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She sank back in the chair。 'I was not going to strike yougo to
your roomI beg you to go to your room！' she repeated in a husky
whisper。
Cytherea； red and panting； took up her candlestick and advanced to
the table to get a light。 As she stood close to them the rays from
the candles struck sharply on her face。 She usually bore a much
stronger likeness to her mother than to her father； but now； looking
with a grave； reckless； and angered expression of countenance at the
kindling wick as she held it slanting into the other flame； her
father's features were distinct in her。 It was the first time Miss
Aldclyffe had seen her in a passionate mood； and wearing that
expression which was invariably its concomitant。 It was Miss
Aldclyffe's turn to start now； and the remark she made was an
instance of that sudden change of tone from high…flown invective to
the pettiness of curiosity which so often makes women's quarrels
ridiculous。 Even Miss Aldclyffe's dignity had not sufficient power
to postpone the absorbing desire she now felt to settle the strange
suspicion that had entered her head。
'You spell your name the common way； G； R； E； Y； don't you？' she
said； with assumed indifference。
'No；' said Cytherea； poised on the side of her foot； and still
looking into the flame。
'Yes； surely？ The name was spelt that way on your boxes： I looked
and saw it myself。'
The enigma of Miss Aldclyffe's mistake was solved。 'O； was it？'
said Cytherea。 'Ah； I remember Mrs。 Jackson； the lodging…house
keeper at Budmouth； labelled them。 We spell our name G； R； A； Y；
E。'
'What was your father's trade？'
Cytherea thought it would be useless to attempt to conceal facts any
longer。 'His was not a trade；' she said。 'He was an architect。'
'The idea of your being an architect's daughter！'
'There's nothing to offend； you in that； I hope？'
'O no。'
'Why did you say 〃the idea〃？'
'Leave that alone。 Did he ever visit in Gower Street； Bloomsbury；
one Christmas； many years ago？but you would not know that。'
'I have heard him say that Mr。 Huntway； a curate somewhere in that
part of London； and who died there； was an old college friend of
his。'
'What is your Christian name？'
'Cytherea。'
'No！ And is it really？ And you knew that face I showed you？ Yes；
I see you did。' Miss Aldclyffe stopped； and closed her lips
impassibly。 She was a little agitated。
'Do you want me any longer？' said Cytherea； standing candle in hand
and looking quietly in Miss Aldclyffe's face。
'Wellno： no longer；' said the other lingeringly。
'With your permission； I will leave the house to morrow morning；
madam。'
'Ah。' Miss Aldclyffe had no notion of what she was saying。
'And I know you will be so good as not to intrude upon me during the
short remainder of my stay？'
Saying this Cytherea left the room before her companion had
answered。 Miss Aldclyffe； then； had recognized her at last； and had
been curious about her name from the beginning。
The other members of the household had retired to rest。 As Cytherea
went along the passage leading to her room her skirts rustled
against the partition。 A door on her left opened； and Mrs。 Morris
looked out。
'I waited out of bed till you came up；' she said； 'it being your
first night； in case you should be at a loss for anything。 How have
you got on with Miss Aldclyffe？'
'Pretty wellthough not so well as I could have wished。'
'Has she been scolding？'
'A little。'
'She's a very odd lady'tis all one way or the other with her。
She's not bad at heart； but unbearable in close quarters。 Those of
us who don't have much to do with her personally； stay on for years
and years。'
'Has Miss Aldclyffe's family always been rich？' said Cytherea。
'O no。 The property； with the name； came from her mother's uncle。
Her family is a branch of the old Aldclyffe family on the maternal
side。 Her mother married a Bradleigha mere nobody at that time
and was on that account cut by her relations。 But very singularly
the other branch of the family died out one by onethree of them；
and Miss Aldclyffe's great…uncle then left all his property；
including this estate； to Captain Bradleigh and his wifeMiss
Aldclyffe's father and motheron condition that they took the old
family name as well。 There's all about it in the 〃Landed Gentry。〃
'Tis a thing very often done。'
'O； I see。 Thank you。 Well； now I am going。 Good…night。'
VI。 THE EVENTS OF TWELVE HOURS
1。 AUGUST THE NINTH。 ONE TO TWO O'CLOCK A。M。
Cytherea entered her bedroom； and flung herself on the； bed；
bewildered by a whirl of thought。 Only one subject was clear in her
mind； and it was that； in spite of family discoveries； that day was
to be the first and last of her experience as a lady's…maid。
Starvation itself should not compel her to hold such a humiliating
post for another instant。 'Ah；' she thought； with a sigh； at the
martyrdom of her last little fragment of self…conceit； 'Owen knows
everything better than I。'
She jumped up and began making ready for her departure in the
morning； the tears streaming down when she grieved and wondered what
practical matter on earth she could turn her hand to next。 All
these preparations completed； she began to undress； her mind
unconsciously drifting away to the contemplation of her late
surprises。 To look in the glass for an instant at the reflection of
her own magnificent resources in face and bosom； and to mark their
attractiveness unadorned； was perhaps but the natural action of a
young woman who had so lately been chidden whilst passing through
the harassing experience of decorating an older beauty of Miss
Aldclyffe's temper。
But she directly checked her weakness by sympathizing reflections on
the hidden troubles which must have thronged the past years of the
solitary lady； to keep her； though so rich and courted； in a mood so
repellent and gloomy as that in which Cytherea found her； and then
the young girl marvelled again and again； as she had marvelled
before； at the strange confluence of circumstances which had brought
herself into contact with the one woman in the world whose history
was so romantically intertwined with her own。 She almost began to
wish she were not obliged to go away and leave the lonely being to
loneliness still。
In bed and in the dark； Miss Aldclyffe haunted her mind more
persistently than ever。 Instead of sleeping； she called up staring
visions of the possible past of this queenly lady； her mother's
rival。 Up the long vista of bygone years she saw； behind all； the
young girl's flirtation； little or much； with the cousin； that
seemed to have been nipped in the bud； or to have terminated hastily
in some way。 Then the secret meetings between Miss Aldclyffe and
the other woman at the little inn at Hammersmith and other places：
the commonplace name she adopted： her swoon at some painful news；
and the very slight knowledge the elder female had of her partner in
mystery。 Then； more than a year afterwards； the acquaintanceship of
her own father with this his first love； the awakening of the
passion； his acts of devotion； the unreasoning heat of his rapture；
her