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。
　　Hetooktheagentaforeignspy，ineverylineofhisface，ifevertherewasoneyetintoacorneroftheroom，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，BALDASSAREFOSCOCountoftheHolyRomanEmpire，KnightGrandCrossoftheOrderoftheBrazenCrown，PerpetualArch-MasteroftheRosicrucianMasonsofMesopotamia；AttachedinHonoraryCapacitiestoSocietiesMusical，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。WhatareweI
　　askbutpuppetsinashow-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，werewantedbyPercivalIsaynothingofthemodicumequallynecessarytomyself，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。