Buttherewasonepointinthenarrativewhichmademedoubttheproprietyofacceptingitunreservedly，andwhichsuggestedtheideaofsomethinghiddenbelowthesurface。
Icouldnotaccounttomyselfforthecircumstanceoftheclerk’sguiltywifevoluntarilylivingoutallherafter-existenceonthesceneofherdisgrace。Thewoman’sownreportedstatementthatshehadtakenthisstrangecourseasapracticalassertionofherinnocencedidnotsatisfyme。Itseemed，tomymind，morenaturalandmoreprobabletoassumethatshewasnotsocompletelyafreeagentinthismatterasshehadherselfasserted。
Inthatcase，whowasthelikeliestpersontopossessthepowerofcompellinghertoremainatWelmingham？Thepersonunquestionablyfromwhomshederivedthemeansofliving。Shehadrefusedassistancefromherhusband，shehadnoadequateresourcesofherown，shewasafriendless，degradedwoman——fromwhatsourceshouldshederivehelpbutfromthesourceatwhichreportpointed——SirPercivalGlyde？
Reasoningontheseassumptions，andalwaysbearinginmindtheonecertainfacttoguideme，thatMrsCatherickwasinpossessionoftheSecret，I
easilyunderstoodthatitwasSirPercival’sinteresttokeepheratWelmingham，becausehercharacterinthatplacewascertaintoisolateherfromallcommunicationwithfemaleneighbours，andtoallowhernoopportunitiesoftalkingincautiouslyinmomentsoffreeintercoursewithinquisitivebosomfriends。Butwhatwasthemysterytobeconcealed？NotSirPercival’sinfamousconnectionwithMrsCatherick’sdisgrace，fortheneighboursweretheverypeoplewhoknewofit——notthesuspicionthathewasAnne’sfather，forWelminghamwastheplaceinwhichthatsuspicionmustinevitablyexist。IfIacceptedtheguiltyappearancesdescribedtomeasunreservedlyasothershadacceptedthem，ifIdrewfromthemthesamesuperficialconclusionwhichMrCatherickandallhisneighbourshaddrawn，wherewasthesuggestion，inallthatIhadheard，ofadangeroussecretbetweenSirPercivalandMrsCatherick，whichhadbeenkepthiddenfromthattimetothis？
Andyet，inthosestolenmeetings，inthosefamiliarwhisperingsbetweentheclerk’swifeand`thegentlemaninmourning，’thecluetodiscoveryexistedbeyondadoubt。
Wasitpossiblethatappearancesinthiscasehadpointedonewaywhilethetruthlayallthewhileunsuspectedinanotherdirection？CouldMrsCatherick’sassertion，thatshewasthevictimofadreadfulmistake，byanypossibilitybetrue？Or，assumingittobefalse，couldtheconclusionwhichassociatedSirPercivalwithherguilthavebeenfoundedinsomeinconceivableerror？HadSirPercival，byanychance，courtedthesuspicionthatwaswrongforthesakeofdivertingfromhimselfsomeothersuspicionthatwasright？Here——ifIcouldfindit——herewastheapproachtotheSecret，hiddendeepunderthesurfaceoftheapparentlyunpromisingstorywhichIhadjustheard。
MynextquestionswerenowdirectedtotheoneobjectofascertainingwhetherMrCatherickhadorhadnotarrivedtrulyattheconvictionofhiswife’smisconduct。TheanswersIreceivedfromMrsClementsleftmeinnodoubtwhateveronthatpoint。MrsCatherickhad，ontheclearestevidence，compromisedherreputation，whileasinglewoman，withsomepersonunknown，andhadmarriedtosavehercharacter。Ithadbeenpositivelyascertained，bycalculationsoftimeandplaceintowhichIneednotenterparticularly，thatthedaughterwhoboreherhusband’snamewasnotherhusband’schild。
Thenextobjectofinquiry，whetheritwasequallycertainthatSirPercivalmusthavebeenthefatherofAnne，wasbesetbyfargreaterdifficulties。
Iwasinnopositiontotrytheprobabilitiesononesideorontheotherinthisinstancebyanybettertestthanthetestofpersonalresemblance。
`IsupposeyouoftensawSirPercivalwhenhewasinyourvillage？’
Isaid。
`Yes，sir，veryoften，’repliedMrsClements。
`DidyoueverobservethatAnnewaslikehim？’
`Shewasnotatalllikehim，sir。’
`Wasshelikehermother，then？’
`Notlikehermothereither，sir。MrsCatherickwasdark，andfullintheface。’
Notlikehermotherandnotlikehersupposedfather。Iknewthatthetestbypersonalresemblancewasnottobeimplicitlytrusted，but，ontheotherhand，itwasnottobealtogetherrejectedonthataccount。
WasitpossibletostrengthentheevidencebydiscoveringanyconclusivefactsinrelationtothelivesofMrsCatherickandSirPercivalbeforetheyeitherofthemappearedatOldWelmingham？WhenIaskedmynextquestionsIputthemwiththisview。
`WhenSirPercivalfirstarrivedinyourneighbourhood，’Isaid，`didyouhearwherehehadcomefromlast？’
`No，sir。SomesaidfromBlackwaterPark，andsomesaidfromScotland——butnobodyknew。’
`WasMrsCathericklivinginserviceatVarneckHallimmediatelybeforehermarriage？’
`Yes，sir。’
`Andhadshebeenlonginherplace？’
`Threeorfouryears，sir；Iamnotquitecertainwhich。’
`DidyoueverhearthenameofthegentlemantowhomVarneckHallbelongedatthattime？’
`Yes，sir。HisnamewasMajorDonthorne。’
`DidMrCatherick，ordidanyoneelseyouknew，everhearthatSirPercivalwasafriendofMajorDonthorne’s，oreverseeSirPercivalintheneighbourhoodofVarneckHall？’
`Catherickneverdid，sir，thatIcanremember——noranyoneelseeither，thatIknowof。’
InoteddownMajorDonthorne’snameandaddress，onthechancethathemightstillbealive，andthatitmightbeusefulatsomefuturetimetoapplytohim。Meanwhile，theimpressiononmymindwasnowdecidedlyadversetotheopinionthatSirPercivalwasAnne’sfather，anddecidedlyfavourabletotheconclusionthatthesecretofhisstoleninterviewswithMrsCatherickwasentirelyunconnectedwiththedisgracewhichthewomanhadinflictedonherhusband’sgoodname。IcouldthinkofnofurtherinquirieswhichImightmaketostrengthenthisimpression——IcouldonlyencourageMrsClementstospeaknextofAnne’searlydays，andwatchforanychance-suggestionwhichmightinthiswayofferitselftome。
`Ihavenotheardyet，’Isaid，`howthepoorchild，borninallthissinandmisery，cametobetrusted，MrsClements，toyourcare。’
`Therewasnobodyelse，sir，totakethelittlehelplesscreatureinhand，’repliedMrsClements。`Thewickedmotherseemedtohateit——asifthepoorbabywasinfault！——fromthedayitwasborn。Myheartwasheavyforthechild，andImadetheoffertobrineitupastenderlyasifitwasmyown。’
`DidAnneremainentirelyunderyourcarefromthattime？’
`Notquiteentirely，sir。MrsCatherickhadherwhimsandfanciesaboutitattimes，andusednowandthentolayclaimtothechild，asifshewantedtospitemeforbringingitup。Butthesefitsofhers，neverlastedforlong。PoorlittleAnnewasalwaysreturnedtome，andwasalwaysgladtogetback——thoughsheledbutagloomylifeinmyhouse，havingnoplay-mates，likeotherchildren，tobrightenherup。OurlongestseparationwaswhenhermothertookhertoLimmeridge。rustatthattimeIlostmyhusband，andIfeltitwasaswell，inthatmiserableaffliction，thatAnneshouldnotbeinthehouse。Shewasbetweentenandelevenyearsoldthen，slowatherlessons，poorsoul，andnotsocheerfulasotherchildren——butasprettyalittlegirltolookatasyouwouldwishtosee。Iwaitedathometillhermotherbroughtherback，andthenImadetheoffertotakeherwithmetoLondon——thetruthbeing，sir，thatIcouldnotfinditinmyhearttostopatOldWelminghamaftermyhusband’sdeath，theplacewassochangedandsodismaltome。’
`AnddidMrsCatherickconsenttoyourproposal？’
`No，sir。Shecamebackfromthenorthharderandbittererthanever。
FolksdidsaythatshehadbeenobligedtoaskSirPercival’sleavetogo，tobeginwith；andthatsheonlywenttonurseherdyingsisteratLimmeridgebecausethepoorwomanwasreportedtohavesavedmoney——thetruthbeingthatshehardlyleftenoughtoburyher。ThesethingsmayhavesouredMrsCathericklikelyenough，buthoweverthatmaybe，shewouldn’thearofmytakingthechildaway。Sheseemedtolikedistressingusbothbypartingus。AllIcoulddowastogiveAnnemydirection，andtotellherprivately，ifshewaseverintrouble，tocometome。Butyearspassedbeforeshewasfreetocome。Ineversawheragain，poorsoul，tillthenightsheescapedfromthemad-house。’
`Youknow，MrsClements，whySirPercivalGlydeshutherup？’
`IonlyknowwhatAnneherselftoldme，sir。Thepoorthingusedtorambleandwanderaboutitsadly。ShesaidhermotherhadGotsomesecretofSirPercival’stokeep，andhadletitouttoherlongafterIleftHampshire——andwhenSirPercivalfoundsheknewit，heshutherup。ButshenevercouldsaywhatitwaswhenIaskedher。Allshecouldtellmewas，thathermothermightbetheruinanddestructionofSirPercivalifshechose。MrsCatherickmayhaveletoutjustasmuchasthat，andnomore。I’mnexttocertainIshouldhaveheardthewholetruthfromAnne，ifshehadreallyknownitasshepretendedtodo，andassheverylikelyfanciedshedid，poorsoul。’
Thisideahadmorethanonceoccurredtomyownmind。IhadalreadytoldMarianthatIdoubtedwhetherLaurawasreallyonthepointofmakinganyimportantdiscoverywhensheandAnneCatherickweredisturbedbyCountFoscoattheboat-house。ItwasperfectlyincharacterwithAnne’smentalafflictionthatsheshouldassumeanabsoluteknowledgeofthesecretonnobettergroundsthanvaguesuspicion，derivedfromhintswhichhermotherhadincautiouslyletdropinherpresence。SirPercival’sguiltydistrustwould，inthatcase，infalliblyinspirehimwiththefalseideathatAnneknewallfromhermother，justasithadafterwardsfixedinhismindtheequallyfalsesuspicionthathiswifeknewallfromAnne。
Thetimewaspassing，themorningwaswearingaway。Itwasdoubtful，ifIstayedlonger，whetherIshouldhearanythingmorefromMrsClementsthatwouldbeatallusefultomypurpose。Ihadalreadydiscoveredthoselocalandfamilyparticulars，inrelationtoMrsCatherick，ofwhichI