OnleavingthecourtaletterfromMrDawsonwasputintomyhand。Itinformedmethathewasabsentonprofessionalduty，anditreiteratedtheofferIhadalreadyreceivedfromhimofanyassistancewhichImightrequireathishands。Iwroteback，warmlyacknowledgingmyobligationstohiskindness，andapologisingfornotexpressingmythankspersonally，inconsequenceofmyimmediaterecallonpressingbusinesstotown。
　　HalfanhourlaterIwasspeedingbacktoLondonbytheexpresstrain。
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter37[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter37XIIItwasbetweennineandteno’clockbeforeIreachedFulham，andfoundmywaytoGower’sWalk。
　　BothLauraandMariancametothedoortoletmein。Ithinkwehadhardlyknownhowclosethetiewaswhichboundusthreetogether，untiltheeveningcamewhichunitedusagain。Wemetasifwehadbeenpartedformonthsinsteadofforafewdaysonly。Marian’sfacewassadlywornandanxious。IsawwhohadknownallthedangerandborneallthetroubleinmyabsencethemomentIlookedather。Laura’sbrighterlooksandbetterspiritstoldmehowcarefullyshehadbeensparedallknowledgeofthedreadfuldeathatWelmingham，andofthetruereasonofourchangeofabode。
　　Thestiroftheremovalseemedtohavecheeredandinterestedher。SheonlyspokeofitasahappythoughtofMarian’stosurprisemeonmyreturnwiththechangefromtheclose，noisystreettothepleasantneighbourhoodoftreesandfieldsandtheriver。Shewasfullofprojectsforthefuture——ofthedrawingsshewastofinish——ofthepurchasersIhadfoundinthecountrywhoweretobuythem——oftheshillingsandsixpencesshehadsaved，tillherpursewassoheavythatsheproudlyaskedmetoweighitinmyownhand。ThechangeforthebetterwhichhadbeenwroughtinherduringthefewdaysofmyabsencewasasurprisetomeforwhichI
　　wasquiteunprepared——andforalltheunspeakablehappinessofseeingit，IwasindebtedtoMarian’scourageandtoMarian’slove。
　　WhenLaurahadleftus，andwhenwecouldspeaktooneanotherwithoutrestraint，Itriedtogivesomeexpressiontothegratitudeandtheadmirationwhichfilledmyheart。Butthegenerouscreaturewouldnotwaittohearme。Thatsublimeself-forgetfulnessofwomen，whichyieldssomuchandaskssolittle，turnedallherthoughtsfromherselftome。
　　`Ihadonlyamomentleftbeforepost-time，’shesaid，`orIshouldhavewrittenlessabruptly。Youlookwornandweary，Walter。Iamafraidmylettermusthaveseriouslyalarmedyou？’
　　`Onlyatfirst，’Ireplied。`Mymindwasquieted，Marian，bymytrustinyou。WasIrightinattributingthissuddenchangeofplacetosomethreatenedannoyanceonthepartofCountFosco？’
　　`Perfectlyright，’shesaid。`Isawhimyesterday，andworsethanthat，Walter——Ispoketohim。’
　　`Spoketohim？Didheknowwherewelived？Didhecometothehouse？’
　　`Hedid。Tothehouse——butnotupstairs。Lauraneversawhim——Laurasuspectsnothing。Iwilltellyouhowithappened：thedanger，Ibelieveandhope，isovernow。Yesterday，Iwasinthesitting-room，atouroldlodgings。Laurawasdrawingatthetable，andIwaswalkingaboutandsettingthingstorights。Ipassedthewindow，andasIpassedit，lookedoutintothestreet。There，ontheoppositesideoftheway，IsawtheCount，withamantalkingtohim——’
　　`Didhenoticeyouatthewindow？’
　　`No——atleast，Ithoughtnot。Iwastooviolentlystartledtobequitesure。’
　　`Whowastheotherman？Astranger？’
　　`Notastranger，Walter。AssoonasIcoulddrawmybreathagain，I
　　recognisedhim。HewastheowneroftheLunaticAsylum。’
　　`WastheCountpointingoutthehousetohim？’
　　`No，theyweretalkingtogetherasiftheyhadaccidentallymetinthestreet。Iremainedatthewindowlookingatthemfrombehindthecurtain。
　　IfIhadturnedround，andifLaurahadseenmyfaceatthatmoment——
　　ThankGod，shewasabsorbedoverherdrawing！Theysoonparted。ThemanfromtheAsylumwentoneway，andtheCounttheother。Ibegantohopetheywereinthestreetbychance，tillIsawtheCountcomeback，stopoppositetousagain，takeouthiscard-caseandpencil，writesomething，andthencrosstheroadtotheshopbelowus。IranpastLaurabeforeshecouldseeme，andsaidIhadforgottensomethingupstairs。AssoonasI
　　wasoutoftheroomIwentdowntothefirstlandingandwaited——Iwasdeterminedtostophimifhetriedtocomeupstairs。Hemadenosuchattempt。
　　Thegirlfromtheshopcamethroughthedoorintothepassage，withhiscardinherhand——alargegiltcardwithhisname，andacoronetaboveit，andtheselinesunderneathinpencil：``Dearlady’’yes！thevillaincouldaddressmeinthatwaystill——``dearlady，oneword，Iimploreyou，onamatterserioustousboth。’’Ifonecanthinkatall，inseriousdifficulties，onethinksquickly。Ifeltdirectlythatitmightbeafatalmistaketoleavemyselfandtoleaveyouinthedark，wheresuchamanastheCountwasconcerned。Ifeltthatthedoubtofwhathemightdo，inyourabsence，wouldbetentimesmoretryingtomeifIdeclinedtoseehimthanifIconsented。``Askthegentlemantowaitintheshop，’’
　　Isaid。``Iwillbewithhiminamoment。’’Iranupstairsformybonnet，beingdeterminednottolethimspeaktomeindoors。Iknewhisdeepringingvoice，andIwasafraidLauramighthearit，evenintheshop。InlessthanaminuteIwasdownagaininthepassage，andhadopenedthedoorintothestreet。Hecameroundtomeetmefromtheshop。Therehewasindeepmourning，withhissmoothbowandhisdeadlysmile，andsomeidleboysandwomennearhim，staringathisgreatsize，hisfineblackclothes，andhislargecanewiththegoldknobtoit。AllthehorribletimeatBlackwatercamebacktomethemomentIseteyesonhim。Alltheoldloathingcreptandcrawledthroughme，whenhetookoffhishatwithaflourishandspoketome，asifwehadpartedonthefriendliesttermshardlyadaysince。’
　　`Yourememberwhathesaid？’
　　`Ican’trepeatit，Walter。Youshallknowdirectlywhathesaidaboutyou——butIcan’trepeatwhathesaidtome。Itwasworsethanthepoliteinsolenceofhisletter。Myhandstingledtostrikehim，asifIhadbeenaman！Ionlykeptthemquietbytearinghiscardtopiecesundermyshawl。Withoutsayingawordonmyside，IwalkedawayfromthehouseforfearofLauraseeingus，andhefollowed，protestingsoftlyalltheway。InthefirstbystreetIturned，andaskedhimwhathewantedwithme。Hewantedtwothings。First，ifIhadnoobjection，toexpresshissentiments。Ideclinedtohearthem。Secondly，torepeatthewarninginhisletter。Iasked，whatoccasiontherewasforrepeatingit。Hebowedandsmiled，andsaidhewouldexplain。TheexplanationexactlyconfirmedthefearsIexpressedbeforeyouleftus。Itoldyou，ifyouremember，thatSirPercivalwouldbetooheadstrongtotakehisfriend’sadvicewhereyouwereconcerned，andthattherewasnodangertobedreadedfromtheCounttillhisowninterestswerethreatened，andhewasrousedintoactingforhimself？’
　　`Irecollect，Marian。’
　　`Well，soithasreallyturnedout。TheCountofferedhisadvice，butitwasrefused。SirPercivalwouldonlytakecounselofhisownviolence，hisownobstinacy，andhisownhatredofyou。TheCountlethimhavehisway，firstprivatelyascertaining，incaseofhisowninterestsbeingthreatenednext，wherewelived。Youwerefollowed，Walter，onreturninghere，afteryourfirstjourneytoHampshire，bythelawyer’smenforsomedistancefromtherailway，andbytheCounthimselftothedoorofthehouse。Howhecontrivedtoescapebeingseenbyyouhedidnottellme，buthefoundusoutonthatoccasion，andinthatway。Havingmadethediscovery，hetooknoadvantageofittillthenewsreachedhimofSirPercival’sdeath，andthen，asItoldyou，heactedforhimself，becausehebelievedyouwouldnextproceedagainstthedeadman’spartnerintheconspiracy。HeatoncemadehisarrangementstomeettheowneroftheAsyluminLondon，andtotakehimtotheplacewherehisrunawaypatientwashidden，believingthattheresults，whicheverwaytheyended，wouldbetoinvolveyouininterminablelegaldisputesanddifficulties，andtotieyourhandsforallpurposesofoffence，sofarashewasconcerned。Thatwashispurpose，onhisownconfessiontome。Theonlyconsiderationwhichmadehimhesitate，atthelastmoment——’
　　`Yes？’
　　`Itishardtoacknowledgeit，Walter，andyetImust。Iwastheonlyconsideration。NowordscansayhowdegradedIfeelinmyownestimationwhenIthinkofit，buttheoneweakpointinthatman’sironcharacteristhehorribleadmirationhefeelsforme。Ihavetried，forthesakeofmyownself-respect，todisbelieveitaslongasIcould；
　　buthislooks，hisactions，forceonmetheshamefulconvictionofthetruth。Theeyesofthatmonsterofwickednessmoistenedwhilehewasspeakingtome——theydid，Walter！Hedeclaredthatatthemomentofpointingoutthehousetothedoctor，hethoughtofmymiseryifIwasseparatedfromLaura，ofmyresponsibilityifIwascalledontoanswerforeffectingherescape，andheriskedtheworsethatyoucoulddotohim，thesecondtime，formysake。AllheaskedwasthatIwouldrememberthesacrifice，andrestrainyourrashness，inmyowninterests——interestswhichhemightneverbeabletoconsultagain。Imadenosuchbargainwithhim——Iwouldhavediedfirst。Butbelievehimornot，whetheritistrueorfalsethathesentthedoctorawaywithanexcuse，onethingiscertain，Isawthemanleavehimwithoutsomuchasaglanceatourwindow，orevenatoursideoftheway。’
　　`Ibelieveit，Marian。Thebestmenarenotconsistentingood——whyshouldtheworstmenbeconsistentinevil？Atthesametime，Isuspecthimofmerelyattemptingtofrightenyou，bythreateningwhathecannotreallydo。Idoubthispowerofannoyingus，bymeansoftheowneroftheAsylum，nowthatSirPercivalisdead，andMrsCatherickisfreefromallcontrol。Butletmehearmore。WhatdidtheCountsayofme？’
　　`Hespokelastofyou。Hiseyesbrightenedandhardened，andhismannerchangedtowhatIrememberitinpasttimes——tothatmixtureofpitilessresolutionandmountebankmockerywhichmakesitsoimpossibletofathomhim。``WarnMrHartright！’’hesaidinhisloftiestmanner。``Hehasamanofbrainstodealwith，amanwhosnapshisbigfingersatthelawsandconventionsofsociety，whenhemeasureshimselfwithME。Ifmylamentedfriendhadtakenmyadvice，thebusinessoftheinquestwouldhavebeenwiththebodyofMrHartright。Butmylamentedfriendwasobstinate。See！
　　Imournhisloss——inwardlyinmysoul，outwardlyonmyhat。ThistrivialcrapeexpressessensibilitieswhichIsummonMrHartrighttorespect。Theymaybetransformedtoimmeasurableenmitiesifheventurestodisturbthem。