Withtheseseriousobstaclesstandingintheway，whatwastobedone？TheonlyalternativeleftwastoapproachMrs。Glenarmundershelterofthedark。
Reachingthisconclusion，Bishopriggsdecidedtoascertainfromtheservantswhatthelady’sfuturemovementsmightbe；and，thusinformed，tostartleherbyanonymouswarnings，conveyedthroughthepost，andclaimingtheiranswerthroughtheadvertisingchannelofanewspaper。Herewasthecertaintyofalarmingher，coupledwiththecertaintyofsafetytohimself!LittledidMrs。Glenarmdream，whenshecapriciouslystoppedaservantgoingbywithsomeglassesoflemonade，thatthewretchedoldcreaturewhoofferedthetraycontemplatedcorrespondingwithherbeforetheweekwasout，inthedoublecharacterofher“Well-Wisher“andher“TrueFriend。“
Theeveningadvanced。Theshadowslengthened。Thewatersofthelakegrewpitchyblack。Theglidingoftheghostlyswansbecamerareandmorerare。Theeldersofthepartythoughtofthedrivehome。ThejuniorsexceptingCaptainNewendenbegantoflagatthedance。Littlebylittlethecomfortableattractionsofthehouse——tea，coffee，andcandle-lightinsnugrooms——resumedtheirinfluence。Theguestsabandonedtheglade；andthefingersandlungsofthemusiciansrestedatlast。
LadyLundieandherpartywerethefirsttosendforthecarriageandsayfarewell；thebreak-upofthehouseholdatWindygatesonthenextday，andthejourneysouth，beingsufficientapologiesforsettingtheexampleofretreat。InanhourmoretheonlyvisitorsleftweretheguestsstayingatSwanhavenLodge。
Thecompanygone，thehiredwaitersfromKirkandrewwerepaidanddismissed。
OnthejourneybackthesilenceofBishopriggscreatedsomesurpriseamonghiscomrades。
“I’vegotmyainconcerns。tothinkof，“wastheonlyanswerhevouchsafedtotheremonstrancesaddressedtohim。The“concerns“
alludedto，comprehended，amongotherchangesofplan，hisdeparturefromKirkandrewthenextday——withareference，incaseofinquiries，tohisconvenientfriendattheCowgate，Edinburgh。
Hisactualdestination——tobekeptasecretfromeverybody——wasPerth。Theneighborhoodofthistown——asstatedontheauthorityofherownmaid——wasthepartofScotlandtowhichtherichwidowcontemplatedremovingwhensheleftSwanhavenintwodays’time。
AtPerth，Bishopriggsknewofmorethanoneplaceinwhichhecouldgettemporaryemployment——andatPerthhedeterminedtomakehisfirstanonymousadvancestoMrs。Glenarm。
TheremainderoftheeveningpassedquietlyenoughattheLodge。
Theguestsweresleepyanddullaftertheexcitementoftheday。
Mrs。Glenarmretiredearly。Ateleveno’clockJuliusDelamaynwastheonlypersonleftupinthehouse。Hewasunderstoodtobeinhisstudy，preparinganaddresstotheelectors，basedoninstructionssentfromLondonbyhisfather。Hewasactuallyoccupiedinthemusic-room——nowthattherewasnobodytodiscoverhim——playingexercisessoftlyonhisbelovedviolin。
Atthetrainer’scottageatriflingincidentoccured，thatnight，whichaffordedmaterialsforanoteinPerry’sprofessionaldiary。
Geoffreyhadsustainedthelatertrialofwalkingforagiventimeanddistance，athisfullspeed，withoutshowinganyofthosesymptomsofexhaustionwhichhadfollowedthemoreseriousexperimentofrunning，towhichhehadbeensubjectedearlierintheday。Perry，honestlybent——thoughhehadprivatelyhedgedhisownbets——ondoinghisbesttobringhismaningoodordertothepostonthedayoftherace，hadforbiddenGeoffreytopayhiseveningvisittothehouse，andhadsenthimtobedearlierthanusual。Thetrainerwasalone，lookingoverhisownwrittenrules，andconsideringwhatmodificationsheshouldintroduceintothedietandexercisesofthenextday，whenhewasstartledbyasoundofgroaningfromthebedroominwhichhispatronlayasleep。
Hewentin，andfoundGeoffreyrollingtoandfroonthepillow，withhisfacecontorted，withhishandsclenched，andwiththeperspirationstandingthickonhisforehead——sufferingevidentlyunderthenervousoppressionproducedbythephantom-terrorsofadream。
Perryspoketohim，andpulledhimupinthebed。Hewokewithascream。Hestaredathistrainerinvacantterror，andspoketohistrainerinwildwords。“Whatareyourhorrideyeslookingatovermyshoulder？“hecriedout。“Gotothedevil——andtakeyourinfernalslatewithyou!“Perryspoketohimoncemore。“You’vebeendreamingofsomebody，Mr。Delamayn。What’stodoaboutaslate？“Geoffreylookedeagerlyroundtheroom，andheavedaheavybreathofrelief。“Icouldhaveswornshewasstaringatmeoverthedwarfpear-trees，“hesaid。“Allright，IknowwhereI
amnow。“Perryattributingthedreamtonothingmoreimportantthanapassingindigestionadministeredsomebrandyandwater，andlefthimtodropoffagaintosleep。Hefretfullyforbadetheextinguishingofthelight。“Afraidofthedark？“saidPerry，withalaugh。No。HewasafraidofdreamingagainofthedumbcookatWindygatesHouse。
THEtimewasthenightbeforethemarriage。TheplacewasSirPatrick’shouseinKent。
Thelawyershadkepttheirword。Thesettlementshadbeenforwarded，andhadbeensignedtwodayssince。
WiththeexceptionofthesurgeonandoneofthethreeyounggentlemenfromtheUniversity，whohadengagementselsewhere，thevisitorsatWindygateshademigratedsouthwardtobepresentatthemarriage。Besidesthesegentlemen，thereweresomeladiesamongtheguestsinvitedbySirPatrick——allofthemfamilyconnections，andthreeofthemappointedtothepositionofBlanche’sbridesmaids。Addoneortwoneighborstobeinvitedtothebreakfast——andthewedding-partywouldbecomplete。
TherewasnothingarchitecturallyremarkableaboutSirPatrick’shouse。HamFarmpossessedneitherthesplendorofWindygatesnorthepicturesqueantiquarianattractionofSwanhaven。ItwasaperfectlycommonplaceEnglishcountryseat，surroundedbyperfectlycommonplaceEnglishscenery。Snugmonotonywelcomedyouwhenyouwentin，andsnugmonotonymetyouagainwhenyouturnedtothewindowandlookedout。
TheanimationandvarietywantingatHamFarmwerefarfrombeingsuppliedbythecompanyinthehouse。Itwasremembered，atanafter-period，thatadullerwedding-partyhadneverbeenassembledtogether。
SirPatrick，havingnoearlyassociationswiththeplace，openlyadmittedthathisresidenceinKentpreyedonhisspirits，andthathewouldhaveinfinitelypreferredaroomattheinninthevillage。Theefforttosustainhiscustomaryvivacitywasnotencouragedbypersonsandcircumstancesabouthim。LadyLundie’sfidelitytothememoryofthelateSirThomas，onthesceneofhislastillnessanddeath，persistedinassertingitself，underanostentationofconcealmentwhichtriedeventhetrainedtemperofSirPatrickhimself。Blanche，stilldepressedbyherprivateanxietiesaboutAnne，wasinnoconditionofmindtolookgaylyatthelastmemorabledaysofhermaidenlife。Arnold，sacrificed——byexpressstipulationonthepartofLadyLundie——totheprurientdelicacywhichforbidsthebridegroom，beforemarriage，tosleepinthesamehousewiththebride，foundhimselfruthlesslyshutoutfromSirPatrick’shospitality，andexiledeverynighttoabedroomattheinn。Heacceptedhissolitarydoomwitharesignationwhichextendeditssoberinginfluencetohiscustomaryflowofspirits。Asfortheladies，theelderamongthemexistedinastateofchronicprotestagainstLadyLundie，andtheyoungerwereabsorbedintheessentiallyseriousoccupationofconsideringandcomparingtheirwedding-dresses。ThetwoyounggentlemenfromtheUniversityperformedprodigiesofyawning，intheintervalsofprodigiesofbilliardplaying。Smithsaid，indespair，“There’snomakingthingspleasantinthishouse，Jones。“AndJonessighed，andmildlyagreedwithhim。
OntheSundayevening——whichwastheeveningbeforethemarriage——thedullness，asamatterofcourse，reacheditsclimax。
ButtwooftheoccupationsinwhichpeoplemayindulgeonweekdaysareregardedasharmlessonSundaybytheobstinatelyanti-ChristiantoneoffeelingwhichprevailsinthismatteramongtheAnglo-Saxonrace。Itisnotsinfultowrangleinreligiouscontroversy；anditisnotsinfultoslumberoverareligiousbook。TheladiesatHamFarmpracticedthepiousobservanceoftheeveningonthisplan。TheseniorsofthesexwrangledinSundaycontroversy；andthejuniorsofthesexslumberedoverSundaybooks。Asforthemen，itisunnecessarytosaythattheyoungonessmokedwhentheywerenotyawning，andyawnedwhentheywerenotsmoking。SirPatrickstaidinthelibrary，sortingoldlettersandexaminingoldaccounts。Everypersoninthehousefelttheoppressionofthesenselesssocialprohibitionswhichtheyhadimposedonthemselves。Andyeteverypersoninthehousewouldhavebeenscandalizediftheplainquestionhadbeenput：Youknowthisisatyrannyofyourownmaking，youknowyoudon’treallybelieveinit，youknowyoudon’treallylikeit——whydoyousubmit？Thefreestpeopleonthecivilizedeartharetheonlypeopleonthecivilizedearthwhodarenotfacethatquestion。
Theeveningdraggeditsslowlengthon；thewelcometimedrewnearerandnearerforoblivioninbed。Arnoldwassilentlycontemplating，forthelasttime，hiscustomaryprospectsofbanishmenttotheinn，whenhebecameawarethatSirPatrickwasmakingsignstohim。Heroseandfollowedhishostintotheemptydining-room。SirPatrickcarefullyclosedthedoor。Whatdiditmean？
Itmeant——sofarasArnoldwasconcerned——thataprivateconversationwasabouttodiversifythemonotonyofthelongSundayeveningatHamFarm。
“Ihaveawordtosaytoyou，Arnold，“theoldgentlemanbegan，“beforeyoubecomeamarriedman。Doyouremembertheconversationatdinneryesterday，aboutthedancing-partyatSwanhavenLodge？“
“Yes。“
“DoyourememberwhatLadyLundiesaidwhilethetopicwasonthetable？“
“Shetoldme，whatIcan’tbelieve，thatGeoffreyDelamaynwasgoingtobemarriedtoMrs。Glenarm。“
“Exactly!Iobservedthatyouappearedtobestartledbywhatmysister-in-lawhadsaid；andwhenyoudeclaredthatappearancesmustcertainlyhavemisledher，youlookedandspoketomymind
likeamananimatedbyastrongfeelingofindignation。WasI
wrongindrawingthatconclusion？“
“No，SirPatrick。Youwereright。“
“Haveyouanyobjectiontotellmewhyyoufeltindignant？“
Arnoldhesitated。
“Youareprobablyatalosstoknowwhatinterest_I_canfeelinthematter？“
Arnoldadmitteditwithhiscustomaryfrankness。