IatoncerelatedthecircumstancesunderwhichIhadmetthewomaninwhite，exactlyastheyhadoccurred；andIrepeatedwhatshehadsaidtomeaboutMrsFairlieandLimmeridgeHouse，wordforword。
MissHalcombe’sbrightresoluteeyeslookedeagerlyintomine，fromthebeginningofthenarrativetotheend。Herfaceexpressedvividinterestandastonishment，butnothingmore。ShewasevidentlyasfarfromknowingofanycluetothemysteryasIwasmyself。
`Areyouquitesureofthosewordsreferringtomymother？’sheasked。
`Quitesure，’Ireplied。`Whoevershemaybe，thewomanwasonceatschoolinthevillageofLimmeridge，wastreatedwithespecialkindnessbyMrsFairlie，and，ingratefulremembranceofthatkindness，feelsanaffectionateinterestinallsurvivingmembersofthefamily。SheknewthatMrsFairlieandherhusbandwerebothdead；andshespokeofMissFairlieasiftheyhadknowneachotherwhentheywerechildren。’
`Yousaid，Ithink，thatshedeniedbelongingtothisplace？’
`Yes，shetoldmeshecamefromHampshire。’
`Andyouentirelyfailedtofindouthername？’
`Entirely。’
`Verystrange。Ithinkyouwerequitejustified，MrHartright，ingivingthepoorcreatureherliberty，forsheseemstohavedonenothinginyourpresencetoshowherselfunfittoenjoyit。ButIwishyouhadbeenalittlemoreresoluteaboutfindingouthername。Wemustreallyclearupthismystery，insomeway。YouhadbetternotspeakofityettoMrFairlie，ortomysister。Theyarebothofthem，Iamcertain，quiteasignorantofwhothewomanis，andofwhatherpasthistoryinconnectionwithuscanbe，asIammyself。Buttheyarealso，inwidelydifferentways，rathernervousandsensitive；andyouwouldonlyfidgetoneandalarmtheothertonopurpose。Asformyself，Iamallaflamewithcuriosity，andIdevotemywholeenergiestothebusinessofdiscoveryfromthismoment。Whenmymothercamehere，afterhersecondmarriage，shecertainlyestablishedthevillageschooljustasitexistsatthepresenttime。Buttheoldteachersarealldead，orgoneelsewhere：andnoenlightenmentistobehopedforfromthatquarter。TheonlyotheralternativeIcanthinkof——’
Atthispointwewereinterruptedbytheentranceoftheservant，withamessagefromMrFairlie，intimatingthathewouldbegladtoseeme，assoonasIhaddonebreakfast。
`Waitinthehall，’saidMissHalcombe，answeringtheservantforme，inherquick，readyway。`MrHartrightwillcomeoutdirectly。Iwasabouttosay，’shewenton，addressingmeagain，`thatmysisterandIhavealargecollectionofmymother’sletters，addressedtomyfatherandtohers。Intheabsenceofanyothermeansofgettinginformation，Iwillpassthemorninginlookingovermymother’scorrespondencewithMrFairlie。
HewasfondofLondon，andwasconstantlyawayfromhiscountryhome；andshewasaccustomed，atsuchtimes，towriteandreporttohimhowthingswentonatLimmeridge。Herlettersarefullofreferencestotheschoolinwhichshetooksostronganinterest；andIthinkitmorethanlikelythatImayhavediscoveredsomethingwhenwemeetagain。Theluncheonhouristwo，MrHartright。Ishallhavethepleasureofintroducingyoutomysisterbythattime，andwewilloccupytheafternoonindrivingroundtheneighbourhoodandshowingyouallourpetpointsofview。Tilltwoo’clock，then，farewell。’
Shenoddedtomewiththelivelygrace，thedelightfulrefinementoffamiliarity，whichcharacterisedallthatShedidandallthatshesaid；
anddisappearedbyadooratthelowerendoftheroom。Assoonasshehadleftme，Iturnedmystepstowardsthehall，andfollowedtheservant，onmyway，forthefirsttime，tothepresenceofMrFairlie。IVMyconductorledmeupstairsintoapassagewhichtookusbacktothebedchamberinwhichIhadsleptduringthepastnight；andopeningthedoornexttoit，beggedmetolookin。
`Ihavemymaster’sorderstoshowyouyourownsitting-room，sir，’
saidtheman，`andtoinquireifyouapproveofthesituationandthelight。’
Imusthavebeenhardtoplease，indeed，ifIhadnotapprovedoftheroom，andofeverythingaboutit。Thebow-windowlookedoutonthesamelovelyviewwhichIhadadmired，inthemorning，frommybedroom。Thefurniturewastheperfectionofluxuryandbeauty；thetableinthecentrewasbrightwithgailyboundbooks，elegantconveniencesforwriting，andbeautifulflowers；thesecondtable，nearthewindow，wascoveredwithallthenecessarymaterialsformountingwater-colourdrawings，andhadalittleeaselattachedtoit，whichIcouldexpandorfoldupatwill；thewallswerehungwithgailytintedchintz；andthefloorwasspreadwithIndianmattinginmaize-colourandred。Itwastheprettiestandmostluxuriouslittlesitting-roomI
hadeverseen；andIadmireditwiththewarmestenthusiasm。
Thesolemnservantwasfartoohighlytrainedtobetraytheslightestsatisfaction。Hebowedwithicydeferencewhenmytermsofeulogywereallexhausted，andsilentlyopenedthedoorformetogooutintothepassageagain。
Weturnedacorner，andenteredalongsecondpassage，ascendedashortflightofstairsattheend，crossedasmallcircularupperhall，andstoppedinfrontofadoorcoveredwithdarkbaize。Theservantopenedthisdoor，andledmeonafewyardstoasecond；openedthatalso，anddisclosedtwocurtainsofpalesea-greensilkhangingbeforeus；raisedoneofthemnoiselessly；softlyutteredthewords，`MrHartright，’andleftme。
Ifoundmyselfinalarge，loftyroom，withamagnificentcarvedceiling，andwithacarpetoverthefloor，sothickandsoftthatitfeltlikepilesofvelvetundermyfeet。Onesideoftheroomwasoccupiedbyalongbookcaseofsomerareinlaidwoodthatwasquitenewtome。Itwasnotmorethansixfeethigh，andthetopwasadornedwithstatuettesinmarble，rangedatregulardistancesonefromtheother。Ontheoppositesidestoodtwoantiquecabinets；andbetweenthem，andabovethem，hungapictureoftheVirginandChild，protectedbyglass，andbearingRaphael’snameonthegilttabletatthebottomoftheframe。Onmyrighthandandonmyleft，asIstoodinsidethedoor，werechiffoniersandlittlestandsinbuhlandmarquetterie，loadedwithfiguresinDresdenchina，withrarevases，ivoryornaments，andtoysandcuriositiesthatsparkledatallpointswithgold，silver，andpreciousstones。Atthelowerendoftheroom，oppositetome，thewindowswereconcealedandthesunlightwastemperedbylargeblindsofthesamepalesea-greencolourasthecurtainsoverthedoor。
Thelightthusproducedwasdeliciouslysoft，mysterious，andsubdued；
itfellequallyuponalltheobjectsintheroom；ithelpedtointensifythedeepsilence，andtheairofprofoundseclusionthatpossessedtheplace；anditsurrounded，withanappropriatehaloofrepose，thesolitaryfigureofthemasterofthehouse，leaningback，listlesslycomposed，inalargeeasy-chair，withareading-easelfastenedononeofitsarms，andalittletableontheother。
Ifaman’spersonalappearance，whenheisoutofhisdressing-room，andwhenhehaspassedforty，canbeacceptedasasafeguidetohistimeoflife——whichismorethandoubtful——MrFairlie’sage，whenIsawhim，mighthavebeenreasonablycomputedatoverfiftyandundersixtyyears。Hisbeardlessfacewasthin，worn，andtransparentlypale，butnotwrinkled；hisnosewashighandhooked；hiseyeswereofadimgreyishblue，large，prominent，andratherredroundtherimsoftheeyelids；hishairwasscanty，softtolookat，andofthatlightsandycolourwhichisthelasttodiscloseitsownchangestowardsgrey。Hewasdressedinadarkfrock-coat，ofsomesubstancemuchthinnerthancloth，andinwaistcoatandtrousersofspotlesswhite。Hisfeetwereeffeminatelysmall，andwerecladinbuff-colouredsilkstockings，andlittlewomanishbronze-leatherslippers。Tworingsadornedhiswhitedelicatehands，thevalueofwhichevenmyinexperiencedobservationdetectedtobeallbutpriceless。Uponthewhole，hehadafrail，languidly-fretful，over-refinedlook——somethingsingularlyandunpleasantlydelicateinitsassociationwithaman，and，atthesametime，somethingwhichcouldbynopossibilityhavelookednaturalandappropriateifithadbeentransferredtothepersonalappearanceofawoman。Mymorning’sexperienceofMissHalcombehadpredisposedmetobepleasedwitheverybodyinthehouse；butmysympathiesshutthemselvesupresolutelyatthefirstsightofMrFairlie。
Onapproachingnearertohim，IdiscoveredthathewasnotsoentirelywithoutoccupationasIhadatfirstsupposed。Placedamidtheotherrareandbeautifulobjectsonalargeroundtablenearhim，wasadwarfcabinetinebonyandsilver，containingcoinsofallshapesandsizes，setoutinlittledrawerslinedwithdarkpurplevelvet。Oneofthesedrawerslayonthesmalltableattachedtohischair；andnearitweresometinyjeweller’sbrushes，awash-leather`stump，’andalittlebottleofliquid，allwaitingtobeusedinvariouswaysfortheremovalofanyaccidentalimpuritieswhichmightbediscoveredonthecoins。Hisfrailwhitefingerswerelistlesslytoyingwithsomethingwhichlooked，tomyuninstructedeyes，likeadirtypewtermedalwithraggededges，whenIadvancedwithinarespectfuldistanceofhischair，andstoppedtomakemybow。
`SogladtopossessyouatLimmeridge，MrHartright，’hesaidinaquerulous，croakingvoice，whichcombined，inanythingbutanagreeablemanner，adiscordantlyhightonewithadrowsilylanguidutterance。`Praysitdown。
Anddon’ttroubleyourselftomovethechair，please。Inthewretchedstateofmynerves，movementofanykindisexquisitelypainfultome。Haveyouseenyourstudio？Willitdo？’
`Ihavejustcomefromseeingtheroom，MrFairlie；andIassureyou——’
Hestoppedmeinthemiddleofthesentence，byclosinghiseyes，andholdinguponeofhiswhitehandsimploringly。Ipausedinastonishment；
andthecroakingvoicehonouredmewiththisexplanation——
`Prayexcuseme。Butcouldyoucontrivetospeakinalowerkey？
Inthewretchedstateofmynerves，loudsoundofanykindisindescribabletorturetome。Youwillpardonaninvalid？Ionlysaytoyouwhatthelamentablestateofmyhealthobligesmetosaytoeverybody。Yes。Andyoureallyliketheroom？’
`Icouldwishfornothingprettierandnothingmorecomfortable，’I
answered，droppingmyvoice，andbeginningtodiscoveralreadythatMrFairlie’sselfishaffectationandMrFairlie’swretchednervesmeantoneandthesamething。
`Soglad。Youwillfindyourpositionhere，MrHartright，properlyrecognised。
