Fortunatelyforthesuccessofthemeasurestakensubsequently，noonewaspresentatthatmomentbutthenurse。Shewasayoungwoman，andshewassostartledthatshewasatfirstquiteincapableofinterfering。WhenshewasabletodosoherwholeserviceswererequiredbyMissHalcombe，whohadforthemomentsunkaltogetherintheefforttokeepherownsensesundertheshockofthediscovery。Afterwaitingafewminutesinthefreshairandthecoolshade，hernaturalenergyandcouragehelpedheralittle，andshebecamesufficientlymistressofherselftofeelthenecessityofrecallingherpresenceofmindforherunfortunatesister’ssake。
Sheobtainedpermissiontospeakalonewiththepatient，onconditionthattheybothremainedwellwithinthenurse’sview。Therewasnotimeforquestions——therewasonlytimeforMissHalcombetoimpressontheunhappyladythenecessityofcontrollingherself，andtoassureherofimmediatehelpandrescueifshedidso。TheprospectofescapingfromtheAsylumbyobediencetohersister’sdirectionswassufficienttoquietLadyGlyde，andtomakeherunderstandwhatwasrequiredofher。MissHalcombenextreturnedtothenurse，placedallthegoldshethenhadinherpocketthreesovereignsinthenurse’shands，andaskedwhenandwhereshecouldspeaktoheralone。
Thewomanwasatfirstsurprisedanddistrustful。ButonMissHalcombe’sdeclaringthatsheonlywantedtoputsomequestionswhichshewastoomuchagitatedtoaskatthatmoment，andthatshehadnointentionofmisleadingthenurseintoanyderelictionofduty，thewomantookthemoney，andproposedthreeo’clockonthenextdayasthetimefortheinterview。Shemightthenslipoutforhalfanhour，afterthepatientshaddined，andshewouldmeettheladyinaretiredplace，outsidethehighnorthwallwhichscreenedthegroundsofthehouse。MissHalcombehadonlytimetoassent，andtowhispertohersisterthatsheshouldhearfromheronthenextday，whentheproprietoroftheAsylumjoinedthem。Henoticedhisvisitor’sagitation，whichMissHalcombeaccountedforbysayingthatherinterviewwithAnneCatherickhadalittlestartledheratfirst。Shetookherleaveassoonafteraspossible——thatistosay，assoonasshecouldsummoncouragetoforceherselffromthepresenceofherunfortunatesister。
Averylittlereflection，whenthecapacitytoreflectreturned，convincedherthatanyattempttoidentifyLadyGlydeandtorescueherbylegalmeans，would，evenifsuccessful，involveadelaythatmightbefataltohersister’sintellects，whichwereshakenalreadybythehorrorofthesituationtowhichshehadbeenconsigned。BythetimeMissHalcombehadgotbacktoLondon，shehaddeterminedtoeffectLadyGlyde’sescapeprivately，bymeansofthenurse。
Shewentatoncetoherstockbroker，andsoldoutofthefundsallthelittlepropertyshepossessed，amountingtoratherlessthansevenhundredpounds。Determined，ifnecessary，topaythepriceofhersister’slibertywitheveryfarthingshehadintheworld，sherepairedthenextday，havingthewholesumaboutherinbank-notes，toherappointmentoutsidetheAsylumwall。