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true； the most unaccountable thing within his experience。 That
Lizzy Newberry was in her bedroom when he made such a clamour at the
door he could not possibly convince himself； notwithstanding that he
had heard her come upstairs at the usual time； go into her chamber；
and shut herself up in the usual way。 Yet all reason was so much
against her being elsewhere； that he was constrained to go back
again to the unlikely theory of a heavy sleep； though he had heard
neither breath nor movement during a shouting and knocking loud
enough to rouse the Seven Sleepers。
Before coming to any positive conclusion he fell asleep himself； and
did not awake till day。 He saw nothing of Mrs。 Newberry in the
morning； before he went out to meet the rising sun； as he liked to
do when the weather was fine； but as this was by no means unusual；
he took no notice of it。 At breakfast…time he knew that she was not
far off by hearing her in the kitchen； and though he saw nothing of
her person； that back apartment being rigorously closed against his
eyes； she seemed to be talking； ordering； and bustling about among
the pots and skimmers in so ordinary a manner； that there was no
reason for his wasting more time in fruitless surmise。
The minister suffered from these distractions； and his extemporized
sermons were not improved thereby。 Already he often said Romans for
Corinthians in the pulpit； and gave out hymns in strange cramped
metres； that hitherto had always been skipped； because the
congregation could not raise a tune to fit them。 He fully resolved
that as soon as his few weeks of stay approached their end he would
cut the matter short； and commit himself by proposing a definite
engagement； repenting at leisure if necessary。
With this end in view； he suggested to her on the evening after her
mysterious sleep that they should take a walk together just before
dark； the latter part of the proposition being introduced that they
might return home unseen。 She consented to go； and away they went
over a stile； to a shrouded footpath suited for the occasion。 But；
in spite of attempts on both sides； they were unable to infuse much
spirit into the ramble。 She looked rather paler than usual； and
sometimes turned her head away。
'Lizzy；' said Stockdale reproachfully； when they had walked in
silence a long distance。
'Yes；' said she。
'You yawnedmuch my company is to you！' He put it in that way； but
he was really wondering whether her yawn could possibly have more to
do with physical weariness from the night before than mental
weariness of that present moment。 Lizzy apologized； and owned that
she was rather tired； which gave him an opening for a direct
question on the point； but his modesty would not allow him to put it
to her； and he uncomfortably resolved to wait。
The month of February passed with alternations of mud and frost；
rain and sleet； east winds and north…westerly gales。 The hollow
places in the ploughed fields showed themselves as pools of water；
which had settled there from the higher levels； and had not yet
found time to soak away。 The birds began to get lively； and a
single thrush came just before sunset each evening； and sang
hopefully on the large elm…tree which stood nearest to Mrs。
Newberry's house。 Cold blasts and brittle earth had given place to
an oozing dampness more unpleasant in itself than frost； but it
suggested coming spring； and its unpleasantness was of a bearable
kind。
Stockdale had been going to bring about a practical understanding
with Lizzy at least half…a…dozen times； but； what with the mystery
of her apparent absence on the night of the neighbour's call； and
her curious way of lying in bed at unaccountable times； he felt a
check within him whenever he wanted to speak out。 Thus they still
lived on as indefinitely affianced lovers； each of whom hardly
acknowledged the other's claim to the name of chosen one。 Stockdale
persuaded himself that his hesitation was owing to the postponement
of the ordained minister's arrival； and the consequent delay in his
own departure； which did away with all necessity for haste in his
courtship； but perhaps it was only that his discretion was
reasserting itself； and telling him that he had better get clearer
ideas of Lizzy before arranging for the grand contract of his life
with her。 She； on her part； always seemed ready to be urged further
on that question than he had hitherto attempted to go； but she was
none the less independent； and to a degree which would have kept
from flagging the passion of a far more mutable man。
On the evening of the first of March he went casually into his
bedroom about dusk； and noticed lying on a chair a greatcoat； hat；
and breeches。 Having no recollection of leaving any clothes of his
own in that spot； he went and examined them as well as he could in
the twilight； and found that they did not belong to him。 He paused
for a moment to consider how they might have got there。 He was the
only man living in the house； and yet these were not his garments；
unless he had made a mistake。 No； they were not his。 He called up
Martha Sarah。
'How did these things come in my room？' he said； flinging the
objectionable articles to the floor。
Martha said that Mrs。 Newberry had given them to her to brush； and
that she had brought them up there thinking they must be Mr。
Stockdale's； as there was no other gentleman a…lodging there。
'Of course you did；' said Stockdale。 'Now take them down to your
mis'ess； and say they are some clothes I have found here and know
nothing about。'
As the door was left open he heard the conversation downstairs。
'How stupid！' said Mrs。 Newberry； in a tone of confusion。 'Why；
Marther Sarer； I did not tell you to take 'em to Mr。 Stockdale's
room？'
'I thought they must be his as they was so muddy；' said Martha
humbly。
'You should have left 'em on the clothes…horse；' said the young
mistress severely； and she came upstairs with the garments on her
arm； quickly passed Stockdale's room； and threw them forcibly into a
closet at the end of a passage。 With this the incident ended； and
the house was silent again。
There would have been nothing remarkable in finding such clothes in
a widow's house had they been clean； or moth…eaten； or creased； or
mouldy from long lying by； but that they should be splashed with
recent mud bothered Stockdale a good deal。 When a young pastor is
in the aspen stage of attachment； and open to agitation at the
merest trifles； a really substantial incongruity of this complexion
is a disturbing thing。 However； nothing further occurred at that
time； but he became watchful； and given to conjecture； and was
unable to forget the circumstance。
One morning； on looking from his window； he saw Mrs。 Newberry
herself brushing the tails of a long drab greatcoat； which； if he
mistook not； was the very same garment as the one that had adorned
the chair of his room。 It was densely splashed up to the hollow of
the back with neighbouring Nether…Moynton mud； to judge by its
colour； the spots being distinctly visible to him in the sunlight。
The previous day or two having been wet； the inference was
irresistible that the wearer had quite recently been walking some
considerable distance about the lanes and fields。 Stockdale opened
the window and looked out； and Mrs。 Newberry turned her head。 Her
face became slowly red； she never had looked prettier； or more
incomprehensible； he waved his hand affectionately； and said good…
morning； she answered with embarrassment； having ceased her
occupation on the instant that she saw him； and rolled up the coat
half…cleaned。
Stockdale shut the window。 Some simple explanation of her
proceeding was doubtless within the bounds of possibility； but he
himself could not think of one； and he wished that she had placed
the matter beyond conjecture by voluntarily saying something about
it there and then。
But； though Lizzy had not offered an explanation at the moment； the
subject was brought forward by her at the next time of their
meeting。 She was chatting to him concerning some other event； and
remarked that it happened about the time when she was dusting some
old clothes that had belonged to her poor husband。
'You keep them clean out of respect to his memory？' said Stockdale
tentatively。
'I air and dust them sometimes；' she said； with the most charming
innocence in the world。
'Do dead men come out of their graves and walk in mud？' murmured the
minister； in a cold sweat at the deception that she was practising。
'What did you say？' asked Lizzy。
'Nothing； nothing；' said he mournfully。 'Mere wordsa phrase that
will do for my sermon next Sunday。' It was too plain that Lizzy was
unaware that he had seen actual pedestrian splashes upon the skirts
of the tell…tale overcoat； and that she imagined him to believe it
had come direct from some chest or drawer。
The aspect of the case was now considerably darker。 Stockdale was
so much depressed by it that he did not challenge her explanation；
or threaten to go off as a missionary to benighted islanders； or
reproach her in any way whatever。 He simply parted from her when
she had done talking