The Broad Highway

As to her dress, I, little by little, became aware of two facts,

for whereas her gown was of a rough, coarse material such as

domestic servants wear, the stockinged foot that peeped at me

beneath its hem (her shoes were drying on the hearth) was clad in

a silk so fine that I could catch, through it, the gleam of the

white flesh beneath. From this apparent inconsistency I deduced

that she was of educated tastes, but poor--probably a governess,

or, more likely still, taking her hands into consideration, with

their long, prehensile fingers, a teacher of music, and was going

on to explain to myself her present situation as the outcome of

Beauty, Poverty, and the Devil, when she sighed, glanced toward

the door, shivered slightly, and reaching her shoes from the

hearth prepared to slip them on.

"They are still very wet!" said I deprecatingly.

"Yes," she answered.

"Listen to the wind!" said I.

"It is terribly high."

"And it rains very hard!" said I.

"Yes," and she shivered again.

"It will be bad travelling for any one to-night," said I.

Charmian stared into the fire.

"Indeed, it would be madness for the strongest to stir abroad on

such a night."

Charmian stared into the fire.

"What with the wind and the rain the roads would be utterly

impassable, not to mention the risks of falling trees or

shattered boughs."

Charmian shivered again.

"And the inns are all shut, long ago; to stir out, therefore,

would be the purest folly."

Charmian stared into the fire.

"On the other hand, here are a warm room, a good fire, and a very

excellent bed."

She neither spoke nor moved, only her eyes were raised suddenly

and swiftly to mine.

"Also," I continued, returning her look, "here, most convenient

to your hand, is a fine sharp knife, in case you are afraid of

the ghost or any other midnight visitant and so--good night,

madam!" Saying which, I took up one of the candles and crossed

to the door of that room--which had once been Donald's, but here

I paused to glance back at her. "Furthermore," said I, snuffing

my candle with great nicety, "madam need have no further qualms

regarding the color of my hair and eyes--none whatever."

Whereupon I bowed somewhat stiffly on account of my bruises, and,

going into my chamber, closed the door behind me.

Having made the bed (for since Donald's departure I had occupied

my two beds alternately) I undressed slowly, for my thumb was

very painful; also I paused frequently to catch the sound of the

light, quick footstep beyond the door, and the whisper of her

garments as she walked.