Inthisperversestateofmymind，therecollectionofwhathadpassedsincethemorningwouldnotcomebacktome，andtherewasnoresourcebuttoclosemyjournalandtogetawayfromitforalittlewhile。
Iopenedthedoorwhichledfrommybedroomintomysitting-room，andhavingpassedthrough，pulledittoagain，topreventanyaccidentincaseofdraughtwiththecandleleftonthedressing-table。Mysitting-roomwindowwaswideopen，andIleanedoutlistlesslytolookatthenight。
Itwasdarkandquiet。Neithermoonnorstarswerevisible。Therewasasmelllikeraininthestill，heavyair，andIputmyhandoutofthewindow。No。Therainwasonlythreatening，ithadnotcomeyet。
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter21[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter21Iremainedleaningonthewindow-sillfornearlyaquarterofanhour，lookingoutabsentlyintotheblackdarkness，andhearingnothing，exceptnowandthenthevoicesoftheservants，orthedistantsoundofaclosingdoor，inthelowerpartofthehouse。
JustasIwasturningawaywearilyfromthewindowtogobacktothebedroomandmakeasecondattempttocompletetheunfinishedentryinmyjournal，Ismelttheodouroftobacco-smokestealingtowardsmeontheheavynightair。ThenextmomentIsawatinyredsparkadvancingfromthefartherendofthehouseinthepitchdarkness。Iheardnofootsteps，andIcouldseenothingbutthespark。Ittravelledalonginthenight，passedthewindowatwhichIwasstanding，andstoppedoppositemybedroomwindow，insidewhichIhadleftthelightburningonthedressing-table。
Thesparkremainedstationaryforamoment，thenmovedbackagaininthedirectionfromwhichithadadvanced。AsIfolloweditsprogressI
sawasecondredspark，largerthanthefirst，approachingfromthedistance。
Thetwomettogetherinthedarkness。Rememberingwhosmokedcigarettesandwhosmokedcigars，IinferredimmediatelythattheCounthadcomeoutfirsttolookandlistenundermywindow，andthatSirPercivalhadafterwardsjoinedhim。Theymustbothhavebeenwalkingonthelawn——orIshouldcertainlyhaveheardSirPercival’sheavyfootfall，thoughtheCount’ssoftstepmighthaveescapedme，evenonthegravelwalk。
Iwaitedquietlyatthewindow，certainthattheycouldneitherofthemseemeinthedarknessoftheroom。
`What’sthematter？’IheardSirPercivalsayinalowvoice。`Whydon’tyoucomeinandsitdown？’
`Iwanttoseethelightoutofthatwindow，’repliedtheCountsoftly。
`Whatharmdoesthelightdo？’
`Itshowssheisnotinbedyet。Sheissharpenoughtosuspectsomething，andboldenoughtocomedownstairsandlisten，ifshecangetthechance。
Patience，Percival——patience。’
`Humbug！You’realwaystalkingofpatience。’
`Ishalltalkofsomethingelsepresently。Mygoodfriend，youareontheedgeofyourdomesticprecipice，andifIletyougivethewomenoneotherchance，onmysacredwordofhonourtheywillpushyouoverit！’
`Whatthedevildoyoumean？’
`Wewillcometoourexplanations，Percival，whenthelightisoutofthatwindow，andwhenIhavehadonelittlelookattheroomsoneachsideofthelibrary，andapeepatthestaircaseaswell。’
Theyslowlymovedaway，andtherestoftheconversationbetweenthem(whichhadbeenconductedthroughoutinthesamelowtones)ceasedtobeaudible。Itwasnomatter。IhadheardenoughtodeterminemeonjustifyingtheCount’sopinionofmysharpnessandmycourage。BeforetheredsparkswereoutofsightinthedarknessIhadmadeupmymindthatthereshouldbealistenerwhenthosetwomensatdowntotheirtalk——andthatthelistener，inspiteofalltheCount’sprecautionstothecontrary，shouldbemyself。Iwantedbutonemotivetosanctiontheacttomyownconscience，andtogivemecourageenoughforperformingit——andthatmotiveIhad。
Laura’shonour，Laura’shappiness——Laura’slifeitself——mightdependonmyquickearsandmyfaithfulmemorytonight。
IhadheardtheCountsaythathemeanttoexaminetheroomsoneachsideofthelibrary，andthestaircaseaswell，beforeheenteredonanyexplanationwithSirPercival。Thisexpressionofhisintentionswasnecessarilysufficienttoinformmethatthelibrarywastheroominwhichheproposedthattheconversationshouldtakeplace。TheonemomentoftimewhichwaslongenoughtobringmetothatconclusionwasalsothemomentwhichshowedmeameansofbafflinghisPrecautions——or，inotherwords，ofhearingwhatheandSirPercivalsaidtoeachother，withouttheriskofdescendingatallintothelowerregionsofthehouse。
InspeakingoftheroomsonthegroundfloorIhavementionedincidentallytheverandahoutsidethem，onwhichtheyallopenedbymeansofFrenchwindows，extendingfromthecornicetothefloor。Thetopofthisverandahwasflat，therain-waterbeingcarriedofffromitbypipesintotankswhichhelpedtosupplythehouse。Onthenarrowleadenroof，whichranalongpastthebedrooms，andwhichwasratherless，Ishouldthink，thanthreefeetbelowthesillsofthewindow，arowofflowerpotswasranged，withwideintervalsbetweeneachpot——thewholebeingprotectedfromfallinginhighwindsbyanornamentalironrailingalongtheedgeoftheroof。
Theplanwhichhadnowoccurredtomewastogetoutatmysitting-roomwindowontothisroof，tocreepalongnoiselesslytillIreachedthatpartofitwhichwasimmediatelyoverthelibrarywindow，andtocrouchdownbetweentheflower-pots，withmyearagainsttheouterrailing。IfSirPercivalandtheCountsatandsmokedtonight，asIhadseenthemsittingandsmokingmanynightsbefore，withtheirchairscloseattheopenwindow，andtheirfeetstretchedonthezincgardenseatswhichwereplacedundertheverandah，everywordtheysaidtoeachotheraboveawhisper(andnolongconversation，asweallknowbyexperience，canbecarriedoninawhisper)mustinevitablyreachmyears。If，ontheotherhand，theychosetonighttositfarbackinsidetheroom，thenthechanceswerethatIshouldhearlittleornothing——andinthatcase，Imustrunthefarmoreseriousriskoftryingtooutwitthemdownstairs。
StronglyasIwasfortifiedinmyresolutionbythedesperatenatureofoursituation，IhopedmostferventlythatImightescapethislastemergency。Mycouragewasonlyawoman’scourageafterall，anditwasveryneartofailingmewhenIthoughtoftrustingmyselfonthegroundfloor，atthedeadofnight，withinreachofSirPercivalandtheCount。
Iwentsoftlybacktomybedroomtotrythesaferexperimentoftheverandahrooffirst。
Acompletechangeinmydresswasimperativelynecessaryformanyreasons。
Itookoffmysilkgowntobeginwith，becausetheslightestnoisefromitonthatstillnightmighthavebetrayedme。Inextremovedthewhiteandcumbersomepartsofmyunderclothing，andreplacedthembyapetticoatofdarkflannel。OverthisIputmyblacktravellingcloak，andpulledthehoodontomyhead。InmyordinaryeveningcostumeItookuptheroomofthreemenatleast。Inmypresentdress，whenitwasheldcloseaboutme，nomancouldhavepassedthroughthenarrowestspacesmoreeasilythanI。Thelittlebreadthleftontheroofoftheverandah，betweentheflower-potsononesideandthewallandthewindowsofthehouseontheother，madethisaseriousconsideration。IfIknockedanythingdown，ifImadetheleastnoise，whocouldsaywhattheconsequencesmightbe？
IonlywaitedtoputthematchesnearthecandlebeforeIextinguishedit，andgropedmywaybackintothesitting-room。Ilockedthedoor，asIhadlockedmybedroomdoor——thenquietlygotoutofthewindow，andcautiouslysetmyfeetontheleadenroofoftheverandah。
Mytworoomswereattheinnerextremityofthenewwingofthehouseinwhichwealllived，andIhadfivewindowstopassbeforeIcouldreachthepositionitwasnecessarytotakeupimmediatelyoverthelibrary。
Thefirstwindowbelongedtoaspareroomwhichwasempty。ThesecondandthirdwindowsbelongedtoLaura’sroom。ThefourthwindowbelongedtoSirPercival’sroom。ThefifthbelongedtotheCountess’sroom。Theothers，bywhichitwasnotnecessaryformetopass，werethewindowsoftheCount’sdressing-room，ofthebathroom，andofthesecondemptyspareroom。
Nosoundreachedmyears——theblackblindingdarknessofthenightwasallroundmewhenIfirststoodontheverandah，exceptatthatpartofitwhichMadameFosco’swindowoverlooked。There，attheveryplaceabovethelibrarytowhichmycoursewasdirected——thereIsawagleamoflightITheCountesswasnotyetinbed。
Itwastoolatetodrawback——itwasnotimetowait。Ideterminedtogoonatallhazards，andtrustforsecuritytomyowncautionandtothedarknessofthenight。`ForLaura’ssake！’Ithoughttomyself，asItookthefirststepforwardontheroof，withonehandholdingmycloakcloseroundme，andtheothergropingagainstthewallofthehouse。Itwasbettertobrushclosebythewallthantoriskstrikingmyfeetagainsttheflowerpotswithinafewinchesofme，ontheotherside。
Ipassedthedarkwindowofthespareroom，tryingtheleadenroofateachstepwithmyfootbeforeIriskedrestingmyweightonit。IpassedthedarkwindowsofLaura’sroom(`Godblessherandkeephertonight！’)。
IpassedthedarkwindowofSirPercival’sroom。ThenIwaitedamoment，kneltdownwithmyhandstosupportme，andsocrepttomyposition，undertheprotectionofthelowwallbetweenthebottomofthelightedwindowandtheverandahroof。
WhenIventuredtolookupatthewindowitselfIfoundthatthetopofitonlywasopen，andthattheblindinsidewasdrawndown。WhileI
waslookingIsawtheshadowofMadameFoscopassacrossthewhitefieldoftheblind——thenpassslowlybackagain。Thusfarshecouldnothaveheardme，ortheshadowwouldsurelyhavestoppedattheblind，evenifshehadwantedcourageenoughtoopentheWindowandlookout？
Iplacedmyselfsidewaysagainsttherailingoftheverandah——firstascertaining，bytouchingthem，thepositionoftheflowerpotsoneithersideofme。Therewasroomenoughformetositbetweenthemandnomore。
Thesweet-scentedleavesofthefloweronmylefthandjustbrushedmycheekasIlightlyrestedmyheadagainsttherailing。
