"They used to hang our murderers at the Four-Turnings crossroads." "Philip." "As long as I can remember old tom was never anything but dull and honest." "One day there came a moment of uncontrollable anger." "This is what he had earned for himself." "For this is the price for murder." "That was 15 years ago." "But I should have remembered his words." "Death..." "Is the price for murder." "My entire life has been spent on the Cornish coast of England." "for more than a hundred years comfortable home" "In which I grew up from infancy" "In the care of my cousin Ambrose" "What is it?" "Open it." "dear boy." "My parents died when I was but a few months old." "Abrose was not only my kinsman and guardian everything in the world to me." "On the stormiest night that I can remember" "Distant bells began to toll for him." "And now they tell me if I spend another winter in this blasted rain" "I'll end up a cripple in a bath chair." "I suppose." "Where will you go?" "perhaps." "Somewhere around the mediterranean." "won't you? But I don't think..." "Think both of us should be away from here at the same time." "You don't think you'll need someone to" "Help you in and out of carriages and all that sort of thing?" "Good heavens no." "I'm not exactly an invalid yet." "The real trouble is..." "I'm too much of a fool about my home." "I..." "I hate to leave it even for a week." "this must be for months." "And so today the Four-Turnings crossroads" "Is an even uglier place to me." "But it was there that I bade him farewell" "For the last time." "This is far enough." "You don't want to be late getting back." "dear boy." "Goodbye Ambrose." "Louise." "Goodbye." "don't you think?" "She's coming along pretty fast now." "Never mind about me." "What we want to know is" "Who's going to keep an eye on you?" "What did I tell you?" "Drive on." "Goodbye children." "I'll see you in the spring." "Ambrose." "Ambrose." "God bless you." "But when winter had passed" "And we were well into spring again" "And still there was no sign of his returning" "I came to be troubled by strange and formless fears but persistent and nagging." "And in some ways..." "ominous." "Good morning." "Nick!" "What news from our tourist now?" "Still in Florence." "Can't seem to tear himself away from some people he's met there." "who are they?" "Have you ever heard of a family from these parts named Corren?" "One of them once married to a member of our family?" "I remember the Correns." "Why?" "He writes that he's met one of them in Florence." "a widow." "How old is she?" "middle aged I suppose" "Married and widowed and so on." "She's been showing them the gardens in Florence." "When's he coming home?" "this time." "sir?" "It is." "dear?" "Where's your father?" "Here I am." "What's the trouble?" "Another letter." "I want you to hear it yourself." "all is not well with me." "though she watches me all the time." "I have written to you several times." "There is no one here I can trust." "Unless I can get out myself to post the letters" "They may not reach you." "this has been more difficult than ever." "As for the doctors" "I have no belief in any of them." "They are all liars." "And the new one recommended by our friend Rainaldi" "I'm sure is a complete cutthroat." "But then he would be coming from that quarter." "they've taken on a dangerous proposition in me" "And I will beat them yet." "Ambrose" "Look at the writing." "I can't believe it." "Not believe what?" "It's not the letter of a man in his right senses." "That's not it." "There've been hints before in exactly the same tone." "There is nothing the matter with Ambrose's mind." "But Ambrose's father died of a tumor on the brain." "And i've no idea whether these things are hereditary or not" "Nor do the doctors seem to know." "The only other possibility I can think of" "And one I would infinitely prefer" "Is that Ambrose was drunk when he wrote this letter." "I've never seen Ambrose drunk in my life." "Nor I." "I was merely trying to choose the better of two evils." "we'll know it soon." "I'm leaving for Florence first thing tomorrow morning." "please." "Isn't that the post bag?" "Yes sir?" "please." "sir." "sir." "Drive on." "Sengeletti?" "Si." "Signor Ashley." "Is here?" "Signor..." "Then Signora Ashley?" "Excuse me." "Do you understand English?" "Signor." "Would you be good enough to announce me to Mr. Ambrose Ashley." "but you are Mr. Ashley's son?" "his cousin." "Is he here or not?" "but he's not." "He's dead." "Since three weeks now." "Signore?" "No." "Thank you." "How did he die?" "Signore." "I mean was it quick... or..." "or slow." "The illness was long and slow." "But the end was quick." "truly." "You saw it?" "Signore." "It was very early in the morning" "And Sr. Rainaldi sent me for the doctor." "But it was too late." "helped the Contessa to light the candles." "I went back to look at him again." "now it was a look of peace." "What do you mean by violence? There were many times I had to hold him down in bed" "When the attacks come on." "And when the pain went his mind wondering" "That was the way it was." "The whole winter." "A strong man." "As helpless at last... as a child." "is she still here?" "No Signore." "She moved out the day after the funeral." "Sr. Rainaldi thought it best." "Mr. Ashley's things?" "She packed them all up and..." "What about this?" "Signore." "I see." "And if there's no objection." "I'll take it along for myself." "Of course." "And this..." "Signore Rainaldi." "You say he was of great help and comfort to Mrs. Ashley during her..." "Ordeal." "He never left the villa during that entire week." "as well as lawyer." "Where can I find him now?" "after the fountain." "Thank you." "Is this Signor Rainaldi's..." "No thank you." "Avanti!" "Mr. Ashley?" "Yes." "a kinsman of Ambrose." "I can see the resemblance." "sir?" "Mr. Rainaldi." "I know." "You have Ambrose's stick." "I trust?" "How could i?" "anyway." "and from the lips of a servant" "That I first learned of the death of my cousin." "I assure you." "Why was I not informed at least of his illness?" "Mr. Ashley." "Not so sudden apparently that he hadn't time to write me these letters." "she was afraid that he might have written something like this." "The doctors warned her he might." "Why did they warn her?" "Because of his behavior." "Which became quite strange and secretive during those last few weeks." "of course." "On the contrary" "With a very good reason." "was beginning to press on his brain." "They said he had a tumor?" "That was the cause of his death." "May I ask what proof there is of that?" "Certainly." "signed by both doctors." "A second copy was posted to you at the time" "And a third to the trustee of your cousin's will Mr. Nicholas Kendall of Cornwall." "How did you know Mr. Kendall was the trustee of the his will?" "I read it in the will." "You read my cousin's will?" "he showed it to me." "May I ask how he disposed of the estate?" "to you." "All of it?" "until your 25th birthday." "What about her?" "There was no mention of Mrs. Ashley in the will filed for probate." "to break it." "I have already written Mr. Kendall our entire approval of its terms." "I wish I could say that your" "Explanation of his illness satisfied me" "But it doesn't." "Regardless of those doctors" "Regardless of that paper" "Those are not the letters of a man simply sick" "They are the letters of a man in danger" "Surrounded by enemies." "remember." "He was failing fast." "What of this?" "my torment." "What explanation do you have for that?" "Mr. Ashley?" "Of course not." "in the case of a tumor which results in the sufferers becoming troubled with delusions" "that he's being watched such as his wife or is unfaithful or seeks to take his money" "No amount of love or persuasion can relieve him of this suspicion" "Once it takes hold. perhaps." "Then why didn't she send for me? Why not send for the one closest of all to him." "Mr. Ashley..." "My age is not the question here!" "Why was I not sent for at once?" "I wished only to make the point" "That I am older than you" "And have probably had more experience with women." "The Contessa is a woman of very strong feelings." "And such women do not acknowledge defeat easily." "They cling to the things they want." "actually." "Where is she now?" "I have no idea." "without telling me where she was bound." "she will write to me." "while you're here?" "No thank you." "If you wish to see the grave before you leave" "It's in the protestant cemetery." "I believe." "When she returns" "Tell her I was here And tell her also about the letters he wrote to me." "I will." "If she returns." "But Mrs. Ashley is also one of impulse" "And there is no assurance that she will ever come back to Florence again." "sir." "I made a vow." "I swore that whatever it had cost Ambrose in pain and suffering" "I would return it in full measure." "Because I did not believe Rainaldi's story." "I believed in the truth of the two letters that I held in my right hand." "I would repay my cousin Rachel." "you're a great deal prompter than I've been accustomed to with you." "We raced." "It's the only way to get him anywhere on time." "Will you be long?" "I don't think so." "i'll change and we'll have some tea." "Such mystery" "I don't know what it is." "Well." "Philip." "I've odd news for you." "Yes?" "Mrs. Ashley is here." "In this house?" "In plymouth." "She arrived by ship two days ago." "She writes to tell me of abrose's death." "Apparently she knows nothing of your visit to Florence." "I think you should read it." "I think it would impress you." "What's she after?" "A settlement?" "No." "She only wants to return the remainder of Ambrose's possessions." "his papers." "Old clothes." "I suppose. not one shilling." "she might properly make some kind of claim on the estate." "Claim?" "After driving him to his death?" "Philip." "if I were you." "If ever she heard such a charge" "She would be well within her rights to bring a case against you for slander." "Well within her rights." "If Ambrose had thought she deserved it. and you know it." "Unless he was too ill to recognize his obligations." "But surely you don't believe that story of the tumor." "yes." "and here is the death certificate." "I remember Ambrose's father's death." "The symptoms were quite similar." "not for a minute." "You mean you won't." "She doesn't even ask to see the house." "had Ambrose lived." "a lonely hostelry in plymouth." "nick." "Philip." "As Ambrose's friend" "I can't sit here and do nothing" "When his widow arrives alone and friendless in this country." "I shall invite her to come here and stay with us." "Until her plans are formed." "I know you won't want to see her" "So if she accepts my invitation" "I won't ask you over while she's here." "On the contrary." "I'd like very much to see her." "Perhaps you'll write that to her." "Tell her that Philip Ashley is rather a plain man" "Living in rather a plain fashion with no fine manners whatsoever." "The house will be completely at her disposal whenever she cares to visit." "You think for one moment she'd accept an invitation like that?" "and we'll see whether she will or not." "Mrs. Ashley." "Seecombe" "sir." "She was due here at five." "It's now nearly seven." "I should hope she has." "Did you explain I was too busy to be here to meet her?" "sir." "Where is she now?" "sir." "Am I to understand that she's already dined without waiting for me?" "no sir." "She had a tray in her room." "and asked that you excuse her this evening." "That if you wish to see her after dinner she'd be pleased receive you." "In her room?" "Yes sir." "Thank you." "Come in" "Good evening." "Why!" "Philip?" "I.." "Uh.." "Hope you feel better now." "thank you." "Will you sit with me for a few minutes?" "I owe you an apology for not coming down to dinner but" "I was very tired and dull." "I understand." "I do hope you didn't hurry home before you should of." "No the.." "Uh.." "Work was all quite done." "make any kind of alteration in your days because of me." "I just wanted to say one thing..." "which is... for letting me come." "It can't have been easy for you." "i'm sure." "You've no idea what a strange feeling it was" "Driving through the park and up to the house" "With Seecombe standing by the door to greet me." "Everything was just as I had mentioned it:" "even the clock striking four as I came in the door." "Was don really fourteen on his last birthday?" "Yes." "His birthday if a few weeks before my own." "I know." "You found him in a pie for your breakfast." "Ambrose watched you open it from behind a screen in the dining room." "He said he'd never forget the look of amazement on your face" "When you lifted the crust and a puppy struggled out." "What an amazing thing for you to know." "Why I probably know a good many more things about you than you'd ever imagine." "Yes." "Seecombe." "Shall I take the dog out now ma'am." "I suppose so." "don." "ma'am?" "Mr. Philip has his in the dining room at 8 o'clock." "Would it be too much trouble for me to have mine in my room?" "ma'am." "I'll ring when i'm awake." "ma'am." "Will there be anything else?" "thank you." "Goodnight." "sir." "Ambrose used to say no woman was fit to look at before eleven." "Would you like a cup?" "I can hardly believe it!" "Believe what?" "My eyes." "I've never seen Seecombe serve tea before in my life." "He did it very well don't you think?" "I'll show you something else. nor the kettle." "I didn't think you had." "I saw that look on your face when he entered." "too." "What either." "That butter's melting." "You'd better lick your fingers." "Would you like to smoke now?" "In here?" "If you'd like to." "I would indeed." "When Mrs. Pascoe comes we don't even smoke in the drawing room." "This is not a drawing room." "It's a boudoir." "And i'm not Mrs. Pascoe." "I thought women minded about such things." "What they do when there's nothing better to worry about." "This was aunt Phoebe's room wasn't it?" "Was it?" "Before you were born." "It may have been." "All I remember of aunt Phoebe is simply a name." "Ambrose never told you of her great romance?" "Why no." "Aunt Phoebe got lovesick of the curate" "And went away to Tunbridge to mend her broken heart" "But the heart proved stubborn" "And Aunt Phoebe took a chill that lasted 20 years." "Are you sure you haven't heard of this?" "Never." "What happened then?" "The chill left her after 20 years" "At the sight of another curate" "But by then she was five and forty" "And her heart was not so brittle" "So she married the second curate." "And.." "Uh.." "Was the marriage a success?" "No." "As a matter of fact." "She died on her wedding night." "But I think I better not tell you the circumstances" "Until we've known each other a little longer." "[Singing rock of ages]" "Well?" "I can't tell." "She's got a veil on." "I'm afraid the service won't go on until you lift your veil." "I'm sorry." "that's a good-Looking woman." "too." "another custom he was fond of." "Sunday lunch with the kendalls and the pascoes." "If we might enjoy it together today." "Will you join us?" "if would be willing to drive back with Philip" "Perhaps Ambrose's oldest friend" "Would invite me to ride with him in his carriage." "Mrs. Ashley." "Mr. Kendall." "then." "Will you?" "indeed!" "what did she say?" "About what?" "Didn't you charge her?" "Not yet." "Haven't you said anything at all to her about the way he died?" "No.." "Uh.." "I haven't had the right opportunity." "But..." "I thought that's why you invited her here." "and I intend to at the right moment." "she's not all the sort of person I thought she'd be." "You've seen that for yourself." "She's very beautiful." "You really think so?" "of course." "Quite 35 I should say." "Wouldn't you?" "I have no idea." "I care less." "She could be 99 for all I know." "Nor do they dress like that." "Or look so well... don't you?" "You weren't bored?" "They couldn't have been pleasanter." "And your Louise is charming." "She'll make you an excellent wife." "but she's not mine." "She's still only a child now." "i'd suppose you think that." "You teasing me?" "Not in any way." "It's just that i'm very happy." "It's been a wonderful visit for me." "is it?" "But of course." "I came only for the weekend." "i've a new life to make for myself." "Why did he never make another will?" "D'you know?" "Does that matter now?" "that I can't afford to be idle." "I must look for work of some kind." "In London I suppose." "But you'll invite me down again won't you?" "I don't know." "You don't know?" "I mean i... don't know whether you want to come again or not." "I'm afraid I haven't been altogether honest with you." "How do you mean? Ambrose wrote to me during his illness." "Did you know that?" "No." "He wanted me" "He begged me" "To come to Florence" "To help him." "But I arrived there too late." "Have you been to Florence?" "Yes." "When?" "How long ago?" "I spent one night there." "The night of august 15th." "Right after I left." "So..." "Rainaldi told me." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Why have you let me stay here two whole days" "Without mentioning such a thing?" "I thought at first you knew." "What did he tell you?" "I think you should read them yourself." "Then the short one." "Only these two?" "That's all." "How you must have hated me!" "Yes." "Why did you ask me here?" "To accuse you." "Of what?" "I'm not sure." "Perhaps of breaking his heart." "wouldn't it?" "And then?" "I hadn't planned beyond that." "And to watch you while you suffered." "And then I suppose to..." "To let you go." "Then it was merciful of you." "More merciful than I should deserve." "If that was what you wanted!" "Watch me..." "Watch me now..." "Watch me as much as you wish!" "Rachel." "Please!" "That's no use either" "When we both remember what he wrote." "I can forget" "If you will" "But why should you?" "How do you know different?" "Because you are not that women." "You're not the woman I hated." "That was someone who existed only in his... sick mind." "Philip" "I was a fool." "No." "Not at all." "i'd like to tell you about it." "And our marriage." "As much of it as i understand anyway. without conceit of any kind." "I think for the first time in my life I knew what peace was." "for him." "He was like someone sleeping" "Who'd wakened suddenly" "And found the world with all its beauty too. that Ambrose wakened to me" "As some men waken to religion." "But a woman-Unhappily- Is not religion" "She's a human being with human thoughts." "And she shouldn't be judged by the same rules." "He expected too much of you? And be human occasionally." "In any case-Finally-Religion doesn't always improve a person." "And waking to the world didn't help Ambrose." "He changed." "His nature changed." "How? I could answer." "The doctors said it was his illness." "these deep hidden thoughts" "And suspicions came at long last to the surface." "But how can I be sure?" "That it wasn't something in me that brought them out." "Will you get a candle and light me upstairs?" "Of course." "Thank you." "You're quite sure you don't hate me now?" "Why should i?" "I'm very glad for it." "Goodnight." "i'm sure." "Would have to be sold to pay off Sangaletti's debts." "She's certainly entitled to something." "How much would you suggest?" "Five thousand pounds a year." "Five thousand?" "To be paid to her quarterly from the day of Ambrose's death." "You don't think that's a trifle overgenerous?" "How can one be overgenerous with property" "That might have been due her anyway?" "Very well." "i'll direct the bank to make the payments." "A sum like that..." "It's almost better than being mentioned in the will." "cousin." "with a heart full of love and gratitude." "And now..." "Before the others arrive." "dear Rachel." "Now?" "If you will." "darling." "Put it on." "The most beautiful thing i've ever seen in my life." "darling." "but I really must comment on it." "That's the most beautiful pearl necklace i've ever seen." "Thank you." "It's a very proud possession." "i've had a communication from the bank" "Which I find decidedly disturbing." "Yes." "It seems that in less than three months" "Your cousin Rachel has overdrawn her account more than double." "Well?" "You don't regard that as an extraordinary situation?" "Why should i?" "What she does with her money is no affair of ours." "I do." "And the only explanation I can find is" "That she's sending the money out of the country." "Whatever she does with it" "The only important point is that obviously whatever we gave her was not enough." "That's ridiculous." "We know she had debts." "We know she's a generous woman. to issue a check to cover that overdraft." "you're being very wayward." "by the direction" "In which your emotions have been carrying you recently." "has not failed to note" "The length of your cousin's stay in this house." "thank you." "you had no right to take that necklace from the family collection and won't be for another three months yet." "What of it?" "It'll be mine then won't it?" "The entire estate will be yours then." "not one item of it." "i've loaned to her for three months." "Is there any harm in that?" "I don't know." "I'm not sure." "that she might take it and sell it?" "Quite by chance recently" "I've come to learn a little more about your cousin Rachel." "Such as what?" "I came across some old friends who've been" "Who've been wintering in france and Italy over a period of years." "It seems they met your cousin when she was married to Sangaletti." "And? loose living." "The duel in which Sangaletti died was fought because of another man." "These people said..." "Don't you ever talk to anyone but gossips?" "that when they heard of Ambrose's marriage they were horrified." "They predicted she would run through his fortune in a matter of months." "Philip." "But my friends are responsible people they're not given to idle gossip." "I've never heard anything so despicable!" "anyway?" "it doesn't matter." "is that necklace." "very well." "and ask her to return it to the collection." "Not in a thousand years." "Then I must do it for you." "sir." "You will not utter one word to Mrs. Ashley on the subject." "The necklace is now hers." "very impressionable." "Particularly that necklace." "So as your guardian and executor of the estate" "I must be firm about it." "I shall." "but I couldn't help overhearing." "But I assure there's no need for either of you to be embarrassed." "It was dear of Philip to let me wear this for the evening." "to insist on its return." "Here." "nick." "please." "really." "I was proud to have worn it for even that once." "I wanted you to wear it for always." "I know." "I understand unspeakable old..." "I assure you." "Not in the least." "I'm not a child." "I must ask you to please remember that." "darling." "I'm five and twenty all but three blasted months." "I object to any further patronage from anybody." "My mother wore those pearls on her wedding day." "my aunt." "my grandmother." "too?" "Bless you." "At last!" "sir." "of course." "Of course." "I must apologize for coming without an invitation." "when you called on me." "sir." "though." "Imagine his being in England a week without letting me know." "I couldn't be more surprised when he walked in." "Philip?" "i... if you'll excuse me." "and we'll see you at dinner." "uh..." "Philip?" "sir." "It's very good of you to say so." "He reminds me of only of one person." "May I ask what that is?" "Tisane." "Guido's favorite tisane." "Which he says nobody can make as well as myself." "No one can make any tisane so well as your cousin." "I'm sure she knows more about herbs than any other person in the world." "a tisane?" "I should have introduced you to it long before now." "a mixture of herbs." "it's a very ancient art etc." "some for the health." "we'll have it again." "For this young man it must always be for pleasure." "For I can imagine no one standing less in need of more health." "Have you ever had an illness in your life." "Not that I can remember." "Doesn't it worry you?" "Why should it?" "Because such people are so often the first to go when finally they are stricken." "Haven't you heard that?" "I'm unalarmed by the situation." "It is probably all this violent riding and walking and swimming" "That young Englishmen do." "It develops the wrong portion of the body." "Now." "In Italy..." "Would you figure this Philip?" "Guido and I have a good deal of rather dull business to discuss." "And I believe it can be done more conveniently upstairs." "Certainly." "Will you join us later?" "really." "come in at any time." "It is very kind of you to have me as a guest in your home." "I trust that..." "you'll be comfortable." "too for all you have done for your cousin." "She wrote to me about the allowance." "You might be pleased to know that that was precisely what if the other will had been signed." "What other will?" "She didn't tell you?" "No one's told me of any other will." "Then perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it." "with a more normal arrangement." "to his widow." "But unfortunately by the time it was drawn and copied and it was never signed." "of course." "No." "We destroyed it." "You'll pardon me." "May I ask you what sense you use the word "we?" "Is it royal or domestic?" "it's legalistic." "For lawyer and client." "I expect some day to be able to use it in a sense more intimate." "be happy to congratulate you." "sir." "Your graciousness helps me to understand" "We both regret your cousin will leave here." "If and when she does?" "I understand." "sir." "Goodnight." "You'll have to go further than this to skip me." "How did you know I was here?" "You're always here when you're angry with me." "We'll have to go back." "It's far too cold for you here." "and you put your arms around me." "You didn't come to say goodnight." "You didn't really expect me to." "I waited up for you till after eleven." "With your friend?" "A good hour after I'd sent him up to bed." "Is that true?" "But of course." "Why do you ask that?" "Where is he now?" "On his way back to London." "I'm terribly sorry." "You're a goose." "don't you?" "I told you not to say that." "It's absurd." "each day that passes." "i'm more and more determined that I shall never let you leave here." "which is my birthday." "And there can be no objections whatever from anyone as to what I do with it." "I've never heard of such a thing before in my life." "Never!" "You mean you've never before heard of a wrong being righted." "You're quite determined on this?" "Quite." "Does she know about it?" "Nothing whatever." "The idea is mine and mine alone." "But isn't it possible you could satisfy your love or your conscience or whatever it 'tis" "With something less than the entire estate?" "But suppose this was what Ambrose himself intended." "Until he became too ill to arrange it." "We don't know that." "Not for a fact." "and so did you." "Would he have done anything less for the woman he loved?" "No." "Not if he still loved her." "If you let me sign? But I can't help regarding this as the completest folly." "I wish now she'd never come to England." "but if there's nothing i can say to dissuade you" "Sign here and I'll witness it." "good women very possibly." "impel disaster." "somehow turns to tragedy." "Rachel." "Rachel girl." "Wake up and come to the window." "Or do you want me to come in and wake you up?" "Philip." "Rachel." "What are you doing at this hour?" "and smell the fragrance of spring in the air." "But you've been drinking." "Only at the springs of love." "catch this." "I'll do no such thing!" "I tell you." "I do believe you must be really mad." "Now pull it." "It's heavy." "Pull hard." "What is it?" "I'll show you." "You idiot!" "You'll fall and hurt yourself." "Only a clod would walk up stairs on such a night." "A man in love would scale the wall." "please!" "Have you taken leave of your senses?" "Perhaps." "And never happier." "Philip." "You can't do this." "You must leave at once." "Don't you know what the day is?" "It's not day to begin with." "that's not till tomorrow." "do you think tomorrow begins." "you can't mean..." "Listen!" "So now it's all yours?" "No." "Yours." "I'm cold." "Stand by the fire." "You remember what your mother used to tell you?" "What must happen on a birthday." "Your hair is wet." "I've been swimming in the sea." "how could you in this weather?" "Do you remember?" "I'm sure." "his every wish must be granted." "that's not it at all." "That's exactly what you told me not two weeks ago." "Only up to the age of ten." "There was no such restriction as that." "Then there is now." "Up to the age of ten and not one day older." "suppose this time we reverse it." "The celebrator will try to grant you every wish." "Whatever you want." "Home." "Money." "while you decide." "Philip?" "and far from it." "and everything I have is yours." "Let me have your hand." "And this." "This." "And this." "And" "This." "darling." "No." "This is right." "They belong on you." "And as to this." "You can read it later." "What is it?" "Take it." "Philip." "This home." "This land." "Everything." "anyway." "darling." "too." "And all I have for you" "Is a little pin for your cripethet." "Blessed creature." "Remember once I told you" "There was nothing else I needed in the world but" "The warmth and comfort of these four walls." "I remember." "I was wrong." "I know now that it is something else." "Are you very sure of that?" "More sure than of anything else on earth Of all that he provokes and bewilders me at times only increases with the years." "You will never cease to be my godson." "dear boy." "Long life and happiness." "Philip." "ladies." "My dear Louise." "My dearest Rachel." "have a toast that I wish you to drink tonight." "Since this morning I've been the happiest of men. who is to be my wife." "Philip?" "Uh.." "but and these are my oldest friends." "I hope you can forgive this piece of schoolboy folly" "And forget it if you can." "The day and the wine seem to have gone to Philip's head." "He'll apologize for his insuffigate." "Shall we go to the drawing room" "I thought you'd gone to bed." "Not before I had begged your forgiveness." "Before you think up some other mischief to do." "believe me." "Betray us." "What a shameful thing to say." "You make me feel like a backstairs servant creeping up to some attic with a groom." "Will you let me pass." "I'm sure." "will you let me pass?" "Nobody said you were ashamed or angry last night when you gave me your promise." "What promise?" "of course." "I promised to marry you last night?" "But you couldn't possibly have misunderstood." "What else could i've been asking that meant everything in the world to me." "Nor anything like it." "let me ask you now in the plainest of language." "Will you marry me?" "and you may take that as final and forever." "will you let me pass?" "But you loved me." "I know you did." "It couldn't have been pretense." "and you had given me the jewels." "I was trying to be what else handicaff." "the jewels" "My name you already had." "Now leave me." "You understand?" "lecture me?" "No." "I just thought you might want to talk about it." "last night." "I don't believe that." "What you said was the truth." "Otherwise you wouldn't have said it." "I know that." "I misunderstood her." "But not I. Ever." "How d'you mean that? All that long distance from Florence?" "I should think all that was obvious." "It was a pilgrimage to Ambrose's home." "Philip." "It wasn't sentiment" "And it wasn't idle curiosity." "She'd quite another purpose in mind and now it's accomplished." "I don't know what you're talking about." "she'd have never stayed here." "and gone on her way." "Can't you see that yet?" "there's not need to continue this discussion." "You've never liked her from the day she arrived." "Then why has she been sending her allowance" "Out of the country month after month this whole winter?" "How can you say a thing like that?" "When you couldn't possibly know it for a fact." "and it is a fact." "Do you suppose my father and the bank" "Don't know what she's been doing with her money?" "But what if she did?" "She had debts in Florence." "I've known that all along." "she no longer any need to bleed you bit by bit." "Because suddenly you've given her exactly what she set out to get." "Everything." "May I see you to your carriage?" "that much?" "I've already asked her to marry me twice." "I intend to ask her again." "I simply cannot believe..." "Philip." "Perhaps not." "Do you know why she brought that document to my father?" "Yes." "Some of it wasn't altogether clear to her." "One point in particular." "Which was that?" "The conditions of remarriage." "There can't have been any misunderstanding about that." "It states simply that if she the estate simply reverts to me." "the condition would have no meaning actually." "Why wouldn't it?" "Because she'd still share in it?" "It would be ours together." "You're certainly can't be suggesting that she'd refuse to marry me" "Because she'd no longer own the whole property." "but remember this such as Italy." "wander away whenever the impulse seizes her." "I suggest nothing." "Good day." "how can you be so blind?" "How can you let yourself be torn and shamed and humiliated?" "How can I tell you?" "Don't you understand?" "Because I love her and nothing else!" "It isn't a little loving." "It isn't a fancy." "It isn't something you'd turn on and off." "It's everything I think and feel and want and know." "And there's no room in me for anything else" "And never will be again." "is it clear to you!" "Why three?" "sir." "Come in." "Come in." "look Philip." "Mrs. Ashley has found the most exquisite design for the sunken garden." "but could very well be the one below this house." "Don't you think?" "Won't you look at it?" "to have found an arrangement so suitable." "Quite nice and charming." "You'll be pleased to hear that Mary's going to be with us for a while now." "Philip." "the others were quite green with envy." "Do you play cribbage?" "I'm afraid not." "then i'll teach you." "I'll teach you both." "You'll be wild for it." "if you wish." "May I speak to you alone?" "I don't see the need." "You're quite free to say anything you wish in front of Mary." "i'm sorry." "I must go to my room anyway." "You needn't really." "to get ready for dinner." "so you can hear if I call?" "indeed I will." "Why have you done this?" "why." "it was not in the least necessary." "thank you." "I don't think I care to be alone with you again." "There are matters here that can't be settled" "In a moments conversation like this with the doors open." "Later in the evening after she's gone to bed?" "No." "How long is she to stay?" "As long as I choose." "I won't deny to order her out myself?" "I can't really imagine you're being so impertinent" "As to order a guest of mine out of my house." "sir?" "I have a headache." "The ladies are in the drawing room." "Will you be coming down for dinner?" "No." "No." "I'll see you in the morning." "You shouldn't have ridden out in weather like today." "I knew you'd be sorry for it." "Go away and leave me along." "I'll tell the mistress that you're not well." "Rachel" "Rachel" "Mr. Philip." "Mr. Philip." "My headaches." "Has gone promiscuous." "What is it dear?" "Rachel" "What is it dear?" "will you?" "Isn't the doctor here yet?" "I promise you I won't eh?" "And in this weather." "either." "It's my head!" "I've seen this fever before." "I've seen children die of it." "doctor." "Is that how I died?" "Ambrose!" "Philip." "My headaches." "Ambrose." "it'll be better soon." "Drink it all." "please." "I won't." "Will you promise?" "I promise." "you'd come back to me." "nobody's going." "ever." "But you said you'd marry me." "I can't." "Not while Philip lives." "My blessed Rachel." "I do love you so." "dear darling." "now?" "I will." "With the happiest of hearts." "Well." "At long last." "How do you feel?" "Strange." "Very strange." "I shouldn't wonder." "You've been very ill for a long time." "So welcome home again." "How long?" "More than three weeks." "It's not possible." "This is a few day's growth." "Good heavens." "Would you like a mirror?" "no thank you." "I feel like Rip Van Winkle." "soon." "What was the matter with me?" "we called it meningite seemed ever to have heard of it." "And how did they treat it?" "We worked it out together." "and they did it." "And letting into your blood a serum I made of herbs." "You don't remember that?" "No." "You're an amazing woman." "now?" "too?" "No." "Would you like anything to eat?" "No." "But I am thirsty." "Good." "I have a cold drink here." "Made from limes sent down from London." "I feel very sorry for you." "Why for me?" "weak stick of a husband on your hands." "sir?" "No." "It's only to the sunken garden." "I want to surprise Mrs. Ashley." "She said I wouldn't be able to walk alone for another week yet." "sir." "She drove into plymouth this morning." "You don't know what you're talking about." "I heard her make the appointment with the man in change." "don." "Tamblyn?" "thankee." "too." "I'm feeling better." "Trevor." "Mr. Philip" "What's the matter with the tree?" "Dead?" "we're moving it to the old orchard." "it's dropping its seed over the fence into the meadow." "I don't want the cattle to get hold of any." "you know." "too?" "sir?" "I remember now." "I saw several in Mrs. Ashley's grounds in Florence." "Must be wonderful climate." "I can understand the mistress wishing to return there." "But she doesn't anymore." "sir?" "I'm glad to hear that." "We hear different." "That she was just waiting to see you get well again before she went." "this is to be her home from now on." "Have you seen her this morning?" "sir." "Collin." "sir." "I must say it's good to see you out and around again." "indeed." "How's it coming along?" "sir." "But it's going to be more of an undertaking than we thought." "And how's that?" "sir." "They'll have to be replaced." "Can you brace it for the time being?" "sir." "When we get some more timber up here." "I think you should warn everyone in the house not to use it." "That's a long drop down there to those rocks." "though nobody ever uses it anyway." "Did you tell Mrs. Ashley?" "sir." "but she hasn't been around here this morning." "I'll tell her." "Thank you." "Seecombe." "ma'am." "I'm so pleased to see you down here." "too." "Alone?" "Yes." "I looked for you." "I'm terribly sorry." "I went into bodmin to do some shopping." "I should have told you." "Bodmin?" "I needed some lace." "I thought you said Plymouth?" "I had it from Wellington who thought that it was to be Plymouth again." "but I couldn't find what I wanted." "What about the headache?" "none today." "Not the least sign of one." "i'm so glad." "First day this week without one." "at last." "I hope so." "that I don't quite like." "What are they saying now?" "That you're going back to Florence." "Of course." "But not till you're well." "You mean you going back to sell the villa." "there's not need to do that now." "I can afford to keep it now." "Then why would you be going?" "to discuss that?" "You mean you'd want to spend the winter there?" "or the late summer." "There's a good deal of work piled up here since I've been ill." "I don't know that I should leave here as soon as that." "either." "But you might like to come down in the spring for a visit." "but with long separations and visits." "yet." "We still have all the time in the world for that." "i'll not leave here until you're entirely well." "Why should you leave here at all?" "This is your home now?" "But so is Florence." "That's where most of my friends are." "My villa and a certain life that i'm more accustomed to actually than the life here." "I'm sure you must understand that I can't help but miss it." "I suppose so." "I just hadn't thought of it like that." "I find I am a little tired after all." "You poor dear." "Of course you are." "Come on." "We'll go up together." "really." "Our true home." "Don't you feel that?" "It's a warm and comfortable room." "Someday we'll going to set a metal plate on the wall here." "Here Philip Ashley first set eyes on his cousin Rachel." "I think you should go now." "Come here." "Why must i?" "Ever." "Philip." "My room is all the lonelier to be sung the area of the ear." "I wish that we could tell them now." "Tell them what?" "That we're married now." "Philip." "of course we're married." "On my birthday." "You can't have forgotten!" "It 'tis true." "Isn't it?" "It would have been better if you'd let me die." "too." "Why didn't you tell me?" "I couldn't." "Not while you were so ill and weak." "when you're well." "And it all seemed so important then." "and you'll swim and sail in the bay" "And you'll be back about your work again." "everthing will seem to you just like it was before I came." "You really believe that?" "I don't think I should ever have another moment's peace of mind." "Is it Rainaldi?" "Philip." "I know it is." "It's always been Rainaldi." "Let's not go through all that again." "too. too." "Guido's a friend to see me through every trial and trouble." "or try to see me as other than as I am." "but has never condemned me for them." "i should have been lost time and again." "He's my only true friend." "But friend only." "don't you think could there be anything but unhappiness for both of us?" "Where is he now?" "Guido?" "I imagine." "When have ever you told me anything... But lies?" "Who's that?" "seecomb." "That you not called upon to listen to a scolding from the pulpit every sunday morning." "this morning?" "thank you." "Philip." "nick." "my dear." "Philip." "There's a vessel sailing in the morning and I booked passage on it." "Don't you think we might be friends for the last few hours?" "we must be." "There's an Italian saying that Ambrose loved:" "Remember only the happy hours." "is the way it should be with us." "It's a beautiful thought." "haven't we?" "Very happiest." "Let me kiss you." "There are still moments when I could swear that Ambrose lives all over again in you." "Philip!" "How much better you do look." "Thank you." "by George." "he looked quite green." "how do you feel?" "thank you." "splendid." "come." "Louise." "Are you sure you're quite up to all this?" "all my old friends again." "Good." "Louise." "Are you staying to dinner?" "Nobody is." "and father's going down to the farm." "Then you must make some excuse to stay here." "I want to see you alone." "It's very important." "I'll arrange it." "you two." "Time enough for that when I'm gone." "With only Philip's and Ambrose's dearest friends around me." "Are they gone?" "All but Miss." "Louise." "can't he?" "Of course." "don't you?" "I'm afraid." "There's a letter her somewhere in Italian I want you to read for me if I can find it." "particularly Leptkin." "And i'm going to miss her more than I can say." "Louise." "What is it?" "It's my special tisane for phillip." "I want you to watch how I make." "is to use pure barley." "I brought my own dried herbs from Florence." "too." "In Florence I used to brew my tisane in my room and let it stand for a while." "Then Ambrose and I would go out into the courtyard and sit" "And talk and play." "It was very pleasant and peaceful while the water dripped into the pool" "Often until after midnight." "if we couldn't make just such a pleasant place in the sunken garden?" "Where we might sit in the afternoons." "like the one in the cor...." "No." "Thank you." "really." "You can't refuse this last cup with me." "It's your own brew." "You drink it for me." "No." "It's a pity to waste it." "But mine's already poured with the sense of my taste." "Seecombe?" "ma'am." "yes." "Show him into the office." "Yes." "Will you excuse me for a moment?" "I have this one last paper to sign." "It's a letter from Rainaldi." "I'm certain it's in her room somewhere." "But I should like desperately to get hold of that letter and read it." "what's happened?" "I haven't the time to explain." "But i'm convinced now that Ambrose was right." "too." "you can't be serious." "Every word you uttered in the church that afternoon was the truth." "And with that letter i'm positive I can prove it." "surely." "How else could she marry her lover and still keep possession of the estate?" "Wasn't that the particular point you were going to be sure of?" "You're in a very bad humor today." "And i'd like to think it's because i'm leaving." "In any case I can't go away" "Without trying to do something for your sufferings." "What is it?" "A mixture for your tisane." "And I want your promise that you'll take it tonight before going to bed." "Will you?" "If you insist." "I do." "It's helped you before." "And it'll help you again." "Now." "Who'll walk with me to the sunken garden?" "I've just thought of a little statue I can get in Florence." "And I want to make sure in my mind how it'd look from the other side." "If you don't mind." "Louise must leave in a few minutes." "I promised to show her an old map of the estate" "That some brought to Seecombe yesterday." "Of course." "You should." "Come on." "Stand by the window and watch." "I'm going to find that letter if I have to...." "Philip." "unless she's destroyed it." "you know." "In Plymouth." "She's been seeing him for weeks." "and she's lying about..." "Here's an odd one." "It's a reciept from the bank." "She sent them back the jewelry collection." "Then she's not taking it with her." "Very clever of her." "Did you look all through the desk?" "Of course." "Have you looked in the blotter?" "Here." "What does it say?" "my ship sails saturday midnight." "If I don't see you again before then i'll leave defeated but with no reproaches." "I shall continue to serve you with love and friendship as long as I shall live." "By all means bring him back to Florence with you." "We'll nurse him back to health." "Guido." "my god!" "Philip?" "What have you done?" "Go to the bell rope at the foot of the stairs to call the men in." "Yes." "Go and pull it." "Ring it hard!" "If somethings happened I may need help!" "[Bell ringing]" "darling." "I'm coming." "darling." "Please." "Please!" "Rachel." "Rachel!" "Why did you do it?" "Blessed Rachel." "Only you can know now" "This burden that I must carry to the end of my days." "again and again" "Every day of my life." "now" "Until we meet at last in purgatory." "Were you innocent or were you guilty?" "my torment." "blessed torment."