Marianwasatthestairheadwaitingforme。Shehadafoldedslipofpaperinherhand。
`Thelandlord’ssonhasbroughtthisforyou，’shesaid。`Hehasgotacabatthedoor——hesaysyouorderedhimtokeepitatyourdisposal。’
`Quiteright，Marian。Iwantthecab——Iamgoingoutagain。’
IdescendedthestairsasIspoke，andlookedintothesitting-roomtoreadtheslipofpaperbythelightonthetable。ItcontainedthesetwosentencesinPesca’shandwriting——
`Yourletterisreceived。IfIdon’tseeyoubeforethetimeyoumention，Iwillbreakthesealwhentheclockstrikes。’
Iplacedthepaperinmypocket-book，andmadeforthedoor。Marianmetmeonthethreshold，andpushedmehackintotheroom，wherethecandle-lightfellfullonmyface。Sheheldmebybothhands，andhereyesfastenedsearchinglyonmine。
`Isee！’shesaid，inaloweagerwhisper。`Youaretryingthelastchancetonight。’
`Yes，thelastchanceandthebest，’Iwhisperedback。
`Notalone！Oh，Walter，forGod’ssake，notalone！Letmegowithyou。
Don’trefusemebecauseI’monlyawoman。Imustgo！Iwillgo！I’llwaitoutsideinthecab！’
Itwasmyturnnowtoholdher。Shetriedtobreakawayfrommeandgetdownfirsttothedoor。
`Ifyouwanttohelpme，’Isaid，`stophereandsleepinmywife’sroomtonight。OnlyletmegoawaywithmymindeasyaboutLaura，andI
answerforeverythingelse。Come，Marian，givemeakiss，andshowthatyouhavethecouragetowaittillIcomeback。’
Idarednotallowhertimetosayawordmore。Shetriedtoholdmeagain。Iunclaspedherhands，andwasoutoftheroominamoment。Theboybelowheardmeonthestairs，andopenedthehall-door。Ijumpedintothecabbeforethedrivercouldgetoffthebox。`ForestRoad，StJohn’sWood，’Icalledtohimthroughthefrontwindow。`Doublefareifyougetthereinaquarterofanhour。’`I’lldoit，sir。’Ilookedatmywatch。
Eleveno’clock。Notaminutetolose。
Therapidmotionofthecab，thesensethateveryinstantnowwasbringingmenearertotheCount，theconvictionthatIwasembarkedatlast，withoutletorhindrance，onmyhazardousenterprise，heatedmeintosuchafeverofexcitementthatIshoutedtothemantogofasterandfaster。Asweleftthestreets，andcrossedStJohn’sWoodRoad，myimpatiencesocompletelyoverpoweredmethatIstoodupinthecabandstretchedmyheadoutofthewindow，toseetheendofthejourneybeforewereachedit。Justasachurchclockinthedistancestruckthequarterpast，weturnedintotheForestRoad。IstoppedthedriveralittleawayfromtheCount’shouse，paidanddismissedhim，andwalkedontothedoor。
AsIapproachedthegardengate，Isawanotherpersonadvancingtowardsitalsofromthedirectionoppositetomine。Wemetunderthegaslampintheroad，andlookedateachother。Iinstantlyrecognisedthelight-hairedforeignerwiththescaronhischeek，andithoughtherecognisedme。Hesaidnothing，andinsteadofstoppingatthehouse，asIdid，heslowlywalkedon。WasheintheForestRoadbyaccident？OrhadhefollowedtheCounthomefromtheOpera？
Ididnotpursuethosequestions。Afterwaitingalittletilltheforeignerhadslowlypassedoutofsight，Irangthegatebell。Itwasthentwentyminutespasteleven——lateenoughtomakeitquiteeasyfortheCounttogetridofmebytheexcusethathewasinbed。
Theonlywayofprovidingagainstthiscontingencywastosendinmynamewithoutaskinganypreliminaryquestions，andtolethimknow，atthesametime，thatIhadaseriousmotiveforwishingtoseehimatthatlatehour。Accordingly，whileIwaswaiting，Itookoutmycardandwroteundermyname`Onimportantbusiness。’Themaid-servantansweredthedoorwhileIwaswritingthelastwordinpencil，andaskedmedistrustfullywhatI`pleasedtowant。’
`Besogoodastotakethattoyourmaster，’Ireplied，givingherthecard。
Isaw，bythegirl’shesitationofmanner，thatifIhadaskedfortheCountinthefirstinstanceshewouldonlyhavefollowedherinstructionsbytellingmehewasnotathome。ShewasstaggeredbytheconfidencewithwhichIgaveherthecard。Afterstaringatme，ingreatperturbation，shewentbackintothehousewithmymessage，closingthedoor，andleavingmetowaitinthegarden。
Inaminuteorsoshereappeared。`Hermaster’scompliments，andwouldIbesoobligingastosaywhatmybusinesswas？’`Takemycomplimentshack，’Ireplied，`andsaythatthebusinesscannotbementionedtoanyonebutyourmaster。’Sheleftmeagain，againreturned，andthistimeaskedmetowalkin。
Ifollowedheratonce。InanothermomentIwasinsidetheCount’shouse。
Therewasnolampinthehall，butbythedimlightofthekitchencandle，whichthegirlhadbroughtupstairswithher，Isawanelderlyladystealnoiselesslyoutofabackroomonthegroundfloor。ShecastoneviperishlookatmeasIenteredthehall，butsaidnothing，andwentslowlyupstairswithoutreturningmybow。MyfamiliaritywithMarian’sjournalsufficientlyassuredmethattheelderlyladywasMadameFosco。
TheservantledmetotheroomwhichtheCountesshadjustleft。Ienteredit，andfoundmyselffacetofacewiththeCount。
Hewasstillinhiseveningdress，excepthiscoat，whichhehadthrownacrossachair。Hisshirt-sleeveswereturnedupatthewrists，butnohigher。Acarpet-bagwasononesideofhim，andaboxontheother。Books，papers，andarticlesofwearingapparelwerescatteredabouttheroom。
Onatable，atonesideofthedoor，stoodthecage，sowellknowntomebydescription，whichcontainedhiswhitemice。Thecanariesandthecockatoowereprobablyinsomeotherroom。Hewasseatedbeforethebox，packingit，whenIwentin，androsewithsomepapersinhishandtoreceiveme。
HisfacestillbetrayedplaintracesoftheshockthathadoverwhelmedhimattheOpera。Hisfatcheekshungloose，hiscoldgreyeyeswerefurtivelyvigilant，hisvoice，look，andmannerwereallsharPlysuspiciousalike，asheadvancedasteptomeetme，andrequested，withdistantcivility，thatIwouldtakeachair。
`Youcomehereonbusiness，sir？’hesaid。`Iamatalosstoknowwhatthatbusinesscanpossiblybe。’
Theunconcealedcuriosity，withwhichhelookedhardinmyfacewhilehespoke，convincedmethatIhadpassedunnoticedbyhimattheOpera。
HehadseenPescafirst，andfromthatmomenttillheleftthetheatrehehadevidentlyseennothingelse。MynamewouldnecessarilysuggesttohimthatIhadnotcomeintohishousewithotherthanahostilepurposetowardshimself，butheappearedtobeutterlyignorantthusfaroftherealnatureofmyerrand。
`Iamfortunateinfindingyouheretonight，’Isaid。`Youseemtobeonthepointoftakingajourney？’
`Isyourbusinessconnectedwithmyjourney？’
`Insomedegree。’
`Inwhatdegree？DoyouknowwhereIamgoingto？’
`No。IonlyknowwhyyouareleavingLondon。’
Heslippedbymewiththequicknessofthought，lockedthedoor，andputthekeyinhispocket。
`YouandI，MrHartright，areexcellentlywellacquaintedwithoneanotherbyreputation，’hesaid。`Didit，byanychance，occurtoyouwhenyoucametothishousethatIwasnotthesortofmanyoucouldtriflewith？’
`Itdidoccurtome，’Ireplied。`AndIhavenotcometotriflewithyou。Iamhereonamatteroflifeanddeath，andifthatdoorwhichyouhavelockedwasopenatthismoment，nothingyoucouldsayordowouldinducemetopassthroughit。’
Iwalkedfartherintotheroom，andstoodoppositetohimontherugbeforethefireplace。Hedrewachairinfrontofthedoor，andsatdownonit，withhisleftarmrestingonthetable。Thecagewiththewhitemicewasclosetohim，andthelittlecreaturesscamperedoutoftheirsleeping-placeashisheavyarmshookthetable，andpeeredathimthroughthegapsinthesmartlypaintedwires。
`Onamatterof-lifeanddeath，’herepeatedtohimself。`Thosewordsaremoreserious，perhaps，thanyouthink。Whatdoyoumean？’
`WhatIsay。’
Theperspirationbrokeoutthicklyonhisbroadforehead。Hislefthandstoleovertheedgeofthetable。Therewasadrawerinit，withalock，andthekeywasinthelock。Hisfingerandthumbclosedoverthekey，butdidnotturnit。
`SoyouknowwhyIamleavingLondon？’hewenton。`Tellmethereason，ifyouplease。’Heturnedthekey，andunlockedthedrawerashespoke。
`Icandobetterthanthat，’Ireplied。`Icanshowyouthereason，ifyoulike。’
`Howcanyoushowit？’
`Youhavegotyourcoatoff，’Isaid。`Rolluptheshirtsleeveonyourleftarm，andyouwillseeitthere。’
ThesamelividleadenchangepassedoverhisfacewhichIhadseenpassoveritatthetheatre。Thedeadlyglitterinhiseyesshonesteadyandstraightintomine。Hesaidnothing。Buthislefthandslowlyopenedthetable-drawer，andsoftlyslippedintoit。Theharshgratingnoiseofsomethingheavythathewasmovingunseentomesoundedforamoment，thenceased。
ThesilencethatfollowedwassointensethatthefainttickingnibbleofthewhitemiceattheirwireswasdistinctlyaudiblewhereIstood。
Mylifehungbyathread，andIknewit。AtthatfinalmomentIthoughtwithhismind，Ifeltwithhisfingers——IwasascertainasifIhadseentoitwhathekepthiddenfrommeinthedrawer。
