companion。 I will get another maid。'
Companionthat was a new idea。 Cytherea could not resist the
evidently heartfelt desire of the strange…tempered woman for her
presence。 But she could not trust to the moment's impulse。
'I will stay； I think。 But do not ask for a final answer to…night。'
'Never mind now； then。 Put your hair round your mamma's neck； and
give me one good long kiss； and I won't talk any more in that way
about your lover。 After all； some young men are not so fickle as
others； but even if he's the ficklest； there is consolation。 The
love of an inconstant man is ten times more ardent than that of a
faithful manthat is； while it lasts。'
Cytherea did as she was told； to escape the punishment of further
talk； flung the twining tresses of her long； rich hair over Miss
Aldclyffe's shoulders as directed； and the two ceased conversing；
making themselves up for sleep。 Miss Aldclyffe seemed to give
herself over to a luxurious sense of content and quiet； as if the
maiden at her side afforded her a protection against dangers which
had menaced her for years； she was soon sleeping calmly。
2。 TWO TO FIVE A。M。
With Cytherea it was otherwise。 Unused to the place and
circumstances； she continued wakeful； ill at ease； and mentally
distressed。 She withdrew herself from her companion's embrace；
turned to the other side； and endeavoured to relieve her busy brain
by looking at the window…blind； and noticing the light of the rising
moonnow in her last quartercreep round upon it： it was the
light of an old waning moon which had but a few days longer to live。
The sight led her to think again of what had happened under the rays
of the same month's moon； a little before its full； the ecstatic
evening scene with Edward： the kiss； and the shortness of those
happy momentsmaiden imagination bringing about the apotheosis of a
status quo which had had several unpleasantnesses in its earthly
reality。
But sounds were in the ascendant that night。 Her ears became aware
of a strange and gloomy murmur。
She recognized it： it was the gushing of the waterfall； faint and
low； brought from its source to the unwonted distance of the House
by a faint breeze which made it distinct and recognizable by reason
of the utter absence of all disturbing sounds。 The groom's
melancholy representation lent to the sound a more dismal effect
than it would have had of its own nature。 She began to fancy what
the waterfall must be like at that hour； under the trees in the
ghostly moonlight。 Black at the head； and over the surface of the
deep cold hole into which it fell； white and frothy at the fall；
black and white； like a pall and its border； sad everywhere。
She was in the mood for sounds of every kind now； and strained her
ears to catch the faintest； in wayward enmity to her quiet of mind。
Another soon came。
The second was quite different from the firsta kind of
intermittent whistle it seemed primarily： no； a creak； a metallic
creak； ever and anon； like a plough； or a rusty wheelbarrow； or at
least a wheel of some kind。 Yes； it was； a wheelthe water…wheel
in the shrubbery by the old manor…house； which the coachman had said
would drive him mad。
She determined not to think any more of these gloomy things； but now
that she had once noticed the sound there was no sealing her ears to
it。 She could not help timing its creaks； and putting on a dread
expectancy just before the end of each half…minute that brought
them。 To imagine the inside of the engine…house； whence these
noises proceeded； was now a necessity。 No window； but crevices in
the door； through which； probably； the moonbeams streamed in the
most attenuated and skeleton…like rays； striking sharply upon
portions of wet rusty cranks and chains； a glistening wheel； turning
incessantly； labouring in the dark like a captive starving in a
dungeon； and instead of a floor below； gurgling water； which on
account of the darkness could only be heard； water which laboured up
dark pipes almost to where she lay。
She shivered。 Now she was determined to go to sleep； there could be
nothing else left to be heard or to imagineit was horrid that her
imagination should be so restless。 Yet just for an instant before
going to sleep she would think thissuppose another sound SHOULD
comejust suppose it should！ Before the thought had well passed
through her brain； a third sound came。
The third was a very soft gurgle or rattleof a strange and
abnormal kindyet a sound she had heard before at some past period
of her lifewhen； she could not recollect。 To make it the more
disturbing； it seemed to be almost close to hereither close
outside the window； close under the floor； or close above the
ceiling。 The accidental fact of its coming so immediately upon the
heels of her supposition； told so powerfully upon her excited nerves
that she jumped up in the bed。 The same instant； a little dog in
some room near； having probably heard the same noise； set up a low
whine。 The watch…dog in the yard； hearing the moan of his
associate； began to howl loudly and distinctly。 His melancholy
notes were taken up directly afterwards by the dogs in the kennel a
long way off； in every variety of wail。
One logical thought alone was able to enter her flurried brain。 The
little dog that began the whining must have heard the other two
sounds even better than herself。 He had taken no notice of them；
but he had taken notice of the third。 The third； then； was an
unusual sound。
It was not like water； it was not like wind； it was not the night…
jar； it was not a clock； nor a rat； nor a person snoring。
She crept under the clothes； and flung her arms tightly round Miss
Aldclyffe； as if for protection。 Cytherea perceived that the lady's
late peaceful warmth had given place to a sweat。 At the maiden's
touch； Miss Aldclyffe awoke with a low scream。
She remembered her position instantly。 'O such a terrible dream！'
she cried； in a hurried whisper； holding to Cytherea in her turn；
'and your touch was the end of it。 It was dreadful。 Time； with his
wings； hour…glass； and scythe； coming nearer and nearer to me
grinning and mocking： then he seized me； took a piece of me only。 。
。 But I can't tell you。 I can't bear to think of it。 How those
dogs howl！ People say it means death。'
The return of Miss Aldclyffe to consciousness was sufficient to
dispel the wild fancies which the loneliness of the night had woven
in Cytherea's mind。 She dismissed the third noise as something
which in all likelihood could easily be explained； if trouble were
taken to inquire into it： large houses had all kinds of strange
sounds floating about them。 She was ashamed to tell Miss Aldclyffe
her terrors。
A silence of five minutes。
'Are you asleep？' said Miss Aldclyffe。
'No；' said Cytherea； in a long…drawn whisper。
'How those dogs howl； don't they？'
'Yes。 A little dog in the house began it。'
'Ah； yes： that was Totsy。 He sleeps on the mat outside my father's
bedroom door。 A nervous creature。'
There was a silent interval of nearly half…an…hour。 A clock on the
landing struck three。
'Are you asleep； Miss Aldclyffe？' whispered Cytherea。
'No；' said Miss Aldclyffe。 'How wretched it is not to be able to
sleep； isn't it？'
'Yes；' replied Cytherea； like a docile child。
Another hour passed； and the clock struck four。 Miss Aldclyffe was
still awake。
'Cytherea；' she said； very softly。
Cytherea made no answer。 She was sleeping soundly。
The first glimmer of dawn was now visible。 Miss Aldclyffe arose；
put on her dressing…gown； and went softly downstairs to her own
room。
'I have not told her who I am after all； or found out the
particulars of Ambrose's history；' she murmured。 'But her being in
love alters everything。'
3。 HALF…PAST SEVEN TO TEN O'CLOCK A。M。
Cytherea awoke； quiet in mind and refreshed。 A conclusion to remain
at Knapwater was already in possession of her。
Finding Miss Aldclyffe gone； she dressed herself and sat down at the
window to write an answer to Edward's letter； and an account of her
arrival at Knapwater to Owen。 The dismal and heart…breaking
pictures that Miss Aldclyffe had placed before her the preceding
evening； the later terrors of the night； were now but as shadows of
shadows； and she smiled in derision at her own excitability。
But writing Edward's letter was the great consoler； the effect of
each word upon him being enacted in her own face as she wrote it。
She felt how much she would like to share his troublehow well she
could endure poverty with himand wondered what his trouble was。
But all would be explained at last； she knew。
At the appointed time she went to Miss Aldclyffe's room； intending；
with the contradictoriness common in people； to perform with
pleasure； as a work of supererogation； what as a duty was simply
intolerable。
Miss Aldclyffe was already out of bed。 The bright penetrating light
of morning made a vast difference in the elder lady's behaviour to
her dependent； the day； which had restored Cytherea's judgment； had
effected the same for Miss Aldclyffe。 Though practical reasons
forbade her regretting that she had secured such a companionable
creature to read； talk； or play to her whenever her whim required；
she was inwardly vexed at the extent to which she had indulged in
the womanly luxury of making confidences and giving way to emotions。
Few would have supposed that the calm lady sitting aristocratically
at the toilet table； seeming scarcely conscious of Cytherea's
presence in the room； even when greeting her； was the passionate
creature who had asked for kisses a few hours before。
It is both painful and satisfactory to think how often these
antitheses are to be observed in the individual most open to our
observationourselves。 We pass the evening with faces lit up by
some flaring illumination or other： we get up the next morningthe
fiery jets have all gone out； and nothing confronts us but a few
crinkled pipes and sooty wirework； hardly even recalling the outline
of the blazing picture that arrested our eyes before bedtime。
Emotions would be half starved if there were no candle…light。
Probably nine…tenth