Louislookedquiteshocked。Hesurprisedmeinexpressiblybydeclaringthatmysister’sforeignhusbandwasdressedsuperbly，andlookedthepictureofprosperity。Underthesecircumstancesmyfirstimpressionalteredtoacertainextent。InowtookitforgrantedthattheCounthadmatrimonialdifficultiesofhisowntocontendwith，andthathehadcome，liketherestofthefamily，tocastthemallonmyshoulders。
`Didhementionhisbusiness？’Iasked。
`CountFoscosaidhehadcomehere，sir，becauseMissHalcombewasunabletoleaveBlackwaterPark。’
Freshtroubles，apparently。Notexactlyhisown，asIhadsupposed，butdearMarian’s。Troubles，anyway。Ohdear！
`Showhimin，’Isaidresignedly。
TheCount’sfirstappearancereallystartledme。HewassuchanalarminglylargepersonthatIquitetrembled-Ifeltcertainthathewouldshakethefloorandknockdownmyart-treasures。Hedidneithertheonenortheother。Hewasrefreshinglydressedinsummercostume——hismannerwasdelightfullyself-possessedandquiet——hehadacharmingsmile。Myfirstimpressionofhimwashighlyfavourable。Itisnotcreditabletomypenetration——asthesequelwillshow——toacknowledgethis，butIamanaturallycandidman，andIdoacknowledgeitnotwithstanding。
`Allowmetopresentmyself，MrFairlie，’hesaid。`IcomefromBlackwaterPark，andIhavethehonourandthehappinessofbeingMadameFosco’shusband。
Letmetakemyfirstandlastadvantageofthatcircumstancebyentreatingyounottomakeastrangerofme。Ibegyouwillnotdisturbyourself——
Ibegyouwillnotmove。’
`Youareverygood，’Ireplied。`IwishIwasstrongenoughtogetup。
CharmedtoseeyouatLimmeridge。Pleasetakeachair。’
`Iamafraidyouaresufferingtoday，’saidtheCount。
`Asusual，’Isaid。`Iamnothingbutabundleofnervesdresseduptolooklikeaman。’
`Ihavestudiedmanysubjectsinmytime，’remarkedthissympatheticperson。`Amongotherstheinexhaustiblesubjectofnerves。MayImakeasuggestion，atoncethesimplestandthemostprofound？Willyouletmealterthelightinyourroom？’
`Certainly——ifyouwillbesoverykindasnottoletanyofitinonme。’
Hewalkedtothewindow。SuchacontrasttodearMarian！soextremelyconsiderateinallhismovements！
`Light，’hesaid，inthatdelightfulconfidentialtonewhichissosoothingtoaninvalid，`isthefirstessential。Lightstimulates。nourishes，preserves。
Youcannomoredowithoutit，MrFairlie，thanifyouwereaflower。Observe。
Here，whereyousit，Iclosetheshutterstocomposeyou。There，whereyoudonotsit，Idrawuptheblindandletintheinvigoratingsun。Admitthelightintoyourroomifyoucannotbearitonyourself。
Light，sir，isthegranddecreeofProvidence。YouacceptProvidencewithyourownrestrictions。Acceptlightonthesameterms。’
Ithoughtthisveryconvincingandattentive。Hehadtakenmeinuptothatpointaboutthelight，hehadcertainlytakenmein。
`Youseemeconfused，’hesaid。returningtohisplace——`onmywordofhonour，MrFairlie，youseemeconfusedinyourpresence。’
`Shockedtohearit，Iamsure。MayIinquirewhy？’
`Sir，canIenterthisroom(whereyousitasufferer)，andseeyousurroundedbytheseadmirableobjectsofArt，withoutdiscoveringthatyouareamanwhosefeelingsareacutelyimpressionable，whosesympathiesareperpetuallyalive？Tellme，canIdothis？’
IfIhadbeenstrongenoughtositupinmychairIshould，ofcourse，havebowed。Notbeingstrongenough，Ismiledmyacknowledgmentsinstead。
Itdidjustaswell，webothunderstoodoneanother。
`Prayfollowmytrainofthought，’continuedtheCount。`Isithere，amanofrefinedsympathiesmyself，inthepresenceofanothermanofrefinedsympathiesalso。Iamconsciousofaterriblenecessityforlaceratingthosesympathiesbyreferringtodomesticeventsofaverymelancholykind。
Whatistheinevitableconsequence？Ihavedonemyselfthehonourofpointingitouttoyoualready。Isitconfused。’
WasitatthispointthatIbegantosuspecthewasgoingtoboreme？
Iratherthinkitwas。
`Isitabsolutelynecessarytorefertotheseunpleasantmatters？’I
inquired。`InourhomelyEnglishphrase，CountFosco，won’ttheykeep？’
TheCount，withthemostalarmingsolemnity，sighedandshookhishead。
`MustIreallyhearthem？’
Heshruggedhisshoulders(itwasthefirstforeignthinghehaddonesincehehadbeenintheroom)，andlookedatmeinanunpleasantlypenetratingmanner。MyinstinctstoldmethatIhadbetterclosemyeyes。Iobeyedmyinstincts。
`Pleasebreakitgently，’Ipleaded。`Anybodydead？’
`Dead！’criedtheCount，withunnecessaryforeignfierceness。`MrFairlie，yournationalcomposureterrifiesme。InthenameofHeaven，whathaveIsaidordonetomakeyouthinkmethemessengerofdeath？’
`Prayacceptmyapologies，’Ianswered。`Youhavesaidanddonenothing。
Imakeitaruleinthesedistressingcasesalwaystoanticipatetheworst-
Itbreakstheblowbymeetingithalf-way，andsoon。Inexpressiblyrelieved，Iamsure，tohearthatnobodyisdead。Anybodyill？’
Iopenedmyeyesandlookedathim。Washeveryyellowwhenhecamein，orhadheturnedveryyellowinthelastminuteortwo？Ireallycan’tsay，andIcan’taskLouis，becausehewasnotintheroomatthetime。
`Anybodyill？’Irepeated，observingthatmynationalcomposurestillappearedtoaffecthim。
`Thatispartofmybadnews，MrFairlie。Yes。Somebodyisill。’
`Grieved，Iamsure。Whichofthemisit？’
`Tomyprofoundsorrow，MissHalcombe。Perhapsyouwereinsomedegreepreparedtohearthis？PerhapswhenyoufoundthatMissHalcombedidnotcomeherebyherself，asyouproposed，anddidnotwriteasecondtime，youraffectionateanxietymayhavemadeyoufearthatshewasill？’
Ihavenodoubtmyaffectionateanxietyhadledtothatmelancholyapprehensionatsometimeorother，butatthemomentmywretchedmemoryentirelyfailedtoremindmeofthecircumstance。However，Isaidyes，injusticetomyself。
Iwasmuchshocked。ItwassoveryuncharacteristicofsucharobustpersonasdearMariantobeill，thatIcouldonlysupposeshehadmetwithanaccident。Ahorse，orafalsesteponthestairs，orsomethingofthatsort。
`Isitserious？’Iasked。
`Serious——beyondadoubt，’hereplied。`Dangerous——Ihopeandtrustnot。MissHalcombeunhappilyexposedherselftobewettedthroughbyaheavyrain。Thecoldthatfollowedwasofanaggravatedkind，andithasnowbroughtwithittheworstconsequences——fever。’
WhenIheardthewordfever，andwhenIrememberedatthesamemomentthattheunscrupulouspersonwhowasnowaddressingmehadjustcomefromBlackwaterPark，IthoughtIshouldhavefaintedonthespot。
`GoodGod！’Isaid。`Isitinfectious？’
`Notatpresent，’heanswered，withdetestablecomposure。`Itmayturntoinfection——butnosuchdeplorablecomplicationhadtakenplacewhenIleftBlackwaterPark。Ihavefeltthedeepestinterestinthecase，MrFairlie——Ihaveendeavouredtoassisttheregularmedicalattendantinwatchingit——acceptmypersonalassurancesoftheuninfectiousnatureofthefeverwhenIlastsawit。’
Accepthisassurances！Ineverwasfartherfromacceptinganythinginmylife。Iwouldnothavebelievedhimonhisoath。Hewastooyellowtobebelieved。Helookedlikeawalking-West-Indian-epidemic。Hewasbigenoughtocarrytyphusbytheton，andtodyetheverycarpethewalkedonwithscarletfever。Incertainemergenciesmymindisremarkablysoonmadeup。Iinstantlydeterminedtogetridofhim。
`Youwillkindlyexcuseaninvalid，’Isaid——`butlongconferencesofanykindinvariablyupsetme。MayIbegtoknowexactlywhattheobjectistowhichIamindebtedforthehonourofyourvisit？’
Iferventlyhopedthatthisremarkablybroadhintwouldthrowhimoffhisbalance——confusehim——reducehimtopoliteapologies——inshort，gethimoutoftheroom。Onthecontrary，itonlysettledhiminhischair。
Hebecameadditionallysolemn，anddignified，andconfidential。Hehelduptwoofhishorridfingersandgavemeanotherofhisunpleasantlypenetratinglooks。WhatwasItodo？Iwasnotstrongenoughtoquarrelwithhim。Conceivemysituation，ifyouplease。Islanguageadequatetodescribeit？Ithinknot。
`Theobjectsofmyvisit，’hewenton，quiteirrepressibly，`arenumberedonmyfingers。Theyaretwo。First，Icometobearmytestimony，withprofoundsorrow，tothelamentabledisagreementsbetweenSirPercivalandLadyGlyde。
IamSirPercival’soldestfriend——IamrelatedtoLadyGlydebymarriage——Iamaneye-witnessofallthathashappenedatBlackwaterPark。InthosethreecapacitiesIspeakwithauthority，withconfidence，withhonourableregret。Sir，Iinformyou，astheheadofladyGlyde’sfamily，thatMissHalcombehasexaggeratednothingintheletterwhichshewrotetoyouraddress。Iaffirmthattheremedywhichthatadmirableladyhasproposedistheonlyremedythatwillspareyouthehorrorsofpublicscandal。A
