“I qt agri – in rgard t Grifin’z gost, or ẃtvr it wz – ɖt its apirñ frst t ɖ litl bô, at so tndr an ej, adz a ptiklr tuć. Bt it’s nt ɖ frst ocuṛns v its ćarmñ cnd ɖt I nǒ t hv involvd a ćîld. F ɖ ćîld gvz ɖ ifct anɖr trn v ɖ scru, ẃt d y se t tū ćildṛn – ?”“W se, v cors,” smbdi xclemd, “ɖt ɖe gv tū trnz! Olso ɖt w wont t hír abt ɖm.”

I cn si Dugḷs ɖr bfr ɖ fîr, t ẃć h hd got p t priznt hiz bac, lcñ dǎn at hiz inṭloktr wɖ hiz handz in hiz pocits. “Nbdi bt m, tl nǎ, hz evr hŕd. It’s qt tù hoṛbl.” Ɖs, naćṛli, wz dclerd bî sevṛl vôsz t gv ɖ ʈñ ɖ utmost prîs, n ǎr frend, wɖ qayt art, priperd hiz trîumf bî trnñ hiz îz ovr ɖ rest v s n gwñ on: “It’s bynd evriʈñ. Nʈñ at ol ɖt I nǒ tućz it.”

“Fr śir terr?” I rmembr ascñ.

H sīmd t se it wz nt so simpl az ɖt; t b riyli at a los hǎ t qoḷfî it. H pást hiz hand ovr hiz îz, md a litl winsñ grimis. “Fr dredfl – dredflnis!”

“Ǒ, hǎ dliśs!” craid wn v ɖ wimin.

H tc no notis v hr; h lct at m, bt az f, instd v m, h sw ẃt h spouc v. “Fr jenṛl uncani uglinis n horr n pen.”

“Wel ɖen,” I sd, “jst sit rît dǎn n bgin.”

H trnd rnd t ɖ fîr, gev a cic t a log, woćt it an instnt. Ɖen az h fest s agn: “I c’nt bgin. I śl hv t snd t tǎn.” Ɖr wz a ynaniṃs gron at ɖs, n mć rproć; aftr ẃć, in hiz priokpaid we, h xplend. “Ɖ stori’z ritn. It’s in a loct dror – it hz nt bn ǎt fr yirz. I cd rait t mî man n incloz ɖ ci; h cd snd dǎn ɖ pacit az h fîndz it.” It wz t m in ptiklr ɖt h apird t pṛpǎnd ɖs – apird olmst t apil fr ed nt t heẓtet. H hd brocn a ʈicnis v îs, ɖ formeśn v mni a wintr; hd hd hiz rīznz fr a loñ sîḷns. Ɖ uɖrz rzntd psponmnt, bt it wz jst hiz scrūplz ɖt ćarmd m. I ajurd him t rait bî ɖ frst post n t agri wɖ s fr an rli hírñ; ɖen I asct him f ɖ xpirịns in qsćn hd bn hiz ǒn. T ɖs hiz ansr wz promt. “Ǒ, ʈanc God, no!”

“N z ɖ record yrz? Y tc ɖ ʈñ dǎn?”

“Nʈñ bt ɖ impreśn. I tc ɖt hir” – h tapt hiz hart. “I’v nvr lost it.”

“Ɖen yr mańscript – ?”

“Z in old, fedd ñc, n in ɖ most bytifl hand.” H huñ fîr agn. “A wmn’z. Ś hz bn ded ɖz twenti yirz. Ś snt m ɖ pejz in qsćn bfr ś daid.” Ɖe wr ol liṣnñ nǎ, n v cors ɖr wz smbdi t b arć, or at eni ret t drw ɖ infṛns. Bt f h pt ɖ infṛns bî wɖt a smîl it wz olso wɖt iṛteśn. “Ś wz a most ćarmñ prsn, bt ś wz ten yirz oldr ɖn I. Ś wz mî sistr’z guṿnes,” h qaytli sd. “Ś wz ɖ most agriybl wmn I’v evr noun in hr pziśn; ś wd hv bn wrɖi v eni ẃtvr. It wz loñ ago, n ɖs eṗsod wz loñ bfr. I wz at Triṇti, n I faund hr at hom on mî cmñ dǎn ɖ secnd sumr. I wz mć ɖr ɖt yir – it wz a bytifl wn; n w hd, in hr of-aurz, sm strolz n tōcs in ɖ gardn – tōcs in ẃć ś struc m az ōf̣li clevr n nîs. Ǒ yes; d’nt grin: I lîct hr xtrimli n am glad t ɖs de t ʈnc ś lîct m, tù. F ś hd’nt ś wd’nt hv tld m. Ś hd nvr tld eniwn. It wz’nt simpli ɖt ś sd so, bt ɖt I ń ś hd’nt. I wz śr; I cd si. Y’l īẓli juj ẃ ẃn y hír.”

“Bcz ɖ ʈñ hd bn sć a scer?”

H cntinyd t fix m. “Y’l īẓli juj,” h rpitd: “y wl.”

I fixt him, tù. “I si. Ś wz in luv.”

H laft fr ɖ frst tîm. “Y r akt. Yes, ś wz in luv. Ɖt z, ś hd bn. Ɖt cem ǎt – ś cd’nt tel hr stori wɖt its cmñ ǎt. I sw it, n ś sw I sw it; bt nɖr v s spouc v it. I rmembr ɖ tîm n ɖ ples – ɖ cornr v ɖ lōn, ɖ śêd v ɖ gret bìćz n ɖ loñ, hot sumr-afṭnun. It wz’nt a sīn fr a śudr; bt ǒ – !” H qitd ɖ fîr n dropt bac intu hiz ćer.

“Y’l rsiv ɖ pacit Ʈrzde mornñ?” I inqîrd.

“Probbli nt tl ɖ secnd post.”

“Wel ɖen; aftr dinr – ”

“Y’l ol mīt m hir?” H lct s rnd agn. “Z’nt enibdi gwñ?” It wz olmst ɖ ton v hop.

“Evribdi wl ste!”

“I wl” – n “I wl!” craid ɖ lediz huz dparćr hd bn fixt. Msz. Grifin, hvr, xprest ɖ nīd fr a litl mor lît. “Hu wz it ś wz in luv wɖ?”

“Ɖ stori wl tel,” I tc upn mslf t rplî.

“Ǒ, I c’nt wêt fr ɖ stori!”

“Ɖ stori w’nt tel,” sd Dugḷs; “nt in eni litṛl, vulgr we.”

“Mor’z ɖ piti, ɖen. Ɖt’s ɖ onli we I evr unḍstand.”

“W’nt y tel, Dugḷs?” smbdi els inqîrd.

H sprañ t hiz fīt agn. “Yes – tmoro. Nǎ I mst g t bed. Gd nît.” N qcli caćñ p a candlstic, h left s slîtli bwildrd. Fṛm ǎr end v ɖ gret brǎn hōl w hŕd hiz step on ɖ ster; ẃr’pn Msz. Grifin spouc. “Wel, f I d’nt nǒ hu ś wz in luv wɖ, I nǒ hu h wz.”

“Ś wz ten yirz oldr,” sd hr huzbnd.

“Raison de plus – at ɖt ej! Bt it’s rɖr nîs, hiz loñ retisns.”

“Forti yirz!” Grifin pt in.

“Wɖ ɖs ǎtbrec at last.”

“Ɖ ǎtbrec,” I rtrnd, “wl mc a tṛmnḍs oceźn v Ʈrzde nît;” n evriwn so agrìd wɖ m ɖt, in ɖ lît v it, w lost ol atnśn fr evriʈñ els. Ɖ last stori, hvr incmplit n lîc ɖ mir oṗnñ v a sirịl, hd bn tld; w hand-śc n “candlstuc,” az smbdi sd, n wnt t bed.

I ń ɖ nxt de ɖt a letr cntenñ ɖ ci hd, bî ɖ frst post, gn of t hiz Lundn apartmnts; bt in spît v – or phps jst on acǎnt v – ɖ ivnćl dfyźn v ɖs nolij w qt let him alon tl aftr dinr, tl sć an aur v ɖ īvnñ, in fact, az mt bst acord wɖ ɖ cnd v imośn on ẃć ǎr hops wr fixt. Ɖen h bcem az cḿnic̣tiv az w cd dzîr n indd gev s hiz bst rīzn fr biyñ so. W hd it fṛm him agn bfr ɖ fîr in ɖ hōl, az w hd hd ǎr mîld wundrz v ɖ prīvịs nît. It apird ɖt ɖ naṛtiv h hd promist t rīd s riyli rqîrd fr a propr intelijns a fy wrdz v prolog. Let m se hir dstñtli, t hv dn wɖ it, ɖt ɖs naṛtiv, fṛm an xact transcript v mî ǒn md mć lêtr, z ẃt I śl prezntli gv. Pur Dugḷs, bfr hiz deʈ – ẃn it wz in sît – cmitd t m ɖ mańscript ɖt rīćt him on ɖ ʈrd v ɖz dez n ɖt, on ɖ sem spot, wɖ imns ifct, h bgan t rīd t ǎr huśt litl srcl on ɖ nît v ɖ forʈ. Ɖ dpartñ lediz hu hd sd ɖe wd ste dd’nt, v cors, ʈanc hevn, ste: ɖe dpartd, in consiqns v arenjmnts md, in a rej v krioṣti, az ɖe pṛfest, pṛdyst bî ɖ tućz wɖ ẃć h hd olrdi wrct s p. Bt ɖt onli md hiz litl fînl ōditri mor cmpact n s’lect, cept it, rnd ɖ harʈ, subjict t a comn ʈril.

Ɖ frst v ɖz tućz cnveid ɖt ɖ ritn stetmnt tc p ɖ têl at a pônt aftr it hd, in a manr, bgun. Ɖ fact t b in pześn v wz ɖrfr ɖt hiz old frend, ɖ yungist v sevṛl dōtrz v a pur cuntri parsn, hd, at ɖ ej v twenti, on tecñ srvis fr ɖ frst tîm in ɖ scūlrūm, cm p t Lundn, in treṗdeśn, t ansr in prsn an advrtismnt ɖt hd olrdi plest hr in brīf corispondns wɖ ɖ advtîzr. Ɖs prsn pruvd, on hr prizntñ hrslf, fr jujmnt, at a hǎs in Harli Strīt, ɖt imprest hr az vast n impozñ – ɖs pṛspctiv petṛn pruvd a jntlmn, a bać̣lr in ɖ prîm v lîf, sć a figr az hd nvr rizn, sev in a drīm or an old novl, bfr a flutrd, añśs grl ǎt v a Hampśr vic̣rij. Wn cd īẓli fix hiz tîp; it nvr, haṗli, dîz ǎt. H wz hansm n bold n pleznt, of-hand n ge n cînd. H struc hr, inevitbli, az gaḷnt n splendid, bt ẃt tc hr most v ol n gev hr ɖ curij ś afṭwd śoud wz ɖt h pt ɖ hol ʈñ t hr az a cnd v fevr, an obḷgeśn h śd gretf̣li incŕ. Ś cnsivd him az rić, bt az firf̣li xtraṿgnt – sw him ol in a glo v hî faśn, v gd lcs, v xpnsiv habits, v ćarmñ wez wɖ wimin. H hd fr hiz ǒn tǎnrezidns a big hǎs fild wɖ ɖ spôlz v travl n ɖ trofiz v ɖ ćes; bt it wz t hiz cuntrihom, an old faṃliples in Esix, ɖt h wśt hr imīɉtli t pṛsid.

H hd bn left, bî ɖ deʈ v ɖer peṛnts in India, gardịn t a smōl nefy n a smōl nīs, ćildṛn v a yungr, a militri bruɖr, hūm h hd lost tū yirz bfr. Ɖz ćildṛn wr, bî ɖ strenjist v ćansz fr a man in hiz pziśn – a lon man wɖt ɖ rît sort v xpirịns or a gren v peśns – vri heṿli on hiz handz. It hd ol bn a gret wuri n, on hiz ǒn part dǎtlis, a siriz v blundrz, bt h imnsli pitid ɖ pur ćics n hd dn ol h cd; hd in ptiklr snt ɖm dǎn t hiz uɖr hǎs, ɖ propr ples fr ɖm biyñ v cors ɖ cuntri, n cept ɖm ɖr, fṛm ɖ frst, wɖ ɖ bst ppl h cd fînd t lc aftr ɖm, partñ īvn wɖ hiz ǒn srvnts t wêt on ɖm n gwñ dǎn himslf, ẃnvr h mt, t si hǎ ɖe wr dwñ. Ɖ ōcẉd ʈñ wz ɖt ɖe hd practicli no uɖr rleśnz n ɖt hiz ǒn aferz tc p ol hiz tîm. H hd pt ɖm in pześn v Blai, ẃć wz hlʈi n s’kr, n hd plest at ɖ hed v ɖer litl istabliśmnt – bt b’lo sterz onli – an xḷnt wmn, Msz. Grǒs, hūm h wz śr hiz vizitr wd lîc n hu hd formrli bn meid t hiz muɖr. Ś wz nǎ hǎscīpr n wz olso actñ fr ɖ tîm az sūpr-intndnt t ɖ litl grl, v hūm, wɖt ćildṛn v hr ǒn, ś wz, bî gd luc, xtrimli fond. Ɖr wr plenti v ppl t hlp, bt v cors ɖ yuñ ledi hu śd g dǎn az guṿnes wd b in s’prīm oʈoṛti. Ś wd olso hv, in hoḷdez, t lc aftr ɖ smōl bô, hu hd bn fr a trm at scūl – yuñ az h wz t b snt, bt ẃt els cd b dn? – n hu, az ɖ hoḷdez wr abt t bgin, wd b bac fṛm wn de t ɖ uɖr. Ɖr hd bn fr ɖ tū ćildṛn at frst a yuñ ledi hūm ɖe hd hd ɖ msfortyn t lūz. Ś hd dn fr ɖm qt bytifli – ś wz a most rspctbl prsn – tl hr deʈ, ɖ gret ōcẉdnis v ẃć hd, prisîsli, left no oltrṇtiv bt ɖ scūl fr litl Mîlz. Msz. Grǒs, sins ɖen, in ɖ we v manrz n ʈñz, hd dn az ś cd fr Flora; n ɖr wr, frɖr, a cc, a hǎsmeid, a dẹriwmn, an old poni, an old grūm, n an old gardnr, ol lîcwz ʈuṛli rspctbl.

So far hd Dugḷs prizntd hiz picćr ẃn smwn pt a qsćn. “N ẃt dd ɖ formr guṿnes dî v? – v so mć rspctbiḷti?”

Ǎr frend’z ansr wz promt. “Ɖt wl cm ǎt. I d’nt antiṣpet.”

“Xkz m – I ʈt ɖt wz jst ẃt y r dwñ.”

“In hr s’xesr’z ples,” I sjstd, “I śd hv wśt t lrn f ɖ ofis bròt wɖ it – ”

“Nesṣri denjr t lîf?” Dugḷs cmplitd mî ʈt. “Ś dd wś t lrn, n ś dd lrn. Y śl hír tmoro ẃt ś lrnt. Mnẃl, v cors, ɖ prospect struc hr az slîtli grim. Ś wz yuñ, untraid, nrṿs: it wz a viźn v sirịs dytiz n litl cumṗni, v riyli gret lonlinis. Ś heztetd – tc a cupl v dez t cnsult n cnsidr. Bt ɖ saḷri ofrd mć xidd hr modist meźr, n on a secnd inṭvy ś fest ɖ ḿzic, ś ingejd.” N Dugḷs, wɖ ɖs, md a pōz ɖt, fr ɖ beṇfit v ɖ cumṗni, muvd m t ʈro in –

“Ɖ moṛl v ẃć wz v cors ɖ sdux́n x’sîzd bî ɖ splendid yuñ man. Ś s’cumd t it.”

H got p n, az h hd dn ɖ nît bfr, wnt t ɖ fîr, gev a str t a log wɖ hiz ft, ɖen std a momnt wɖ hiz bac t s. “Ś sw him onli twîs.”

“Yes, bt ɖt’s jst ɖ byti v hr paśn.”

A litl t mî s’prîz, on ɖs, Dugḷs trnd rnd t m. “It wz ɖ byti v it. Ɖr wr uɖrz,” h wnt on, “hu hd’nt s’cumd. H tld hr francli ol hiz dificlti – ɖt fr sevṛl aplic̣nts ɖ cndiśnz hd bn pṛhibtiv. Ɖe wr, smhǎ, simpli afreid. It sǎndd dul – it sǎndd strenj; n ol ɖ mor so bcz v hiz mn cndiśn.”

“Ẃć wz – ?”

“Ɖt ś śd nvr trubl him – bt nvr, nvr: nɖr apil nr cmplen nr rait abt eniʈñ; onli mīt ol qsćnz hrslf, rsiv ol muniz fṛm hiz s’lisitr, tec ɖ hol ʈñ ovr n let him alon. Ś promist t d ɖs, n ś mnśnd t m ɖt ẃn, fr a momnt, dsbrdnd, dlîtd, h hld hr hand, ʈancñ hr fr ɖ sacṛfîs, ś olrdi flt rwordd.”

“Bt wz ɖt ol hr rword?” wn v ɖ lediz asct.

“Ś nvr sw him agn.”

“Ǒ!” sd ɖ ledi; ẃć, az ǎr frend imīɉtli left s agn, wz ɖ onli uɖr wrd v importns cntribytd t ɖ subjict tl, ɖ nxt nît, bî ɖ cornr v ɖ harʈ, in ɖ bst ćer, h opnd ɖ fedd red cuvr v a ʈin old-faśnd gílt-éjd albm. Ɖ hol ʈñ tc indd mor nîts ɖn wn, bt on ɖ frst oceźn ɖ sem ledi pt anɖr qsćn. “Ẃt z yr tîtl?”

“I hv’nt wn.”

“Ǒ, I hv!” I sd. Bt Dugḷs, wɖt hīdñ m, hd bgun t rīd wɖ a fîn clirnis ɖt wz lîc a renḍrñ t ɖ ir v ɖ byti v hiz oʈr’z hand.

I hd no drop agn tl ɖ nxt de, fr I wz carid trîumfntli ʈru ɖ folowñ aurz bî mî intṛdux́n t ɖ yungr v mî pyplz. Ɖ litl grl hu acumṗnid Msz. Grǒs apird t m on ɖ spot a crīćr so ćarmñ az t mc it a gret fortyn t hv t d wɖ hr. Ś wz ɖ most bytifl ćîld I hd evr sìn, n I afṭwd wundrd ɖt mî imployr hd nt tld m mor v hr. I slept litl ɖt nît – I wz tù mć xîtd; n ɖs astoniśt m, tù, I rec̣lect, rmend wɖ m, adñ t mî sns v ɖ liḅraḷti wɖ ẃć I wz trītd. Ɖ larj, impresiv rūm, wn v ɖ bst in ɖ hǎs, ɖ gret stetbed, az I olmst flt it, ɖ fl, figrd dreṗriz, ɖ loñ glasz in ẃć, fr ɖ frst tîm, I cd si mslf fṛm hed t ft, ol struc m – lîc ɖ xtrordnri ćarm v mî smōl ćarj – az so mni ʈñz ʈroun in. It wz ʈroun in az wel, fṛm ɖ frst momnt, ɖt I śd gt on wɖ Msz. Grǒs in a rleśn ovr ẃć, on mî we, in ɖ coć, I fir I hd rɖr brūdd. Ɖ onli ʈñ indd ɖt in ɖs rli ǎtlŭc mt hv md m śrinc agn wz ɖ clir srcmstans v hr biyñ so glad t si m. I psivd wɖn haf an aur ɖt ś wz so glad – stǎt, simpl, plen, clīn, holsm wmn – az t b poztivli on hr gard agnst śowñ it tù mć. I wundrd īvn ɖen a litl ẃ ś śd wś nt t śo it, n ɖt, wɖ rflex́n, wɖ sspiśn, mt v cors hv md m unīzi.Bt it wz a cumf̣t ɖt ɖr cd b no unīzinis in a cnx́n wɖ eniʈñ so bịtific az ɖ redịnt imij v mî litl grl, ɖ viźn v huz anjelic byti hd probbli mor ɖn eniʈñ els t d wɖ ɖ restlisnis ɖt, bfr mornñ, md m sevṛl tîmz rîz n wondr abt mî rūm t tec in ɖ hol picćr n prospect; t woć, fṛm mî opn windo, ɖ fent sumrdōn, t lc at sć porśnz v ɖ rest v ɖ hǎs az I cd cać, n t lisn, ẃl, in ɖ fedñ dusc, ɖ frst brdz bgan t twitr, fr ɖ poṣbl rcuṛns v a sǎnd or tū, les naćṛl n nt wɖt, bt wɖn, ɖt I hd fansid I hŕd. Ɖr hd bn a momnt ẃn I b’livd I rec̣gnîzd, fent n far, ɖ crî v a ćîld; ɖr hd bn anɖr ẃn I faund mslf jst conśsli startñ az at ɖ pasij, bfr mî dor, v a lît ftstep. Bt ɖz fansiz wr nt marct inuf nt t b ʈroun of, n it z onli in ɖ lît, or ɖ glūm, I śd rɖr se, v uɖr n subsiqnt matrz ɖt ɖe nǎ cm bac t m. T woć, tīć, “form” litl Flora wd tù evidntli b ɖ mcñ v a hapi n ysfl lîf. It hd bn agrìd btwn s dǎnsterz ɖt aftr ɖs frst oceźn I śd hv hr az a matr v cors at nît, hr smōl ẃît bed biyñ olrdi arenjd, t ɖt end, in mî rūm. Ẃt I hd unḍtecn wz ɖ hol cer v hr, n ś hd rmend, jst ɖs last tîm, wɖ Msz. Grǒs onli az an ifct v ǎr cnsiḍreśn fr mî inevitbl strenjnis n hr naćṛl tmidti. In spît v ɖs tmidti – ẃć ɖ ćîld hrslf, in ɖ odist we in ɖ wrld, hd bn prf̣cli franc n brev abt, alawñ it, wɖt a sîn v uncumftbl conśsnis, wɖ ɖ dīp, swīt sreṇti indd v wn v Rafel’z holi infnts, t b dscust, t b impytd t hr, n t dtrmin s – I fīl qt śr ś wd prezntli lîc m. It wz part v ẃt I olrdi lîct Msz. Grǒs hrslf fr, ɖ pleźr I cd si hr fīl in mî adṃreśn n wundr az I sat at supr wɖ for tōl candlz n wɖ mî pypl, in a hî ćer n a bib, brîtli fesñ m, btwn ɖm, ovr bred n milc. Ɖr wr naćṛli ʈñz ɖt in Flora’z prezns cd pas btwn s onli az pṛdijs n graṭfaid lcs, obskr n rnd’bt aluźnz.

“N ɖ litl bô – dz h lc lîc hr? Z h tù so vri rmarcbl?”

Wn wd’nt flatr a ćîld. “Ǒ, mis, most rmarcbl. F y ʈnc wel v ɖs wn!” – n ś std ɖr wɖ a plet in hr hand, bīmñ at ǎr cmpańn, hu lct fṛm wn v s t ɖ uɖr wɖ plasid hevnli îz ɖt cntend nʈñ t ćec s.

“Yes; f I d – ?”

“Y wl b carid awe bî ɖ litl jntlmn!”

“Wel, ɖt, I ʈnc, z ẃt I cem fr – t b carid awe. I’m afreid, hvr,” I rmembr fīlñ ɖ impuls t ad, “I’m rɖr īẓli carid awe. I wz carid awe in Lundn!”

I cn stl si Msz. Grǒs’z brōd fes az ś tc ɖs in. “In Harli Strīt?”

“In Harli Strīt.”

“Wel, mis, y’r nt ɖ frst – n y w’nt b ɖ last.”

“Ǒ, I’v no pritnśn,” I cd laf, “t biyñ ɖ onli wn. Mî uɖr pypl, at eni ret, az I unḍstand, cmz bac tmoro?”

“Nt tmoro – Frîde, mis. H arîvz, az y dd, bî ɖ coć, undr cer v ɖ gard, n z t b met bî ɖ sem carij.”

I fʈwʈ xprest ɖt ɖ propr az wel az ɖ pleznt n frendli ʈñ wd b ɖrfr ɖt on ɖ arîvl v ɖ public cnveyns I śd b in wêtñ fr him wɖ hiz litl sistr; an îdīa in ẃć Msz. Grǒs cncŕd so harṭli ɖt I smhǎ tc hr manr az a cnd v cumf̣tñ plej – nvr fōlṣfaid, ʈanc hevn! – ɖt w śd on evri qsćn b qt at wn. Ǒ, ś wz glad I wz ɖr!

Ẃt I flt ɖ nxt de wz, I s’poz, nʈñ ɖt cd b ferli cōld a riax́n fṛm ɖ ćir v mî arîvl; it wz probbli at ɖ most onli a slît opreśn pṛdyst bî a fŭlr meźr v ɖ scel, az I wōct rnd ɖm, gezd p at ɖm, tc ɖm in, v mî ny srcmstansz. Ɖe hd, az it wr, an xtnt n mas fr ẃć I hd nt bn priperd n in ɖ prezns v ẃć I faund mslf, freśli, a litl scerd az wel az a litl prǎd. Lésnz, in ɖs ajteśn, srtnli sufrd sm dle; I rflectd ɖt mî frst dyti wz, bî ɖ jntlist arts I cd cntrîv, t win ɖ ćîld intu ɖ sns v nwñ m. I spent ɖ de wɖ hr ǎt-v-dorz; I arenjd wɖ hr, t hr gret saṭsfax́n, ɖt it śd b ś, ś onli, hu mt śo m ɖ ples. Ś śoud it step bî step n rūm bî rūm n sīcrit bî sīcrit, wɖ drol, dlîtfl, ćîldiś tōc abt it n wɖ ɖ rzult, in haf an aur, v ǎr bcmñ imns frendz. Yuñ az ś wz, I wz struc, ʈrt ǎr litl tur, wɖ hr confidns n curij wɖ ɖ we, in emti ćembrz n dul coṛdorz, on crŭcid stercesz ɖt md m pōz n īvn on ɖ sumit v an old mćic̣letd sqer tǎr ɖt md m dizi, hr mornñ ḿzic, hr dispziśn t tel m so mni mor ʈñz ɖn ś asct, rañ ǎt n léd m on. I hv nt sìn Blai sins ɖ de I left it, n I der se ɖt t mî oldr n mor informd îz it wd nǎ apir sfiśntli cntractd. Bt az mî litl cnductris, wɖ hr her v gold n hr froc v blu, danst bfr m rnd cornrz n patrd dǎn paṣjz, I hd ɖ vy v a casl v romans inhaḅtd bî a rozi sprît, sć a ples az wd smhǎ, fr dvrśn v ɖ yuñ îdīa, tec ol culr ǎt v stori-bcs n fẹritêlz. Wz’nt it jst a stori-bc ovr ẃć I hd fōḷn adoz n adrīm? No; it wz a big, ugli, antīc, bt cnvińnt hǎs, imbodiyñ a fy fīćrz v a bildñ stl oldr, haf-rplest n haf-yṭlîzd, in ẃć I hd ɖ fansi v ǎr biyñ olmst az lost az a hanfl v pasinjrz in a gret driftñ śip. Wel, I wz, strenjli, at ɖ hlm!

“Ẃt dz it mīn? Ɖ ćîld’z dsmist hiz scūl.”Ś gev m a lc ɖt I rmarct at ɖ momnt; ɖen, viẓbli, wɖ a qc blancnis, sīmd t trî t tec it bac. “Bt r’nt ɖe ol – ?”

“Snt hom – yes. Bt onli fr ɖ hoḷdez. Mîlz me nvr g bac at ol.”

Conśsli, undr mî atnśn, ś rednd. “Ɖe w’nt tec him?”

“Ɖe abṣlutli dclîn.”

At ɖs ś rezd hr îz, ẃć ś hd trnd fṛm m; I sw ɖm fil wɖ gd tirz. “Ẃt hz h dn?”

I heztetd; ɖen I jujd bst simpli t hand hr mî letr – ẃć, hvr, hd ɖ ifct v mcñ hr, wɖt tecñ it, simpli pt hr handz bhnd hr. Ś śc hr hed sadli. “Sć ʈñz r nt fr m, mis.”

Mî cǎnṣlr cd’nt rīd! I winst at mî mstec, ẃć I ateńuetd az I cd, n opnd mî letr agn t rpit it t hr; ɖen, fōlṭrñ in ɖ act n foldñ it p wns mor, I pt it bac in mî pocit. “Z h riyli bad?”

Ɖ tirz wr stl in hr îz. “D ɖ jntlṃn se so?”

“Ɖe g intu no ptiklrz. Ɖe simpli xpres ɖer rgret ɖt it śd b imposbl t cīp him. Ɖt cn hv onli wn mīnñ.” Msz. Grǒs lisnd wɖ dum imośn; ś forbòr t asc m ẃt ɖs mīnñ mt b; so ɖt, prezntli, t pt ɖ ʈñ wɖ sm chiṛns n wɖ ɖ mir ed v hr prezns t mî ǒn mînd, I wnt on: “Ɖt h’z an inɉri t ɖ uɖrz.”

At ɖs, wɖ wn v ɖ qc trnz v simpl foc, ś sudnli flemd p. “Mastr Mîlz! him an inɉri?”

Ɖr wz sć a flud v gd feʈ in it ɖt, ɖo I hd nt yt sìn ɖ ćîld, mî vri firz md m jump t ɖ absrdti v ɖ îdīa. I faund mslf, t mīt mî frend ɖ betr, of̣rñ it, on ɖ spot, sarcasticli. “T hiz pur litl iṇsnt mêts!”

“It’s tù dredfl,” craid Msz. Grǒs, “t se sć cruwl ʈñz! Ẃ, h’z scers ten yirz old.”

“Yes, yes; it wd b increḍbl.”

Ś wz evidntli gretfl fr sć a pṛfeśn. “Si him, mis, frst. Ɖen b’liv it!” I flt fʈwʈ a ny impeśns t si him; it wz ɖ bginñ v a krioṣti ɖt, fr ol ɖ nxt aurz, wz t dīpn olmst t pen. Msz. Grǒs wz awer, I cd juj, v ẃt ś hd pṛdyst in m, n ś foloud it p wɖ aśuṛns. “Y mt az wel b’liv it v ɖ litl ledi. Bles hr,” ś add ɖ nxt momnt – “lc at hr!”

I trnd n sw ɖt Flora, hūm, ten minits bfr, I hd istabliśt in ɖ scūlrūm wɖ a śīt v ẃît pepr, a pensl, n a copi v nîs “rǎnd O’z,” nǎ prizntd hrslf t vy at ɖ opn dor. Ś xprest in hr litl we an xtrordnri dtaćmnt fṛm dis’griybl dytiz, lcñ t m, hvr, wɖ a gret ćîldiś lît ɖt sīmd t ofr it az a mir rzult v ɖ afx́n ś hd cnsivd fr mî prsn, ẃć hd rendrd nesṣri ɖt ś śd folo m. I nīdd nʈñ mor ɖn ɖs t fīl ɖ fl fors v Msz. Grǒs’z cmparisn, n, caćñ mî pypl in mî armz, cuvrd hr wɖ cisz in ẃć ɖr wz a sob v atonmnt.

Nnɖles, ɖ rest v ɖ de I woćt fr frɖr oceźn t aproć mî colīg, ispeṣ́li az, twd īvnñ, I bgan t fansi ś rɖr sòt t avôd m. I oṿtc hr, I rmembr, on ɖ sterces; w wnt dǎn tgɖr, n at ɖ botm I dtend hr, holdñ hr ɖr wɖ a hand on hr arm. “I tec ẃt y sd t m at nūn az a decḷreśn ɖt y’v nvr noun him t b bad.”

Ś ʈrù bac hr hed; ś hd clirli, bî ɖs tîm, n vri oṇstli, adoptd an attyd. “Ǒ, nvr noun him – I d’nt pritnd ɖt!”

I wz upset agn. “Ɖen y hv noun him – ?”

“Yes indd, mis, ʈanc God!”

On rflex́n I axptd ɖs. “Y mīn ɖt a bô hu nvr z – ?”

“Z no bô fr m!”

I hld hr tîtr. “Y lîc ɖm wɖ ɖ spirit t b nōti?” Ɖen, cīpñ pes wɖ hr ansr, “So d I!” I īgrli bròt ǎt. “Bt nt t ɖ dgri t cntaṃnet – ”

“T cntaṃnet?” – mî big wrd left hr at a los. I xplend it. “T c’rupt.”

Ś stérd, tecñ mî mīnñ in; bt it pṛdyst in hr an od laf. “R y afreid h’l c’rupt y?” Ś pt ɖ qsćn wɖ sć a fîn bold hymr ɖt, wɖ a laf, a litl sili dǎtlis, t mać hr ǒn, I gev we fr ɖ tîm t ɖ aprihnśn v riḍkl.

Bt ɖ nxt de, az ɖ aur fr mî drîv aproćt, I cropt p in anɖr ples. “Ẃt wz ɖ ledi hu wz hir bfr?”

“Ɖ last guṿnes? Ś wz olso yuñ n priti – olmst az yuñ n olmst az priti, mis, īvn az y.”

“Ā, ɖen, I hop hr yʈ n hr byti hlpt hr!” I rec̣lect ʈrowñ of. “H sīmz t lîc s yuñ n priti!”

“Ǒ, h dd,” Msz. Grǒs asntd: “it wz ɖ we h lîct evriwn!” Ś hd no snr spocn indd ɖn ś còt hrslf p. “I mīn ɖt’s hiz we – ɖ mastr’z.”

I wz struc. “Bt v hūm dd y spīc frst?”

Ś lct blanc, bt ś culrd. “Ẃ, v him.”

“V ɖ mastr?”

“V hu els?”

Ɖr wz so obvịsli nwn els ɖt ɖ nxt momnt I hd lost mî impreśn v hr hvñ axdnṭli sd mor ɖn ś mnt; n I mirli asct ẃt I wontd t nǒ. “Dd ś si eniʈñ in ɖ bô – ?”

“Ɖt wz’nt rît? Ś nvr tld m.”

I hd a scrūpl, bt I oṿcem it. “Wz ś cerfl – ptiklr?”

Msz. Grǒs apird t trî t b conśienśs. “Abt sm ʈñz – yes.”

“Bt nt abt ol?”

Agn ś cnsidrd. “Wel, mis – ś’z gn. I w’nt tel têlz.”

“I qt unḍstand yr fīlñ,” I hesnd t rplî; bt I ʈt it, aftr an instnt, nt opozd t ɖs cnseśn t psy: “Dd ś dî hir?”

“No – ś wnt of.”

I d’nt nǒ ẃt ɖr wz in ɖs breṿti v Msz. Grǒs’z ɖt struc m az ambigẏs. “Wnt of t dî?” Msz. Grǒs lct stret ǎt v ɖ windo, bt I flt ɖt, hîṗʈeticli, I hd a rît t nǒ ẃt yuñ prsnz ingejd fr Blai wr xpctd t d. “Ś wz tecn il, y mīn, n wnt hom?”

“Ś wz nt tecn il, so far az apird, in ɖs hǎs. Ś left it, at ɖ end v ɖ yir, t g hom, az ś sd, fr a śort hoḷde, t ẃć ɖ tîm ś hd pt in hd srtnli gvn hr a rît. W hd ɖen a yuñ wmn – a nrsmeid hu hd steid on n hu wz a gd grl n clevr; n ś tc ɖ ćildṛn oltgɖr fr ɖ inṭvl. Bt ǎr yuñ ledi nvr cem bac, n at ɖ vri momnt I wz xpctñ hr I hŕd fṛm ɖ mastr ɖt ś wz ded.”

I trnd ɖs ovr. “Bt v ẃt?”

“H nvr tld m! Bt plīz, mis,” sd Msz. Grǒs, “I mst gt t mî wrc.”

Ś promtli unḍstd m. “Y mīn ɖ cruwl ćarj – ?”“It dz’nt liv an instnt. Mî dir wmn, lc at him!”

Ś smîld at mî pritnśn t hv dscuvrd hiz ćarm. “I aśur y, mis, I d nʈñ els! Ẃt wl y se, ɖen?” ś imīɉtli add.

“In ansr t ɖ letr?” I hd md p mî mînd. “Nʈñ.”

“N t hiz uncl?”

I wz insîsiv. “Nʈñ.”

“N t ɖ bô himslf?”

I wz wundrfl. “Nʈñ.”

Ś gev wɖ hr epṛn a gret wîp t hr mǎʈ. “Ɖen I’l stand bî y. W’l si it ǎt.”

“W’l si it ǎt!” I ardntli ecoud, gvñ hr mî hand t mc it a vǎ.

Ś hld m ɖr a momnt, ɖen ẃisct p hr epṛn agn wɖ hr dtaćt hand. “Wd y mînd, mis, f I yzd ɖ frīdm – ”

“T cis m? No!” I tc ɖ gd crīćr in mî armz n, aftr w hd imbrest lîc sistrz, flt stl mor forṭfaid n indignnt.

Ɖs, at ol ivnts, wz fr ɖ tîm: a tîm so fl ɖt, az I rcōl ɖ we it wnt, it rmîndz m v ol ɖ art I nǎ nīd t mc it a litl dstñt. Ẃt I lc bac at wɖ amezmnt z ɖ sićueśn I axptd. I hd unḍtecn, wɖ mî cmpańn, t si it ǎt, n I wz undr a ćarm, apaṛntli, ɖt cd smuɖ awe ɖ xtnt n ɖ far n dificlt cnx́nz v sć an ef̣t. I wz liftd aloft on a gret wev v infaćueśn n piti. I faund it simpl, in mî ignṛns, mî cnfyźn, n phps mî cnsit, t asym ɖt I cd dīl wɖ a bô huz edyceśn fr ɖ wrld wz ol on ɖ pônt v bginñ. I am unebl īvn t rmembr at ɖs de ẃt pṛpozl I fremd fr ɖ end v hiz hoḷdez n ɖ rzumśn v hiz studiz. Lésnz wɖ m, indd, ɖt ćarmñ sumr, w ol hd a ʈiyri ɖt h wz t hv; bt I nǎ fīl ɖt, fr wīcs, ɖ lésnz mst hv bn rɖr mî ǒn. I lrnt smʈñ – at frst, srtnli – ɖt hd nt bn wn v ɖ tīćñz v mî smōl, smuɖrd lîf; lrnt t b aḿzd, n īvn aḿzñ, n nt t ʈnc fr ɖ moro. It wz ɖ frst tîm, in a manr, ɖt I hd noun spes n er n frīdm, ol ɖ ḿzic v sumr n ol ɖ misṭri v nećr. N ɖen ɖr wz cnsiḍreśn – n cnsiḍreśn wz swīt. Ǒ, it wz a trap – nt dzînd, bt dīp – t mî imaɉneśn, t mî delic̣si, phps t mî vaṇti; t ẃtvr, in m, wz most xîṭbl. Ɖ bst we t picćr it ol z t se ɖt I wz of mî gard. Ɖe gev m so litl trubl – ɖe wr v a jntlnis so xtrordnri. I yst t speklet – bt īvn ɖs wɖ a dim disc̣nctidnis – az t hǎ ɖ ruf fyćr (fr ol fyćrz r ruf!) wd handl ɖm n mt brūz ɖm. Ɖe hd ɖ blūm v hlʈ n hapinis; n yt, az f I hd bn in ćarj v a per v litl grandīz, v prinsz v ɖ blud, fr hūm evriʈñ, t b rît, wd hv t b inclozd n pṛtctd, ɖ onli form ɖt, in mî fansi, ɖ afṭyirz cd tec fr ɖm wz ɖt v a r’mantic, a riyli royl xtnśn v ɖ gardn n ɖ parc. It me b, v cors, abv ol, ɖt ẃt sudnli brouc intu ɖs gvz ɖ prīvịs tîm a ćarm v stilnis – ɖt huś in ẃć smʈñ gaɖrz or crǎćz. Ɖ ćenj wz acć̣li lîc ɖ sprñ v a bīst.

In ɖ frst wīcs ɖ dez wr loñ; ɖe ofn, at ɖer fînist, gev m ẃt I yst t cōl mî ǒn aur, ɖ aur ẃn, fr mî pyplz, tītîm n bedtîm hvñ cm n gn, I hd, bfr mî fînl rtîrmnt, a smōl inṭvl alon. Mć az I lîct mî cmpańnz, ɖs aur wz ɖ ʈñ in ɖ de I lîct most; n I lîct it bst v ol ẃn, az ɖ lît fedd – or rɖr, I śd se, ɖ de lingrd n ɖ last cōlz v ɖ last brdz sǎndd, in a fluśt scî, fṛm ɖ old triz – I cd tec a trn intu ɖ grǎndz n injô, olmst wɖ a sns v proṗti ɖt aḿzd n flatrd m, ɖ byti n digṇti v ɖ ples. It wz a pleźr at ɖz momnts t fīl mslf tranqil n jusṭfaid; dǎtlis, phps, olso t rflect ɖt bî mî dscreśn, mî qayt gd sns n jenṛl hî pṛprayti, I wz gvñ pleźr – f h evr ʈt v it! – t ɖ prsn t huz preśr I hd rspondd. Ẃt I wz dwñ wz ẃt h hd rṇstli hopt n d’recli asct v m, n ɖt I cd, aftr ol, d it pruvd īvn a gretr jô ɖn I hd xpctd. I der se I fansid mslf, in śort, a rmarcbl yuñ wmn n tc cumf̣t in ɖ feʈ ɖt ɖs wd mor pubḷcli apir. Wel, I nīdd t b rmarcbl t ofr a frunt t ɖ rmarcbl ʈñz ɖt prezntli gev ɖer frst sîn.

It wz plump, wn afṭnun, in ɖ midl v mî vri aur: ɖ ćildṛn wr tuct awe, n I hd cm ǎt fr mî strol. Wn v ɖ ʈts ɖt, az I d’nt in ɖ līst śrinc nǎ fṛm notñ, yst t b wɖ m in ɖz wonḍrñz wz ɖt it wd b az ćarmñ az a ćarmñ stori sudnli t mīt smwn. Smwn wd apir ɖr at ɖ trn v a paʈ n wd stand bfr m n smîl n apruv. I dd’nt asc mor ɖn ɖt – I onli asct ɖt h śd nǒ; n ɖ onli we t b śr h ń wd b t si it, n ɖ cînd lît v it, in hiz hansm fes. Ɖt wz xacli preznt t m – bî ẃć I mīn ɖ fes wz – ẃn, on ɖ frst v ɖz oceźnz, at ɖ end v a loñ Jūn de, I stopt śort on imrjñ fṛm wn v ɖ planteśnz n cmñ intu vy v ɖ hǎs. Ẃt arestd m on ɖ spot – n wɖ a śoc mć gretr ɖn eni viźn hd alaud fr – wz ɖ sns ɖt mî imaɉneśn hd, in a flaś, trnd riyl. H dd stand ɖr! – bt hî p, bynd ɖ lōn n at ɖ vri top v ɖ tǎr t ẃć, on ɖt frst mornñ, litl Flora hd cnductd m. Ɖs tǎr wz wn v a per – sqer, incongrụs, creṇletd strucćrz – ɖt wr dstnḡśt, fr sm rīzn, ɖo I cd si litl difṛns, az ɖ ny n ɖ old. Ɖe flanct oṗzit endz v ɖ hǎs n wr probbli arc̣tecćṛl absrdtiz, rdimd in a meźr indd bî nt biyñ hoļi disingejd nr v a hît tù pritnśs, detñ, in ɖer jinjrbred antiqti, fṛm a r’mantic rvîvl ɖt wz olrdi a rspctbl past. I admîrd ɖm, hd fansiz abt ɖm, fr w cd ol profit in a dgri, ispeṣ́li ẃn ɖe lūmd ʈru ɖ dusc, bî ɖ granjr v ɖer acćl batlmnts; yt it wz nt at sć an eḷveśn ɖt ɖ figr I hd so ofn invoct sīmd most in ples.

It pṛdyst in m, ɖs figr, in ɖ clir twîlît, I rmembr, tū dstñt gasps v imośn, ẃć wr, śarpli, ɖ śoc v mî frst n ɖt v mî secnd s’prîz. Mî secnd wz a vayḷnt pspśn v ɖ mstec v mî frst: ɖ man hu met mî îz wz nt ɖ prsn I hd prisipittli s’pozd. Ɖr cem t m ɖus a bwildrmnt v viźn v ẃć, aftr ɖz yirz, ɖr z no livñ vy ɖt I cn hop t gv. An uņoun man in a lonli ples z a pmitd objict v fir t a yuñ wmn prîṿtli bréd; n ɖ figr ɖt fest m wz – a fy mor secndz aśurd m – az litl eniwn els I ń az it wz ɖ imij ɖt hd bn in mî mînd. I hd nt sìn it in Harli Strīt – I hd nt sìn it eniẃr. Ɖ ples, morovr, in ɖ strenjist we in ɖ wrld, hd, on ɖ instnt, n bî ɖ vri fact v its apiṛns, bcm a soḷtyd. T m at līst, mcñ mî stetmnt hir wɖ a dliḅreśn wɖ ẃć I hv nvr md it, ɖ hol fīlñ v ɖ momnt rtrnz. It wz az f, ẃl I tc in – ẃt I dd tec in – ol ɖ rest v ɖ sīn hd bn stricn wɖ deʈ. I cn hír agn, az I rait, ɖ intns huś in ẃć ɖ sǎndz v īvnñ dropt. Ɖ rŭcs stopt cw̃ in ɖ goldn scî, n ɖ frendli aur lost, fr ɖ minit, ol its vôs. Bt ɖr wz no uɖr ćenj in nećr, unls indd it wr a ćenj ɖt I sw wɖ a strenjr śarpnis. Ɖ gold wz stl in ɖ scî, ɖ clirnis in ɖ er, n ɖ man hu lct at m ovr ɖ batlmnts wz az defiṇt az a picćr in a frem. Ɖt’s hǎ I ʈt, wɖ xtrordnri qcnis, v ć prsn ɖt h mt hv bn n ɖt h wz nt. W wr cnfruntd acrs ǎr distns qt loñ inuf fr m t asc mslf wɖ intnṣti hu ɖen h wz n t fīl, az an ifct v mî in’biḷti t se, a wundr ɖt in a fy instnts mor bcem intns.

Ɖ gret qsćn, or wn v ɖz, z, afṭwd, I nǒ, wɖ rgard t srtn matrz, ɖ qsćn v hǎ loñ ɖe hv lastd. Wel, ɖs matr v mîn, ʈnc ẃt y wl v it, lastd ẃl I còt at a duzn posbiḷtiz, nn v ẃć md a difṛns fr ɖ betr, ɖt I cd si, in ɖr hvñ bn in ɖ hǎs – n fr hǎ loñ, abv ol? – a prsn v hūm I wz in ignṛns. It lastd ẃl I jst braidld a litl wɖ ɖ sns ɖt mî ofis dmandd ɖt ɖr śd b no sć ignṛns n no sć prsn. It lastd ẃl ɖs vizitnt, at ol ivnts – n ɖr wz a tuć v ɖ strenj frīdm, az I rmembr, in ɖ sîn v fmiliaṛti v hiz wẹrñ no hat – sīmd t fix m, fṛm hiz pziśn, wɖ jst ɖ qsćn, jst ɖ scrūṭni ʈru ɖ fedñ lît, ɖt hiz ǒn prezns pṛvoct. W wr tù far apart t cōl t ć uɖr, bt ɖr wz a momnt at ẃć, at śortr renj, sm ćalinj btwn s, brecñ ɖ huś, wd hv bn ɖ rît rzult v ǎr stret ḿćl stér. H wz in wn v ɖ anglz, ɖ wn awe fṛm ɖ hǎs, vri irect, az it struc m, n wɖ bʈ handz on ɖ lej. So I sw him az I si ɖ letrz I form on ɖs pej; ɖen, xacli, aftr a minit, az f t ad t ɖ specṭcl, h slǒli ćenjd hiz ples – pást, lcñ at m hard ol ɖ ẃl, t ɖ oṗzit cornr v ɖ platform. Yes, I hd ɖ śarpist sns ɖt jrñ ɖs transit h nvr tc hiz îz fṛm m, n I cn si at ɖs momnt ɖ we hiz hand, az h wnt, pást fṛm wn v ɖ creṇleśnz t ɖ nxt. H stopt at ɖ uɖr cornr, bt les loñ, n īvn az h trnd awe stl marcidli fixt m. H trnd awe; ɖt wz ol I ń.

Hir it wz anɖr afer; hir, fr mni dez aftr, it wz a qir afer inuf. Ɖr wr aurz, fṛm de t de – or at līst ɖr wr momnts, snaćt īvn fṛm clir dytiz – ẃn I hd t śut mslf p t ʈnc. It wz nt so mć yt ɖt I wz mor nrṿs ɖn I cd ber t b az ɖt I wz rmarcbli afreid v bcmñ so; fr ɖ truʈ I hd nǎ t trn ovr wz, simpli n clirli, ɖ truʈ ɖt I cd arîv at no acǎnt ẃtvr v ɖ vizitr wɖ hūm I hd bn so inixplicbli n yt, az it sīmd t m, so intiṃtli cnsrnd. It tc litl tîm t si ɖt I cd sǎnd wɖt formz v inqîri n wɖt xîtñ rmarc eni dmestic compḷceśnz. Ɖ śoc I hd sufrd mst hv śarpnd ol mî snsz; I flt śr, at ɖ end v ʈri dez n az ɖ rzult v mir closr atnśn, ɖt I hd nt bn practist upn bî ɖ srvnts nr md ɖ objict v eni “gem.” V ẃtvr it wz ɖt I ń, nʈñ wz noun arnd m. Ɖr wz bt wn sen infṛns: smwn hd tecn a liḅti rɖr gros. Ɖt wz ẃt, rpitidli, I dipt intu mî rūm n loct ɖ dor t se t mslf. W hd bn, c’lectivli, subjict t an intruźn; sm unscrūpyḷs travlr, krịs in old hǎzz, hd md hiz we in un’bzrvd, injoid ɖ prospect fṛm ɖ bst pônt v vy, n ɖen stoḷn ǎt az h cem. F h hd gvn m sć a bold hard stér, ɖt wz bt a part v hiz indiscreśn. Ɖ gd ʈñ, aftr ol, wz ɖt w śd śrli si no mor v him.Ɖs wz nt so gd a ʈñ, I admit, az nt t līv m t juj ɖt ẃt, isnṣ́li, md nʈñ els mć sigṇfî wz simpli mî ćarmñ wrc. Mî ćarmñ wrc wz jst mî lîf wɖ Mîlz n Flora, n ʈru nʈñ cd I so lîc it az ʈru fīlñ ɖt I cd ʈro mslf intu it in trubl. Ɖ atrax́n v mî smōl ćarjz wz a constnt jô, līdñ m t wundr afreś at ɖ vaṇti v mî orijinl firz, ɖ dstest I hd bgun bî enttenñ fr ɖ probbl gre prǒz v mî ofis. Ɖr wz t b no gre prǒz, it apird, n no loñ grînd; so hǎ cd wrc nt b ćarmñ ɖt prizntd itslf az dêli byti? It wz ol ɖ romans v ɖ nrṣri n ɖ powtri v ɖ scūlrūm. I d’nt mīn bî ɖs, v cors, ɖt w studid onli fix́n n vrs; I mīn I cn xpres no uɖ̇wz ɖ sort v inṭrest mî cmpańnz inspîrd. Hǎ cn I dscrîb ɖt xpt bî seyñ ɖt instd v growñ yst t ɖm – n it’s a marvl fr a guṿnes: I cōl ɖ sistrhd t witnis! – I md constnt freś dscuṿriz. Ɖr wz wn d’rex́n, aśuridli, in ẃć ɖz dscuṿriz stopt: dīp obskṛti cntinyd t cuvr ɖ rījn v ɖ bô’z conduct at scūl. It hd bn promtli gvn m, I hv notd, t fes ɖt misṭri wɖt a pañ. Phps īvn it wd b nirr ɖ truʈ t se ɖt – wɖt a wrd – h himslf hd clird it p. H hd md ɖ hol ćarj absrd. Mî cncluźn blūmd ɖr wɖ ɖ riyl rôz fluś v hiz iṇsns: h wz onli tù fîn n fer fr ɖ litl horid, unclīn scūlwrld, n h hd peid a prîs fr it. I rflectd aktli ɖt ɖ sns v sć difṛnsz, sć s’pirioṛtiz v qoḷti, olwz, on ɖ part v ɖ mjoṛti – ẃć cd includ īvn stypid, sordid hedmastrz – trn infaḷbli t ɖ vndictiv.

Bʈ ɖ ćildṛn hd a jntlnis (it wz ɖer onli fōlt, n it nvr md Mîlz a muf) ɖt cept ɖm – hǎ śl I xpres it? – olmst imprsnl n srtnli qt unpuniṣbl. Ɖe wr lîc ɖ ćeṛbz v ɖ aṇcdot, hu hd – moṛli, at eni ret – nʈñ t ẃac! I rmembr fīlñ wɖ Mîlz in ispeśl az f h hd hd, az it wr, no hisṭri. W xpct v a smōl ćîld a scant wn, bt ɖr wz in ɖs bytifl litl bô smʈñ xtrordnṛli snṣtiv, yt xtrordnṛli hapi, ɖt, mor ɖn in eni crīćr v hiz ej I hv sìn, struc m az bginñ any ć de. H hd nvr fr a secnd sufrd. I tc ɖs az a d’rect dsprūf v hiz hvñ riyli bn ćastîzd. F h hd bn wicid h wd hv “còt” it, n I śd hv còt it bî ɖ rbaund – I śd hv faund ɖ tres. I faund nʈñ at ol, n h wz ɖrfr an enjl. H nvr spouc v hiz scūl, nvr mnśnd a comred or a mastr; n I, fr mî part, wz qt tù mć dsgustd t alud t ɖm. V cors I wz undr ɖ spel, n ɖ wundrfl part z ɖt, īvn at ɖ tîm, I prf̣cli ń I wz. Bt I gev mslf p t it; it wz an antidot t eni pen, n I hd mor penz ɖn wn. I wz in rsit in ɖz dez v dstrbñ letrz fṛm hom, ẃr ʈñz wr nt gwñ wel. Bt wɖ mî ćildṛn, ẃt ʈñz in ɖ wrld matrd? Ɖt wz ɖ qsćn I yst t pt t mî scrapi rtîrmnts. I wz dazld bî ɖer luvlinis.

Ɖr wz a Súnde – t gt on – ẃn it rênd wɖ sć fors n fr so mni aurz ɖt ɖr cd b no pṛseśn t ćrć; in consiqns v ẃć, az ɖ de dclînd, I hd arenjd wɖ Msz. Grǒs ɖt, śd ɖ īvnñ śo impruvmnt, w wd atnd tgɖr ɖ lêt srvis. Ɖ ren haṗli stopt, n I priperd fr ǎr wōc, ẃć, ʈru ɖ parc n bî ɖ gd rod t ɖ vilij, wd b a matr v twenti minits. Cmñ dǎnsterz t mīt mî colīg in ɖ hōl, I rmembrd a per v gluvz ɖt hd rqîrd ʈri stićz n ɖt hd rsivd ɖm – wɖ a pbliṣti phps nt edfayñ – ẃl I sat wɖ ɖ ćildṛn at ɖer ti, srvd on Súndez, bî xpśn, in ɖt cold, clīn tmpl v mhoġni n bras, ɖ “groun-up” dînñrūm. Ɖ gluvz hd bn dropt ɖr, n I trnd in t rcuvr ɖm. Ɖ de wz gre inuf, bt ɖ afṭnun lît stl lingrd, n it inebld m, on crosñ ɖ ʈreśhold, nt onli t rec̣gnîz, on a ćer nir ɖ wîd windo, ɖen clozd, ɖ articlz I wontd, bt t bcm awer v a prsn on ɖ uɖr sîd v ɖ windo n lcñ stret in. Wn step intu ɖ rūm hd s’fîst; mî viźn wz instnteńs; it wz ol ɖr. Ɖ prsn lcñ stret in wz ɖ prsn hu hd olrdi apird t m. H apird ɖus agn wɖ I w’nt se gretr dstñtnis, fr ɖt wz imposbl, bt wɖ a nirnis ɖt reprizntd a fwd strîd in ǎr inṭcors n md m, az I met him, cać mî breʈ n trn cold. H wz ɖ sem – h wz ɖ sem, n sìn, ɖs tîm, az h hd bn sìn bfr, fṛm ɖ weist p, ɖ windo, ɖo ɖ dînñrūm wz on ɖ grǎndflor, nt gwñ dǎn t ɖ teris on ẃć h std. Hiz fes wz clos t ɖ glas, yt ɖ ifct v ɖs betr vy wz, strenjli, onli t śo m hǎ intns ɖ formr hd bn. H rmend bt a fy secndz – loñ inuf t cnvins m h olso sw n rec̣gnîzd; bt it wz az f I hd bn lcñ at him fr yirz n hd noun him olwz. Smʈñ, hvr, hapnd ɖs tîm ɖt hd nt hapnd bfr; hiz stér intu mî fes, ʈru ɖ glas n acrs ɖ rūm, wz az dīp n hard az ɖen, bt it qitd m fr a momnt jrñ ẃć I cd stl woć it, si it fix s’xesivli sevṛl uɖr ʈñz. On ɖ spot ɖr cem t m ɖ add śoc v a srttyd ɖt it wz nt fr m h hd cm ɖr. H hd cm fr smwn els.

Ɖ flaś v ɖs nolij – fr it wz nolij in ɖ mdst v dred – pṛdyst in m ɖ most xtrordnri ifct, startd az I std ɖr, a sudn vîbreśn v dyti n curij. I se curij bcz I wz bynd ol dǎt olrdi far gn. I bǎndd stret ǎt v ɖ dor agn, rīćt ɖt v ɖ hǎs, got, in an instnt, upn ɖ drîv, n, pasñ alñ ɖ teris az fast az I cd ruś, trnd a cornr n cem fl in sît. Bt it wz in sît v nʈñ nǎ – mî vizitr hd vaniśt. I stopt, I olmst dropt, wɖ ɖ riyl rlif v ɖs; bt I tc in ɖ hol sīn – I gev him tîm t ri’pir. I cōl it tîm, bt hǎ loñ wz it? I c’nt spīc t ɖ prṗs tde v ɖ jreśn v ɖz ʈñz. Ɖt cnd v meźr mst hv left m: ɖe cd’nt hv lastd az ɖe acć̣li apird t m t last. Ɖ teris n ɖ hol ples, ɖ lōn n ɖ gardn bynd it, ol I cd si v ɖ parc, wr emti wɖ a gret emtinis. Ɖr wr śruḅriz n big triz, bt I rmembr ɖ clir aśuṛns I flt ɖt nn v ɖm cnsild him. H wz ɖr or wz nt ɖr: nt ɖr f I dd’nt si him. I got hold v ɖs; ɖen, instñtivli, instd v rtrnñ az I hd cm, wnt t ɖ windo. It wz cnfyzidli preznt t m ɖt I òt t ples mslf ẃr h hd std. I dd so; I aplaid mî fes t ɖ pein n lct, az h hd lct, intu ɖ rūm. Az f, at ɖs momnt, t śo m xacli ẃt hiz renj hd bn, Msz. Grǒs, az I hd dn fr himslf jst bfr, cem in fṛm ɖ hōl. Wɖ ɖs I hd ɖ fl imij v a reṗtiśn v ẃt hd olrdi ocŕd. Ś sw m az I hd sìn mî ǒn vizitnt; ś pld p śort az I hd dn; I gev hr smʈñ v ɖ śoc ɖt I hd rsivd. Ś trnd ẃît, n ɖs md m asc mslf f I hd blanćt az mć. Ś stérd, in śort, n rtritd on jst mî lînz, n I ń ś hd ɖen pást ǎt n cm rnd t m n ɖt I śd prezntli mīt hr. I rmend ẃr I wz, n ẃl I wêtd I ʈt v mor ʈñz ɖn wn. Bt ɖr’z onli wn I tec spes t mnśn. I wundrd ẃ ś śd b scerd.

I sd nʈñ tl ś cem qt nir. “Wɖ m?” I mst hv md a wundrfl fes. “D I śo it?”“Y’r az ẃît az a śīt. Y lc ōfl.”

I cnsidrd; I cd mīt on ɖs, wɖt scrūpl, eni iṇsns. Mî nīd t rspct ɖ blūm v Msz. Grǒs’z hd dropt, wɖt a rusl, fṛm mî śoldrz, n f I wevrd fr ɖ instnt it wz nt wɖ ẃt I cept bac. I pt ǎt mî hand t hr n ś tc it; I hld hr hard a litl, lîcñ t fīl hr clos t m. Ɖr wz a cnd v s’port in ɖ śî hīv v hr s’prîz. “Y cem fr m fr ćrć, v cors, bt I c’nt g.”

“Hz eniʈñ hapnd?”

“Yes. Y mst nǒ nǎ. Dd I lc vri qir?”

“Ʈru ɖs windo? Dredfl!”

“Wel,” I sd, “I’v bn frîtnd.” Msz. Grǒs’z îz xprest plenli ɖt ś hd no wś t b, yt olso ɖt ś ń tù wel hr ples nt t b redi t śer wɖ m eni marct incnvińns. Ǒ, it wz qt setld ɖt ś mst śer! “Jst ẃt y sw fṛm ɖ dînñrūm a minit ago wz ɖ ifct v ɖt. Ẃt I sw – jst bfr – wz mć wrs.”

Hr hand tîtnd. “Ẃt wz it?”

“An xtrordnri man. Lcñ in.”

“Ẃt xtrordnri man?”

“I hv’nt ɖ līst îdīa.”

Msz. Grǒs gezd rnd s in ven. “Ɖen ẃr z h gn?”

“I nǒ stl les.”

“Hv y sìn him bfr?”

“Yes – wns. On ɖ old tǎr.”

Ś cd onli lc at m hardr. “D y mīn h’z a strenjr?”

“Ǒ, vri mć!”

“Yt y dd’nt tel m?”

“No – fr rīznz. Bt nǎ ɖt y’v gest – ”

Msz. Grǒs’z rǎnd îz incǎntrd ɖs ćarj. “Ā, I hv’nt gest!” ś sd vri simpli. “Hǎ cn I f y d’nt imajin?”

“I d’nt in ɖ vri līst.”

“Y’v sìn him nẃr bt on ɖ tǎr?”

“N on ɖs spot jst nǎ.”

Msz. Grǒs lct rnd agn. “Ẃt wz h dwñ on ɖ tǎr?”

“Onli standñ ɖr n lcñ dǎn at m.”

Ś ʈt a minit. “Wz h a jntlmn?”

I faund I hd no nīd t ʈnc. “No.” Ś gezd in dīpr wundr. “No.”

“Ɖen nbdi abt ɖ ples? Nbdi fṛm ɖ vilij?”

“Nbdi – nbdi. I dd’nt tel y, bt I md śr.”

Ś briɖd a veg rlif: ɖs wz, odli, so mć t ɖ gd. It onli wnt indd a litl we. “Bt f h z’nt a jntlmn – ”

“Ẃt z h? H’z a horr.”

“A horr?”

“H’z – God hlp m f I nǒ ẃt h z!”

Msz. Grǒs lct rnd wns mor; ś fixt hr îz on ɖ duscịr distns, ɖen, pŭlñ hrslf tgɖr, trnd t m wɖ abrupt inconsiqns. “It’s tîm w śd b at ćrć.”

“Ǒ, I’m nt fit fr ćrć!”

“W’nt it d y gd?”

“It w’nt d ɖm! – I nodd at ɖ hǎs.

“Ɖ ćildṛn?”

“I c’nt līv ɖm nǎ.”

“Y’r afreid – ?”

I spouc boldli. “I’m afreid v him.”

Msz. Grǒs’z larj fes śoud m, at ɖs, fr ɖ frst tîm, ɖ far-awe fent glimr v a conśsnis mor akt: I smhǎ md ǎt in it ɖ dleid dōn v an îdīa I mslf hd nt gvn hr n ɖt wz az yt qt obskr t m. It cmz bac t m ɖt I ʈt instntli v ɖs az smʈñ I cd gt fṛm hr; n I flt it t b cnctd wɖ ɖ dzîr ś prezntli śoud t nǒ mor. “Ẃn wz it – on ɖ tǎr?”

“Abt ɖ midl v ɖ munʈ. At ɖs sem aur.”

“Olmst at darc,” sd Msz. Grǒs.

“Ǒ, no, nt nirli. I sw him az I si y.”

“Ɖen hǎ dd h gt in?”

“N hǎ dd h gt ǎt?” I laft. “I hd no oṗtyṇti t asc him! Ɖs īvnñ, y si,” I psyd, “h hz nt bn ebl t gt in.”

“H onli pīps?”

“I hop it wl b cnfînd t ɖt!” Ś hd nǎ let g mî hand; ś trnd awe a litl. I wêtd an instnt; ɖen I bròt ǎt: “G t ćrć. Gdbî. I mst woć.”

Slǒli ś fest m agn. “D y fir fr ɖm?”

W met in anɖr loñ lc. “D’nt y?” Instd v anṣrñ ś cem nirr t ɖ windo n, fr a minit, aplaid hr fes t ɖ glas. “Y si hǎ h cd si,” I mnẃl wnt on.

Ś dd’nt muv. “Hǎ loñ wz h hir?”

“Tl I cem ǎt. I cem t mīt him.”

Msz. Grǒs at last trnd rnd, n ɖr wz stl mor in hr fes. “I cd’nt hv cm ǎt.”

“Nɖr cd I!” I laft agn. “Bt I dd cm. I hv mî dyti.”

“So hv I mîn,” ś rplaid; aftr ẃć ś add: “Ẃt z h lîc?”

“I’v bn dayñ t tel y. Bt h’z lîc nbdi.”

“Nbdi?” ś ecoud.

“H hz no hat.” Ɖen siyñ in hr fes ɖt ś olrdi, in ɖs, wɖ a dīpr dsme, faund a tuć v picćr, I qcli add stroc t stroc. “H hz red her, vri red, clos-crlñ, n a pel fes, loñ in śep, wɖ stret, gd fīćrz n litl, rɖr qir ẃiscrz ɖt r az red az hiz her. Hiz îbrǎz r, smhǎ, darcr; ɖe lc ptiklrli arćt n az f ɖe mt muv a gd dīl. Hiz îz r śarp, strenj – ōf̣li; bt I onli nǒ clirli ɖt ɖ’r rɖr smōl n vri fixt. Hiz mǎʈ’z wîd, n hiz lips r ʈin, n xpt fr hiz litl ẃiscrz h’z qt clīn-śevn. H gvz m a sort v sns v lcñ lîc an actr.”

“An actr!” It wz imposbl t rzmbl wn les, at līst, ɖn Msz. Grǒs at ɖt momnt.

“I’v nvr sìn wn, bt so I s’poz ɖm. H’z tōl, activ, irect,” I cntinyd, “bt nvr – no, nvr! – a jntlmn.”

Mî cmpańn’z fes hd blanćt az I wnt on; hr rǎnd îz startd n hr mîld mǎʈ gept. “A jntlmn?” ś gaspt, cnfǎndd, styṗfaid: “a jntlmn h?”

“Y nǒ him ɖen?”

Ś viẓbli traid t hold hrslf. “Bt h z hansm?”

I sw ɖ we t hlp hr. “Rmarcbli!”

“N drest – ?”

“In smbdi’z cloɖz.” “Ɖ’r smart, bt ɖ’r nt hiz ǒn.”

Ś brouc intu a breʈlis afrṃtiv gron: “Ɖ’r ɖ mastr’z!”

I còt it p. “Y d nǒ him?”

Ś fōltrd bt a secnd. “Qint!” ś craid.

“Qint?”

“Pītr Qint – hiz ǒn man, hiz vale, ẃn h wz hir!”

“Ẃn ɖ mastr wz?”

Gepñ stl, bt mītñ m, ś pìst it ol tgɖr. “H nvr wòr hiz hat, bt h dd wer – wel, ɖr wr weistcots míst. Ɖe wr bʈ hir – last yir. Ɖen ɖ mastr wnt, n Qint wz alon.”

I foloud, bt hōltñ a litl. “Alon?”

“Alon wɖ s.” Ɖen, az fṛm a dīpr depʈ, “In ćarj,” ś add.

“N ẃt bcem v him?”

Ś huñ fîr so loñ ɖt I wz stl mor misṭfaid. “H wnt, tù,” ś bròt ǎt at last.

“Wnt ẃr?”

Hr xpreśn, at ɖs, bcem xtrordnri. “God nz ẃr! H daid.”

“Daid?” I olmst śrīct.

Ś sīmd ferli t sqer hrslf, plant hrslf mor frmli t utr ɖ wundr v it. “Yes. Mr. Qint z ded.”

Ẃt wz setld btwn s, acordñli, ɖt nît, wz ɖt w ʈt w mt ber ʈñz tgɖr; n I wz nt īvn śr ɖt, in spît v hr xmśn, it wz ś hu hd ɖ bst v ɖ brdn. I ń at ɖs aur, I ʈnc, az wel az I ń lêtr, ẃt I wz ceṗbl v mītñ t śltr mî pyplz; bt it tc m sm tîm t b hoļi śr v ẃt mî onist alî wz priperd fr t cīp trmz wɖ so compṛmîzñ a contract. I wz qir cumṗni inuf – qt az qir az ɖ cumṗni I rsivd; bt az I tres ovr ẃt w wnt ʈru I si hǎ mć comn grǎnd w mst hv faund in ɖ wn îdīa ɖt, bî gd fortyn, cd stedi s. It wz ɖ îdīa, ɖ secnd muvmnt, ɖt léd m stret ǎt, az I me se, v ɖ inr ćembr v mî dred. I cd tec ɖ er in ɖ cort, at līst, n ɖr Msz. Grǒs cd jôn m. Prf̣cli cn I rcōl nǎ ɖ ptiklr we streñʈ cem t m bfr w seṗretd fr ɖ nît. W hd gn ovr n ovr evri fīćr v ẃt I hd sìn.“H wz lcñ fr smwn els, y se – smwn hu wz nt y?”

“H wz lcñ fr litl Mîlz.” A portnṭs clirnis nǎ pzest m. “Ɖt’s hūm h wz lcñ fr.”

“Bt hǎ d y nǒ?”

“I nǒ, I nǒ, I nǒ!” Mî xlteśn grù. “N y nǒ, mî dir!”

Ś dd’nt dnî ɖs, bt I rqîrd, I flt, nt īvn so mć telñ az ɖt. Ś rzymd in a momnt, at eni ret: “Ẃt f h śd si him?”

“Litl Mîlz? Ɖt’s ẃt h wonts!”

Ś lct imnsli scerd agn. “Ɖ ćîld?”

“Hevn fbid! Ɖ man. H wonts t apir t ɖm.” Ɖt h mt wz an ōfl cnspśn, n yt, smhǎ, I cd cīp it at be; ẃć, morovr, az w lingrd ɖr, wz ẃt I s’xidd in practicli pruvñ. I hd an abṣlut srtnti ɖt I śd si agn ẃt I hd olrdi sìn, bt smʈñ wɖn m sd ɖt bî of̣rñ mslf brevli az ɖ sol subjict v sć xpirịns, bî axptñ, bî invîtñ, bî smǎntñ it ol, I śd srv az an xpietri victim n gard ɖ tranqiḷti v mî cmpańnz. Ɖ ćildṛn, in ispeśl, I śd ɖus fns abt n abṣlutli sev. I rcōl wn v ɖ last ʈñz I sd ɖt nît t Msz. Grǒs.

“It dz strîc m ɖt mî pyplz hv nvr mnśnd – ”

Ś lct at m hard az I ḿzñli pld p. “Hiz hvñ bn hir n ɖ tîm ɖe wr wɖ him?”

“Ɖ tîm ɖe wr wɖ him, n hiz nem, hiz prezns, hiz hisṭri, in eni we.”

“Ǒ, ɖ litl ledi dz’nt rmembr. Ś nvr hŕd or ń.”

“Ɖ srcmstansz v hiz deʈ?” I ʈt wɖ sm intnṣti. “Phps nt. Bt Mîlz wd rmembr – Mîlz wd nǒ.”

“Ā, d’nt trî him!” brouc fṛm Msz. Grǒs.

I rtrnd hr ɖ lc ś hd gvn m. “D’nt b afreid.” I cntinyd t ʈnc. “It z rɖr od.”

“Ɖt h hz nvr spocn v him?”

“Nvr bî ɖ līst aluźn. N y tel m ɖe wr ‘gret frendz’?”

“Ǒ, it wz’nt him!” Msz. Grǒs wɖ emf̣sis dclerd. “It wz Qint’s ǒn fansi. T ple wɖ him, I mīn – t spôl him.” Ś pōzd a momnt; ɖen ś add: “Qint wz mć tù fri.”

Ɖs gev m, stret fṛm mî viźn v hiz fes – sć a fes! – a sudn sicnis v dsgust. “Tù fri wɖ mî bô?”

“Tù fri wɖ evriwn!”

I forbòr, fr ɖ momnt, t aṇlîz ɖs dscripśn frɖr ɖn bî ɖ rflex́n ɖt a part v it aplaid t sevṛl v ɖ membrz v ɖ hǎshold, v ɖ haf-duzn meidz n men hu wr stl v ǎr smōl coḷni. Bt ɖr wz evriʈñ, fr ǎr aprihnśn, in ɖ luci fact ɖt no dscumf̣tbl lejnd, no prtbeśn v scułnz, hd evr, wɖn eniwn’z meṃri ataćt t ɖ cînd old ples. It hd nɖr bad nem nr il fem, n Msz. Grǒs, most apaṛntli, onli dzîrd t clñ t m n t qec in sîḷns. I īvn pt hr, ɖ vri last ʈñ v ol, t ɖ tst. It wz ẃn, at midnît, ś hd hr hand on ɖ scūlrūm dor t tec līv. “I hv it fṛm y ɖen – fr it’s v gret importns – ɖt h wz defiṇtli n admitidli bad?”

“Ǒ, nt admitidli. I ń it – bt ɖ mastr dd’nt.”

“N y nvr tld him?”

“Wel, h dd’nt lîc têlbẹrñ – h hetd cmplents. H wz teṛbli śort wɖ eniʈñ v ɖt cnd, n f ppl wr ol rît t him – ”

“H wd’nt b boɖrd wɖ mor?” Ɖs sqerd wel inuf wɖ mî impreśnz v him: h wz nt a trubl-luvñ jntlmn, nr so vri ptiklr phps abt sm v ɖ cumṗni h cept. Ol ɖ sem, I prest mî inṭloktris. “I promis y I wd hv tld!”

Ś flt mî dscriṃneśn. “I der se I wz roñ. Bt, riyli, I wz afreid.”

“Afreid v ẃt?”

“V ʈñz ɖt man cd d. Qint wz so clevr – h wz so dīp.”

I tc ɖs in stl mor ɖn, probbli, I śoud. “Y wr’nt afreid v eniʈñ els? Nt v hiz ifct – ?”

“Hiz ifct?” ś rpitd wɖ a fes v anḡś n wêtñ ẃl I fōltrd.

“On iṇsnt litl preśs lîvz. Ɖe wr in yr ćarj.”

“No, ɖe wr nt in mîn!” ś rǎndli n dstresf̣li rtrnd. “Ɖ mastr b’livd in him n plest him hir bcz h wz s’pozd nt t b wel n ɖ cuntri er so gd fr him. So h hd evriʈñ t se. Yes” – ś let m hv it – “īvn abt ɖm.”

“Ɖm – ɖt crīćr?” I hd t smuɖr a cnd v hǎl. “N y cd ber it!”

“No. I cd’nt – n I c’nt nǎ!” N ɖ pur wmn brst intu tirz.

A rijid cntrol, fṛm ɖ nxt de, wz, az I hv sd, t folo ɖm; yt hǎ ofn n hǎ paśṇtli, fr a wīc, w cem bac tgɖr t ɖ subjict! Mć az w hd dscust it ɖt Súnde nît, I wz, in ɖ imīɉt lêtr aurz in ispeśl – fr it me b imajind ẃɖr I slept – stl hōntd wɖ ɖ śado v smʈñ ś hd nt tld m. I mslf hd cept bac nʈñ, bt ɖr wz a wrd Msz. Grǒs hd cept bac. I wz śr, morovr, bî mornñ, ɖt ɖs wz nt fṛm a fełr v francnis, bt bcz on evri sîd ɖr wr firz. It sīmz t m indd, in retṛspect, ɖt bî ɖ tîm ɖ moro’z sún wz hî I hd restlisli réd intu ɖ fact bfr s olmst ol ɖ mīnñ ɖe wr t rsiv fṛm subsiqnt n mor cruwl ocuṛnsiz. Ẃt ɖe gev m abv ol wz jst ɖ sinistr figr v ɖ livñ man – ɖ ded wn wd cīp aẃl! – n v ɖ munʈs h hd cntinẏsli pást at Blai, ẃć, add p, md a formiḍbl streć. Ɖ limit v ɖs īvl tîm hd arîvd onli ẃn, on ɖ dōn v a wintr’z mornñ, Pītr Qint wz faund, bî a lebrr gwñ t rli wrc, ston ded on ɖ rod fṛm ɖ vilij: a ctastṛfi xplend – sūṗfiṣ́li at līst – bî a viẓbl wūnd t hiz hed; sć a wūnd az mt hv bn pṛdyst – n az, on ɖ fînl evidns, hd bn – bî a fetl slip, in ɖ darc n aftr līvñ ɖ public hǎs, on ɖ stīpiś îsi slǒp, a roñ paʈ oltgɖr, at ɖ botm v ẃć h le. Ɖ îsi slǒp, ɖ trn mstecn at nît n in lícr, acǎntd fr mć – practicli, in ɖ end n aftr ɖ inqest n bǎndlis ćatr, fr evriʈñ; bt ɖr hd bn matrz in hiz lîf – strenj paṣjz n perilz, sīcrit dsordrz, vîsz mor ɖn sspctd – ɖt wd hv acǎntd fr a gd dīl mor.

I scers nǒ hǎ t pt mî stori intu wrdz ɖt śl b a creḍbl picćr v mî stet v mînd; bt I wz in ɖz dez litṛli ebl t fînd a jô in ɖ xtrordnri flît v herǒizm ɖ oceźn dmandd v m. I nǎ sw ɖt I hd bn asct fr a srvis admṛbl n dificlt; n ɖr wd b a gretnis in letñ it b sìn – ǒ, in ɖ rît qortr! – ɖt I cd s’xid ẃr mni anɖr grl mt hv feld. It wz an imns hlp t m – I cnfes I rɖr aplōd mslf az I lc bac! – ɖt I sw mî srvis so stroñli n so simpli. I wz ɖr t pṛtct n dfnd ɖ litl crīćrz in ɖ wrld ɖ most b’rivd n ɖ most luṿbl, ɖ apil v huz hlplisnis hd sudnli bcm onli tù xplisit, a dīp, constnt ec v wn’z ǒn cmitd hart. W wr cut of, riyli, tgɖr; w wr ynîtd in ǎr denjr. Ɖe hd nʈñ bt m, n I – wel, I hd ɖm. It wz in śort a mgnifisnt ćans. Ɖs ćans prizntd itslf t m in an imij rićli mtirịl. I wz a scrīn – I wz t stand bfr ɖm. Ɖ mor I sw, ɖ les ɖe wd. I bgan t woć ɖm in a stîfld sspns, a dsgîzd xîtmnt ɖt mt wel, hd it cntinyd tù loñ, hv trnd t smʈñ lîc madnis. Ẃt sevd m, az I nǎ si, wz ɖt it trnd t smʈñ els oltgɖr. It dd’nt last az sspns – it wz sūṗsidd bî hoṛbl prūfs. Prūfs, I se, yes – fṛm ɖ momnt I riyli tc hold.

Ɖs momnt detd fṛm an afṭnun-aur ɖt I hapnd t spend in ɖ grǎndz wɖ ɖ yungr v mî pyplz alon. W hd left Mîlz indorz, on ɖ red cŭśn v a dīp windosīt; h hd wśt t finiś a bc, n I hd bn glad t incurij a prṗs so lōdbl in a yuñ man huz onli dīfect wz an oceźnl xes v ɖ restlis. Hiz sistr, on ɖ contrri, hd bn alrt t cm ǎt, n I strold wɖ hr haf an aur, sīcñ ɖ śêd, fr ɖ sún wz stl hî n ɖ de xpśṇli worm. I wz awer afreś, wɖ hr, az w wnt, v hǎ, lîc hr bruɖr, ś cntrîvd – it wz ɖ ćarmñ ʈñ in bʈ ćildṛn – t let m alon wɖt apirñ t drop m n t acumṗni m wɖt apirñ t srǎnd. Ɖe wr nvr imporćṇt n yt nvr listlis. Mî atnśn t ɖm ol riyli wnt t siyñ ɖm aḿz ɖmslvz imnsli wɖt m: ɖs wz a specṭcl ɖe sīmd activli t priper n ɖt ingejd m az an activ admîrr. I wōct in a wrld v ɖer invnśn – ɖe hd no oceźn ẃtvr t drw upn mîn; so ɖt mî tîm wz tecn onli wɖ biyñ, fr ɖm, sm rmarcbl prsn or ʈñ ɖt ɖ gem v ɖ momnt rqîrd n ɖt wz mirli, ʈancs t mî s’pirịr, mî xōltd stamp, a hapi n hîli dstnḡśt siṇkr. I fget ẃt I wz on ɖ preznt oceźn; I onli rmembr ɖt I wz smʈñ vri importnt n vri qayt n ɖt Flora wz pleyñ vri hard. W wr on ɖ éj v ɖ lec, n, az w hd lêtli bgun jiogṛfi, ɖ lec wz ɖ Sì v Azof.

Sudnli, in ɖz srcmstansz, I bcem awer ɖt, on ɖ uɖr sîd v ɖ Sì v Azof, w hd an inṭrestd spectetr. Ɖ we ɖs nolij gaɖrd in m wz ɖ strenjist ʈñ in ɖ wrld – ɖ strenjist, ɖt z, xpt ɖ vri mć strenjr in ẃć it qcli mrjd itslf. I hd sat dǎn wɖ a pìs v wrc – fr I wz smʈñ or uɖr ɖt cd sit – on ɖ old ston bnć ẃć oṿlct ɖ pond; n in ɖs pziśn I bgan t tec in wɖ srttyd, n yt wɖt d’rect viźn, ɖ prezns, at a distns, v a ʈrd prsn. Ɖ old triz, ɖ ʈic śruḅri, md a gret n pleznt śêd, bt it wz ol s’fyzd wɖ ɖ brîtnis v ɖ hot, stil aur. Ɖr wz no amḅgywti in eniʈñ; nn ẃtvr, at līst, in ɖ cnvix́n I fṛm wn momnt t anɖr faund mslf formñ az t ẃt I śd si stret bfr m n acrs ɖ lec az a consiqns v rezñ mî îz. Ɖe wr ataćt at ɖs juñćr t ɖ stićñ in ẃć I wz ingejd, n I cn fīl wns mor ɖ spazm v mî ef̣t nt t muv ɖm tl I śd so hv stedid mslf az t b ebl t mc p mî mînd ẃt t d. Ɖr wz an ełn objict in vy – a figr huz rît v prezns I instntli, paśṇtli qsćnd. I rec̣lect cǎntñ ovr prf̣cli ɖ posbiḷtiz, rmîndñ mslf ɖt nʈñ wz mor naćṛl, fr instns, ɖen ɖ apiṛns v wn v ɖ men abt ɖ ples, or īvn v a mesinjr, a postmn, or a tredzmn’z bô, fṛm ɖ vilij. Ɖt rmîndr hd az litl ifct on mî practicl srttyd az I wz conśs – stl īvn wɖt lcñ – v its hvñ upn ɖ caṛctr n attyd v ǎr vizitr. Nʈñ wz mor naćṛl ɖn ɖt ɖz ʈñz śd b ɖ uɖr ʈñz ɖt ɖe abṣlutli wr nt.

V ɖ poẓtiv îdntti v ɖ aṗriśn I wd aśur mslf az sn az ɖ smōl cloc v mî curij śd hv tict ǎt ɖ rît secnd; mnẃl, wɖ an ef̣t ɖt wz olrdi śarp inuf, I trnsfŕd mî îz stret t litl Flora, hu, at ɖ momnt, wz abt ten yardz awe. Mî hart hd std stil fr an instnt wɖ ɖ wundr n terr v ɖ qsćn ẃɖr ś tù wd si; n I hld mî breʈ ẃl I wêtd fr ẃt a crî fṛm hr, ẃt sm sudn iṇsnt sîn îɖr v inṭrest or v alarm, wd tel m. I wêtd, bt nʈñ cem; ɖen, in ɖ frst ples – n ɖr z smʈñ mor dîr in ɖs, I fīl, ɖn in eniʈñ I hv t rlet – I wz dtrmind bî a sns ɖt, wɖn a minit, ol sǎndz fṛm hr hd prīvịsli dropt; n, in ɖ secnd, bî ɖ srcmstans ɖt, olso wɖn ɖ minit, ś hd, in hr ple, trnd hr bac t ɖ wōtr. Ɖs wz hr attyd ẃn I at last lct at hr – lct wɖ ɖ cnfrmd cnvix́n ɖt w wr stl, tgɖr, undr d’rect prsnl notis. Ś hd pict p a smōl flat pìs v wŭd, ẃć hapnd t hv in it a litl houl ɖt hd evidntli sjstd t hr ɖ îdīa v sticñ in anɖr fragmnt ɖt mt figr az a māst n mc ɖ ʈñ a bot. Ɖs secnd morsl, az I woćt hr, ś wz vri marcidli n intntli atmtñ t tîtn in its ples. Mî aprihnśn v ẃt ś wz dwñ sstend m so ɖt aftr sm secndz I flt I wz redi fr mor. Ɖen I agn śiftd mî îz – I fest ẃt I hd t fes.

“N ẃt on rʈ – ?” I flt hr incṛdyḷti az ś hld m.“Ẃ, ol ɖt w nǒ – n hevn nz ẃt els bsdz!” Ɖen, az ś rlist m, I md it ǎt t hr, md it ǎt phps onli nǎ wɖ fl chiṛnsi īvn t mslf. “Tū aurz ago, in ɖ gardn” – I cd scers artikḷt – “Flora sw!”

Msz. Grǒs tc it az ś mt hv tecn a blo in ɖ stuṃc. “Ś hz tld y?” ś pantd.

“Nt a wrd – ɖt’s ɖ horr. Ś cept it t hrslf! Ɖ ćîld v et, ɖt ćîld!” Unutṛbl stl, fr m, wz ɖ styṗfax́n v it.

Msz. Grǒs, v cors, cd onli gep ɖ wîdr. “Ɖen hǎ d y nǒ?”

“I wz ɖr – I sw wɖ mî îz: sw ɖt ś wz prf̣cli awer.”

“D y mīn awer v him?”

“No – v hr.” I wz conśs az I spouc ɖt I lct pṛdijs ʈñz, fr I got ɖ slo rflex́n v ɖm in mî cmpańn’z fes. “Anɖr prsn – ɖs tîm; bt a figr v qt az unmistecbl horr n īvl: a wmn in blac, pel n dredfl – wɖ sć an er olso, n sć a fes! – on ɖ uɖr sîd v ɖ lec. I wz ɖr wɖ ɖ ćîld – qayt fr ɖ aur; n in ɖ mdst v it ś cem.”

“Cem hǎ – fṛm ẃr?”

“Fṛm ẃr ɖe cm fṛm! Ś jst apird n std ɖr – bt nt so nir.”

“N wɖt cmñ nirr?”

“Ǒ, fr ɖ ifct n ɖ fīlñ, ś mt hv bn az clos az y!”

Mî frend, wɖ an od impuls, fél bac a step. “Wz ś smwn y’v nvr sìn?”

“Yes. Bt smwn ɖ ćîld hz. Smwn y hv.” Ɖen, t śo hǎ I hd ʈt it ol ǎt: “Mî prīdisesr – ɖ wn hu daid.”

“Mis Jesl?”

“Mis Jesl. Y d’nt b’liv m?” I prest.

Ś trnd rît n left in hr dstres. “Hǎ cn y b śr?”

Ɖs drù fṛm m, in ɖ stet v mî nrvz, a flaś v impeśns. “Ɖen asc Flora – ś’z śr!” Bt I hd no snr spocn ɖn I còt mslf p. “No, fr God’z sec, d’nt! Ś’l se ś z’nt – ś’l lai!”

Msz. Grǒs wz nt tù bwildrd instñtivli t pṛtst. “Ā, hǎ cn y?”

“Bcz I’m clir. Flora dz’nt wont m t nǒ.”

“It’s onli ɖen t sper y.”

“No, no – ɖr r depʈs, depʈs! Ɖ mor I g ovr it, ɖ mor I si in it, n ɖ mor I si in it, ɖ mor I fir. I d’nt nǒ ẃt I d’nt si – ẃt I d’nt fir!”

Msz. Grǒs traid t cīp p wɖ m. “Y mīn y’r afreid v siyñ hr agn?”

“Ǒ, no; ɖt’s nʈñ – nǎ!” Ɖen I xplend. “It’s v nt siyñ hr.”

Bt mî cmpańn onli lct won. “I d’nt unḍstand y.”

“Ẃ, it’s ɖt ɖ ćîld me cīp it p – n ɖt ɖ ćîld aśuridli wl – wɖt mî nwñ it.”

At ɖ imij v ɖs posbiḷti Msz. Grǒs fr a momnt c’lapst, yt prezntli t pl hrslf tgɖr agn, az f fṛm ɖ poẓtiv fors v ɖ sns v ẃt, śd w yīld an inć, ɖr wd riyli b t gv we t. “Dir, dir – w mst cīp ǎr hedz! N aftr ol, f ś dz’nt mînd it – !” Ś īvn traid a grim joc. “Phps ś lîcs it!”

“Lîcs sć ʈñz – a scrap v an inf̣nt!”

“Z’nt it jst a prūf v hr blesid iṇsns?” mî frend brevli inqîrd.

Ś bròt m, fr ɖ instnt, olmst rnd. “Ǒ, w mst cluć at ɖt – w mst clñ t it! F it z’nt a prūf v ẃt y se, it’s a prūf v – God nz ẃt! Fr ɖ wmn’z a horr v horrz.”

Msz. Grǒs, at ɖs, fixt hr îz a minit on ɖ grǎnd; ɖen at last rezñ ɖm, “Tel m hǎ y nǒ,” ś sd.

“Ɖen y admit it’s ẃt ś wz?” I craid.

“Tel m hǎ y nǒ,” mî frend simpli rpitd.

“Nǒ? Bî siyñ hr! Bî ɖ we ś lct.”

“At y, d y mīn – so wicidli?”

“Dir m, no – I cd hv bòrn ɖt. Ś gev m nvr a glans. Ś onli fixt ɖ ćîld.”

Msz. Grǒs traid t si it. “Fixt hr?”

“Ā, wɖ sć ōfl îz!”

Ś stérd at mîn az f ɖe mt riyli hv rzmbld ɖm. “D y mīn v dslîc?”

“God hlp s, no. V smʈñ mć wrs.”

“Wrs ɖn dslîc?” – ɖs left hr indd at a los.

“Wɖ a dtrṃneśn – indiscrîbbl. Wɖ a cnd v fyri v intnśn.”

I md hr trn pel. “Intnśn?”

“T gt hold v hr.” Msz. Grǒs – hr îz jst linġrñ on mîn – gev a śudr n wōct t ɖ windo; n ẃl ś std ɖr lcñ ǎt I cmplitd mî stetmnt. “Ɖt’s ẃt Flora nz.”

Aftr a litl ś trnd rnd. “Ɖ prsn wz in blac, y se?”

“In mōrnñ – rɖr pur, olmst śabi. Bt – yes – wɖ xtrordnri byti.” I nǎ rec̣gnîzd t ẃt I hd at last, stroc bî stroc, bròt ɖ victim v mî confidns, fr ś qt viẓbli weid ɖs. “Ǒ, hansm – vri, vri,” I insistd; “wundrf̣li hansm. Bt infṃs.”

Ś slǒli cem bac t m. “Mis Jesl – wz infṃs.” Ś wns mor tc mî hand in bʈ hr ǒn, holdñ it az tît az f t forṭfî m agnst ɖ incris v alarm I mt drw fṛm ɖs dscloźr. “Ɖe wr bʈ infṃs,” ś fîṇli sd.

So, fr a litl, w fest it wns mor tgɖr; n I faund abṣlutli a dgri v hlp in siyñ it nǎ so stret. “I aprīśiet,” I sd, “ɖ gret dīsnsi v yr nt hvñ hiɖrtu spocn; bt ɖ tîm hz srtnli cm t gv m ɖ hol ʈñ.” Ś apird t asnt t ɖs, bt stl onli in sîḷns; siyñ ẃć I wnt on: “I mst hv it nǎ. V ẃt dd ś dî? Cm, ɖr wz smʈñ btwn ɖm.”

“Ɖr wz evriʈñ.”

“In spît v ɖ difṛns – ?”

“Ǒ, v ɖer ranc, ɖer cndiśn” – ś bròt it wǒf̣li ǎt. “Ś wz a ledi.”

I trnd it ovr; I agn sw. “Yes – ś wz a ledi.”

“N h so dredf̣li b’lo,” sd Msz. Grǒs.

I flt ɖt I dǎtlis nīd’nt pres tù hard, in sć cumṗni, on ɖ ples v a srvnt in ɖ scel; bt ɖr wz nʈñ t privnt an axptns v mî cmpańn’z ǒn meźr v mî prīdisesr’z abesmnt. Ɖr wz a we t dīl wɖ ɖt, n I dlt; ɖ mor reḍli fr mî fl viźn – on ɖ evidns – v ǎr imployr’z lêt clevr, gd-lcñ “ǒn” man; impydnt, aśurd, spôld, dprevd. “Ɖ felo wz a hǎnd.”

Msz. Grǒs cnsidrd az f it wr phps a litl a ces fr a sns v śêdz. “I’v nvr sìn wn lîc him. H dd ẃt h wśt.”

“Wɖ hr?”

“Wɖ ɖm ol.”

It wz az f nǎ in mî frend’z ǒn îz Mis Jesl hd agn apird. I sīmd at eni ret, fr an instnt, t si ɖer evceśn v hr az dstñtli az I hd sìn hr bî ɖ pond; n I bròt ǎt wɖ dsiźn: “It mst hv bn olso ẃt ś wśt!”

Msz. Grǒs’z fes sigṇfaid ɖt it hd bn indd, bt ś sd at ɖ sem tîm: “Pur wmn – ś peid fr it!”

“Ɖen y d nǒ ẃt ś daid v?” I asct.

“No – I nǒ nʈñ. I wontd nt t nǒ; I wz glad inuf I dd’nt; n I ʈanct hevn ś wz wel ǎt v ɖs!”

“Yt y hd, ɖen, yr îdīa – ”

“V hr riyl rīzn fr līvñ? Ǒ, yes – az t ɖt. Ś cd’nt hv steid. Fansi it hir – fr a guṿnes! N afṭwd I imajind – n I stl imajin. N ẃt I imajin z dredfl.”

“Nt so dredfl az ẃt I d,” I rplaid; on ẃć I mst hv śoun hr – az I wz indd bt tù conśs – a frunt v mizṛbl dfit. It bròt ǎt agn ol hr cmpaśn fr m, n at ɖ rnyd tuć v hr cîndnis mî pǎr t rzist brouc dǎn. I brst, az I hd, ɖ uɖr tîm, md hr brst, intu tirz; ś tc m t hr muɖrli brest, n mî lamnteśn oṿfloud. “I d’nt d it!” I sobd in dsper; “I d’nt sev or śīld ɖm! It’s far wrs ɖn I drīmd – ɖ’r lost!”

On līvñ hr, aftr mî frst ǎtbrec, I hd v cors rtrnd t mî pyplz, asośietñ ɖ rît reṃdi fr mî dsme wɖ ɖt sns v ɖer ćarm ẃć I hd olrdi faund t b a ʈñ I cd poztivli culṭvet n ẃć hd nvr feld m yt. I hd simpli, in uɖr wrdz, plunjd afreś intu Flora’z speśl ssayti n ɖr bcm awer – it wz olmst a lux̣́ri! – ɖt ś cd pt hr litl conśs hand stret upn ɖ spot ɖt ect. Ś hd lct at m in swīt spekleśn n ɖen hd akzd m t mî fes v hvñ “craid.” I hd s’pozd I hd bruśt awe ɖ ugli sînz: bt I cd litṛli – fr ɖ tîm, at ol ivnts – rjôs, undr ɖs faɖmlis ćaṛti, ɖt ɖe hd nt intîrli dis’pird. T gêz intu ɖ depʈs v blu v ɖ ćîld’z îz n pṛnǎns ɖer luvlinis a tric v preṃtyr cunñ wz t b gilti v a siṇsizm in prefṛns t ẃć I naćṛli prifŕd t abjur mî jujmnt n, so far az mt b, mî ajteśn. I cd’nt abjur fr mirli wontñ t, bt I cd rpit t Msz. Grǒs – az I dd ɖr, ovr n ovr, in ɖ smōl aurz – ɖt wɖ ɖer vôsz in ɖ er, ɖer preśr on wn’z hart, n ɖer fregṛnt fesz agnst wn’z ćīc, evriʈñ fél t ɖ grǎnd bt ɖer inc̣paṣti n ɖer byti. It wz a piti ɖt, smhǎ, t setl ɖs wns fr ol, I hd īqli t riińṃret ɖ sînz v sutlti ɖt, in ɖ afṭnun, bî ɖ lec hd md a miṛcl v mî śo v slfpześn. It wz a piti t b oblîjd t riinvstget ɖ srttyd v ɖ momnt itslf n rpit hǎ it hd cm t m az a reṿleśn ɖt ɖ incnsiṿbl cḿńn I ɖen s’prîzd wz a matr, fr îɖr parti, v habit. It wz a piti ɖt I śd hv hd t qevr ǎt agn ɖ rīznz fr mî nt hvñ, in mî dluźn, so mć az qsćnd ɖt ɖ litl grl sw ǎr vizitnt īvn az I acć̣li sw Msz. Grǒs hrslf, n ɖt ś wontd, bî jst so mć az ś dd ɖus si, t mc m s’poz ś dd’nt, n at ɖ sem tîm, wɖt śowñ eniʈñ, arîv at a ges az t ẃɖr I mslf dd! It wz a piti ɖt I nīdd wns mor t dscrîb ɖ portnṭs litl activti bî ẃć ś sòt t dvrt mî atnśn – ɖ psptbl incris v muvmnt, ɖ gretr intnṣti v ple, ɖ sññ, ɖ gaḅlñ v nonsns, n ɖ invteśn t romp.Yt f I hd nt induljd, t pruv ɖr wz nʈñ in it, in ɖs rvy, I śd hv míst ɖ tū or ʈri dim elimnts v cumf̣t ɖt stl rmend t m. I śd nt fr instns hv bn ebl t aseṿret t mî frend ɖt I wz srtn – ẃć wz so mć t ɖ gd – ɖt I at līst hd nt btreid mslf. I śd nt hv bn promtd, bî stres v nīd, bî desṗreśn v mînd – I scers nǒ ẃt t cōl it – t invoc sć frɖr ed t intelijns az mt sprñ fṛm pśñ mî colīg ferli t ɖ wōl. Ś hd tld m, bit bî bit, undr preśr, a gret dīl; bt a smōl śifti spot on ɖ roñ sîd v it ol stl smtmz bruśt mî brǎ lîc ɖ wñ v a bat; n I rmembr hǎ on ɖs oceźn – fr ɖ slīpñ hǎs n ɖ consntreśn alîc v ǎr denjr n ǎr woć sīmd t hlp – I flt ɖ importns v gvñ ɖ last jrc t ɖ crtn. “I d’nt b’liv eniʈñ so hoṛbl,” I rec̣lect seyñ; “no, let s pt it defiṇtli, mî dir, ɖt I d’nt. Bt f I dd, y nǒ, ɖr’z a ʈñ I śd rqîr nǎ, jst wɖt spẹrñ y ɖ līst bit mor – ǒ, nt a scrap, cm! – t gt ǎt v y. Ẃt wz it y hd in mînd ẃn, in ǎr dstres, bfr Mîlz cem bac, ovr ɖ letr fṛm hiz scūl, y sd, undr mî insistns, ɖt y dd’nt pritnd fr him ɖt h hd nt litṛli evr bn ‘bad’? H hz nt litṛli ‘evr,’ in ɖz wīcs ɖt I mslf hv livd wɖ him n so closli woćt him; h hz bn an imṗtrbbl litl proḍji v dlîtfl, luṿbl gdnis. Ɖrfr y mt prf̣cli hv md ɖ clem fr him f y hd nt, az it hapnd, sìn an xpśn t tec. Ẃt wz yr xpśn, n t ẃt pasij in yr prsnl obẓveśn v him dd y rfŕ?”

It wz a dredf̣li ostir inqîri, bt leṿti wz nt ǎr not, n, at eni ret, bfr ɖ gre dōn admoniśt s t seṗret I hd got mî ansr. Ẃt mî frend hd hd in mînd pruvd t b imnsli t ɖ prṗs. It wz nɖr mor nr les ɖn ɖ srcmstans ɖt fr a pirịd v sevṛl munʈs Qint n ɖ bô hd bn ppć̣li tgɖr. It wz in fact ɖ vri aproprịt truʈ ɖt ś hd vnćrd t criṭsîz ɖ pṛprayti, t hint at ɖ incngruwti, v so clos an alayns, n īvn t g so far on ɖ subjict az a franc oṿćr t Mis Jesl. Mis Jesl hd, wɖ a most strenj manr, rqstd hr t mînd hr biznis, n ɖ gd wmn hd, on ɖs, d’recli aproćt litl Mîlz. Ẃt ś hd sd t him, sins I prest, wz ɖt ś lîct t si yuñ jntlṃn nt fget ɖer steśn.

I prest agn, v cors, at ɖs. “Y rmîndd him ɖt Qint wz onli a bes mīńl?”

“Az y mt se! N it wz hiz ansr, fr wn ʈñ, ɖt wz bad.”

“N fr anɖr ʈñ?” I wêtd. “H rpitd yr wrdz t Qint?”

“No, nt ɖt. It’s jst ẃt h wd’nt!” ś cd stl impres upn m. “I wz śr, at eni ret,” ś add, “ɖt h dd’nt. Bt h dnaid srtn oceźnz.”

“Ẃt oceźnz?”

“Ẃn ɖe hd bn abt tgɖr qt az f Qint wr hiz tytr – n a vri grand wn – n Mis Jesl onli fr ɖ litl ledi. Ẃn h hd gn of wɖ ɖ felo, I mīn, n spent aurz wɖ him.”

“H ɖen privaṛcetd abt it – h sd h hd’nt?” Hr asnt wz clir inuf t cōz m t ad in a momnt: “I si. H laid.”

“Ǒ!” Msz. Grǒs mumbld. Ɖs wz a sjsćn ɖt it dd’nt matr; ẃć indd ś bact p bî a frɖr rmarc. “Y si, aftr ol, Mis Jesl dd’nt mînd. Ś dd’nt fbid him.”

I cnsidrd. “Dd h pt ɖt t y az a justif̣ceśn?”

At ɖs ś dropt agn. “No, h nvr spouc v it.”

“Nvr mnśnd hr in cnx́n wɖ Qint?”

Ś sw, viẓbli fluśñ, ẃr I wz cmñ ǎt. “Wel, h dd’nt śo eniʈñ. H dnaid,” ś rpitd; “h dnaid.”

Lord, hǎ I prest hr nǎ! “So ɖt y cd si h ń ẃt wz btwn ɖ tū rećz?”

“I d’nt nǒ – I d’nt nǒ!” ɖ pur wmn grond.

“Y d nǒ, y dir ʈñ,” I rplaid; “onli y hv’nt mî dredfl boldnis v mînd, n y cīp bac, ǎt v tmidti n moḍsti n delic̣si, īvn ɖ impreśn ɖt, in ɖ past, ẃn y hd, wɖt mî ed, t flǎndr abt in sîḷns, most v ol md y mizṛbl. Bt I śl gt it ǎt v y yt! Ɖr wz smʈñ in ɖ bô ɖt sjstd t y,” I cntinyd, “ɖt h cuvrd n cnsild ɖer rleśn.”

“Ǒ, h cd’nt privnt – ”

“Yr lrnñ ɖ truʈ? I der se! Bt, hevnz,” I fél, wɖ viymns, aʈncñ, “ẃt it śoz ɖt ɖe mst, t ɖt xtnt, hv s’xidd in mcñ v him!”

“Ā, nʈñ ɖt’s nt nîs nǎ!” Msz. Grǒs l’gubrịsli plīdd.

“I d’nt wundr y lct qir,” I psistd, “ẃn I mnśnd t y ɖ letr fṛm hiz scūl!”

“I dǎt f I lct az qir az y!” ś rtortd wɖ homli fors. “N f h wz so bad ɖen az ɖt cmz t, hǎ z h sć an enjl nǎ?”

“Yes, indd – n f h wz a fīnd at scūl! Hǎ, hǎ, hǎ? Wel,” I sd in mî torment, “y mst pt it t m agn, bt I śl nt b ebl t tel y fr sm dez. Onli, pt it t m agn!” I craid in a we ɖt md mî frend stér. “Ɖr r d’rex́nz in ẃć I mst nt fr ɖ preznt let mslf g.” Mnẃl I rtrnd t hr frst xampl – ɖ wn t ẃć ś hd jst prīvịsli rfŕd – v ɖ bô’z hapi cpaṣti fr an oceźnl slip. “F Qint – on yr remnstṛns at ɖ tîm y spīc v – wz a bes mīńl, wn v ɖ ʈñz Mîlz sd t y, I fînd mslf gesñ, wz ɖt y wr anɖr.” Agn hr admiśn wz so adiqt ɖt I cntinyd: “N y fgev him ɖt?”

“Wd’nt y?”

“Ǒ, yes!” N w xćenjd ɖr, in ɖ stilnis, a sǎnd v ɖ odist aḿzmnt. Ɖen I wnt on: “At ol ivnts, ẃl h wz wɖ ɖ man – ”

“Mis Flora wz wɖ ɖ wmn. It sūtd ɖm ol!”

It sūtd m, tù, I flt, onli tù wel; bî ẃć I mīn ɖt it sūtd xacli ɖ ptiklrli dedli vy I wz in ɖ vri act v fbidñ mslf t entten. Bt I so far s’xidd in ćecñ ɖ xpreśn v ɖs vy ɖt I wl ʈro, jst hir, no frɖr lît on it ɖn me b ofrd bî ɖ mnśn v mî fînl obẓveśn t Msz. Grǒs. “Hiz hvñ laid n bn impydnt r, I cnfes, les ingejñ spesimnz ɖn I hd hopt t hv fṛm y v ɖ ǎtbrec in him v ɖ litl naćṛl man. Stl,” I ḿzd, “Ɖe mst d, fr ɖe mc m fīl mor ɖn evr ɖt I mst woć.”

It md m bluś, ɖ nxt minit, t si in mî frend’z fes hǎ mć mor unrizrvidli ś hd fgivn him ɖn hr aṇcdot struc m az prizntñ t mî ǒn tndrnis an oceźn fr dwñ. Ɖs cem ǎt ẃn, at ɖ scūlrūm dor, ś qitd m. “Śrli y d’nt akz him – ”

“V cariyñ on an inṭcors ɖt h cnsilz fṛm m? Ā, rmembr ɖt, untl frɖr evidns, I nǎ akz nbdi.” Ɖen, bfr śutñ hr ǎt t g, bî anɖr pasij, t hr ǒn ples, “I mst jst wêt,” I waund p.

Ɖe wr at ɖs pirịd xtraṿgntli n prīṭnaćṛli fond v m; ẃć, aftr ol, I cd rflect, wz no mor ɖn a gresfl rspons in ćildṛn ppć̣li baud ovr n hugd. Ɖ homij v ẃć ɖe wr so laviś s’xidd, in truʈ, fr mî nrvz, qt az wel az f I nvr apird t mslf, az I me se, litṛli t cać ɖm at a prṗs in it. Ɖe hd nvr, I ʈnc, wontd t d so mni ʈñz fr ɖer pur pṛtctris; I mīn – ɖo ɖe got ɖer lésnz betr n betr, ẃć wz naćṛli ẃt wd plīz hr most – in ɖ we v dvrtñ, enttenñ, s’prîzñ hr; rīdñ hr paṣjz, telñ hr storiz, actñ hr ś’redz, pǎnsñ ǎt at hr, in dsgîzz, az animlz n historicl caṛctrz, n abv ol astoṇśñ hr bî ɖ “pìsz” ɖe hd sīcṛtli got bî hart n cd intrmiṇbli rsît. I śd nvr gt t ɖ botm – wr I t let mslf g īvn nǎ – v ɖ pṛdijs prîṿt comntri, ol undr stl mor prîṿt c’rex́n, wɖ ẃć, in ɖz dez, I oṿscord ɖer fl aurz. Ɖe hd śoun m fṛm ɖ frst a fsiḷti fr evriʈñ, a jenṛl faclti ẃć, tecñ a freś start, aćivd rmarcbl flîts. Ɖe got ɖer litl tascs az f ɖe luvd ɖm, n induljd, fṛm ɖ mir xybṛns v ɖ gift, in ɖ most unimpozd litl miṛclz v meṃri. Ɖe nt onli popt ǎt at m az tîgrz n az Romnz, bt az Śecspirịnz, astroṇmrz, n naṿgetrz. Ɖs wz so snğlrli ɖ ces ɖt it hd prizyṃbli mć t d wɖ ɖ fact az t ẃć, at ɖ preznt de, I am at a los fr a difṛnt xpḷneśn: I alud t mî uņaćṛl cmpoźr on ɖ subjict v anɖr scūl fr Mîlz. Ẃt I rmembr z ɖt I wz cntnt nt, fr ɖ tîm, t opn ɖ qsćn, n ɖt cntntmnt mst hv spruñ fṛm ɖ sns v hiz ppć̣li strîcñ śo v clevrnis. H wz tù clevr fr a bad guṿnes, fr a parsn’z dōtr, t spôl; n ɖ strenjist f nt ɖ brîtist ʈred in ɖ pensiv imbrôdri I jst spouc v wz ɖ impreśn I mt hv got, f I hd derd t wrc it ǎt, ɖt h wz undr sm inflụns oṗretñ in hiz smōl inṭlecćl lîf az a tṛmnḍs insîtmnt.F it wz īzi t rflect, hvr, ɖt sć a bô cd pspon scūl, it wz at līst az marct ɖt fr sć a bô t hv bn “cict ǎt” bî a scūlmastr wz a mistif̣ceśn wɖt end. Let m ad ɖt in ɖer cumṗni nǎ – n I wz cerfl olmst nvr t b ǎt v it – I cd folo no sént vri far. W livd in a clǎd v ḿzic n luv n s’xes n prîṿt ʈiatriclz. Ɖ ḿzicl sns in ć v ɖ ćildṛn wz v ɖ qcist, bt ɖ eldr in ispeśl hd a marvḷs nac v caćñ n rpitñ. Ɖ scūlrūm piano brouc intu ol grūsm fansiz; n ẃn ɖt feld ɖr wr cnfabyleśnz in cornrz, wɖ a sīql v wn v ɖm gwñ ǎt in ɖ hîist spirits in ordr t “cm in” az smʈñ ny. I hd hd bruɖrz mslf, n it wz no reṿleśn t m ɖt litl grlz cd b sleviś aidoḷtrz v litl bôz. Ẃt s’pást evriʈñ wz ɖt ɖr wz a litl bô in ɖ wrld hu cd hv fr ɖ infirịr ej, sx, n intelijns so fîn a cnsiḍreśn. Ɖe wr xtrordnṛli at wn, n t se ɖt ɖe nvr îɖr qoṛld or cmplend z t mc ɖ not v prêz cōrs fr ɖer qoḷti v swītnis. Smtmz, indd, ẃn I dropt intu cōrsnis, I phps cem acrs tresz v litl unḍstandñz btwn ɖm bî ẃć wn v ɖm śd cīp m okpaid ẃl ɖ uɖr slipt awe. Ɖr z a naïf sîd, I s’poz, in ol dploṃsi; bt f mî pyplz practist upn m, it wz śrli wɖ ɖ minimm v grosnis. It wz ol in ɖ uɖr qortr ɖt, aftr a lul, ɖ grosnis brouc ǎt.

I fînd ɖt I riyli hañ bac; bt I mst tec mî plunj. In gwñ on wɖ ɖ record v ẃt wz hidịs at Blai, I nt onli ćalinj ɖ most libṛl feʈ – fr ẃć I litl cer; bt – n ɖs z anɖr matr – I rny ẃt I mslf sufrd, I agn pś mî we ʈru it t ɖ end. Ɖr cem sudnli an aur aftr ẃć, az I lc bac, ɖ afer sīmz t m t hv bn ol pyr suf̣rñ; bt I hv at līst rīćt ɖ hart v it, n ɖ stretist rod ǎt z dǎtlis t advans. Wn īvnñ – wɖ nʈñ t līd p or t priper it – I flt ɖ cold tuć v ɖ impreśn ɖt hd briɖd on m ɖ nît v mî arîvl n ẃć, mć lîtr ɖen, az I hv mnśnd, I śd probbli hv md litl v in meṃri hd mî subsiqnt sojrn bn les ajtetd. I hd nt gn t bed; I sat rīdñ bî a cupl v candlz. Ɖr wz a rūmfl v old bcs at Blai – last-snćri fix́n, sm v it, ẃć, t ɖ xtnt v a dstñtli depṛcetd rnǎn, bt nvr t so mć az ɖt v a stre spesimn, hd rīćt ɖ s’qestrd hom n apild t ɖ un’vaud krioṣti v mî yʈ. I rmembr ɖt ɖ bc I hd in mî hand wz Fīldñ’z Amīła; olso ɖt I wz hoļi awec. I rcōl frɖr bʈ a jenṛl cnvix́n ɖt it wz hoṛbli lêt n a ptiklr objx́n t lcñ at mî woć. I figr, fîṇli, ɖt ɖ ẃît crtn drepñ, in ɖ faśn v ɖoz dez, ɖ hed v Flora’z litl bed, śrǎdd, az I hd aśurd mslf loñ bfr, ɖ pfx́n v ćîldiś rest. I rec̣lect in śort ɖt, ɖo I wz dīpli inṭrestd in mî oʈr, I faund mslf, at ɖ trn v a pej n wɖ hiz spel ol scatrd, lcñ stret p fṛm him n hard at ɖ dor v mî rūm. Ɖr wz a momnt jrñ ẃć I lisnd, rmîndd v ɖ fent sns I hd hd, ɖ frst nît, v ɖr biyñ smʈñ undifîṇbli astŕ in ɖ hǎs, n notd ɖ soft breʈ v ɖ opn cesmnt jst muv ɖ haf-drwn blînd. Ɖen, wɖ ol ɖ marcs v a dliḅreśn ɖt mst hv sīmd mgnifisnt hd ɖr bn eniwn t admîr it, I leid dǎn mî bc, rouz t mî fīt, n, tecñ a candl, wnt stret ǎt v ɖ rūm n, fṛm ɖ pasij, on ẃć mî lît md litl impreśn, nôzlisli clozd n loct ɖ dor.

I cn se nǎ nɖr ẃt dtrmind nr ẃt gîdd m, bt I wnt stret alñ ɖ lobi, holdñ mî candl hî, tl I cem wɖn sît v ɖ tōl windo ɖt prizîdd ovr ɖ gret trn v ɖ sterces. At ɖs pônt I prisipittli faund mslf awer v ʈri ʈñz. Ɖe wr practicli simlteńs, yt ɖe hd flaśz v s’xeśn. Mî candl, undr a bold fluriś, wnt ǎt, n I psivd, bî ɖ uncuvrd windo, ɖt ɖ yīldñ dusc v rliist mornñ rendrd it uņesṣri. Wɖt it, ɖ nxt instnt, I sw ɖt ɖr wz smwn on ɖ ster. I spīc v sīqnsz, bt I rqîrd no laps v secndz t stifn mslf fr a ʈrd incǎntr wɖ Qint. Ɖ aṗriśn hd rīćt ɖ landñ hafwe p n wz ɖrfr on ɖ spot nirist ɖ windo, ẃr at sît v m, it stopt śort n fixt m xacli az it hd fixt m fṛm ɖ tǎr n fṛm ɖ gardn. H ń m az wel az I ń him; n so, in ɖ cold, fent twîlît, wɖ a glimr in ɖ hî glas n anɖr on ɖ poliś v ɖ oc ster b’lo, w fest ć uɖr in ǎr comn intnṣti. H wz abṣlutli, on ɖs oceźn, a livñ, dtstbl, denjṛs prezns. Bt ɖt wz nt ɖ wundr v wundrz; I rzrv ɖs dstñśn fr qt anɖr srcmstans: ɖ srcmstans ɖt dred hd unmistecbli qitd m n ɖt ɖr wz nʈñ in m ɖr ɖt dd’nt mīt n meźr him.

I hd plenti v anḡś aftr ɖt xtrordnri momnt, bt I hd, ʈanc God, no terr. N h ń I hd nt – I faund mslf at ɖ end v an instnt mgnifisntli awer v ɖs. I flt, in a firs rigr v confidns, ɖt f I std mî grǎnd a minit I śd sīs – fr ɖ tîm, at līst – t hv him t recn wɖ; n jrñ ɖ minit, acordñli, ɖ ʈñ wz az hymn n hidịs az a riyl inṭvy: hidịs jst bcz it wz hymn, az hymn az t hv met alon, in ɖ smōl aurz, in a slīpñ hǎs, sm eṇmi, sm advnćrr, sm criminl. It wz ɖ ded sîḷns v ǎr loñ gêz at sć clos qortrz ɖt gev ɖ hol horr, hyj az it wz, its onli not v ɖ uņaćṛl. F I hd met a mrdrr in sć a ples n at sć an aur, w stl at līst wd hv spocn. Smʈñ wd hv pást, in lîf, btwn s; f nʈñ hd pást, wn v s wd hv muvd. Ɖ momnt wz so pṛloñd ɖt it wd hv tecn bt litl mor t mc m dǎt f īvn I wr in lîf. I c’nt xpres ẃt foloud it sev bî seyñ ɖt ɖ sîḷns itslf – ẃć wz indd in a manr an aṭsteśn v mî streñʈ – bcem ɖ elimnt intu ẃć I sw ɖ figr dis’pir; in ẃć I defiṇtli sw it trn az I mt hv sìn ɖ lo reć t ẃć it hd wns b’loñd trn on rsit v an ordr, n pas, wɖ mî îz on ɖ viḷṇs bac ɖt no hunć cd hv mor dsfigrd, stret dǎn ɖ sterces n intu ɖ darcnis in ẃć ɖ nxt bnd wz lost.

“Wel, y nǒ, I ʈt smwn wz” – ś nvr blanćt az ś smîld ǎt ɖt at m.Ǒ, hǎ I lct at hr nǎ! “N dd y si eniwn?”

“Ā, no!” ś rtrnd, olmst wɖ ɖ fl priṿlij v ćîldiś inconsiqns, rzntf̣li, ɖo wɖ a loñ swītnis in hr litl drōl v ɖ neġtiv.

At ɖt momnt, in ɖ stet v mî nrvz, I abṣlutli b’livd ś laid; n f I wns mor clozd mî îz it wz bfr ɖ dazl v ɖ ʈri or for poṣbl wez in ẃć I mt tec ɖs p. Wn v ɖz, fr a momnt, tmtd m wɖ sć snğlr intnṣti ɖt, t wɖstand it, I mst hv gript mî litl grl wɖ a spazm ɖt, wundrf̣li, ś sbmitd t wɖt a crî or a sîn v frît. Ẃ nt brec ǎt at hr on ɖ spot n hv it ol ovr? – gv it t hr stret in hr luvli litl lîtd fes? “Y si, y si, y nǒ ɖt y d n ɖt y olrdi qt sspct I b’liv it; ɖrfr, ẃ nt francli cnfes it t m, so ɖt w me at līst liv wɖ it tgɖr n lrn phps, in ɖ strenjnis v ǎr fet, ẃr w r n ẃt it mīnz?” Ɖs s’liṣteśn dropt, alas, az it cem: f I cd imīɉtli hv s’cumd t it I mt hv sperd mslf – wel, y’l si ẃt. Instd v s’cumñ I sprañ agn t mî fīt, lct at hr bed, n tc a hlplis midl we. “Ẃ dd y pl ɖ crtn ovr ɖ ples t mc m ʈnc y wr stl ɖr?”

Flora lūmiṇsli cnsidrd; aftr ẃć, wɖ hr litl dvîn smîl: “Bcz I d’nt lîc t frîtn y!”

“Bt f I hd, bî yr îdīa, gn ǎt – ?”

Ś abṣlutli dclînd t b puzld; ś trnd hr îz t ɖ flem v ɖ candl az f ɖ qsćn wr az ireḷvnt, or at eni ret az imprsnl, az Msz. Marsét or nîn-tîmz-nîn. “Ǒ, bt y nǒ,” ś qt adiqtli ansrd, “ɖt y mt cm bac, y dir, n ɖt y hv!” N aftr a litl, ẃn ś hd got intu bed, I hd, fr a loñ tîm, bî olmst sitñ on hr t hold hr hand, t pruv ɖt I rec̣gnîzd ɖ prṭnns v mî rtrn.

Y me imajin ɖ jenṛl cmplex́n, fṛm ɖt momnt, v mî nîts. I rpitidli sat p tl I dd’nt nǒ ẃn; I s’lectd momnts ẃn mî rūm̦êt unmistecbli slept, n, stìlñ ǎt, tc nôzlis trnz in ɖ pasij n īvn pśt az far az t ẃr I hd last met Qint. Bt I nvr met him ɖr agn; n I me az wel se at wns ɖt I on no uɖr oceźn sw him in ɖ hǎs. I jst míst, on ɖ sterces, on ɖ uɖr hand, a difṛnt advnćr. Lcñ dǎn it fṛm ɖ top I wns rec̣gnîzd ɖ prezns v a wmn sītd on wn v ɖ lowr steps wɖ hr bac prizntd t m, hr bodi haf-baud n hr hed, in an attyd v wo, in hr handz. I hd bn ɖr bt an instnt, hvr, ẃn ś vaniśt wɖt lcñ rnd at m. I ń, nnɖles, xacli ẃt dredfl fes ś hd t śo; n I wundrd ẃɖr, f instd v biyñ abv I hd bn b’lo, I śd hv hd, fr gwñ p, ɖ sem nrv I hd lêtli śoun Qint. Wel, ɖr cntinyd t b plenti v ćans fr nrv. On ɖ ilevnʈ nît aftr mî lêtist incǎntr wɖ ɖt jntlmn – ɖe wr ol numbrd nǎ – I hd an alarm ɖt periḷsli scrtd it n ɖt indd, fṛm ɖ ptiklr qoḷti v its unixpctidnis, pruvd qt mî śarpist śoc. It wz prisîsli ɖ frst nît jrñ ɖs siriz ɖt, wiri wɖ woćñ, I hd flt ɖt I mt agn wɖt lax̣ti le mslf dǎn at mî old aur. I slept imīɉtli n, az I afṭwd ń, tl abt wn o’cloc; bt ẃn I wouc it wz t sit stret p, az cmplitli rǎzd az f a hand hd śc m. I hd left a lît brnñ, bt it wz nǎ ǎt, n I flt an instnt srtnti ɖt Flora hd xtnḡśt it. Ɖs bròt m t mî fīt n stret, in ɖ darcnis, t hr bed, ẃć I faund ś hd left. A glans at ɖ windo inlîtnd m frɖr, n ɖ strîcñ v a mać cmplitd ɖ picćr.

Ɖ ćîld hd agn got p – ɖs tîm blowñ ǎt ɖ tepr, n hd agn, fr sm prṗs v obẓveśn or rspons, sqizd in bhnd ɖ blînd n wz pirñ ǎt intu ɖ nît. Ɖt ś nǎ sw – az ś hd nt, I hd saṭsfaid mslf, ɖ prīvịs tîm – wz pruvd t m bî ɖ fact ɖt ś wz dstrbd nɖr bî mî riiluṃneśn nr bî ɖ hest I md t gt intu sliprz n intu a ráp. Hidn, pṛtctd, abzorbd, ś evidntli restd on ɖ sil – ɖ cesmnt opnd fwd – n gev hrslf p. Ɖr wz a gret stil mūn t hlp hr, n ɖs fact hd cǎntd in mî qc dsiźn. Ś wz fes t fes wɖ ɖ aṗriśn w hd met at ɖ lec, n cd nǎ cḿṇcet wɖ it az ś hd nt ɖen bn ebl t d. Ẃt I, on mî sîd, hd t cer fr wz, wɖt dstrbñ hr, t rīć, fṛm ɖ coṛdor, sm uɖr windo in ɖ sem qortr. I got t ɖ dor wɖt hr hírñ m; I got ǎt v it, clozd it, n lisnd, fṛm ɖ uɖr sîd, fr sm sǎnd fṛm hr. Ẃl I std in ɖ pasij I hd mî îz on hr bruɖr’z dor, ẃć wz bt ten steps of n ẃć, indiscrîbbli, pṛdyst in m a rnywl v ɖ strenj impuls ɖt I lêtli spouc v az mî tmteśn. Ẃt f I śd g stret in n marć t hiz windo? – ẃt f, bî riscñ t hiz bôiś bwildrmnt a reṿleśn v mî motiv, I śd ʈro acrs ɖ rest v ɖ misṭri ɖ loñ hōltr v mî boldnis?

Ɖs ʈt hld m sfiśntli t mc m cros t hiz ʈreśhold n pōz agn. I prīṭnaćṛli lisnd; I figrd t mslf ẃt mt portnṭsli b; I wundrd f hiz bed wr olso emti n h tù wr sīcṛtli at woć. It wz a dīp, sǎndlis minit, at ɖ end v ẃć mî impuls feld. H wz qayt; h mt b iṇsnt; ɖ risc wz hidịs; I trnd awe. Ɖr wz a figr in ɖ grǎndz – a figr prǎlñ fr a sît, ɖ vizitr wɖ hūm Flora wz ingejd; bt it wz nt ɖ vizitr most cnsrnd wɖ mî bô. I heztetd afreś, bt on uɖr grǎndz n onli fr a fy secndz; ɖen I hd md mî ćôs. Ɖr wr emti rūmz at Blai, n it wz onli a qsćn v ćuzñ ɖ rît wn. Ɖ rît wn sudnli prizntd itslf t m az ɖ lowr wn – ɖo hî abv ɖ gardnz – in ɖ solid cornr v ɖ hǎs ɖt I hv spocn v az ɖ old tǎr. Ɖs wz a larj, sqer ćembr, arenjd wɖ sm stet az a bedrūm, ɖ xtraṿgnt sîz v ẃć md it so incnvińnt ɖt it hd nt fr yirz, ɖo cept bî Msz. Grǒs in xmpḷri ordr, bn okpaid. I hd ofn admîrd it n I ń mî we abt in it; I hd onli, aftr jst fōlṭrñ at ɖ frst ćil glūm v its dsys, t pas acrs it n unbolt az qaytli az I cd wn v ɖ śutrz. Aćivñ ɖs transit, I uncuvrd ɖ glas wɖt a sǎnd n, aplayñ mî fes t ɖ pein, wz ebl, ɖ darcnis wɖt biyñ mć les ɖn wɖn, t si ɖt I cmandd ɖ rît d’rex́n. Ɖen I sw smʈñ mor. Ɖ mūn md ɖ nît xtrordnṛli penitṛbl n śoud m on ɖ lōn a prsn, dminiśt bî distns, hu std ɖr mośnlis n az f faṣnetd, lcñ p t ẃr I hd apird – lcñ, ɖt z, nt so mć stret at m az at smʈñ ɖt wz apaṛntli abv m. Ɖr wz clirli anɖr prsn abv m – ɖr wz a prsn on ɖ tǎr; bt ɖ prezns on ɖ lōn wz nt in ɖ līst ẃt I hd cnsivd n hd confidntli hurid t mīt. Ɖ prezns on ɖ lōn – I flt sic az I md it ǎt – wz pur litl Mîlz himslf.

At ɖ aur I nǎ spīc v ś hd jônd m, undr preśr, on ɖ teris, ẃr, wɖ ɖ laps v ɖ sīzn, ɖ afṭnunsún wz nǎ agriybl; n w sat ɖr tgɖr ẃl, bfr s, at a distns, bt wɖn cōl f w wśt, ɖ ćildṛn strold t n fro in wn v ɖer most maniɉbl mūdz. Ɖe muvd slǒli, in ynisn, b’lo s, ovr ɖ lōn, ɖ bô, az ɖe wnt, rīdñ alǎd fṛm a stori-bc n pasñ hiz arm rnd hiz sistr t cīp hr qt in tuć. Msz. Grǒs woćt ɖm wɖ poẓtiv pḷsidti; ɖen I còt ɖ s’prest inṭlecćl crīc wɖ ẃć ś conśienśsli trnd t tec fṛm m a vy v ɖ bac v ɖ taṗstri. I hd md hr a rspticl v lŭrid ʈñz, bt ɖr wz an od recgniśn v mî s’pirioṛti – mî acumpliśmnts n mî fuñśn – in hr peśns undr mî pen. Ś ofrd hr mînd t mî dscloźrz az, hd I wśt t mix a wić’z broʈ n pṛpozd it wɖ aśuṛns, ś wd hv hld ǎt a larj clīn sōspn. Ɖs hd bcm ʈuṛli hr attyd bî ɖ tîm ɖt, in mî rsîtl v ɖ ivnts v ɖ nît, I rīćt ɖ pônt v ẃt Mîlz hd sd t m ẃn, aftr siyñ him, at sć a monstṛs aur, olmst on ɖ vri spot ẃr h hapnd nǎ t b, I hd gn dǎn t brñ him in; ćuzñ ɖen, at ɖ windo, wɖ a consntretd nīd v nt alarmñ ɖ hǎs, rɖr ɖt meʈ̇d ɖn a signl mor reẓnnt. I hd left hr mnẃl in litl dǎt v mî smōl hop v reprizntñ wɖ s’xes īvn t hr acćl simṗʈi mî sns v ɖ riyl splendr v ɖ litl insṗreśn wɖ ẃć, aftr I hd got him intu ɖ hǎs, ɖ bô met mî fînl artikḷt ćalinj. Az sn az I apird in ɖ mūnlît on ɖ teris, h hd cm t m az stret az poṣbl; on ẃć I hd tecn hiz hand wɖt a wrd n léd him, ʈru ɖ darc spesz, p ɖ sterces ẃr Qint hd so hungṛli hovrd fr him, alñ ɖ lobi ẃr I hd lisnd n trembld, n so t hiz fōrsecn rūm.Nt a sǎnd, on ɖ we, hd pást btwn s, n I hd wundrd – ǒ, hǎ I hd wundrd! – f h wr gropñ abt in hiz litl mînd fr smʈñ plōẓbl n nt tù gṛtesc. It wd tax hiz invnśn, srtnli, n I flt, ɖs tîm, ovr hiz riyl imbaṛsmnt, a krịs ʈril v trîumf. It wz a śarp trap fr ɖ inscrūṭbl! H cd’nt ple eni longr at iṇsns; so hǎ ɖ dys wd h gt ǎt v it? Ɖr bìt in m indd, wɖ ɖ paśṇt ʈrob v ɖs qsćn an īql dum apil az t hǎ ɖ dys I śd. I wz cnfruntd at last, az nvr yt, wɖ ol ɖ risc ataćt īvn nǎ t sǎndñ mî ǒn horid not. I rmembr in fact ɖt az w pśt intu hiz litl ćembr, ẃr ɖ bed hd nt bn slept in at ol n ɖ windo, uncuvrd t ɖ mūnlît, md ɖ ples so clir ɖt ɖr wz no nīd v strîcñ a mać – I rmembr hǎ I sudnli dropt, sanc upn ɖ éj v ɖ bed fṛm ɖ fors v ɖ îdīa ɖt h mst nǒ hǎ h riyli, az ɖe se, “hd” m. H cd d ẃt h lîct, wɖ ol hiz clevrnis t hlp him, so loñ az I śd cntiny t dfŕ t ɖ old tṛdiśn v ɖ criṃnaḷti v ɖoz certecrz v ɖ yuñ hu ministr t sūṗstiśnz n firz. H “hd” m indd, n in a cleft stic; fr hu wd evr abzolv m, hu wd cnsnt ɖt I śd g unhuñ, f, bî ɖ fentist tremr v an oṿćr, I wr ɖ frst t intṛdys intu ǎr prfict inṭcors an elimnt so dîr? No, no: it wz yslis t atmt t cnve t Msz. Grǒs, jst az it z scersli les so t atmt t sjst hir, hǎ, in ǎr śort, stif bruś in ɖ darc, h ferli śc m wɖ adṃreśn. I wz v cors ʈuṛli cînd n mrsifl; nvr, nvr yt hd I plest on hiz litl śoldrz handz v sć tndrnis az ɖoz wɖ ẃć, ẃl I restd agnst ɖ bed, I hld him ɖr wel undr fîr. I hd no oltrṇtiv bt, in form at līst, t pt it t him.

“Y mst tel m nǎ – n ol ɖ truʈ. Ẃt dd y g ǎt fr? Ẃt wr y dwñ ɖr?”

I cn stl si hiz wundrfl smîl, ɖ ẃîts v hiz bytifl îz, n ɖ uncuṿrñ v hiz litl tīʈ śîn t m in ɖ dusc. “F I tel y ẃ, wl y unḍstand?” Mî hart, at ɖs, lept intu mî mǎʈ. Wd h tel m ẃ? I faund no sǎnd on mî lips t pres it, n I wz awer v rplayñ onli wɖ a veg, rpitd, griṃsñ nod. H wz jntlnis itslf, n ẃl I wagd mî hed at him h std ɖr mor ɖn evr a litl fẹriprins. It wz hiz brîtnis indd ɖt gev m a respît. Wd it b so gret f h wr riyli gwñ t tel m? “Wel,” h sd at last, “jst xacli in ordr ɖt y śd d ɖs.”

“D ẃt?”

“Ʈnc m – fr a ćenj – bad!” I śl nvr fget ɖ swītnis n geyti wɖ ẃć h bròt ǎt ɖ wrd, nr hǎ, on top v it, h bnt fwd n cist m. It wz practicli ɖ end v evriʈñ. I met hiz cis n I hd t mc, ẃl I foldd him fr a minit in mî armz, ɖ most stypnds ef̣t nt t crî. H hd gvn xacli ɖ acǎnt v himslf ɖt pmitd līst v mî gwñ bhnd it, n it wz onli wɖ ɖ ifct v cnfrmñ mî axptns v it ɖt, az I prezntli glanst abt ɖ rūm, I cd se –

“Ɖen y dd’nt undres at ol?”

H ferli glitrd in ɖ glūm. “Nt at ol. I sat p n réd.”

“N ẃn dd y g dǎn?”

“At midnît. Ẃn I’m bad I am bad!”

“I si, I si – it’s ćarmñ. Bt hǎ cd y b śr I wd nǒ it?”

“Ǒ, I arenjd ɖt wɖ Flora.” Hiz ansrz rañ ǎt wɖ a redinis! “Ś wz t gt p n lc ǎt.”

“Ẃć z ẃt ś dd d.” It wz I hu fél intu ɖ trap!

“So ś dstrbd y, n, t si ẃt ś wz lcñ at, y olso lct – y sw.”

“Ẃl y,” I cncŕd, “còt yr deʈ in ɖ nîter!”

H litṛli blūmd so fṛm ɖs xplôt ɖt h cd aford redịntli t asnt. “Hǎ uɖ̇wz śd I hv bn bad inuf?” h asct. Ɖen, aftr anɖr imbres, ɖ insidnt n ǎr inṭvy clozd on mî recgniśn v ol ɖ rzrvz v gdnis ɖt, fr hiz joc, h hd bn ebl t drw upn.

“Lord, y d ćenj!” craid mî frend.“I d’nt ćenj – I simpli mc it ǎt. Ɖ for, dpnd upn it, ppć̣li mīt. F on îɖr v ɖz last nîts y hd bn wɖ îɖr ćîld, y wd clirli hv unḍstd. Ɖ mor I’v woćt n wêtd ɖ mor I’v flt ɖt f ɖr wr nʈñ els t mc it śr it wd b md so bî ɖ sisṭmatic sîḷns v ć. Nvr, bî a slip v ɖ tuñ, hv ɖe so mć az aludd t îɖr v ɖer old frendz, eni mor ɖn Mîlz hz aludd t hiz xpulśn. Ǒ, yes, w me sit hir n lc at ɖm, n ɖe me śo of t s ɖr t ɖer fil; bt īvn ẃl ɖe pritnd t b lost in ɖer fẹritêl ɖ’r stīpt in ɖer viźn v ɖ ded rstord. H’z nt rīdñ t hr,” I dclerd; “ɖ’r tōcñ v ɖm – ɖ’r tōcñ horrz! I g on, I nǒ, az f I wr crezi; n it’s a wundr I’m nt. Ẃt I’v sìn wd hv md y so; bt it hz onli md m mor lūsid, md m gt hold v stl uɖr ʈñz.”

Mî lūsidti mst hv sīmd ōfl, bt ɖ ćarmñ crīćrz hu wr victimz v it, pasñ n rīpasñ in ɖer inṭloct swītnis, gev mî colīg smʈñ t hold on bî; n I flt hǎ tît ś hld az, wɖt stŕñ in ɖ breʈ v mî paśn, ś cuvrd ɖm stl wɖ hr îz. “V ẃt uɖr ʈñz hv y got hold?”

“Ẃ, v ɖ vri ʈñz ɖt hv dlîtd, faṣnetd, n yt, at botm, az I nǎ so strenjli si, misṭfaid n trubld m. Ɖer mor ɖn rʈli byti, ɖer abṣlutli uņaćṛl gdnis. It’s a gem,” I wnt on; “it’s a poḷsi n a frōd!”

“On ɖ part v litl darlñz – ?”

“Az yt mir luvli bebiz? Yes, mad az ɖt sīmz!” Ɖ vri act v brññ it ǎt riyli hlpt m t tres it – folo it ol p n pìs it ol tgɖr. “Ɖe hv’nt bn gd – ɖ’v onli bn absnt. It hz bn īzi t liv wɖ ɖm, bcz ɖ’r simpli līdñ a lîf v ɖer ǒn. Ɖ’r nt mîn – ɖ’r nt ǎrz. Ɖ’r hiz n ɖ’r hrz!”

“Qint’s n ɖt wmn’z?”

“Qint’s n ɖt wmn’z. Ɖe wont t gt t ɖm.”

Ǒ, hǎ, at ɖs, pur Msz. Grǒs apird t studi ɖm! “Bt fr ẃt?”

“Fr ɖ luv v ol ɖ īvl ɖt, in ɖoz dredfl dez, ɖ per pt intu ɖm. N t plî ɖm wɖ ɖt īvl stl, t cīp p ɖ wrc v dīmnz, z ẃt brñz ɖ uɖrz bac.”

“Lwz!” sd mî frend undr hr breʈ. Ɖ xcḷmeśn wz homli, bt it rvild a riyl axptns v mî frɖr prūf v ẃt, in ɖ bad tîm – fr ɖr hd bn a wrs īvn ɖn ɖs! – mst hv ocŕd. Ɖr cd hv bn no sć justif̣ceśn fr m az ɖ plen asnt v hr xpirịns t ẃtvr depʈ v dpravti I faund creḍbl in ǎr bres v scǎndṛlz. It wz in obvịs sbmiśn v meṃri ɖt ś bròt ǎt aftr a momnt: “Ɖe wr rasclz! Bt ẃt cn ɖe nǎ d?” ś psyd.

“D?” I ecoud so lǎd ɖt Mîlz n Flora, az ɖe pást at ɖer distns, pōzd an instnt in ɖer wōc n lct at s. “D’nt ɖe d inuf?” I dmandd in a lowr ton, ẃl ɖ ćildṛn, hvñ smîld n nodd n cist handz t s, rzymd ɖer xbiśn. W wr hld bî it a minit; ɖen I ansrd: “Ɖe cn dstrô ɖm!” At ɖs mî cmpańn dd trn, bt ɖ inqîri ś lōnćt wz a sîḷnt wn, ɖ ifct v ẃć wz t mc m mor xplisit. “Ɖe d’nt nǒ, az yt, qt hǎ – bt ɖ’r trayñ hard. Ɖ’r sìn onli acrs, az it wr, n bynd – in strenj plesz n on hî plesz, ɖ top v tǎrz, ɖ rūf v hǎzz, ɖ ǎtsd v windoz, ɖ frɖr éj v pūlz; bt ɖr’z a dīp dzîn, on îɖr sîd, t śortn ɖ distns n oṿcm ɖ obsṭcl; n ɖ s’xes v ɖ tmtrz z onli a qsćn v tîm. Ɖ’v onli t cīp t ɖer sjsćnz v denjr.”

“Fr ɖ ćildṛn t cm?”

“N periś in ɖ atmt!” Msz. Grǒs slǒli got p, n I scrūpyḷsli add: “Unls, v cors, w cn privnt!”

Standñ ɖr bfr m ẃl I cept mî sīt, ś viẓbli trnd ʈñz ovr. “Ɖer uncl mst d ɖ privntñ. H mst tec ɖm awe.”

“N hu’z t mc him?”

Ś hd bn scanñ ɖ distns, bt ś nǎ dropt on m a fūliś fes. “Y, mis.”

“Bî raitñ t him ɖt hiz hǎs z pôznd n hiz litl nefy n nīs mad?”

“Bt f ɖe r, mis?”

“N f I am mslf, y mīn? Ɖt’s ćarmñ nyz t b snt him bî a guṿnes huz prîm unḍtecñ wz t gv him no wuri.”

Msz. Grǒs cnsidrd, folowñ ɖ ćildṛn agn. “Yes, h d het wuri. Ɖt wz ɖ gret rīzn – ”

“Ẃ ɖoz fīndz tc him in so loñ? No dǎt, ɖo hiz indifṛns mst hv bn ōfl. Az I’m nt a fīnd, at eni ret, I śd’nt tec him in.”

Mî cmpańn, aftr an instnt n fr ol ansr, sat dǎn agn n graspt mî arm. “Mc him at eni ret cm t y.”

I stérd. “T m?” I hd a sudn fir v ẃt ś mt d. “‘Him’?”

“H òt t b hir – h òt t hlp.”

I qcli rouz, n I ʈnc I mst hv śoun hr a qirr fes ɖn evr yt. “Y si m ascñ him fr a vizit?” No, wɖ hr îz on mî fes ś evidntli cd’nt. Instd v it īvn – az a wmn rīdz anɖr – ś cd si ẃt I mslf sw: hiz d’riźn, hiz aḿzmnt, hiz cntmt fr ɖ brecdǎn v mî reẓgneśn at biyñ left alon n fr ɖ fîn mśīṇri I hd set in mośn t atract hiz atnśn t mî slîtd ćarmz. Ś dd’nt nǒ – nwn ń – hǎ prǎd I hd bn t srv him n t stic t ǎr trmz; yt ś nnɖles tc ɖ meźr, I ʈnc, v ɖ wornñ I nǎ gev hr. “F y śd so lūz yr hed az t apil t him fr m – ”

Ś wz riyli frîtnd. “Yes, mis?”

“I wd līv, on ɖ spot, bʈ him n y.”

It wz partli at sć juñćrz az ɖz n partli at qt difṛnt wnz ɖt, wɖ ɖ trn mî matrz hd nǎ tecn, mî pridic̣mnt, az I hv cōld it, grù most snṣbl. Ɖ fact ɖt ɖ dez pást fr m wɖt anɖr incǎntr òt, it wd hv apird, t hv dn smʈñ twd suɖñ mî nrvz. Sins ɖ lît bruś, ɖt secnd nît on ɖ upr landñ, v ɖ prezns v a wmn at ɖ ft v ɖ ster, I hd sìn nʈñ, ẃɖr in or ǎt v ɖ hǎs, ɖt wn hd betr nt hv sìn. Ɖr wz mni a cornr rnd ẃć I xpctd t cm upn Qint, n mni a sićueśn ɖt, in a mirli sinistr we, wd hv fevrd ɖ apiṛns v Mis Jesl. Ɖ sumr hd trnd, ɖ sumr hd gn; ɖ ōtm hd dropt upn Blai n hd bloun ǎt haf ǎr lîts. Ɖ ples, wɖ its gre scî n wiɖrd garḷndz, its bérd spesz n scatrd ded līvz, wz lîc a ʈiytr aftr ɖ pformns – ol strùn wɖ crumpld plêbílz. Ɖr wr xacli stets v ɖ er, cndiśnz v sǎnd n v stilnis, unspīcbl impreśnz v ɖ cnd v minisṭrñ momnt, ɖt bròt bac t m, loñ inuf t cać it, ɖ fīlñ v ɖ mīdịm in ẃć, ɖt Jūn īvnñ ǎt v dorz, I hd hd mî frst sît v Qint, n in ẃć, tù, at ɖoz uɖr instnts, I hd, aftr siyñ him ʈru ɖ windo, lct fr him in ven in ɖ srcl v śruḅri. I rec̣gnîzd ɖ sînz, ɖ portnts – I rec̣gnîzd ɖ momnt, ɖ spot. Bt ɖe rmend un’cumṗnid n emti, n I cntinyd unṃlestd; f unṃlestd wn cd cōl a yuñ wmn huz snsbiḷti hd, in ɖ most xtrordnri faśn, nt dclînd bt dīpnd. I hd sd in mî tōc wɖ Msz. Grǒs on ɖt horid sīn v Flora’z bî ɖ lec – n hd pplext hr bî so seyñ – ɖt it wd fṛm ɖt momnt dstres m mć mor t lūz mî pǎr ɖn t cīp it. I hd ɖen xprest ẃt wz vividli in mî mînd: ɖ truʈ ɖt, ẃɖr ɖ ćildṛn riyli sw or nt – sins, ɖt z, it wz nt yt defiṇtli pruvd – I gretli prifŕd, az a sefgard, ɖ fŭlnis v mî ǒn xpoźr. I wz redi t nǒ ɖ vri wrst ɖt wz t b noun. Ẃt I hd ɖen hd an ugli glims v wz ɖt mî îz mt b sìld jst ẃl ɖerz wr most opnd. Wel, mî îz wr sìld, it apird, at preznt – a consymeśn fr ẃć it sīmd blasfṃs nt t ʈanc God. Ɖr wz, alas, a dificlti abt ɖt: I wd hv ʈanct him wɖ ol mî soul hd I nt hd in a pṛporśṇt meźr ɖs cnvix́n v ɖ sīcrit v mî pyplz.Hǎ cn I rītres tde ɖ strenj steps v mî obseśn? Ɖr wr tîmz v ǎr biyñ tgɖr ẃn I wd hv bn redi t swer ɖt, litṛli, in mî prezns, bt wɖ mî d’rect sns v it clozd, ɖe hd vizitrz hu wr noun n wr welcm. Ɖen it wz ɖt, hd I nt bn dtrd bî ɖ vri ćans ɖt sć an inɉri mt pruv gretr ɖn ɖ inɉri t b avrtd, mî xlteśn wd hv brocn ǎt. “Ɖ’r hir, ɖ’r hir, y litl rećz,” I wd hv craid, “n y c’nt dnî it nǎ!” Ɖ litl rećz dnaid it wɖ ol ɖ add volym v ɖer sośbiḷti n ɖer tndrnis, in jst ɖ cristl depʈs v ẃć – lîc ɖ flaś v a fiś in a strīm – ɖ moc̣ri v ɖer advantij pīpt p. Ɖ śoc, in truʈ, hd sunc intu m stl dīpr ɖn I ń on ɖ nît ẃn, lcñ ǎt t si îɖr Qint or Mis Jesl undr ɖ starz, I hd bheld ɖ bô ovr huz rest I woćt n hu hd imīɉtli bròt in wɖ him – hd stretwe, ɖr, trnd it on m – ɖ luvli upwd lc wɖ ẃć, fṛm ɖ batlmnts abv m, ɖ hidịs aṗriśn v Qint hd pleid. F it wz a qsćn v a scer, mî dscuṿri on ɖs oceźn hd scerd m mor ɖn eni uɖr, n it wz in ɖ cndiśn v nrvz pṛdyst bî it ɖt I md mî acćl indux́nz. Ɖe haṛst m so ɖt smtmz, at od momnts, I śut mslf p ōḍbli t rhrs – it wz at wns a fntastic rlif n a rnyd dsper – ɖ manr in ẃć I mt cm t ɖ pônt. I aproćt it fṛm wn sîd n ɖ uɖr ẃl, in mî rūm, I fluñ mslf abt, bt I olwz brouc dǎn in ɖ monstṛs utṛns v nemz. Az ɖe daid awe on mî lips, I sd t mslf ɖt I śd indd hlp ɖm t repriznt smʈñ infṃs, f, bî pṛnǎnsñ ɖm, I śd vaylet az rer a litl ces v instñtiv delic̣si az eni scūlrūm, probbli, hd evr noun. Ẃn I sd t mslf: “Ɖe hv ɖ manrz t b sîḷnt, n y, trustd az y r, ɖ besnis t spīc!” I flt mslf crimzn n I cuvrd mî fes wɖ mî handz. Aftr ɖz sīcrit sīnz I ćatrd mor ɖn evr, gwñ on vołbli inuf tl wn v ǎr pṛdijs, palṗbl huśz ocŕd – I cn cōl ɖm nʈñ els – ɖ strenj, dizi lift or swim (I trî fr trmz!) intu a stilnis, a pōz v ol lîf, ɖt hd nʈñ t d wɖ ɖ mor or les nôz ɖt at ɖ momnt w mt b ingejd in mcñ n ɖt I cd hír ʈru eni dīpnd xiḷreśn or qcnd reṣteśn or lǎdr strum v ɖ piano. Ɖen it wz ɖt ɖ uɖrz, ɖ ǎtsîdrz, wr ɖr. Ɖo ɖe wr nt enjlz, ɖe “pást,” az ɖ Frenć se, cōzñ m, ẃl ɖe steid, t trembl wɖ ɖ fir v ɖer adresñ t ɖer yungr victimz sm yt mor infrṇl mesij or mor vivid imij ɖn ɖe hd ʈt gd inuf fr mslf.

Ẃt it wz most imposbl t gt rid v wz ɖ cruwl îdīa ɖt, ẃtvr I hd sìn, Mîlz n Flora sw mor – ʈñz teṛbl n ungeṣbl n ɖt sprañ fṛm dredfl paṣjz v inṭcors in ɖ past. Sć ʈñz naćṛli left on ɖ srfis, fr ɖ tîm, a ćil ẃć w vsifṛsli dnaid ɖt w flt; n w hd, ol ʈri, wɖ reṗtiśn, got intu sć splendid trenñ ɖt w wnt, ć tîm, olmst ōṭmaticli, t marc ɖ cloz v ɖ insidnt, ʈru ɖ vri sem muvmnts. It wz strîcñ v ɖ ćildṛn, at ol ivnts, t cis m invetṛtli wɖ a cnd v wîld ireḷvns n nvr t fel – wn or ɖ uɖr – v ɖ preśs qsćn ɖt hd hlpt s ʈru mni a peṛl. “Ẃn d y ʈnc h wl cm? D’nt y ʈnc w òt t rait?” – ɖr wz nʈñ lîc ɖt inqîri, w faund bî xpirịns, fr cariyñ of an ōcẉdnis. “H” v cors wz ɖer uncl in Harli Strīt; n w livd in mć pṛfyźn v ʈiyri ɖt h mt at eni momnt arîv t mngl in ǎr srcl. It wz imposbl t hv gvn les incurijmnt ɖn h hd dn t sć a doctrin, bt f w hd nt hd ɖ doctrin t fōl bac upn w śd hv dprîvd ć uɖr v sm v ǎr fînist xbiśnz. H nvr rout t ɖm – ɖt me hv bn slfiś, bt it wz a part v ɖ flaṭri v hiz trust v m; fr ɖ we in ẃć a man pez hiz hîist tribyt t a wmn z apt t b bt bî ɖ mor fstl seḷbreśn v wn v ɖ secrid lwz v hiz cumf̣t; n I hld ɖt I carid ǎt ɖ spirit v ɖ plej gvn nt t apil t him ẃn I let mî ćarjz unḍstand ɖt ɖer ǒn letrz wr bt ćarmñ litrri x’sîsz. Ɖe wr tù bytifl t b postd; I cept ɖm mslf; I hv ɖm ol t ɖs aur. Ɖs wz a rūl indd ẃć onli add t ɖ s’tiric ifct v mî biyñ plaid wɖ ɖ supziśn ɖt h mt at eni momnt b amñ s. It wz xacli az f mî ćarjz ń hǎ olmst mor ōcẉd ɖn eniʈñ els ɖt mt b fr m. Ɖr apirz t m, morovr, az I lc bac, no not in ol ɖs mor xtrordnri ɖn ɖ mir fact ɖt, in spît v mî tnśn n v ɖer trîumf, I nvr lost peśns wɖ ɖm. Adoṛbl ɖe mst in truʈ hv bn, I nǎ rflect, ɖt I dd’nt in ɖz dez het ɖm! Wd xasṗreśn, hvr, f rlif hd longr bn pspond, fîṇli hv btreid m? It litl matrz, fr rlif arîvd. I cōl it rlif, ɖo it wz onli ɖ rlif ɖt a snap brñz t a stren or ɖ brst v a ʈundrstorm t a de v suf̣ceśn. It wz at līst ćenj, n it cem wɖ a ruś.

Trnscrîbd hir ɖ spīć sǎndz harmlis inuf, ptiklrli az utrd in ɖ swīt, hî, caźl pîp wɖ ẃć, at ol inṭloktrz, bt abv ol at hiz itrnl guṿnes, h ʈrù of inṭneśnz az f h wr tosñ rozz. Ɖr wz smʈñ in ɖm ɖt olwz md wn “cać,” n I còt, at eni ret, nǎ so ifcć̣li ɖt I stopt az śort az f wn v ɖ triz v ɖ parc hd fōḷn acrs ɖ rod. Ɖr wz smʈñ ny, on ɖ spot, btwn s, n h wz prf̣cli awer ɖt I rec̣gnîzd it, ɖo, t inebl m t d so, h hd no nīd t lc a ẃit les candid n ćarmñ ɖn yźl. I cd fīl in him hǎ h olrdi, fṛm mî at frst fîndñ nʈñ t rplî, psivd ɖ advantij h hd gend. I wz so slo t fînd eniʈñ ɖt h hd plenti v tîm, aftr a minit, t cntiny wɖ hiz sjstiv bt incnclūsiv smîl: “Y nǒ, mî dir, ɖt fr a felo t b wɖ a ledi olwz – !” Hiz “mî dir” wz constntli on hiz lips fr m, n nʈñ cd hv xprest mor ɖ xact śêd v ɖ sntimnt wɖ ẃć I dzîrd t inspîr mî pyplz ɖn its fond fmiliaṛti. It wz so rspctf̣li īzi.Bt, ǒ, hǎ I flt ɖt at preznt I mst pic mî ǒn frezz! I rmembr ɖt, t gen tîm, I traid t laf, n I sīmd t si in ɖ bytifl fes wɖ ẃć h woćt m hǎ ugli n qir I lct. “N olwz wɖ ɖ sem ledi?” I rtrnd.

H nɖr blanćt nr wnct. Ɖ hol ʈñ wz vrć̣li ǎt btwn s. “Ā, v cors, ś’z a joli, ‘prfict’ ledi; bt, aftr ol, I’m a felo, d’nt y si? ɖt’s – wel, gtñ on.”

I lingrd ɖr wɖ him an instnt evr so cîndli. “Yes, y’r gtñ on.” Ǒ, bt I flt hlplis!

I hv cept t ɖs de ɖ hartbrecñ litl îdīa v hǎ h sīmd t nǒ ɖt n t ple wɖ it. “N y c’nt se I’v nt bn ōf̣li gd, cn y?”

I leid mî hand on hiz śoldr, fr, ɖo I flt hǎ mć betr it wd hv bn t wōc on, I wz nt yt qt ebl. “No, I c’nt se ɖt, Mîlz.”

“Xpt jst ɖt wn nît, y nǒ – !”

“Ɖt wn nît?” I cd’nt lc az stret az h.

“Ẃ, ẃn I wnt dǎn – wnt ǎt v ɖ hǎs.”

“Ǒ, yes. Bt I fget ẃt y dd it fr.”

“Y fget?” – h spouc wɖ ɖ swīt xtraṿgns v ćîldiś rproć. “Ẃ, it wz t śo y I cd!”

“Ǒ, yes, y cd.”

“N I cn agn.”

I flt ɖt I mt, phps, aftr ol, s’xid in cīpñ mî wits abt m. “Srtnli. Bt y w’nt.”

“No, nt ɖt agn. It wz nʈñ.”

“It wz nʈñ,” I sd. “Bt w mst g on.”

H rzymd ǎr wōc wɖ m, pasñ hiz hand intu mî arm. “Ɖen ẃn am I gwñ bac?”

I wòr, in trnñ it ovr, mî most rsponsbl er. “Wr y vri hapi at scūl?”

H jst cnsidrd. “Ǒ, I’m hapi inuf eniẃr!”

“Wel, ɖen,” I qevrd, “f y’r jst az hapi hir – !”

“Ā, bt ɖt z’nt evriʈñ! V cors y nǒ a lot – ”

“Bt y hint ɖt y nǒ olmst az mć?” I risct az h pōzd.

“Nt haf I wont t!” Mîlz oṇstli pṛfest. “Bt it z’nt so mć ɖt.”

“Ẃt z it, ɖen?”

“Wel – I wont t si mor lîf.”

“I si; I si.” W hd arîvd wɖn sît v ɖ ćrć n v verịs prsnz, includñ sevṛl v ɖ hǎshold v Blai, on ɖer we t it n clustrd abt ɖ dor t si s g in. I qcnd ǎr step; I wontd t gt ɖr bfr ɖ qsćn btwn s opnd p mć frɖr; I rflectd hungṛli ɖt, fr mor ɖn an aur, h wd hv t b sîḷnt; n I ʈt wɖ envi v ɖ cmpaṛtiv dusc v ɖ py n v ɖ olmst spirićl hlp v ɖ haṣc on ẃć I mt bnd mî niz. I sīmd litṛli t b runñ a rês wɖ sm cnfyźn t ẃć h wz abt t rdys m, bt I flt ɖt h hd got in frst ẃn, bfr w hd īvn entrd ɖ ćrćyard, h ʈrù ǎt –

“I wont mî ǒn sort!”

It litṛli md m bǎnd fwd. “Ɖr r nt mni v yr ǒn sort, Mîlz!” I laft. “Unls phps dir litl Flora!”

“Y riyli cmper m t a bebigrl?”

Ɖs faund m snğlrli wìc. “D’nt y, ɖen, luv ǎr swīt Flora?”

“F I dd’nt – n y, tù; f I dd’nt – !” h rpitd az f rtritñ fr a jump, yt līvñ hiz ʈt so unfiniśt ɖt, aftr w hd cm intu ɖ get, anɖr stop, ẃć h impozd on m bî ɖ preśr v hiz arm, hd bcm inevitbl. Msz. Grǒs n Flora hd pást intu ɖ ćrć, ɖ uɖr wrśiprz hd foloud, n w wr, fr ɖ minit, alon amñ ɖ old, ʈic grevz. W hd pōzd, on ɖ paʈ fṛm ɖ get, bî a lo, obloñ, tebļîc tūm.

“Yes, f y dd’nt – ?”

H lct, ẃl I wêtd, at ɖ grevz. “Wel, y nǒ ẃt!” Bt h dd’nt muv, n h prezntli pṛdyst smʈñ ɖt md m drop stret dǎn on ɖ ston slab, az f sudnli t rest. “Dz mî uncl ʈnc ẃt y ʈnc?”

I marcidli restd. “Hǎ d y nǒ ẃt I ʈnc?”

“Ā, wel, v cors I d’nt; fr it strîcs m y nvr tel m. Bt I mīn dz h nǒ?”

“Nǒ ẃt, Mîlz?”

“Ẃ, ɖ we I’m gwñ on.”

I psivd qcli inuf ɖt I cd mc, t ɖs inqîri, no ansr ɖt wd nt involv smʈñ v a sacṛfîs v mî imployr. Yt it apird t m ɖt w wr ol, at Blai, sfiśntli sacṛfîst t mc ɖt vīńl. “I d’nt ʈnc yr uncl mć cerz.”

Mîlz, on ɖs, std lcñ at m. “Ɖen d’nt y ʈnc h cn b md t?”

“In ẃt we?”

“Ẃ, bî hiz cmñ dǎn.”

“Bt hu’l gt him t cm dǎn?”

“I wl!” ɖ bô sd wɖ xtrordnri brîtnis n emf̣sis. H gev m anɖr lc ćarjd wɖ ɖt xpreśn n ɖen marćt of alon intu ćrć.

Ɖt wz ẃt riyli oṿcem m, ẃt privntd mî gwñ in. I wōct rnd ɖ ćrć, heztetñ, hoṿrñ; I rflectd ɖt I hd olrdi, wɖ him, hrt mslf bynd rper. Ɖrfr I cd pać p nʈñ, n it wz tù xtrim an ef̣t t sqīz bsd him intu ɖ py: h wd b so mć mor śr ɖn evr t pas hiz arm intu mîn n mc m sit ɖr fr an aur in clos, sîḷnt contact wɖ hiz comntri on ǎr tōc. Fr ɖ frst minit sins hiz arîvl I wontd t gt awe fṛm him. Az I pōzd bnʈ ɖ hî īst windo n lisnd t ɖ sǎndz v wrśp, I wz tecn wɖ an impuls ɖt mt mastr m, I flt, cmplitli śd I gv it ɖ līst incurijmnt. I mt īẓli pt an end t mî pridic̣mnt bî gtñ awe oltgɖr. Hir wz mî ćans; ɖr wz nwn t stop m; I cd gv ɖ hol ʈñ p – trn mî bac n rtrit. It wz onli a qsćn v huriyñ agn, fr a fy preṗreśnz, t ɖ hǎs ẃć ɖ atndns at ćrć v so mni v ɖ srvnts wd practicli hv left unokpaid. Nwn, in śort, cd blem m f I śd jst drîv despṛtli of. Ẃt wz it t gt awe f I got awe onli tl dinr? Ɖt wd b in a cupl v aurz, at ɖ end v ẃć – I hd ɖ akt priviźn – mî litl pyplz wd ple at iṇsnt wundr abt mî non’piṛns in ɖer tren.“Ẃt dd y d, y nōti, bad ʈñ? Ẃ in ɖ wrld, t wuri s so – n tec ǎr ʈts of, tù, d’nt y nǒ? – dd y dzrt s at ɖ vri dor?” I cd’nt mīt sć qsćnz nr, az ɖe asct ɖm, ɖer fōls litl luvli îz; yt it wz ol so xacli ẃt I śd hv t mīt ɖt, az ɖ prospect grù śarp t m, I at last let mslf g.

I got, so far az ɖ imīɉt momnt wz cnsrnd, awe; I cem stret ǎt v ɖ ćrćyard n, ʈncñ hard, rtrest mî steps ʈru ɖ parc. It sīmd t m ɖt bî ɖ tîm I rīćt ɖ hǎs I hd md p mî mînd I wd flî. Ɖ Súnde stilnis bʈ v ɖ aproćz n v ɖ intirịr, in ẃć I met nwn, ferli xîtd m wɖ a sns v oṗtyṇti. Wr I t gt of qcli, ɖs we, I śd gt of wɖt a sīn, wɖt a wrd. Mî qcnis wd hv t b rmarcbl, hvr, n ɖ qsćn v a cnveyns wz ɖ gret wn t setl. Tormntd, in ɖ hōl, wɖ dificltiz n obsṭclz, I rmembr sncñ dǎn at ɖ ft v ɖ sterces – sudnli c’lapsñ ɖr on ɖ lǒist step n ɖen, wɖ a rvulśn, rcōlñ ɖt it wz xacli ẃr mor ɖn a munʈ bfr, in ɖ darcnis v nît n jst so baud wɖ īvl ʈñz, I hd sìn ɖ spectr v ɖ most hoṛbl v wimin. At ɖs I wz ebl t stretn mslf; I wnt ɖ rest v ɖ we p; I md, in mî bwildrmnt, fr ɖ scūlrūm, ẃr ɖr wr objicts b’loññ t m ɖt I śd hv t tec. Bt I opnd ɖ dor t fînd agn, in a flaś, mî îz unsealed. In ɖ prezns v ẃt I sw I rīld stret bac upn mî rzistns.

Sītd at mî ǒn tebl in clir nūnde lît I sw a prsn hūm, wɖt mî prīvịs xpirịns, I śd hv tecn at ɖ frst bluś fr sm hǎsmeid hu mt hv steid at hom t lc aftr ɖ ples n hu, avelñ hrslf v rer rlif fṛm obẓveśn n v ɖ scūlrūm tebl n mî pnz, ñc, n pepr, hd aplaid hrslf t ɖ cnsidṛbl ef̣t v a letr t hr swīthart. Ɖr wz an ef̣t in ɖ we ɖt, ẃl hr armz restd on ɖ tebl, hr handz wɖ evidnt wirinis s’portd hr hed; bt at ɖ momnt I tc ɖs in I hd olrdi bcm awer ɖt, in spît v mî entṛns, hr attyd strenjli psistd. Ɖen it wz – wɖ ɖ vri act v its anǎnsñ itslf – ɖt hr îdntti flerd p in a ćenj v posćr. Ś rouz, nt az f ś hd hŕd m, bt wɖ an indiscrîbbl grand meḷnc̣li v indifṛns n dtaćmnt, n, wɖn a duzn fīt v m, std ɖr az mî vîl prīdisesr. Disonrd n trajic, ś wz ol bfr m; bt īvn az I fixt n, fr meṃri, s’krd it, ɖ ōfl imij pást awe. Darc az midnît in hr blac dres, hr haġd byti n hr unutṛbl wo, ś hd lct at m loñ inuf t apir t se ɖt hr rît t sit at mî tebl wz az gd az mîn t sit at hrz. Ẃl ɖz instnts lastd, indd, I hd ɖ xtrordnri ćil v fīlñ ɖt it wz I hu wz ɖ intrudr. It wz az a wîld protest agnst it ɖt, acć̣li adresñ hr – “Y teṛbl, mizṛbl wmn!” – I hŕd mslf brec intu a sǎnd ɖt, bî ɖ opn dor, rañ ʈru ɖ loñ pasij n ɖ emti hǎs. Ś lct at m az f ś hŕd m, bt I hd rcuvrd mslf n clird ɖ er. Ɖr wz nʈñ in ɖ rūm ɖ nxt minit bt ɖ súnśîn n a sns ɖt I mst ste.