sesses the noble fortune and
lives in the great house?

"I never longed in my life as I longed to see him again and put these
questions to him. I got quite superstitious about it as the day drew on.
They gave me a sweet-bread and a cherry pudding for dinner. I actually
tried if he would come back by the stones in the plate! He will, he
won't, he will, he won't--and so on. It ended in 'He won't.' I rang
the bell, and had the things taken away. I contradicted Destiny quite
fiercely. I said, 'He will!' and I waited at home for him.

"You don't know what a pleasure it is to me to give you all these little
particulars. Count up--my bosom friend, my second mother--count up the
money you have advanced on the chance of my becoming Mrs. Armadale, and
then think of my feeling this breathless interest in another man. Oh,
Mrs. Oldershaw, how intensely I enjoy the luxury of irritating you!

"The day got on toward evening. I rang again, and sent down to borrow a
railway time-table. What trains were there to take him away on Sunday?
The national respect for the Sabbath stood my friend. There was only
one train, which had started hours before he wrote to me. I went and
consulted my glass. It paid me the compliment of contradicting
the divination by cherry-stones. My glass said: 'Get behind the
window-curtain; he won't pass the long lonely evening without coming
back again to look at the house.' I got behind the window-curtain, and
waited with his letter in my hand.

"The dismal Sunday light faded, and the dismal Sunday quietness in the
street grew quieter still. The dusk came, and I heard a step coming with
it in the silence. My heart gave a little jump--only think of my having
any heart left! I said to myself: 'Midwinter!' And Midwinter it was.

"When he came in sight he was walking slowly, stopping and hesitating at
every two or three steps. My ugly little drawing-room window seemed to
be beckoning him on in spite of himself. After waiting till I saw him
come to a standstill, a little aside from the house, but still within
view of my irresistible window, I put on my things and slipped out
by the back way into the garden. The landlord and his family were at
supper, and nobody saw me. I opened the door in the wall, and got
round by the lane into the street. At that awkward moment I suddenly
remembered, what I had forgotten before, the spy set to watch me, who
was, no doubt, waiting somewhere in sight of the house.

"It was necess