`Itmightbeeasier，’Ireplied，`butwearenotawareofthefullextentofMrsRubelle’sconnivanceandinterestintheconspiracy，andwearethereforenotcertainthatthedatehasbeenimpressedonhermind，asithasbeenassuredlyimpressedonthemindsofSirPercivalandtheCount。
Itistoolate，now，towastethetimeonMrsRubelle，whichmaybeall-importanttothediscoveryoftheoneassailablepointinSirPercival’slife。Areyouthinkingalittletooseriously，Marian，oftheriskImayruninreturningtoHampshire？AreyoubeginningtodoubtwhetherSirPercivalGlydemaynotintheendbemorethanamatchforme？’
`Hewillnotbemorethanyourmatch，’shereplieddecidedly，`becausehewillnotbehelpedinresistingyoubytheimpenetrablewickednessoftheCount。’
`Whathasledyoutothatconclusion？’Iasked，insomesurprise。
`MyownknowledgeofSirPercival’sobstinacyandimpatienceoftheCount’scontrol，’sheanswered。`Ibelievehewillinsistonmeetingyousingle-handed——justasheinsistedatfirstonactingforhimselfatBlackwaterPark。ThetimeforsuspectingtheCount’sinterferencewillbethetimewhenyouhaveSirPercivalatyourmercy。Hisowninterestswillthenbedirectlythreatened，andhewillact，Walter，toterriblepurposeinhisowndefence。’
`Wemaydeprivehimofhisweaponsbeforehand，’Isaid。`SomeoftheparticularsIhaveheardfromMrsClementsmayyetbeturnedtoaccountagainsthim，andothermeansofstrengtheningthecasemaybeatourdisposal。
TherearepassagesinMrsMichelson’snarrativewhichshowthattheCountfounditnecessarytoplacehimselfincommunicationwithMrFairlie，andtheremaybecircumstanceswhichcompromisehiminthatproceeding。WhileIamaway，Marian，writetoMrFairlieandsaythatyouwantananswerdescribingexactlywhatpassedbetweentheCountandhimself，andinformingyoualsoofanyparticularsthatmayhavecometohisknowledgeatthesametimeinconnectionwithhisniece。Tellhimthatthestatementyourequestwill，soonerorlater，beinsistedon，ifheshowsanyreluctancetofurnishyouwithitofhisownaccord。’
`Thelettershallbewritten，Walter。ButareyoureallydeterminedtogotoWelmingham？’
`Absolutelydetermined。Iwilldevotethenexttwodaystoearningwhatwewantfortheweektocome，andonthethirddayIgotoHampshire。’
WhenthethirddaycameIwasreadyformyjourney。
AsitwaspossiblethatImightbeabsentforsomelittletime，IarrangedwithMarianthatweweretocorrespondeveryday——ofcourseaddressingeachotherbyassumednames，forcaution’ssake。AslongasIheardfromherregularly，Ishouldassumethatnothingwaswrong。Butifthemorningcameandbroughtmenoletter，myreturntoLondonwouldtakeplace，asamatterofcourse，bythefirsttrain。IcontrivedtoreconcileLauratomydeparturebytellingherthatIwasgoingtothecountrytofindnewpurchasersforherdrawingsandformine，andIleftheroccupiedandhappy。Marianfollowedmedownstairstothestreetdoor。
`Rememberwhatanxiousheartsyouleavehere，’shewhispered，aswestoodtogetherinthepassage。`Rememberallthehopesthathangonyoursafereturn。Ifstrangethingshappentoyouonthisjourney——ifyouandSirPercivalmeet——’
`Whatmakesyouthinkweshallmeet？’Iasked。
`Idon’tknow——IhavefearsandfanciesthatIcannotaccountfor。
Laughatthem，Walter，ifyoulike——but，forGod’ssake，keepyourtemperifyoucomeincontactwiththatman！’
`Neverfear，Marian！Ianswerformyself-control。’
Withthosewordsweparted。
Iwalkedbrisklytothestation。Therewasaglowofhopeinme。Therewasagrowingconvictioninmymindthatmyjourneythistimewouldnotbetakeninvain。Itwasafine，clear，coldmorning。Mynerveswerefirmlystrung，andIfeltallthestrengthofmyresolutionstirringinmevigorouslyfromheadtofoot。
AsIcrossedtherailwayplatform，andlookedrightandleftamongthepeoplecongregatedonit，tosearchforanyfacesamongthemthatIknew，thedoubtoccurredtomewhetheritmightnothavebeentomyadvantageifIhadadoptedadisguisebeforesettingoutforHampshire。Buttherewassomethingsorepellenttomeintheidea——somethingsomeanlylikethecommonherdofspiesandinformersinthemereactofadoptingadisguise——thatIdismissedthequestionfromconsiderationalmostassoonasithadriseninmymind。Evenasamerematterofexpediencytheproceedingwasdoubtfulintheextreme。IfItriedtheexperimentathomethelandlordofthehousewouldsoonerorlaterdiscoverme，andwouldhavehissuspicionsarousedimmediately。IfItrieditawayfromhomethesamepersonsmightseeme，bythecommonestaccident，withthedisguiseandwithoutit，andIshouldinthatwaybeinvitingthenoticeanddistrustwhichitwasmymostpressinginteresttoavoid。InmyowncharacterIhadactedthusfar——andinmyowncharacterIwasresolvedtocontinuetotheend。
ThetrainleftmeatWelminghamearlyintheafternoon。
IsthereanywildernessofsandinthedesertsofArabia，isthereanyprospectofdesolationamongtheruinsofPalestine，whichcanrivaltherepellingeffectontheeye，andthedepressinginfluenceonthemind，ofanEnglishcountrytowninthefirststageofitsexistence，andinthetransitionstateofitsprosperity？IaskedmyselfthatquestionasIpassedthroughthecleandesolation，theneatugliness，theprimtorPorofthestreetsofWelmingham。Andthetradesmenwhostaredaftermefromtheirlonelyshops——thetreesthatdroopedhelplessintheiraridexileofunfinishedcrescentsandsquares——thedeadhouse-carcassesthatwaitedinvainforthevivifyinghumanelementtoanimatethemwiththebreathoflife——everycreaturethatIsaw，everyobjectthatIpassed，seemedtoanswerwithoneaccord：ThedesertsofArabiaareinnocentofourciviliseddesolation——theruinsofPalestineareincapableofourmoderngloom！
IinquiredmywaytothequarterofthetowninwhichMrsCathericklived，andonreachingitfoundmyselfinasquareofsmallhouses，onestoryhigh。Therewasabarelittleplotofgrassinthemiddle，protectedbyacheapwirefence。Anelderlynursemaidandtwochildrenwerestandinginacorneroftheenclosure，lookingataleangoattetheredtothegrass。
Twofoot-passengersweretalkingtogetherononesideofthepavementbeforethehouses，andanidlelittleboywasleadinganidlelittledogalongbyastringontheother。Iheardthedulltinklingofapianoatadistance，accompaniedbytheintermittentknockingofahammernearerathand。ThesewereallthesightsandsoundsoflifethatencounteredmewhenIenteredthesquare。
IwalkedatoncetothedoorofNumberThirteen——thenumberofMrsCatherick’shouse——andknocked，withoutwaitingtoconsiderbeforehandhowImightbestpresentmyselfwhenIgotin。ThefirstnecessitywastoseeMrsCatherick。Icouldthenjudge，frommyownobservation，ofthesafestandeasiestmannerofapproachingtheobjectofmyvisit。
Thedoorwasopenedbyamelancholymiddle-agedwomanservant。Igavehermycard，andaskedifIcouldseeMrsCatherick。Thecardwastakenintothefrontparlour，andtheservantreturnedwithamessagerequestingmetomentionwhatmybusinesswas。
`Say，ifyouplease，thatmybusinessrelatestoMrsCatherick’sdaughter，’
Ireplied。ThiswasthebestpretextIcouldthinkof，onthespurofthemoment，toaccountformyvisit。
Theservantagainretiredtotheparlour，againreturned，andthistimebeggedme，withalookofgloomyamazement，towalkin。
Ienteredalittleroom，withaflaringpaperofthelargestpatternonthewalls。Chairs，tables，chiffonier，andsofa，allgleamedwiththeglutinousbrightnessofcheapupholstery。Onthelargesttable，inthemiddleoftheroom，stoodasmartBible，placedexactlyinthecentreonaredandyellowwoollenmat；andatthesideofthetablenearesttothewindow，withalittleknitting-basketonherlap，andawheezing，blear-eyedoldspanielcrouchedatherfeet，theresatanelderlywoman，wearingablacknetcapandablacksilkgown，andhavingslate-colouredmittensonherhands。Heriron-greyhairhunginheavybandsoneithersideofherface——herdarkeyeslookedstraightforward，withahard，defiant，implacablestare。Shehadfullsquarecheeks，along，firmchin，andthick，sensual，colourlesslips。Herfigurewasstoutandsturdy，andhermanneraggressivelyself-possessed。ThiswasMrsCatherick。
`Youhavecometospeaktomeaboutmydaughter，’shesaid，beforeI
couldutterawordonmyside。`Besogoodastomentionwhatyouhavetosay。’
Thetoneofhervoicewasashard，asdefiant，asimplacableastheexpressionofhereyes。Shepointedtoachair，andlookedmealloverattentively，fromheadtofoot，asIsatdowninit。Isawthatmyonlychancewiththiswomanwastospeaktoherinherowntone，andtomeether，attheoutsetofourinterview，onherownground。
`Youareaware，’Isaid，`thatyourdaughterhasbeenlost？’
`Iamperfectlyawareofit。’
`Haveyoufeltanyapprehensionthatthemisfortuneofherlossmightbefollowedbythemisfortuneofherdeath？’
`Yes。Haveyoucomeheretotellmesheisdead？’
`Ihave。’
`Why？’
Sheputthatextraordinaryquestionwithouttheslightestchangeinhervoice，herface，orhermaimer。ShecouldnothaveappearedmoreperfectlyunconcernedifIhadtoldherofthedeathofthegoatintheenclosureoutside。
`Why？’Irepeated。`DoyouaskwhyIcomeheretotellyouofyourdaughter’sdeath？’
`Yes。Whatinteresthaveyouinme，orinher？Howdoyoucometoknowanythingaboutmydaughter？’
`Inthisway。ImetheronthenightwhensheescapedfromtheAsylum，andIassistedherinreachingaplaceofsafety。’
`Youdidverywrong。’
