Mynarrativeoftheseremarkableevents，writtenunderequallyremarkablecircumstances，closeshere。TheminorprecautionswhichIobservedincommunicatingwithLimmeridgeHousearealreadyknown，soisthemagnificentsuccessofmyenterprise，soarethesolidpecuniaryresultswhichfollowedit。
Ihavetoassert，withthewholeforceofmyconviction，thattheoneweakplaceinmyschemewouldneverhavebeenfoundoutiftheoneweakplaceinmyhearthadnotbeendiscoveredfirst。NothingbutmyfataladmirationforMarianrestrainedmefromsteppingintomyownrescuewhensheeffectedhersister’sescape。Irantherisk，andtrustedinthecompletedestructionofLadyGlyde’sidentity。IfeitherMarianorMrHartrightattemptedtoassertthatidentity，theywouldpubliclyexposethemselvestotheimputationofsustainingarankdeception，theywouldbedistrustedanddiscreditedaccordingly，andtheywouldthereforebepowerlesstoplacemyinterestsorPercival’ssecretinjeopardy。Icommittedoneerrorintrustingmyselftosuchablindfoldcalculationofchancesasthis。IcommittedanotherwhenPercivalhadpaidthepenaltyofhisownobstinacyandviolence，bygrantingLadyGlydeasecondreprievefromthemad-house，andallowingMrHartrightasecondchanceofescapingme。Inbrief，Fosco，atthisseriouscrisis，wasuntruetohimself。Deplorableanduncharacteristicfault！Beholdthecause，inmyheart——behold，intheimageofMarianHalcombe，thefirstandlastweaknessofFosco’slife！
Attheripeageofsixty，Imakethisunparalleledconfession。Youths！
Iinvokeyoursympathy。Maidens！Iclaimyourtears。
Awordmore，andtheattentionofthereaderconcentratedbreathlesslyonmyselfshallbereleased。
Myownmentalinsightinformsmethatthreeinevitablequestionswillheaskedherebypersonsofinquiringminds。Theyshallbestated——theyshallbeanswered。
Firstquestion。WhatisthesecretofMadameFosco’sunhesitatingdevotionofherselftothefulfilmentofmyboldestwishes，tothefurtheranceofmydeepestplans？Imightanswerthisbysimplyreferringtomyowncharacter，andbyasking，inmyturn，Where，inthehistoryoftheworld，hasamanofmyordereverbeenfoundwithoutawomaninthebackgroundself-immolatedonthealtarofhislife？ButIrememberthatIamwritinginEngland，IrememberthatIwasmarriedinEngland，andIaskifawoman’smarriageobligationsinthiscountryprovideforherprivateopinionofherhusband’sprinciples？No！Theychargeherunreservedlytolove，honour，andobeyhim。Thatisexactlywhatmywifehasdone。Istandhereonasuprememoralelevation，andIloftilyassertheraccurateperformanceofherconjugalduties。Silence，Calumny！Yoursympathy，WivesofEngland，forMadameFosco！
Secondquestion。IfAnneCatherickhadnotdiedwhenshedid，whatshouldIhavedone？Ishould，inthatcase，haveassistedworn-outNatureinfindingpermanentrepose。IshouldhaveopenedthedoorsofthePrisonofLife，andhaveextendedtothecaptiveincurablyafflictedinmindandbodybothahappyrelease。
Thirdquestion。Onacalmrevisionofallthecircumstances——Ismyconductworthyofanyseriousblame？Mostemphatically，No！HaveInotcarefullyavoidedexposingmyselftotheodiumofcommittingunnecessarycrime？Withmyvastresourcesinchemistry，ImighthavetakenLadyGlyde’slife。AtimmensepersonalsacrificeIfollowedthedictatesofmyowningenuity，myownhumanity，myowncaution，andtookheridentityinstead。JudgemebywhatImighthavedone。Howcomparativelyinnocent！howindirectlyvirtuousIappearinwhatIreallydid！
Iannouncedonbeginningitthatthisnarrativewouldbearemarkabledocument。Ithasentirelyansweredmyexpectations。Receivethesefervidlines——mylastlegacytothecountryIleaveforever，Theyareworthyoftheoccasion，andworthyofFOSCO。THESTORYCONCLUDEDBYWALTERHARTRIGHTIWHENIclosedthelastleafoftheCount’smanuscriptthehalf-hourduringwhichIhadengagedtoremainatSorestRoadhadexpired。MonsieurRubellelookedathiswatchandbowed。Iroseimmediately，andlefttheagentinpossessionoftheemptyhouse。Ineversawhimagain——Ineverheardmoreofhimorofhiswife。Outofthedarkbywaysofvillainyanddeceittheyhadcrawledacrossourpath——intothesamebywaystheycrawledbacksecretlyandwerelost。
InaquarterofanhourafterleavingForestRoadIwasathomeagain。
ButfewwordssufficedtotellLauraandMarianhowmydesperateventurehadended，andwhatthenexteventinourliveswaslikelytobe。Ileftalldetailstobedescribedlaterintheday，andhastenedbacktoStJohn’sWood，toseethepersonofwhomCountFoscohadorderedthefly，whenhewenttomeetLauraatthestation。
Theaddressinmypossessionledmetosome`liverystables，’aboutaquarterofamiledistantfromSorestRoad。Theproprietorprovedtobeacivilandrespectableman。WhenIexplainedthatanimportantfamilymatterobligedmetoaskhimtorefertohisbooksforthepurposeofascertainingadatewithwhichtherecordofhisbusinesstransactionsmightsupplyme，heofferednoobjectiontograntingmyrequest。Thebookwasproduced，andthere，underthedateof`July26th，1850，’theorderwasenteredinthesewords——
`BroughamtoCountFosco，5SorestRoad。Twoo’clockJohnOwen。’
Ifoundoninquirythatthenameof`JohnOwen，’attachedtotheentryreferredtothemanwhohadbeenemployedtodrivethefly。Hewasthenatworkinthestable-yard，andwassentfortoseemeatmyrequest。
`Doyourememberdrivingagentleman，inthemonthofJulylast，fromNumberFiveForestRoadtotheWaterlooBridgestation？’Iasked`Well，sir，’saidtheman，`Ican’texactlysayIdo。’
`Perhapsyourememberthegentlemanhimself？Canyoucalltominddrivingaforeignerlastsummer——atallgentlemanandremarkablyfat？’Theman’sfacebrighteneddirectly。
`Irememberhim，sir！ThefattestgentlemanaseverIsee，andtheheaviestcustomeraseverIdrove。Yes，yes——Icallhimtomind，sir！Wedidgotothestation，anditwasfromForestRoad。Therewasaparrot，orsummatlikeit，screechinginthewindow。Thegentlemanwasinamortalhurryaboutthelady’sluggage，andhegavemeahandsomepresentforlookingsharpandgettingtheboxes。’
Gettingtheboxes！IrecollectedimmediatelythatLaura’sownaccountofherselfonherarrivalinLondondescribedherluggageasbeingcollectedforherbysomepersonwhomCountFoscobroughtwithhimtothestation。
Thiswastheman。
`Didyouseethelady？’Iasked。`Whatdidshelooklike？Wassheyoungorold？’
`Well，sir，whatwiththehurryandthecrowdofpeoplepushingabout，Ican’trightlysaywhattheladylookedlike。Ican’tcallnothingtomindaboutherthatIknowof——exceptinghername。
`Yourememberhername？’
`Yes，sir。HernamewasLadyGlyde。’
`Howdoyoucometorememberthat，whenyouhaveforgottenwhatshelookedlike？’
Themansmiled，andshiftedhisfeetinsomelittleembarrassment。
`Why，totellyouthetruth，sir，’hesaid，`Ihadn’tbeenlongmarriedatthattime，andmywife’sname，beforeshechangeditformine，wasthesameasthelady’s——meaningthenameofGlyde，sir。Theladymentioneditherself。``ISyournameonyourboxes，ma’am？’’saysI。``Yes，’’saysshe，``mynameisonmyluggage——itisLadyGlyde。’’``Come！’’Isaystomyself，``I’veabadheadforgentlefolks’namesingeneral——butthisonecomeslikeanoldfriend，atanyrate。’’Ican’tsaynothingaboutthetime，sir，itmightbenighonayearago，oritmightn’t。ButIcansweartothestoutgentleman，andsweartothelady’sname。’
Therewasnoneedthatheshouldrememberthetime——thedatewaspositivelyestablishedbyhismaster’sorder-book。Ifeltatoncethatthemeanswerenowinmypowerofstrikingdownthewholeconspiracyatablowwiththeirresistibleweaponofplainfact。Withoutamoment’shesitation，Itooktheproprietoroftheliverystablesasideandtoldhimwhattherealimportancewasoftheevidenceofhisorder-bookandtheevidenceofhisdriver。Anarrangementtocompensatehimforthetemporarylossoftheman’sserviceswaseasilymade，andacopyoftheentryinthebookwastakenbymyself，andcertifiedastruebythemaster’sownsignature。Ilefttheliverystables，havingsettledthatJohnOwenwastoholdhimselfatmydisposalforthenextthreedays，orforalongerperiodifnecessityrequiredit。
InowhadinmypossessionallthepapersthatIwanted——thedistrictregistrar’sowncopyofthecertificateofdeath，andSirPercival’sdatedlettertotheCount，beingsafeinmypocketbook。
Withthisfreshevidenceaboutme，andwiththecoachman’sanswersfreshinmymemory，Inextturnedmysteps，forthefirsttimesincethebeginningofallmyinquiries，inthedirectionofMrKyrle’soffice。Oneofmyobjectsinpayinghimthissecondvisitwas，necessarily，totellhimwhatIhaddone。TheotherwastowarnhimofmyresolutiontotakemywifetoLimmeridgethenextmorning，andtohaveherpubliclyreceivedandrecognisedinheruncle’shouse。IleftittoMrKyrletodecideunderthesecircumstances，andinMrGilmore’sabsence，whetherhewasorwasnotbound，asthefamilysolicitor，tobepresentonthatoccasioninthefamilyinterests。
IwillsaynothingofMrKyrle’samazement，orofthetermsinwhichheexpressedhisopinionofmyconductfromthefirststageoftheinvestigationtothelast。ItisonlynecessarytomentionthatheatoncedecidedonaccompanyingustoCumberland。
Westartedthenextmorningbytheearlytrain。Laura，Marian，MrKyrle，andmyselfinonecarriage，andJohnOwenwithaclerkfromMrKyrle’soffice，occupyingplacesinanother。OnreachingtheLimmeridgestationwewentfirsttothefarmhouseatTodd’sCorner。ItwasmyfirmdeterminationthatLaurashouldnotenterheruncle’shousetillsheappearedtherepubliclyrecognisedashisniece。IleftMariantosettlethequestionofaccommodationwithMrsTodd，assoonasthegoodwomanhadrecoveredfromthebewildermentofhearingwhatourerrandwasinCumberland，andIarrangedwithherhusbandthatJohnOwenwastobecommittedtothereadyhospitalityofthefarm-servants。
Thesepreliminariescompleted，MrKyrleandIsetforthtogetherforLimmeridgeHouse。
IcannotwriteatanylengthofourinterviewwithMrFairlie，forI