Fading Away

           ItwasfallingdarkwhenStephencameoutofMr.Bounderby’shouse.Theshadowsofnighthadgatheredsofast,thathedidnotlookabouthimwhenheclosedthedoor,butploddedstraightalongthestreet.Nothingwasfurtherfromhisthoughtsthanthecuriousoldwomanhehadencounteredonhispreviousvisittothesamehouse,whenheheardastepbehindhimthatheknew,andturning,sawherinRachael’scompany.

           HesawRachaelfirst,ashehadheardheronly.

           ‘Ah,Rachael,mydear!Missus,thouwi’her!’

           ‘Well,andnowyouaresurprisedtobesure,andwithreasonImustsay,’theoldwomanreturned.‘HereIamagain,yousee.’

           ‘Buthowwi’Rachael?’saidStephen,fallingintotheirstep,walkingbetweenthem,andlookingfromtheonetotheother.

           ‘Why,IcometobewiththisgoodlassprettymuchasIcametobewithyou,’saidtheoldwoman,cheerfully,takingthereplyuponherself.‘Myvisitingtimeislaterthisyearthanusual,forIhavebeenrathertroubledwithshortnessofbreath,andsoputitofftilltheweatherwasfineandwarm.ForthesamereasonIdon’tmakeallmyjourneyinoneday,butdivideitintotwodays,andgetabedto-nightattheTravellers’CoffeeHousedownbytherailroad(anicecleanhouse),andgobackParliamentary,atsixinthemorning.Well,butwhathasthistodowiththisgoodlass,saysyou?I’mgoingtotellyou.IhaveheardofMr.Bounderbybeingmarried.