rushedupstairstomakesurethatshewasnotinthehouse。AsIdidsoIhappenedtoglanceoutofoneoftheupperwindows，andsawthemaidwithwhomIhadjustbeenspeakingrunningacrossthefieldinthedirectionofthecottage。ThenofcourseIsawexactlywhatitallmeant。Mywifehadgoneoverthere，andhadaskedtheservanttocallherifI
shouldreturn。Tinglingwithanger，Irusheddownandhurriedacross，determinedtoendthematteronceandforever。Isawmywifeandthemaidhurryingbackalongthelane，butIdidnotstoptospeakwiththem。
Inthecottagelaythesecretwhichwascastingashadowovermylife。Ivowedthat，comewhatmight，itshouldbeasecretnolonger。IdidnotevenknockwhenIreachedit，butturnedthehandleandrushedintothepassage。”Itwasallstillandquietuponthegroundfloor。Inthekitchenakettlewassingingonthefire，andalargeblackcatlaycoiledupinthebasket；buttherewasnosignofthewomanwhomIhadseenbefore。I
ranintotheotherroom，butitwasequallydeserted。
ThenIrushedupthestairs，onlytofindtwootherroomsemptyanddesertedatthetop。Therewasnooneatallinthewholehouse。Thefurnitureandpictureswereofthemostcommonandvulgardescription，saveintheonechamberatthewindowofwhichIhadseenthestrangeface。Thatwascomfortableandelegant，andallmysuspicionsroseintoafiercebitterflamewhenIsawthatonthemantelpiecestoodacopyofafell-lengthphotographofmywife，whichhadbeentakenatmyrequestonlythreemonthsago。”Istayedlongenoughtomakecertainthatthehousewasabsolutelyempty。ThenIleftit，feelingaweightatmyheartsuchasIhadneverhadbefore。MywifecameoutintothehallasIenteredmyhouse；butIwastoohurtandangrytospeakwithher，andpushingpasther，Imademywayintomystudy。Shefollowedme，however，beforeIcouldclosethedoor。”’IamsorrythatIbrokemypromise，Jack，’saidshe；