`Damnit！whatdoyoumean？’criedSirPercival，astheCountquietlymovedawaywithhiswifetothedoor。
`AtothertimesImeanwhatIsay，butatthistimeImeanwhatmywifesays，’repliedtheimpenetrableItalian。`Wehavechangedplaces，Percival，foronce，andMadameFosco’sopinionis——mine。’
SirPercivalcrumpledupthepaperinhishand，andpushingpasttheCount，withanotheroath，stoodbetweenhimandthedoor。
`Haveyourownway，’hesaid，withbaffledrageinhislow，half-whisperingtones。`Haveyourownway——andseewhatcomesofit。’Withthosewordshelefttheroom。
MadameFoscoglancedinquiringlyatherhusband。`Hehasgoneawayverysuddenly，’shesaid。`Whatdoesitmean？’
`ItmeansthatyouandItogetherhavebroughttheworst-temperedmaninallEnglandtohissenses，’answeredtheCount。`Itmeans，MissHalcombe，thatLadyGlydeisrelievedfromagrossindignity，andyoufromtherepetitionofanunpardonableinsult。Suffermetoexpressmyadmirationofyourconductandyourcourageataverytryingmoment。’
`Sincereadmiration，’suggestedMadameFosco。
`Sincereadmiration，’echoedtheCount。
Ihadnolongerthestrengthofmyfirstangryresistancetooutrageandinjurytosupportme。Myheart-sickanxietytoseeLaura，mysenseofmyownhelplessignoranceofwhathadhappenedattheboat-house，pressedonmewithanintolerableweight。ItriedtokeepupappearancesbyspeakingtotheCountandhiswifeinthetonewhichtheyhadchosentoadoptinspeakingtome，butthewordsfailedonmylips——mybreathcameshortandthick——myeyeslookedlongingly，insilence，atthedoor。TheCount，understandingmyanxiety，openedit，wentout，andpulledittoafterhim。
AtthesametimeSirPercival’sheavystepdescendedthestairs。Iheardthemwhisperingtogetheroutside，whileMadameFoscowasassuringme，inhercalmestandmostconventionalmanner，thatsherejoiced，foralloursakes，thatSirPercival’sconducthadnotobligedherhusbandandherselftoleaveBlackwaterPark。Beforeshehaddonespeakingthewhisperingceased，thedooropened，andtheCountlookedin。
`MissHalcombe，’hesaid，`IamhappytoinformyouthatLadyGlydeismistressagaininherownhouse。IthoughtitmightbemoreagreeabletoyoutohearofthischangeforthebetterfrommethanfromSirPercival，andIhavethereforeexpresslyreturnedtomentionit。’
`Admirabledelicacy！’saidMadameFosco，payingbackherhusband’stributeofadmirationwiththeCount’sowncoin，intheCount’sownmanner。Hesmiledandbowedasifhehadreceivedaformalcomplimentfromapolitestranger，anddrewbacktoletmepassoutfirst。
SirPercivalwasstandinginthehall。AsIhurriedtothestairsI
heardhimcallimpatientlytotheCounttocomeoutofthelibrary。
`Whatareyouwaitingtherefor？’hesaid。`Iwanttospeaktoyou。’
`AndIwanttothinkalittlebymyself，’repliedtheother。`Waittilllater，Percival，waittilllater。’
Neitherhenorhisfriendsaidanymore。Igainedthetopofthestairsandranalongthepassage。InmyhasteandmyagitationIleftthedooroftheante-chamberopen，butIclosedthedoorofthebedroomthemomentIwasinsideit。
Laurawassittingaloneatthefarendoftheroom，herarmsrestingwearilyonatable，andherfacehiddeninherhands。Shestartedupwithacryofdelightwhenshesawme。
`Howdidyougethere？’sheasked。`Whogaveyouleave？NotSirPercival？’
Inmyoverpoweringanxietytohearwhatshehadtotellme，Icouldnotanswerher——Icouldonlyputquestionsonmyside。Laura’seagernesstoknowwhathadpasseddownstairsproved，however，toostrongtoberesisted。
Shepersistentlyrepeatedherinquiries。
`TheCount，ofcourse，’Iansweredimpatiently。`Whoseinfluenceinthehouse——’
Shestoppedmewithagestureofdisgust。
`Don’tspeakofhim，’shecried。`TheCountisthevilestcreaturebreathing！
TheCountisamiserableSpy！’
Beforewecouldeitherofussayanotherwordwewerealarmedbyasoftknockingatthedoorofthebedroom。
Ihadnotyetsatdown，andIwentfirsttoseewhoitwas。WhenIopenedthedoorMadameFoscoconfrontedmewithmyhandkerchiefinherhand。
`Youdroppedthisdownstairs，MissHalcombe，’shesaid，`andIthoughtIcouldbringittoyou，asIwaspassingbytomyownroom。
Herface，naturallypale，hadturnedtosuchaghastlywhitenessthatIstartedatthesightofit。Herhands，sosureandsteadyatallothertimes，trembledviolently，andhereyeslookedwolfishlypastmethroughtheopendoor，andfixedonLaura。
Shehadbeenlisteningbeforesheknocked！Isawitinherwhiteface，Isawitinhertremblinghands，IsawitinherlookatLaura。
Afterwaitinganinstantsheturnedfrommeinsilence，andslowlywalkedaway。
Iclosedthedooragain。`Oh，LauraILaura！WeshallbothruethedaywhenyoucalledtheCountaSpy！’
`Youwouldhavecalledhimsoyourself，Marian，ifyouhadknownwhatIknow。AnneCatherickwasright。Therewasathirdpersonwatchingusintheplantationyesterday，andthatthirdperson——
`AreyousureitwastheCount？’
`Iamabsolutelycertain。HewasSirPercival’sspy——hewasSirPercival’sinformer——hesetSirPercivalwatchingandwaiting，allthemorningthrough，forAnneCatherickandforme。’
`IsAnnefound？Didyouseeheratthelake？’
`No。Shehassavedherselfbykeepingawayfromtheplace。WhenIgottotheboat-housenoonewasthere。’
`Yes？Yes？’
`Iwentinandsatwaitingforafewminutes。Butmyrestlessnessmademegetupagain，towalkaboutalittle。AsIpassedoutIsawsomemarksonthesand，closeunderthefrontoftheboat-house。Istoopeddowntoexaminethem，anddiscoveredawordwritteninlargelettersonthesand。
Thewordwas——LOOK。’
`Andyouscrapedawaythesand，anddugahollowplaceinit？’
`Howdoyouknowthat，Marian？’
`IsawthehollowplacemyselfwhenIfollowedyoutotheboat-house。
Goon——goon！’
`Yes，Iscrapedawaythesandonthesurface，andinalittlewhileIcametoastripofpaperhiddenbeneath，whichhadwritingonit。ThewritingwassignedwithAnneCatherick’sinitials。’
`Whereisit？’
`SirPercivalhastakenitfromme。’
`Canyourememberwhatthewritingwas？Doyouthinkyoucanrepeatittome？’
`InsubstanceIcan，Marian。Itwasveryshort。Youwouldhaverememberedit。wordforword。’
`Trytotellmewhatthesubstancewasbeforewegoanyfurther。’
Shecomplied。Iwritethelinesdownhereexactlyassherepeatedthemtome。Theyranthus——andhadtoruntosavemyself。Hewasnotquickenoughonhisfeettofollowme，andhelostmeamongthetrees。Idarenotriskcomingbackheretodayatthesametime。Iwritethis，andhideitinthesand，atsixinthemorning，totellyouso。Whenwespeaknextofyourwickedhusband’sSecretwemustspeaksafely，ornotatall。Trytohavepatience。Ipromiseyoushallseemeagainandthatsoon——A。
C。’
Thereferencetothe`tall，stoutoldman’(thetermsofwhichLaurawascertainthatshehadrepeatedtomecorrectly)leftnodoubtastowhotheintruderhadbeen。IcalledtomindthatIhadtoldSirPercival，intheCount’spresencethedaybefore，thatLaurahadgonetotheboat-housetolookforherbrooch。Inallprobabilityhehadfollowedherthere，inhisofficiousway，torelievehermindaboutthematterofthesignature，immediatelyafterhehadmentionedthechangeinSirPercival’splanstomeinthedrawing-room。Inthiscasehecouldonlyhavegottotheneighbourhoodoftheboat-houseattheverymomentwhenAnneCatherickdiscoveredhim。
ThesuspiciouslyhurriedmannerinwhichshepartedfromLaurahadnodoubtpromptedhisuselessattempttofollowher。Oftheconversationwhichhadpreviouslytakenplacebetweenthemhecouldhaveheardnothing。Thedistancebetweenthehouseandthelake，andthetimeatwhichheleftmeinthedrawing-room，ascomparedwiththetimeatwhichLauraandAnneCatherickhadbeenspeakingtogether，provedthatfacttousatanyrate，beyondadoubt。
Havingarrivedatsomethinglikeaconclusionsofar，mynextgreatinterestwastoknowwhatdiscoveriesSirPercivalhadmadeafterCountFoscohadgivenhimhisinformation。
`Howcameyoutolosepossessionoftheletter？’Iasked。`Whatdidyoudowithitwhenyoufounditinthesand？’
