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Lend me the light to get my clothes by； and tell me what I'm to
pay。〃
The landlord led the way back with his light into the bedroom。
〃Pay？〃 says he。 〃You'll find your score on the slate when you go
downstairs。 I wouldn't have taken you in for all the money you've
got about you； if I had known your dreaming； screeching ways
beforehand。 Look at the bedwhere's the cut of a knife in it？
Look at the windowis the lock bursted？ Look at the door （which I
heard you fasten yourself）is it broke in？ A murdering woman with
a knife in my house！ You ought to be ashamed of yourself！〃
My eyes followed his hand as it pointed first to the bedthen to
the windowthen to the door。 There was no gainsaying it。 The bed
sheet was as sound as on the day it was made。 The window was fast。
The door hung on its hinges as steady as ever。 I huddled my
clothes on without speaking。 We went downstairs together。 I
looked at the clock in the bar…room。 The time was twenty minutes
past two in the morning。 I paid my bill； and the landlord let me
out。 The rain had ceased； but the night was dark； and the wind was
bleaker than ever。 Little did the darkness； or the cold； or the
doubt about the way home matter to ME。 My mind was away from all
these things。 My mind was fixed on the vision in the bedroom。
What had I seen trying to murder me？ The creature of a dream？ Or
that other creature from the world beyond the grave； whom men call
ghost？ I could make nothing of it as I walked along in the night；
I had made nothing by it by middaywhen I stood at last； after
many times missing my road； on the doorstep of home。
VI
My mother came out alone to welcome me back。 There were no secrets
between us two。 I told her all that had happened； just as I have
told it to you。 She kept silence till I had done。 And then she
put a question to me。
〃What time was it； Francis； when you saw the Woman in your Dream？〃
I had looked at the clock when I left the inn； and I had noticed
that the hands pointed to twenty minutes past two。 Allowing for
the time consumed in speaking to the landlord； and in getting on my
clothes； I answered that I must have first seen the Woman at two
o'clock in the morning。 In other words； I had not only seen her on
my birthday； but at the hour of my birth。
My mother still kept silence。 Lost in her own thoughts； she took
me by the hand； and led me into the parlor。 Her writing…desk was
on the table by the fireplace。 She opened it； and signed to me to
take a chair by her side。
〃My son！ your memory is a bad one； and mine is fast failing me。
Tell me again what the Woman looked like。 I want her to be as well
known to both of us； years hence； as she is now。〃
I obeyed； wondering what strange fancy might be working in her
mind。 I spoke； and she wrote the words as they fell from my lips：
〃Light gray eyes； with a droop in the left eyelid。 Flaxen hair；
with a golden…yellow streak in it。 White arms； with a down upon
them。 Little； lady's hands； with a rosy…red look about the finger
nails。〃
〃Did you notice how she was dressed； Francis？〃
〃No； mother。〃
〃Did you notice the knife？〃
〃Yes。 A large clasp knife； with a buckhorn handle； as good as
new。〃
My mother added the description of the knife。 Also the year；
month； day of the week； and hour of the day when the Dream…Woman
appeared to me at the inn。 That done； she locked up the paper in
her desk。
〃Not a word； Francis； to your aunt。 Not a word to any living soul。
Keep your Dream a secret between you and me。〃
The weeks passed； and the months passed。 My mother never returned
to the subject again。 As for me； time； which wears out all things；
wore out my remembrance of the Dream。 Little by little； the image
of the Woman grew dimmer and dimmer。 Little by little； she faded
out of my mind。
VII
The story of the warning is now told。 Judge for yourself if it was
a true warning or a false； when you hear what happened to me on my
next birthday。
In the Summer time of the year； the Wheel of Fortune turned the
right way for me at last。 I was smoking my pipe one day； near an
old stone quarry at the entrance to our village； when a carriage
accident happened； which gave a new turn； as it were； to my lot in
life。 It was an accident of the commonest kindnot worth
mentioning at any length。 A lady driving herself； a runaway horse；
a cowardly man…servant in attendance； frightened out of his wits；
and the stone quarry too near to be agreeablethat is what I saw；
all in a few moments； between two whiffs of my pipe。 I stopped the
horse at the edge of the quarry； and got myself a little hurt by
the shaft of the chaise。 But that didn't matter。 The lady
declared I had saved her life； and her husband； coming with her to
our cottage the next day； took me into his service then and there。
The lady happened to be of a dark complexion； and it may amuse you
to hear that my aunt Chance instantly pitched on that circumstance
as a means of saving the credit of the cards。 Here was the promise
of the Queen of Spades performed to the very letter； by means of 〃a
dark woman；〃 just as my aunt had told me。 〃In the time to come；
Francis； beware o' pettin' yer ain blinded intairpretation on the
cairds。 Ye're ower ready； I trow； to murmur under dispensation of
Proavidence that ye canna fathomlike the Eesraelites of auld。
I'll say nae mair to ye。 Mebbe when the mony's powering into yer
poakets； ye'll no forget yer aunt Chance； left like a sparrow on
the housetop； wi a sma' annuitee o' thratty punds a year。〃
I remained in my situation （at the West…end of London） until the
Spring of the New Year。 About that time； my master's health
failed。 The doctors ordered him away to foreign parts； and the
establishment was broken up。 But the turn in my luck still held
good。 When I left my place； I left itthanks to the generosity of
my kind masterwith a yearly allowance granted to me； in
remembrance of the day when I had saved my mistress's life。 For
the future； I could go back to service or not； as I pleased； my
little income was enough to support my mother and myself。
My master and mistress left England toward the end of February。
Certain matters of business to do for them detained me in London
until the last day of the month。 I was only able to leave for our
village by the evening train； to keep my birthday with my mother as
usual。 It was bedtime when I got to the cottage； and I was sorry
to find that she was far from well。 To make matters worse； she had
finished her bottle of medicine on the previous day； and had
omitted to get it replenished； as the doctor had strictly directed。
He dispensed his own medicines； and I offered to go and knock him
up。 She refused to let me do this； and； after giving me my supper；
sent me away to my bed。
I fell asleep for a little； and woke again。 My mother's bed…
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