uld not be the best occasion I could ever find of telling
my Cousin Dorothy all that was in my heart in her regard; and I even
went into the Great Chamber after her, still undecided. But her manner
prevented me; for I thought I saw in her something of a return of that
same shyness which she had shewed to me when I had come last time back
to Hare Street; and I went out again without saying one word except of
the priest's visit and of what a good man he seemed.

Even then, I think, if I had spoken, matters might have taken a very
different course; but, whether through God's appointment or my own
diffidence, this was not to be; and again I said nothing to her.

CHAPTER IV

Our next adventure, not unlike the last exteriorly, was very different
from it interiorly; and led to very strange results in the event. It
came about in this way.

It was in May that Mr. Hamerton had come to us, for Easter that year
fell in that month; and the weather after that, which had been very
bitter in the winter, with so much snow as I never saw before, but
clearer about Eastertime, fell very wet and stormy again in June.

It was on a Thursday evening, in the first week in June, that the bad
weather set in with a violent storm of rain and a high wind. We sat in
the Great Chamber after supper, and had some music as usual: and between
the music we listened to the gusts of wind and the rattle of the rain,
which made so great a noise that Dolly said that it was no use for her
to go to bed yet, for that she would not sleep if she went. Her maid
went to bed; and we three sat talking till nearly half-past ten o'clock,
which is very late for the country where men rise at four o'clock.

The wind made such a noise that we heard nothing of the approach to the
house; and the first that we knew of anyone's coming was a hammering at
the door.

"Why, who is that;" said I, "that comes so late?"

I could see that my Cousin Tom did not like it, for his face shewed
it--(I suppose it was the memory of that other time when the hammering
came)--so I said nothing, but went myself to the outer door and unbolted
it.

A fellow stood there in a great riding-cloak; but I could see he wore
some kind of a livery beneath.

"Well," I said, "what do you want?"

He saw that I was a gentleman by my dress; and he answered me very
civilly.

"My master is benighted, sir," said he; "and he bid me come and ask
whether he might lie here to-night. There is no inn