t.

All at once a dread took possession of the bride's heart, like a
cold hand laid thereon; for it flashed upon her that there was a
possibility of reconciling the girl's statement with her own knowledge
of facts.

'Why does he make no noise?' she weakly said.

The waiting-maid was silent, and looked at her questioner. 'If I tell
you, ma'am, you won't tell missis?' she whispered.

Baptista promised.

'Because he's a-lying dead!' said the girl. 'He's the schoolmaster
that was drowned yesterday.'

'O!' said the bride, covering her eyes. 'Then he was in this room till
just now?'

'Yes,' said the maid, thinking the young lady's agitation natural
enough. 'And I told missis that I thought she oughtn't to have done
it, because I don't hold it right to keep visitors so much in the
dark where death's concerned; but she said the gentleman didn't die
of anything infectious; she was a poor, honest, innkeeper's wife, she
says, who had to get her living by making hay while the sun sheened.
And owing to the drowned gentleman being brought here, she said, it
kept so many people away that we were empty, though all the other
houses were full. So when your good man set his mind upon the room,
and she would have lost good paying folk if he'd not had it, it wasn't
to be supposed, she said, that she'd let anything stand in the way.
Ye won't say that I've told ye, please, m'm? All the linen has been
changed, and as the inquest won't be till tomorrow, after you are
gone, she thought you wouldn't know a word of it, being strangers
here.'

The returning footsteps of her husband broke off further narration.
Baptista waved her hand, for she could not speak. The waiting-maid
quickly withdrew, and Mr Heddegan entered with the smelling salts and
other nostrums.

'Any better?' he questioned.

'I don't like the hotel,' she exclaimed, almost simultaneously. 'I
can't bear it--it doesn't suit me!'

'Is that all that's the matter?' he returned pettishly (this being the
first time of his showing such a mood). 'Upon my heart and life such
trifling is trying to any man's temper, Baptista! Sending me about
from here to yond, and then when I come back saying 'ee don't like
the place that I have sunk so much money and words to get for 'ee. 'Od
dang it all, 'tis enough to--But I won't say any more at present, mee
deer, though it is just too much to expect to turn out of the
house now. We shan't get another quiet place at this time of the
evening