assed the house once, about to pass it again, on his way back through
the square. I waited on the door-step to let him go by, and looked
round, as I did so, at the parlour window.

Mrs. Catherick had heard his footsteps approaching, in the silence of
that lonely place, and she was on her feet at the window again, waiting
for him. Not all the strength of all the terrible passions I had
roused in that woman's heart, could loosen her desperate hold on the
one fragment of social consideration which years of resolute effort had
just dragged within her grasp. There she was again, not a minute after
I had left her, placed purposely in a position which made it a matter
of common courtesy on the part of the clergyman to bow to her for a
second time. He raised his hat once more. I saw the hard ghastly face
behind the window soften, and light up with gratified pride--I saw the
head with the grim black cap bend ceremoniously in return. The
clergyman had bowed to her, and in my presence, twice in one day!

IX

I Left the house, feeling that Mrs. Catherick had helped me a step
forward, in spite of herself. Before I had reached the turning which
led out of the square, my attention was suddenly aroused by the sound
of a closing door behind me.

I looked round, and saw an undersized man in black on the door-step of
a house, which, as well as I could judge, stood next to Mrs.
Catherick's place of abode--next to it, on the side nearest to me. The
man did not hesitate a moment about the direction he should take. He
advanced rapidly towards the turning at which I had stopped. I
recognised him as the lawyer's clerk, who had preceded me in my visit
to Blackwater Park, and who had tried to pick a quarrel with me, when I
asked him if I could see the house.

I waited where I was, to ascertain whether his object was to come to
close quarters and speak on this occasion. To my surprise he passed on
rapidly, without saying a word, without even looking up in my face as
he went by. This was such a complete inversion of the course of
proceeding which I had every reason to expect on his part, that my
curiosity, or rather my suspicion, was aroused, and I determined on my
side to keep him cautiously in view, and to discover what the business
might be in which he was now employed. Without caring whether he saw me
or not, I walked after him. He never looked back, and he led me
straight through the streets to the railway station.

T