London
CHATTO & WINDUS, PICCADILLY
1895
THE
Professor’s Experiment
CHAPTER XXI.
‘Confidence imparts a wondrous inspiration to its possessor. It bears him on in security, either to meet no danger or to find matter of glorious trial.’
The girl seems powerfully affected by the determination she has come to, so much so as to be almost on the point of fainting. Wyndham, catching her by the arm, presses her back into the garden-chair.
‘Not a word,’ says he. ‘Why should you tell me?’
‘I must, I will!’ She sits up, and with marvellous strength of will recovers herself. ‘There is very little to tell,’ says she faintly. ‘I have lived all my life in one house. As a little child I came to it. Before that I remember nothing. If’—she looks at him—‘I tell you names and places, you will keep them sacred? You will not betray me?’ Her glance is now at once wistful and frightened.