“Whatdoyoumean?”

    “PoorMr.Edward!”heejaculated,“Ilittlethoughtevertohaveseenit!Somesayitwasajustjudgmentonhimforkeepinghisfirstmarriagesecret,andwantingtotakeanotherwifewhilehehadoneliving:butIpityhim,formypart.”

    “Yousaidhewasalive?”Iexclaimed.

    “Yes,yes:heisalive;butmanythinkhehadbetterhedead.”

    “Why?How?”Mybloodwasagainrunningcold.“Whereishe?”Idemanded.“IsheinEngland?”

    “Ay—ay—he’sinEngland;he’tgetoutofEngland,Ifancy—he’safixturenow.”

    Whatagonywasthis!Andthemanseemedresolvedtoprotractit.

    “Heisstone-blind,”hesaidatlast.“Yes,heisstone-blind,isMr.Edward.”

    Ihaddreadedworse.Ihaddreadedhewasmad.Isummorengthtoaskwhathadcausedthiscalamity.

    “Itwasallhisownce,andabodymaysay,hiskindness,inaway,ma’am:hewouldhehousetilleveryoneelsewasoutbeforehim.Ashecamedownthegreatstaircaseatlast,afterMrs.Rochesterhadflungherselffromthebattlements,therewasagreatcrash—allfell.Hewastakenoutfromuheruins,alive,butsadlyhurt:abeamhadfalleninsucharotecthimpartly;butoneeyewask,andonehandsocrushedthatMr.Carter,thesurgeon,hadtoamputateitdirectly.Theothereyeinflamed:helostthesightofthatalso.Heisnowhelpless,indeed—blindandacripple.”

    “Whereishe?Wheredoeshenowlive?”

    “AtFerndean,amanor-houseonafarmhehas,aboutthirtymilesoff:quiteadesolatespot.”

    “Whoiswithhim?”

    “OldJohnandhiswife:hewouldhavenoneelse.Heisquitebrokendown,theysay.”

    “Haveyouanysortofveyance?”

    “Wehaveachaise,ma’am,averyhandsomechaise.”

    “Letitbegotre