Thepensplutteredagain，andtheflourishwasattachedtohissignature。
`Count！youhavenotincludedthemice，’saidMadameFosco。
Heleftthetable，tookherhand，andplaceditonhisheart。
`Allhumanresolution，Eleanor，’hesaidsolemnly，`hasitslimits。
MylimitsareinscribedinthatDocument。Icannotpartwithmywhitemice。
Bearwithme，myangel，andremovethemtotheirtravellingcageupstairs。’
`Admirabletenderness！’saidMadameFosco，admiringherhusband，withalastviperishlookinmydirection。Shetookupthecagecarefully，andlefttheroom。
TheCountlookedathiswatch。Inspiteofhisresoluteassumptionofcomposure，hewasgettinganxiousfortheagent’sarrival。Thecandleshadlongsincebeenextinguished，andthesunlightofthenewmorningpouredintotheroom。Itwasnottillfiveminutespastseventhatthegatebellrang，andtheagentmadehisappearance。Hewasaforeignerwithadarkbeard。
`MrHartright——MonsieurRubelle，’saidtheCount，introducingus。
Hetooktheagent(aforeignspy，ineverylineofhisface，ifevertherewasoneyet)intoacorneroftheroom，whisperedsomedirectionstohim，andthenleftustogether。`MonsieurRubelle，’assoonaswewerealone，suggestedwithgreatpolitenessthatIshouldfavourhimwithhisinstructions。
IwrotetwolinestoPesca，authorisinghimtodelivermysealedletter`tothebearer，’directedthenote，andhandedittoMonsieurRubelle。
Theagentwaitedwithmetillhisemployerreturned，equippedintravellingcostume。TheCountexaminedtheaddressofmyletterbeforehedismissedtheagent。`Ithoughtso！’hesaid，turningonmewithadarklook，andalteringagaininhismannerfromthatmoment。
Hecompletedhispacking，andthensatconsultingatravellingmap，makingentriesinhispocket-book，andlookingeverynowandthenimpatientlyathiswatch。Notanotherword，addressedtomyself，passedhislips。Thenearapproachofthehourforhisdeparture，andtheproofhehadseenofthecommunicationestablishedbetweenPescaandmyself，hadplainlyrecalledhiswholeattentiontothemeasuresthatwerenecessaryforsecuringhisescape。
Alittlebeforeeighto’clock，MonsieurRubellecamebackwithmyunopenedletterinhishand。TheCountlookedcarefullyatthesuperscriptionandtheseal，litacandle，andburnttheletter。`Iperformmypromise，’hesaid，`butthismatter，MrHartright，shallnotendhere。’
Theagenthadkeptatthedoorthecabinwhichhehadreturned。Heandthemaid-servantnowbusiedthemselvesinremovingtheluggage。MadameFoscocamedownstairs，thicklyveiled，withthetravellingcageofthewhitemiceinherhand。Sheneitherspoketomenorlookedtowardsme。
Herhusbandescortedhertothecab。`Followmeasfarasthepassage，’
hewhisperedinmyear；`Imaywanttospeaktoyouatthelastmoment。’
Iwentouttothedoor，theagentstandingbelowmeinthefrontgarden。
TheCountcamebackalone，anddrewmeafewstepsinsidethepassage。
`RemembertheThirdcondition！’hewhispered。`Youshallhearfromme，MrHartright——Imayclaimfromyouthesatisfactionofagentlemansoonerthanyouthinkfor。’HecaughtmyhandbeforeIwasawareofhim，andwrungIthard——thenturnedtothedoor，stopped，andcamebacktomeagain。
`Onewordmore，’hesaidconfidentially。`WhenIlastsawMissHalcombe，shelookedthinandill。Iamanxiousaboutthatadmirablewoman。Takecareofher，sir！Withmyhandonmyheart，Isolemnlyimploreyou，takecareofMissHalcombe！’
Thosewerethelastwordshesaidtomebeforehesqueezedhishugebodyintothecabanddroveoff。
TheagentandIwaitedatthedoorafewmomentslookingafterhim。
Whilewewerestandingtogether，asecondcabappearedfromaturningalittlewaydowntheroad。ItfollowedthedirectionpreviouslytakenbytheCount’scab，andasitpassedthehouseandtheopengardengate，apersoninsidelookedatusoutofthewindow。ThestrangerattheOperaagain！——theforeignerwithascaronhisleftcheek。
`Youwaitherewithme，sir，forhalfanhourmore！’saidMonsieurRubelle。
`Ido。’
Wereturnedtothesitting-room。Iwasinnohumourtospeaktotheagent，ortoallowhimtospeaktome。ItookoutthepaperswhichtheCounthadplacedinmyhands，andreadtheterriblestoryoftheconspiracytoldbythemanwhohadplannedandperpetratedit。
[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter40[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter40THESTORYCONTINUEDBYISIDOR，OTTAVIO，BALDASSAREFOSCO(CountoftheHolyRomanEmpire，KnightGrandCrossoftheOrderoftheBrazenCrown，PerpetualArch-MasteroftheRosicrucianMasonsofMesopotamia；Attached(inHonoraryCapacities)toSocietiesMusical，SocietiesMedical，SocietiesPhilosophical，andSocietiesGeneralBenevolent，throughoutEurope；etc。
etc。etc。)THECOUNT’SNARRATIVEINthesummerofeighteenhundredandfiftyIarrivedinEngland，chargedwithadelicatepoliticalmissionfromabroad。Confidentialpersonsweresemi-officiallyconnectedwithme，whoseexertionsIwasauthorisedtodirect，MonsieurandMadameRubellebeingamongthenumber。Someweeksofsparetimewereatmydisposal，beforeIenteredonmyfunctionsbyestablishingmyselfinthesuburbsofLondon。Curiositymaystopheretoaskforsomeexplanationofthosefunctionsonmypart。Ientirelysympathisewiththerequest。Ialsoregretthatdiplomaticreserveforbidsmetocomplywithit。
Iarrangedtopassthepreliminaryperiodofrepose，towhichIhavejustreferred，inthesuperbmansionofmylatelamentedfriend，SirPercivalGlyde。HearrivedfromtheContinentwithhiswife。IarrivedfromtheContinentwithme。Englandisthelandofdomestichappiness——
howappropriatelyweentereditunderthesedomesticcircumstances！
ThebondoffriendshipwhichunitedPercivalandmyselfwasstrengthened，onthisoccasion，byatouchingsimilarityinthepecuniarypositiononhissideandonmine。Webothwantedmoney。Immensenecessity！Universalwant！Isthereacivilisedhumanbeingwhodoesnotfeelforus？Howinsensiblemustthatmanbe！Orhowrich！
Ienterintonosordidparticulars，indiscussingthispartofthesubject。
Mymindrecoilsfromthem。WithaRomanausterity，IshowmyemptypurseandPercival’stotheshrinkingpublicgaze。Letusallowthedeplorablefacttoassertitself，onceforall，inthatmanner，andpasson。
Wewerereceivedatthemansionbythemagnificentcreaturewhoisinscribedonmyheartas`Marian，’whoisknowninthecolderatmosphereofsocietyas`MissHalcombe。’
rustHeavenIwithwhatinconceivablerapidityIlearnttoadorethatwoman。Atsixty，Iworshippedherwiththevolcanicardourofeighteen。
Allthegoldofmyrichnaturewaspouredhopelesslyatherfeet。Mywife——poorangel！——mywife，whoadoresme，gotnothingbuttheshillingsandthepennies。SuchistheWorld，suchMan，suchLove。Whatarewe(I
ask)butpuppetsinashow-box？Oh，omnipotentDestiny，pullourstringsgentlyIDanceusmercifullyoffourmiserablelittlestage！
Theprecedinglines，rightlyunderstood，expressanentiresystemofphilosophy。Itismine。
Iresume。
ThedomesticpositionatthecommencementofourresidenceatBlackwaterParkhasbeendrawnwithamazingaccuracy，withprofoundmentalinsight，bythehandofMarianherself。(PassmetheintoxicatingfamiliarityofmentioningthissublimecreaturebyherChristianname。)Accurateknowledgeofthecontentsofherjournal——towhichIobtainedaccessbyclandestinemeans，unspeakablyprecioustomeintheremembrance——warnsmyeagerpenfromtopicswhichthisessentiallyexhaustivewomanhasalreadymadeherown。
Theinterests——interests，breathlessandimmenseI——withwhichI
amhereconcernedbeginwiththedeplorablecalamityofMarian’sillness。
Thesituationatthisperiodwasemphaticallyaseriousone。Largesumsofmoney，dueatacertaintime，werewantedbyPercival(Isaynothingofthemodicumequallynecessarytomyself)，andtheonesourcetolooktoforsupplyingthemwasthefortuneofhiswife，ofwhichnotonefarthingwasathisdisposaluntilherdeath。Badsofar，andworsestillfartheron。Mylamentedfriendhadprivatetroublesofhisown，intowhichthedelicacyofmydisinterestedattachmenttohimforbademefrominquiringtoocuriously。Iknewnothingbutthatawoman，namedAnneCatherick，washiddenintheneighbourhood，thatshewasincommunicationwithLadyGlyde，andthatthedisclosureofasecret，whichwouldbethecertainruinofPercival，mightbetheresult。Hehadtoldmehimselfthathewasalostman，unlesshiswifewassilenced，andunlessAnneCatherickwasfound。
Ifhewasalostman，whatwouldbecomeofourpecuniaryinterests？CourageousasIambynature，Iabsolutelytrembledattheidea！
ThewholeforceofmyintelligencewasnowdirectedtothefindingofAnneCatherick。Ourmoneyaffairs，importantastheywere，admittedofdelay——butthenecessityofdiscoveringthewomanadmittedofnone。I
onlyknewherbydescription，aspresentinganextraordinarypersonalresemblancetoLadyGlyde。Thestatementofthiscuriousfact——intendedmerelytoassistmeinidentifyingthepersonofwhomwewereinsearch——whencoupledwiththeadditionalinformationthatAnneCatherickhadescapedfromamad-house，startedthefirstimmenseconceptioninmymind，whichsubsequentlyledtosuchamazingresults。Thatconceptioninvolvednothinglessthanthecompletetransformationoftwoseparateidentities。LadyGlydeandAnneCatherickweretochangenames，places，anddestinies，theonewiththeother——theprodigiousconsequencescontemplatedbythechangebeingthegainofthirtythousandpounds，andtheeternalpreservationofSirPercival’ssecret。
