``Whatisityouhavetotellme？’’Iasked。``TheSecretthatyourcruelhusbandisafraidof，’’sheanswered。``IoncethreatenedhimwiththeSecret，andfrightenedhim。YoushallthreatenhimwiththeSecret，andfrightenhimtoo。’’Herfacedarkened，andahard，angrystarefixeditselfinhereyes。Shebeganwavingherhandatmeinavacant，unmeaningmanner。
``MymotherknowstheSecret，’’shesaid。``MymotherhaswastedundertheSecrethalfherlifetime。Oneday，whenIwasgrownup，shesaidsomethingtome。Andthenextdayyourhusband——’’’
`Yes！yes！Goon。Whatdidshetellyouaboutyourhusband？’
`Shestoppedagain，Marian，atthatpoint——’
`Andsaidnomore？’
`Andlistenedeagerly。``Hush！’’shewhispered，stillwavingherhandatme。`Hush！’’Shemovedasideoutofthedoorway，movedslowlyandstealthily，stepbystep，tillIlostherpasttheedgeoftheboat-house。’
`Surelyyoufollowedher？’
`Yes，myanxietymademeboldenoughtoriseandfollowher。rustasIreachedtheentrance，sheappearedagainsuddenly，roundthesideoftheboat-house。``TheSecret，’’Iwhisperedtoher——``waitandtellmetheSecret！’’Shecaughtholdofmyarm，andlookedatmewithwildfrightenedeyes。``Notnow，’’shesaid，``wearenotalone——wearewatched。Comeheretomorrowatthistime——byyourself——mind——byyourself。’’ShePushedmeroughlyintotheboat-houseagain，andIsawhernomore。’
`Oh，Laura，Laura，anotherchancelost！IfIhadonlybeennearyousheshouldnothaveescapedus。Onwhichsidedidyoulosesightofher？’
`Ontheleftside，wherethegroundsinksandthewoodisthickest。’
`Didyourunoutagain？didyoucallafterher？’
`HowcouldI？Iwastooterrifiedtomoveorspeak。’
`Butwhenyoudidmove——whenyoucameout——？’
`Iranbackhere，totellyouwhathadhappened。’
`Didyouseeanyone，orhearanyone，intheplantation？’
`No，itseemedtobeallstillandquietwhenIpassedthroughit。’
Iwaitedforamomenttoconsider。Wasthisperson，supposedtohavebeensecretlypresentattheinterview，areality，orthecreatureofAnneCatherick’sexcitedfancy？Itwasimpossibletodetermine。Theonethingcertainwas，thatwehadfailedagainontheverybrinkofdiscovery——
failedutterlyandirretrievably，unlessAnneCatherickkeptherappointmentattheboat-houseforthenextday。
`Areyouquitesureyouhavetoldmeeverythingthatpassed？Everywordthatwassaid？’Iinquired。
`Ithinkso，’sheanswered。`Mypowersofmemory，Marian，arenotlikeyours。ButIwassostronglyimpressed，sodeeplyinterested，thatnothingofanyimportancecanpossiblyhaveescapedme。’
`MydearLaura，themeresttriflesareofimportancewhereAnneCatherickisconcerned。Thinkagain。Didnochancereferenceescapeherastotheplaceinwhichsheislivingatthepresenttime？’
`NonethatIcanremember。’
`Didshenotmentionacompanionandfriend——awomannamedMrsClements？’
`Ohyes！yes！Iforgotthat。ShetoldmeMrsClementswantedsadlytogowithhertothelakeandtakecareofher，andbeggedandprayedthatshewouldnotventureintothisneighbourhoodalone。’
`WasthatallshesaidaboutMrsClements？’
`Yes，thatwasall。’
`ShetoldyounothingabouttheplaceinwhichshetookrefugeafterleavingTodd’sCorner？’
`Nothing——Iamquitesure。’
`Norwhereshehaslivedsince？Norwhatherillnesshadbeen？’
`No，Marian，notaword。Tellme，praytellme，whatyouthinkaboutit。Idon’tknowwhattothink，orwhattodonext。’
`Youmustdothis，mylove：Youmustcarefullykeeptheappointmentattheboat-housetomorrow。Itisimpossibletosaywhatinterestsmaynotdependonyourseeingthatwomanagain。Youshallnotbelefttoyourselfasecondtime。Iwillfollowyouatasafedistance。Nobodyshallseeme，butIwillkeepwithinhearingofyourvoice，ifanythinghappens。AnneCatherickhasescapedWalterHartright，andhasescapedyou。Whateverhappens，sheshallnotescapeme。’
Laura’seyesreadmineattentively。
`Youbelieve，’shesaid，`inthissecretthatmyhusbandisafraidof？
Suppose，Marian，itshouldonlyexistafterallinAnneCatherick’sfancy？
Supposesheonlywantedtoseemeandtospeaktome，forthesakeofoldremembrances？Hermannerwassostrange——Ialmostdoubtedher。Wouldyoutrustherinotherthings？’
`Itrustnothing，Laura，butmyownobservationofyourhusband’sconduct。
IjudgeAnneCatherick’swordsbyhisactions，andIbelievethereisasecret。’
Isaidnomore，andgotuptoleavetheroom。ThoughtsweretroublingmewhichImighthavetoldherifwehadspokentogetherlonger，andwhichitmighthavebeendangerousforhertoknow。Theinfluenceoftheterribledreamfromwhichshehadawakenedmehungdarklyandheavilyovereveryfreshimpressionwhichtheprogressofhernarrativeproducedonmymind。
Ifelttheominousfuturecomingclose，chillingmewithanunutterableawe，forcingonmetheconvictionofanunseendesigninthelongseriesofcomplicationswhichhadnowfastenedroundus。IthoughtofHartright——asIsawhiminthebodywhenhesaidfarewell；asIsawhiminthespiritinmydream——andItoobegantodoubtnowwhetherwewerenotadvancingblindfoldtoanappointedandaninevitableend。
LeavingLauratogoupstairsalone，Iwentouttolookaboutmeinthewalksnearthehouse。ThecircumstancesunderwhichAnneCatherickhadpartedfromherhadmademesecretlyanxioustoknowhowCountFoscowaspassingtheafternoon，andhadrenderedmesecretlydistrustfuloftheresultsofthatsolitaryjourneyfromwhichSirPercivalhadreturnedbutafewhourssince。
Afterlookingforthemineverydirectionanddiscoveringnothing，I
returnedtothehouse，andenteredthedifferentroomsonthegroundflooroneafteranother。Theywereallempty。Icaneoutagainintothehall，andwentupstairstoreturntoLaura。MadameFoscoopenedherdoorasI
passeditonmywayalongthepassage，andIstoppedtoseeifshecouldinformmeofthewhereaboutsofherhusbandandSirPercival。Yes，shehadseenthembothfromherwindowmorethananhoursince。TheCounthadlookedupwithhiscustomarykindness，andhadmentionedwithhishabitualattentiontoherinthesmallesttrifles，thatheandhisfriendweregoingouttogetherforalongwalk。
Foralongwalk！Theyhadneveryetbeenineachother’scompanywiththatobjectinmyexperienceofthem。SirPercivalcaredfornoexercisebutriding，andtheCount(exceptwhenhewaspoliteenoughtobemyescort)
caredfornoexerciseatall。
WhenIjoinedLauraagain，Ifoundthatshehadcalledtomindinmyabsencetheimpendingquestionofthesignaturetothedeed，which，intheinterestofdiscussingherinterviewwithAnneCatherick，wehadhithertooverlooked。HerfirstwordswhenIsawherexpressedhersurpriseattheabsenceoftheexpectedsummonstoattendSirPercivalinthelibrary。
`Youmaymakeyourmindeasyonthatsubject，’Isaid。`Forthepresent，atleast，neitheryourresolutionnorminewillbeexposedtoanyfurthertrial。SirPercivalhasalteredhisplans——thebusinessofthesignatureisputoff。’
`Putoff？’Laurarepeatedamazedly。`Whotoldyouso？’
`MyauthorityisCountFosco。Ibelieveitistohisinterferencethatweareindebtedforyourhusband’ssuddenchangeofpurpose。’
`Itseemsimpossible，Marian。Iftheobjectofmysigningwas，aswesuppose，toobtainmoneyforSirpercivalthatheurgentlywanted，howcanthematterbeputoff？’
`Ithink，Laura，wehavethemeansathandofsettingthatdoubtatrest。HaveyouforgottentheconversationthatIheardbetweenSirPercivalandthelawyerastheywerecrossingthehall？’
`No，butIdon’tremember——’
`Ido。Thereweretwoalternativesproposed。Onewastoobtainyoursignaturetotheparchment。Theotherwastogaintimebygivingbillsatthreemonths。Thelastresourceisevidentlytheresourcenowadopted，andwemayfairlyhopetoberelievedfromourshareinSirPercival’sembarrassmentsforsometimetocome。’
`Oh，Marian，itsoundstoogoodtobetrue！’
`Doesit，mylove？Youcomplimentedmeonmyreadymemorynotlongsince，butyouseemtodoubtitnow。Iwillgetmyjournal，andyoushallseeifIamrightorwrong。’
Iwentawayandgotthebookatonce。
Onlookingbacktotheentryreferringtothelawyer’svisit，wefoundthatmyrecollectionofthetwoalternativespresentedwasaccuratelycorrect。
