The Moonstone

"No," I said. "I venture to think that I thoroughly understand it."

She was far above the paltry affectation of being confused. She answered

me as she might have answered a brother or a father.

"You have relieved me of indescribable wretchedness; you have given me

a new life. How can I be ungrateful enough to have any concealment

from you? I love him," she said simply, "I have loved him from first to

last--even when I was wronging him in my own thoughts; even when I was

saying the hardest and the cruellest words to him. Is there any excuse

for me, in that? I hope there is--I am afraid it is the only excuse I

have. When to-morrow comes, and he knows that I am in the house, do you

think----"

She stopped again, and looked at me very earnestly.

"When to-morrow comes," I said, "I think you have only to tell him what

you have just told me."

Her face brightened; she came a step nearer to me. Her fingers trifled

nervously with a flower which I had picked in the garden, and which I

had put into the button-hole of my coat.

"You have seen a great deal of him lately," she said. "Have you, really

and truly, seen THAT?"

"Really and truly," I answered. "I am quite certain of what will happen

to-morrow. I wish I could feel as certain of what will happen to-night."

At that point in the conversation, we were interrupted by the appearance

of Betteredge with the tea-tray. He gave me another significant look as

he passed on into the sitting-room. "Aye! aye! make your hay while the

sun shines. The Tartar's upstairs, Mr. Jennings--the Tartar's upstairs!"

We followed him into the room. A little old lady, in a corner,

very nicely dressed, and very deeply absorbed over a smart piece of

embroidery, dropped her work in her lap, and uttered a faint little

scream at the first sight of my gipsy complexion and my piebald hair.

"Mrs. Merridew," said Miss Verinder, "this is Mr. Jennings."

"I beg Mr. Jennings's pardon," said the old lady, looking at Miss

Verinder, and speaking at me. "Railway travelling always makes me

nervous. I am endeavouring to quiet my mind by occupying myself as

usual. I don't know whether my embroidery is out of place, on this

extraordinary occasion. If it interferes with Mr. Jennings's medical

views, I shall be happy to put it away of course."