Chapter 36 Section 14

After supper he strolled out of the hotel and headed for the ferry.It was a clear night, but chilly, with a hint of early winter.Summer is over. Mark White got on the ferry and went to Yanpu.This is his second revisit to Cliffhead.The place had a fascination for him.He walked up the hill slowly, passing the "Palace" hotel, and then came a huge house on the top of a cliff. "Gull Cape"—he saw the sign on the painted door.By the way, this is where the old lady was murdered.There was much talk in the hotel, the maid in charge of his room pestered him to tell him everything, and the headlines appeared in the newspapers, disturbing Mark White, who would rather read world news than crime. .

He went on, down the hill, along the edge of a small sandy beach and some old and new fishermen's huts.Then climb up the mountain again until you reach the end of the road and change to the path leading to the cliff head. The cliff head is eerie.Mark White stands on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea.He stood like that that night.He tried to capture what he was feeling at the time—frustration, anger, boredom—and a desire to get away from it all.But now that everything is in the past, he can no longer capture those feelings.In its place was a cold sense of anger.Hooked by a tree, rescued by the Coast Guard, hustled like a naughty child in the hospital, the litany of humiliation.Why can't others leave him alone?He would rather die and leave everything.He still feels that way now.The only thing missing is the necessary driving force.

How it pained him then to think of Mona!But now he could think about her calmly.She's always been kind of stupid.She can't stand a few sweet words from others and runs away with them, or thinks she is extraordinary.She was very beautiful, yes, very beautiful--but brainless, not the kind of woman he had dreamed of.But it was a kind of beauty, of course - a faint image appeared before his eyes, a woman flying through the night sky, with white clothes fluttering in the wind behind her... like a decorative figure on the bow of a ship - just not so conspicuous... so hard... Then, in an instant, something incredible happened like a drama! ——A figure gallops out of the night.It appeared and disappeared—a running white figure—running—towards the edge of the cliff.A beautiful and desperate woman, chased by the Nemesis to destruction!Running in desperation regardless of life and death... He knew that kind of desperation.He understood what it meant, he jumped out of the shadows with a stride, and stopped her just as she was about to rush down the cliff!

He said roughly: "No, you can't..." He is like catching a bird.She struggled—struggled silently, and then, like a bird, suddenly became still. He said anxiously: "Don't jump off a cliff! It's not worth it. Not worth it! Even if you're extremely unhappy." She made a noise, a ghostly laugh. he said sharply; "You're not unhappy? Then why?" She immediately replied in a low breath-like voice: "fear." "Fear?" He let go of her in astonishment, and stood back a step so that he could see her clearly. He understood what she meant.It was fear that kept her going.It was fear that made her bright, fair little face look hollow and stupid.Her large eyes dilated with fear.

He said in disbelief: "What are you afraid of?" Her answer was so low he could barely hear it. "I'm afraid of being hanged..." Yes, that's exactly what she said.He stared again and again.He looked at her, then at the edge of the cliff. "So that's why?" "Yes. Better die soon—" She closed her eyes, trembling.She was shaking all the time. Mark White connected things together in his mind with logical thinking. He finally said: "Mrs. Trixilian? The old lady who was killed." Then, he said reproachfully: "You are Mrs. Schunji—the first Mrs. Schunji."

She nodded, still trembling. Mark White tried to recall everything he had heard.Rumor meets fact.He continued in his low, cautious voice: "They detained your husband—didn't they? There was a lot of evidence against him—and then they found out that someone had deliberately arranged the evidence to frame him..." He stopped and looked at her.She no longer trembled.She just stood there: like a docile child, watching him.He finds that her attitude affects him. He continued: "I understand...yes, I understand how it feels...he left you for another woman, didn't he? And you loved him...so—" he broke off.He said, "I understand. My wife left me for another man."

She spread her arms out.She began to hem and haw helplessly: "No-no-no-not this-such. Not at all-not-such-" He interrupted her.His voice was firm and authoritative. "Go home! You needn't be afraid any more. Do you hear me? I won't let anyone hang you!"