In　those　days；　there　was　one　large；　rambling　inn；　at　Harrogate；　close　to　the　Medicinal　Spring；　but　it　was　already　becoming　too　small　for　the　accommodation　of　the　influx　of　visitors；　and　many　lodged　round　about；　in　the　farm…houses　of　the　district。　　It　was　so　early　in　the　season；　that　I　had　the　inn　pretty　much　to　myself；　and；　indeed；　felt　rather　like　a　visitor　in　a　private　house；　so　intimate　had　the　landlord　and　landlady　become　with　me　during　my　long　illness。　　She　would　chide　me　for　being　out　so　late　on　the　moors；　or　for　having　been　too　long　without　food；　quite　in　a　motherly　way；　while　he　consulted　me　about　vintages　and　wines；　and　taught　me　many　a　Yorkshire　wrinkle　about　horses。　　In　my　walks　I　met　other　strangers　from　time　to　time。　Even　before　my　uncle　had　left　me；　I　had　noticed；　with　half…torpid　curiosity；　a　young　lady　of　very　striking　appearance；　who　went　about　always　accompanied　by　an　elderly　companion；hardly　a　gentlewoman；　but　with　something　in　her　look　that　prepossessed　me　in　her　favour。　The　younger　lady　always　put　her　veil　down　when　any　one　approached；　so　it　had　been　only　once　or　twice；　when　I　had　come　upon　her　at　a　sudden　turn　in　the　path；　that　I　had　even　had　a　glimpse　at　her　face。　　I　am　not　sure　if　it　was　beautiful；　though　in　after…life　I　grew　to　think　it　so。　　But　it　was　at　this　time　overshadowed　by　a　sadness　that　never　varied：　　a　pale；　quiet；　resigned　look　of　intense　suffering；　that　irresistibly　attracted　me；not　with　love；　but　with　a　sense　of　infinite　compassion　for　one　so　young　yet　so　hopelessly　unhappy。　　The　companion　wore　something　of　the　same　look：　　quiet　melancholy；　hopeless；　yet　resigned。　　I　asked　my　landlord　who　they　were。　　He　said　they　were　called　Clarke；　and　wished　to　be　considered　as　mother　and　daughter；　but　that；　for　his　part；　he　did　not　believe　that　to　be　their　right　name；　or　that　there　was　any　such　relationship　between　them。　They　had　been　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Harrogate　for　some　time；　lodging　in　a　remote　farm…house。　　The　people　there　would　tell　nothing　about　them；　saying　that　they　paid　handsomely；　and　never　did　any　harm；　so　why　should　they　be　speaking　of　any　strange　things　that　might　happen？　　That；　as　the　landlord　shrewdly　observed；　showed　there　was　something　out　of　the　common　way　he　had　heard　that　the　elderly　woman　was　a　cousin　of　the　farmer's　where　they　lodged；　and　so　the　regard　existing　between　relations　might　help　to　keep　them　quiet。
  〃What　did　he　think；　then；　was　the　reason　for　their　extreme　seclusion？〃　asked　I。
  〃Nay；　he　could　not　tell；not　he。　　He　had　heard　that　the　young　lady；　for　all　as　quiet　as　she　seemed；　played　strange　pranks　at　times。〃　　He　shook　his　head　when　I　asked　him　for　more　particulars；　and　refused　to　give　them；　which　made　me　doubt　if　he　knew　any；　for　he　was　in　general　a　talkative　and　communicative　man。　　In　default　of　other　interests；　after　my　uncle　left；　I　set　myself　to　watch　these　two　people。　　I　hovered　about　their　walks　drawn　towards　them　with　a　strange　fascination；　which　was　not　diminished　by　their　evident　annoyance　at　so　frequently　meeting　me。　　One　day；　I　had　the　sudden　good　fortune　to　be　at　hand　when　they　were　alarmed　by　the　attack　of　a　bull；　which；　in　those　unenclosed　grazing　districts；　was　a　particularly　dangerous　occurrence。　　I　have　other　and　more　important　things　to　relate；　than　to　tell　of　the　accident　which　gave　me　an　opportunity　of　rescuing　them；　it　is　enough　to　say；　that　this　event　was　the　beginning　of　an　acquaintance；　reluctantly　acquiesced　in　by　them；　but　eagerly　prosecuted　by　me。　　I　can　hardly　tell　when　intense　curiosity　became　merged　in　love；　but　in　less　than　ten　days　after　my　uncle's　departure　I　was　passionately　enamoured　of　Mistress　Lucy；　as　her　attendant　called　her；　carefullyfor　this　I　noted　wellavoiding　any　address　which　appeared　as　if　there　was　an　equality　of　station　between　them。　I　noticed　also　that　Mrs。　Clarke；　the　elderly　woman；　after　her　first　reluctance　to　allow　me　to　pay　them　any　attentions　had　been　overcome；　was　cheered　by　my　evident　attachment　to　the　young　girl；　it　seemed　to　lighten　her　heavy　burden　of　care；　and　she　evidently　favoured　my　visits　to　the　farmhouse　where　they　lodged。　　It　was　not　so　with　Lucy。　A　more　attractive　person　I　never　saw；　in　spite　of　her　depression　of　manner；　and　shrinking　avoidance　of　me。　　I　felt　sure　at　once；　that　whatever　was　the　source　of　her　grief；　it　rose　from　no　fault　of　her　own。　　It　was　difficult　to　draw　her　into　conversation；　but　when　at　times；　for　a　moment　or　two；　I　beguiled　her　into　talk；　I　could　see　a　rare　intelligence　in　her　face；　and　a　grave；　trusting　look　in　the　soft；　gray　eyes　that　were　raised　for　a　minute　to　mine。　　I　made　every　excuse　I　possibly　could　for　going　there。　　I　sought　wild　flowers　for　Lucy's　sake；　I　planned　walks　for　Lucy's　sake；　I　watched　the　heavens　by　night；　in　hopes　that　some　unusual　beauty　of　sky　would　justify　me　in　tempting　Mrs。　Clarke　and　Lucy　forth　upon　the　moors；　to　gaze　at　the　great　purple　dome　above。
  It　seemed　to　me　that　Lucy　was　aware　of　my　love；　but　that；　for　some　motive　which　I　could　not　guess；　she　would　fain　have　repelled　me；　but　then　again　I　saw；　or　fancied　I　saw；　that　her　heart　spoke　in　my　favour；　and　that　there　was　a　struggle　going　on　in　her　mind；　which　at　times　（I　loved　so　dearly）　I　could　have　begged　her　to　spare　herself；　even　though　the　happiness　of　my　whole　life　should　have　been　the　sacrifice；　for　her　complexion　grew　paler；　her　aspect　of　sorrow　more　hopeless；　her　delicate　frame　yet　slighter。　　During　this　period　I　had　written；　I　should　say；　to　my　uncle；　to　beg　to　be　allowed　to　prolong　my　stay　at　Harrogate；　not　giving　any　reason；　but　such　was　his　tenderness　towards　me；　that　in　a　few　days　I　heard　from　him；　giving　me　a　willing　permission；　and　only　charging　me　to　take　care　of　myself；　and　not　use　too　much　exertion　during　the　hot　weather。
  One　sultry　evening　I　drew　near　the　farm。　　The　windows　of　their　parlour　were　open；　and　I　heard　voices　when　I　turned　the　corner　of　the　house；　as　I　passed　the　first　window　（there　were　two　windows　in　their　little　ground…floor　room）。　　I　saw　Lucy　distinctly；　but　when　I　had　knocked　at　their　doorthe　house…door　stood　always　ajarshe　was　gone；　and　I　saw　only　Mrs。　Clarke；　turning　over　the　work…things　lying　on　the　table；　in　a　nervous　and　purposeless　manner。　　I　felt　by　instinct　that　a　conversation　of　some　importance　was　coming　on；　in　which　I　should　be　expected　to　say　what　was　my　object　in　paying　these　frequent　visits。　　I　was　glad　of　the　opportunity。　　My　uncle　had　several　times　alluded　to　the　pleasant　possibility　of　my　bringing　home　a　young　wife；　to　cheer　and　adorn　the　old　house　in　Ormond　Street。　　He　was　rich；　and　I　was　to　succeed　him；　and　had；　as　I　knew；　a　fair　reputation　for　so　young　a　lawyer。　　So　on　my　side　I　saw　no　obstacle。　It　was　true　that　Lucy　was　shrouded　in　mystery；　her　name　（I　was　convinced　it　was　not　Clarke）；　birth；　parentage；　and　previous　life　were　unknown　to　me。　　But　I　was　sure　of　her　goodness　and　sweet　innocence；　and　although　I　knew　that　there　must　be　something　painful　to　be　told；　to　account　for　her　mournful　sadness；　yet　I　was　willing　to　bear　my　share　in　her　grief；　whatever　it　might　be。
  Mrs。　Clarke　began；　as　if　it　was　a　relief　to　her　to　plunge　into　the　subject。
  〃We　have　thought；　sirat　least　I　have　thoughtthat　you　knew　very　little　of　us；　nor　we　of　you；　indeed；　not　enough　to　warrant　the　intimate　acquaintance　we　have　fallen　into。　　I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　she　went　on；　nervously；　〃I　am　but　a　plain　kind　of　woman；　and　I　mean　to　use　no　rudeness；　but　I　must　say　straight　out　that　Iwethink　it　would　be　better　for　you　not　to　come　so　often　to　see　us。　　She　is　very　unprotected；　and〃
  〃Why　should　I　not　come　to　see　you；　dear　madam？〃　asked　I；　eagerly；　glad　of　the　opportunity　of　explaining　myself。　　〃I　come；　I　own；　because　I　have　learnt　to　love　Mistress　Lucy；　and　wish　to　teach　her　to　love　me。
  Mistress　Clarke　shook　her　head；　and　sighed。
  〃Don't；　sirneither　love　her；　nor；　for　the　sake　of　all　you　hold　sacred；　teach　her　to　love　you！　　If　I　am　too　late；　and　you　love　her　already；　forget　her；forget　these　last　few　weeks。　　O！　　I　should　never　have　allowed　you　to　come！〃　she　went　on　passionately；　〃but　what　am　I　to　do？　　We　are　forsaken　by　all；　except　the　great　God；　and　even　He　permits　a　strange　and　evil　power　to　afflict　uswhat　am　I　to　do！　Where　is　it　to　end？〃　She　wrung　her　hands　in　her　distress；　then　she　turned　to　me：　　〃Go　away；　sir！　go　away；　before　you　learn　to　care　any　more　for　her。　　I　ask　it　for　your　own　sakeI　implore！　　You　have　been　good　and　kind　to　us；　and　we　shall　always　recollect　you　with　gratitude；　but　go　away　now；　and　never　come　back　to　cross　our　fatal　path！〃
  〃Indeed；　madam；〃　said　I；　〃I　shall　do　no　such　thing。　　You　urge　it　for　my　own　sake。　　I　have　no　fear；　so　urgednor　wish；　except　to　hear　moreall。　　I　cannot　have　seen　Mistress　Lucy　in　all　the　intimacy　of　this　last　fortnight；　without　acknowledging　her　goodness　and　innocence；　and　without　seeingpardon　me；　madamthat　for　some　reason　you　are　two　very　lonely　women；　in　some　mysterious　sorrow　and　distress。　　Now；　though　I　am　not　powerful　myself；　yet　I　have　friends　who　are　so　wise　and　kind　that　they　may　be　said　to　possess　power。　Tell　me　some　particulars。　　Why　are　you　in　griefwhat　is　your　secret…　…why　are　you　here？　　I　declare　solemnly　that　nothing　you　have　said　has　daunted　me　in　my　wish　to　become　Lucy's　husband；　nor　will　I　shrink　from