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requested to； especially after Miss Aldclyffe's strict charge to
her。 She sat down again； determined to let no idle curiosity
influence her movements。
Her window commanded the front of the house； and the next thing she
saw was a clergyman walk up and enter the door。
All was silent again till； a long time after the first man had left；
he returned again on the same horse； now matted with sweat and
trotting behind a carriage in which sat an elderly gentleman driven
by a lad in livery。 These came to the house； entered； and all was
again the same as before。
The whole householdmaster； mistress； and servantsappeared to
have forgotten the very existence of such a being as Cytherea。 She
almost wished she had not vowed to have no idle curiosity。
Half…an…hour later； the carriage drove off with the elderly
gentleman； and two or three messengers left the house； speeding in
various directions。 Rustics in smock…frocks began to hang about the
road opposite the house； or lean against trees； looking idly at the
windows and chimneys。
A tap came to Cytherea's door。 She opened it to a young maid…
servant。
'Miss Aldclyffe wishes to see you； ma'am。' Cytherea hastened down。
Miss Aldclyffe was standing on the hearthrug； her elbow on the
mantel； her hand to her temples； her eyes on the ground； perfectly
calm； but very pale。
'Cytherea；' she said in a whisper； 'come here。'
Cytherea went close。
'Something very serious has taken place；' she said again； and then
paused； with a tremulous movement of her mouth。
'Yes；' said Cytherea。
'My father。 He was found dead in his bed this morning。'
'Dead！' echoed the younger woman。 It seemed impossible that the
announcement could be true； that knowledge of so great a fact could
be contained in a statement so small。
'Yes； dead；' murmured Miss Aldclyffe solemnly。 'He died alone；
though within a few feet of me。 The room we slept in is exactly
over his own。'
Cytherea said hurriedly； 'Do they know at what hour？'
'The doctor says it must have been between two and three o'clock
this morning。'
'Then I heard him！'
'Heard him？'
'Heard him die！'
'You heard him die？ What did you hear？'
'A sound I heard once before in my lifeat the deathbed of my
mother。 I could not identify itthough I recognized it。 Then the
dog howled： you remarked it。 I did not think it worth while to
tell you what I had heard a little earlier。' She looked agonized。
'It would have been useless；' said Miss Aldclyffe。 'All was over by
that time。' She addressed herself as much as Cytherea when she
continued； 'Is it a Providence who sent you here at this juncture
that I might not be left entirely alone？'
Till this instant Miss Aldclyffe had forgotten the reason of
Cytherea's seclusion in her own room。 So had Cytherea herself。 The
fact now recurred to both in one moment。
'Do you still wish to go？' said Miss Aldclyffe anxiously。
'I don't want to go now；' Cytherea had remarked simultaneously with
the other's question。 She was pondering on the strange likeness
which Miss Aldclyffe's bereavement bore to her own； it had the
appearance of being still another call to her not to forsake this
woman so linked to her life； for the sake of any trivial vexation。
Miss Aldclyffe held her almost as a lover would have held her； and
said musingly
'We get more and more into one groove。 I now am left fatherless and
motherless as you were。' Other ties lay behind in her thoughts； but
she did not mention them。
'You loved your father； Cytherea； and wept for him？'
'Yes； I did。 Poor papa！'
'I was always at variance with mine； and can't weep for him now！
But you must stay here always； and make a better woman of me。'
The compact was thus sealed； and Cytherea； in spite of the failure
of her advertisements； was installed as a veritable Companion。 And；
once more in the history of human endeavour； a position which it was
impossible to reach by any direct attempt； was come to by the
seeker's swerving from the path； and regarding the original object
as one of secondary importance。
VII。 THE EVENTS OF EIGHTEEN DAYS
1。 AUGUST THE SEVENTEENTH
The time of day was four o'clock in the afternoon。 The place was
the lady's study or boudoir； Knapwater House。 The person was Miss
Aldclyffe sitting there alone； clothed in deep mourning。
The funeral of the old Captain had taken place； and his will had
been read。 It was very concise； and had been executed about five
years previous to his death。 It was attested by his solicitors；
Messrs。 Nyttleton and Tayling； of Lincoln's Inn Fields。 The whole
of his estate； real and personal； was bequeathed to his daughter
Cytherea； for her sole and absolute use； subject only to the payment
of a legacy to the rector； their relative； and a few small amounts
to the servants。
Miss Aldclyffe had not chosen the easiest chair of her boudoir to
sit in； or even a chair of ordinary comfort； but an uncomfortable；
high； narrow…backed； oak framed and seated chair； which was allowed
to remain in the room only on the ground of being a companion in
artistic quaintness to an old coffer beside it； and was never used
except to stand in to reach for a book from the highest row of
shelves。 But she had sat erect in this chair for more than an hour；
for the reason that she was utterly unconscious of what her actions
and bodily feelings were。 The chair had stood nearest her path on
entering the room； and she had gone to it in a dream。
She sat in the attitude which denotes unflagging； intense；
concentrated thoughtas if she were cast in bronze。 Her feet were
together； her body bent a little forward； and quite unsupported by
the back of the chair； her hands on her knees； her eyes fixed
intently on the corner of a footstool。
At last she moved and tapped her fingers upon the table at her side。
Her pent…up ideas had finally found some channel to advance in。
Motions became more and more frequent as she laboured to carry
further and further the problem which occupied her brain。 She sat
back and drew a long breath： she sat sideways and leant her
forehead upon her hand。 Later still she arose； walked up and down
the roomat first abstractedly； with her features as firmly set as
ever； but by degrees her brow relaxed； her footsteps became lighter
and more leisurely； her head rode gracefully and was no longer
bowed。 She plumed herself like a swan after exertion。
'Yes；' she said aloud。 'To get HIM here without letting him know
that I have any other object than that of getting a useful man
that's the difficultyand that I think I can master。'
She rang for the new maid； a placid woman of forty with a few grey
hairs。
'Ask Miss Graye if she can come to me。'
Cytherea was not far off； and came in。
'Do you know anything about architects and surveyors？' said Miss
Aldclyffe abruptly。
'Know anything？' replied Cytherea； poising herself on her toe to
consider the compass of the question。
'Yesknow anything；' said Miss Aldclyffe。
'Owen is an architect and surveyor's draughtsman；' the maiden said；
and thought of somebody else who was likewise。
'Yes！ that's why I asked you。 What are the different kinds of work
comprised in an architect's practice？ They lay out estates； and
superintend the various works done upon them； I should think； among
other things？'
'Those are； more properly； a land or building steward's dutiesat
least I have always imagined so。 Country architects include those
things in their practice； city architects don't。'
'I know that； child。 But a steward's is an indefinite fast and
loose profession； it seems to me。 Shouldn't you think that a man
who had been brought up as an architect would do for a steward？'
Cytherea had doubts whether an architect pure would do。
The chief pleasure connected with asking an opinion lies in not
adopting it。 Miss Aldclyffe replied decisively
'Nonsense； of course he would。 Your brother Owen makes plans for
country buildingssuch as cottages； stables； homesteads； and so
on？'
'Yes； he does。'
'And superintends the building of them？'
'Yes； he will soon。'
'And he surveys land？'
'O yes。'
'And he knows about hedges and ditcheshow wide they ought to be；
boundaries； levelling； planting trees to keep away the winds；
measuring timber； houses for ninety…nine years； and such things？'
'I have never heard him say that； but I think Mr。 Gradfield does
those things。 Owen； I am afraid； is inexperienced as yet。'
'Yes； your brother is not old enough for such a post yet； of course。
And then there are rent…days； the audit and winding up of
tradesmen's accounts。 I am afraid； Cytherea； you don't know much
more about the matter than I do myself。 。 。 。 I am going out just
now；' she continued。 'I shall not want you to walk with me to…day。
Run away till dinner…time。'
Miss Aldclyffe went out of doors； and down the steps to the lawn：
then turning to the left； through a shrubbery； she opened a wicket
and passed into a neglected and leafy carriage…drive； leading down
the hill。 This she followed till she reached the point of its
greatest depression； which was also the lowest ground in the whole
grove。
T