Ibegantosuspect，fromwhatIobservedinthisway，thattheCounthadbeenrightabouttheillnessallthewaythrough，andIwasnaturallyconfirmedinthatideawhenMrDawson，aftersomelittledelay，askedtheoneimportantquestionwhichtheLondondoctorhadbeensentfortosetatrest。
`Whatisyouropinionofthefever？’heinquired。
`Typhus，’repliedthephysician。`Typhusfeverbeyondalldoubt。’
Thatquietforeignperson，MrsRubelle，crossedherthinbrownhandsinfrontofher，andlookedatmewithaverysignificantsmile。TheCounthimselfcouldhardlyhaveappearedmoregratifiedifhehadbeenpresentintheroomandhadheardtheconfirmationofhisownopinion。
Aftergivingussomeusefuldirectionsaboutthemanagementofthepatient，andmentioningthathewouldcomeagaininfivedays’time，thephysicianwithdrewtoconsultinprivatewithMrDawson。HewouldoffernoopiniononMissHalcombe’schancesofrecovery——hesaiditwasimpossibleatthatstageoftheillnesstopronounceonewayortheother。
Thefivedayspassedanxiously。
CountessFoscoandmyselftookitbyturnstorelieveMrsRubelle，MissHalcombe’sconditiongrowingworseandworse，andrequiringourutmostcareandattention。Itwasaterriblytryingtime。LadyGlyde(supported，asMrDawsonsaid，bytheconstantstrainofhersuspenseonhersister’saccount)ralliedinthemostextraordinarymanner，andshowedafirmnessanddeterminationforwhichIshouldmyselfneverhavegivenhercredit。
Sheinsistedoncomingintothesick-roomtwoorthreetimeseveryday，tolookatMissHalcombewithherowneyes，promisingnottogotooclosetothebed，ifthedoctorwouldconsenttoherwishessofar。MrDawsonveryunwillinglymadetheconcessionrequiredofhim——Ithinkhesawthatitwashopelesstodisputewithher。Shecameineveryday，andsheself-denyinglykeptherpromise。Ifeltitpersonallysodistressing(asremindingmeofmyownafflictionduringmyhusband’slastillness)toseehowshesufferedunderthesecircumstances，thatImustbegnottodwellonthispartofthesubjectanylonger。ItismoreagreeabletometomentionthatnofreshdisputestookplacebetweenMrDawsonandtheCount。Hislordshipmadeallhisinquiriesbydeputy，andremainedcontinuallyincompanywithSirPercivaldownstairs。
Onthefifthdaythephysiciancameagainandgaveusalittlehope。
Hesaidthetenthdayfromthefirstappearanceofthetyphuswouldprobablydecidetheresultoftheillness，andhearrangedforhisthirdvisittotakeplaceonthatdate。Theintervalpassedasbefore——exceptthattheCountwenttoLondonagainonemorningandreturnedatnight。
OnthetenthdayitpleasedamercifulProvidencetorelieveourhouseholdfromallfurtheranxietyandalarm。ThephysicianpositivelyassuredusthatMissHalcombewasoutofdanger。`Shewantsnodoctornow——allsherequiresiscarefulwatchingandnursingforsometimetocome，andthatIseeshehas。’Thosewerehisownwords。ThateveningIreadmyhusband’stouchingsermononRecoveryfromSickness，withmorehappinessandadvantage(inaspiritualpointofview)thanIeverremembertohavederivedfromitbefore。
TheeffectofthegoodnewsonpoorLadyGlydewas，Igrievetosay，quiteoverpowering。Shewastooweaktobeartheviolentreaction，andinanotherdayortwoshesankintoastateofdebilityanddepressionwhichobligedhertokeepherroom。Restandquiet，andchangeofairafterwards，werethebestremedieswhichMrDawsoncouldsuggestforherbenefit。Itwasfortunatethatmatterswerenoworse，for，ontheverydayaftershetooktoherroom，theCountandthedoctorhadanotherdisagreement——
andthistimethedisputebetweenthemwasofsoseriousanaturethatMrDawsonleftthehouse。
Iwasnotpresentatthetime，butIunderstoodthatthesubjectofdisputewastheamountofnourishmentwhichitwasnecessarytogivetoassistMissHalcombe’sconvalescenceaftertheexhaustionofthefever。
MrDawson，nowthathispatientwassafe，waslessinclinedthanevertosubmittounprofessionalinterference，andtheCount(Icannotimaginewhy)lostalltheself-controlwhichhehadsojudiciouslypreservedonformeroccasions，andtauntedthedoctor，overandoveragain，withhismistakeaboutthefeverwhenitchangedtotyphus。TheunfortunateaffairendedinMrDawson’sappealingtoSirPercival，andthreatening(nowthathecouldleavewithoutabsolutedangertoMissHalcombe)towithdrawfromhisattendanceatBlackwaterParkiftheCount’sinterferencewasnotperemptorilysuppressedfromthatmoment。SirPercival’sreply(thoughnotdesignedlyuncivil)hadonlyresultedinmakingmattersworse，andMrDawsonhadthereuponwithdrawnfromthehouseinastateofextremeindignationatCountFosco’susageofhim，andhadsentinhishillthenextmorning。
Wewerenow，therefore，leftwithouttheattendanceofamedicalman。
Althoughtherewasnoactualnecessityforanotherdoctor——nursingandwatchingbeing，asthephysicianhadobserved，allthatMissHalcomberequired——Ishouldstill，ifmyauthorityhadbeenconsulted，haveobtainedprofessionalassistancefromsomeotherquarter，forform’ssake。
ThematterdidnotseemtostrikeSirPercivalinthatlight。HesaiditwouldbetimeenoughtosendforanotherdoctorifMissHalcombeshowedanysignsofarelapse。InthemeanwhilewehadtheCounttoconsultinanyminordifficulty，andweneednotunnecessarilydisturbourpatientinherpresentweakandnervousconditionbythepresenceofastrangeratherbedside。Therewasmuchthatwasreasonable，nodoubt，intheseconsiderations，buttheyleftmealittleanxiousnevertheless。NorwasIquitesatisfiedinmyownmindoftheproprietyofourconcealingthedoctor’sabsenceaswedidfromLadyGlyde。Itwasamercifuldeception，Iadmit——forshewasinnostatetobearanyfreshanxieties。Butstillitwasadeceptionand，assuch，toapersonofmyprinciples，atbestadoubtfulproceeding。
Asecondperplexingcircumstancewhichhappenedonthesameday，andwhichtookmecompletelybysurprise，addedgreatlytothesenseofuneasinessthatwasnowweighingonmymind。
IwassentfortoseeSirPercivalinthelibrary。TheCount，whowaswithhimwhenIwentinimmediatelyroseandleftusalonetogether。SirPercivalcivillyaskedmetotakeaseat，andthen，tomygreatastonishment，addressedmeintheseterms——
`Iwanttospeaktoyou，MrsMichelson，aboutamatterwhichIdecidedonsometimeago，andwhichIshouldhavementionedbefore，butforthesicknessandtroubleinthehouse-Inplainwords，Ihavereasonsforwishingtobreakupmyestablishmentimmediatelyatthisplace——leavingyouincharge，ofcourse，asusual。AssoonasLadyGlydeandMissHalcombecantraveltheymustbothhavechangeofair。Myfriends，CountFoscoandtheCountess，willleaveusbeforethattimetoliveintheneighbourhoodofLondon，andIhavereasonsfornotopeningthehousetoanymorecompany，withaviewtoeconomisingascarefullyasIcan。Idon’tblameyou，butmyexpenseshereareagreatdealtooheavy。Inshort，Ishallsellthehorses，andgetridofalltheservantsatonce。Ineverdothingsbyhalves，asyouknow，andImeantohavethehouseclearofapackofuselesspeoplebythistimetomorrow。’
Ilistenedtohim，perfectlyaghastwithastonishment。
`Doyoumean，SirPercival，thatIamtodismisstheindoorservantsundermychargewithouttheusualmonth’swarning？’lasked。
`CertainlyIdo。Wemayallbeoutofthehousebeforeanothermonth，andIamnotgoingtoleavetheservantshereinidleness，withnomastertowaiton。’
`Whoistodothecooking，SirPercival，whileyouarestillstayinghere？’
`MargaretPorchercanroastandboil——keepher。WhatdoIwantwithacookifIdon’tmeantogiveanydinner-parties？’
`Theservantyouhavementionedisthemostunintelligentservantinthehouse，SirPercival——’
`Keepher，Itellyou，andhaveawomaninfromthevillagetodothecleaningandgoawayagain。Myweeklyexpensesmustandshallbeloweredimmediately。Idon’tsendforyoutomakeobjections，MrsMichelson——
Isendforyoutocarryoutmyplansofeconomy。Dismissthewholelazypackofindoorservantstomorrow，exceptPorcher。Sheisasstrongasahorse——andwe’llmakeherworklikeahorse。’
`Youwillexcusemeforremindingyou，SirPercival，thatiftheservantsgotomorrowtheymusthaveamonth’swagesinlieuofamonth’swarning。’
`Letthem！Amonth’swagessavesamonth’swasteandgluttonyintheservants’hall。’
Thislastremarkconveyedanaspersionofthemostoffensivekindonmymanagement。Ihadtoomuchself-respecttodefendmyselfundersogrossanimputation。ChristianconsiderationforthehelplesspositionofMissHalcombeandLadyGlyde，andfortheseriousinconveniencewhichmysuddenabsencemightinflictonthem，alonepreventedmefromresigningmysituationonthespot。Iroseimmediately。Itwouldhaveloweredmeinmyownestimationtohavepermittedtheinterviewtocontinueamomentlonger。
`Afterthatlastremark，SirPercival，Ihavenothingmoretosay。Yourdirectionsshallbeattendedto。’Pronouncingthosewords，Ibowedmyheadwiththemostdistantrespect，andwentoutoftheroom。
Thenextdaytheservantsleftinabody。SirPercivalhimselfdismissedthegroomsandstablemen，sendingthem，withallthehorsesbutone，toLondon。Ofthewholedomesticestablishment，indoorsandout，therenowremainedonlymyself，MargaretPorcher，andthegardener——thislastlivinginhisowncottage，andbeingwantedtotakecareoftheonehorsethatremainedinthestables。
Withthehouseleftinthisstrangeandlonelycondition——withthemistressofitillinherroom——withMissHalcombestillashelplessasachild——andwiththedoctor’sattendancewithdrawnfromusinenmity——itwassurelynotunnaturalthatmyspiritsshouldsink，andmycustomarycomposurebeveryhardtomaintain。Mymindwasillatease。Iwishedthepoorladiesbothwellagain，andIwishedmyselfawayfromBlackwaterPark。
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter25[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter25Thenexteventthatoccurredwasofsosingularanaturethatitmighthavecausedmeafeelingofsuperstitioussurprise，ifmymindhadnotbeenfortifiedbyprincipleagainstanypaganweaknessofthatsort。TheuneasysenseofsomethingwronginthefamilywhichhadmademewishmyselfawayfromBlackwaterPark，wasactuallyfollowed，strangetosay，bymydeparturefromthehouse。Itistruethatmyabsencewasforatemporaryperiodonly，butthecoincidencewas，inmyopinion，notthelessremarkableonthataccount。
Mydeparturetookplaceunderthefollowingcircumstances
