`Youareafraid？’
`DoIlookasifIwas？’
`YouareafraidofSirPercivalGlyde。’
`AmI？’
Hercolourwasrising，andherhandswereatworkagainsmoothinghergown。Ipressedthepointfartherandfartherhome，Iwentonwithoutallowingheramomentofdelay。
`SirPercivalhasahighpositionintheworld，’Isaid；`itwouldbenowonderifyouwereafraidofhim。SirPercivalisapowerfulman，abaronet，thepossessorofafineestate，thedescendantofagreatfamily——’
Sheamazedmebeyondexpressionbysuddenlyburstingoutlaughing。
`Yes，’sherepeated，intonesofthebitterest，steadiestcontempt。
`Abaronet，thepossessorofafineestate，thedescendantofagreatfamily。
Yes，indeed！agreatfamily——especiallybythemother’sside。’
Therewasnotimetoreflectonthewordsthathadjustescapedher，therewasonlytimetofeelthattheywerewellworththinkingoverthemomentIleftthehouse。
`Iamnotheretodisputewithyouaboutfamilyquestions，’Isaid。
`IknownothingofSirPercival’smother——’
`AndyouknowaslittleofSirPercivalhimself，’sheinterposedsharply，`Iadviseyounottobetoosureofthat，’Irejoined。`Iknowsomethingsabouthim，andIsuspectmanymore。’
`Whatdoyoususpect？’
`I’lltellyouwhatIdon’tsuspect。Idon’tsuspecthimofbeingAnne’sfather。’
Shestartedtoherfeet，andcamecloseuptomewithalookoffury。
`HowdareyoutalktomeaboutAnne’sfather！Howdareyousaywhowasherfather，orwhowasn’t！’shebrokeout，herfacequivering，hervoicetremblingwithpassion。
`ThesecretbetweenyouandSirPercivalisnotthatsecret，’Ipersisted。
`ThemysterywhichdarkensSirPercival’slifewasnotbornwithyourdaughter’sbirth，andhasnotdiedwithyourdaughter’sdeath。’
Shedrewbackastep。`Go！’shesaid，andpointedsternlytothedoor。
`Therewasnothoughtofthechildinyourheartorinhis，’Iwenton，determinedtopressherbacktoherlastdefences。`Therewasnobondofguiltylovebetweenyouandhimwhenyouheldthosestolenmeetings，whenyourhusbandfoundyouwhisperingtogetherunderthevestryofthechurch。’
Herpointinghandinstantlydroppedtoherside，andthedeepflushofangerfadedfromherfacewhileIspoke。Isawthechangepassoverher——Isawthathard，firm，fearless，self-possessedwomanquailunderaterrorwhichherutmostresolutionwasnotstrongenoughtoresistwhenIsaidthosefivelastwords，`thevestryofthechurch。’
Foraminuteormorewestoodlookingateachotherinsilence。Ispokefirst。
`Doyoustillrefusetotrustme？’Iasked。
Shecouldnotcallthecolourthathadleftitbacktoherface，butshehadsteadiedhervoice，shehadrecoveredthedefiantself-possessionofhermannerwhensheansweredme。
`Idorefuse，’shesaid。
`Doyoustilltellmetogo？’
`Yes。Go——andnevercomeback。’
Iwalkedtothedoor，waitedamomentbeforeIopenedit，andturnedroundtolookatheragain。
`ImayhavenewstobrineyouofSirPercivalwhichyoudon’texpect，’
Isaid，`andinthatcaseIshallcomeback。’
`ThereisnonewsofSirPercivalthatIdon’texpect，except——’
Shestopped，herpalefacedarkened，andshestolebackwithaquiet，stealthy，cat-likesteptoherchair。
`Exceptthenewsofhisdeath，’shesaid，sittingdownagain，withthemockeryofasmilejusthoveringonhercruellips，andthefurtivelightofhatredlurkingdeepinhersteadyeyes。
AsIopenedthedooroftheroomtogoout，shelookedroundatmequickly。
Thecruelsmileslowlywidenedherlips——sheeyedme，withastrangestealthyinterest，fromheadtofoot——anunutterableexpectationshoweditselfwickedlyalloverherface。Wasshespeculating，inthesecrecyofherownheart，onmyyouthandstrength，ontheforceofmysenseofinjuryandthelimitsofmyself-control，andwassheconsideringthelengthstowhichtheymightcarryme，ifSirPercivalandIeverchancedtomeet？
Thebaredoubtthatitmightbesodrovemefromherpresence，andsilencedeventhecommonformsoffarewellonmylips。Withoutawordmore，onmysideoronhers，Ilefttheroom。
AsIopenedtheouterdoor，Isawthesameclergymanwhohadalreadypassedthehouseonce，abouttopassitagain，onhiswaybackthroughthesquare。Iwaitedonthedoor-steptolethimgoby，andlookedround，asIdidso，attheparlourwindow。
MrsCatherickhadheardhisfootstepsapproaching，inthesilenceofthatlonelyplace，andshewasonherfeetatthewindowagain，waitingforhim。NotallthestrengthofalltheterriblepassionsIhadrousedinthatwoman’sheart，couldloosenherdesperateholdontheonefragmentofsocialconsiderationwhichyearsofresoluteefforthadjustdraggedwithinhergrasp。Thereshewasagain，notaminuteafterIhadlefther，placedpurposelyinapositionwhichmadeitamatterofcommoncourtesyonthepartoftheclergymantobowtoherforasecondtime。Heraisedhishatoncemore。Isawthehardghastlyfacebehindthewindowsoften，andlightupwithgratifiedpride——Isawtheheadwiththegrimblackcapbendceremoniouslyinreturn。Theclergymanhadbowedtoher，andinmypresence，twiceinoneday！
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter33[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter33VIIIIleftthehouse，feelingthatMrsCatherickhadhelpedmeastepforward，inspiteofherself。BeforeIhadreachedtheturningwhichledoutofthesquare，myattentionwassuddenlyarousedbythesoundofaclosingdoorbehindme。
Ilookedround，andsawanundersizedmaninblackonthedoor-stepofahouse，which，aswellasIcouldjudge，stoodnexttoMrsCatherick’splaceofabode——nexttoit，onthesidenearesttome。Themandidnothesitateamomentaboutthedirectionheshouldtake。HeadvancedrapidlytowardstheturningatwhichIhadstopped。Irecognisedhimasthelawyer’sclerk，whohadprecededmeinmyvisittoBlackwaterPark，andwhohadtriedtopickaquarrelwithme，whenIaskedhimifIcouldseethehouse。
IwaitedwhereIwas，toascertainwhetherhisobjectwastocometoclosequartersandspeakonthisoccasion。Tomysurprisehepassedonrapidly，withoutsayingaword，withoutevenlookingupinmyfaceashewentby。ThiswassuchacompleteinversionofthecourseofproceedingwhichIhadeveryreasontoexpectonhispart，thatmycuriosity，orrathermysuspicion，wasaroused，andIdeterminedonmysidetokeephimcautiouslyinview，andtodiscoverwhatthebusinessmightbeinwhichhewasnowemployed。Withoutcaringwhetherhesawmeornot，Iwalkedafterhim。
Heneverlookedback，andheledmestraightthroughthestreetstotherailwaystation。
Thetrainwasonthepointofstarting，andtwoorthreepassengerswhowerelatewereclusteringroundthesmallopeningthroughwhichtheticketswereissued。Ijoinedthem，anddistinctlyheardthelawyer’sclerkdemandaticketfortheBlackwaterstation。IsatisfiedmyselfthathehadactuallyleftbythetrainbeforeIcameaway。
TherewasonlyoneinterpretationthatIcouldplaceonwhatIhadjustseenandheard。IhadunquestionablyobservedthemanleavingahousewhichcloselyadjoinedMrsCatherick’sresidence。Hehadbeenprobablyplacedthere，bySirPercival’sdirections，asalodger，inanticipationofmyinquiriesleadingme，soonerorlater，tocommunicatewithMrsCatherick。
Hehaddoubtlessseenmegoinandcomeout，andhehadhurriedawaybythefirsttraintomakehisreportatBlackwaterPark，towhichplaceSirPercivalwouldnaturallybetakehimself(knowingwhatheevidentlyknewofmymovements)，inordertobereadyonthespot，ifIreturnedtoHampshire。
Beforemanydayswereover，thereseemedeverylikelihoodnowthatheandImightmeet。
Whateverresulteventsmightbedestinedtoproduce，Iresolvedtopursuemyowncourse，straighttotheendinview，withoutstoppingorturningasideforSirpercivalorforanyone。ThegreatresponsibilitywhichweighedonmeheavilyinLondon——theresponsibilityofsoguidingmyslightestactionsastopreventthemfromleadingaccidentallytothediscoveryofLaura’splaceofrefuge——wasremoved，nowthatIwasinHampshire。I
couldgoandcomeasIpleasedatWelmingham，andifIchancedtofailinobservinganynecessaryprecautions，theimmediateresults，atleast，wouldaffectnoonebutmyself。
WhenIleftthestationthewintereveningwasbeginningtoclosein。
Therewaslittlehopeofcontinuingmyinquiriesafterdarktoanyusefulpurposeinaneighbourhoodthatwasstrangetome。Accordingly，Imademywaytothenearesthotel，andorderedmydinnerandmybed。Thisdone，IwrotetoMarian，totellherthatIwassafeandwell，andthatIhadfairprospectsofsuccess。Ihaddirectedher，onleavinghome，toaddressthefirstlettershewrotetome(theletterIexpectedtoreceivethenextmorning)to`ThePost-Office，Welmingham，’andInowbeggedhertosendhersecondday’slettertothesameaddress。IcouldeasilyreceiveitbywritingtothepostmasterifIhappenedtobeawayfromthetownwhenitarrived。
