SirPatrick’smeditationswereinterruptedbytheappearanceofaservant，previouslyinstructedtokeephiminformedoftheprogressofeventsatthehouse。
“They’reallgone，SirPatrick，“saidtheman。
“That’sacomfort，Simpson。Wehavenovisitorstodealwithnow，exceptthevisitorswhoarestayinginthehouse？“
“None，SirPatrick。“
“They’reallgentlemen，aretheynot？“
“Yes，SirPatrick。“
“That’sanothercomfort，Simpson。Verygood。I’llseeLadyLundiefirst。“
Doesanyotherformofhumanresolutionapproachthefirmnessofawomanwhoisbentondiscoveringthefrailtiesofanotherwomanwhomshehates？Youmaymoverocks，underagivensetofcircumstances。Buthereisadelicatebeinginpetticoats，whoshrieksifaspiderdropsonherneck，andshuddersifyouapproachherafterhavingeatenanonion。Canyoumove_her，_
underagivensetofcircumstances，assetforthabove？Notyou!
SirPatrickfoundherladyshipinstitutingherinquiriesonthesameadmirablyexhaustivesystemwhichispursued，incasesofdisappearance，bythepolice。Whowasthelastwitnesswhohadseenthemissingperson？WhowasthelastservantwhohadseenAnneSilvester？Beginwiththemen-servants，fromthebutleratthetoptothestableboyatthebottom。Goonwiththewomen-servants，fromthecookinallherglorytothesmallfemalechildwhoweedsthegarden。LadyLundiehadcross-examinedherwaydownwardasfarasthepage，whenSirPatrickjoinedher。
“Mydearlady!pardonmeforremindingyouagain，thatthisisafreecountry，andthatyouhavenoclaimwhatevertoinvestigateMissSilvester’sproceedingsaftershehasleftyourhouse。“
LadyLundieraisedhereyes，devotionally，totheceiling。Shelookedlikeamartyrtoduty。Ifyouhadseenherladyshipatthatmoment，youwouldhavesaidyourself，“Amartyrtoduty。“
“No，SirPatrick!AsaChristianwoman，thatisnot_my_wayoflookingatit。Thisunhappypersonhaslivedundermyroof。ThisunhappypersonhasbeenthecompanionofBlanche。Iamresponsible——Iam，inamanner，morallyresponsible。Iwouldgivetheworldtobeabletodismissitasyoudo。Butno!Imustbesatisfiedthatshe_is_married。Intheinterestsofpropriety。
Forthequietingofmyownconscience。BeforeIlaymyheadonmypillowto-night，SirPatrick——beforeIlaymyheadonmypillowto-night!“
“Oneword，LadyLundie——“
“No!“repeatedherladyship，withthemostpatheticgentleness。
“Youareright，Idaresay，fromtheworldlypointofview。I
can’ttaketheworldlypointofview。Theworldlypointofviewhurtsme。“Sheturned，withimpressivegravity，tothepage。“Youknowwhereyouwillgo，Jonathan，ifyoutelllies!“
Jonathanwaslazy，Jonathanwaspimply，Jonathanwasfat——_but_
Jonathanwasorthodox。Heansweredthathedidknow；and，whatismore，hementionedtheplace。
SirPatricksawthatfurtheroppositiononhispart，atthatmoment，wouldbeworsethanuseless。Hewiselydeterminedtowait，beforeheinterferedagain，untilLadyLundiehadthoroughlyexhaustedherselfandherinquiries。Atthesametime——asitwasimpossible，inthepresentstateofherladyship’stemper，toprovideagainstwhatmighthappeniftheinquiriesafterAnneunluckilyprovedsuccessful——hedecidedontakingmeasurestoclearthehouseoftheguestsintheinterestsofallpartiesforthenextfour-and-twentyhours。
“Ionlywanttoaskyouaquestion，LadyLundie，“heresumed。
“Thepositionofthegentlemenwhoarestayinghereisnotaverypleasantonewhileallthisisgoingon。Ifyouhadbeencontenttoletthematterpasswithoutnotice，weshouldhavedoneverywell。Asthingsare，don’tyouthinkitwillbemoreconvenienttoeverybodyifIrelieveyouoftheresponsibilityofentertainingyourguests？“
“Asheadofthefamily？“stipulatedLadyLundie。
“Asheadofthefamily!“answeredSirPatrick。
“Igratefullyaccepttheproposal，“saidLadyLundie。
“Ibegyouwon’tmentionit，“rejoinedSirPatrick。
Hequittedtheroom，leavingJonathanunderexamination。HeandhisbrotherthelateSirThomashadchosenwidelydifferentpathsinlife，andhadseenbutlittleofeachothersincethetimewhentheyhadbeenboys。SirPatrick’srecollectionsonleavingLadyLundieappearedtohavetakenhimbacktothattime，andtohaveinspiredhimwithacertaintendernessforhisbrother’smemory。Heshookhishead，andsighedasadlittlesigh。“PoorTom!“hesaidtohimself，softly，afterhehadshutthedooronhisbrother’swidow。“PoorTom!“
Oncrossingthehall，hestoppedthefirstservanthemet，toinquireafterBlanche。MissBlanchewasquiet，upstairs，closetedwithhermaidinherownroom。“Quiet？“thoughtSirPatrick。“That’sabadsign。Ishallhearmoreofmyniece。“
Pendingthatevent，thenextthingtodowastofindtheguests。
UnerringinstinctledSirPatricktothebilliard-room。Therehefoundthem，insolemnconclaveassembled。wonderingwhattheyhadbetterdo。SirPatrickputthemallattheireaseintwominutes。
“Whatdoyousaytoaday’sshootingto-morrow？“heasked。
Everymanpresent——sportsmanornot——saidyes。
“Youcanstartfromthishouse，“pursuedSirPatrick；“oryoucanstartfromashooting-cottagewhichisontheWindygatesproperty——amongthewoods，ontheothersideofthemoor。TheweatherlooksprettywellsettledforScotland，andthereareplentyofhorsesinthestables。Itisuselesstoconcealfromyou，gentlemen，thateventshavetakenacertainunexpectedturninmysister-in-law’sfamilycircle。YouwillbeequallyLadyLundie’sguests，whetheryouchoosethecottageorthehouse。Forthenexttwenty-fourhoursletussay——whichshallitbe？“
Everybody——withorwithoutrheumatism——answered“thecottage。“
“Verygood，“pursuedSirPatrick，“Itisarrangedtorideovertotheshooting-cottagethisevening，andtotrythemoor，onthatside，thefirstthinginthemorning。Ifeventsherewillallowme，Ishallbedelightedtoaccompanyyou，anddothehonorsaswellasIcan。Ifnot，Iamsureyouwillacceptmyapologiesforto-night，andpermitLadyLundie’sstewardtoseetoyourcomfortinmyplace。“
Adoptedunanimously。SirPatrickleftthegueststotheirbilliards，andwentouttogivethenecessaryordersatthestables。
InthemeantimeBlancheremainedportentouslyquietintheupperregionsofthehouse；whileLadyLundiesteadilypursuedherinquiriesdownstairs。ShegotonfromJonathanlastofthemales，indoorstothecoachmanfirstofthemales，out-of-doors，anddugdown，manbyman，throughthatnewstratum，untilshestruckthestable-boyatthebottom。Notanatomofinformationhavingbeenextractedinthehouseoroutofthehouse，frommanorboy，herladyshipfellbackonthewomennext。Shepulledthebell，andsummonedthecook——HesterDethridge。
Averyremarkable-lookingpersonenteredtheroom。
Elderlyandquiet；scrupulouslyclean；eminentlyrespectable；hergrayhairneatandsmoothunderhermodestwhitecap；hereyes，setdeepintheirorbits，lookingstraightatanypersonwhospoketoher——here，atafirstview，wasasteady，trust-worthywoman。Herealsooncloserinspection，wasawomanwiththesealofsometerriblepastsufferingsetonherfortherestofherlife。Youfeltit，ratherthansawit，inthelookofimmovableendurancewhichunderlainherexpression——inthedeathliketranquillitywhichneverdisappearedfromhermanner。Herstorywasasadone——sofarasitwasknown。ShehadenteredLadyLundie’sserviceattheperiodofLadyLundie’smarriagetoSirThomas。Hercharactergivenbytheclergymanofherparish
describedherashavingbeenmarriedtoaninveteratedrunkard，andashavingsufferedunutterablyduringherhusband’slifetime。
Thereweredrawbackstoengagingher，nowthatshewasawidow。
Ononeofthemanyoccasionsonwhichherhusbandhadpersonallyill-treatedher，hehadstruckherablowwhichhadproducedveryremarkablenervousresults。Shehadlaininsensiblemanydaystogether，andhadrecoveredwiththetotallossofherspeech。Inadditiontothisobjection，shewasodd，attimes，inhermanner；
andshemadeitaconditionofacceptinganysituation，thatsheshouldbeprivilegedtosleepinaroombyherselfAsaset-offagainstallthis，itwastobesaid，ontheothersideofthequestion，thatshewassober；rigidlyhonestinallherdealings；
andoneofthebestcooksinEngland。Inconsiderationofthislastmerit，thelateSirThomashaddecidedongivingheratrial，andhaddiscoveredthathehadneverdinedinhislifeashedinedwhenHesterDethridgewasattheheadofhiskitchen。
Sheremainedafterhisdeathinhiswidow’sservice。LadyLundiewasfarfromlikingher。Anunpleasantsuspicionattachedtothecook，whichSirThomashadover-looked，butwhichpersonslesssensibleoftheimmenseimportanceofdiningwellcouldnotfailtoregardasaseriousobjectiontoher。Medicalmen，consultedabouthercasediscoveredcertainphysiologicalanomaliesinitwhichledthemtosuspectthewomanoffeigningdumbness，forsomereasonbestknowntoherself。Sheobstinatelydeclinedtolearnthedeafanddumbalphabet——onthegroundthatdumbnesswasnotassociatedwithdeafnessinhercase。Stratagemswereinventedseeingthatshereallydidpossesstheuseofherears