`Youwillsignnothing，Laura，withoutfirstlookingatit？’
`Certainlynot，Marian。WhateverIcanharmlesslyandhonestlydotohelphimIwilldo——forthesakeofmakingyourlifeandmine，love，aseasyandashappyaspossible。ButIwilldonothingignorantly，whichwemight，oneday，havereasontofeelashamedof。Letussaynomoreaboutitnow。Youhavegotyourhaton——supposewegoanddreamawaytheafternooninthegrounds？’
Onleavingthehousewedirectedourstepstothenearestshade。
Aswepassedanopenspaceamongthetreesinfrontofthehouse，therewasCountFosco，slowlywalkingbackwardsandforwardsonthegrass，sunninghimselfinthefullblazeofthehotJuneafternoon。Hehadabroadstrawhaton，withaviolet-colouredribbonroundit。Ablueblouse，withprofusewhitefancy-workoverthebosom，coveredhisprodigiousbody，andwasgirtabouttheplacewherehiswaistmightoncehavebeenwithabroadscarletleatherbelt。Nankeentrousers，displayingmorewhitefancy-workovertheankles，andpurplemoroccoslippers，adornedhislowerextremities。HewassingingFigaro’sfamoussongintheBarberofSeville。withthatcrisplyfluentvocalisationwhichisneverheardfromanyotherthananItalianthroat，accompanyinghimselfontheconcertina，whichheplayedwithecstaticthrowings-upofhisarms，andgracefultwistingsandturningsofhishead，likeafatStCeciliamasqueradinginmaleattire。`Figaroqua！Figarola！Figarosu！Figarogiu！’sangtheCount，jauntilytossinguptheconcertinaatarm’slength，andbowingtous，ononesideoftheinstrument，withtheairygraceandeleganceofFigarohimselfattwentyvicarsofage。
`Takemywordforit，Laura，thatmanknowssomethingofSirPercival’sembarrassments，’Isaid，aswereturnedtheCount’ssalutationfromasafedistance。
`Whatmakesyouthinkthat？’sheasked。
`Howshouldhehaveknown，otherwise，thatMrMerrimanwasSirPercival’ssolicitor？’Irejoined。`Besides，whenIfollowedyououtoftheluncheon-room，hetoldme。withoutasinglewordofinquiryonmypart，thatsomethinghadhappened。Dependuponit，heknowsmorethanwedo。’
`Don’taskhimanyquestionsifhedoes。Don’ttakehimintoourconfidence。
`Youseemtodislikehim，Laura，inaverydeterminedmanner。Whathashesaidordonetojustifyyou？’
`Nothing，Marian。Onthecontrary，hewasallkindnessandattentiononourjourneyhome，andheseveraltimescheckedSirPercival’soutbreaksoftemper，inthemostconsideratemannertowardsme。PerhapsI
dislikehimbecausehehassomuchmorepowerovermyhusbandthanIhave。
Perhapsithurtsmypridetobeunderanyobligationstohisinterference。
AllIknowis，thatIdodislikehim。’
Therestofthedayandeveningpassedquietlyenough。ThecountandIplayedatchess。Forthefirsttwogameshepolitelyallowedmetoconquerhim，andthen，whenhesawthatIhadfoundhimout，beggedmypardon，andatthethirdgamecheckmatedmeintenminutes。SirPercivalneveroncereferred，allthroughtheevening，tothelawyer’svisit。Buteitherthatevent，orsomethingelse，hadproducedasingularalterationforthebetterinhim。Hewasaspoliteandagreeabletoallofus，asheusedtobeinthedaysofhisprobationatLimmeridge，andhewassoamazinglyattentiveandkindtohiswife，thatevenicyMadameFoscowasrousedintolookingathimwithagravesurprise。Whatdoesthismean？IthinkIcanguess——IamafraidLauracanguess——andIamsureCountFoscoknows。
IcaughtSirPercivallookingathimforapprovalmorethanonceinthecourseoftheevening。
June17th——Adayofevents。ImostferventlyhopeImaynothavetoadd，adayofdisastersaswell。
SirPercivalwasassilentatbreakfastashehadbeentheeveningbefore，onthesubjectofthemysterious“arrangement“asthelawyercalledit
whichishangingoverourheads。Anhourafterwards，however，hesuddenlyenteredthemorning-room，herehiswifeandIwerewaiting，withourhatson，forMadameFoscotojoinus，andinquiredfortheCount。
“Weexpecttoseehimheredirectly。”Isaid。
“Thefactis。”SirPercivalwenton，walkingnervouslyabouttheroom，“IwantFoscoandhiswifeinthelibrary，foramerebusinessformality，andIwantyouthere，Laura，foraminutetoo。”Hestopped，andappearedtonotice，forthefirsttime，thatwewereinourwalkingcostume。“Haveyoujustcomein？”heasked，“orwereyoujustgoingout？”
“Wewereallthinkingofgoingtothelakethismorning。”saidLaura。
“Butifyouhaveanyotherarrangementtopropose——“
“No，no。”heansweredhastily。“Myarrangementcanwait。
Afterlunchwilldoaswellforitasafterbreakfast。Allgoingtothelake，eh？Agoodidea。Let’shaveanidlemorning——I’llbeoneoftheparty。”
Therewasnomistakinghismanner，evenifithadbeenpossibletomistaketheuncharacteristicreadinesswhichhiswordsexpressed，tosubmithisownplansandprojectstotheconvenienceofothers。Hewasevidentlyrelievedatfindinganyexcusefordelayingthebusinessformalityinthelibrary，towhichhisownwordshadreferred。MyheartsankwithinmeasIdrewtheinevitableinference。
TheCountandhiswifejoinedusatthatmoment。Theladyhadherhusband’sembroideredtobacco-pouch，andherstoreofpaperinherhand，forthemanufactureoftheeternalcigarettes。Thegentleman，dressed，asusual，inhisblouseandstrawhat，carriedthegaylittlepagoda-cage，withhisdarlingwhitemiceinit，andsmiledonthem，andonus，withablandamiabilitywhichitwasimpossibletoresist。
“Withyourkindpermission。”saidtheCount，“Iwilltakemysmallfamilyhere——mypoor-little-harmless-pretty-Mouseys，outforanairingalongwithus。Therearedogsaboutthehouse，andshallIleavemyforlornwhitechildrenatthemerciesofthedogs？Ah，never！”
Hechirrupedpaternallyathissmallwhitechildrenthroughthebarsofthepagoda，andweallleftthehouseforthelake。
IntheplantationSirPercivalstrayedawayfromus。Itseemstobepartofhisrestlessdispositionalwaystoseparatehimselffromhiscompanionsontheseoccasions，andalwaystooccupyhimselfwhenheisaloneincuttingnewwalking-sticksforhisownuse。Themereactofcuttingandloppingathazardappearstopleasehim。
Hehasfilledthehousewithwalking-sticksofhisownmaking，notoneofwhichheevertakesupforasecondtime。Whentheyhavebeenonceusedhisinterestinthemisallexhausted，andhethinksofnothingbutgoingonandmakingmore。
Attheoldboat-househejoinedusagain。Iwillputdowntheconversationthatensuedwhenwewereallsettledinourplacesexactlyasitpassed。Itisanimportantconversation，sofarasIamconcerned，forithasseriouslydisposedmetodistrusttheinfluencewhichCountFoscohasexercisedovermythoughtsandfeelings，andtoresistitforthefutureasresolutelyasIcan。
Theboat-housewaslargeenoughtoholdusall，butSirPercivalremainedoutsidetrimmingthelastnewstickwithhisket-axe。
Wethreewomenfoundplentyofroomonthelargeseat。Lauratookherwork，andMadameFoscobeganhercigarettes。I，asusual，hadnothingtodo。Myhandsalwayswere，andalwayswillbe，asawkwardasaman’s。TheCountgood-humouredlytookastoolmanysizestoosmallforhim，andbalancedhimselfonitwithhisbackagainstthesideoftheshed，whichcreakedandgroanedunderhisweight。Heputthepagoda-cageonhislap，andletoutthemicetocrawloverhimasusual。Theyarepretty，innocent-lookinglittlecreatures，butthesightofthemcreepingaboutaman’sbodyisforsomereasonnotpleasanttome。Itexcitesastrangeresponsivecreepinginmyownnerves，andsuggestshideousideasofmendyinginprisonwiththecrawlingcreaturesofthedungeonpreyingonthemundisturbed。
Themorningwaswindyandcloudy，andtherapidalternationsofshadowandsunlightoverthewasteofthelakemadetheviewlookdoublywild，weird，andgloomy。
“Somepeoplecallthatpicturesque。”saidSirPercival，pointingoverthewideprospectwithhishalf-finishedwalking-stick。“I
callitablotonagentleman’sproperty。Inmygreat-grandfather’stimethelakeflowedtothisplace。Lookatitnow！Itisnotfourfeetdeepanywhere，anditisallpuddlesandpools。IwishIcouldaffordtodrainit，andplantitallover。Mybailiffasuperstitiousidiotsaysheisquitesurethelakehasacurseonit，liketheDeadSea。Whatdoyouthink，Fosco？Itlooksjusttheplaceforamurder，doesn’tit？”
“MygoodPercival。”remonstratedtheCount。“WhatisyoursolidEnglishsensethinkingof？Thewateristooshallowtohidethebody，andthereissandeverywheretoprintoffthemurderer’sfootsteps。Itis，uponthewhole，theveryworstplaceforamurderthatIeversetmyeyeson。”
“Humbug！”saidSirPercival，cuttingawayfiercelyathisstick。“YouknowwhatImean。Thedrearyscenery，thelonelysituation。Ifyouchoosetounderstandme，youcan——ifyoudon’tchoose，Iamnotgoingtotroublemyselftoexplainmymeaning。”
“Andwhynot。”askedtheCount，“whenyourmeaningcanbeexplainedbyanybodyintwowords？Ifafoolwasgoingtocommitamurder，yourlakeisthefirstplacehewouldchooseforit。Ifawisemanwasgoingtocommitamurder，yourlakeisthelastplacehewouldchooseforit。
Isthatyourmeaning？Ifitis，thereisyourexplanationforyoureadymade。Takeit，Percival，withyourgoodFosco’sblessing。”
LauralookedattheCountwithherdislikeforhimappearingalittletooplainlyinherface。Hewassobusywithhismicethathedidnotnoticeher。
“Iamsorrytohearthelake-viewconnectedwithanythingsohorribleastheideaofmurder。”shesaid。“AndifCountFoscomustdividemurderersintoclasses，Ithinkhehasbeenveryunfortunateinhischoiceofexpressions。Todescribethemasfoolsonlyseemsliketreatingthemwithanindulgencetowhichtheyhavenoclaim。Andtodescribethemaswisemensoundstomelikeadownrightcontradictioninterms。Ihavealwaysheardthattrulywisemenaretrulygoodmen，andhaveahorrorofcrime。”