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might have come upon him。 It could be that in the interval since she had
seen him he had seen the woman who was to take him from her。 She was
always preparing herself for that； knowing that it must come almost as
certainly as death； and knowing that with all her preparation she should
not be ready for it。 〃I've got rather a long story to tell you and
rather a strange story；〃 he said； lifting his head and looking round； but
not so impersonally that his mother did not know well enough to say to
the Swedish serving…woman：
〃You needn't stay； Margit。 I'll give Mr。 Philip his breakfast。 Well！〃
she added； when they were alone。
〃Well；〃 he returned； with a smile that she knew he was forcing； 〃I have
seen the girl that wrote that letter。〃
〃Not Jerusha Brown？〃
〃Not Jerusha Brown； but the girl all the same。〃
〃Now go on； Philip； and don't miss a single word！〃 she commanded him；
with an imperious breathlessness。 〃You know I won't hurry you or
interrupt you； but you mustyou really must…tell me everything。 Don't
leave out the slightest detail。〃
〃I won't；〃 he said。 But she was aware； from time to time； that she was
keeping her word better than he was keeping his； in his account of
meeting Miss Shirley and all the following events。
〃You can imagine；〃 he said； 〃what a sensation the swooning made； and the
commotion that followed it。〃
〃Yes； I can imagine that；〃 she answered。 But she was yet so faithful
that she would not ask him to go on。
He continued； unasked； 〃I don't know just how； now； to account for its
coming into my head that it was Miss Andrews who was my unknown
correspondent。 I suppose I've always unconsciously expected to meet that
girl； and Miss Andrews's hypothetical case was psychologically so
parallel〃
〃Yes； yes！〃
〃And I've sometimes been afraid that I judged it too harshlythat it was
a mere girlish freak without any sort of serious import。〃
〃I was sometimes afraid so； Philip。 But〃
〃And I don't believe now that the hypothetical case brought any
intolerable stress of conscience upon Miss Shirley； or that she fainted
from any cause but exhaustion from the general ordeal。 She was still
weak from the sickness she had been throughtoo weak to bear the strain
of the work she had taken up。 Of course； the catastrophe gave the whole
surface situation away； and I must say that those rather banal young
people behaved very humanely about it。 There was nothing but interest of
the nicest kind； and； if she is going on with her career； it will be easy
enough for her to find engagements after this。〃
〃Why shouldn't she go on？〃 his mother asked； with a suspicion which she
kept well out of sight。
〃Well； as well as she could explain afterwards； the catastrophe took her
work out of the category of business and made her acceptance in it a
matter of sentiment。〃
〃She explained it to you herself？〃
〃Yes； the general sympathy had penetrated to Mrs。 Westangle； though I
don't say that she had been more than negatively indifferent to Miss
Shirley's claim on her before。 As it was； she sent for me to her room
the next morning； and I found Miss Shirley alone there。 She said Mrs。
Westangle would be down in a moment。〃
Now； indeed； Mrs。 Verrian could not govern herself from saying； 〃I don't
like it； Philip。〃
〃I knew you wouldn't。 It was what I said to myself at the time。 You
were so present with me that I seemed to have you there chaperoning the
interview。〃 His mother shrugged； and he went on： 〃She said she wished to
tell me something first； and then she said； 〃I want to do it while I have
the courage； if it's courage； perhaps it's just desperation。 I am
Jerusha Brown。〃
His mother began； 〃But you said〃 and then stopped herself。
〃I know that I said she wasn't； but she explained； while I sat there
rather mum； that there was really another girl； and that the other girl's
name was really Jerusha Brown。 She was the daughter of the postmaster in
the village where Miss Shirley was passing the summer。 In fact； Miss
Shirley was boarding in the postmaster's family； and the girls had become
very friendly。 They were reading my story together； and talking about
it； and trying to guess how it would come out； just as the letter said；
and they simultaneously hit upon the notion of writing to me。 It seemed
to them that it would be a good jokeI'm not defending it； mother； and I
must say Miss Shirley didn't defend it； eitherto work upon my feelings
in the way they tried； and they didn't realize what they had done till
Armiger's letter came。 It almost drove them wild； she said； but they had
a lucid interval； and they took the letter to the girl's father and told
him what they had done。 He was awfully severe with them for their
foolishness； and said they must write to Armiger at once and confess the
fact。 Then they said they had written already； and showed him the second
letter； and explained they had decided to let Miss Brawn write it in her
person alone for the reason she gave in it。 But Miss Shirley told him
she was ready to take her full share of the blame； and； if anything came
of it； she authorized him to put the whole blame on her。〃
Verrian made a pause which his mother took for invitation or permission
to ask； 〃And was he satisfied with that？〃
〃I don't know。 I wasn't； and it's only just to Miss Shirley to say that
she wasn't； either。 She didn't try to justify it to me； she merely said
she was so frightened that she couldn't have done anything。 She may have
realized more than the Brown girl what they had done。〃
〃The postmaster； did he regard it as anything worse than foolishness？〃
〃I don't believe he did。 At any rate； he was satisfied with what his
daughter had done in owning up。〃
〃Well； I always liked that girl's letter。 And did they show him your
letter？〃
〃It seems that they did。〃
〃And what did he say about that？〃
〃I suppose； what I deserved。 Miss Shirley wouldn't say； explicitly。 He
wanted to answer it； but they wouldn't let him。 I don't know but I
should feel better if he had。 I haven't been proud of that letter of
mine as time has gone on； mother； I think I behaved very narrow…mindedly；
very personally in it。〃
〃You behaved justly。〃
〃Justly？ I thought you had your doubts of that。 At any rate； I had when
it came to hearing the girl accusing herself as if she had been guilty of
some monstrous wickedness； and I realized that I had made her feel so。〃
〃She threw herself on your pity！〃
〃No； she didn't； mother。 Don't make it impossible for me to tell you
just how it was。〃
〃I won't。 Go on。〃
〃I don't say she was manly about it； that couldn't be； but she was
certainly not throwing herself on my pity； unlessunless〃
〃What？〃
〃Unless you call it so for her to say that she wanted to own up to me；
because she could have no rest till she had done so； she couldn't put it
behind her till she had acknowledged it； she couldn't work； she couldn't
get well。〃
He saw his mother trying to consider it fairly； and in response he
renewed his own resolution not to make himself the girl's advocate with
her； but to continue the dispassionate historian of the case。 At the
same time