"Her mouth contorted.'I'll throw you all out of here, out into that dark, if you don't stop.' She was too weary for this, too close to some breaking point herself. But then she turned her back on us, drawing her shawl tight around her, and padded softly out, the men who'd gathered at the door making way for her.
"The Englishman was crying.
"I could see what I must do, but it wasn't only that I wanted so much to learn from him, my heart pounding with silent excitement. It was heartrending to see him this way. Fate brought me too mercilessly close to him.
"'I'll stay with you,' I offered. And I brought two chairs up beside the table. He sat down heavily, his eyes on the flickering candle at his side. I shut the door, and the walls seemed to recede and the circle of the candle to grow brighter around his bowed head. He leaned back against the sideboard and wiped his face with his handkerchief. Then he drew a leatherbound flask from his pocket and offered it to me, and I said no.
"'Do you want to tell me what happened?'
"He nodded. "'Perhaps you can bring some sanity to this place,' he said.'You're a Frenchman, aren't you? You know, I'm English.'
"'Yes,' I nodded.
"And then, pressing my hand fervently, the liquor so dulling his senses that he never felt the coldness of it, he told me his name was Morgan and he needed me desperately, more than he'd ever needed anyone in his life. And at that moment, holding that hand, feeling the fever of it, I did a strange thing. I told him my name, which I confided to almost no one. But he was looking at the dead woman as if he hadn't heard me, his lips forming what appeared to be the faintest smile, the tears standing in his eyes. His expression would have moved any human being; it might have been more than some could bear.
"'I did this,' he said, nodding.'I brought her here.' And he raised his eyebrows as if wondering at it.
"'No,' I said quickly.'You didn't do it. Tell me who did.'
"But then he seemed confused, lost in thought. 'I'd never been out of England,' he started.'I was painting, you see... as if it mattered now... the paintings, the book! I thought it all so quaint! So picturesque!' His eyes moved over the room, his voice trailing off. For a long time he looked at her again, and then softly he said to her,'Emily,' and I felt I'd glimpsed something precious he held to his heart.
"Gradually, then, the story began to come. A honeymoon journey, through Germany, into this country, wherever the regular coaches would carry them, wherever Morgan found scenes to paint. And they'd come to this remote place finally because there was a ruined monastery nearby which was said to be a very well reserved place.
"But Morgan and Emily had never reached that monastery. Tragedy had been waiting for them here.
"It turned out the regular coaches did not come this way, and Morgan had paid a farmer to bring them by cart. But the afternoon they arrived, there was a great commotion in the cemetery outside of town. The farmer, taking one look, refused to leave his cart to see further.
"'It was some kind of procession, it seemed,' Morgan said,'with all the people outfitted in their best, and some with flowers; and the truth was I thought it quite fascinating. I wanted to see it. I was so eager I had the fellow leave us, bags and all. We could see the village just up ahead. Actually it was I more than Emily, of course, but she was so agreeable, you see. I left her, finally, seated on our suitcases, and I went on up the hill without her. Did you see it when you were coming, the cemetery? No, of course you didn't. Thank God that carriage of yours brought you here safe and sound. Though, if you'd driven on, no matter how bad off your horses were... ' He stopped.
"'What's the danger?' I urged him, gently.
" 'Ah... danger! Barbarians!' he murmured. And he glanced at the door. Then he took another drink from his flask and capped it.
" Well, it was no procession. I saw that right off,' he said.'The people wouldn't even speak to me when I came up-you know what they are; but they had no objection to letting me watch.