A momentary nervous contraction quivered about his lips and eyes, and made me half reproach myself for having answered him in such a significantly guarded manner.

“I had no right to ask about her marriage,” he said bitterly.  “I must wait to see it in the newspapers like other people.  Yes,”—­ he went on before I could make any apologies—­“I have not been well lately.  I am going to another country to try a change of scene and occupation.  Miss Halcombe has kindly assisted me with her influence, and my testimonials have been found satisfactory.  It is a long distance off, but I don’t care where I go, what the climate is, or how long I am away.”  He looked about him while he said this at the throng of strangers passing us by on either side, in a strange, suspicious manner, as if he thought that some of them might be watching us.

“I wish you well through it, and safe back again,” I said, and then added, so as not to keep him altogether at arm’s length on the subject of the Fairlies, “I am going down to Limmeridge to-day on business.  Miss Halcombe and Miss Fairlie are away just now on a visit to some friends in Yorkshire.”

His eyes brightened, and he seemed about to say something in answer, but the same momentary nervous spasm crossed his face again.  He took my hand, pressed it hard, and disappeared among the crowd without saying another word.  Though he was little more than a stranger to me, I waited for a moment, looking after him almost with a feeling of regret.  I had gained in my profession sufficient experience of young men to know what the outward signs and tokens were of their beginning to go wrong, and when I resumed my walk to the railway I am sorry to say I felt more than doubtful about Mr. Hartright’s future.

IV

Leaving by an early train, I got to Limmeridge in time for dinner.  The house was oppressively empty and dull.  I had expected that good Mrs. Vesey would have been company for me in the absence of the young ladies, but she was confined to her room by a cold.  The servants were so surprised at seeing me that they hurried and bustled absurdly, and made all sorts of annoying mistakes.  Even the butler, who was old enough to have known better, brought me a bottle of port that was chilled.  The reports of Mr. Fairlie’s health were just as usual, and when I sent up a message to announce my arrival, I was told that he would be delighted to see me the next morning but that the sudden news of my appearance had prostrated him with palpitations for the rest of the evening.  The wind howled dismally all night, and strange cracking and groaning noises sounded here, there, and everywhere in the empty house.  I slept as wretchedly as possible, and got up in a mighty bad humour to breakfast by myself the next morning.