`Onlyyesterday。Shesaidsomeonehadreportedthatastrangeransweringtothedescriptionofherdaughterhadbeenseeninourneighbourhood。
Nosuchreporthasreachedushere，andnosuchreportwasknowninthevillage，whenIsenttomakeinquiriesthereonMrsCatherick’saccount。
Shecertainlybroughtthispoorlittledogwithherwhenshecame，andIsawittrotoutafterherwhenshewentaway。Isupposethecreaturestrayedintotheplantations，andgotshot。Wheredidyoufindit，MissHalcombe？’
`Intheoldshedthatlooksoutonthelake。’
`Ah，yes，thatistheplantationside，andthepoorthingdraggeditself，Isuppose，tothenearestshelter，asdogswill，todie。Ifyoucanmoistenitslipswiththemilk，MissHalcombe，Iwillwashtheclottedhairfromthewound。Iamverymuchafraiditistoolatetodoanygood。However，wecanbuttry。’
MrsCatherick！Thenamestillranginmyears，asifthehousekeeperhadonlythatmomentsurprisedmebyutteringit。Whilewewereattendingtothedog，thewordsofWalterHartright’scautiontomereturnedtomymemory：`IfeverAnneCatherickcrossesyourpath，makebetteruseoftheopportunity，MissHalcombe，thanImadeofit。’ThefindingofthewoundedspanielhadledmealreadytothediscoveryofMrsCatherick’svisittoBlackwaterPark，andthateventmightlead，initsturn，tosomethingmore。
Ideterminedtomakethemostofthechancewhichwasnowofferedtome，andtogainasmuchinformationasIcould。
`DidyousaythatMrsCathericklivedanywhereinthisneighbourhood？’
Iasked。
`Ohdear，no，’saidthehousekeeper。`ShelivesatWelmingham，quiteattheotherendofthecounty——five-and-twentymilesoff，atleast。’
`IsupposeyouhaveknownMrsCatherickforsomeyears？’
`Onthecontrary，MissHalcombe，Ineversawherbeforeshecamehereyesterday。Ihadheardofher，ofcourse，becauseIhadheardofSirPercival’skindnessinputtingherdaughterundermedicalcare。MrsCatherickisratherastrangepersoninhermanners，butextremelyrespectable-looking。Sheseemedsorelyputoutwhenshefoundthattherewasnofoundation——none，atleast，thatanyofuscoulddiscover——forthereportofherdaughterhavingbeenseeninthisneighbourhood。’
`IamratherinterestedaboutMrsCatherick，’Iwenton，continuingtheconversationaslongaspossible。`IwishIhadarrivedheresoonenoughtoseeheryesterday。Didshestayforanylengthoftime？’
`Yes，’saidthehousekeeper，`shestayedforsometime；andIthinkshewouldhaveremainedlonger，ifIhadnotbeencalledawaytospeaktoastrangegentleman——agentlemanwhocametoaskwhenSirPercivalwasexpectedback。MrsCatherickgotupandleftatonce，whensheheardthemaidtellmewhatthevisitor’serrandwas。Shesaidtome，atparting，thattherewasnoneedtotellSirPercivalofhercominghere。Ithoughtthatratheranoddremarktomake，especiallytoapersoninmyresponsiblesituation。’
Ithoughtitanoddremarktoo。SirPercivalhadcertainlyledmetobelieve，atLimmeridge，thatthemostperfectconfidenceexistedbetweenhimselfandMrsCatherick。Ifthatwasthecase，whyshouldshebeanxioustohavehervisitatBlackwaterParkkeptasecretfromhim？
`Probably，’Isaid，seeingthatthehousekeeperexpectedmetogivemyopiniononMrsCatherick’spartingwords，`probablyshethoughttheannouncementofhervisitmightvexSirPercivaltonopurpose，byremindinghimthatherlostdaughterwasnotfoundyet。Didshetalkmuchonthatsubject？’
`Verylittle，’repliedthehousekeeper。’ShetalkedprincipallyofSirPercival，andaskedagreatmanyquestionsaboutwherehehadbeentravelling，andwhatsortofladyhisnewwifewas。Sheseemedtobemoresouredandputoutthandistressed，byfailingtofindanytracesofherdaughterintheseparts。``Igiveherup，’’werethelastwordsshesaidthatI
canremember；``Igiveherup，ma’am，forlost。’’AndfromthatshepassedatoncetoherquestionsaboutLadyGlyde，wantingtoknowifshewasahandsome，amiablelady，comelyandhealthyandyoung——Ah，dear！Ithoughthowitwouldend。Look，MissHalcombe，thepoorthingisoutofitsmiseryatlast！’
Thedogwasdead。Ithadgivenafaint，sobbingcry，ithadsufferedaninstant’sconvulsionofthelimbs，justasthoselastwords，`comelyandhealthyandyoung，’droppedfromthehousekeeper’slips。thechangehadhappenedwithstartlingsuddenness——inonemomentthecreaturelaylifelessunderourhands。
Eighto’clock。Ihavejustreturnedfromdiningdownstairs，insolitarystate。ThesunsetisburningredlyonthewildernessoftreesthatIseefrommywindow，andIamporingovermyjournalagain，tocalmmyimpatienceforthereturnofthetravellers。Theyoughttohavearrived，bymycalculations，beforethis。Howstillandlonelythehouseisinthedrowsyeveningquiet！
Ohme！howmanyminutesmorebeforeIhearthecarriagewheelsandrundownstairstofindmyselfinLaura’sarms？
Thepoorlittledog！IwishmyfirstdayatBlackwaterParkhadnotbeenassociatedwithdeath，thoughitisonlythedeathofastrayanimal。
Welmingham——Isee，onlookingbackthroughtheseprivatepagesofmine，thatWelminghamisthenameoftheplacewhereMrsCathericklives。
Hernoteisstillinmypossession，thenoteinanswertothatletteraboutherunhappydaughterwhichSirPercivalobligedmetowrite。Oneofthesedays，whenIcanfindasafeopportunity，Iwilltakethenotewithmebywayofintroduction，andtrywhatIcanmakeofMrsCatherickatapersonalinterview。Idon’tunderstandherwishingtoconcealhervisittothisplacefromSirPercival’sknowledge，andIdon’tfeelhalfsosure，asthehousekeeperseemstodo，thatherdaughterAnneisnotintheneighbourhoodafterall。WhatwouldWalterHartrighthavesaidinthisemergency？Poor，dearHartright！Iambeginningtofeelthewantofhishonestadviceandhiswillinghelpalready。
SurelyIheardsomething。Wasitabustleoffootstepsbelowstairs？
Yes！Ihearthehorses’feet——Iheartherollingwheels。Awaywithmyjournalandmypenandink！Thetravellershavereturned——mydarlingLauraishomeagainatlast！
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter13[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter13June15th——Theconfusionoftheirarrivalhashadtimetosubside。Twodayshaveelapsedsincethereturnofthetravellers，andthatintervalhassufficedtoputthenewmachineryofourlivesatBlackwaterParkinfairworkingorder。Imaynowreturntomyjournal，withsomelittlechanceofbeingabletocontinuetheentriesinitascollectedlyasusual。
IthinkImustbeginbyputtingdownanoddremarkwhichhassuggesteditselftomesinceLauracameback。
Whentwomembersofafamilyortwointimatefriendsareseparated，andonegoesabroadandoneremainsathome，thereturnoftherelativeorfriendwhohasbeentravellingalwaysseemstoplacetherelativeorfriendwhohasbeenstayingathomeatapainfuldisadvantagewhenthetwofirstmeet。thesuddenencounterofthenewthoughtsandnewhabitseagerlygainedintheonecase，withtheoldthoughtsandoldhabitspassivelypreservedintheother，seemsatfirsttopartthesympathiesofthemostlovingrelativesandthefondestfriends，andtosetasuddenstrangeness，unexpectedbybothanduncontrollablebyboth，betweenthemoneitherside。
AfterthefirsthappinessofmymeetingwithLaurawasover，afterwehadsatdowntogetherhandinhandtorecoverbreathenoughandcalmnessenoughtotalk，Ifeltthisstrangenessinstantly，andIcouldseethatshefeltittoo。Ithaspartiallywornaway，nowthatwehavefallenbackintomostofouroldhabits，anditwillprobablydisappearbeforelong。ButithascertainlyhadaninfluenceoverthefirstimpressionsthatIhaveformedofher，nowthatwearelivingtogetheragain——forwhichreasononlyIhavethoughtfittomentionithere。
Shehasfoundmeunaltered，butIhavefoundherchanged。
Changedinperson，andinonerespectchangedincharacter。Icannotabsolutelysaythatsheislessbeautifulthansheusedtobe——Icanonlysaythatsheislessbeautifultome。
Others，whodonotlookatherwithmyeyesandmyrecollections，wouldprobablythinkherimproved。Thereismorecolourthereusedtobe，andherfigureseemsmorefirmlysetandmoresureandeasyinallitsmovementsthanitwasinhermaidendays。ButImisssomethingwhenIlookather——somethingthatoncebelongedtothehappy，innocentlifeofLauraFairlie，andthatIcannotfindinLadyGlyde。Therewasintheoldtimesafreshness，asoftness，anever-varyingandyetever-remainingtendernessofbeautyinherface，thecharmofwhichitisnotpossibletoexpressinwords，or，aspoorHartrightusedoftentosay，inpaintingeither。ThisisGone。
IthoughtIsawthefaintreflectionofitforamomentwhensheturnedpaleundertheagitationofoursuddenmeetingontheeveningofherreturn，butithasneverreappearedsince。Noneofherlettershadpreparedmeforapersonalchangeinher。Onthecontrary。theyhadledmetoexpectthathermarriagehadlefther，inappearanceatleast，quiteunaltered。
PerhapsIreadherletterswronglyinthepast，andamnowreadingherfacewronglyinthepresent？Nomatter！Whetherherbeautyhasgainedorwhetherithaslostinthelastsixmonths，theseparationeitherwayhasmadeherowndearselfmoreprecioustomethanever，andthatisonegoodresultofhermarriage，atanyrate！
Thesecondchange，thechangethatIhaveobservedinhercharacter，hasnotsurprisedme，becauseIwaspreparedforitinthiscasebythetoneofherletters。Nowthatsheisathomeagain，IfindherjustasunwillingtoenterintoanydetailsonthesubjectofhermarriedlifeasIhadpreviouslyfoundherallthroughthetimeofourseparation，whenwecouldonlycommunicatewitheachotherbywriting。AtthefirstapproachImadetotheforbiddentopicsheputherhandonmylipswithalookandgesturewhichtouchingly，almostpainfully，recalledtomymemorythedaysofhergirlhoodandthehappybygonetimewhentherewerenosecretsbetweenus。