that has just come
from my assistant in London," and he left me. When I was left alone I
had an opportunity of observing the room. The walls were covered with
old faded tapestry, so faded indeed that its general effect was that
of a dull grey texture. On looking at it closely I found that it told
the story of Samson. Every piece of furniture seemed to me to be a
rare curiosity.'

'Now, Winnie,' I said, 'I am not going to interrupt you any more. I
want to hear your story as an unbroken narrative.'

IV

'Well,' said Winnie, 'after a while Mr. D'Arcy returned and told me
that he was now ready to take me for a stroll across the meadows,
saying, "The doctor told me that, at first, your walks must be short;
so while you go to your room I will get Mrs. Titwing in for my usual
consultation about our frugal meal."

'"My room," I said, "my room, and Mrs. Titwing; who's--"

'"Ha! I quite forgot myself," he said, with an air of vexation,
which he tried, I thought, to conceal. "I will ring for Mrs.
Titwing--the housekeeper--and she will take you to your room."

'He walked towards the bell, but before reaching it he stopped as if
arrested by a sudden thought. Then he said, "I will go to the
housekeeper's room and speak to Mrs. Titwing there. I shall be back
in a minute." And he passed from the room through the door by which
he and I had first entered.

'Scarcely had the door closed behind him before a woman entered by
another door opposite to it. She was about the common height,
slender, and of an extremely youthful figure for a woman of middle
age. Her bright-complexioned face, lit by two watery blue eyes, was
pleasant to look upon. It was none the less pleasant because it
showed clearly that she was as guileless as a child.

'I knew at once that she was the person--the housekeeper--that Mr.
D'Arcy had gone to seek at the other side of the house. Evidently she
had come upon me unexpectedly, for she gave a violent start, then she
murmured to herself,

'"So it's all over, and all went off well." she said. Then she walked
quietly towards me and threw her arms round me and kissed me, saying,
"Dear child, I am so glad."

'The tone of voice in which she spoke to me was exactly that of a
nurse speaking to a little child.

'I was so taken by surprise that I pulled myself from her embrace
with some force. The poor woman looked at me in a hurt way and then
said,

'"I beg your pardon, miss. I didn't notice at first how--how