, an unmarried man.

Having arrived at these preliminary discoveries, it was time to try what
I could make of Mr. Winterfield next.

Among the other good things which this gentleman has inherited is a
magnificent library collected by his father. That one learned man
should take another learned man to see the books was a perfectly natural
proceeding. My introduction to the master of the house followed my
introduction to the library almost as a matter of course.

I am about to surprise you, as I was myself surprised. In all my long
experience, Mr. Winterfield is, I think, the most fascinating person
I ever met with. Genial, unassuming manners, a prepossessing personal
appearance, a sweet temper, a quaint humor delightfully accompanied by
natural refinement--such are the characteristic qualities of the man
from whom I myself saw Miss Eyrecourt (accidentally meeting him in
public) recoil with dismay and disgust! It is absolutely impossible to
look at him, and to believe him to be capable of a cruel or dishonorable
action. I never was so puzzled in my life.

You may be inclined to think that I am misled by a false impression,
derived from the gratifying welcome that I received as a friend of
Father Newbliss. I will not appeal to my knowledge of human nature--I
will refer to the unanswerable evidence of Mr. Winterfield's poorer
neighbors. Wherever I went, in the village or out of it, if I mentioned
his name, I produced a universal outburst of admiration and gratitude.
"There never was such a friend to poor people, and there never can
be such another to the end of the world." Such was a fisherman's
description of him; and the one cry of all the men and women near us
answered, "That's the truth!"

And yet there is something wrong--for this plain reason, that there is
something to be concealed in the past lives of Mr. Winterfield and Miss
Eyrecourt.

Under these perplexing circumstances, what use have I made of my
opportunities? I am going to surprise you again--I have mentioned
Romayne's name to Mr. Winterfield; and I have ascertained that they are,
so far, perfect strangers to one another--and that is all.

The little incident of mentioning Romayne arose out of my examination of
the library. I discovered certain old volumes, which may one day be
of use to him, if he continues his contemplated work on the Origin of
Religions. Hearing me express myself to this effect, Mr. Winterfield
replied with the readiest kindness: