Comein，Laura，comein，andwakeMrsVeseywiththepiano。MrHartrightispetitioningforsomemoremusic，andhewantsit，thistime，ofthelightestandliveliestkind。’
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter4[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter4VIIISoendedmyeventfulfirstdayatLimmeridgeHouse。
MissHalcombeandIkeptoursecret。Afterthediscoveryofthelikenessnofreshlightseemeddestinedtobreakoverthemysteryofthewomaninwhite。AtthefirstsafeopportunityMissHalcombecautiouslyledherhalf-sistertospeakoftheirmother，ofoldtimes，andofAnneCatherick。MissFairlie’srecollectionsofthelittlescholaratLimmeridgewere，however，onlyofthemostvagueandgeneralkind。Sherememberedthelikenessbetweenherselfandhermother’sfavouritepupil，assomethingwhichhadbeensupposedtoexistinpasttimes；butshedidnotrefertothegiftofthewhitedresses，ortothesingularformofwordsinwhichthechildhadartlesslyexpressedhergratitudeforthem。SherememberedthatAnnehadremainedatLimmeridgeforafewmonthsonly，andhadthenleftittogobacktoherhomeinHampshire；butshecouldnotsaywhetherthemotheranddaughterhadeverreturned，orhadeverbeenheardofafterwards。Nofurthersearch，onMissHalcombe’spart，throughthefewlettersofMrsFairlie’swritingwhichshehadleftunread，assistedinclearinguptheuncertaintiesstilllefttoperplexus。WehadidentifiedtheunhappywomanwhomIhadmetinthenight-timewithAnneCatherick——wehadmadesomeadvance，atleast，towardsconnectingtheprobablydefectiveconditionofthepoorcreature’sintellectwiththepeculiarityofherbeingdressedallinwhite，andwiththecontinuance，inhermatureryears，ofherchildishgratitudetowardsMrsFairlie——andthere，sofarasweknewatthattime，ourdiscoverieshadended。
Thedayspassedon，theweekspassedon，andthetrackofthegoldenautumnwounditsbrightwayvisiblythroughthegreensummerofthetrees。
Peaceful，fast-flowing，happytime！mystoryglidesbyyounowasswiftlyasyouonceglidedbyme。Ofallthetreasuresofenjoymentthatyoupouredsofreelyintomyheart，howmuchisleftmethathaspurposeandvalueenoughtobewrittenonthispage？Nothingbutthesaddestofallconfessionsthatamancanmake——theconfessionofhisownfolly。