“Iaskyouwhyyouhavemovedit。“
Shewrotethesefourwordsontheslate：“Thewallisdamp。“
Annelookedatthewall。Therewasnosignofdamponthepaper。
Shepassedherhandoverit。Feelwhereshemight，thewallwasdry。
“Thatisnotyourreason，“shesaid。
Hesterstoodimmovable。
“Thereisnodampnessinthewall。“
Hesterpointedpersistentlywithherpenciltothefourwords，stillwithoutlookingup——waitedamomentforAnnetoreadthemagain——andlefttheroom。
Itwasplainlyuselesstocallherback。Anne’sfirstimpulsewhenshewasaloneagainwastosecurethedoor。Shenotonlylockedit，butbolteditattopandbottom。Themortiseofthelockandthestaplesofthebolts，whenshetriedthem，werefirm。Thelurkingtreachery——whereverelseitmightbe——wasnotinthefasteningsofthedoor。
Shelookedallroundtheroom；examiningthefireplace，thewindowanditsshutters，theinteriorofthewardrobe，thehiddenspaceunderthebed。Nothingwasanywheretobediscoveredwhichcouldjustifythemosttimidpersonlivinginfeelingsuspicionoralarm。
Appearances，fairastheywere，failedtoconvinceher。Thepresentimentofsomehiddentreachery，steadilygettingnearerandnearertoherinthedark，hadrooteditselffirmlyinhermind。Shesatdown，andtriedtotraceherwaybacktotheclew，throughtheearliereventsoftheday。
Theeffortwasfruitless：nothingdefinite，nothingtangible，rewardedit。Worsestill，anewdoubtgrewoutofit——adoubtwhetherthemotivewhichSirPatrickhadavowedthroughBlanche
wasthemotiveforhelpingherwhichwasreallyinhismind。
DidhesincerelybelieveGeoffrey’sconducttobeanimatedbynoworseobjectthanamercenaryobject？andwashisonlypurposeinplanningtoremoveheroutofherhusband’sreach，toforceGeoffrey’sconsenttotheirseparationonthetermswhichJuliushadproposed？Wasthisreallythesoleendthathehadinview？
orwashesecretlyconvincedknowingAnne’spositionasheknewitthatshewasinpersonaldangeratthecottage？andhadheconsideratelykeptthatconvictionconcealed，inthefearthathemightotherwiseencouragehertofeelalarmedaboutherself？Shelookedroundthestrangeroom，inthesilenceofthenight，andshefeltthatthelatterinterpretationwasthelikeliestinterpretationofthetwo。
Thesoundscausedbytheclosingofthedoorsandwindowsreachedherfromtheground-floor。Whatwastobedone？
Itwasimpossible，toshowthesignalwhichhadbeenagreedontoSirPatrickandArnold。Thewindowinwhichtheyexpectedtoseeitwasthewindowoftheroominwhichthefirehadbrokenout——theroomwhichHesterDethridgehadlockedupforthenight。
Itwasequallyhopelesstowaituntilthepolicemanpassedonhisbeat，andtocallforhelp。Evenifshecouldprevailuponherselftomakethatopenacknowledgmentofdistrustunderherhusband’sroof，andevenifhelpwasnear，whatvalidreasoncouldshegiveforraisinganalarm？Therewasnottheshadowofareasontojustifyanyoneinplacingherundertheprotectionofthelaw。
Asalastresource，impelledbyherblinddistrustofthechangeinthepositionofthebed，sheattemptedtomoveit。Theutmostexertionofherstrengthdidnotsufficetostirtheheavypieceoffurnitureoutofitsplace，bysomuchasahair’sbreadth。
Therewasnoalternativebuttotrusttothesecurityofthelockedandbolteddoor，andtokeepwatchthroughthenight——certainthatSirPatrickandArnoldwere，ontheirpart，alsokeepingwatchinthenearneighborhoodofthecottage。Shetookoutherworkandherbooks；andreturnedtoherchair，placingitnearthetable，inthemiddleoftheroom。
Thelastnoiseswhichtoldoflifeandmovementaboutherdiedaway。Thebreathlessstillnessofthenightclosedroundher。
THEnewdaydawned；thesunrose；thehouseholdwasastiragain。
Insidethespareroom，andoutsidethespareroom，nothinghadhappened。
AtthehourappointedforleavingthecottagetopaythepromisedvisittoHolchesterHouse，HesterDethridgeandGeoffreywerealonetogetherinthebedroominwhichAnnehadpassedthenight。
“She’sdressed，andwaitingformeinthefrontgarden，“saidGeoffrey。“Youwantedtoseemeherealone。Whatisit？“
Hesterpointedtothebed。
“Youwantitmovedfromthewall？“
Hesternoddedherhead。
Theymovedthebedsomefeetawayfromthepartitionwall。Afteramomentarypause，Geoffreyspokeagain。
“Itmustbedoneto-night，“hesaid。“Herfriendsmayinterfere；
thegirlmaycomeback。Itmustbedoneto-night。“
Hesterbowedherheadslowly。
“Howlongdoyouwanttobeleftbyyourselfinthehouse？“
Sheheldupthreeofherfingers。
“Doesthatmeanthreehours？“
Shenoddedherhead。
“Willitbedoneinthattime？“
Shemadetheaffirmativesignoncemore。
Thusfar，shehadneverliftedhereyestohis。Inhermanneroflisteningtohimwhenhespoke，intheslightestmovementthatshemadewhennecessityrequiredit，thesamelifelesssubmissiontohim，thesamemutehorrorofhim，wasexpressed。Hehad，thusfar，silentlyresentedthis，onhisside。Onthepointofleavingtheroomtherestraintwhichhehadlaidonhimselfgaveway。Forthefirsttime，heresenteditinwords。
“Whythedevilcan’tyoulookatme？“heaskedSheletthequestionpass，withoutasigntoshowthatshehadheardhim。Heangrilyrepeatedit。Shewroteonherslate，andhelditouttohim——stillwithoutraisinghereyestohisface。
“Youknowyoucanspeak，“hesaid。“YouknowIhavefoundyouout。What’stheuseofplayingthefoolwith_me？_“
Shepersistedinholdingtheslatebeforehim。Hereadthesewords：
“Iamdumbtoyou，andblindtoyou。Letmebe。“
“Letyoube!“herepeated。“It’salittlelateinthedaytobescrupulous，afterwhatyouhavedone。DoyouwantyourConfessionback，ornot？“
AsthereferencetotheConfessionpassedhislips，sheraisedherhead。Afainttingeofcolorshoweditselfonherlividcheeks；amomentaryspasmofpainstirredherdeathlikeface。Theonelastinterestleftinthewoman’slifewastheinterestofrecoveringthemanuscriptwhichhadbeentakenfromher。To_that_appealthestunnedintelligencestillfaintlyanswered——andtonoother。
“Rememberthebargainonyourside，“Geoffreywenton，“andI’llrememberthebargainonmine。Thisishowitstands，youknow。I
havereadyourConfession；andIfindonethingwanting。Youdon’ttellhowitwasdone。Iknowyousmotheredhim——butIdon’tknowhow。Iwanttoknow。You’redumb；andyoucan’ttellme。Youmustdotothewallherewhatyoudidintheotherhouse。Yourunnorisks。Thereisn’tasoultoseeyou。Youhavegottheplacetoyourself。WhenIcomebackletmefindthiswallliketheotherwall——atthatsmallhourofthemorningyouknow，whenyouwerewaiting，withthetowelinyourhand，forthefirststrokeoftheclock。Letmefindthat；andto-morrowyoushallhaveyourConfessionbackagain。“
AsthereferencetotheConfessionpassedhislipsforthesecondtime，thesinkingenergyinthewomanleapedupinheroncemore。
Shesnatchedherslatefromherside；and，writingonitrapidly，heldit，withbothhands，closeunderhiseyes。Hereadthesewords：
“Iwon’twait。Imusthaveitto-night。“
“DoyouthinkIkeepyourConfessionaboutme？“saidGeoffrey。“I