CHAPTER XLVI. THE APPOINTMENT KEPT

sedon. Thestepstowhichthegirlhadpointed,werethosewhich,ontheSurreybank,andonthesamesideofthebridgeasSaintSaviour’sChurch,formalanding-stairsfromtheriver.Tothisspot,themanbearingtheappearanceofacountryman,hastenedunobservedandafteramoment’ssurveyoftheplace,hebegantodescend. Thesestairsareapartofthebridgetheyconsistofthreeflights.Justbelowtheendofthesecond,goingdown,thestonewallontheleftterminatesinanornamentalpilasterfacingtowardstheThames.Atthispointthelowerstepswiden:sothatapersonturningthatangleofthewall,isnecessarilyunseenbyanyothersonthestairswhochancetobeabovehim,ifonlyastep.Thecountrymanlookedhastilyround,whenhereachedthispointandasthereseemednobetterplaceofconcealment,and,thetidebeingout,therewasplentyofroom,heslippedaside,withhisbacktothepilaster,andtherewaited:prettycertainthattheywouldcomenolower,andthatevenifhecouldnothearwhatwassaid,hecouldfollowthemagain,withsafety. Sotardilystolethetimeinthislonelyplace,andsoeagerwasthespytopenetratethemotivesofaninterviewsodifferentfromwhathehadbeenledtoexpect,thathemorethanoncegavethematterupforlost,andpersuadedhimself,eitherthattheyhadstoppedfarabove,orhadresortedtosomeentirelydifferentspottoholdtheirmysteriousconversation.Hewasonthepointofemergingfromhishiding-place,andregainingtheroadabove,whenheheardthesoundoffootsteps,anddirectlyafterwardsofvoicesalmostcloseathisear. Hedrewhimselfstraightuprightagainstthewall,and,scarcelybreathing,listenedattentively. “Thisisfarenough,”saidavoice,whichwasevidentlythatofthegentleman.“Iwillnotsuffertheyoungladytogoanyfarther.Manypeoplewouldhavedistrustedyoutoomuchtohavecomeevensofar,butyouseeIamwillingtohumouryou.” “Tohumourme!”criedthevoiceofthegirlwhomhehadfollowed.“You’reconsiderate,indeed,sir.Tohumourme!Well,well,it’snomatter.” “Why,forwhat,”saidthegentlemaninakindertone,“forwhatpurposecanyouhavebroughtustothisstrangeplace?Whynothaveletmespeaktoyou,abovethere,whereitislight,andthereissomethingstirring,insteadofbringingustothisdarkanddismalhole?” “Itoldyoubefore,”repliedNancy,“thatIwasafraidtospeaktoyouthere.Idon’tknowwhyitis,”saidthegirl,shuddering,“butIhavesuchafearanddreaduponmeto-nightthatIcanhardlystand.” “Afearofwhat?”askedthegentleman,whoseemedtopityher. “Iscarcelyknowofwhat,”repliedthegirl.“IwishIdid.Horriblethoughtsofdeath,andshroudswithblooduponthem,andafearthathasmademeburnasifIwasonfire,havebeenuponmeallday.Iwasreadingabookto-night,towilethetimeaway,andthesamethingscameintotheprint.” “Imagination,”saidthegentleman,soothingher. “Noimagination,”repliedthegirlinahoarsevoice.“I’llswearIsaw‘coffin’writtenineverypageofthebookinlargeblackletters,—aye,andtheycarriedoneclosetome,inthestreetsto-night.” “Thereisnothingunusualinthat,”saidthegentleman.“Theyhavepassedmeoften.” “Realones,”rejoinedthegirl.“Thiswasnot.” Therewassomethingsouncommoninhermanner,thatthefleshoftheconcealedlistenercreptasheheardthegirlutterthesewords,andthebloodchilledwithinhim.Hehadneverexperiencedagreaterreliefthaninhearingthesweetvoiceoftheyoungladyasshebeggedhertobecalm,andnotallowherselftobecomethepreyofsuchfearfulfancies. “Speaktoherkindly,”saidtheyoungladytohercompanion.“Poorcreature!Sheseemstoneedit.” “YourhaughtyreligiouspeoplewouldhaveheldtheirheadsuptoseemeasIamto-night,andpreached