`Yourladyshipwillpardonmyfreedom，’Iremarked，inconclusion，`butitissaid，``bytheirfruitsyeshallknowthem。’’IamsuretheCount’sconstantkindnessandconstantattention，fromtheverybeginningofMissHalcombe’sillness，meritourbestconfidenceandesteem。Evenhislordship’sseriousmisunderstandingwithMrDawsonwasentirelyattributabletohisanxietyonMissHalcombe’saccount。’
`Whatmisunderstanding？’inquiredherladyship，withalookofsuddeninterest。
IrelatedtheunhappycircumstancesunderwhichMrDawsonhadwithdrawnhisattendance——mentioningthemallthemorereadilybecauseIdisapprovedofSirPercival’scontinuingtoconcealwhathadhappened(ashehaddoneinmypresence)fromtheknowledgeofLadyGlyde。
Herladyshipstartedup，witheveryappearanceofbeingadditionallyagitatedandalarmedbywhatIhadtoldher。
`Worse！worsethanIthought！’shesaid，walkingabouttheroom，inabewilderedmanner。`TheCountknewMrDawsonwouldneverconsenttoMarian’stakingajourney——hepurposelyinsultedthedoctortogethimoutofthehouse。’
`Oh，mylady！mylady！’Iremonstrated。
`MrsMichelson！’shewentonvehemently，`nowordsthateverwerespokenwillpersuademethatmysisterisinthatman’spowerandinthatman’shousewithherownconsent-Myhorrorofhimissuch，thatnothingSirPercivalcouldsay，andnolettersmyunclecouldwrite，wouldinduceme，ifIhadonlymyownfeelingstoconsult，toeat，drink，orsleepunderhisroof。ButmymiseryofsuspenseaboutMariangivesmethecouragetofollowheranywhere，tofollowherevenintoCountFosco’shouse。’
Ithoughtitright，atthispoint，tomentionthatMissHalcombehadalreadygoneontoCumberland，accordingtoSirPercival’saccountofthematter。
`Iamafraidtobelieveit！’answeredherladyship。`Iamafraidsheisstillinthatman’shouse。IfIamwrong，ifshehasreallygonetoLimmeridgeIamresolvedIwillnotsleeptomorrownightunderCountFosco’sroof。Mydearestfriendintheworld，nexttomysister，livesnearLondon。
Youhaveheardme，youhaveheardMissHalcombe，speakofMrsVesey？I
meantowrite，andproposetosleepatherhouse。Idon’tknowhowIshallgetthere——Idon’tknowhowIshallavoidtheCount——buttothatrefugeIwillescapeinsomeway，ifmysisterhasgonetoCumberland。AllIaskofyoutodo，istoseeyourselfthatmylettertoMrsVeseygoestoLondontonight，ascertainlyasSirPercival’slettergoestoCountFosco。Ihavereasonsfornottrustingthepost-bagdownstairs。Willyoukeepmysecret，andhelpmeinthis？itisthelastfavour，perhaps，thatIshalleveraskofyou。’
Ihesitated，Ithoughtitallverystrange，Ialmostfearedthatherladyship’smindhadbeenalittleaffectedbyrecentanxietyandsuffering。
Atmyownrisk，however，Iendedbygivingmyconsent。Iftheletterhadbeenaddressedtoastranger，ortoanyonebutaladysowellknowntomebyreportasMrsVesey，Imighthaverefused。IthankGod——lookingtowhathappenedafterwards——IthankGodIneverthwartedthatwish，oranyother，whichLadyGlydeexpressedtome，onthelastdayofherresidenceatBlackwaterPark。
Theletterwaswrittenandgivenintomyhands。Imyselfputitintothepost-boxinthevillagethatevening。
WesawnothingmoreofSirPercivalfortherestoftheday。
Islept，byLadyGlyde’sowndesire，inthenextroomtohers，withthedooropenbetweenus。Therewassomethingsostrangeanddreadfulinthelonelinessandemptinessofthehouse，thatIwasglad，onmyside，tohaveacompanionnearme。Herladyshipsatuplate，readinglettersandburningthem，andemptyingherdrawersandcabinetsoflittlethingssheprized，asifsheneverexpectedtoreturntoBlackwaterPark。Hersleepwassadlydisturbedwhensheatlastwenttobed——shecriedoutinitseveraltimes，oncesoloudthatshewokeherself。Whateverherdreamswere，shedidnotthinkfittocommunicatethemtome。Perhaps，inmysituation，Ihadnorighttoexpectthatsheshoulddoso。Itmatterslittlenow。
Iwassorryforher，Iwasindeedheartilysorryforherallthesame。
Thenextdaywasfineandsunny。SirPercivalcameup，afterbreakfast，totellusthatthechaisewouldbeatthedoorataquartertotwelve——thetraintoLondonstoppingatourstationattwentyminutesafter。
HeinformedLadyGlydethathewasobligedtogoout，butaddedthathehopedtobebackbeforesheleft。Ifanyunforeseenaccidentdelayedhim，Iwastoaccompanyhertothestation，andtotakespecialcarethatshewasintimeforthetrain。SirPercivalcommunicatedthesedirectionsveryhastily——walkinghereandthereabouttheroomallthetime。Herladyshiplookedattentivelyafterhimwhereverhewent。Heneveroncelookedatherinreturn。
Sheonlyspokewhenhehaddone，andthenshestoppedhimasheapproachedthedoor，byholdingoutherhand。
`Ishallseeyounomore，’shesaid。inaverymarkedmanner。`Thisisourparting——ourparting，itmaybeforever。Willyoutrytoforgiveme，Percival，asheartilyasIforgiveyou？’
Hisfaceturnedofanawfulwhitenessallover，andgreatbeadsofperspirationbrokeoutonhisbaldforehead。`Ishallcomeback，’hesaid，andmadeforthedoor，ashastilyasifhiswife’sfarewellwordshadfrightenedhimoutoftheroom。
IhadneverlikedSirPercival，butthemannerinwhichheleftLadyGlydemademefeelashamedofhavingeatenhisbreadandlivedinhisservice。
IthoughtofsayingafewcomfortingandChristianwordstothepoorlady，buttherewassomethinginherface，asshelookedafterherhusbandwhenthedoorclosedonhim，thatmademealtermymindandkeepsilenceAtthetimenamedthechaisedrewupatthegates。Herladyshipwasright——SirPercivalnevercameback。Iwaitedforhimtillthelastmoment，andwaitedinvain。
Nopositiveresponsibilitylayonmyshoulders，andyetIdidnotfeeleasyinmymind。`Itisofyourownfreewill，’Isaid，asthechaisedrovethroughthelodge-gates，`thatyourladyshipgoestoLondon？’
`Iwillgoanywhere，’sheanswered，`toendthedreadfulsuspensethatIamsufferingatthismoment。’
ShehadmademefeelalmostasanxiousandasuncertainaboutMissHalcombeasshefeltherself。Ipresumedtoaskhertowritemealine，ifallwentwellinLondon。Sheanswered，`Mostwillingly，MrsMichelson。’
`Weallhaveourcrossestobear，mylady，’Isaid，seeinghersilentandthoughtful，aftershehadpromisedtowrite。
Shemadenoreply——sheseemedtobetoomuchwrappedupinherownthoughtstoattendtome。
`Ifearyourladyshiprestedbadlylastnight，’Iremarked，afterwaitingalittle。
`Yes，’shesaid，Iwasterriblydisturbedbydreams。’
`Indeed，mylady？’Ithoughtshewasgoingtotellmeherdreams，butno，whenshespokenextitwasonlytoaskaquestion。
`YoupostedthelettertoMrsVeseywithyourownhands？’
`Yes，myLady。’
`DidSirPercivalsay，yesterday，thatCountFoscowastomeetmeattheterminusinLondon？’
`Hedid，mylady。’
ShesighedheavilywhenIansweredthatlastquestion，andsaidnomore。
Wearrivedatthestation，withhardlytwominutestospare。Thegardener(whohaddrivenus)managedabouttheluggage，whileItooktheticket。
ThewhistleofthetrainwassoundingwhenIjoinedherladyshipontheplatform。Shelookedverystrangely，andpressedherhandoverherheart，asifsomesuddenpainorfrighthadovercomeheratthatmoment。
`Iwishyouweregoingwithme！’shesaid，catchingeagerlyatmyarmwhenIgavehertheticket。
Iftherehadbeentime，ifIhadfeltthedaybeforeasIfeltthen，Iwouldhavemademyarrangementstoaccompanyher，eventhoughthedoingsohadobligedmetogiveSirPercivalwarningonthespot。Asitwas，herwishes，expressedatthelastmomentonly，wereexpressedtoolateformetocomplywiththem。SheseemedtounderstandthisherselfbeforeIcouldexplainit，anddidnotrepeatherdesiretohavemeforatravellingcompanion。Thetraindrewupattheplatform。Shegavethegardenerapresentforhischildren，andtookmyhand，inhersimpleheartymanner，beforeshegotintothecarriage。
`Youhavebeenverykindtomeandtomysister，’shesaid——`kindwhenwewerebothfriendless。Ishallrememberyougratefully，aslongasIlivetorememberanyone。Good-bye——andGodblessyou！’
Shespokethosewordswithatoneandalookwhichbroughtthetearsintomyeyes——shespokethemasifshewasbiddingmefarewellforever。
`Good-bye，mylady，’Isaid，puttingherintothecarriage，andtryingtocheerher；`good-bye，forthepresentonly；good-bye，withmybestandkindestwishesforhappiertimes。’
Sheshookherhead，andshudderedasshesettledherselfinthecarriage。
Theguardclosedthedoor。`Doyoubelieveindreams？’shewhisperedtomeatthewindow。`Mydreams，lastnight，weredreamsIhaveneverhadbefore。Theterrorofthemishangingovermestill。’ThewhistlesoundedbeforeIcouldanswer，andthetrainmoved。Herpalequietfacelookedatmeforthelasttime——lookedsorrowfullyandsolemnlyfromthewindow。
Shewavedherhand，andIsawhernomore。
Towardsfiveo’clockontheafternoonofthatsameday，havingalittletimetomyselfinthemidstofthehouseholddutieswhichnowpresseduponme，Isatdownaloneinmyownroom，totryandcomposemymindwiththevolumeofmyhusband’sSermons。ForthefirsttimeinmylifeIfoundmyattentionwanderingoverthosepiousandcheeringwords。ConcludingthatLadyGlyde’sdeparturemusthavedisturbedmefarmoreseriouslythanI
