The story moved his auditor much
more than he had expected. Mr Haredale often changed his attitude, rose
and paced the room, returned again, desired him to repeat, as nearly as
he could, the very words that Solomon had used, and gave so many other
signs of being disturbed and ill at ease, that even Mr Willet was
surprised.
'You did quite right,' he said, at the end of a long conversation, 'to
bid them keep this story secret. It is a foolish fancy on the part of
this weak-brained man, bred in his fears and superstition. But Miss
Haredale, though she would know it to be so, would be disturbed by it
if it reached her ears; it is too nearly connected with a subject very
painful to us all, to be heard with indifference. You were most prudent,
and have laid me under a great obligation. I thank you very much.'
This was equal to John's most sanguine expectations; but he would have
preferred Mr Haredale's looking at him when he spoke, as if he really
did thank him, to his walking up and down, speaking by fits and starts,
often stopping with his eyes fixed on the ground, moving hurriedly on
again, like one distracted, and seeming almost unconscious of what he
said or did.
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