The name too was not that of
the same landlord as formerly, but Martin Cannister's.
Knight and Smith entered. The inn was quite silent, and they
followed the passage till they reached the kitchen, where a huge
fire was burning, which roared up the chimney, and sent over the
floor, ceiling, and newly-whitened walls a glare so intense as to
make the candle quite a secondary light. A woman in a white apron
and black gown was standing there alone behind a cleanly-scrubbed
deal table. Stephen first, and Knight afterwards, recognized her
as Unity, who had been parlour-maid at the vicarage and young
lady's-maid at the Crags.
'Unity,' said Stephen softly, 'don't you know me?'
She looked inquiringly a moment, and her face cleared up.
'Mr. Smith--ay, that it is!' she said. 'And that's Mr. Knight. I
beg you to sit down. Perhaps you know that since I saw you last I
have married Martin Cannister.'
'How long have you been married?'
'About five months. We were married the same day that my dear
Miss Elfie became Lady Luxellian.' Tears appeared in Unity's eyes,
and filled them, and fell down her cheek, in spite of efforts to
the contrary.
The pain of the two men in resolutely controlling themselves when
thus exampled to admit relief of the same kind was distressing.
They both turned their backs and walked a few steps away.
Then Unity said, 'Will you go into the parlour, gentlemen?'
'Let us stay here with her,' Knight whispered, and turning said,
'No; we will sit here.
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