IheardSirPercivalbarringupthewindow-shutters。Ithadbeenraining，rainingallthetime。Iwascrampedbymypositionandchilledtothebones。
WhenIfirsttriedtomove，theeffortwassopainfultomethatIwasobligedtodesist。Itriedasecondtime，andsucceededinrisingtomykneesonthewetroof。
AsIcrepttothewall，andraisedmyselfagainstit，Ilookedback，andsawthewindowoftheCount’sdressing-roomgleamintolight。Mysinkingcourageflickeredupinmeagain，andkeptmyeyesfixedonhiswindow，asIstolemywayback，stepbystep，pastthewallofthehouse。
Theclockstruckthequarterafterone，whenIlaidmyhandsonthewindow-sillofmyownroom。Ihadseennothingandheardnothingwhichcouldleadmetosupposethatmyretreathadbeendiscovered。
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter22[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter22June20th——Eighto’clock。Thesunisshininginaclearsky。Ihavenotbeennearmybed——Ihavenotonceclosedmywearywakefuleyes。FromthesamewindowatwhichIlookedoutintothedarknessoflastnight，Ilookoutnowatthebrightstillnessofthemorning。
IcountthehoursthathavepassedsinceIescapedtotheshelterofthisroombymyownsensations——andthosehoursseemlikeweeks。
Howshortatime，andyethowlongtome——sinceIsankdowninthedarkness，here，onthefloor——drenchedtotheskin，crampedineverylimb，coldtothebones，auseless，helpless，panic-strickencreature。
IhardlyknowwhenIrousedmyself。IhardlyknowwhenIgropedmywaybacktothebedroom，andlightedthecandle，andsearchedwithastrangeignorance，atfirst，ofwheretolookforthemfordryclothestowarmme。Thedoingofthesethingsisinmymind，butnotthetimewhentheyweredone。
CanIevenrememberwhenthechilled，crampedfeelingleftme，andthethrobbingheatcameinitsplace？
Surelyitwasbeforethesunrose？Yes，Iheardtheclockstrikethree。
Irememberthetimebythesuddenbrightnessandclearness，thefeverishstrainandexcitementofallmyfacultieswhichcamewithit。Iremembermyresolutiontocontrolmyself，towaitpatientlyhourafterhour，tillthechanceofferedofremovingLaurafromthishorribleplace，withoutthedangerofimmediatediscoveryandpursuit。Irememberthepersuasionsettlingitselfinmymindthatthewordsthosetwomenhadsaidtoeachotherwouldfurnishus，notonlywithourjustificationforleavingthehouse，butwithourweaponsofdefenceagainstthemaswell。Irecalltheimpulsethatawakenedinmetopreservethosewordsinwriting，exactlyastheywerespoken，whilethetimewasmyown，andwhilemymemoryvividlyretainedthem。AllthisIrememberplainly：thereisnoconfusioninmyheadyet。Thecominginherefromthebedroom，withmypenandinkandpaper，beforesunrise——thesittingdownatthewidely-openedwindowtogetalltheairIcouldtocoolme——theceaselesswriting，fasterandfaster，hotterandhotter，drivingonmoreandmorewakefully，allthroughthedreadfulintervalbeforethehousewasastiragain——howclearlyI
recallit，fromthebeginningbycandle-light，totheendonthepagebeforethis，inthesunshineofthenewday！
WhydoIsitherestill？WhydoIwearymyhoteyesandmyburningheadbywritingmore？Whynotliedownandrestmyself，andtrytoquenchthefeverthatconsumesme，insleep？
Idarenotattemptit。Afearbeyondallotherfearshasgotpossessionofme。Iamafraidofthisheatthatparchesmyskin。IamafraidofthecreepingandthrobbingthatIfeelinmyhead。IfIliedownnow，howdoIknowthatImayhavethesenseandthestrengthtoriseagain？
Oh，therain，therain——thecruelrainthatchilledmelastnight！
Nineo’clock。Wasitninestruck，oreight？Nine，surely？Iamshiveringagain——shivering，fromheadtofoot，inthesummerair。HaveIbeensittinghereasleep？Idon’tknowwhatIhavebeendoing。
Oh，myGod！amIgoingtobeill？
Ill，atsuchatimeasthis！
Myhead——Iamsadlyafraidofmyhead。Icanwrite，butthelinesallruntogether。Iseethewords。Laura——IcanwriteLaura，andseeIwriteit。Eightornine——whichwasit？
Socold，socold——oh，thatrainlastnight！——andthestrokesoftheclock，thestrokesIcan’tcount，keepstrikinginmyhead——NOTE
AtthisplacetheentryintheDiaryceasestobelegible。Thetwoorthreelineswhichfollowcontainfragmentsofwordsonly，mingledwithblotsandscratchesofthepen。ThelastmarksonthepaperbearsomeresemblancetothefirsttwolettersLandAofthenameofLadyGlyde。
OnthenextpageoftheDiary，anotherentryappears。Itisinaman’shandwriting，large，bold，andfirmlyregular，andthedateis`Junethe21st。’Itcontainstheselines]
POSTSCRIPTBYASINCEREFRIEND
TheillnessofourexcellentMissHalcombehasaffordedmetheopportunityofenjoyinganunexpectedintellectualpleasure。
IrefertotheperusalwhichIhavejustcompletedofthisinterestingDiary。
Therearemanyhundredpageshere。Icanlaymyhandonmyheart，anddeclarethateverypagehascharmed，refreshed，delightedme。
Toamanofmysentimentsitisunspeakablygratifyingtobeabletosaythis。
Admirablewoman！
IalludetoMissHalcombe。
Stupendouseffort！
IrefertotheDiary。
Yes！thesepagesareamazing。ThetactwhichIfindhere，thediscretion，therarecourage，thewonderfulpowerofmemory，theaccurateobservationofcharacter，theeasygraceofstyle，thecharmingoutburstsofwomanlyfeeling，haveallinexpressiblyincreasedmyadmirationofthissublimecreature，ofthismagnificentMarian。Thepresentationofmyowncharacterismasterlyintheextreme。Icertify，withmywholeheart，tothefidelityoftheportrait。IfeelhowvividanimpressionImusthaveproducedtohavebeenpaintedinsuchstrong，suchrich，suchmassivecoloursasthese。
Ilamentafreshthecruelnecessitywhichsetsourinterestsatvariance，andopposesustoeachother。UnderhappiercircumstanceshowworthyI
shouldhavebeenofMissHalcombe——howworthyMissHalcombewouldhavebeenofME。
ThesentimentswhichanimatemyheartassuremethatthelinesIhavejustwrittenexpressaProfoundTruth。
Thosesentimentsexaltmeaboveallmerelypersonalconsiderations。
Ibearwitness，inthemostdisinterestedmanner，totheexcellenceofthestratagembywhichthisunparalleledwomansurprisedtheprivateinterviewbetweenPercivalandmyself——alsotothemarvellousaccuracyofherreportofthewholeconversationfromitsbeginningtoitsend。
Thosesentimentshaveinducedmetooffertotheunimpressionabledoctorwhoattendsonhermyvastknowledgeofchemistry，andmyluminousexperienceofthemoresubtleresourceswhichmedicalandmagneticsciencehaveplacedatthedisposalofmankind。Hehashithertodeclinedtoavailhimselfofmyassistance。Miserableman！
Finally，thosesentimentsdictatethelines——grateful，sympathetic，paternallines——whichappearinthisplace。Iclosethehook。Mystrictsenseofproprietyrestoresitbythehandsofmywifetoitsplaceonthewriter’stable。Eventsarehurryingmeaway。Circumstancesareguidingmetoseriousissues。Vastperspectivesofsuccessunrollthemselvesbeforemyeyes。Iaccomplishmydestinywithacalmnesswhichisterribletomyself。
Nothingbutthehomageofmyadmirationismyown。IdeposititwithrespectfultendernessatthefeetofMissHalcombe。
Ibreathemywishesforherrecovery。
Icondolewithherontheinevitablefailureofeveryplanthatshehasformedforhersister’sbenefit。Atthesametime，IentreathertobelievethattheinformationwhichIhavederivedfromherDiarywillinnorespecthelpmetocontributetothatfailure。ItsimplyconfirmstheplanofconductwhichIhadpreviouslyarranged。Ihavetothankthesepagesforawakeningthefinestsensibilitiesinmynature——nothingmore。
Toapersonofsimilarsensibilitythissimpleassertionwillexplainandexcuseeverything。
MissHalcombeisapersonofsimilarsensibility。
InthatpersuasionIsignmyself，FOSCO。THESTORYCONTINUEDBYFREDERICKFAIRLIE，ESQ。，OFLIMMERIDGEHOUSE**note1。ThemannerinwhichMrFairlie’sNarrative，andotherNarrativesthatareshortlytofollowit，wereoriginallyobtained，formsthesubjectofanexplanationwhichwillappearatalaterperiod。
ITisthegrandmisfortuneofmylifethatnobodywillletmealone。
Why——Iaskeverybody——whyworryme？Nobodyanswersthatquestion，andnobodyletsmealone。Relatives，friends，andstrangersallcombinetoannoyme。WhathaveIdone？Iaskmyself，Iaskmyservant，Louis，fiftytimesaday——whathaveIdone？Neitherofuscantell。Mostextraordinary！
ThelastannoyancethathasassailedmeistheannoyanceofbeingcalledupontowritethisNarrative。Isamaninmystateofnervouswretchednesscapableofwritingnarratives？WhenIputthisextremelyreasonableobjection，Iamtoldthatcertainveryseriouseventsrelatingtomyniecehavehappenedwithinmyexperience，andthatIamthefitpersontodescribethemonthataccount。IamthreatenedifIfailtoexertmyselfinthemannerrequired，withconsequenceswhichIcannotsomuchasthinkofwithoutperfectprostration。