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〃Do you remember it now？〃 he asked； and pointed to the Mere。
The sun was sinking in the cloudless westward heaven。 The waters
of the Mere lay beneath； tinged red by the dying light。 The open
country stretched away； darkening drearily already on the right
hand and the left。 And on the near margin of the pool； where all
had been solitude before； there now stood； fronting the sunset；
the figure of a woman。
The two Armadales stood together in silence； and looked at the
lonely figure and the dreary view。
Midwinter was the first to speak。
〃Your own eyes have seen it；〃 he said。 〃Now look at our own
words。〃
He opened the narrative of the Dream； and held it under Allan's
eyes。 His finger pointed to the lines which recorded the first
Vision； his voice； sinking lower and lower； repeated the words：
〃The sense came to me of being left alone in the darkness。
〃I waited。
〃The darkness opened； and showed me the visionas in a
pictureof a broad； lonely pool； surrounded by open ground。
Above the further margin of the pool I saw the cloudless western
sky； red with the light of sunset。
〃On the near margin of the pool there stood the Shadow of a
Woman。〃
He ceased； and let the hand which held the manuscript drop to his
side。 The other hand pointed to the lonely figure； standing with
its back turned on them； fronting the setting sun。
〃There；〃 he said； 〃stands the living Woman； in the Shadow's
place！ There speaks the first of the dream warnings to you and to
me！ Let the future time find us still together； and the second
figure that stands in the Shadow's place will be Mine。〃
Even Allan was silenced by the terrible certainty of conviction
with which he spoke。
In the pause that followed； the figure at the pool moved； and
walked slowly away round the margin of the shore。 Allan stepped
out beyond the last of the trees； and gained a wider view of the
open ground。 The first object that met his eyes was the
pony…chaise from Thorpe Ambrose。
He turned back to Midwinter with a laugh of relief。 〃What
nonsense have you been talking！〃 he said。 〃And what nonsense have
I been listening to！ It's the governess at last。〃
Midwinter made no reply。 Allan took him by the arm； and tried to
lead him on。 He released himself suddenly； and seized Allan with
both hands； holding him back from the figure at the pool； as he
had held him back from the cabin door on the deck of the timber
ship。 Once again the effort was in vain。 Once again Allan broke
away as easily as he had broken away in the past time。
〃One of us must speak to her；〃 he said。 〃And if you won't； I
will。〃
He had only advanced a few steps toward the Mere； when he heard；
or thought he heard； a voice faintly calling after him； once and
once only； the word Farewell。 He stopped； with a feeling of
uneasy surprise； and looked round。
〃Was that you； Midwinter？〃 he asked。
There was no answer。 After hesitating a moment more； Allan
returned to the plantation。 Midwinter was gone。
He looked back at the pool； doubtful in the new emergency what to
do next。 The lonely figure had altered its course in the
interval； it had turned； and was advancing toward the trees。
Allan had been evidently either heard or seen。 It was impossible
to leave a woman unbefriended； in that helpless position and in
that solitary place。 For the second time Allan went out from the
trees to meet her。
As he came within sight of her face； he stopped in ungovernable
astonishment。 The sudden revelation of her beauty； as she smiled
and looked at him inquiringly； suspended the movement in his
limbs and the words on his lips。 A vague doubt beset him whether
it was the governess； after all。
He roused himself； and； advancing a few paces； mentioned his
name。 〃May I ask；〃 he added； 〃if I have the pleasure？〃
The lady met him easily and gracefully half…way。 〃Major Milroy's
governess；〃 she said。 〃Miss Gwilt。〃
CHAPTER X
THE HOUSE…MAID'S FACE。
ALL was quiet at Thorpe Ambrose。 The hall was solitary； the rooms
were dark。 The servants； waiting for the supper hour in the
garden at the back of the house； looked up at the clear heaven
and the rising moon； and agreed that there was little prospect of
the return of the picnic party until later in the night。 The
general opinion； led by the high authority of the cook； predicted
that they might all sit down to supper without the least fear of
being disturbed by the bell。 Having arrived at this conclusion；
the servants assembled round the table； and exactly at the moment
when they sat down the bell rang。
The footman； wondering； went up stairs to open the door； and
found to his astonishment Midwinter waiting alone on the
threshold； and looking （in the servant's opinion） miserably ill。
He asked for a light； and； saying he wanted nothing else；
withdrew at once to his room。 The footman went back to his
fellow…servants； and reported that something had certainly
happened to his master's friend。
On entering his room； Midwinter closed the door； and hurriedly
filled a bag with the necessaries for traveling。 This done； he
took from a locked drawer； and placed in the breast pocket of his
coat； some little presents which Allan had given hima cigar
case； a purse； and a set of studs in plain gold。 Having possessed
himself of these memorials； he snatched up the bag and laid his
hand on the door。 There； for the first time； he paused。 There；
the headlong haste of all his actions thus far suddenly ceased；
and the hard despair in his face began to soften： he waited； with
the door in his hand。
Up to that moment he had been conscious of but one motive that
animated him； but one purpose that he was resolute to achieve。
〃For Allan's sake！〃 he had said to himself； when he looked back
toward the fatal landscape and saw his friend leaving him to meet
the woman at the pool。 〃For Allan's sake！〃 he had said again；
when he crossed the open country beyond the wood； and saw afar；
in the gray twilight； the long line of embankment and the distant
glimmer of the railway lamps beckoning him away already to the
iron road。
It was only when he now paused before he closed the door behind
himit was only when his own impetuous rapidity of action came
for the first time to a check； that the nobler nature of the man
rose in protest against the superstitious despair which was
hurrying him from all that he held dear。 His conviction of the
terrible necessity of leaving Allan for Allan's good had not been
shaken for an instant since he had seen the first Vision of the
Dream realized on the shores of the Mere。 But now； for the first
time； his own heart rose against him in unanswerable rebuke。 〃Go；
if you must and will！ but remember the time when you were ill；
and he sat by your bedside； friendless； and he opened his heart
to youand write； if you fear to speak； write and ask him to
forgive you； before you leave him forever！〃
The half…opened door closed again softly。 Midwinter sat down at
the writing…table and took up the pen。
He tried again and again； and yet again； to write the farewell
words； he tried； till the floor all round him was littered with
torn sheets of paper。 Turn from them which way he wo