The Woman in White. Wilkie CollinsЧитать онлайн книгу.
– indeed, a kind of sad innocence seemed to come from her.
‘Did you hear me?’ she said, quietly and rapidly.
‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘that’s the road. Please excuse me – I was rather surprised by your sudden appearance.’
‘You don’t suspect me of doing anything wrong, do you?’
‘No, no, seeing you so suddenly gave me a shock, that’s all.’
‘I heard you coming,’ she said, ‘and hid behind those trees to see what sort of man you were, before I risked speaking. May I trust you?’ Her eyes searched my face, anxiously.
Her loneliness and helplessness were so obvious that I felt great sympathy for her. ‘Tell me how I can help you,’ I said, ‘and if I can, I will.’
‘Oh, thank you, thank you. You are very kind.’ Her voice trembled a little as she spoke. ‘I don’t know London at all. Can I get a cab or a carriage at this time of night? Could you show me where to get one, and will you promise not to interfere with me? I have a friend in London who will be glad to receive me. I want nothing else – will you promise?’
She looked nervously up and down the road, then back at me.
How could I refuse? Her fear and confusion were painful to see.
‘Will you promise?’ she repeated.
‘Yes.’
We set off together towards the centre of London. It was like a dream – walking along that familiar road, with so strange and so mysterious a companion at my side.
‘Do you know any men of the rank of Baronet in London?’ she asked suddenly.
There was a note of suspicion in the strange question, and when I said I knew no Baronets, she seemed relieved. I questioned her further, and she murmured that she had been cruelly used by a Baronet she would not name. She told me she came from Hampshire and asked if I lived in London. I explained that I did, but that I was leaving for Cumberland the next day.
‘Cumberland!’ she repeated softly. ‘Ah! I wish I was going there too. I was once happy in Cumberland, in Limmeridge village. I’d like to see Limmeridge House again.’
Limmeridge House! I stopped, amazed.
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