`SetoneofMrsMichelson’sopinionsfairlyagainsttheother，’hesaid，`andtrytobereasonableaboutaperfectlyplainmatter。Ifshehadnotbeenwellenoughtobemoveddoyouthinkweshouldanyofushaveriskedlettinghergo？Shehasgotthreecompetentpeopletolookafterher——
Foscoandyouraunt，andMrsRubelle，whowentawaywiththemexpresslyforthatpurpose。Theytookawholecarriageyesterday，andmadeabedforherontheseatincaseshefelttired。Today，FoscoandMrsRubellegoonwithherthemselvestoCumberland——’
`WhydoesMariangotoLimmeridgeandleavemeherebymyself？’saidherladyship，interruptingSirPercival。
`Becauseyourunclewon’treceiveyoutillhehasseenyoursisterfirst，’
hereplied。`Haveyouforgottentheletterhewrotetoheratthebeginningofherillness？Itwasshowntoyou，youreadityourself，andyououghttorememberit。’
`Idorememberit。’
`Ifyoudo，whyshouldyoubesurPrisedatherleavingyou？YouwanttobebackatLimmeridge，andshehasgonetheretogetyouruncle’sleaveforyouonhisownterms。’
PoorLadyGlyde’seyesfilledwithtears。
`Marianneverleftmebefore，’shesaid，`withoutbiddingmegood-bye。’
`Shewouldhavebidyougood-byethistime，’returnedSirPercival，`ifshehadnotbeenafraidofherselfandofyou。Sheknewyouwouldtrytostopher，sheknewyouwoulddistressherbycrying。Doyouwanttomakeanymoreobjections？Ifyoudo，youmustcomedownstairsandaskquestionsinthedining-room。Theseworriesupsetme。Iwantaglassofwine。’
Heleftussuddenly。
Hismannerallthroughthisstrangeconversationhadbeenveryunlikewhatitusuallywas-Heseemedtobealmostasnervousandfluttered，everynowandthen，ashisladyherself。Ishouldneverhavesupposedthathishealthhadbeensodelicate，orhiscomposuresoeasytoupset。
ItriedtoprevailonLadyGlydetogobacktoherroom，butitwasuseless。Shestoppedinthepassage，withthelookofawomanwhosemindwaspanic-stricken。
`Somethinghashappenedtomysister！’shesaid。
`Remember，mylady，whatsurprisingenergythereisinMissHalcombe，’
Isuggested。`Shemightwellmakeaneffortwhichotherladiesinhersituationwouldbeunfitfor。Ihopeandbelievethereisnothingwrong——Idoindeed。’
`ImustfollowMarian，’saidherladyship，withthesamepanic-strickenlook。`Imustgowhereshehasgone，Imustseethatsheisaliveandwellwithmyowneyes。Come！comedownwithmetoSirPercival。’
Ihesitated，fearingthatmypresencemightbeconsideredanintrusion。
Iattemptedtorepresentthistoherladyship，butshewasdeaftome。
Sheheldmyarmfastenoughtoforcemetogodownstairswithher，andshestillclungtomewithallthelittlestrengthshehadatthemomentwhenIopenedthedining-roomdoor。
SirPercivalwassittingatthetablewithadecanterofwinebeforehim。Heraisedtheglasstohislipsaswewentinanddraineditatadraught。Seeingthathelookedatmeangrilywhenheputitdownagain，Iattemptedtomakesomeapologyformyaccidentalpresenceintheroom。
`Doyousupposethereareanysecretsgoingonhere？’hebrokeoutsuddenly；
`therearenone——thereisnothingunderhand，nothingkeptfromyouorfromanyone。’Afterspeakingthosestrangewordsloudlyandsternly，hefilledhimselfanotherglassofwineandaskedLadyGlydewhatshewantedofhim。
`IfmysisterisSttotravelIamfittotravel，’saidherladyship，withmorefirmnessthanshehadyetshown。`IcometobegyouwillmakeallowancesformyanxietyaboutMarian，andletmefollowheratoncebytheafternoontrain。’
`Youmustwaittilltomorrow，’repliedSirPercival，`andthenifyoudon’theartothecontraryyoucango。Idon’tsupposeyouareatalllikelytoheartothecontrary，soIshallwritetoFoscobytonight’spost。’
Hesaidthoselastwordsholdinghisglassuptothelight，andlookingatthewineinitinsteadofatLadyGlyde。Indeedheneveroncelookedatherthroughouttheconversation。Suchasingularwantofgoodbreedinginagentlemanofhisrankimpressedme，Iown，verypainfully。
`WhyshouldyouwritetoCountFosco？’sheasked，inextremesurprise。
`Totellhimtoexpectyoubythemiddaytrain，’saidSirPercival。
`HewillmeetyouatthestationwhenyougettoLondon，andtakeyouontosleepatyouraunt’sinStJohn’sWood。’
LadyGlyde’shandbegantotrembleviolentlyroundmyarm——whyIcouldnotimagine。
`ThereisnonecessityforCountFoscotomeetme，’shesaid。`IwouldrathernotstayinLondontosleep。’
`Youmust。Youcan’ttakethewholejourneytoCumberlandinoneday。
YoumustrestanightinLondon——andIdon’tchooseyoutogobyyourselftoanhotel。Foscomadetheoffertoyouruncletogiveyouhouse-roomonthewaydown，andyourunclehasaccepted。Here！hereisaletterfromhimaddressedtoyourself。Ioughttohavesentitupthismorning，butIforgot。ReaditandseewhatMrFairliehimselfsaystoyou。’
LadyGlydelookedattheletterforamomentandthenplaceditinmyhands。
`Readit，’shesaidfaintly。`Idon’tknowwhatisthematterwithme。
Ican’treaditmyself。’
Itwasanoteofonlyfourlines——soshortandsocarelessthatitquitestruckme。IfIremembercorrectlyitcontainednomorethanthesewords——
`DearestLaura，Pleasecomewheneveryoulike。Breakthejourneybysleepingatyouraunt’shouse。GrievedtohearofdearMarian’sillness。
Affectionatelyyours，FrederickFairlie。’
`Iwouldrathernotgothere——IwouldrathernotstayanightinLondon，’
saidherladyship，breakingouteagerlywiththosewordsbeforeIhadquitedonereadingthenote，shortasitwas。`Don’twritetoCountFosco！Pray，praydon’twritetohim！’
SirPercivalfilledanotherglassfromthedecantersoawkwardlythatheupsetitandspiltallthewineoverthetable。`Mysightseemstobefailingme，’hemutteredtohimself，inanodd，muffledvoice。Heslowlysettheglassupagain，refilledit，anddraineditoncemoreatadraught。
Ibegantofear，fromhislookandmanner，thatthewinewasgettingintohishead。
`Praydon’twritetoCountFosco，’persistedLadyGlyde，moreearnestlythanever。
`Whynot，Ishouldliketoknow？’criedSirPercival，withasuddenburstofangerthatstartledusboth。`WherecanyoustaymoreproperlyinLondonthanattheplaceyourunclehimselfchoosesforyou——atyouraunt’shouse？AskMrsMichelson。
Thearrangementproposedwassounquestionablytherightandtheproperone，thatIcouldmakenopossibleobjectiontoit。MuchasIsympathisedwithLadyGlydeinotherrespects，IcouldnotsympathisewithherinherunjustprejudicesagainstCountFosco。Ineverbeforemetwithanyladyofherrankandstationwhowassolamentablynarrow-mindedonthesubjectofforeigners。Neitherheruncle’snotenorSirPercival’sincreasingimpatienceseemedtohavetheleasteffectonher。ShestillobjectedtostayinganightinLondon，shestillimploredherhusbandnottowritetotheCount。
`Dropit！’saidSirPercival，rudelyturninghisbackonus。`Ifyouhaven’tsenseenoughtoknowwhatisbestforyourselfotherpeoplemustknowforyou。Thearrangementismade，andthereisanendofit。YouareonlywantedtodowhatMissHalcombehasdonebeforeyou——’
`Marian？’repeatedherladyship，inabewilderedmanner；`MariansleepinginCountFosco’shouse！’
`Yes，inCountFosco’shouse。Sheslepttherelastnighttobreakthejourney，andyouaretofollowherexample，anddowhatyouruncletellsyou。YouaretosleepatFosco’stomorrownight，asyoursisterdid，tobreakthejourney。Don’tthrowtoomanyobstaclesinmyway！don’tmakemerepentoflettingyougoatall！’
Hestartedtohisfeet，andsuddenlywalkedoutintotheverandahthroughtheopenglassdoors。
`Willyourladyshipexcuseme，’Iwhispered，`ifIsuggestthatwehadbetternotwaitheretillSirPercivalcomesback？Iamverymuchafraidheisover-excitedwithwine。’
Sheconsentedtoleavetheroominaweary，absentmanner。
Assoonasweweresafeupstairsagain，IdidallIcouldtocomposeherladyship’sspirits。IremindedherthatMrFairlie’sletterstoMissHalcombeandtoherselfdidcertainlysanction，andevenrendernecessary，soonerorlater，thecoursethathadbeentaken。Sheagreedtothis，andevenadmitted，ofherownaccord，thatbothletterswerestrictlyincharacterwithheruncle’speculiardisposition——butherfearsaboutMissHalcombe，andherunaccountabledreadofsleepingattheCount’shouseinLondon，stillremainedunshakeninspiteofeveryconsiderationthatIcouldurge。
IthoughtitmydutytoprotestagainstLadyGlyde’sunfavourableopinionofhislordship，andIdidso，withbecomingforbearanceandrespect。
