Mivart had told me in connection with her being found
by the fishermen.
'Yes, I found it impossible not to go on with it. But one morning
after there had been a great storm followed by a further settlement
of the landslip, I went out alone on the cliffs. I said to myself,
"This shall be my last search." By this time the news of your illness
and the anxiety I felt about you helped much in blunting the anxiety
I felt about my father's loss. But on this very morning I am speaking
of something very extraordinary happened.
'Don't tell me, Winnie. For God's sake, don't tell me! It will
disturb you; it will make you ill again.'
She looked at me in evident astonishment at my words.
'Don't tell you, Henry? Why, there is nothing to tell,' said she. 'As
I was walking along the sands, looking at the new tongue of land made
by the landslip, I seem to have lost consciousness.'
'And you don't know what caused this?'
'Not in the least; unless it was my anxiety and want of sleep. This
was the beginning of the long illness that I spoke of, and I seem to
have remained quite without consciousness until a few weeks ago.
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