IowedittoMariantoconsultherbeforeIspoketoLaura，andtobeguidedafterwardsbyheradvice。
OnthethirddayfromourarrivalIfoundafitopportunityofspeakingtoheralone。Themomentwelookedatoneanother，herquickinstinctdetectedthethoughtinmymindbeforeIcouldgiveitexpression。Withhercustomaryenergyanddirectnessshespokeatonce，andspokefirst。
`YouarethinkingofthatsubjectwhichwasmentionedbetweenusontheeveningofyourreturnfromHampshire，’shesaid。`Ihavebeenexpectingyoutoalludetoitforsometimepast。Theremustbeachangeinourlittlehousehold，Walter，wecannotgoonmuchlongeraswearenow。Iseeitasplainlyasyoudo——asplainlyasLauraseesit，thoughshesaysnothing。
HowstrangelytheoldtimesinCumberlandseemtohavecomeback！YouandIaretogetheragain，andtheonesubjectofinterestbetweenusisLauraoncemore。Icouldalmostfancythatthisroomisthesummer-houseatLimmeridge，andthatthosewavesbeyondusarebeatingonourseashore。’
`Iwasguidedbyyouradviceinthosepastdays，’Isaid，`andnow，Marian，withreliancetenfoldgreaterIwillbeguidedbyitagain。’
Sheansweredbypressingmyhand。Isawthatshewasdeeplytouchedbymyreferencetothepast。Wesattogethernearthewindow，andwhileIspokeandshelistened，welookedatthegloryofthesunlightshiningonthemajestyofthesea。
`Whateverconiesofthisconfidencebetweenus，’Isaid，`whetheritendshappilyorsorrowfullyforme，Laura’sinterestswillstillbetheinterestsofmylife。Whenweleavethisplace，onwhatevertermsweleaveit，mydeterminationtowrestfromCountFoscotheconfessionwhichIfailedtoobtainfromhisaccomPlice，goesbackwithmetoLondon，ascertainlyasIgobackmyself。NeitheryounorIcantellhowthatmanmayturnonme，ifIbringhimtobay；weonlyknow，byhisownwordsandactions，thatheiscapableofstrikingatmethroughLaura，withoutamoment’shesitation，oramoment’sremorse。InourpresentpositionIhavenoclaimonherwhichsocietysanctions，whichthelawallows，tostrengthenmeinresistinghim，andinprotectingher。Thisplacesmeataseriousdisadvantage。
IfIamtofightourcausewiththeCount，strongintheconsciousnessofLaura’ssafety，ImustfightitformyWife。Doyouagreetothat，Marian，sofar？’
`Toeverywordofit，’sheanswered。
`Iwillnotpleadoutofmyownheart，’Iwenton；`Iwillnotappealtothelovewhichhassurvivedallchangesandallshocks——Iwillrestmyonlyvindicationofmyselfforthinkingofher，andspeakingofherasmywife，onwhatIhavejustsaid。IfthechanceofforcingaconfessionfromtheCountis，asIbelieveittobe，thelastchanceleftofpubliclyestablishingthefactofLaura’sexistence，theleastselfishreasonthatIcanadvanceforourmarriageisrecognisedbyusboth。ButImaybewronginmyconviction——othermeansofachievingourpurposemaybeinourpower，whicharelessuncertainandlessdangerous。Ihavesearchedanxiously，inmyownmind，forthosemeans，andIhavenotfoundthem。Haveyou？’
`No。Ihavethoughtaboutittoo，andthoughtinvain。’
`Inalllikelihood，’Icontinued，`thesamequestionshaveoccurredtoyou，inconsideringthisdifficultsubject，whichhaveoccurredtome。
OughtwetoreturnwithhertoLimmeridge，nowthatsheislikeherselfagain，andtrusttotherecognitionofherbythepeopleofthevillage，orbythechildrenattheschool？Oughtwetoappealtothepracticaltestofherhandwriting？Supposewedidso。Supposetherecognitionofherobtained，andtheidentityofthehandwritingestablished。Wouldsuccessinboththosecasesdomorethansupplyanexcellentfoundationforatrialinacourtoflaw？WouldtherecognitionandthehandwritingproveheridentitytoMrFairlieandtakeherbacktoLimmeridgeHouse，againsttheevidenceofheraunt，againsttheevidenceofthemedicalcertificate，againstthefactofthefuneralandthefactoftheinscriptiononthetomb？No！Wecouldonlyhopetosucceedinthrowingaseriousdoubtontheassertionofherdeath，adoubtwhichnothingshortofalegalinquirycansettle。
Iwillassumethatwepossess(whatwehavecertainlynotgot)moneyenoughtocarrythisinquiryonthroughallitsstages。IwillassumethatMrFairlie’sprejudicesmightbereasonedaway——thatthefalsetestimonyoftheCountandhiswife，andalltherestofthefalsetestimony，mightbeconfuted——thattherecognitioncouldnotpossiblybeascribedtoamistakebetweenLauraandAnneCatherick，orthehandwritingbedeclaredbyourenemiestobeacleverfraud——alltheseareassumptionswhich，moreorless，setplainprobabilitiesatdefiance；butletthempass——
andletusaskourselveswhatwouldbethefirstconsequenceorthefirstquestionsputtoLauraherselfonthesubjectoftheconspiracy。Weknowonlytoowellwhattheconsequencewouldbe，forweknowthatshehasneverrecoveredhermemoryofwhathappenedtoherinLondon。Examineherprivately，orexamineherpublicly，sheisutterlyincapableofassistingtheassertionofherowncase。Ifyoudon’tseethis，Marian，asplainlyasIseeit，wewillgotoLimmeridgeandtrytheexperimenttomorrow。’
`Idoseeit，Walter。Evenifwehadthemeansofpayingallthelawexpenses，evenifwesucceededintheend，thedelayswouldbeunendurable，theperpetualsuspense，afterwhatwehavesufferedalready，wouldbeheartbreaking。
YouarerightaboutthehopelessnessofgoingtoLimmeridge。IwishIcouldfeelsurethatyouarerightalsoindeterminingtotrythatlastchancewiththeCount。Isitachanceatall？’
`Beyondadoubt，Yes。ItisthechanceofrecoveringthelostdateofLaura’sjourneytoLondon。WithoutreturningtothereasonsIgaveyousometimesince，Iamstillasfirmlypersuadedaseverthatthereisadiscrepancybetweenthedateofthatjourneyandthedateonthecertificateofdeath。Thereliestheweakpointofthewholeconspiracy——itcrumblestopiecesifweattackitinthatway，andthemeansofattackingitareinpossessionoftheCount。IfIsucceedinwrestingthemfromhim，theobjectofyourlifeandmineisfulfilled。IfIfail，thewrongthatLaurahassufferedwill，inthisworld，neverberedressed。’
`Doyoufearfailureyourself，Walter？’
`Idarenotanticipatesuccess，andforthatveryreason，Marian，I
speakopenlyandplainlyasIhavespokennow。InmyheartandmyconscienceIcansayit，Laura’shopesforthefutureareattheirlowestebb。Iknowthatherfortuneisgone——Iknowthatthelastchanceofrestoringhertoherplaceintheworldliesatthemercyofherworstenemy，ofamanwhoisnowabsolutelyunassailable，andwhomayremainunassailabletotheend。Witheveryworldlyadvantagegonefromher，withallprospectofrecoveringherrankandstationmorethandoubtful，withnoclearerfuturebeforeherthanthefuturewhichherhusbandcanprovide，thepoordrawing-mastermayharmlesslyopenhisheartatlast。Inthedaysofherprosperity，Marian，Iwasonlytheteacherwhoguidedherhand——Iaskforit，inheradversity，asthehandofmywife！’
Marian’seyesmetmineaffectionately——Icouldsaynomore。Myheartwasfull，mylipsweretrembling。InspiteofmyselfIwasindangerofappealingtoherpity。Igotuptoleavetheroom。Sheroseatthesamemoment，laidherhandgentlyonmyshoulder，andstoppedme。
`Walter！’shesaid，`Ioncepartedyouboth，foryourgoodandforhers。
Waithere，mybrother！——wait，mydearest，bestfriend，tillLauracomes，andtellsyouwhatIhavedonenow！’
ForthefirsttimesincethefarewellmorningatLimmeridgeshetouchedmyforeheadwithherlips。Ateardroppedonmyfaceasshekissedme。
Sheturnedquickly，PointedtothechairfromwhichIhadrisen，andlefttheroom。
Isatdownaloneatthewindowtowaitthroughthecrisisofmylife。
Mymindinthatbreathlessintervalfeltlikeatotalblank。Iwasconsciousofnothingbutapainfulintensityofallfamiliarperceptions。Thesungrewblindingbright，thewhiteseabirdschasingeachotherfarbeyondmeseemedtobeflittingbeforemyface，themellowmurmurofthewavesonthebeachwaslikethunderinmyears。
Thedooropened，andLauracameinalone。Soshehadenteredthebreakfast-roomatLimmeridgeHouseonthemorningwhenweparted。Slowlyandfalteringly，insorrowandinhesitation，shehadonceapproachedme。Nowshecamewiththehasteofhappinessinherfeet，withthelightofhappinessradiantinherface。Oftheirownaccordthosedeararmsclaspedthemselvesroundme，oftheirownaccordthesweetlipscametomeetmine。`Mydarling！’
shewhispered，`wemayownweloveeachothernow？’Herheadnestledwithatendercontentednessonmybosom。`Oh，’shesaidinnocently，`Iamsohappyatlast！’
Tendayslaterwewerehappierstill。Weweremarried。IIThecourseofthisnarrative，steadilyflowingon，bearsmeawayfromthemorning-timeofourmarriedlife，andcarriesmeforwardtotheend。
InafortnightmorewethreewerebackinLondon，andtheshadowwasstealingoverusofthestruggletocome。
MarianandIwerecarefultokeepLaurainignoranceofthecausethathadhurriedusback——thenecessityofmakingsureoftheCount。ItwasnowthebeginningofMay，andhistermofoccupationatthehouseinforestRoadexpiredinJune。Ifherenewedit(andIhadreasons，shortlytobementioned，foranticipatingthathewould)，Imightbecertainofhisnotescapingme。Butifbyanychancehedisappointedmyexpectationsandleftthecountry，thenIhadnotimetoloseinarmingmyselftomeethimasIbestmight。
Inthefirstfullnessofmynewhappiness，therehadbeenmomentswhenmyresolutionfaltered——momentswhenIwastemptedtobesafelycontent，nowthatthedearestaspirationofmylifewasfulfilledinthepossessionofLaura’slove。ForthefirsttimeIthoughtfaint-heartedlyofthegreatnessoftherisk，oftheadversechancesarrayedagainstme，ofthefairpromiseofournewlife，andoftheperilinwhichImightplacethehappinesswhichwehadsohardlyearned。Yes！letmeownithonestly。ForabrieftimeIwandered，inthesweetguidingoflove，farfromthepurposetowhichIhadbeentrueundersternerdisciplineandindarkerdays。InnocentlyLaurahadtemptedmeasidefromthehardpath——innocentlyshewasdestinedtoleadmebackagain。
