Myinstinctswhichseldomerrsuggestedtome，onreviewingthecircumstances，thatourinvisibleAnnewould，soonerorlater，returntotheboat-houseattheBlackwaterlake。ThereIpostedmyself，previouslymentioningtoMrsMichelson，thehousekeeper，thatImightbefoundwhenwanted，immersedinstudy，inthatsolitaryplace。Itismyrulenevertomakeunnecessarymysteries，andnevertosetpeoplesuspectingmeforwantofalittleseasonablecandouronmypart。MrsMichelsonbelievedinmefromfirsttolast。ThisladylikepersonwidowofaProtestantpriestoverflowedwithfaith。Touchedbysuchsuperfluityofsimpleconfidenceinawomanofhermatureyears，Iopenedtheamplereservoirsofmynatureandabsorbeditall。
Iwasrewardedforpostingmyselfsentinelatthelakebytheappearance——notofAnneCatherickherself，butofthepersoninchargeofher。Thisindividualalsooverflowedwithsimplefaith，whichIabsorbedinmyself，asinthecasealreadymentioned。Ileavehertodescribethecircumstancesifshehasnotdonesoalreadyunderwhichsheintroducedmetotheobjectofhermaternalcare。WhenIfirstsawAnneCatherickshewasasleep。I
waselectrifiedbythelikenessbetweenthisunhappywomanandLadyGlyde。
Thedetailsofthegrandschemewhichhadsuggestedthemselvesinoutlineonly，uptothatperiod，occurredtome，inalltheirmasterlycombination，atthesightofthesleepingface。Atthesametime，myheart，alwaysaccessibletotenderinfluences，dissolvedintearsatthespectacleofsufferingbeforeme。Iinstantlysetmyselftoimpartrelief。Inotherwords，IprovidedthenecessarystimulantforstrengtheningAnneCathericktoperformthejourneytoLondon。
AtthispointIenteranecessaryprotest，andcorrectalamentableerror。
Thebestyearsofmylifehavebeenpassedintheardentstudyofmedicalandchemicalscience。Chemistryespeciallyhasalwayshadirresistibleattractionsformefromtheenormous，theillimitablepowerwhichtheknowledgeofitconfers。Chemists——Iassertitemphatically——mightsway，iftheypleased，thedestiniesofhumanity。LetmeexplainthisbeforeIgofurther。
Mind，theysay，rulestheworld。Butwhatrulesthemind？Thebodyfollowmecloselyhereliesatthemercyofthemostomnipotentofallpotentates——theChemist。Giveme——Fosco——chemistry；andwhenShakespearehasconceivedHamlet，andsitsdowntoexecutetheconception——withafewgrainsofpowderdroppedintohisdailyfood，Iwillreducehismind，bytheactionofhisbody，tillhispenpoursoutthemostabjectdrivelthathaseverdegradedpaper。Undersimilarcircumstances，revivemetheillustriousNewton。Iguaranteethatwhenheseestheapplefallheshalleatit，insteadofdiscoveringtheprincipleofgravitation。Nero’sdinnershalltransformNerointothemildestofmenbeforehehasdonedigestingit，andthemorningdraughtofAlexandertheGreatshallmakeAlexanderrunforhislifeatthefirstsightoftheenemythesameafternoon。OnmysacredwordofhonouritisluckyforSocietythatmodernchemistsare，byincomprehensiblegoodfortune，themostharmlessofmankind。Themassareworthyfathersoffamilies，whokeepshops。Thefewarephilosophersbesottedwithadmirationforthesoundoftheirownlecturingvoices，visionarieswhowastetheirlivesonfantasticimpossibilities，orquackswhoseambitionsoarsnohigherthanourcorns。ThusSocietyescapes，andtheillimitablepowerofChemistryremainstheslaveofthemostsuperficialandthemostinsignificantends。
Whythisoutburst？Whythiswitheringeloquence？
Becausemyconducthasbeenmisrepresented，becausemymotiveshavebeenmisunderstood。IthasbeenassumedthatIusedmyvastchemicalresourcesagainstAnneCatherick，andthatIwouldhaveusedthemifIcouldagainstthemagnificentMarianherself。Odiousinsinuationsboth！AllmyinterestswereconcernedaswillbeseenpresentlyinthepreservationofAnneCatherick’slife。AllmyanxietieswereconcentratedonMarian’srescuefromthehandsofthelicensedimbecilewhoattendedher，andwhofoundmyadviceconfirmedfromfirsttolastbythephysicianfromLondon。Ontwooccasionsonly——bothequallyharmlesstotheindividualonwhomI
practised——didIsummontomyselftheassistanceofchemicalknowledge。
Onthefistofthetwo，afterfollowingMariantotheinnatBlackwaterstudying，behindaconvenientwaggonwhichhidmefromher，thepoetryofmotion，asembodiedinherwalk，Iavailedmyselfoftheservicesofmyinvaluablewife，tocopyoneandtointercepttheotheroftwoletterswhichmyadoredenemyhadentrustedtoadiscardedmaid。Inthiscase，thelettersbeinginthebosomofthegirl’sdress，MadameFoscocouldonlyopenthem，readthem，performherinstructions，sealthem，andputthembackagainbyscientificassistance——whichassistanceIrenderedinahalf-ouncebottle。Thesecondoccasion，whenthesamemeanswereemployed，wastheoccasiontowhichIshallsoonreferofLadyGlyde’sarrivalinLondon。NeveratanyothertimewasIindebtedtomyArtasdistinguishedfrommyself。Toallotheremergenciesandcomplicationsmynaturalcapacityforgrappling，single-handed，withcircumstances，wasinvariablyequal。
Iaffirmtheall-pervadingintelligenceofthatcapacity。AttheexpenseoftheChemistIvindicatetheMan。
Respectthisoutburstofgenerousindignation。IthasinexpressiblyrelievedmeEnroute！Letusproceed。
HavingsuggestedtoMrsClementorClements，IamnotsurewhichthatthebestmethodofkeepingAnneoutofPercival’sreachwastoremovehertoLondon——havingfoundthatmyProposalwaseagerlyreceived，andhavingappointedadaytomeetthetravellersatthestationandtoseethemleaveit，Iwasatlibertytoreturntothehouseandtoconfrontthedifficultieswhichstillremainedtobemet。
Myfirstproceedingwastoavailmyselfofthesublimedevotionofmywife。IhadarrangedwithMrsClementsthatsheshouldcommunicateherLondonaddress，inAnne’sinterests，toLadyGlyde。Butthiswasnotenough。
DesigningpersonsinmyabsencemightshakethesimpleconfidenceofMrsClements，andshemightnotwriteafterall。WhocouldIfindcapableoftravellingtoLondonbythetrainshetravelledby，andofprivatelyseeingherhome？Iaskedmyselfthisquestion。Theconjugalpartofmeimmediatelyanswered——MadameFosco。
Afterdecidingonmywife’smissiontoLondon，Iarrangedthatthejourneyshouldserveadoublepurpose。AnurseforthesufferingMarian，equallydevotedtothepatientandtomyself，wasanecessityofmyposition。Oneofthemosteminentlyconfidentialandcapablewomeninexistencewasbygoodfortuneatmydisposal，Irefertothatrespectablematron，MadameRubelle，towhomIaddressedaletter，atherresidenceinLondon，bythehandsofmywife。
OntheappointeddayMrsClementsandAnneCatherickmetmeatthestation。
Ipolitelysawthemoff。IpolitelysawMadameFoscooffbythesametrain。
ThelastthingatnightmywifereturnedtoBlackwater，havingfollowedherinstructionswiththemostunimpeachableaccuracy。ShewasaccompaniedbyMadameRubelle，andshebroughtmetheLondonaddressofMrsClements。
After-eventsprovedthislastprecautiontohavebeenunnecessary。MrsClementspunctuallyinformedLadyGlydeofherplaceofabode。Withawaryeyeonfutureemergencies，Ikepttheletter。
ThesamedayIhadabriefinterviewwiththedoctor，atwhichIprotested，inthesacredinterestsofhumanity，againsthistreatmentofMarian’scase。Hewasinsolent，asallignorantpeopleare。Ishowednoresentment，Ideferredquarrellingwithhimtillitwasnecessarytoquarreltosomepurpose。
MynextproceedingwastoleaveBlackwatermyself。IhadmyLondonresidencetotakeinanticipationofcomingevents。IhadalsoalittlebusinessofthedomesticsorttotransactwithMrFrederickFairlie。IfoundthehouseIwantedinStJohn’sWood。IfoundMrFairlieatLimmeridge，Cumberland。
MyownprivatefamiliaritywiththenatureofMarian’scorrespondencehadpreviouslyinformedmethatshehadwrittentoMrFairlie，proposing，asarelieftoLadyGlyde’smatrimonialembarrassments，totakeheronavisittoheruncleinCumberland。ThisletterIhadwiselyallowedtoreachitsdestination，feelingatthetimethatitcoulddonoharm，andmightdogood。InowpresentedmyselfbeforeMrFairlietosupportMarian’sownproposal——withcertainmodificationswhich，happilyforthesuccessofmyplans，wererenderedreallyinevitablebyherillness。ItwasnecessarythatLadyGlydeshouldleaveBlackwateralone，byheruncle’sinvitation，andthatsheshouldrestanightonthejourneyatheraunt’shousethehouseIhadinStJohn’sWoodbyheruncle’sexpressadvice。Toachievetheseresults，andtosecureanoteofinvitationwhichcouldbeshowntoLadyGlyde，weretheobjectsofmyvisittoMrFairlie。WhenIhavementionedthatthisgentlemanwasequallyfeebleinmindandbody，andthatIletloosethewholeforceofmycharacteronhim，Ihavesaidenough。
Icame，saw，andconqueredFairlie。
OnmyreturntoBlackwaterParkwiththeletterofinvitationIfoundthatthedoctor’simbeciletreatmentofMarian’scasehadledtothemostalarmingresults。Thefeverhadturnedtotyphus。LadyGlyde，onthedayofmyreturn，triedtoforceherselfintotheroomtonursehersister。
SheandIhadnoaffinitiesofsympathy——shehadcommittedtheunpardonableoutrageonmysensibilitiesofcallingmeaspy——shewasastumbling-blockinmywayandinPercival’s——but，forallthat，mymagnanimityforbademetoputherindangerofinfectionwithmyownhand。AtthesametimeIofferednohindrancetoherputtingherselfindanger。Ifshehadsucceededindoingso，theintricateknotwhichIwasslowlyandpatientlyoperatingonmightperhapshavebeencutbycircumstances。Asitwas，thedoctorinterferedandshewaskeptoutoftheroom。
IhadmyselfpreviouslyrecommendedsendingforadvicetoLondon。Thiscoursehadbeennowtaken。Thephysician，onhisarrival，confirmedmyviewofthecase。Thecrisiswasserious。Butwehadhopeofourcharmingpatientonthefifthdayfromtheappearanceofthetyphus。IwasonlyonceabsentfromBlackwateratthistime——whenIwenttoLondonbythemorningtraintomakethefinalarrangementsatmyhouseinStJohn’sWood，toassuremyselfbyprivateinquirythatMrsClementshadnotmoved，andtosettleoneortwolittlepreliminarymatterswiththehusbandofMadameRubelle。Ireturnedatnight。FivedaysafterwardsthephysicianpronouncedourinterestingMariantobeoutofdanger，andtobeinneedofnothingbutcarefulnursing。ThiswasthetimeIhadwaitedfor。Nowthatmedicalattendancewasnolongerindispensable，Iplayedthefirstmoveinthegamebyassertingmyselfagainstthedoctor。Hewasoneamongmanywitnessesinmywaywhomitwasnecessarytoremove。AlivelyaltercationbetweenusinwhichPercival，previouslyinstructedbyme，refusedtointerfere
servedthepurposeinview。Idescendedonthemiserablemaninanirresistibleavalancheofindignation，andswepthimfromthehouse。
Theservantswerethenextencumbrancestogetridof。AgainIinstructedPercivalwhosemoralcouragerequiredperpetualstimulants，andMrsMichelsonwasamazed，oneday，byhearingfromhermasterthattheestablishmentwastobebrokenup，Weclearedthehouseofalltheservantsbutone，whowaskeptfordomesticpurposes，andwhoselumpishstupiditywecouldtrusttomakenoembarrassingdiscoveries。Whentheyweregone，nothingremainedbuttorelieveourselvesofMrsMichelson——aresultwhichwaseasilyachievedbysendingthisamiableladytofindlodgingsforhermistressatthesea-side。