`Youareafraid？’
　　`DoIlookasifIwas？’
　　`YouareafraidofSirPercivalGlyde。’
　　`AmI？’
　　Hercolourwasrising，andherhandswereatworkagainsmoothinghergown。Ipressedthepointfartherandfartherhome，Iwentonwithoutallowingheramomentofdelay。
　　`SirPercivalhasahighpositionintheworld，’Isaid；`itwouldbenowonderifyouwereafraidofhim。SirPercivalisapowerfulman，abaronet，thepossessorofafineestate，thedescendantofagreatfamily——’
　　Sheamazedmebeyondexpressionbysuddenlyburstingoutlaughing。
　　`Yes，’sherepeated，intonesofthebitterest，steadiestcontempt。
　　`Abaronet，thepossessorofafineestate，thedescendantofagreatfamily。
　　Yes，indeed！agreatfamily——especiallybythemother’sside。’
　　Therewasnotimetoreflectonthewordsthathadjustescapedher，therewasonlytimetofeelthattheywerewellworththinkingoverthemomentIleftthehouse。
　　`Iamnotheretodisputewithyouaboutfamilyquestions，’Isaid。
　　`IknownothingofSirPercival’smother——’
　　`AndyouknowaslittleofSirPercivalhimself，’sheinterposedsharply，`Iadviseyounottobetoosureofthat，’Irejoined。`Iknowsomethingsabouthim，andIsuspectmanymore。’
　　`Whatdoyoususpect？’
　　`I’lltellyouwhatIdon’tsuspect。Idon’tsuspecthimofbeingAnne’sfather。’
　　Shestartedtoherfeet，andcamecloseuptomewithalookoffury。
　　`HowdareyoutalktomeaboutAnne’sfather！Howdareyousaywhowasherfather，orwhowasn’t！’shebrokeout，herfacequivering，hervoicetremblingwithpassion。
　　`ThesecretbetweenyouandSirPercivalisnotthatsecret，’Ipersisted。
　　`ThemysterywhichdarkensSirPercival’slifewasnotbornwithyourdaughter’sbirth，andhasnotdiedwithyourdaughter’sdeath。’
　　Shedrewbackastep。`Go！’shesaid，andpointedsternlytothedoor。
　　`Therewasnothoughtofthechildinyourheartorinhis，’Iwenton，determinedtopressherbacktoherlastdefences。`Therewasnobondofguiltylovebetweenyouandhimwhenyouheldthosestolenmeetings，whenyourhusbandfoundyouwhisperingtogetherunderthevestryofthechurch。’
　　Herpointinghandinstantlydroppedtoherside，andthedeepflushofangerfadedfromherfacewhileIspoke。Isawthechangepassoverher——Isawthathard，firm，fearless，self-possessedwomanquailunderaterrorwhichherutmostresolutionwasnotstrongenoughtoresistwhenIsaidthosefivelastwords，`thevestryofthechurch。’
　　Foraminuteormorewestoodlookingateachotherinsilence。Ispokefirst。
　　`Doyoustillrefusetotrustme？’Iasked。
　　Shecouldnotcallthecolourthathadleftitbacktoherface，butshehadsteadiedhervoice，shehadrecoveredthedefiantself-possessionofhermannerwhensheansweredme。
　　`Idorefuse，’shesaid。
　　`Doyoustilltellmetogo？’
　　`Yes。Go——andnevercomeback。’
　　Iwalkedtothedoor，waitedamomentbeforeIopenedit，andturnedroundtolookatheragain。
　　`ImayhavenewstobrineyouofSirPercivalwhichyoudon’texpect，’
　　Isaid，`andinthatcaseIshallcomeback。’
　　`ThereisnonewsofSirPercivalthatIdon’texpect，except——’
　　Shestopped，herpalefacedarkened，andshestolebackwithaquiet，stealthy，cat-likesteptoherchair。
　　`Exceptthenewsofhisdeath，’shesaid，sittingdownagain，withthemockeryofasmilejusthoveringonhercruellips，andthefurtivelightofhatredlurkingdeepinhersteadyeyes。
　　AsIopenedthedooroftheroomtogoout，shelookedroundatmequickly。
　　Thecruelsmileslowlywidenedherlips——sheeyedme，withastrangestealthyinterest，fromheadtofoot——anunutterableexpectationshoweditselfwickedlyalloverherface。Wasshespeculating，inthesecrecyofherownheart，onmyyouthandstrength，ontheforceofmysenseofinjuryandthelimitsofmyself-control，andwassheconsideringthelengthstowhichtheymightcarryme，ifSirPercivalandIeverchancedtomeet？
　　Thebaredoubtthatitmightbesodrovemefromherpresence，andsilencedeventhecommonformsoffarewellonmylips。Withoutawordmore，onmysideoronhers，Ilefttheroom。
　　AsIopenedtheouterdoor，Isawthesameclergymanwhohadalreadypassedthehouseonce，abouttopassitagain，onhiswaybackthroughthesquare。Iwaitedonthedoor-steptolethimgoby，andlookedround，asIdidso，attheparlourwindow。
　　MrsCatherickhadheardhisfootstepsapproaching，inthesilenceofthatlonelyplace，andshewasonherfeetatthewindowagain，waitingforhim。NotallthestrengthofalltheterriblepassionsIhadrousedinthatwoman’sheart，couldloosenherdesperateholdontheonefragmentofsocialconsiderationwhichyearsofresoluteefforthadjustdraggedwithinhergrasp。Thereshewasagain，notaminuteafterIhadlefther，placedpurposelyinapositionwhichmadeitamatterofcommoncourtesyonthepartoftheclergymantobowtoherforasecondtime。Heraisedhishatoncemore。Isawthehardghastlyfacebehindthewindowsoften，andlightupwithgratifiedpride——Isawtheheadwiththegrimblackcapbendceremoniouslyinreturn。Theclergymanhadbowedtoher，andinmypresence，twiceinoneday！
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter33[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter33VIIIIleftthehouse，feelingthatMrsCatherickhadhelpedmeastepforward，inspiteofherself。BeforeIhadreachedtheturningwhichledoutofthesquare，myattentionwassuddenlyarousedbythesoundofaclosingdoorbehindme。
　　Ilookedround，andsawanundersizedmaninblackonthedoor-stepofahouse，which，aswellasIcouldjudge，stoodnexttoMrsCatherick’splaceofabode——nexttoit，onthesidenearesttome。Themandidnothesitateamomentaboutthedirectionheshouldtake。HeadvancedrapidlytowardstheturningatwhichIhadstopped。Irecognisedhimasthelawyer’sclerk，whohadprecededmeinmyvisittoBlackwaterPark，andwhohadtriedtopickaquarrelwithme，whenIaskedhimifIcouldseethehouse。
　　IwaitedwhereIwas，toascertainwhetherhisobjectwastocometoclosequartersandspeakonthisoccasion。Tomysurprisehepassedonrapidly，withoutsayingaword，withoutevenlookingupinmyfaceashewentby。ThiswassuchacompleteinversionofthecourseofproceedingwhichIhadeveryreasontoexpectonhispart，thatmycuriosity，orrathermysuspicion，wasaroused，andIdeterminedonmysidetokeephimcautiouslyinview，andtodiscoverwhatthebusinessmightbeinwhichhewasnowemployed。Withoutcaringwhetherhesawmeornot，Iwalkedafterhim。
　　Heneverlookedback，andheledmestraightthroughthestreetstotherailwaystation。
　　Thetrainwasonthepointofstarting，andtwoorthreepassengerswhowerelatewereclusteringroundthesmallopeningthroughwhichtheticketswereissued。Ijoinedthem，anddistinctlyheardthelawyer’sclerkdemandaticketfortheBlackwaterstation。IsatisfiedmyselfthathehadactuallyleftbythetrainbeforeIcameaway。
　　TherewasonlyoneinterpretationthatIcouldplaceonwhatIhadjustseenandheard。IhadunquestionablyobservedthemanleavingahousewhichcloselyadjoinedMrsCatherick’sresidence。Hehadbeenprobablyplacedthere，bySirPercival’sdirections，asalodger，inanticipationofmyinquiriesleadingme，soonerorlater，tocommunicatewithMrsCatherick。
　　Hehaddoubtlessseenmegoinandcomeout，andhehadhurriedawaybythefirsttraintomakehisreportatBlackwaterPark，towhichplaceSirPercivalwouldnaturallybetakehimselfknowingwhatheevidentlyknewofmymovements，inordertobereadyonthespot，ifIreturnedtoHampshire。
　　Beforemanydayswereover，thereseemedeverylikelihoodnowthatheandImightmeet。
　　Whateverresulteventsmightbedestinedtoproduce，Iresolvedtopursuemyowncourse，straighttotheendinview，withoutstoppingorturningasideforSirpercivalorforanyone。ThegreatresponsibilitywhichweighedonmeheavilyinLondon——theresponsibilityofsoguidingmyslightestactionsastopreventthemfromleadingaccidentallytothediscoveryofLaura’splaceofrefuge——wasremoved，nowthatIwasinHampshire。I
　　couldgoandcomeasIpleasedatWelmingham，andifIchancedtofailinobservinganynecessaryprecautions，theimmediateresults，atleast，wouldaffectnoonebutmyself。
　　WhenIleftthestationthewintereveningwasbeginningtoclosein。
　　Therewaslittlehopeofcontinuingmyinquiriesafterdarktoanyusefulpurposeinaneighbourhoodthatwasstrangetome。Accordingly，Imademywaytothenearesthotel，andorderedmydinnerandmybed。Thisdone，IwrotetoMarian，totellherthatIwassafeandwell，andthatIhadfairprospectsofsuccess。Ihaddirectedher，onleavinghome，toaddressthefirstlettershewrotetometheletterIexpectedtoreceivethenextmorningto`ThePost-Office，Welmingham，’andInowbeggedhertosendhersecondday’slettertothesameaddress。IcouldeasilyreceiveitbywritingtothepostmasterifIhappenedtobeawayfromthetownwhenitarrived。