IowedittoMariantoconsultherbeforeIspoketoLaura，andtobeguidedafterwardsbyheradvice。
　　OnthethirddayfromourarrivalIfoundafitopportunityofspeakingtoheralone。Themomentwelookedatoneanother，herquickinstinctdetectedthethoughtinmymindbeforeIcouldgiveitexpression。Withhercustomaryenergyanddirectnessshespokeatonce，andspokefirst。
　　`YouarethinkingofthatsubjectwhichwasmentionedbetweenusontheeveningofyourreturnfromHampshire，’shesaid。`Ihavebeenexpectingyoutoalludetoitforsometimepast。Theremustbeachangeinourlittlehousehold，Walter，wecannotgoonmuchlongeraswearenow。Iseeitasplainlyasyoudo——asplainlyasLauraseesit，thoughshesaysnothing。
　　HowstrangelytheoldtimesinCumberlandseemtohavecomeback！YouandIaretogetheragain，andtheonesubjectofinterestbetweenusisLauraoncemore。Icouldalmostfancythatthisroomisthesummer-houseatLimmeridge，andthatthosewavesbeyondusarebeatingonourseashore。’
　　`Iwasguidedbyyouradviceinthosepastdays，’Isaid，`andnow，Marian，withreliancetenfoldgreaterIwillbeguidedbyitagain。’
　　Sheansweredbypressingmyhand。Isawthatshewasdeeplytouchedbymyreferencetothepast。Wesattogethernearthewindow，andwhileIspokeandshelistened，welookedatthegloryofthesunlightshiningonthemajestyofthesea。
　　`Whateverconiesofthisconfidencebetweenus，’Isaid，`whetheritendshappilyorsorrowfullyforme，Laura’sinterestswillstillbetheinterestsofmylife。Whenweleavethisplace，onwhatevertermsweleaveit，mydeterminationtowrestfromCountFoscotheconfessionwhichIfailedtoobtainfromhisaccomPlice，goesbackwithmetoLondon，ascertainlyasIgobackmyself。NeitheryounorIcantellhowthatmanmayturnonme，ifIbringhimtobay；weonlyknow，byhisownwordsandactions，thatheiscapableofstrikingatmethroughLaura，withoutamoment’shesitation，oramoment’sremorse。InourpresentpositionIhavenoclaimonherwhichsocietysanctions，whichthelawallows，tostrengthenmeinresistinghim，andinprotectingher。Thisplacesmeataseriousdisadvantage。
　　IfIamtofightourcausewiththeCount，strongintheconsciousnessofLaura’ssafety，ImustfightitformyWife。Doyouagreetothat，Marian，sofar？’
　　`Toeverywordofit，’sheanswered。
　　`Iwillnotpleadoutofmyownheart，’Iwenton；`Iwillnotappealtothelovewhichhassurvivedallchangesandallshocks——Iwillrestmyonlyvindicationofmyselfforthinkingofher，andspeakingofherasmywife，onwhatIhavejustsaid。IfthechanceofforcingaconfessionfromtheCountis，asIbelieveittobe，thelastchanceleftofpubliclyestablishingthefactofLaura’sexistence，theleastselfishreasonthatIcanadvanceforourmarriageisrecognisedbyusboth。ButImaybewronginmyconviction——othermeansofachievingourpurposemaybeinourpower，whicharelessuncertainandlessdangerous。Ihavesearchedanxiously，inmyownmind，forthosemeans，andIhavenotfoundthem。Haveyou？’
　　`No。Ihavethoughtaboutittoo，andthoughtinvain。’
　　`Inalllikelihood，’Icontinued，`thesamequestionshaveoccurredtoyou，inconsideringthisdifficultsubject，whichhaveoccurredtome。
　　OughtwetoreturnwithhertoLimmeridge，nowthatsheislikeherselfagain，andtrusttotherecognitionofherbythepeopleofthevillage，orbythechildrenattheschool？Oughtwetoappealtothepracticaltestofherhandwriting？Supposewedidso。Supposetherecognitionofherobtained，andtheidentityofthehandwritingestablished。Wouldsuccessinboththosecasesdomorethansupplyanexcellentfoundationforatrialinacourtoflaw？WouldtherecognitionandthehandwritingproveheridentitytoMrFairlieandtakeherbacktoLimmeridgeHouse，againsttheevidenceofheraunt，againsttheevidenceofthemedicalcertificate，againstthefactofthefuneralandthefactoftheinscriptiononthetomb？No！Wecouldonlyhopetosucceedinthrowingaseriousdoubtontheassertionofherdeath，adoubtwhichnothingshortofalegalinquirycansettle。
　　Iwillassumethatwepossesswhatwehavecertainlynotgotmoneyenoughtocarrythisinquiryonthroughallitsstages。IwillassumethatMrFairlie’sprejudicesmightbereasonedaway——thatthefalsetestimonyoftheCountandhiswife，andalltherestofthefalsetestimony，mightbeconfuted——thattherecognitioncouldnotpossiblybeascribedtoamistakebetweenLauraandAnneCatherick，orthehandwritingbedeclaredbyourenemiestobeacleverfraud——alltheseareassumptionswhich，moreorless，setplainprobabilitiesatdefiance；butletthempass——
　　andletusaskourselveswhatwouldbethefirstconsequenceorthefirstquestionsputtoLauraherselfonthesubjectoftheconspiracy。Weknowonlytoowellwhattheconsequencewouldbe，forweknowthatshehasneverrecoveredhermemoryofwhathappenedtoherinLondon。Examineherprivately，orexamineherpublicly，sheisutterlyincapableofassistingtheassertionofherowncase。Ifyoudon’tseethis，Marian，asplainlyasIseeit，wewillgotoLimmeridgeandtrytheexperimenttomorrow。’
　　`Idoseeit，Walter。Evenifwehadthemeansofpayingallthelawexpenses，evenifwesucceededintheend，thedelayswouldbeunendurable，theperpetualsuspense，afterwhatwehavesufferedalready，wouldbeheartbreaking。
　　YouarerightaboutthehopelessnessofgoingtoLimmeridge。IwishIcouldfeelsurethatyouarerightalsoindeterminingtotrythatlastchancewiththeCount。Isitachanceatall？’
　　`Beyondadoubt，Yes。ItisthechanceofrecoveringthelostdateofLaura’sjourneytoLondon。WithoutreturningtothereasonsIgaveyousometimesince，Iamstillasfirmlypersuadedaseverthatthereisadiscrepancybetweenthedateofthatjourneyandthedateonthecertificateofdeath。Thereliestheweakpointofthewholeconspiracy——itcrumblestopiecesifweattackitinthatway，andthemeansofattackingitareinpossessionoftheCount。IfIsucceedinwrestingthemfromhim，theobjectofyourlifeandmineisfulfilled。IfIfail，thewrongthatLaurahassufferedwill，inthisworld，neverberedressed。’
　　`Doyoufearfailureyourself，Walter？’
　　`Idarenotanticipatesuccess，andforthatveryreason，Marian，I
　　speakopenlyandplainlyasIhavespokennow。InmyheartandmyconscienceIcansayit，Laura’shopesforthefutureareattheirlowestebb。Iknowthatherfortuneisgone——Iknowthatthelastchanceofrestoringhertoherplaceintheworldliesatthemercyofherworstenemy，ofamanwhoisnowabsolutelyunassailable，andwhomayremainunassailabletotheend。Witheveryworldlyadvantagegonefromher，withallprospectofrecoveringherrankandstationmorethandoubtful，withnoclearerfuturebeforeherthanthefuturewhichherhusbandcanprovide，thepoordrawing-mastermayharmlesslyopenhisheartatlast。Inthedaysofherprosperity，Marian，Iwasonlytheteacherwhoguidedherhand——Iaskforit，inheradversity，asthehandofmywife！’
　　Marian’seyesmetmineaffectionately——Icouldsaynomore。Myheartwasfull，mylipsweretrembling。InspiteofmyselfIwasindangerofappealingtoherpity。Igotuptoleavetheroom。Sheroseatthesamemoment，laidherhandgentlyonmyshoulder，andstoppedme。
　　`Walter！’shesaid，`Ioncepartedyouboth，foryourgoodandforhers。
　　Waithere，mybrother！——wait，mydearest，bestfriend，tillLauracomes，andtellsyouwhatIhavedonenow！’
　　ForthefirsttimesincethefarewellmorningatLimmeridgeshetouchedmyforeheadwithherlips。Ateardroppedonmyfaceasshekissedme。
　　Sheturnedquickly，PointedtothechairfromwhichIhadrisen，andlefttheroom。
　　Isatdownaloneatthewindowtowaitthroughthecrisisofmylife。
　　Mymindinthatbreathlessintervalfeltlikeatotalblank。Iwasconsciousofnothingbutapainfulintensityofallfamiliarperceptions。Thesungrewblindingbright，thewhiteseabirdschasingeachotherfarbeyondmeseemedtobeflittingbeforemyface，themellowmurmurofthewavesonthebeachwaslikethunderinmyears。
　　Thedooropened，andLauracameinalone。Soshehadenteredthebreakfast-roomatLimmeridgeHouseonthemorningwhenweparted。Slowlyandfalteringly，insorrowandinhesitation，shehadonceapproachedme。Nowshecamewiththehasteofhappinessinherfeet，withthelightofhappinessradiantinherface。Oftheirownaccordthosedeararmsclaspedthemselvesroundme，oftheirownaccordthesweetlipscametomeetmine。`Mydarling！’
　　shewhispered，`wemayownweloveeachothernow？’Herheadnestledwithatendercontentednessonmybosom。`Oh，’shesaidinnocently，`Iamsohappyatlast！’
　　Tendayslaterwewerehappierstill。Weweremarried。IIThecourseofthisnarrative，steadilyflowingon，bearsmeawayfromthemorning-timeofourmarriedlife，andcarriesmeforwardtotheend。
　　InafortnightmorewethreewerebackinLondon，andtheshadowwasstealingoverusofthestruggletocome。
　　MarianandIwerecarefultokeepLaurainignoranceofthecausethathadhurriedusback——thenecessityofmakingsureoftheCount。ItwasnowthebeginningofMay，andhistermofoccupationatthehouseinforestRoadexpiredinJune。IfhereneweditandIhadreasons，shortlytobementioned，foranticipatingthathewould，Imightbecertainofhisnotescapingme。Butifbyanychancehedisappointedmyexpectationsandleftthecountry，thenIhadnotimetoloseinarmingmyselftomeethimasIbestmight。
　　Inthefirstfullnessofmynewhappiness，therehadbeenmomentswhenmyresolutionfaltered——momentswhenIwastemptedtobesafelycontent，nowthatthedearestaspirationofmylifewasfulfilledinthepossessionofLaura’slove。ForthefirsttimeIthoughtfaint-heartedlyofthegreatnessoftherisk，oftheadversechancesarrayedagainstme，ofthefairpromiseofournewlife，andoftheperilinwhichImightplacethehappinesswhichwehadsohardlyearned。Yes！letmeownithonestly。ForabrieftimeIwandered，inthesweetguidingoflove，farfromthepurposetowhichIhadbeentrueundersternerdisciplineandindarkerdays。InnocentlyLaurahadtemptedmeasidefromthehardpath——innocentlyshewasdestinedtoleadmebackagain。