“AndyourshiningcourageousBrownMollyforthelong？”
“Logicalinference，MissHalcombe。”continuedtheCount，wheelingroundbriskly，andaddressingme。“SirPercivalisgoingalongdistanceto-day。”
Imadenoreply。Ihadmyowninferencestodraw，fromwhatI
knewthroughthehousekeeperandfromwhatIsawbeforeme，andIdidnotchoosetosharethemwithCountFosco。
WhenSirPercivalwasinCumberland(Ithoughttomyself)，hewalkedawayalongdistance，onAnne’saccount，toquestionthefamilyatTodd’sCorner。NowheisinHampshire，ishegoingtodriveawayalongdistance，onAnne’saccountagain，toquestionMrs。CatherickatWelmingham？
Weallenteredthehouse。AswecrossedthehallSirPercivalcameoutfromthelibrarytomeetus。Helookedhurriedandpaleandanxious——butforallthat，hewasinhismostpolitemoodwhenhespoketous。
“IamsorrytosayIamobligedtoleaveyou。”hebegan——“alongdrive——amatterthatIcan’tverywellputoff。Ishallbebackingoodtimeto-morrow——butbeforeIgoIshouldlikethatlittlebusiness-formality，whichIspokeofthismorning，tobesettled。Laura，willyoucomeintothelibrary？Itwon’ttakeaminute——amereformality。Countess，mayItroubleyoualso？IwantyouandtheCountess，Fosco，tobewitnessestoasignature——nothingmore。Comeinatonceandgetitover。”
Heheldthelibrarydooropenuntiltheyhadpassedin，followedthem，andshutitsoftly。
Iremained，foramomentafterwards，standingaloneinthehall，withmyheartbeatingfastandmymindmisgivingmesadly。ThenIwentontothestaircase，andascendedslowlytomyownroom。
WomaninWhite：Chapter15[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter15June17th——Justasmyhandwasonthedoorofmyroom，IheardSirPercival’svoicecallingtomefrombelow。
`Imustbegyoutocomedownstairsagain，’hesaid。`ItisFosco’sfault，MissHalcombe，notmine。Hehasstartedsomenonsensicalobjectiontohiswifebeingoneofthewitnesses，andhasobligedmetoaskyoutojoinusinthelibrary。’
IenteredtheroomimmediatelywithSirPercival。Laurawaswaitingbythewriting-table，twistingandturninghergardenhatuneasilyinherhands。MadameFoscosatnearher，inanarm-chair，imperturbablyadmiringherhusband，whostoodbyhimselfattheotherendofthelibrary，pickingoffthedeadleavesfromtheflowersinthewindow。
ThemomentIappearedtheCountadvancedtomeetme，andtoofferhisexplanations。
`Athousandpardons，MissHalcombe，’hesaid。`YouknowthecharacterwhichisgiventomycountrymenbytheEnglish？WeItaliansareallwilyandsuspiciousbynature，intheestimationofthegoodJohnBull。Setmedown，ifyouplease，asbeingnotbetterthantherestofmyrace。I
amawilyItalianandasuspiciousItalian。Youhavethoughtsoyourself，dearlady，haveyounot？Well！itispartofmywilinessandpartofmysuspiciontoobjecttoMadameFoscobeingawitnesstoLadyGlyde’ssignature，whenIamalsoawitnessmyself。’
`Thereisnottheshadowofareasonforhisobjection，’interposedSirPercival。`IhaveexplainedtohimthatthelawofEnglandallowsMadameFoscotowitnessasignatureaswellasherhusband。’
`Iadmitit，’resumedtheCount。`ThelawofEnglandsays，Yes，buttheconscienceofFoscosays，No。’Hespreadouthisfatfingersonthebosomofhisblouse，andbowedsolemnly，asifhewishedtointroducehisconsciencetousall，inthecharacterofanillustriousadditiontothesociety。`WhatthisdocumentwhichLadyGlydeisabouttosignmaybe，’
hecontinued，`Ineitherknownordesiretoknow。Ionlysaythis，circumstancesmayhappeninthefuturewhichmayobligePercival，orhisrepresentatives，toappealtothetwowitnesses，inwhichcaseitiscertainlydesirablethatthosewitnessesshouldrepresenttwoopinionswhichareperfectlyindependenttheoneoftheother。Thiscannotbeifmywifesignsaswellasmyself，becausewehavebutoneopinionbetweenus，andthatopinionismine。Iwillnothaveitcastinmyteeth，atsomefutureclay，thatMadameFoscoactedundermycoercin，andwas，inplainfact，nowitnessatall。IspeakinPercival’sinterest，whenIproposethatmynameshallappear(asthenearestfriendofthehusband)，andyourname，MissHalcombe(asthenearestfriendofthewife)。IamaJesuit，ifyoupleasetothinkso——asplitterofstraws——amanoftriflesandcrochetsandscruples——butyouwillhumourme。Ihope，inmercifulconsiderationformysuspiciousItaliancharacter，andmyuneasyItalianconscience。’Hebowedagain，steppedbackafewpaces，andwithdrewhisconsciencefromoursocietyaspolitelyashehadintroducedit。
TheCount’sscruplesmighthavebeenhonourableandreasonableenough，buttherewassomethinginhismannerofexpressingthemwhichincreasedmyunwillingnesstobeconcernedinthebusinessofthesignature。NoconsiderationoflessimportancethanmyconsiderationforLaurawouldhaveinducedmetoconsenttobeawitnessatall。Onelook，however，atheranxiousfacedecidedmetoriskanythingratherthandeserther。
`Iwillreadilyremainintheroom，’Isaid。`AndifIfindnoreasonforstartinganysmallscruplesonmyside，youmayrelyonmeasawitness。’
SirPercivallookedatmesharply，asifhewasabouttosaysomething。
Butatthesamemoment，MadameFoscoattractedhisattentionbyrisingfromherchair。Shehadcaughtherhusband’seye，andhadevidentlyreceivedherorderstoleavetheroom。
`Youneedn’tgo，’saidSirPercivaL
MadameFoscolookedforherordersagain，gotthemagain，saidshewouldpreferleavingustoourbusiness，andresolutelywalkedout。TheCountlitacigarette，wentbacktotheflowersinthewindow，andpuffedlittlejetsofsmokeattheleaves，inastateofthedeepestanxietyaboutkillingtheinsects。
MeanwhileSirPercivalunlockedacupboardbeneathoneofthebook-cases，andproducedfromitapieceofparchment，foldedlongwise，manytimesover。Heplaceditonthetable，openedthelastfoldonly，andkepthishandontherest。Thelastfolddisplayedastripofblankparchmentwithlittlewafersstuckonitatcertainplaces。Everylineofthewritingwashiddeninthepartwhichhestillheldfoldedupunderhishand。LauraandIlookedateachother。Herfacewaspale，butitshowednoindecisionandnofear。
SirPercivaldippedapeninink，andhandedittohiswife。
`Signyournamethere，’hesaid，pointingtotheplace。`YouandFoscoaretosignafterwards，MissHalcombe，oppositethosetwowafers。Comehere，Fosco！witnessingasignatureisnottobedonebymooningoutofwindowandsmokingintotheflowers。’
TheCountthrewawayhiscigarette，andjoinedusatthetable，withhishandscarelesslythrustintothescarletbeltofhisblouse，andhiseyessteadilyfixedonSirPercival’sface。Laura，whowasontheothersideofherhusband，withthepeninherhand，lookedathimtoo。Hestoodbetweenthem，holdingthefoldedparchmentdownfirmlyonthetable，andglancingacrossatme，asIsatoppositetohim，withsuchasinistermixtureofsuspicionandembarrassmentonhisface，thathelookedmorelikeaprisoneratthebarthanagentlemaninhisownhouse。
`Signthere，’herepeated，turningsuddenlyonLaura，andpointingoncemoretotheplaceontheparchment。
`WhatisitIamtosign？’sheaskedquietly。
`Ihavenotimetoexplain，’heanswered。`Thedog-cartisatthedoor，andImustgodirectly。Besides，ifIhadtime，youwouldn’tunderstand。
Itisapurelyformaldocument，fulloflegaltechnicalities，andallthatsortofthing。Come！comeIsignyourname，andletushavedoneassoonaspossible。’
`IoughtsurelytoknowwhatIamsigning，SirPercival，beforeIwritemyname？’
`Nonsense！Whathavewomentodowithbusiness？Itellyouagain，youcan’tunderstandit。’
`Atanyrate，letmetrytounderstandit。WheneverMrGilmorehadanybusinessformetodo，healwaysexplaineditfirst，andIalwaysunderstoodhim。’
`ldaresayhedid。Hewasyourservant，andwasobligedtoexplain。
Iamyourhusband，andamnotobliged。Howmuchlongerdoyoumeantokeepmehere？Itellyouagain，thereisnotimeforreadinganything——thedog-cartiswaitingatthedoor。Onceforall，willyousignorwillyounot？’
Shestillhadthepeninherhand，butshemadenoapproachtosigninghernamewithit。
`Ifmysignaturepledgesmetoanything，’shesaid，`surelyIhavesomeclaimtoknowwhatthatpledgeis？’
Helifteduptheparchment，andstruckitangrilyonthetable。
`Speakout！’hesaid。`Youwerealwaysfamousfortellingthetruth。
NevermindMissHalcombe，nevermindFosco——say，inplainterms，youdistrustme。’
TheCounttookoneofhishandsoutofhisbeltandlaiditonSirPercival’sshoulder。SirPercivalshookitoffirritably。TheCountputitonagainwithunruffledcomposure。
`Controlyourunfortunatetemper，Percival，’hesaid。`LadyGlydeisright。’
`Right！’criedSirPercival。`Awiferightindistrustingherhusband！’
`Itisunjustandcrueltoaccusemeofdistrustingyou，’saidLaura。
`AskMarianifIamnotjustifiedinwantingtoknowwhatthiswritingrequiresofmebeforeIsignit。’
`lwon’thaveanyappealsmadetoMissHalcombe，’retortedSirPercival。
`MissHalcombehasnothingtodowiththematter。’
