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However, one other explanation seems to be the most convincing of all. The children have grown weary of the constant pacing and wandering in the middle of the night, and Miles has gone downstairs to ask advice from Mrs. Grose. Remember, her apartment is under the stairs, and this lends importance to a remark Miles makes later in the novel. Talking to the governess, he asks her "You can't say I've not been awfully good, can you? . . . Except just that one night, you know . . . when I went down--went out of the house" (James 376). What was Miles about to say when he stopped? "when I went downstairs to talk to Mrs. Grose?" During his conversation with Mrs. Grose, did she tell him of the governess' sightings of the man on the tower and grounds? If so, Miles, being naturally curious, would obviously go out to see for himself.

The governess claims that she never harassed the children with accusations of having seen the ghosts or of any wrongdoing, but Flora's reply when "finally" confronted tells us differently. When the governess screams at her that "Miss Jessel is there!! She's there, she's there, she's there, and you know it!!" Flora's anger finally takes over. "I don't know what you mean! I see nobody! I see nothing! I never have! I think you're cruel! I don't like you!" (James 389). This outburst surely suggests that the accusations have been many and often. Flora's protest "I never have!" Tells us that this conversation has taken place many times before. It's no wonder Flora doesn't like the governess. The constant watching and accusations must have frazzled her nerves beyond repair. She is right, the governess is cruel.

The manner in which Mrs. Grose treats the governess reveals a lot about her feelings about what is happening at Bly. When she comes upon the governess peeping through the window and hears the story of the man allegedly staring through and the governess running out to meet him, a very interesting conversation takes place. Mrs Grose tells the governess, "I couldn't have come out." The governess replies, "Neither could I! But I did come. I've my duty." Mrs. Grose's telling reply is, "So have I mine" (James 350). What did the housekeeper mean by those words? Could she have meant that she had a duty to find out if the governess was crazy, and if so, to protect the children? It would seem so.

The Flying Porqupine