Hecalledtothewomanacrossthepear-trees。“Hullo!“
Thewomanraisedherself，andadvancedtowardhimslowly——lookingathim，asshecameon，withthesunkeneyes，thesorrow-strickenface，thestonytranquillityofHesterDethridge。
Geoffreywasstaggered。Hehadnotbargainedforexchangingthedullestproduciblevulgaritiesofhumanspeechcalledinthelanguageofslang，“Chaff“withsuchawomanasthis。
“What’sthatslatefor？“heasked，notknowingwhatelsetosay，tobeginwith。
Thewomanliftedherhandtoherlips——touchedthem——andshookherhead。
“Dumb？“
Thewomanbowedherhead。
“Whoareyou？“
Thewomanwroteonherslate，andhandedittohimoverthepear-trees。Heread：——“Iamthecook。“
“Well，cook，wereyouborndumb？“
Thewomanshookherhead。
“Whatstruckyoudumb？“
Thewomanwroteonherslate：——“Ablow。“
“Whogaveyoutheblow？“
Sheshookherhead。
“Won’tyoutellme？“
Sheshookherheadagain。
Hereyeshadrestedonhisfacewhilehewasquestioningher；
staringathim，cold，dull，andchangelessastheeyesofacorpse。Firmashisnerveswere——denseashewas，onallordinaryoccasions，toanythingintheshapeofanimaginativeimpression——theeyesofthedumbcookslowlypenetratedhimwithastealthyinnerchill。Somethingcreptatthemarrowofhisback，andshudderedundertherootsofhishair。Hefeltasuddenimpulsetogetawayfromher。Itwassimpleenough；hehadonlytosaygood-morning，andgoon。Hedidsaygood-morning——buthenevermoved。Heputhishandintohispocket，andofferedhersomemoney，asawayofmaking_her_go。Shestretchedoutherhandacrossthepear-treestotakeit——andstoppedabruptly，withherarmsuspendedintheair。Asinisterchangepassedoverthedeathliketranquillityofherface。Herclosedlipsslowlydroppedapart。Herdulleyesslowlydilated；lookedaway，sideways，from_his_eyes；stoppedagain；andstared，rigidandglittering，overhisshoulder——staredasiftheysawasightofhorrorbehindhim。“Whatthedevilareyoulookingat？“heasked——andturnedroundquickly，withastart。Therewasneitherpersonnorthingtobeseenbehindhim。Heturnedbackagaintothewoman。Thewomanhadlefthim，undertheinfluenceofsomesuddenpanic。Shewashurryingawayfromhim——running，oldasshewas——flyingthesightofhim，asifthesightofhimwasthepestilence。
“Mad!“hethought——andturnedhisbackonthesightofher。
Hefoundhimselfhardlyknowinghowhehadgotthereunderthewalnut-treeoncemore。Inafewminuteshishardynerveshadrecoveredthemselves——hecouldlaughovertheremembranceofthestrangeimpressionthathadbeenproducedonhim。“Frightenedforthefirsttimeinmylife，“hethought——“andthatbyanoldwoman!It’stimeIwentintotrainingagain，whenthingshavecometothis!“
Helookedathiswatch。Itwascloseontheluncheonhourupatthehouse；andhehadnotdecidedyetwhattodoabouthislettertoAnne。Heresolvedtodecide，thenandthere。
Thewoman——thedumbwoman，withthestonyfaceandthehorrideyes——reappearedinhisthoughts，andgotinthewayofhisdecision。Pooh!somecrazedoldservant，whomightoncehavebeencook；whowaskeptoutofcharitynow。Nothingmoreimportantthanthat。Nomoreofher!nomoreofher!
Helaidhimselfdownonthegrass，andgavehismindtotheseriousquestion。HowtoaddressAnneas“Mrs。ArnoldBrinkworth？“andhowtomakesureofherreceivingtheletter？
Thedumboldwomangotinhiswayagain。
Heclosedhiseyesimpatiently，andtriedtoshutheroutinadarknessofhisownmaking。
Thewomanshowedherselfthroughthedarkness。Hesawher，asifhehadjustaskedheraquestion，writingonherslate。Whatshewrotehefailedtomakeout。Itwasalloverinaninstant。Hestartedup，withafeelingofastonishmentathimself——and，atthesamemomenthisbrainclearedwiththesuddennessofaflashoflight。Hesawhisway，withoutaconsciouseffortonhisownpart，throughthedifficultythathadtroubledhim。Twoenvelopes，ofcourse：aninnerone，unsealed，andaddressedto“Mrs。ArnoldBrinkworth；“anouterone，sealed，andaddressedto“Mrs。Silvester：“andtherewastheproblemsolved!Surelythesimplestproblemthathadeverpuzzledastupidhead。
Whyhadhenotseenitbefore？Impossibletosay。
Howcamehetohaveseenitnow？
Thedumboldwomanreappearedinhisthoughts——asiftheanswertothequestionlayinsomethingconnectedwith_her。_
Hebecamealarmedabouthimself，forthefirsttimeinhislife。
Hadthispersistentimpression，producedbynothingbutacrazyoldwoman，anythingtodowiththebrokenhealthwhichthesurgeonhadtalkedabout？Washisheadontheturn？Orhadhesmokedtoomuchonanemptystomach，andgonetoolongaftertravelingallnightwithouthiscustomarydrinkofale？
Heleftthegardentoputthatlattertheorytothetestforthwith。Thebettingwouldhavegonedeadagainsthimifthepublichadseenhimatthatmoment。Helookedhaggardandanxious——andwithgoodreasontoo。Hisnervoussystemhadsuddenlyforceditselfonhisnotice，withouttheslightestpreviousintroduction，andwassayinginanunknowntongue，HereIam!
Returningtothepurelyornamentalpartofthegrounds，Geoffreyencounteredoneofthefootmengivingamessagetooneofthegardeners。Heatonceaskedforthebutler——astheonlysafeauthoritytoconsultinthepresentemergency。
Conductedtothebutler’spantry，Geoffreyrequestedthatfunctionarytoproduceajugofhisoldestale，withappropriatesolidnourishmentintheshapeof“ahunkofbreadandcheese。“
Thebutlerstared。Asaformofcondescensionamongtheupperclassesthiswasquitenewtohim。
“Luncheonwillbereadydirectly，Sir。“
“Whatisthereforlunch？“
Thebutlerranoveranappetizinglistofgooddishesandrarewines。
“Thedeviltakeyourkickshaws!“saidGeoffrey。“Givememyoldale，andmyhunkofbreadandcheese。“
“Wherewillyoutakethem，Sir？“
“Here，tobesure!Andthesoonerthebetter。“
Thebutlerissuedthenecessaryorderswithallneedfulalacrity。
Hespreadthesimplerefreshmentdemanded，beforehisdistinguishedguest，inastateofblankbewilderment。Herewasanobleman’sson，andapubliccelebrityintothebargain，fillinghimselfwithbreadandcheeseandale，inatoncethemostvoraciousandthemostunpretendingmanner，at_his_table!Thebutlerventuredonalittlecomplimentaryfamiliarity。Hesmiled，andtouchedthebetting-bookinhisbreast-pocket。“I’veputsixpoundonyou，Sir，fortheRace。““Allright，oldboy!youshallwinyourmoney!“Withthosenoblewordsthehonorablegentlemanclappedhimontheback，andheldouthistumblerforsomemoreale。ThebutlerfelttreblyanEnglishmanashefilledthefoamingglass。Ah!foreignnationsmayhavetheirrevolutions!foreignaristocraciesmaytumbledown!TheBritisharistocracylivesintheheartsofthepeople，andlivesforever!
“Another!“saidGeoffrey，presentinghisemptyglass。“Here’sluck!“Hetossedoffhisliquoratadraught，andnoddedtothebutler，andwentout。
Hadtheexperimentsucceeded？Hadheprovedhisowntheoryabouthimselftoberight？Notadoubtofit!Anemptystomach，andadeterminationoftobaccotothehead——thesewerethetruecausesofthatstrangestateofmindintowhichhehadfalleninthekitchen-garden。Thedumbwomanwiththestonyfacevanishedasifinamist。Hefeltnothingnowbutacomfortablebuzzinginhishead，agenialwarmthalloverhim，andanunlimitedcapacityforcarryinganyresponsibilitythatcouldrestonmortalshoulders。
Geoffreywashimselfagain。
Hewentroundtowardthelibrary，towritehislettertoAnne——andsohavedonewiththat，tobeginwith。Thecompanyhadcollectedinthelibrarywaitingfortheluncheon-bell。Allwereidlytalking；andsomewouldbecertain，ifheshowedhimself，tofastenon_him。_Heturnedbackagain，withoutshowinghimself。
Theonlywayofwritinginpeaceandquietnesswouldbetowaituntiltheywereallatluncheon，andthenreturntothelibrary。
Thesameopportunitywouldservealsoforfindingamessengertotaketheletter，withoutexcitingattention，andforgoingawayafterward，unseen，onalongwalkbyhimself。AnabsenceoftwoorthreehourswouldcastthenecessarydustinArnold’seyes；
foritwouldbecertainlyinterpretedbyhimasmeaningabsenceataninterviewwithAnne。
Hestrolledidlythroughthegrounds，fartherandfartherawayfromthehouse。
Thetalkinthelibrary——aimlessandemptyenough，forthemostpart——wastalktothepurpose，inonecorneroftheroom，inwhichSirPatrickandBlancheweresittingtogether。