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being listened to previously in a court of law。
〃In short；〃 said Mr。 Dark； rising to take his leave； 〃as I have
told you already； William； it's checkmate for marmzelle。 She
didn't manage the business of the robbery half as sharply as I
should have expected。 She certainly began well enough by staying
modestly at a lodging in the village to give her attendance at
the examinations； as it might be required； nothing could look
more innocent and respectable so far； but her hiding the property
between the mattresses of her bedthe very first place that any
experienced man would think of looking inwas such an amazingly
stupid thing to do； that I really can't account for it； unless
her mind had more weighing on it than it was able to bear； which；
considering the heavy stakes she played for； is likely enough。
Anyhow； her hands are tied now； and her tongue too； for the
matter of that。 Give my respects to your mistress； and tell her
that her runaway husband and her lying maid will never either of
them harm her again as long as they live。 She has nothing to do
now but to pluck up her spirits and live happy。 Here's long life
to her and to you； William； in the last glass of ale； and here's
the same toast to myself in the bottom of the jug。〃
With those words Mr。 Dark pocketed his large snuff…box； gave a
last wink with his bright eye； and walked rapidly away；
whistling； to catch the London coach。 From that time to this he
and I have never met again。
A few last words relating to my mistress and to the other persons
chiefly concerned in this narrative will conclude all that it is
now necessary for me to say。
For some months the relatives and friends； and I myself； felt sad
misgivings on my poor mistress's account。 We doubted if it was
possible； with such a quick； sensitive nature as hers； that she
could support the shock which had been inflicted on her。 But our
powers of endurance are； as I have learned to believe； more often
equal to the burdens laid upon us than we are apt to imagine。 I
have seen many surprising recoveries from illness after all hope
had been lost； and I have lived to see my mistress recover from
the grief and terror which we once thought would prove fatal to
her。 It was long before she began to hold up her head again； but
care and kindness； and time and change wrought their effect on
her at last。 She is not now； and never will be again； the woman
she was once； her manner is altered； and she looks older by many
a year than she really is。 But her health causes us no anxiety
now； her spirits are calm and equal； and I have good hope that
many quiet years of service in her house are left for me still。 I
myself have married during the long interval of time which I am
now passing over in a few words。 This change in my life is；
perhaps； not worth mentioning； but I am reminded of my two little
children when I speak of my mistress in her present position。 I
really think they make the great happiness； and interest； and
amusement of her life； and prevent her from feeling lonely and
dried up at heart。 It is a pleasant reflection to me to remember
this； and perhaps it may be the same to you； for which reason
only I speak of it。
As for the other persons connected with the troubles at Darrock
Hall； I may mention the vile woman Josephine first； so as to have
the sooner done with her。 Mr。 Dark's guess； when he tried to
account for her want of cunning in hiding the stolen property； by
saying that her mind might have had more weighing on it than she
was able to bear； turned out to b e nothing less than the plain
and awful truth。 After she had been found guilty of the robbery；
and had been condemned to seven years' transportation； a worse
sentence fell upon her from a higher tribunal than any in this
world。 While she was still in the county jail； previous to her
removal； her mind gave way； the madness breaking out in an
attempt to set fire to the prison。 Her case was pronounced to be
hopeless from the first。 The lawful asylum received her； and the
lawful asylum will keep her to the end of her days。
Mr。 James Smith； who； in my humble opinion； deserved hanging by
law； or drowning by accident at least； lived quietly abroad with
his Scotch wife （or no wife） for two years； and then died in the
most quiet and customary manner； in his bed； after a short
illness。 His end was described to me as a 〃highly edifying one。〃
But as he was also reported to have sent his forgiveness to his
wifewhich was as much as to say that _he_ was the injured
person of the twoI take leave to consider that he was the same
impudent vagabond in his last moments that he had been all his
life。 His Scotch widow has married again； and is now settled in
London。 I hope her husband is all her own property this time。
Mr。 Meeke must not be forgotten； although he has dropped out of
the latter part of my story because he had nothing to do with the
serious events which followed Josephine's perjury。 In the
confusion and wretchedness of that time； he was treated with very
little ceremony； and was quite passed over when we left the
neighborhood。 After pining and fretting some time； as we
afterward heard； in his lonely parsonage； he resigned his living
at the first chance he got； and took a sort of under…chaplain's
place in an English chapel abroad。 He writes to my mistress once
or twice a year to ask after her health and well…being； and she
writes back to him。 That is all the communication they are ever
likely to have with each other。 The music they once played
together will never sound again。 Its last notes have long since
faded away and the last words of this story； trembling on the
lips of the teller； may now fade with them。
THE NINTH DAY。
A LITTLE change in the weather。 The rain still continues； but the
wind is not quite so high。 Have I any reason to believe； because
it is calmer on land； that it is also calmer at sea？ Perhaps not。
But my mind is scarcely so uneasy to…day； nevertheless。
I had looked over the newspaper with the usual result； and had
laid it down with the customary sense of disappointment； when
Jessie handed me a letter which she had received that morning。 It
was written by her aunt； and it upbraided her in the highly
exaggerated terms which ladies love to employ； where any tender
interests of their own are concerned； for her long silence and
her long absence from home。 Home！ I thought of my poor boy and of
the one hope on which all his happiness rested； and I felt
jealous of the word when I saw it used persuasively in a letter
to our guest。 What right had any one to mention 〃home〃 to her
until George had spoken first？
〃I must answer it by return of post；〃 said Jessie； with a tone of
sorrow in her voice for which my heart warmed to her。 〃You have
been very kind to me； you have taken more pains to interest and
amuse me than I am worth。 I can laugh about most things； but I
can't laugh about going away。 I am honestly and sincerely too
grateful for that。〃
She paused； came round to where I was sitting； perched herself on
the end of the table； and； resting her hands on my shoulders；
added gently：
〃It must be the day after to…morrow； must it not？〃
I could not trust myself to answer。 If I had spoken； I should
have betrayed George's secret in spite of myself。
〃To…morrow is the tenth day；〃 she went on； softly。 〃It looks so
selfish and so ungrateful to go the moment I have heard the last
of the stories； that I am quite distressed at being obliged to
enter on the subject at all。 And yet； what choice is left me？
what can I do when my aunt writes to me in that way？〃
She took up the letter again； and looked at it so ruefully that I
drew her head a little nearer to me； and gratefully kissed the
smooth white forehead。
〃If your aunt is only half as anxious to see you again； my love；
as I am to see my son； I must forgive her for taking you away
from us。〃 The words came from me without premeditation。 It was
not calculation this time； but sheer instinct that impelled me to
test her in this way； once more； by a direct reference to George。
She was so close to me that I felt her breath quiver on my cheek。
Her eyes had been fixed on my face a moment before； but they now
wandered away from it constrainedly。 One of her hands trembled a
little on my shoulder； and she took it off。
〃Thank you for trying to make our parting easier to me；〃 she
said； quickly； and in a lower tone than she had spoken in yet。 I
made no answer； but still looked her anxiously in the face。 For a
few seconds her nimble delicate fingers nervously folded and
refolded the letter from her aunt； then she abruptly changed her
position。
〃The sooner I write； the sooner it will be over；〃 she said； and
hurriedly turned away to the paper…case on the side…table。
How was the change in her manner to be rightly interpreted？ Was
she hurt by what I had said； or was she secretly so much affected
by it； in the impressionable state of her mind at that moment； as
to be incapable of exerting a young girl's customary
self…control？ Her looks； actions； and language might bear either
interpretation。 One striking omission had marked her conduct when
I had referred to George's ret