hadmyselfsupposed，Iputthebookaside，andwentouttotakeaturninthegarden。SirPercivalhadnotyetreturned，tomyknowledge，soI
couldfeelnohesitationaboutshowingmyselfinthegrounds。
Onturningthecornerofthehouse，andgainingaviewofthegarden，Iwasstartledbyseeingastrangerwalkinginit。Thestrangerwasawoman——shewasloungingalongthepathwithherhacktome。andwasgatheringtheflowers。
AsIapproachedsheheardme，andturnedround。
Mybloodcurdledinmyveins。ThestrangewomaninthegardenwasMrsRubelle！
Icouldneithermorenorspeak。Shecameuptome，ascomposedlyasever，withherflowersinherhand。
`Whatisthematter，ma’am？’shesaidquietly。
`Youhere！’Igaspedout。`NotgonetoLondon！NotgonetoCumberland！’
MrsRubellesmeltatherflowerswithasmileofmaliciouspity。
`Certainlynot，’shesaid。`IhaveneverleftBlackwaterPark。’
Isummonedbreathenoughandcourageenoughforanotherquestion。
`WhereisMissHalcombe？’
MrsRubellefairlylaughedatmethistime，andrepliedinthesewords——
`MissHalcombe，ma’am，hasnotleftBlackwaterParkeither。’
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter26[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter26MISSHALCOMBEhadneverleftBlackwaterPark！
WhenIheardthatastoundinganswer，allmythoughtswerestartledbackontheinstanttomypartingwithLadyGlyde。IcanhardlysayIreproachedmyself，butatthatmomentIthinkIwouldhavegivenmanyayear’shardsavingstohaveknownfourhoursearlierwhatIknewnow。
MrsRubellewaited，quietlyarranginghernosegay，asifsheexpectedmetosaysomething。
Icouldsaynothing。IthoughtofLadyGlyde’sworn-outenergiesandweaklyhealth，andItrembledforthetimewhentheshockofthediscoverythatIhadmadewouldfallonher。Foraminuteormoremyfearsforthepoorladiessilencedme。AttheendofthattimeMrsRubellelookedupsidewaysfromherflowers，andsaid，`HereisSirPercival，ma’am，returnedfromhisride。’
Isawhimassoonasshedid。Hecametowardsus，slashingviciouslyattheflowerswithhisriding-whip。Whenhewasnearenoughtoseemyfacehestopped，struckathisbootwiththewhip，andburstoutlaughing，soharshlyandsoviolentlythatthebirdsflewaway，startled，fromthetreebywhichhestood。
`Well。MrsMichelson，’hesaid，`youhavefounditoutatlast，haveyou？’
Imadenoreply。HeturnedtoMrsRubelle。
`Whendidyoushowyourselfinthegarden？’
`Ishowedmyselfabouthalfanhourago，sir。YousaidImighttakemylibertyagainassoonasLadyGlydehadgoneawaytoLondon。’
`Quiteright。Idon’tblameyouIonlyaskedthequestion。’Hewaitedamoment，andthenaddressedhimselfoncemoretome。`Youcan’tbelieveit，canyou？’hesaidmockingly。`Here！comealongandseeforyourself。’
Heledthewayroundtothefrontofthehouse。Ifollowedhim，andMrsRubellefollowedme。Afterpassingthroughtheirongateshestopped，andpointedwithhiswhiptothedisusedmiddlewingofthebuilding。
`There！’hesaid。`Lookupatthefirstfloor。YouknowtheoldElizabethanbedrooms？MissHalcombeissnugandsafeinoneofthebestofthematthismoment。Takeherin，MrsRubelleyouhavegotyourkey？；takeMrsMichelsonin，andletherowneyessatisfyherthatthereisnodeceptionthistime。’
Thetoneinwhichhespoketome。andtheminuteortwothathadpassedsinceweleftthegarden。helpedmetorecovermyspiritsalittle。WhatImighthavedoneatthiscriticalmoment，ifallmylifehadbeenpassedinservice，Icannotsay。Asitwas，possessingthefeelings，theprinciples，andthebringingupofalady，Icouldnothesitateabouttherightcoursetopursue。Mydutytomyself，andmydutytoLadyGlyde，alikeforbademetoremainintheemploymentofamanwhohadshamefullydeceivedusbothbyaseriesofatrociousfalsehoods。
`Imustbegpermission，SirPercival，tospeakafewwordstoyouinprivate，’Isaid。`Havingdoneso，IshallbereadytoproceedwiththispersontoMissHalcombe’sroom。’
MrsRubelle，whomIhadindicatedbyaslightturnofmyhead，insolentlysniffedathernosegayandwalkedaway，withgreatdeliberation，towardsthehousedoor。
`Well，’saidSirPercivalsharply，`whatisitnow？’
`Iwishtomention，sir，thatIamdesirousofresigningthesituationInowholdatBlackwaterPark。’Thatwasliterallyhowlputit。Iwasresolvedthatthefirstwordsspokeninhispresenceshouldbewordswhichexpressedmyintentiontoleavehisservice。
Heeyedmewithoneofhisblackestlooks，andthrusthishandssavagelyintothepocketsofhisriding-coat。
`Why？’hesaid，`why，Ishouldliketoknow？’
`Itisnotforme，SirPercival，toexpressanopiniononwhathastakenplaceinthishouse。Idesiretogivenooffence。ImerelywithtosaythatIdonotfeelitconsistentwithmydutytoLadyGlydeandtomyselftoremainanylongerinyourservice。’
`Isitconsistentwithyourdutytometostandthere，castingsuspiciononmetomyface？’hebrokeoutinhismostviolentmanner。`Iseewhatyou’redrivingat。Youhavetakenyourownmean，underhandviewofaninnocentdeceptionpractisedonLadyGlydeforherowngood。Itwasessentialtoherhealththatsheshouldhavea。changeofairimmediately，andyouknowaswellasIdoshewouldneverhavegoneawayifshehadbeentoldMissHalcombewasstilllefthere。Shehasbeendeceivedinherowninterests——andIdon’tcarewhoknowsit。Go，ifyoulike——thereareplentyofhousekeepersasgoodasyoutobehadfortheasking。Gowhenyouplease——buttakecarehowyouspreadscandalsaboutmeandmyaffairswhenyou’reoutofmyservice。Tellthetruth，andnothingbutthetruth，oritwillbetheworseforyou！SeeMissHalcombeforyourself——seeifshehasn’tbeenaswelltakencareofinonepartofthehouseasintheother。Rememberthedoctor’sownordersthatLadyGlydewastohaveachangeofairattheearliestpossibleopportunity。Bearallthatwellinmind，andthensayanythingagainstmeandmyproceedingsifyoudare！’
Hepouredoutthesewordsfiercely，allinabreath，walkingbackwardsandforwards，andstrikingabouthimintheairwithhiswhip。
Nothingthathesaidordidshookmyopinionofthedisgracefulseriesoffalsehoodsthathehadtoldinmypresencethedaybefore，orofthecrueldeceptionbywhichhehadseparatedLadyGlydefromhersister，andhadsentheruselesslytoLondon，whenshewashalfdistractedwithanxietyonMissHalcombe’saccount。Inaturallykeptthesethoughtstomyself，andsaidnothingmoretoirritatehim；butIwasnotthelessresolvedtopersistinmypurpose。Asoftanswerturnethawaywrath，andIsuppressedmyownfeelingsaccordinglywhenitwasmyturntoreply。
`WhileIaminyourservice，SirPercival，’Isaid。`IhopeIknowmydutywellenoughnottoinquireintoyourmotives。WhenIamoutofyourservice，IhopeIknowmyownplacewellenoughnottospeakofmatterswhichdon’tconcernme——’
`Whendoyouwanttogo？’heasked，interruptingmewithoutceremony。
`Don’tsupposeIamanxioustokeepyou——don’tsupposeIcareaboutyourleavingthehouse。Iamperfectlyfairandopeninthismatter，fromfirsttolast。Whendoyouwanttogo？’
`Ishouldwishtoleaveatyourearliestconvenience，SirPercival-’
`Myconveniencehasnothingtodowithit。Ishallbeoutofthehouseforgoodandalltomorrowmorning，andIcansettleyouraccounttonight。
Ifyouwanttostudyanybody’sconvenience，ithadbetterbeMissHalcombe’s。
MrsRubelle’stimeisuptoday，andshehasreasonsforwishingtobeinLondontonight。Ifyougoatonce，MissHalcombewon’thaveasoulleftheretolookafterher。’
IhopeitisunnecessaryformetosaythatIwasquiteincapableofdesertingMissHalcombeinsuchanemergencyashadnowbefallenLadyGlydeandherself。AfterfirstdistinctlyascertainingfromSirPercivalthatMrsRubellewascertaintoleaveatonceifItookherplace，andafteralsoobtainingpermissiontoarrangeforMrDawson’sresuminghisattendanceonhispatient，IwillinglyconsentedtoremainatBlackwaterParkuntilMissHalcombenolongerrequiredmyservices。ItwassettledthatIshouldgiveSirPercival’ssolicitoraweek’snoticebeforeIleft，andthathewastoundertakethenecessaryarrangementsforappointingmysuccessor。
Thematterwasdiscussedinveryfewwords。AtitsconclusionSirPercivalabruptlyturnedonhisheel，andleftmefreetojoinMrsRubelle。Thatsingularforeignpersonhadbeensittingcomposedlyonthedoorstepallthistime，waitingtillIcouldfollowhertoMissHalcombe’sroom。
Ihadhardlywalkedhalf-waytowardsthehousewhenSirPercival，whohadwithdrawnintheoppositedirection，suddenlystoppedandcalledmeback。
`Whyareyouleavingmyservice？’heasked。
Thequestionwassoextraordinary，afterwhathadjustpassedbetweenus，thatIhardlyknewwhattosayinanswertoit。
`Mind！Idon’tknowwhyyouaregoing，’hewenton。`Youmustgiveareasonforleavingme，Isuppose，whenyougetanothersituation。
Whatreason？Thebreakingupofthefamily？Isthatit？’
`Therecanbenopositiveobjection，SirPercival，tothatreason——’