English
“ShehasescapedfrommyAsylum!”
Icannotsaywithtruththattheterribleinferencewhichthosewordssuggestedflasheduponmelikeanewrevelation.
Someofthestrangequestionsputtomebythewomaninwhite,aftermyill-consideredpromisetoleaveherfreetoactasshepleased,hadsuggestedtheconclusioneitherthatshewasnaturallyflightyandunsettled,orthatsomerecentshockofterrorhaddisturbedthebalanceofherfaculties.
ButtheideaofabsoluteinsanitywhichweallassociatewiththeverynameofanAsylum,had,Icanhonestlydeclare,neveroccurredtome,inconnectionwithher.
Ihadseennothing,inherlanguageorheractions,tojustifyitatthetime;andevenwiththenewlightthrownonherbythewordswhichthestrangerhadaddressedtothepoliceman,Icouldseenothingtojustifyitnow.
WhathadIdone?Assistedthevictimofthemosthorribleofallfalseimprisonmentstoescape;orcastlooseonthewideworldofLondonanunfortunatecreature,whoseactionsitwasmyduty,andeveryman’sduty,mercifullytocontrol?
Iturnedsickatheartwhenthequestionoccurredtome,andwhenIfeltself-reproachfullythatitwasaskedtoolate.
Inthedisturbedstateofmymind,itwasuselesstothinkofgoingtobed,whenIatlastgotbacktomychambersinClement’sInn.
BeforemanyhourselapseditwouldbenecessarytostartonmyjourneytoCumberland.
Isatdownandtried,firsttosketch,thentoread—butthewomaninwhitegotbetweenmeandmypencil,betweenmeandmybook.
Hadtheforlorncreaturecometoanyharm?
Thatwasmyfirstthought,thoughIshrankselfishlyfromconfrontingit.
Otherthoughtsfollowed,onwhichitwaslessharrowingtodwell.Wherehadshestoppedthecab?Whathadbecomeofhernow?
Hadshebeentracedandcapturedbythemeninthechaise?
Orwasshestillcapableofcontrollingherownactions;andwerewetwofollowingourwidelypartedroadstowardsonepointinthemysteriousfuture,atwhichweweretomeetoncemore?
Itwasareliefwhenthehourcametolockmydoor,tobidfarewelltoLondonpursuits,Londonpupils,andLondonfriends,andtobeinmovementagaintowardsnewinterestsandanewlife.
Eventhebustleandconfusionattherailwayterminus,sowearisomeandbewilderingatothertimes,rousedmeanddidmegood.
MytravellinginstructionsdirectedmetogotoCarlisle,andthentodivergebyabranchrailwaywhichraninthedirectionofthecoast.
Asamisfortunetobeginwith,ourenginebrokedownbetweenLancasterandCarlisle.
Thedelayoccasionedbythisaccidentcausedmetobetoolateforthebranchtrain,bywhichIwastohavegoneonimmediately.
Ihadtowaitsomehours;andwhenalatertrainfinallydepositedmeattheneareststationtoLimmeridgeHouse,itwaspastten,andthenightwassodarkthatIcouldhardlyseemywaytothepony-chaisewhichMr.Fairliehadorderedtobeinwaitingforme.
Thedriverwasevidentlydiscomposedbythelatenessofmyarrival.
HewasinthatstateofhighlyrespectfulsulkinesswhichispeculiartoEnglishservants.
Wedroveawayslowlythroughthedarknessinperfectsilence.
Theroadswerebad,andthedenseobscurityofthenightincreasedthedifficultyofgettingoverthegroundquickly.
Itwas,bymywatch,nearlyanhourandahalffromthetimeofourleavingthestationbeforeIheardthesoundoftheseainthedistance,andthecrunchofourwheelsonasmoothgraveldrive.
Wehadpassedonegatebeforeenteringthedrive,andwepassedanotherbeforewedrewupatthehouse.
Iwasreceivedbyasolemnman-servantoutoflivery,wasinformedthatthefamilyhadretiredforthenight,andwasthenledintoalargeandloftyroomwheremysupperwasawaitingme,inaforlornmanner,atoneextremityofalonesomemahoganywildernessofdining-table.
Iwastootiredandoutofspiritstoeatordrinkmuch,especiallywiththesolemnservantwaitingonmeaselaboratelyasifasmalldinnerpartyhadarrivedatthehouseinsteadofasolitaryman.
InaquarterofanhourIwasreadytobetakenuptomybedchamber.
Thesolemnservantconductedmeintoaprettilyfurnishedroom—said,“Breakfastatnineo’clock,sir”—lookedallroundhimtoseethateverythingwasinitsproperplace,andnoiselesslywithdrew.
“WhatshallIseeinmydreamsto-night?”
Ithoughttomyself,asIputoutthecandle;“thewomaninwhite?
ortheunknowninhabitantsofthisCumberlandmansion?”
Itwasastrangesensationtobesleepinginthehouse,likeafriendofthefamily,andyetnottoknowoneoftheinmates,evenbysight!
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