Hewasajovial，red-faced，easy-lookingman——morelikeacountrysquirethanalawyer——andheseemedtobebothsurprisedandamusedbymyapplication。Hehadheardofhisfather’scopyoftheregister，buthadnotevenseenithimself。Ithadneverbeeninquiredafter，anditwasnodoubtinthestrongroomamongotherpapersthathadnotbeendisturbedsincehisfather’sdeath。Itwasapity(MrWansboroughsaid)thattheoldgentlemanwasnotalivetohearhispreciouscopyaskedforatlast。
Hewouldhaveriddenhisfavouritehobbyharderthanevernow。HowhadIcometohearofthecopy？wasitthroughanybodyinthetown？
IparriedthequestionaswellasIcould。Itwasimpossibleatthisstageoftheinvestigationtobetoocautious，anditwasjustaswellnottoletMrWansboroughknowprematurelythatIhadalreadyexaminedtheoriginalregister。Idescribedmyself，therefore，aspursuingafamilyinquiry，totheobjectofwhicheverypossiblesavingoftimewasofgreatimportance。IwasanxioustosendcertainparticularstoLondonbythatday’spost，andonelookattheduplicateregister(paying，ofcourse，thenecessaryfees)mightsupplywhatIrequired，andsavemeafurtherjourneytoOldWelmingham。Iaddedthatintheeventofmysubsequentlyrequiringacopyoftheoriginalregister，IshouldmakeapplicationtoMrWansborough’sofficetofurnishmewiththedocument。
Afterthisexplanationnoobjectionwasmadetoproducingthecopy。
Aclerkwassenttothestrongroom，andaftersomedelayreturnedwiththevolume。Itwasofexactlythesamesizeasthevolumeinthevestry，theonlydifferencebeingthatthecopywasmoresmartlybound。Itookitwithmetoanunoccupieddesk。Myhandsweretrembling——myheadwasburninghot——IfeltthenecessityofconcealingmyagitationaswellasIcouldfromthepersonsaboutmeintheroom，beforeIventuredonopeningthebook。
Ontheblankpageatthebeginning，towhichIfirstturned，weretracedsomelinesinfadedink。Theycontainedthesewords`CopyoftheMarriageRegisterofWelminghamParishChurch。Executedundermyorders，andafterwardscompared，entrybyentry，withtheoriginal，bymyself。(Signed)RobertWansborough，vestry-clerk。’Belowthisnotetherewasalineadded，inanotherhandwriting，asfollows：`ExtendingfromthefirstofJanuary，1800，tothethirtiethofJune，1815。’
IturnedtothemonthofSeptember，eighteenhundredandthree。IfoundthemarriageofthemanwhoseChristiannamewasthesameasmyown。I
foundthedoubleregisterofthemarriagesofthetwobrothers。Andbetweentheseentries，atthebottomofthepage——？
Nothing！NotavestigeoftheentrywhichrecordedthemarriageofSirFelixGlydeandCeciliaJaneElsterintheregisterofthechurch！
Myheartgaveagreatbound，andthrobbedasifitwouldstifleme。
Ilookedagain——Iwasafraidtobelievetheevidenceofmyowneyes。
No！notadoubt。Themarriagewasnotthere。Theentriesonthecopyoccupiedexactlythesameplacesonthepageastheentriesintheoriginal。ThelastentryononepagerecordedthemarriageofthemanwithmyChristianname。Belowittherewasablankspace——aspaceevidentlyleftbecauseitwastoonarrowtocontaintheentryofthemarriagesofthetwobrothers，whichinthecopy，asintheoriginal，occupiedthetopofthenextpage。
Thatspacetoldthewholestory！Thereitmusthaveremainedinthechurchregisterfromeighteenhundredandthree(whenthemarriageshadbeensolemnisedandthecopyhadbeenmade)toeighteenhundredandtwenty-seven，whenSirPercivalappearedatOldWelmingham。Here，atKnowlesbury，wasthechanceofcommittingtheforgeryshowntomeinthecopy，andthere，atOldWelmingham，wastheforgerycommittedintheregisterofthechurch。
Myheadturnedgiddy——Iheldbythedesktokeepmyselffromfalling。
Ofallthesuspicionswhichhadstruckmeinrelationtothatdesperateman，notonehadbeennearthetruth。TheideathathewasnotSirPercivalGlydeatall，21thathehadnomoreclaimtothebaronetcyandtoBlackwaterparkthanthepoorestlabourerwhoworkedontheestate，hadneveronceoccurredtomymind。AtonetimeIhadthoughthemightbeAnneCatherick’sfather——atanothertimeIhadthoughthemighthavebeenAnneCatherick’shusband——theoffenceofwhichhewasreallyguiltyhadbeen，fromfirsttolast，beyondthewidestreachofmyimagination。
Thepaltrymeansbywhichthefraudhadbeeneffected，themagnitudeanddaringofthecrimethatitrepresented，thehorroroftheconsequencesinvolvedinitsdiscovery，overwhelmedme。Whocouldwondernowatthebrute-restlessnessofthewretch’slife——athisdesperatealternationsbetweenabjectduplicityandrecklessviolence——atthemadnessofguiltydistrustwhichhadmadehimimprisonAnneCatherickintheAsylum，andhadgivenhimovertothevileconspiracyagainsthiswife，onthebaresuspicionthattheoneandtheotherknewhisterriblesecret？Thedisclosureofthatsecretmight，inpastyears，havehangedhim——mightnowtransporthimforlife。Thedisclosureofthatsecret，evenifthesufferersbyhisdeceptionsparedhimthepenaltiesofthelaw，woulddeprivehimatoneblowofthename，therank，theestate，thewholesocialexistencethathehadusurped。ThiswastheSecret，anditwasmine！Awordfromme，andhouse，lands，baronetcy，weregonefromhimforever——awordfromme，andhewasdrivenoutintotheworld，anameless，penniless，friendlessoutcast！Theman’swholefuturehungonmylips——andheknewitbythistimeascertainlyasIdid！
Thatlastthoughtsteadiedme。Interestsfarmorepreciousthanmyowndependedonthecautionwhichmustnowguidemyslightestactions。TherewasnopossibletreacherywhichSirPercivalmightnotattemptagainstme。Inthedangeranddesperationofhispositionhewouldbestaggeredbynorisks，hewouldrecoilatnocrime——hewouldliterallyhesitateatnothingtosavehimself。
Iconsideredforaminute。MyfirstnecessitywastosecurepositiveevidenceinwritingofthediscoverythatIhadjustmade，andintheeventofanypersonalmisadventurehappeningtome，toplacethatevidencebeyondSirPercival’sreach。ThecopyoftheregisterwassuretobesafeinMrWansborough’sstrongroom。Butthepositionoftheoriginalinthevestrywas，asIhadseenwithmyowneyes，anythingbutsecure。
InthisemergencyIresolvedtoreturntothechurch，toapplyagaintotheclerk，andtotakethenecessaryextractfromtheregisterbeforeIsleptthatnight。Iwasnotthenawarethatalegally-certifiedcopywasnecessary，andthatnodocumentmerelydrawnoutbymyselfcouldclaimtheproperimportanceasaproof。Iwasnotawareofthis，andmydeterminationtokeepmypresentproceedingsasecretpreventedmefromaskinganyquestionswhichmighthaveprocuredthenecessaryinformation。MyoneanxietywastheanxietytogetbacktoOldWelmingham。ImadethebestexcusesIcouldforthediscomposureinmyfaceandmannerwhichMrWansboroughhadalreadynoticed，laidthenecessaryfeeonhistable，arrangedthatIshouldwritetohiminadayortwo，andlefttheoffice，withmyheadinawhirlandmybloodthrobbingthroughmyveinsatfeverheat。
Itwasjustgettingdark。TheideaoccurredtomethatImightbefollowedagainandattackedonthehigh-road。
Mywalking-stickwasalightone，oflittleornouseforpurposesofdefence。IstoppedbeforeleavingKnowlesburyandboughtastoutcountrycudgel，short，andheavyatthehead。Withthishomelyweapon，ifanyonemantriedtostopmeIwasamatchforhim。IfmorethanoneattackedmeIcouldtrusttomyheels。Inmyschool-daysIhadbeenanotedrunner，andIhadnotwantedforpracticesinceinthelatertimeofmyexperienceinCentralAmerica。
Istartedfromthetownatabriskpace，andkeptthemiddleoftheroad。
Asmallmistyrainwasfalling，anditwasimpossibleforthefirsthalfofthewaytomakesurewhetherIwasfollowedornot。Butatthelasthalfofmyjourney，whenIsupposedmyselftobeabouttwomilesfromthechurch，Isawamanrunbymeintherain，andthenheardthegateofafieldbytheroadsideshuttosharply。Ikeptstraighton，withmycudgelreadyinmyhand，myearsonthealert，andmyeyesstrainingtoseethroughthemistandthedarkness。BeforeIhadadvancedahundredyardstherewasarustlinginthehedgeonmyright，andthreemensprangoutintotheroad。
Idrewasideontheinstanttothefootpath。Thetwoforemostmenwerecarriedbeyondmebeforetheycouldcheckthemselves。Thethirdwasasquickaslightning。Hestopped，halfturned，andstruckatmewithhisstick。Theblowwasaimedathazard，andwasnotasevereone。Itfellonmyleftshoulder。Ireturneditheavilyonhishead。Hestaggeredbackandjostledhistwocompanionsjustastheywerebothrushingatme。Thiscircumstancegavemeamoment’sstart。Islippedbythem，andtooktothemiddleoftheroadagainatthetopofmyspeed。
Thetwounhurtmenpursuedme。Theywerebothgoodrunners——theroadwassmoothandlevel，andforthefirstfiveminutesormoreIwasconsciousthatIdidnotgainonthem。Itwasperilousworktorunforlonginthedarkness。Icouldbarelyseethedimblacklineofthehedgesoneitherside，andanychanceobstacleintheroadwouldhavethrownmedowntoacertainty。ErelongIfeltthegroundchanging——itdescendedfromthelevelataturn，andthenroseagainbeyond。Downhillthemenrathergainedonme，butuphillIbegantodistancethem。Therapid，regularthumpoftheirfeetgrewfainteronmyear，andIcalculatedbythesoundthatI
wasfarenoughinadvancetotaketothefieldswithagoodchanceoftheirpassingmeinthedarkness。Divergingtothefootpath，ImadeforthefirstbreakthatIcouldguessat，ratherthansee，inthehedge。Itprovedtobeaclosedgate。Ivaultedover，andfindingmyselfinafield，keptacrossitsteadilywithmybacktotheroad。Iheardthemenpassthegate，stillrunning，theninaminutemoreheardoneofthemcalltotheothertocomeback。Itwasnomatterwhattheydidnow，Iwasoutoftheirsightandoutoftheirhearing。Ikeptstraightacrossthefield，andwhenIhadreachedthefartherextremityofit，waitedthereforaminutetorecovermybreath。
Itwasimpossibletoventurebacktotheroad，butIwasdeterminedneverthelesstogettoOldWelminghamthatevening。
Neithermoonnorstarsappearedtoguideme。IonlyknewthatIhadkeptthewindandrainatmybackonleavingKnowlesbury，andifInowkeptthematmybackstill，Imightatleastbecertainofnotadvancingaltogetherinthewrongdirection。
Proceedingonthisplan，Icrossedthecountry——meetingwithnoworseobstaclesthanhedges，ditches，andthickets，whicheverynowandthenobligedmetoaltermycourseforalittlewhile——untilIfoundmyselfonahillside，withthegroundslopingawaysteeplybeforeme。Idescendedtothebottomofthehollow，squeezedmywaythroughahedge，andgotoutintoalane。Havingturnedtotherightonleavingtheroad，Inowturnedtotheleft，onthechanceofregainingthelinefromwhichIhadwandered。
Afterfollowingthemuddywindingsofthelanefortenminutesormore，Isawacottagewithalightinoneofthewindows。Thegardengatewasopentothelane，andIwentinatoncetoinquiremyway。
BeforeIcouldknockatthedooritwassuddenlyopened，andamancamerunningoutwithalightedlanterninhishand。Hestoppedandhelditupatthesightofme。Webothstartedaswesaweachother。Mywanderingshadledmeroundtheoutskirtsofthevillage，andhadbroughtmeoutatthelowerendofit。IwasbackatOldWelmingham，andthemanwiththelanternwasnootherthanmyacquaintanceofthemorning，theparishclerk。
HismannerappearedtohavealteredstrangelyintheintervalsinceIhadlastseenhim。Helookedsuspiciousandconfused——hisruddycheeksweredeeplyflushed——andhisfirstwords，whenhespoke，werequiteunintelligibletome。
`Wherearethekeys？’heasked。`Haveyoutakenthem？’
`Whatkeys？’Irepeated。`IhavethismomentcomefromKnowlesbury。
Whatkeysdoyoumean？’
`Thekeysofthevestry。Lordsaveusandhelpus！whatshallIdo？
Thekeysaregone！Doyouhear？’criedtheoldman，shakingthelanternatmeinhisagitation，`thekeysaregone！’
`How？When？Whocanhavetakenthem？’
`Idon’tknow，’saidtheclerk，staringabouthimwildlyinthedarkness。
`I’veonlyjustgotback。ItoldyouIhadalongday’sworkthismorning——Ilockedthedoorandshutthewindowdown——it’sopennow，thewindow’sopen。Look！somebodyhasgotinthereandtakenthekeys。’
Heturnedtothecasementwindowtoshowmethatitwaswideopen。Thedoorofthelanterncameloosefromitsfasteningasheswayeditround，andthewindblewthecandleoutinstantly。
`Getanotherlight，’Isaid，`andletusbothgotothevestrytogether。
