Mysuspicionofeverybodyandeverythinginthishouseinclinesmetothinkthatthesecondplanmaybethebest。TheCountissafeinthebreakfast-room。
Iheardhim，throughthedoor，asIranupstairstenminutessince，exercisinghiscanary-birdsattheirtricks：——`Comeoutonmylittlefinger，mypret-pret-prettiesIComeout，andhopupstairsIOne，two，three——andup！Three，two，one——anddown！One，two，three——twit-twit-twit-tweet！’
Thebirdsburstintotheirusualecstasyofsinging，andtheCountchirrupedandwhistledattheminreturn，asifhewasabirdhimself。Myroomdoorisopen，andIcanheartheshrillsingingandwhistlingatthisverymoment。
IfIamreallytoslipoutwithoutbeingobserved，nowismytime。
Fouro’clock。ThethreehoursthathavepassedsinceImademylastentryhaveturnedthewholemarchofeventsatBlackwaterParkinanewdirection。Whetherforgoodorforevil，Icannotanddarenotdecide。
LetmegetbackfirsttotheplaceatwhichIleftoff，orIshalllosemyselfintheconfusionofmyownthoughts。
Iwentout，asIhadproposed，tomeetthemessengerwithmyletterfromLondonatthelodgegate。OnthestairsIsawnoone。InthehallIheardtheCountstillexercisinghisbirds。Butoncrossingthequadrangleoutside，IpassedMadameFosco，walkingbyherselfinherfavouritecircle，roundandroundthegreatfish-pond。Iatonceslackenedmypace，soastoavoidallappearanceofbeinginahurry，andevenwentthelength，forcaution’ssake，ofinquiringifshethoughtofgoingoutbeforelunch。
Shesmiledatmeinthefriendliestmanner——saidshepreferredremainingnearthehouse，noddedpleasantly，andreenteredthehall。Ilookedback，andsawthatshehadclosedthedoorbeforeIhadopenedthewicketbythesideofthecarriagegates。
InlessthanaquarterofanhourIreachedthelodge。
Thelaneoutsidetookasuddenturntotheleft，ranonstraightforahundredyardsorso，andthentookanothersharpturntotherighttojointhehigh-road。Betweenthesetwoturns，hiddenfromthelodgeononeside，andfromthewaytothestationontheother，Iwaited，walkingbackwardsandforwards。Highhedgeswereoneithersideofme，andfortwentyminutes，bymywatch，Ineithersawnorheardanything。Attheendofthattimethesoundofacarriagecaughtmyear，andIwasmet，asIadvancedtowardsthesecondturning，byaflyfromtherailway。Imadeasigntothedrivertostop。Asheobeyedmearespectable-lookingmanputhisheadoutofthewindowtoseewhatwasthematter。
`Ibegyourpardon，’Isaid，`butamIrightinsupposingthatyouaregoingtoBlackwaterPark？’
`Yes，ma’am。’
`Withaletterforanyone？’
`WithaletterforMissHalcombe，ma’am。’
`Youmaygivemetheletter。IamMissHalcombe。
Themantouchedhishat，gotoutoftheflyimmediately，andgavemetheletter。
Iopeneditatonceandreadtheselines。Icopythemhere，thinkingitbesttodestroytheoriginalforcaution’ssake。
`DEARMADAM，——Yourletterreceivedthismorninghascausedmeverygreatanxiety。Iwillreplytoitasbrieflyandplainlyaspossible。
`Mycarefulconsiderationofthestatementmadebyyourself，andmyknowledgeofLadyGlyde’sposition，asdefinedinthesettlement，leadme，Iregrettosay，totheconclusionthataloanofthetrustmoneytoSirPercivalor，inotherwords，aloanofsomeportionofthetwentythousandpoundsofLadyGlyde’sfortuneisincontemplation，andthatsheismadeapartytothedeed，inordertosecureherapprovalofaflagrantbreachoftrust，andtohavehersignatureproducedagainstherifsheshouldcomplainhereafter。Itisimpossible，onanyothersupposition，toaccount，situatedassheis，forherexecutiontoadeedofanykindbeingwantedatall。
`IntheeventofLadyGlyde’ssigningsuchadocument，asIamcompelledtosupposethedeedinquestiontobe，hertrusteeswouldbeatlibertytoadvancemoneytoSirPercivaloutofhertwentythousandpounds。Iftheamountsolentshouldnotbepaidback，andifLadyGlydeshouldhavechildren，theirfortunewillthenbediminishedbythesum，largeorsmall，soadvanced。lnplainertermsstill，thetransaction，foranythingthatLadyGlydeknowstothecontrary，maybeafrauduponherunbornchildren。
`Undertheseseriouscircumstances，IwouldrecommendLadyGlydetoassignasareasonforwithholdinghersignature，thatshewishesthedeedtobefirstsubmittedtomyself，asherfamilysolicitorintheabsenceofmypartner，SGilmore。Noreasonableobjectioncanbemadetotakingthiscourse——for，ifthetransactionisanhonourableone，therewillnecessarilybenodifficultyinmygivingmyapproval。
`Sincerelyassuringyouofmyreadinesstoaffordanyadditionalhelporadvicethatmaybewanted，Ibegtoremain，Madam，yourfaithfulservant，WILLIAMKYRLE。
Ireadthiskindandsensibleletterverythankfully。ItsuppliedLaurawithareasonforobjectingtothesignaturewhichwasunanswerable，andwhichwecouldbothofusunderstand。ThemessengerwaitednearmewhileIwasreadingtoreceivehisdirectionswhenIhaddone。
`WillyoubegoodenoughtosaythatIunderstandtheletter，andthatIamverymuchobliged？’Isaid。`Thereisnootherreplynecessaryatpresent。’
ExactlyatthemomentwhenIwasspeakingthosewords，holdingtheletteropeninmyhand，CountFoscoturnedthecornerofthelanefromthehigh-road，andstoodbeforemeasifhehadsprungupoutoftheearth。
Thesuddennessofhisappearance，intheverylastplaceunderheaveninwhichIshouldhaveexpectedtoseehim，tookmecompletelybysurprise。
Themessengerwishedmegoodmorning，andgotintotheflyagain。Icouldnotsayawordtohim——Iwasnotevenabletoreturnhisbow。TheconvictionthatIwasdiscovered——andbythatman，ofallothers——absolutelypetrifiedme。
`Areyougoingbacktothehouse，MissHalcombe？’heinquired，withoutshowingtheleastsurpriseonhisside，andwithoutevenlookingafterthefly，whichdroveoffwhilehewasspeakingtome。
Icollectedmyselfsufficientlytomakeasignintheaffirmative。
`Iamgoingbacktoo，’hesaid。`Prayallowmethepleasureofaccompanyingyou。Willyoutakemyarm？Youlooksurprisedatseeingme！’
Itookhisarm。Thefirstofmyscatteredsensesthatcamebackwasthesensethatwarnedmetosacrificeanythingratherthanmakeanenemyofhim。
`Youlooksurprisedatseeingme！’herepeatedinhisquietlypertinaciousway。
`Ithought，Count，Iheardyouwithyourbirdsinthebreakfast-room，’
Ianswered，asquietlyandfirmlyasIcould。
`Surely。Butmylittlefeatheredchildren，dearlady，areonlytoolikeotherchildren。Theyhavetheirdaysofperversity，andthismorningwasoneofthem。MywifecameinasIwasputtingthembackintheircage，andsaidshehadleftyougoingoutaloneforawalk。Youtoldherso，didyounot？’
`Certainly。’
`Well，MissHalcombe，thepleasureofaccompanyingyouwastoogreatatemptationformetoresist。Atmyagethereisnoharminconfessingsomuchasthat，isthere？Iseizedmyhat，andsetofftooffermyselfasyourescort。EvensofatanoldmanasFoscoissurelybetterthannoescortatall？Itookthewrongpath——Icamebackindespair，andhereIam，arrivedmayIsayit？attheheightofmywishes。’
Hetalkedoninthiscomplimentarystrainwithafluencywhichleftmenoexertiontomakebeyondtheeffortofmaintainingmycomposure。Heneverreferredinthemostdistantmannertowhathehadseeninthelane，ortotheletterwhichlstillhadinmyhand。Thisominousdiscretionhelpedtoconvincemethathemusthavesurprised，bythemostdishonourablemeans，thesecretofmyapplicationinLaura’sinteresttothelawyer；
andthat，havingnowassuredhimselfoftheprivatemannerinwhichIhadreceivedtheanswer，hehaddiscoveredenoughtosuithispurposes，andwasonlybentontryingtoquietthesuspicionswhichheknewhemusthavearousedinmymind。Iwaswiseenough，underthesecircumstances，nottoattempttodeceivehimbyplausibleexplanations，andwomanenough，notwithstandingmydreadofhim，tofeelasifmyhandwastaintedbyrestingonhisarm。
Onthedriveinfrontofthehousewemetthedog-cartbeingtakenroundtothestables。SirPercivalhadjustreturned。Hecameouttomeetusatthehouse-door。Whateverotherresultshisjourneymighthavehad，ithadnotendedinsofteninghissavagetemper。
`OhIherearetwoofyoncomeback，’hesaid，withaloweringface。
`Whatisthemeaningofthehousebeingdesertedinthisway？WhereisLadyGlyde？’
Itoldhimofthelossofthebrooch，andsaidthatLaurahadgoneintotheplantationtolookforit。
`Broochornobrooch，’hegrowledsulkily，`Irecommendhernottoforgetherappointmentinthelibrarythisafternoon。Ishallexpecttoseeherinhalfanhour。’
ItookmyhandfromtheCount’sarm，andslowlyascendedthesteps。
Hehonouredmewithoneofhismagnificentbows，andthenaddressedhimselfgailytothescowlingmasterofthehouse。
`Tellme，Percival，’hesaid，`haveyouhadapleasantdrive？AndhasyourprettyshiningBrownMollycomebackatalltired？’
`BrownMollybehanged——andthedrivetoo！Iwantmylunch。’
`AndIwantfiveminutes’talkwithyou，Percival，first，’returnedtheCount。`Fiveminutes’talk，myfriend，hereonthegrass。’
`Whatabout？’