Thecircumstanceswerenowexactlywhattheywererequiredtobe。LadyGlydewasconfinedtoherroombynervousillness，andthelumpishhousemaid(Iforgethername)wasshutupthereatnightinattendanceonhermistress。
Marian，thoughfastrecovering，stillkeptherbed，withMrsRubellefornurse。Nootherlivingcreaturesbutmywife，myself，andPercivalwereinthehouse。WithallthechancesthusinourfavourIconfrontedthenextemergency，andplayedthesecondmoveinthegame。
TheobjectofthesecondmovewastoinduceLadyGlydetoleaveBlackwaterunaccompaniedbyhersister。UnlesswecouldpersuadeherthatMarianhadgoneontoCumberlandfirst，therewasnochanceofremovingher，ofherownfreewill，fromthehouse。Toproducethisnecessaryoperationinhermind，weconcealedourinterestinginvalidinoneoftheuninhabitedbedroomsatBlackwater。AtthedeadofnightMadameFosco，MadameRubelle，andmyself(Percivalnotbeingcoolenoughtobetrusted)accomplishedtheconcealment。
Thescenewaspicturesque，mysterious，dramaticinthehighestdegree。
Bymydirectionsthebedhadbeenmade，inthemorning，onastrongmovableframeworkofwood。Wehadonlytolifttheframeworkgentlyattheheadandfoot，andtotransportourpatientwherewepleased，withoutdisturbingherselforherbed。Nochemicalassistancewasneededorusedinthiscase。
OurinterestingMarianlayinthedeepreposeofconvalescence。Weplacedthecandlesandopenedthedoorsbeforehand。I，inrightofmygreatpersonalstrength，tooktheheadoftheframework——mywifeandMadameRubelletookthefoot。Iboremyshareofthatinestimablypreciousburdenwithamanlytenderness，withafatherlycare。WhereisthemodernRembrandtwhocoulddepictourmidnightprocession？AlasfortheArts！alasforthismostpictorialofsubjects！ThemodernRembrandtisnowheretobefound。
ThenextmorningmywifeandIstartedforLondon，leavingMariansecluded，intheuninhabitedmiddleofthehouse，undercareofMadameRubelle，whokindlyconsentedtoimprisonherselfwithherpatientfortwoorthreedays。BeforetakingourdepartureIgavePercivalMrFairlie’sletterofinvitationtohisniece(instructinghertosleeponthejourneytoCumberlandatheraunt’shouse)，withdirectionstoshowittoLadyGlydeonhearingfromme。IalsoobtainedfromhimtheaddressoftheAsyluminwhichAnneCatherickhadbeenconfined，andalettertotheproprietor，announcingtothatgentlemanthereturnofhisrunawaypatienttomedicalcare。
Ihadarranged，atmylastvisittothemetropolis，tohaveourmodestdomesticestablishmentreadytoreceiveuswhenwearrivedinLondonbytheearlytrain。Inconsequenceofthiswiseprecaution，wewereenabledthatsamedaytoplaythethirdmoveinthegame——thegettingpossessionofAnneCatherick。
Datesareofimportancehere。IcombineinmyselftheoppositecharacteristicsofaManofSentimentandaManofBusiness。Ihaveallthedatesatmyfingers’ends。
OnWednesday，the24thofJuly1850，IsentmywifeinacabtoclearMrsClementsoutoftheway，inthefirstplace。AsupposedmessagefromLadyGlydeinLondonwassufficienttoobtainthisresult。MrsClementswastakenawayinthecab，andwasleftinthecab，whilemywife(onpretenceofpurchasingsomethingatashop)gavehertheslip，andreturnedtoreceiveherexpectedvisitoratourhouseinStJohn’sWood。Itishardlynecessarytoaddthatthevisitorhadbeendescribedtotheservantsas`LadyGlyde。’
InthemeanwhileIhadfollowedinanothercab，withanoteforAnneCatherick，merelymentioningthatLadyGlydeintendedtokeepMrsClementstospendthedaywithher，andthatshewastojointhemundercareofthegoodgentlemanwaitingoutside，whohadalreadysavedherfromdiscoveryinHampshirebySirPercival。The`goodgentleman’sentinthisnotebyastreetboy，andpausedforresultsadoorortwofartheron。AtthemomentwhenAnneappearedatthehousedoorandclosedit，thisexcellentmanhadthecabdooropenreadyforher，absorbedherintothevehicle，anddroveoff。
(Passme，here，oneexclamationinparenthesis。Howinterestingthisis！)
OnthewaytoForestRoadmycompanionshowednofear。Icanbepaternal——nomanmoreso——whenIplease，andIwasintenselypaternalonthisoccasion。WhattitlesIhadtoherconfidence！Ihadcompoundedthemedicinewhichhaddonehergood——IhadwarnedherofherdangerfromSirPercival。
Perhapsltrustedtooimplicitlytothesetitles——perhapsIunderratedthekeennessofthelowerinstinctsinpersonsofweakintellect——itiscertainthatIneglectedtopreparehersufficientlyforadisappointmentonenteringmyhouse。WhenItookherintothedrawing-room——whenshesawnoonepresentbutMadameFosco，whowasastrangertoher——sheexhibitedthemostviolentagitation；ifshehadscenteddangerintheair，asadogscentsthepresenceofsomecreatureunseen，heralarmcouldnothavedisplayeditselfmoresuddenlyandmorecauselessly。Iinterposedinvain。
ThefearfromwhichshewassufferingImighthavesoothed，buttheseriousheart-disease，underwhichshelaboured，wasbeyondthereachofallmoralpalliatives。Tomyunspeakablehorrorshewasseizedwithconvulsions——
ashocktothesystem，inhercondition，whichmighthavelaidherdeadatanymomentatourfeet。
Thenearestdoctorwassentfor，andwastoldthat`LadyGlyde’requiredhisimmediateservices。Tomyinfiniterelief，hewasacapableman。I
representedmyvisitortohimasapersonofweakintellect，andsubjecttodelusions，andIarrangedthatnonursebutmywifeshouldwatchinthesick-room。Theunhappywomanwastooill，however，tocauseanyanxietyaboutwhatshemightsay。TheonedreadwhichnowoppressedmewasthedreadthatthefalseLadyGlydemightdiebeforethetrueLadyGlydearrivedinLondon。
IhadwrittenanoteinthemorningtoMadameRubelle，tellinghertojoinmeatherhusband’shouseontheeveningofFridaythe26th，withanothernotetoPercival，warninghimtoshowhiswifeheruncle’sletterofinvitation，toassertthatMarianhadgoneonbeforeher，andtodespatchhertotownbythemiddaytrain，onthe26th，also。OnreflectionIhadfeltthenecessity，inAnneCatherick’sstateofhealth，ofprecipitatingevents，andofhavingLadyGlydeatmydisposalearlierthanIhadoriginallycontemplated。Whatfreshdirections，intheterribleuncertaintyofmyposition，couldInowissue？Icoulddonothingbuttrusttochanceandthedoctor。Myemotionsexpressedthemselvesinpatheticapostrophes，whichIwasjustself-possessedenoughtocouple，inthehearingofotherpeople，withthenameof`LadyGlyde。’InallotherrespectsFosco，onthatmemorableday，wasFoscoshroudedintotaleclipse。
Shepassedabadnight，sheawokewornout，butlaterinthedaysherevivedamazingly。Myelasticspiritsrevivedwithher。IcouldreceivenoanswersfromPercivalandMadameRubelletillthemorningofthenextday，the26th。Inanticipationoftheirfollowingmydirections，which，accidentapart，Iknewtheywoulddo，IwenttosecureaflytofetchLadyGlydefromtherailway，directingittobeatmyhouseonthe26th，attwoo’clock。Afterseeingtheorderenteredinthebook，IwentontoarrangematterswithMonsieurRubelle。Ialsoprocuredtheservicesoftwogentlemenwhocouldfurnishmewiththenecessarycertificatesoflunacy。OneofthemIknewpersonally——theotherwasknowntoMonsieurRubelle。Bothweremenwhosevigorousmindssoaredsuperiortonarrowscruples——bothwerelabouringundertemporaryembarrassments——bothbelievedinME。
Itwaspastfiveo’clockintheafternoonbeforeIreturnedfromtheperformanceoftheseduties。WhenIgotbackAnneCatherickwasdead。Deadonthe25th，andLadyGlydewasnottoarriveinLondontillthe26th！
Iwasstunned。Meditateonthat。Foscostunned！
Itwastoolatetoretraceoursteps。Beforemyreturnthedoctorhadofficiouslyundertakentosavemealltroublebyregisteringthedeath，onthedatewhenithappened，withhisownhand。Mygrandscheme，unassailablehitherto，haditsweakplacenow——noeffortsonmypartcouldalterthefataleventofthe25th。Iturnedmanfullytothefuture。Percival’sinterestsandminebeingstillatstake，nothingwasleftbuttoplaythegamethroughtotheend。Irecalledmyimpenetrablecalm——andplayedit。
Onthemorningofthe26thPercival’sletterreachedme，announcinghiswife’sarrivalbythemiddaytrain。MadameRubellealsowrotetosayshewouldfollowintheevening。Istartedinthefly，leavingthefalseLadyGlydedeadinthehouse，toreceivethetrueLadyGlydeonherarrivalbytherailwayatthreeo’clock。Hiddenundertheseatofthecarriage，IcarriedwithmealltheclothesAnneCatherickhadwornoncomingintomyhouse——theyweredestinedtoassisttheresurrectionofthewomanwhowasdeadinthepersonofthewomanwhowasliving。Whatasituation！
IsuggestittotherisingromancewritersofEngland。Iofferit，astotallynew，totheworn-outdramatistsofFrance。
LadyGlydewasatthestation。Therewasgreatcrowdingandconfusion，andmoredelaythanIliked(incaseanyofherfriendshadhappenedtobeonthespot)，inreclaimingherluggage。Herfistquestions，aswedroveoff，imploredmetotellhernewsofhersister。Iinventednewsofthemostpacifyingkind，assuringherthatshewasabouttoseehersisteratmyhouse。Myhouse，onthisoccasiononly，wasintheneighbourhoodofLeicesterSquare，andwasintheoccupationofMonsieurRubelle，whoreceivedusinthehall。
Itookmyvisitorupstairsintoabackroom，thetwomedicalgentlemenbeingthereinwaitingonthefloorbeneathtoseethepatient，andtogivemetheircertificates。AfterquietingLadyGlydebythenecessaryassurancesabouthersister，Iintroducedmyfriendsseparatelytoherpresence。Theyperformedtheformalitiesoftheoccasionbriefly，intelligently，conscientiously。Ienteredtheroomagainassoonastheyhadleftit，andatonceprecipitatedeventsbyareferenceofthealarmingkindto`MissHalcombe’s’stateofhealth。
ResultsfollowedasIhadanticipated。LadyGlydebecamefrightened，andturnedfaint。Forasecondtime，andthelast，IcalledSciencetomyassistance。Amedicatedglassofwaterandamedicatedbottleofsmelling-saltsrelievedherofallfurtherembarrassmentandalarm。Additionalapplicationslaterintheeveningprocuredhertheinestimableblessingofagoodnight’srest。MadameRubellearrivedintimetopresideatLadyGlyde’stoilet。
Herownclothesweretakenawayfromheratnight，andAnneCatherick’swereputonherinthemorning，withthestrictestregardtopropriety，bythematronlyhandsofthegoodRubelle。ThroughoutthedayIkeptourpatientinastateofpartially-suspendedconsciousness，untilthedexterousassistanceofmymedicalfriendsenabledmetoprocurethenecessaryorderratherearlierthanIhadventuredtohope。Thatevening(theeveningofthe27th)MadameRubelleandItookourrevived`AnneCatherick’totheAsylum。Shewasreceivedwithgreatsurprise，butwithoutsuspicion，thankstotheorderandcertificates，toPercival’sletter，tothelikeness，totheclothes，andtothepatient’sownconfusedmentalconditionatthetime。IreturnedatoncetoassistMadameFoscointhepreparationsfortheburialofthefalse`LadyGlyde，’havingtheclothesandluggageofthetrue`LadyGlyde’inmypossession。TheywereafterwardssenttoCumberlandbytheconveyancewhichwasusedforthefuneral。Iattendedthefuneral，withbecomingdignity，attiredinthedeepestmourning。
