MadameFoscohadevidentlybeenwatchingoutside。Themischiefshemightdobyherselfwaslittletobefeared。Butthemischiefshemightdo，asawillinginstrumentinherhusband’shands，wastooformidabletobeoverlooked。
`Whatbecameoftherustlingofthegownwhenyounolongerhearditintheante-room？’Iinquired。`Didyouhearitgopastyourwall，alongthepassage？’
`Yes。Ikeptstillandlistened，andjustheardit。’
`Whichwaydiditgo？’
`Towardsyourroom。’
Iconsideredagain。Thesoundhadnotcaughtmyears。ButIwasthendeeplyabsorbedinmyletters，andIwritewithaheavyhandandaquillpen，scrapingandscratchingnoisilyoverthepaper。ItwasmorelikelythatMadameFoscowouldhearthescrapingofmypenthanthatIshouldheartherustlingofherdress。AnotherreasonifIhadwantedonefornottrustingmyletterstothepost-baginthehall。
Laurasawmethinking。`Moredifficulties！’shesaidwearily；`moredifficultiesandmoredangers！’
`Nodangers，’Ireplied。`Somelittledifficulty，perhaps。IamthinkingofthesafestwayofputtingmytwolettersintoFanny’shands。’
`Youhavereallywrittenthem，then？Oh，Marian，runnorisks——pray，pray，runnorisks！’
`No，no——nofear。Letmesee——whato’clockisitnow？’
Itwasaquartertosix。Therewouldbetimeformetogettothevillageinn，andtocomebackagainbeforedinner。IfIwaitedtilltheeveningImightfindnosecondopportunityofsafelyleavingthehouse。
`Keepthekeyturnedinthelock，Laura，’Isaid，`anddon’tbeafraidaboutme。Ifyouhearanyinquiriesmade，callthroughthedoor，andsaythatIamgoneoutforawalk。’
`Whenshallyoubeback？’
`Beforedinner，withoutfail。Courage，mylove。Bythistimetomorrowyouwillhaveaclear-headed，trustworthymanactingforyourgood。MrGilmore’spartnerisournextbestfriendtoMrGilmorehimself。’
Amoment’sreflection，assoonasIwasalone，convincedmethatIhadbetternotappearinmywalking-dressuntilIhadfirstdiscoveredwhatwasgoingoninthelowerpartofthehouse。IhadnotascertainedyetwhetherSirPercivalwasindoorsorout。
Thesingingofthecanariesinthelibrary，andthesmelloftobacco-smokethatcamethroughthedoor，whichwasnotclosed，toldmeatoncewheretheCountwas。IlookedovermyshoulderasIpassedthedoorway，andsawtomysurprisethathewasexhibitingthedocilityofthebirdsinhismostengaginglypolitemannertothehousekeeper。Hemusthavespeciallyinvitedhertoseethem——forshewouldneverhavethoughtofgoingintothelibraryofherownaccord。Theman’sslightestactionshadapurposeofsomekindatthebottomofeveryoneofthem。Whatcouldbehispurposehere？
Itwasnotimethentoinquireintohismotives。IlookedaboutforMadameFosconext，andfoundherfollowingherfavouritecircleroundandroundthefish-pond。
Iwasalittledoubtfulhowshewouldmeetme，aftertheoutbreakofjealousyofwhichIhadbeenthecausesoshortatimesince。Butherhusbandhadtamedherintheinterval，andshenowspoketomewiththesamecivilityasusual。MyonlyobjectinaddressingmyselftoherwastoascertainifsheknewwhathadbecomeofSirPercival。Icontrivedtorefertohimindirectly，andafteralittlefencingoneithersidesheatlastmentionedthathehadgoneout。
`Whichofthehorseshashetaken？’Iaskedcarelessly。
`Noneofthem，’shereplied。`Hewentawaytwohourssinceonfoot。
AsIunderstoodit，hisobjectwastomakefreshinquiriesaboutthewomannamedAnneCatherick。Heappearstobeunreasonablyanxiousabouttracingher。Doyouhappentoknowifsheisdangerouslymad，MissHalcombe？’
`Idonot，Countess。’
`Areyougoingin？’
`Yes，Ithinkso。Isupposeitwillsoonbetimetodressfordinner。’
Weenteredthehousetogether。MadameFoscostrolledintothelibrary，anddosedthedoor。Iwentatoncetofetchmyhatandshawl。Everymomentwasofimportance，ifIwastogettoFannyattheinnandhebackbeforedinner。
WhenIcrossedthehallagainnoonewasthere，andthesingingofthebirdsinthelibraryhadceased。Icouldnotstoptomakeanyfreshinvestigations。
Icouldonlyassuremyselfthatthewaywasclear，andthenleavethehousewiththetwoletterssafeinmypocket。
OnmywaytothevillageIpreparedmyselfforthepossibilityofmeetingSirPercival。AslongasIhadhimtodealwithaloneIfeltcertainofnotlosingmypresenceofmind。Anywomanwhoissureofherownwitsisamatchatanytimeforamanwhoisnotsureofhisowntemper。IhadnosuchfearofSirPercivalasIhadoftheCount。Insteadoffluttering，ithadcomposedme，tohearoftheerrandonwhichhehadgoneout。WhilethetracingofAnneCatherickwasthegreatanxietythatoccupiedhim，LauraandImighthopeforsomecessationofanyactivepersecutionathishands。Foroursakesnow，aswellasforAnne’s，Ihopedandprayedferventlythatshemightstillescapehim。
IwalkedonasbrisklyastheheatwouldletmetillIreachedthecross-roadwhichledtothevillage，lookingbackfromtimetotimetomakesurethatIwasnotfollowedbyanyone。
Nothingwasbehindmeallthewaybutanemptycountrywaggon。Thenoisemadebythelumberingwheelsannoyedme，andwhenIfoundthatthewaggontooktheroadtothevillage，aswellasmyself，Istoppedtoletitgobyandpassoutofhearing。AsIlookedtowardit，moreattentivelythanbefore，Ithoughtldetectedatintervalsthefeetofamanwalkingclosebehindit，thecarterbeinginfront，bythesideofhishorses。Thepartofthecross-roadwhichIhadjustpassedoverwassonarrowthatthewaggoncomingaftermebrushedthetreesandthicketsoneitherside，andIhadtowaituntilitwentbybeforeIcouldtestthecorrectnessofmyimpression。
Apparentlythatimpressionwaswrong，forwhenthewaggonhadpassedmetheroadbehinditwasquiteclear。
IreachedtheinnwithoutmeetingSirPercival，andwithoutnoticinganythingmore，andwasgladtofindthatthelandladyhadreceivedFannywithallpossiblekindness。Thegirlhadalittleparlourtositin，awayfromthenoiseofthetaproom，andacleanbedchamberatthetopofthehouse。Shebegancryingagainatthesightofme，andsaid，poorsoul，trulyenough，thatitwasdreadfultofeelherselfturnedoutintotheworldasifshehadcommittedsomeunpardonablefault，whennoblamecouldbelaidatherdoorbyanybody——notevenbyhermaster，whohadsentheraway。
`Trytomakethebestofit，Fanny，’Isaid。`YourmistressandIwillstandyourfriends，andwilltakecarethatyourcharactershallnotsuffer。
Now，listentome。Ihaveverylittletimetospare，andIamgoingtoputagreattrustinyourhands。Iwishyoutotakecareofthesetwoletters。
TheonewiththestamponityouaretoputintothepostwhenyoureachLondontomorrow。Theother，directedtoMrFairlie，youaretodelivertohimyourselfassoonasyougethome。Keepboththelettersaboutyouandgivethemuptonoone。Theyareofthelastimportancetoyourmistress’sinterests。’
Fannyputthelettersintothebosomofherdress。`Theretheyshallstop，miss，’shesaid，`tillIhavedonewhatyoutellme。’
`Mindyouareatthestationingoodtimetomorrowmorning，’Icontinued。
`AndwhenyouseethehousekeeperatLimmeridgegivehermycompliments，andsaythatyouareinmyserviceuntilLadyGlydeisabletotakeyouback。Wemaymeetagainsoonerthanyouthink。Sokeepagoodheart，anddon’tmisstheseveno’clocktrain。’
`Thankyou，miss——thankyoukindly。Itgivesonecouragetohearyourvoiceagain。Pleasetooffermydutytomylady，andsayIleftallthethingsastidyasIcouldinthetime。Oh，dear！dear！whowilldressherfordinnertoday？Itreallybreaksmyheart，miss，tothinkofit。’
WhenIgotbacktothehouseIhadonlyaquarterofanhourtosparetoputmyselfinorderfordinner，andtosaytwowordstoLaurabeforeIwentdownstairs。
`ThelettersareinFanny’shands，’Iwhisperedtoheratthedoor。
`Doyoumeantojoinusatdinner？’
`Oh，no，no——notfortheworld。’
`Hasanythinghappened？Hasanyonedisturbedyou？’
`Yes——justnow——SirPercival——’
`Didhecomein？’
`No，hefrightenedmebyathumponthedooroutside。Isaid，``Who’sthere？’’``Youknow，’’heanswered。``Willyoualteryourmind，andtellmetherest？Youshall！SoonerorlaterI’llwringitoutofyou。YouknowwhereAnneCatherickisatthismoment。’’``Indeed，indeed，’’Isaid，``I
don’t。’’``Youdo！’’hecalledback。``I’llcrushyourobstinacy——mindthat！——I’llwringitoutofyou！’’Hewentawaywiththosewords——wentaway，Marian，hardlyfiveminutesago。’hadnotfoundheryet。
`Youaregoingdownstairs，Marian？Comeupagainintheevening。’
`Yes，yes。Don’tbeuneasyifIamalittlelate——Imustbecarefulnottogiveoffencebyleavingthemtoosoon。’
Thedinner-bellrangandIhastenedaway。
SirPercivaltookMadameFoscointothedining-room，andtheCountgavemehisann。Hewashotandflushed，andwasnotdressedwithhiscustomarycareandcompleteness。Hadhe，too，beenoutbeforedinner，andbeenlateingettingback？orwasheonlysufferingfromtheheatalittlemoreseverelythanusual？