Afterthissingularintroduction——inthecourseofwhichnonames，tothebestofLadyGlyde’srecollection，hadbeenmentioned——shewasleftalonewiththestranger。Hewasperfectlycivil，buthestartledandconfusedherbysomeoddquestionsaboutherself，andbylookingather，whileheaskedthem，inastrangemanner。Afterremainingashorttimehewentout，andaminuteortwoafterwardsasecondstranger——alsoanEnglishman——camein。ThispersonintroducedhimselfasanotherfriendofCountFosco’s，andhe，inhisturn，lookedatherveryoddly，andaskedsomecuriousquestions——never，aswellasshecouldremember，addressingherbyname，andgoingoutagain，afteralittlewhile，likethefirstman。Bythistimeshewassofrightenedaboutherself，andsouneasyabouthersister，thatshehadthoughtsofventuringdownstairsagain，andclaimingtheprotectionandassistanceoftheonlywomanshehadseeninthehouse——theservantwhoansweredthedoor。
Justasshehadrisenfromherchair，theCountcamebackintotheroom。
Themomentheappearedsheaskedanxiouslyhowlongthemeetingbetweenhersisterandherselfwastobestilldelayed。Atfirsthereturnedanevasiveanswer，butonbeingpressed，heacknowledged，withgreatapparentreluctance，thatMissHalcombewasbynomeanssowellashehadhithertorepresentedhertobe。Histoneandmanner，inmakingthisreply，soalarmedLadyGlyde，orrathersopainfullyincreasedtheuneasinesswhichshehadfeltinthecompanyofthetwostrangers，thatasuddenfaintnessovercameher，andshewasobligedtoaskforaglassofwater。TheCountcalledfromthedoorforwater，andforabottleofsmelling-salts。Bothwerebroughtinbytheforeign-lookingmanwiththebeard。Thewater，whenLadyGlydeattemptedtodrinkit，hadsostrangeatastethatitincreasedherfaintness，andshehastilytookthebottleofsaltsfromCountFosco，andsmeltatit。Herheadbecamegiddyontheinstant。TheCountcaughtthebottleasitdroppedoutofherhand，andthelastimpressionofwhichshewasconsciouswasthatheheldittohernostrilsagain。
Fromthispointherrecollectionswerefoundtobeconfused，fragmentary，anddifficulttoreconcilewithanyreasonableprobability。
Herownimpressionwasthatsherecoveredhersenseslaterintheevening，thatshethenleftthehouse，thatshewentasshehadpreviouslyarrangedtogo，atBlackwaterParktoMrsVesey’s——thatshedrankteathere，andthatshepassedthenightunderMrsVesey’sroof。Shewastotallyunabletosayhow，orwhen，orinwhatcompanysheleftthehousetowhichCountFoscohadbroughther。ButshepersistedinassertingthatshehadbeentoMrsVesey’s，andstillmoreextraordinary，thatshehadbeenhelpedtoundressandgettobedbyMrsRubelle！ShecouldnotrememberwhattheconversationwasatMrsVesey’s，orwhomshesawtherebesidesthatlady，orwhyMrsRubelleshouldhavebeenpresentinthehousetohelpher。
Herrecollectionofwhathappenedtoherthenextmorningwasstillmorevagueandunreliable。
Shehadsomedimideaofdrivingoutatwhathourshecouldnotsay
withCountFosco，andwithMrsRubelleagainforafemaleattendant。Butwhen，andwhy，sheleftMrsVeseyshecouldnottell；neitherdidsheknowwhatdirectionthecarriagedrovein，orwhereitsetherdown，orwhethertheCountandMrsRubelledidordidnotremainwithherallthetimeshewasout。Atthispointinhersadstorytherewasatotalblank。Shehadnoimpressionsofthefaintestkindtocommunicate——noideawhetheroneday，ormorethanoneday，hadpassed——untilshecametoherselfsuddenlyinastrangeplace，surroundedbywomenwhowereallunknowntoher。
ThiswastheAsylum。HereshefirstheardherselfcalledbyAnneCatherick’sname，andhere，asalastremarkablecircumstanceinthestoryoftheconspiracy，herowneyesinformedherthatshehadAnneCatherick’sclotheson。Thenurse，onthefirstnightintheAsylum，hadshownherthemarksoneacharticleofherunderclothingasitwastakenoff，andhadsaid，notatallirritablyorunkindly，`tookatyourownnameonyourownclothes，anddon’tworryusallanymoreaboutbeingLadyGlyde。She’sdeadandburied，andyou’realiveandhearty。Dolookatyourclothesnow！Thereitis，ingoodmarkingink，andthereyouwillfinditonallyouroldthings，whichwehavekeptinthehouse——AnneCatherick，asplainasprint！’Andthereitwas，whenMissHalcombeexaminedthelinenhersisterwore，onthenightoftheirarrivalatLimmeridgeHouse。
Theseweretheonlyrecollections——allofthemuncertain，andsomeofthemcontradictory——whichcouldbeextractedfromLadyGlydebycarefulquestioningonthejourneytoCumberland。MissHalcombeabstainedfrompressingherwithanyinquiriesrelatingtoeventsintheAsylum——hermindbeingbuttooevidentlyunfittobearthetrialofrevertingtothem。
Itwasknown，bythevoluntaryadmissionoftheownerofthemadhouse，thatshewasreceivedthereonthetwenty-seventhofJuly。FromthatdateuntilthefifteenthofOctoberthedayofherrescueshehadbeenunderrestraint，heridentitywithAnneCathericksystematicallyasserted，andhersanity，fromfirsttolast，practicallydenied。Facultieslessdelicatelybalanced，constitutionlesstenderlyorganised，musthavesufferedundersuchanordealasthis。Nomancouldhavegonethroughitandcomeoutofitunchanged。
ArrivingatLimmeridgelateontheeveningofthefifteenth，MissHalcombewiselyresolvednottoattempttheassertionofLadyGlyde’sidentityuntilthenextday。
ThefirstthinginthemorningshewenttoMrFairlie’sroom，andusingallpossiblecautionsandpreparationsbeforehand，atlasttoldhiminsomanywordswhathadhappened。Assoonashisfirstastonishmentandalarmhadsubsided，heangrilydeclaredthatMissHalcombehadallowedherselftobedupedbyAnneCatherick。HereferredhertoCountFosco’sletter，andtowhatshehadherselftoldhimofthepersonalresemblancebetweenAnneandhisdeceasedniece，andhepositivelydeclinedtoadmittohispresence，evenforoneminuteonly，amadwoman，whomitwasaninsultandanoutragetohavebroughtintohishouseatall。
MissHalcombelefttheroom——waitedtillthefirstheatofherindignationhadpassedaway——decidedonreflectionthatMrFairlieshouldseehisnieceintheinterestsofcommonhumanitybeforeheclosedhisdoorsonherasastranger——andthereupon，withoutawordofpreviouswarning，tookLadyGlydewithhertohisroom。Theservantwaspostedatthedoortopreventtheirentrance，butMissHalcombeinsistedonpassinghim，andmadeherwayintoMrFairlie’spresence，leadinghersisterbythehand。
Thescenethatfollowed，thoughitonlylastedforafewminutes，wastoopainfultobedescribed——MissHalcombeherselfshrankfromreferringtoit。LetitbeenoughtosaythatMrFairliedeclared，inthemostpositiveterms，thathedidnotrecognisethewomanwhohadbeenbroughtintohisroom——thathesawnothinginherfaceandmannertomakehimdoubtforamomentthathisniecelayburiedinLimmeridgechurchyard，andthathewouldcallonthelawtoprotecthimifbeforethedaywasovershewasnotremovedfromthehouse。
TakingtheveryworstviewofMrFairlie’sselfishness，indolence，andhabitualwantoffeeling，itwasmanifestlyimpossibletosupposethathewascapableofsuchinfamyassecretlyrecognisingandopenlydisowninghisbrother’schild。MissHalcombehumanelyandsensiblyallowedalldueforcetotheinfluenceofprejudiceandalarminpreventinghimfromfairlyexercisinghisperceptions，andaccountedforwhathadhappenedinthatway。Butwhenshenextputtheservantstothetest，andfoundthattheytoowere，ineverycase，uncertain，tosaytheleastofit，whethertheladypresentedtothemwastheiryoungmistressorAnneCatherick，ofwhoseresemblancetohertheyhadallheard，thesadconclusionwasinevitablethatthechangeproducedinLadyGlyde’sfaceandmannerbyherimprisonmentintheAsylumwasfarmoreseriousthanMissHalcombehadatfirstsupposed。
Theviledeceptionwhichhadassertedherdeathdefiedexposureeveninthehousewhereshewasborn，andamongthepeoplewithwhomshehadlived。
Inalesscriticalsituationtheeffortneednothavebeengivenupashopelessevenyet。
Forexample，themaid，Fanny，whohappenedtobethenabsentfromLimmeridge，wasexpectedbackintwodays，andtherewouldbeachanceofgainingherrecognitiontostartwith，seeingthatshehadbeeninmuchmoreconstantcommunicationwithhermistress，andhadbeenmuchmoreheartilyattachedtoherthantheotherservants。Again，LadyGlydemighthavebeenprivatelykeptinthehouseorinthevillagetowaituntilherhealthwasalittlerecoveredandhermindwasalittlesteadiedagain。Whenhermemorycouldbeoncemoretrustedtoserveher，shewouldnaturallyrefertopersonsandeventsinthepastwithacertaintyandafamiliaritywhichnoimpostercouldsimulate，andsothefactofheridentity，whichherownappearancehadfailedtoestablish，mightsubsequentlybeproved，withtimetohelpher，bythesurertestofherownwords。
Butthecircumstancesunderwhichshehadregainedherfreedomrenderedallrecoursetosuchmeansasthesesimplyimpracticable。ThepursuitfromtheAsylum，divertedtoHampshireforthetimeonly，wouldinfalliblynexttakethedirectionofCumberland。ThepersonsappointedtoseekthefugitivemightarriveatLimmeridgeHouseatafewhours’notice，andinMrFairlie’spresenttemperofmindtheymightcountontheimmediateexertionofhislocalinfluenceandauthoritytoassistthem。ThecommonestconsiderationforLadyGlyde’ssafetyforcedonMissHalcombethenecessityofresigningthestruggletodoherjustice，andofremovingheratoncefromtheplaceofallothersthatwasnowmostdangeroustoher——theneighbourhoodofherownhome。
AnimmediatereturntoLondonwasthefirstandwisestmeasureofsecuritywhichsuggesteditself。Inthegreatcityalltracesofthemmightbemostspeedilyandmostsurelyeffaced。Therewerenopreparationstomake——
nofarewellwordsofkindnesstoexchangewithanyone。OntheafternoonofthatmemorabledayofthesixteenthMissHalcomberousedhersistertoalastexertionofcourage，andwithoutalivingsoultowishthemwellatparting，thetwotooktheirwayintotheworldalone，andturnedtheirbacksforeveronLimmeridgeHouse。
Theyhadpassedthehillabovethechurchyard，whenLadyGlydeinsistedonturningbacktolookherlastathermother’sgrave。MissHalcombetriedtoshakeherresolution，but，inthisoneinstance，triedinvain。Shewasimmovable。Herdimeyeslitwithasuddenfire，andflashedthroughtheveilthathungoverthem——herwastedfingersstrengthenedmomentbymomentroundthefriendlyarmbywhichtheyhadheldsolistlesslytillthistime。IbelieveinmysoulthatthehandofGodwaspointingtheirwaybacktothem，andthatthemostinnocentandthemostafflictedofHiscreatureswaschoseninthatdreadmomenttoseeit。
Theyretracedtheirstepstotheburial-ground，andbythatactsealedthefutureofourthreelives。IIIThiswasthestoryofthepast——thestorysofarasweknewitthen。
Twoobviousconclusionspresentedthemselvestomymindafterhearingit。Inthefirstplace，Isawdarklywhatthenatureoftheconspiracyhadbeen，howchanceshadbeenwatched，andhowcircumstanceshadbeenhandledtoensureimpunitytoadaringandanintricatecrime。Whilealldetailswerestillamysterytome，thevilemannerinwhichthepersonalresemblancebetweenthewomaninwhiteandLadyGlydehadbeenturnedtoaccountwasclearbeyonddoubt。ItwasplainthatAnneCatherickhadbeenintroducedintoCountFosco’shouseasLadyGlyde——itwasplainthatLadyGlydehadtakenthedeadwoman’splaceintheAsylum——thesubstitutionhavingbeensomanagedastomakeinnocentpeoplethedoctorandthetwoservantscertainly，andtheownerofthemad-houseinallprobability