Inthesepages，however，andafterthetimethathasnowelapsed，nosuchcautionsandrestraintsasareheredescribedneedfetterthefreeexpressionofmyopinion。Iwillstatebriefly，beforemypenoccupiesitselfwithotherevents，howmyownconvictionsleadmetoaccountfortheabstractionofthekeys，fortheoutbreakofthefire，andforthedeathoftheman。
ThenewsofmybeingfreeonbaildroveSirPercival，asIbelieve。
tohislastresources。Theattemptedattackontheroadwasoneofthoseresources，andthesuppressionofallpracticalproofofhiscrime，bydestroyingthepageoftheregisteronwhichtheforgeryhadbeencommitted，wastheother，andthesurestofthetwo。IfIcouldproducenoextractfromtheoriginalbooktocomparewiththecertifiedcopyatKnowlesbury，Icouldproducenopositiveevidence，andcouldthreatenhimwithnofatalexposure。Allthatwasnecessarytotheattainmentofhisendwas，thatheshouldgetintothevestryunperceived，thatheshouldtearoutthepageintheregister，andthatheshouldleavethevestryagainasprivatelyashehadenteredit。
Onthissupposition，itiseasytounderstandwhyhewaiteduntilnightfallbeforehemadetheattempt，andwhyhetookadvantageoftheclerk’sabsencetopossesshimselfofthekeys。Necessitywouldobligehimtostrikealighttofindhiswaytotherightregister，andcommoncautionwouldsuggesthislockingthedoorontheinsideincaseofintrusiononthepartofanyinquisitivestranger，oronmypart，ifIhappenedtobeintheneighbourhoodatthetime。
Icannotbelievethatitwasanypartofhisintentiontomakethedestructionoftheregisterappeartobetheresultofaccident，bypurposelysettingthevestryonfire。Thebarechancethatpromptassistancemightarrive，andthatthebooksmight，bytheremotestpossibility，besaved，wouldhavebeenenough，onamoment’sconsideration，todismissanyideaofthissortfromhismind。Rememberingthequantityofcombustibleobjectsinthevestry——thestraw，thepapers，thepacking-cases，thedrywood，theoldworm-eatenpresses——alltheprobabilities，inmyestimation，pointtothefireastheresultofanaccidentwithhismatchesorhislight。
Hisfirstimpulse，underthesecircumstances，wasdoubtlesstotrytoextinguishtheflames，andfailinginthat，hissecondimpulse(ignorantashewasofthestateofthelock)hadbeentoattempttoescapebythedoorwhichhadgivenhimentrance。WhenIhadcalledtohim，theflamesmusthavereachedacrossthedoorleadingintothechurch，oneithersideofwhichthepressesextended，andclosetowhichtheothercombustibleobjectswereplaced。Inallprobability，thesmokeandflame(confinedastheyweretotheroom)hadbeentoomuchforhimwhenhetriedtoescapebytheinnerdoor。Hemusthavedroppedinhisdeath-swoon，hemusthavesunkintheplacewherehewasfound，justasIgotontherooftobreaktheskylightwindow。Evenifwehadbeenable，afterwards，togetintothechurch，andtoburstopenthedoorfromthatside，thedelaymusthavebeenfatal。Hewouldhavebeenpastsaving，longpastsaving，bythattime。
Weshouldonlyhavegiventheflamesfreeingressintothechurch——thechurch，whichwasnowpreserved，butwhich，inthatevent，wouldhavesharedthefateofthevestry。Thereisnodoubtinmymind，therecanbenodoubtinthemindofanyone，thathewasadeadmanbeforeeverwegottotheemptycottage，andworkedwithmightandmaintoteardownthebeam。
Thisisthenearestapproachthatanytheoryofminecanmaketowardsaccountingforaresultwhichwasvisiblematteroffact。AsIhavedescribedthem，soeventspassedtousoutside。AsIhaverelatedit，sohisbodywasfound。
Theinquestwasadjournedoveroneday——noexplanationthattheeyeofthelawcouldrecognisehavingbeendiscoveredthusfartoaccountforthemysteriouscircumstancesofthecase。
Itwasarrangedthatmorewitnessesshouldbesummoned，andthattheLondonsolicitorofthedeceasedshouldbeinvitedtoattend。Amedicalmanwasalsochargedwiththedutyofreportingonthementalconditionoftheservant，whichappearedatpresenttodebarhimfromgivinganyevidenceoftheleastimportance。Hecouldonlydeclare，inadazedway，thathehadbeenordered，onthenightofthefire，towaitinthelane，andthatheknewnothingelse，exceptthatthedeceasedwascertainlyhismaster。
Myownimpressionwas，thathehadbeenfirstused(withoutanyguiltyknowledgeonhisownpart)toascertainthefactoftheclerk’sabsencefromhomeonthepreviousday，andthathehadbeenafterwardsorderedtowaitnearthechurch(butoutofsightofthevestry)toassisthismaster，intheeventofmyescapingtheattackontheroad，andofacollisionoccurringbetweenSirPercivalandmyself。Itisnecessarytoadd，thattheman’sowntestimonywasneverobtainedtoconfirmthisview。Themedicalreportofhimdeclaredthatwhatlittlementalfacultyhepossessedwasseriouslyshaken；nothingsatisfactorywasextractedfromhimattheadjournedinquest，andforaughtIknowtothecontrary，hemayneverhaverecoveredtothisday。
IreturnedtothehotelatWelminghamsojadedinbodyandmind，soweakenedanddepressedbyallthatIhadgonethrough，astobequiteunfittoendurethelocalgossipabouttheinquest，andtoanswerthetrivialquestionsthatthetalkersaddressedtomeinthecoffee-room。Iwithdrewfrommyscantydinnertomycheapgarret-chambertosecuremyselfalittlequiet，andtothinkundisturbedofLauraandMarian。
IfIhadbeenarichermanIwouldhavegonebacktoLondon，andwouldhavecomfortedmyselfwithasightofthetwodearfacesagainthatnight。
ButIwasboundtoappear，ifcalledon，attheadjournedinquest，anddoublyboundtoanswermybailbeforethemagistrateatKnowlesbury。Ourslenderresourceshadsufferedalready，andthedoubtfulfuture——moredoubtfulthanevernow——mademedreaddecreasingourmeansunnecessarilybyallowingmyselfanindulgenceevenatthesmallcostofadoublerailwayjourneyinthecarriagesofthesecondclass。
Thenextday——thedayimmediatelyfollowingtheinquest——wasleftatmyowndisposal。Ibeganthemorningbyagainapplyingatthepost-officeformyregularreportfromMarian。Itwaswaitingformeasbefore，anditwaswrittenthroughoutingoodspirits。Ireadtheletterthankfully，andthensetforthwithmymindateaseforthedaytogotoOldWelmingham，andtoviewthesceneofthefirebythemorninglight。
WhatchangesmetmewhenIgotthere！
Throughallthewaysofourunintelligibleworldthetrivialandterriblewalkhandinhandtogether。Theironyofcircumstancesholdsnomortalcatastropheinrespect。WhenIreachedthechurch，thetrampledconditionoftheburial-groundwastheonlyserioustracelefttotellofthefireandthedeath。Aroughhoardingofboardshadbeenknockedupbeforethevestrydoorway。Rudecaricatureswerescrawledonitalready，andthevillagechildrenwerefightingandshoutingforthepossessionofthebestpeep-holetoseethrough。OnthespotwhereIhadheardthecryforhelpfromtheburningroom，onthespotwherethepanic-strickenservanthaddroppedonhisknees，afussyflockofpoultrywasnowscramblingforthefirstchoiceofwormsaftertherain；andonthegroundatmyfeet，wherethedooranditsdreadfulburdenhadbeenlaid，aworkman’sdinnerwaswaitingforhim，tiedupinayellowbasin，andhisfaithfulcurinchargewasyelpingatmeforcomingnearthefood。Theoldclerk，lookingidlyattheslowcommencementoftherepairs，hadonlyoneinterestthathecouldtalkaboutnow——theinterestofescapingallblameforhisownpartonaccountoftheaccidentthathadhappened。Oneofthevillagewomen，whosewhitewildfaceIrememberedthepictureofterrorwhenwepulleddownthebeam，wasgigglingwithanotherwoman，thepictureofinanity，overanoldwashing-tub。ThereisnothingseriousinmortalityISolomoninallhisglorywasSolomonwiththeelementsofthecontemptiblelurkingineveryfoldofhisrobesandineverycornerofhispalace。
AsIlefttheplace，mythoughtsturned，notforthefirsttime，tothecompleteoverthrowthatallpresenthopeofestablishingLaura’sidentityhadnowsufferedthroughSirPercival’sdeath。Hewasgone——andwithhimthechancewasgonewhichhadbeentheoneobjectofallmylaboursandallmyhopes。
CouldIlookatmyfailurefromnotruerpointofviewthanthis？
Supposehehadlived，wouldthatchangeofcircumstanceshavealteredtheresult？CouldIhavemademydiscoveryamarketablecommodity，evenforLaura’ssake，afterIhadfoundoutthatrobberyoftherightsofotherswastheessenceofSirPercival’scrime？CouldIhaveofferedthepriceofmysilenceforhisconfessionoftheconspiracy，whentheeffectofthatsilencemusthavebeentokeeptherightheirfromtheestates，andtherightownerfromthename？Impossible！IfSirPercivalhadlived，thediscovery，fromwhich(inrayignoranceofthetruenatureoftheSecret)
Ihadhopedsomuch，couldnothavebeenminetosuppressortomakepublic，asIthoughtbest，forthevindicationofLaura’srights。IncommonhonestyandcommonhonourImusthavegoneatoncetothestrangerwhosebirthrighthadbeenusurped——Imusthaverenouncedthevictoryatthemomentwhenitwasminebyplacingmydiscoveryunreservedlyinthatstranger’shands——andImusthavefacedafreshallthedifficultieswhichstoodbetweenmeandtheoneobjectofmylife，exactlyasIwasresolvedinmyheartofheartstofacethemnow！
IreturnedtoWelminghamwithmymindcomposed，feelingmoresureofmyselfandmyresolutionthanIhadfeltyet。
OnmywaytothehotelIpassedtheendofthesquareinwhichMrsCathericklived。ShouldIgobacktothehouse，andmakeanotherattempttoseeher。
No。ThatnewsofSirPercival’sdeath，whichwasthelastnewssheeverexpectedtohear，musthavereachedherhourssince。Alltheproceedingsattheinquesthadbeenreportedinthelocalpaperthatmorning——therewasnothingIcouldtellherwhichshedidnotknowalready。Myinterestinmakingherspeakhadslackened。Irememberedthefurtivehatredinherfacewhenshesaid，`ThereisnonewsofSirpercivalthatIdon’texpect——exceptthenewsofhisdeath。’Irememberedthestealthyinterestinhereyeswhentheysettledonmeatparting，aftershehadspokenthosewords。Someinstinct，deepinmyheart，whichIfelttobeatrueone，madetheprospectofagainenteringherpresencerepulsivetome——Iturnedawayfromthesquare，andwentstraightbacktothehotel。
Somehourslater，whileIwasrestinginthecoffee-room，aletterwasplacedinmyhandsbythewaiter。Itwasaddressedtomebyname，andI
foundoninquirythatithadbeenleftatthebarbyawomanjustasitwasneardusk，andjustbeforethegaswaslighted。Shehadsaidnothing，andshehadgoneawayagainbeforetherewastimetospeaktoher，oreventonoticewhomshewas。
Iopenedtheletter。Itwasneitherdatednorsigned，andthehandwritingwaspalpablydisguised。BeforeIhadreadthefirstsentence，however，Iknewwhomycorrespondentwas——MrsCatherick。
Theletterranasfollows——Icopyitexactly，wordforword：THESTORYCONTINUEDBYMRSCATHERICKSIR，——Youhavenotcomeback，asyousaidyouwould。Nomatter——Iknowthenews，andIwritetotellyouso。Didyouseeanythingparticularinmyfacewhenyouleftme？Iwaswondering，inmyownmind，whetherthedayofhisdownfallhadcomeatlast，andwhetheryouwerethechoseninstrumentforworkingit。Youwere，andyouhaveworkedit。
Youwereweakenough，asIhaveheard，totryandsavehislife。Ifyouhadsucceeded，Ishouldhavelookeduponyouasmyenemy。Nowyouhavefailed，Iholdyouasmyfriend。Yourinquiriesfrightenedhimintothevestrybynight——yourinquiries，withoutyourprivityandagainstyourwill，haveservedthehatredandwreakedthevengeanceofthree-and-twentyyears。Thankyou，sir，inspiteofyourself。
Iowesomethingtothemanwhohasdonethis。HowcanIpaymydebt？
IfIwasayoungwomanstillImightsay，`Come，putyourarmroundmywaist，andkissme，ifyoulike。’Ishouldhavebeenfondenoughofyoueventogothatlength，andyouwouldhaveacceptedmyinvitation——youwould，sir，twentyyearsago！ButIamanoldwomannow。Well！Icansatisfyyourcuriosity，andpaymydebtinthatway。Youhadagreatcuriositytoknowcertainprivateaffairsofminewhenyoucametoseeme——privateaffairswhichallyoursharpnesscouldnotlookintowithoutmyhelp——
privateaffairswhichyouhavenotdiscovered’evennow。Youshalldiscoverthem——yourcuriosityshallbesatisfied。Iwilltakeanytroubletopleaseyou，myestimableyoungfriend！
