MrFairlieregrettedthatthestateofhishealth，onthatparticularmorning，wassuchastoprecludeallhopeofhishavingthepleasureofreceivingme。Hebegged，therefore，thatIwouldaccepthisapologies，andkindlycommunicatewhatIhadtosayintheformofaletter。Similarmessagestothishadreachedme，atvariousintervals，duringmythreemonths’residenceinthehouse。ThroughoutthewholeofthatperiodMrFairliehadbeenrejoicedto`possess’me，buthadneverbeenwellenoughtoseemeforasecondtime。TheservanttookeveryfreshbatchofdrawingsthatImountedandrestoredbacktohismasterwithmy`respects，’andreturnedempty-handedwithMrFairlie’s`kindcompliments，’`bestthanks，’and`sincereregrets’
thatthestateofhishealthstillobligedhimtoremainasolitaryprisonerinhisownroom。Amoresatisfactoryarrangementtobothsidescouldnotpossiblyhavebeenadopted。Itwouldbehardtosaywhichofus，underthecircumstances，feltthemostgratefulsenseofobligationtoMrFairlie’saccommodatingnerves。
Isatdownatoncetowritetheletter，expressingmyselfinitascivilly，asclearly，andasbrieflyaspossible。MrFairliedidnothurryhisreply。
Nearlyanhourelapsedbeforetheanswerwasplacedinmyhands。Itwaswrittenwithbeautifulregularityandneatnessofcharacter，inviolet-colouredink，onnote-paperassmoothasivoryandalmostasthickascardboard，anditaddressedmeintheseterms——
`MrFairlie’scomplimentstoMrHartright。MrFairlieismoresurprisedanddisappointedthanhecansay(inthepresentstateofhishealth)byMrHartright’sapplication。MrFairlieisnotamanofbusiness，buthehasconsultedhissteward，whois，andthatpersonconfirmsMrFairlie’sopinionthatMrHartright’srequesttobeallowedtobreakhisengagementcannotbejustifiedbyanynecessitywhatever，exceptingperhapsacaseoflifeanddeath。Ifthehighly-appreciativefeelingtowardsArtanditsprofessors，whichitistheconsolationandhappinessofMrFairlie’ssufferingexistencetocultivate，couldbeeasilyshaken，MrHartright’spresentproceedingwouldhaveshakenit。Ithasnotdoneso——exceptintheinstanceofMrHartrighthimself。
`Havingstatedhisopinion——sofar，thatistosay，asacutenervoussufferingwillallowhimtostateanything——MrFairliehasnothingtoaddbuttheexpressionofhisdecision，inreferencetothehighlyirregularapplicationthathasbeenmadetohim。Perfectreposeofbodyandmindbeingtothelastdegreeimportantinhiscase，MrFairliewillnotsufferMrHartrighttodisturbthatreposebyremaininginthehouseundercircumstancesofanessentiallyirritatingnaturetobothsides。Accordingly，MrFairliewaiveshisrightofrefusal，purelywithaviewtothepreservationofhisowntranquillity——andinformsMrHartrightthathemaygo。’
Ifoldedtheletterup，andputitawaywithmyotherpapers。ThetimehadbeenwhenIshouldhaveresenteditasaninsult——Iaccepteditnowasawrittenreleasefrommyengagement。Itwasoffmymind，itwasalmostoutofmymemory，whenIwentdownstairstothebreakfast-room，andinformedMissHalcombethatIwasreadytowalkwithhertothefarm。
`HasMrFairliegivenyouasatisfactoryanswer？’sheaskedasweleftthehouse。
`Hehasallowedmetogo，MissHalcombe。’
Shelookedupatmequickly，andthen，forthefirsttimesinceIhadknownher，tookmyarmofherownaccord。Nowordscouldhaveexpressedsodelicatelythatsheunderstoodhowthepermissiontoleavemyemploymenthadbeengranted，andthatshegavemehersympathy，notasmysuperior，butasmyfriend。Ihadnotfelttheman’sinsolentletter，butIfeltdeeplythewoman’satoningkindness。
OnourwaytothefarmwearrangedthatMissHalcombewastoenterthehousealone，andthatIwastowaitoutside，withincall。Weadoptedthismodeofproceedingfromanapprehensionthatmypresence，afterwhathadhappenedinthechurchyardtheeveningbefore，mighthavetheeffectofrenewingAnneCatherick’snervousdead，andofrenderingheradditionallydistrustfuloftheadvancesofaladywhowasastrangertoher。MissHalcombeleftme，withtheintentionofspeaking，inthefirstinstance，tothefarmer’swife(ofwhosefriendlyreadinesstohelpherinanywayshewaswellassured)，whileIwaitedforherinthenearneighbourhoodofthehouse。
Ihadfullyexpectedtobeleftaloneforsometime。Tomysurprise，however，littlemorethanfiveminuteshadelapsedbeforeMissHalcombereturned。
`DoesAnneCatherickrefusetoseeyou？’Iaskedinastonishment。
`AnneCatherickisgone，’repliedMissHalcombe。
`Gone？’
`GonewithMrsClements。Theybothleftthefarmateighto’clockthismorning。’
Icouldsaynothing——Icouldonlyfeelthatourlastchanceofdiscoveryhadgonewiththem`AllthatMrsToddknowsaboutherguests，Iknow，’MissHalcombewenton，`anditleavesme，asitleavesher，inthedark。Theybothcamebacksafelastnight，aftertheyleftyou，andtheypassedthefirstpart-oftheeveningwithMrTodd’sfamilyasusual。rustbeforesupper-time，however，AnneCatherickstartledthemallbybeingsuddenlyseizedwithfaintness。
Shehadhadasimilarattack，ofalessalarmingkind，onthedayshearrivedatthefarm；andMrsToddhadconnectedit，onthatoccasion，withsomethingshewasreadingatthetimeinourlocalnewspaper，whichlayonthefarmtable，andwhichshehadtakenuponlyaminuteortwobefore。’
`DoesMrsToddknowwhatparticularpassageinthenewspaperaffectedherinthatway？’Iinquired。
`No，’repliedMissHalcombe。`Shehadlookeditover，andhadseennothinginittoagitateanyone。Iaskedleave，however，tolookitoverinmyturn，adattheveryfirstpageIopenedIfoundthattheeditorhadenrichedhissmallstockofnewsbydrawinguponourfamilyaffairs，andhadpublishedmysister’smarriageengagement，amonghisotherannouncements，copiedfromtheLondonpapers，ofMarriagesinHighLife。IconcludedatoncethatthiswastheparagraphwhichhadsostrangelyaffectedAnneCatherick，andIthoughtIsawinit，also，theoriginoftheletterwhichshesenttoourhousethenextday。’
`Therecanbenodoubtineithercase。Butwhatdidyouhearabouthersecondattackoffaintnessyesterdayevening？’
`Nothing。Thecauseofitisacompletemystery。Therewasnostrangerintheroom。Theonlyvisitorwasourdairymaid，who，asItoldyou，isoneofMrTodd’sdaughters，andtheonlyconversationwastheusualgossipaboutlocalaffairs。Theyheardhercryout，andsawherturndeadlypale，withouttheslightestapparentreason。MrsToddandMrsClementstookherupstairs，andMrsClementsremainedwithher。Theywereheardtalkingtogetheruntillongaftertheusualbedtime，andearlythismorningMrsClementstookMrsToddaside，andamazedherbeyondallpowerofexpressionbysayingthattheymustgo。TheonlyexplanationMrsToddcouldextractfromherguestwas，thatsomethinghadhappened，whichwasnotthefaultofanyoneatthefarmhouse，butwhichwasseriousenoughtomakeAnneCatherickresolvetoleaveLimmeridgeimmediately。ItwasquiteuselesstopressMrsClementstobemoreexplicit。Sheonlyshookherhead，andsaidthat，forAnne’ssake，shemustbegandpraythatnoonewouldquestionher。
Allshecouldrepeat，witheveryappearanceofbeingseriouslyagitatedherself，wasthatAnnemustgo，thatshemustgowithher，andthatthedestinationtowhichtheymightbothbetakethemselvesmustbekeptasecretfromeverybody。IspareyoutherecitalofMrsTodd’shospitableremonstrancesandrefusals。Itendedinherdrivingthembothtotheneareststation，morethanthreehourssince。Shetriedhardonthewaytogetthemtospeakmoreplainly，butwithoutsuccess；andshesetthemdownoutsidethestation-door，sohurtandoffendedbytheunceremoniousabruptnessoftheirdepartureandtheirunfriendlyreluctancetoplacetheleastconfidenceinher，thatshedroveawayinanger，withoutsomuchasstoppingtobidthemgood-bye。
Thatisexactlywhathastakenplace。Searchyourownmemory，MrHartright，andtellmeifanythinghappenedintheburial-groundyesterdayeveningwhichcanatallaccountfortheextraordinarydepartureofthosetwowomenthismorning。’
`Ishouldliketoaccountfirst，MissHalcombe，forthesuddenchangeinAnneCatherickwhichalarmedthematthefarmhouse，hoursaftersheandIhadparted，andwhentimeenoughhadelapsedtoquietanyviolentagitationthatImighthavebeenunfortunateenoughtocause。Didyouinquireparticularlyaboutthegossipwhichwasgoingonintheroomwhensheturnedfaint？’
`Yes。ButMrsTodd’shouseholdaffairsseemtohavedividedherattentionthateveningwiththetalkinthefarmhouseparlour。Shecouldonlytellmethatitwas``justthenews，’’——meaning，Isuppose，thattheyalltalkedasusualabouteachother。’
`Thedairymaid’smemorymaybebetterthanhermother’s，’Isaid。`Itmaybeaswellforyoutospeaktothegirl，MissHalcombe，assoonaswegetback。’
Mysuggestionwasactedonthemomentwereturnedtothehouse。MissHalcombeledmeroundtotheservants’offices，andwefoundthegirlinthedairy，withhersleevestuckeduptohershoulders，cleaningalargemilk-panandsingingblithelyoverherwork。
`Ihavebroughtthisgentlemantoseeyourdairy，Hannah，’saidMissHalcombe。`Itisoneofthesightsofthehouse，anditalwaysdoesyoucredit。’
Thegirlblushedandcurtseyed，andsaidshylythatshehopedshealwaysdidherbesttokeepthingsneatandclean。
`Wehavejustcomefromyourfather’s，’MissHalcombecontinued。`Youwerethereyesterdayevening，Ihear，andyoufoundvisitorsatthehouse？’
`Yes，miss。’
`Oneofthemwastakenfaintandill，Iamtold？Isupposenothingwassaidordonetofrightenher？Youwerenottalkingofanythingveryterrible，wereyou？’
`Ohno，miss！’saidthegirl，laughing。`Wewereonlytalkingofthenews。’
`YoursisterstoldyouthenewsatTodd’sCorner，Isuppose？’
Yes，miss。
`AndyoutoldthemthenewsatLimmeridgeHouse？’
`Yes，miss。AndI’mquitesurenothingwassaidtofrightenthepoorthing，forIwastalkingwhenshewastakenill。Itgavemequiteaturn，miss，toseeit，neverhavingbeentakenfaintmyself。’
Beforeanymorequestionscouldbeputtoher，shewascalledawaytoreceiveabasketofeggsatthedairydoor。AssheleftusIwhisperedtoMissHalcombe
