d looked at the
address.

Though I did not know the handwriting, still there was something in
those unsteady characters which seemed familiar to me. Was it possible
that I had ever seen them before? I tried to consider; but my memory
was confused, my mind wearied out, after all that had happened since the
morning. The effort was fruitless: I gave back the letter.

"I know as little about it, Susan, as you do."

"But ought I to take it up-stairs, Sir? only tell me that!"

"It is not for me to say. All interest or share on my part, Susan, in
what she--in what your young mistress receives, is at an end."

"I'm very sorry to hear you say that, Sir; very, very sorry. But what
would you advise me to do?"

"Let me look at the letter once more."

On a second view, the handwriting produced the same effect on me as
before, ending too with just the same result. I returned the letter
again.

"I respect your scruples, Susan, but I am not the person to remove or
to justify them. Why should you not apply in this difficulty to your
master?"

"I dare not, Sir; I dare not for my life. He's been worse than ever,
lately; if I said as much to him as I've said to you, I believe he'd
kill me!" She hesitated, then continued more composedly; "Well, at any
rate I've told _you,_ Sir, and that's made my mind easier; and--and I'll
give her the letter this once, and then take in no more--if they come,
unless I hear a proper account of them."

She curtseyed; and, bidding me farewell very sadly and anxiously,
returned to the house with the letter in her hand. If I had guessed at
that moment who it was written by! If I could only have suspected what
were its contents!

I left Hollyoake Square in a direction which led to some fields a little
distance on. It was very strange; but that unknown handwriting still
occupied my thoughts: that wretched trifle absolutely took possession of
my mind, at such a time as this; in such a position as mine was now.

I stopped wearily in the fields at a lonely spot, away from the
footpath. My eyes ached at the sunlight, and I shaded them with my hand.
Exactly at the same instant, the lost recollection flashed back on me so
vividly that I started almost in terror. The handwriting shown me by the
servant at North Villa, was the same as the handwriting on that unopened
and forgotten letter in my pocket, which I had received from the servant
at home--received in the morning, as I crossed the hall to enter my