Ibowedandwalkedtothedoor。HecalledmebackandgavemetheletterwhichIhadseenhimplaceonthetablebyitselfatthebeginningofourinterview。
`Thiscamebypostafewdaysago，’hesaid。`Perhapsyouwillnotminddeliveringit？PraytellMissHalcombe，atthesametime，thatIsincerelyregretbeing，thusfar，unabletohelpher，exceptbyadvice，whichwillnotbemorewelcome，Iamafraid，toherthantoyou。’
Ilookedattheletterwhilehewasspeaking。Itwasaddressedto`MissHalcombe。CareofMessrsGilmore&；Kyrle，ChanceryLane。’Thehandwritingwasquiteunknowntome。
OnleavingtheroomIaskedonelastquestion。
`Doyouhappentoknow，’Isaid，`ifSirPercivalGlydeisstillinParis？’
`HehasreturnedtoLondon，’repliedMrKyrle。`AtleastIheardsofromhissolicitor，whomImetyesterday。’
AfterthatanswerIwentout。
Onleavingtheofficethefirstprecautiontobeobservedwastoabstainfromattractingattentionbystoppingtolookaboutme。IwalkedtowardsoneofthequietestofthelargesquaresonthenorthofHolborn，thensuddenlystoppedandturnedroundataplacewherealongstretchofpavementwasleftbehindme。
Thereweretwomenatthecornerofthesquarewhohadstoppedalso，andwhowerestandingtalkingtogether。Afteramoment’sreflectionIturnedbacksoastopassthem。OnemovedasIcamenear，andturnedthecornerleadingfromthesquareintothestreet。Theotherremainedstationary。
IlookedathimasIpassedandinstantlyrecognisedoneofthemenwhohadwatchedmebeforeIleftEngland。
IfIhadbeenfreetofollowmyowninstincts，Ishouldprobablyhavebegunbyspeakingtotheman，andhaveendedbyknockinghimdown。ButIwasboundtoconsiderconsequences。IfIonceplacedmyselfpubliclyinthewrong，IputtheweaponsatonceintoSirPercival’shands。Therewasnochoicebuttoopposecunningbycunning。Iturnedintothestreetdownwhichthesecondmanhaddisappeared，andpassedhim，waitinginadoorway。Hewasastrangertome，andIwasgladtomakesureofhispersonalappearanceincaseoffutureannoyance。Havingdonethis，IagainwalkednorthwardtillIreachedtheNewRoad。ThereIturnedasidetothewesthavingthemenbehindmeallthetime，andwaitedatapointwhereI
knewmyselftobeatsomedistancefromacab-stand，untilafasttwo-wheelcab，empty，shouldhappentopassme。Onepassedinafewminutes。IjumpedinandtoldthemantodriverapidlytowardsHydePark。Therewasnosecondfastcabforthespiesbehindme。Isawthemdartacrosstotheothersideoftheroad，tofollowmebyrunning，untilacaboracab-standcameintheirway。ButIhadthestartofthem，andwhenIstoppedthedriverandgotout，theywerenowhereinsight。IcrossedHydeParkandmadesure，ontheopenground，thatIwasfree。WhenIatlastturnedmystepshomewards，itwasnottillmanyhourslater——nottillafterdark。
IfoundMarianwaitingformealoneinthelittlesitting-room。ShehadpersuadedLauratogotorest，afterfirstpromisingtoshowmeherdrawing，themomentIcamein。Thepoorlittledimfaintsketch——sotriflinginitself，sotouchinginitsassociations——wasproppedupcarefullyonthetablewithtwobooks，andwasplacedwherethefaintlightoftheonecandleweallowedourselvesmightfallonittothebestadvantage。
Isatdowntolookatthedrawing，andtotellMarian，inwhispers，whathadhappened。ThepartitionwhichdividedusfromthenextroomwassothinthatwecouldalmosthearLaura’sbreathing，andwemighthavedisturbedherifwehadspokenaloud。
MarianpreservedhercomposurewhileIdescribedmyinterviewwithMrKyrle。ButherfacebecametroubledwhenIspokenextofthemenwhohadfollowedmefromthelawyer’soffice，andwhenItoldherofthediscoveryofSirPercival’sreturn。
`Badnews，Walter，’shesaid，`theworstnewsyoucouldbring。Haveyounothingmoretotellme？’
`Ihavesomethingtogiveyou，’Ireplied，handingherthenotewhichMrKyrlehadconfidedtomycare。
Shelookedattheaddressandrecognisedthehandwritinginstantly。
`Youknowyourcorrespondent？’Isaid。
`Toowell，’sheanswered。`MycorrespondentisCountFosco。’
Withthatreplysheopenedthenote。Herfaceflusheddeeplywhileshereadit——hereyesbrightenedwithangerasshehandedittometoreadinmyturn。
Thenotecontainedtheselines——
`Impelledbyhonourableadmiration——honourabletomyself，honourabletoyou——Iwrite，magnificentMarian，intheinterestsofyourtranquillity，tosaytwoconsolingwords——
`Fearnothing！
`Exerciseyourfinenaturalsenseandremaininretirement。Dearandadmirablewoman，invitenodangerouspublicity。Resignationissublime——adoptit。Themodestreposeofhomeiseternallyfresh——enjoyit。
ThestormsoflifepassharmlessoverthevalleyofSeclusion——dwell，dearlady，inthevalley。
`DothisandIauthoriseyoutofearnothing。Nonewcalamityshalllacerateyoursensibilities——sensibilitiesprecioustomeasmyown。
Youshallnotbemolested，thefaircompanionofyourretreatshallnotbepursued。Shehasfoundanewasyluminyourheart。Pricelessasylum！——
Ienvyherandleaveherthere。
`Onelastwordofaffectionatewarning，ofpaternalcaution，andItearmyselffromthecharmofaddressingyou——Iclosetheseferventlines。
`Advancenofartherthanyouhavegonealready，compromisenoseriousinterests，threatennobody。Donot，Iimploreyou，forcemeintoaction——ME，theManofAction——whenitisthecherishedobjectofmyambitiontobepassive，torestrictthevastreachofmyenergiesandmycombinationsforyoursake。Ifyouhaverashfriends，moderatetheirdeplorableardour。
IfMrHartrightreturnstoEngland，holdnocommunicationwithhim。Iwalkonapathofmyown，andPercivalfollowsatmyheels。OnthedaywhenMrHartrightcrossesthatpath，heisalostman。’
TheonlysignaturetotheselineswastheinitialletterF，surroundedbyacircleofintricateflourishes。IthrewtheletteronthetablewithallthecontemptIfeltforit。
`Heistryingtofrightenyou——asuresignthatheisfrightenedhimself，’
Isaid。
ShewastoogenuineawomantotreattheletterasItreatedit。Theinsolentfamiliarityofthelanguagewastoomuchforherself-control。
Asshelookedatmeacrossthetable，herhandsclenchedthemselvesinherlap，andtheoldquickfierytemperflamedoutagainbrightlyinhercheeksandhereyes。
`Walter！’shesaid，`ifeverthosetwomenareatyourmercyandifyouareobligedtospareoneofthem，don’tletitbetheCount。’
`Iwillkeepthisletter，Marian，tohelpmymemorywhenthetimecomes。’
ShelookedatmeattentivelyasIputtheletterawayinmypocket-book。
`Whenthetimecomes？’sherepeated。`Canyouspeakofthefutureasifyouwerecertainofit？——certainafterwhatyouhaveheardinMrKyrle’soffice，afterwhathashappenedtoyoutoday？’
`Idon’tcountthetimefromtoday，Marian。AllIhavedonetodayistoaskanothermantoactforme。Icountfromtomorrow——’
`Whyfromtomorrow？’
`BecausetomorrowImeantoactformyself。’
`How？’
`IshallgotoBlackwaterbythefirsttrain，andreturn，Ihope，atnight。’
`ToBlackwater！’
`Yes。IhavehadtimetothinksinceIleftMrKyrle。HisopinionononePointconfirmsmyown。WemustpersisttothelastinhuntingdownthedateofLaura’sjourney。Theoneweakpointintheconspiracy，andprobablytheonechanceofprovingthatsheisalivingwoman，centreinthediscoveryofthatdate。’
`Youmean，’saidMarian，`thediscoverythatLauradidnotleaveBlackwaterParktillafterthedateofherdeathonthedoctor’scertificate？’
`Certainly。’
`Whatmakesyouthinkitmighthavebeenafter？LauracantellusnothingofthetimeshewasinLondon。’
`ButtheowneroftheAsylumtoldyouthatshewasreceivedthereonthetwenty-seventhofJuly。IdoubtCountFosco’sabilitytokeepherinLondon，andtokeepherinsensibletoallthatwaspassingaroundher，morethanonenight。Inthatcase，shemusthavestartedonthetwenty-sixth，andmusthavecometoLondononedayafterthedateofherowndeathonthedoctor’scertificate。Ifwecanprovethatdate，weproveourcaseagainstSirPercivalandtheCount。’
`Yes，yes——Isee！Buthowistheprooftobeobtained？’
`MrsMichelson’snarrativehassuggestedtometwowaysoftryingtoobtainit。Oneofthemistoquestionthedoctor，MrDawson，whomustknowwhenheresumedhisattendanceatBlackwaterParkafterLauraleftthehouse。TheotheristomakeinquiriesattheinntowhichSirPercivaldroveawaybyhimselfatnight。WeknowthathisdeparturefollowedLaura’safterthelapseofafewhours，andwemaygetatthedateinthatway。