`Verywell！That’sallIwanttoknow。Ifpeopleapplyforyourcharacter，that’syourreason，statedbyyourself。Yougoinconsequenceofthebreakingupofthefamily。’
HeturnedawayagainbeforeIcouldsayanotherword，andwalkedoutrapidlyintothegrounds。Hismannerwasasstrangeashislanguage。I
acknowledgehealarmedme。
EventhepatienceofMrsRubellewasgettingexhausted，whenIjoinedheratthehousedoor。
`Atlast！’shesaid，withashrugofherleanforeignshoulders。Sheledthewayintotheinhabitedsideofthehouse，ascendedthestairs，andopenedwithherkeythedoorattheendofthepassage，whichcommunicatedwiththeoldElizabethanrooms——adoorneverpreviouslyused，inmytime，atBlackwaterPark。TheroomsthemselvesIknewwell，havingenteredthemmyselfonvariousoccasionsfromtheothersideofthehouse。MrsRubellestoppedatthethirddooralongtheoldgallery，handedmethekeyofit，withthekeyofthedoorofcommunication，andtoldmeIshouldfindMissHalcombeinthatroom。BeforeIwentinIthoughtitdesirabletomakeherunderstandthatherattendancehadceased。Accordingly，Itoldherinplainwordsthatthechargeofthesickladyhenceforthdevolvedentirelyonmyself。
`Iamgladtohearit，ma’am，’saidMrsRubelle。`Iwanttogoverymuch。’
`Doyouleavetoday？’Iasked，tomakesureofher。
`Nowthatyouhavetakencharge，ma’am，Ileaveinhalfanhour’stime。
SirPercivalhaskindlyplacedatmydispositionthegardener，andthechaise，wheneverIwantthem。Ishallwanttheminhalfanhour’stimetogotothestation。Iampackedupinanticipationalready。Iwishyougood-dayma’am。’
Shedroppedabriskcurtsey，andwalkedhackalongthegallery，hummingalittletune，andkeepingtimetoitcheerfullywiththenosegayinherhand。IamsincerelythankfultosaythatwasthelastIsawofMrsRubelle。
WhenIwentintotheroomMissHalcombewasasleep。Ilookedatheranxiously。asshelayinthedismal，high，old-fashionedbed。ShewascertainlynotinanyrespectalteredfortheworsesinceIhadseenherlast。Shehadnotbeenneglected，Iamboundtoadmit，inanywaythatIcouldperceive。
Theroomwasdreary，anddusty，anddark，butthewindow(lookingonasolitarycourt-yardatthebackofthehouse)wasopenedtoletinthefreshair，andallthatcouldbedonetomaketheplacecomfortablehadbeendone。ThewholecrueltyofSirPercival’sdeceptionhadfallenonpoorLadyGlyde。Theonlyill-usagewhicheitherheorMrsRubellehadinflictedonMissHalcombeconsisted，asfarasIcouldsee，inthefirstoffenceofhidingheraway。
Istoleback，leavingthesickladystillpeacefullyasleep。togivethegardenerinstructionsaboutbringingthedoctor。Ibeggedtheman，afterhehadtakenMrsRubelletothestation，todriveroundbyMrDawson’s，andleaveamessageinmyname，askinghimtocallandseeme。Iknewhewouldcomeonmyaccount。andIknewhewouldremainwhenhefoundCountFoscohadleftthehouse。
Induecourseoftimethegardenerreturned，andsaidthathehaddrivenroundbyMrDawson’sresidence，afterleavingMrsRubelleatthestation。
Thedoctorsentmewordthathewaspoorlyinhealthhimself，butthathewouldcall，ifpossible，thenextmorning。
Havingdeliveredhismessagethegardenerwasabouttowithdraw，butIstoppedhimtorequestthathewouldcomebackbeforedark，andsitupthatnight，inoneoftheemptybedrooms，soastobewithincallincaseIwantedhim。Heunderstoodreadilyenoughmyunwillingnesstobeleftaloneallnightinthemostdesolatepartofthatdesolatehouse，andwearrangedthatheshouldcomeinbetweeneightandnine。
Hecamepunctually，andIfoundcausetobethankfulthatIhadadoptedtheprecautionofcallinghimin。BeforemidnightSirPercival’sstrangetemperbrokeoutinthemostviolentandmostalarmingmanner，andifthegardenerhadnotbeenonthespottopacifyhimontheinstant，Iamafraidtothinkwhatmighthavehappened。
Almostalltheafternoonandeveninghehadbeenwalkingaboutthehouseandgroundsinanunsettled，excitablemanner，having，inallprobability，asIthought，takenanexcessivequantityofwineathissolitarydinner。
Howeverthatmaybe，Iheardhisvoicecallingloudlyandangrilyinthenewwingofthehouse，asIwastakingaturnbackwardsandforwardsalongthegallerythelastthingatnight。Thegardenerimmediatelyrandowntohim，andIclosedthedoorofcommunication，tokeepthealarm，ifpossible，fromreachingMissHalcombe’sears。Itwasfullhalfanhourbeforethegardenercameback。Hedeclaredthathismasterwasquiteoutofhissenses——notthroughtheexcitementofdrink，asIhadsupposed，butthroughakindofpanicorfrenzyofmind，forwhichitwasimpossibletoaccount。
HehadfoundSirPercivalwalkingbackwardsandforwardsbyhimselfinthehall，swearing，witheveryappearanceofthemostviolentpassion，thathewouldnotstopanotherminutealoneinsuchadungeonashisownhouse，andthathewouldtakethefirststageofhisjourneyimmediatelyinthemiddleofthenight。Thegardener，onapproachinghim，hadbeenhuntedout，withoathsandthreats，togetthehorseandchaisereadyinstantly。
InaquarterofanhourSirPercivalhadjoinedhimintheyard，hadjumpedintothechaise，and，lashingthehorseintoagallop，haddrivenhimselfaway，withhisfaceaspaleasashesinthemoonlight。Thegardenerhadheardhimshoutingandcursingatthelodge-keepertogetupandopenthegate——hadheardthewheelsrollfuriouslyonagaininthestillnight，whenthegatewasunlocked——andknewnomore。
Thenextday，oradayortwoafter，Iforgetwhich，thechaisewasbroughtbackfromKnowlesbury，ournearesttown，bytheostlerattheoldinn。SirPercivalhadstoppedthere，andhadafterwardsleftbythetrain——forwhatdestinationthemancouldnottell。Ineverreceivedanyfurtherinformation，eitherfromhimselforfromanyoneelse，ofSirPercival’sproceedings，andIamnotevenaware，atthismoment，whetherheisinEnglandoroutofit。HeandIhavenotmetsincehedroveawaylikeanescapedcriminalfromhisownhouse，anditismyferventhopeandprayerthatwemaynevermeetagain。
Myownpartofthissadfamilystoryisnowdrawingtoanend。
IhavebeeninformedthattheparticularsofMissHalcombe’swaking，andofwhatpassedbetweenuswhenshefoundmesittingbyherbedside，arenotmaterialtothepurposewhichistobeansweredbythepresentnarrative。Itwillbesufficientformetosayinthisplace，thatshewasnotherselfconsciousofthemeansadoptedtoremoveherfromtheinhabitedtotheuninhabitedpartofthehouse。Shewasinadeepsleepatthetime，whethernaturallyorartificiallyproducedshecouldnotsay。InmyabsenceatTorquay，andintheabsenceofalltheresidentservantsexceptMargaretPorcher(whowasperpetuallyeating，drinking，orsleeping，whenshewasnotatwork)，thesecrettransferofMissHalcombefromonepartofthehousetotheotherwasnodoubteasilyperformed。MrsRubelle(asIdiscoveredformyself，inlookingabouttheroom)hadprovisions，andallothernecessaries，togetherwiththemeansofheatingwater，broth，andsoon，withoutkindlingafire，placedatherdisposalduringthefewdaysofherimprisonmentwiththesicklady。ShehaddeclinedtoanswerthequestionswhichMissHalcombenaturallyput，buthadnot，inotherrespects，treatedherwithunkindnessorneglect。ThedisgraceoflendingherselftoaviledeceptionistheonlydisgracewithwhichIcanconscientiouslychargeMrsRubelle。
Ineedwritenoparticulars(andIamrelievedtoknowit)oftheeffectproducedonMissHalcombebythenewsofLadyGlyde’sdeparture，orbythefarmoremelancholytidingswhichreachedusonlytoosoonafterwardsatBlackwaterPark。InbothcasesIpreparedhermindbeforehandasgentlyandascarefullyaspossible，havingthedoctor’sadvicetoguideme，inthelastcaseonly，throughMrDawson’sbeingtoounwelltocometothehouseforsomedaysafterIhadsentforhim。Itwasasadtime，atimewhichitafflictsmetothinkofortowriteofnow。ThepreciousblessingsofreligiousconsolationwhichIendeavouredtoconveywerelonginreachingMissHalcombe’sheart，butIhopeandbelievetheycamehometoheratlast。Ineverlefthertillherstrengthwasrestored。Thetrainwhichtookmeawayfromthatmiserablehousewasthetrainwhichtookherawayalso。WepartedverymournfullyinLondon。IremainedwitharelativeatIslington，andshewentontoMrFairlie’shouseinCumberland。
IhaveonlyafewlinesmoretowritebeforeIclosethispainfulstatement。
Theyaredictatedbyasenseofduty。
Inthefirstplace，Iwishtorecordmyownpersonalconvictionthatnoblamewhatever，inconnectionwiththeeventswhichIhavenowrelated，attachestoCountFosco。Iaminformedthatadreadfulsuspicionhasbeenraised，andthatsomeveryseriousconstructionsareplaceduponhislordship’sconduct。MypersuasionoftheCount’sinnocenceremains，however，quiteunshaken。IfheassistedSirPercivalinsendingmetoTorquay，heassistedunderadelusion，forwhich，asaforeignerandastranger，hewasnottoblame。IfhewasconcernedinbringingMrsRubelletoBlackwaterPark，itwashismisfortuneandnothisfault，whenthatforeignpersonwasbaseenoughtoassistadeceptionplannedandcarriedoutbythemasterofthehouse。Iprotest，intheinterestsofmorality，againstblamebeinggratuitouslyandwantonlyattachedtotheproceedingsoftheCount。
Inthesecondplace，IdesiretoexpressmyregretatmyowninabilitytoremembertheprecisedayonwhichLadyGlydeleftBlackwaterParkforLondon。Iamtoldthatitisofthelastimportancetoascertaintheexactdateofthatlamentablejourney，andIhaveanxiouslytaxedmymemorytorecallit。Theefforthasbeeninvain。IcanonlyremembernowthatitwastowardsthelatterpartofJuly。Weallknowthedifficulty，afteralapseoftime，offixingpreciselyonapastdateunlessithasbeenpreviouslywrittendown。ThatdifficultyisgreatlyincreasedinmycasebythealarmingandconfusingeventswhichtookplaceabouttheperiodofLadyGlyde’sdeparture。IheartilywishIhadmadeamemorandumatthetime。Iheartilywishmymemoryofthedatewasasvividasmymemoryofthatpoorlady’sface，whenitlookedatmesorrowfullyforthelasttimefromthecarriagewindow。THESTORYCONTINUEDINSEVERALNARRATIVES1。THENARRATIVEOFHESTERPINHORN，COOKINTHESERVICEOFCOUNT
FOSCOTakendownfromherownstatementIAMsorrytosaythatIhaveneverlearnttoreadorwrite。Ihavebeenahard-workingwomanallmylife，andhavekeptagoodcharacter。
Iknowthatitisasinandwickednesstosaythethingwhichisnot，andIwilltrulybewareofdoingsoonthisoccasion。AllthatIknowIwilltell，andIhumblybegthegentlemanwhotakesthisdowntoputmylanguagerightashegoeson，andtomakeallowancesformybeingnoscholar。
InthislastsummerIhappenedtobeoutofplace(throughnofaultofmyown)，andIheardofasituationasplaincook，atNumberFive，ForestRoad，StJohn’sWood。Itooktheplaceontrial。Mymaster’snamewasFosco。
