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their own mute way。 As he read the truth in them； the man's face changed
from the keen look of scrutiny which it had worn thus far； to an
expression of compassionI had almost said； of distress。 He again took
off his hat； and bowed to me with the deepest respect。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said； very earnestly。 〃I beg the young lady's
pardon。 Pray forgive me。 My strange behavior has its excuseif I could
bring myself to explain it。 You distressed me； when you looked at me。 I
can't explain why。 Good evening。〃
He turned away hastily； like a man confused and ashamed of himselfand
left us。 I can only repeat that there was nothing strange or flighty in
his manner。 A perfect gentleman； in full possession of his sensesthere
is the unexaggerated and the just description of him。
I looked at Lucilla。 She was standing； with her blind face raised to the
sky； lost in herself； like a person wrapped in ecstasy。
〃Who is that man？〃 I asked。
My question brought her down suddenly from heaven to earth。 〃Oh！〃 she
said reproachfully； 〃I had his voice still in my earsand now I have
lost it！ 'Who is he？' 〃 she added； after a moment； repeating my question。
〃Nobody knows。 Tell mewhat is he like。 Is he beautiful？ He _must_ be
beautiful； with that voice！〃
〃Is this the first time you have heard his voice？〃 I inquired。
〃Yes。 He passed us yesterday； when I was out with Zillah。 But he never
spoke。 What is he like？ Do； pray tell mewhat is he like？〃
There was a passionate impatience in her tone which warned me not to
trifle with her。 The darkness was coming。 I thought it wise to propose
returning to the house。 She consented to do anything I liked； as long as
I consented； on my side； to describe the unknown man。
All the way back； I was questioned and cross…questioned till I felt like
a witness under skillful examination in a court of law。 Lucilla appeared
to be satisfied； so far； with the results。 〃Ah！〃 she exclaimed； letting
out the secret which her old nurse had confided to me。 〃_You_ can use
your eyes。 Zillah could tell me nothing。〃
When we got home again； her curiosity took another turn。 〃Exeter？〃 she
said； considering with herself。 〃He mentioned Exeter。 I am like youI
never was there。 What will books tell us about Exeter？〃 She despatched
Zillah to the other side of the house for a gazetteer。 I followed the old
woman into the corridor； and set her mind at ease； in a whisper。 〃I have
kept what you told me a secret；〃 I said。 〃The man was out in the
twilight； as you foresaw。 I have spoken to him； and I am quite as curious
as the rest of you。 Get the book。〃
Lucilla had （to confess the truth） infected me with her idea； that the
gazetteer might help us in interpreting the stranger's remarkable
question relating to the third of last month； and his extraordinary
assertion that I had distressed him when I looked at him。 With the nurse
breathless on one side of me； and Lucilla breathless on the other； I
opened the book at the letter 〃E；〃 and found the place； and read aloud
these lines； as follows：
〃EXETER： A city and seaport in Devonshire。 Formerly the seat of the West
Saxon Kings。 It has a large foreign and home commerce。 Population 33；738。
The Assizes for Devonshire are held at Exeter in the spring and summer。〃
〃Is that all？〃 asked Lucilla。
I shut the book； and answered； like Finch's boy； in three monosyllabic
words：
〃That is all。〃
CHAPTER THE FIFTH
Candlelight View of the Man
THERE had been barely light enough left for me to read by。 Zillah lit the
candles and drew the curtains。 The silence which betokens a profound
disappointment reigned in the room。
〃Who can he be？〃 repeated Lucilla； for the hundredth time。 〃And why
should your looking at him have distressed him？ Guess； Madame
Pratolungo！〃
The last sentence in the gazetteer's description of Exeter hung a little
on my mindin consequence of there being one word in it which I did not
quite understandthe word 〃Assizes。〃 I have； I hope； shown that I
possess a competent knowledge of the English language； by this time。 But
my experience fails a little on the side of phrases consecrated to the
use of the law。 I inquired into the meaning of 〃Assizes；〃 and was
informed that it signified movable Courts； for trying prisoners at given
times； in various parts of England。 Hearing this； I had another of my
inspirations。 I guessed immediately that the interesting stranger was a
criminal escaped from the Assizes。
Worthy old Zillah started to her feet； convinced that I had hit him off
（as the English saying is） to a T。 〃Mercy preserve us！〃 cried the nurse；
〃I haven't bolted the garden door！〃
She hurried out of the room to defend us from robbery and murder； before
it was too late。 I looked at Lucilla。 She was leaning back in her chair；
with a smile of quiet contempt on her pretty face。 〃Madame Pratolungo；〃
she remarked； 〃that is the first foolish thing you have said； since you
have been here。〃
〃Wait a little； my dear；〃 I rejoined。 〃You have declared that nothing is
known of this man。 Now you mean by thatnothing which satisfies _you。_
He has not dropped down from Heaven； I suppose？ The time when he came
here； must be known。 Also； whether he came alone； or not。 Also； how and
where he has found a lodging in the village。 Before I admit that my guess
is completely wrong； I want to hear what general observation in Dimchurch
has discovered on the subject of this gentleman。 How long has he been
here？〃
Lucilla did not； at first； appear to be much interested in the purely
practical view of the question which I had just placed before her。
〃He has been here a week；〃 she answered carelessly。
〃Did he come； as I came； over the hills？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃With a guide； of course？〃
Lucilla suddenly sat up in her chair。
〃With his brother；〃 she said。 〃His _twin_ brother； Madame Pratolungo。〃
_I_ sat up in _my_ chair。 The appearance of his twin…brother in the story
was a complication in itself。 Two criminals escaped from the Assizes；
instead of one！
〃How did they find their way here？〃 I asked next。
〃Nobody knows。〃
〃Where did they go to； when they got here？〃
〃To the Cross…Handsthe little public…house in the village。 The landlord
told Zillah he was perfectly astonished at the resemblance between them。
It was impossible to know which was whichit was wonderful； even for
twins。 They arrived early in the day； when the tap…room was empty； and
they had a long talk together in private。 At the end of it； they rang for
the landlord； and asked if he had a bed…room to let in the house。 You
must have seen for yourself that The Cross…Hands is a mere beer…shop。 The
landlord had a room that he could sparea wretched place； not fit for a
gentleman to sleep in。 One of the brothers took the room for all that。〃
〃What became of the other brother？〃
〃He went away the same dayvery unwillingly。 The parting between them
was most affecting。 The brother who spoke to us to…night insisted on
itor the other would have refused to leave him。 They both shed
tears〃
〃They did worse than that；〃 said old Zillah； re…entering the room at the
moment。 〃I have made all the doors and windows fast； downstairs； he can't
get in now； my dear； if he tries。〃
〃What did they do that was worse than crying？〃 I inquired。
〃Kissed each other！〃 said Zillah； with a look of profound disgust。 〃Two
men！ Foreigners； of course。〃
〃Our man is no foreigner；〃 I said。 〃Did they give themselves a name？〃
〃The landlord asked the one who stayed behind for his name；〃 replied
Lucilla。 〃He said it was 'Dubourg。' 〃
This confirmed me in my belief that I had guessed right。 〃Dubourg〃 is as
common a name in my country as 〃Jones〃 or 〃Thompson〃 is in Englandjust
the sort of feigned name that a man in difficulties would give among
_us。_ Was he a criminal countryman of mine？ No！ There had been nothing
foreign in his accent when he spoke。 Pure Englishthere could be no
doubt of that。 And yet he had given a French name。 Had he deliberately
insulted my nation？ Yes！ Not content with being stained by innumerable
crimes； he had added to the list of his atrocitieshe had insulted my
nation！
〃Well？〃 I resumed。 〃We have left this undetected ruffian deserted in the
public…house。 Is he there still？〃
〃Bless your heart！〃 cried the old nurse； 〃he is settled in the
neighborhood。 He has taken Browndown。〃
I turned to Lucilla。 〃Browndown belongs to Somebody；〃 I said hazarding
another guess。 〃Did Somebody let it without a reference？〃
〃Browndown belongs to a gentleman at Brighton；〃 answered Lucilla。 〃And
the gentleman was referred to a well…known name in Londonone of the
great City merchants。 Here is the most provoking part of the whole
mystery。 The merchant said； 'I have known Mr。 Dubourg from his childhood。
He has reasons for wishing to live in the strictest retirement。 I answer
for his being an honorable man； to whom you can safely let your house。
More than this I am not authorized to tell you。' My father knows the
landlord of Browndown； and that is what the reference said to him； word
for word。 Isn't it provoking？ The house was let for six months certain；
the next day。 It is wretchedly furnished。 Mr。 Dubourg has had several
things that he wante