningthethingoverinmymindandtryingtofindsomepossibleexplanation。ThemoreIthought，theoreextraordinaryandinexplicablediditappear。IwasstillpuzzlingoveritwhenIheardthedoorgentlycloseagain，andherfootstepscomingupthestairs。”’Whereintheworldhaveyoubeen，Effie?’Iaskedassheentered。”ShegaveaviolentstartandakindofgaspingcrywhenIspoke，andthatcryandstarttroubledmemorethanalltherest，fortherewassomethingindescribablyguiltyaboutthem。Mywifehadalwaysbeenawomanofafrank，opennature，anditgavemeachilltoseeherslinkingintoherownroom，andcryingoutandwincingwhenherownhusbandspoketoher。”’Youawake，Jack！’shecried，withanervouslaugh。
　　’Why，Ithoughtthatnothingcouldawakeyou。’”’Wherehaveyoubeen?’Iasked，moresternly。”’Idon’twonderthatyouaresurprised，’saidshe，andIcouldseethatherfingersweretremblingassheundidthefasteningsofhermantle。’Why，Ineverrememberhavingdonesuchathinginmylifebefore。
　　ThefactisthatIfeltasthoughIwerechoking，andhadaperfectlongingforabreathoffreshair。I
　　reallythinkthatIshouldhavefaintedifIhadnotgoneout。Istoodatthedoorforafewminutes，andnowIamquitemyselfagain。’”Allthetimethatshewastellingmethisstorysheneveroncelookedinmydirection，andhervoicewasquiteunlikeherusualtones。Itwasevidenttomethatshewassayingwhatwasfalse。Isaidnothinginreply，butturnedmyfacetothewall，sickatheart，withmymindfilledwithathousandvenomousdoubtsandsuspicions。Whatwasitthatmywifewasconcealingfromme?Wherehadshebeenduringthatstrangeexpedition?IfeltthatIshouldhavenopeaceuntilIknew，andyetIshrankfromaskingheragainafteronceshehadtoldmewhatwasfalse。AlltherestofthenightItossedandtumbled，framingtheoryaftertheory，eachmoreunlikelythanthelast。”IshouldhavegonetotheCitythatday，butIwastoodisturbedinmymindtobeabletopayattentiontobusinessmatters。Mywifeseemedtobeasupsetasmyself，andIcouldseefromthelittlequestioningglanceswhichshekeptshootingatmethatsheunderstoodthatIdisbelievedherstatement，andthatshewasatherwits’endwhattodo。Wehardlyexchangedawordduringbreakfast，andimmediatelyafterwardsIwentoutforawalk，thatImightthinkthematteroutinthefreshmorningair。”IwentasfarastheCrystalPalace，spentanhourinthegrounds，andwasbackinNorburybyoneo’clock。
　　Ithappenedthatmywaytookmepastthecottage，andIstoppedforaninstanttolookatthewindows，andtoseeifIcouldcatchaglimpseofthestrangefacewhichhadlookedoutatmeonthedaybefore。AsI
　　stoodthere，imaginemysurprise，Mr。Holmes，whenthedoorsuddenlyopenedandmywifewalkedout。”Iwasstruckdumbwithastonishmentatthesightofher；butmyemotionswerenothingtothosewhichshowedthemselvesuponherfacewhenoureyesmet。
　　Sheseemedforaninstanttowishtoshrinkbackinsidethehouseagain；andthen，seeinghowuselessallconcealmentmustbe，shecameforward，withaverywhitefaceandfrightenedeyeswhichbeliedthesmileuponherlips。”’Ah，Jack，’shesaid，’IhavejustbeenintoseeifIcanbeofanyassistancetoournewneighbors。Whydoyoulookatmelikethat，Jack?Youarenotangrywithme?’”’So，’saidI，’thisiswhereyouwentduringthenight。’”’Whatdoyoumean?”shecried。”’Youcamehere。Iamsureofit。Whoarethesepeople，thatyoushouldvisitthematsuchanhour?’”’Ihavenotbeenherebefore。’”’Howcanyoutellmewhatyouknowisfalse?’I
　　cried。’Yourveryvoicechangesasyouspeak。WhenhaveIeverhadasecretfromyou?Ishallenterthatcottage，andIshallprobethemattertothebottom。’”’No，no，Jack，forGod’ssake！’shegasped，inuncontrollableemotion。Then，asIapproachedthedoor，sheseizedmysleeveandpulledmebackwithconvulsivestrength。”’Iimploreyounottodothis，Jack，’shecried。’I
　　swearthatIwilltellyoueverythingsomeday，butnothingbutmiserycancomeofitifyouenterthatcottage。’Then，asItriedtoshakeheroff，sheclungtomeinafrenzyofentreaty。”’Trustme，Jack！’shecried。’Trustmeonlythisonce。Youwillneverhavecausetoregretit。YouknowthatIwouldnothaveasecretfromyouifitwerenotforyourownsake。Ourwholelivesareatstakeinthis。Ifyoucomehomewithme，allwillbewell。Ifyouforceyourwayintothatcottage，allisoverbetweenus。’”Therewassuchearnestness，suchdespair，inhermannerthatherwordsarrestedme，andIstoodirresolutebeforethedoor。”’Iwilltrustyouononecondition，andononeconditiononly，’saidIatlast。’Itisthatthismysterycomestoanendfromnow。Youareatlibertytopreserveyoursecret，butyoumustpromisemethatthereshallbenomorenightlyvisits，nomoredoingswhicharekeptfrommyknowledge。Iamwillingtoforgetthosewhicharepassedifyouwillpromisethatthereshallbenomoreinthefuture。’”’Iwassurethatyouwouldtrustme，’shecried，withagreatsighofrelief。’Itshallbejustasyouwish。Comeaway——oh，comeawayuptothehouse。’”Stillpullingatmysleeve，sheledmeawayfromthecottage。AswewentIglancedback，andtherewasthatyellowlividfacewatchingusoutoftheupperwindow。Whatlinkcouldtherebebetweenthatcreatureandmywife?Orhowcouldthecoarse，roughwomanwhomIhadseenthedaybeforebeconnectedwithher?Itwasastrangepuzzle，andyetIknewthatmymindcouldneverknoweaseagainuntilIhadsolvedit。”FortwodaysafterthisIstayedathome，andmywifeappearedtoabideloyallybyourengagement，for，asfarasIknow，sheneverstirredoutofthehouse。Onthethirdday，however，Ihadampleevidencethathersolemnpromisewasnotenoughtoholdherbackfromthissecretinfluencewhichdrewherawayfromherhusbandandherduty。”Ihadgoneintotownonthatday，butIreturnedbythe2。40insteadofthe3。36，whichismyusualtrain。
　　AsIenteredthehousethemaidranintothehallwithastartledface。”’Whereisyourmistress?’Iasked。”’Ithinkthatshehasgoneoutforawalk，’sheanswered。”Mymindwasinstantlyfilledwithsuspicion。I