MrFairlieregrettedthatthestateofhishealth，onthatparticularmorning，wassuchastoprecludeallhopeofhishavingthepleasureofreceivingme。Hebegged，therefore，thatIwouldaccepthisapologies，andkindlycommunicatewhatIhadtosayintheformofaletter。Similarmessagestothishadreachedme，atvariousintervals，duringmythreemonths’residenceinthehouse。ThroughoutthewholeofthatperiodMrFairliehadbeenrejoicedto`possess’me，buthadneverbeenwellenoughtoseemeforasecondtime。TheservanttookeveryfreshbatchofdrawingsthatImountedandrestoredbacktohismasterwithmy`respects，’andreturnedempty-handedwithMrFairlie’s`kindcompliments，’`bestthanks，’and`sincereregrets’
　　thatthestateofhishealthstillobligedhimtoremainasolitaryprisonerinhisownroom。Amoresatisfactoryarrangementtobothsidescouldnotpossiblyhavebeenadopted。Itwouldbehardtosaywhichofus，underthecircumstances，feltthemostgratefulsenseofobligationtoMrFairlie’saccommodatingnerves。
　　Isatdownatoncetowritetheletter，expressingmyselfinitascivilly，asclearly，andasbrieflyaspossible。MrFairliedidnothurryhisreply。
　　Nearlyanhourelapsedbeforetheanswerwasplacedinmyhands。Itwaswrittenwithbeautifulregularityandneatnessofcharacter，inviolet-colouredink，onnote-paperassmoothasivoryandalmostasthickascardboard，anditaddressedmeintheseterms——
　　`MrFairlie’scomplimentstoMrHartright。MrFairlieismoresurprisedanddisappointedthanhecansayinthepresentstateofhishealthbyMrHartright’sapplication。MrFairlieisnotamanofbusiness，buthehasconsultedhissteward，whois，andthatpersonconfirmsMrFairlie’sopinionthatMrHartright’srequesttobeallowedtobreakhisengagementcannotbejustifiedbyanynecessitywhatever，exceptingperhapsacaseoflifeanddeath。Ifthehighly-appreciativefeelingtowardsArtanditsprofessors，whichitistheconsolationandhappinessofMrFairlie’ssufferingexistencetocultivate，couldbeeasilyshaken，MrHartright’spresentproceedingwouldhaveshakenit。Ithasnotdoneso——exceptintheinstanceofMrHartrighthimself。
　　`Havingstatedhisopinion——sofar，thatistosay，asacutenervoussufferingwillallowhimtostateanything——MrFairliehasnothingtoaddbuttheexpressionofhisdecision，inreferencetothehighlyirregularapplicationthathasbeenmadetohim。Perfectreposeofbodyandmindbeingtothelastdegreeimportantinhiscase，MrFairliewillnotsufferMrHartrighttodisturbthatreposebyremaininginthehouseundercircumstancesofanessentiallyirritatingnaturetobothsides。Accordingly，MrFairliewaiveshisrightofrefusal，purelywithaviewtothepreservationofhisowntranquillity——andinformsMrHartrightthathemaygo。’
　　Ifoldedtheletterup，andputitawaywithmyotherpapers。ThetimehadbeenwhenIshouldhaveresenteditasaninsult——Iaccepteditnowasawrittenreleasefrommyengagement。Itwasoffmymind，itwasalmostoutofmymemory，whenIwentdownstairstothebreakfast-room，andinformedMissHalcombethatIwasreadytowalkwithhertothefarm。
　　`HasMrFairliegivenyouasatisfactoryanswer？’sheaskedasweleftthehouse。
　　`Hehasallowedmetogo，MissHalcombe。’
　　Shelookedupatmequickly，andthen，forthefirsttimesinceIhadknownher，tookmyarmofherownaccord。Nowordscouldhaveexpressedsodelicatelythatsheunderstoodhowthepermissiontoleavemyemploymenthadbeengranted，andthatshegavemehersympathy，notasmysuperior，butasmyfriend。Ihadnotfelttheman’sinsolentletter，butIfeltdeeplythewoman’satoningkindness。
　　OnourwaytothefarmwearrangedthatMissHalcombewastoenterthehousealone，andthatIwastowaitoutside，withincall。Weadoptedthismodeofproceedingfromanapprehensionthatmypresence，afterwhathadhappenedinthechurchyardtheeveningbefore，mighthavetheeffectofrenewingAnneCatherick’snervousdead，andofrenderingheradditionallydistrustfuloftheadvancesofaladywhowasastrangertoher。MissHalcombeleftme，withtheintentionofspeaking，inthefirstinstance，tothefarmer’swifeofwhosefriendlyreadinesstohelpherinanywayshewaswellassured，whileIwaitedforherinthenearneighbourhoodofthehouse。
　　Ihadfullyexpectedtobeleftaloneforsometime。Tomysurprise，however，littlemorethanfiveminuteshadelapsedbeforeMissHalcombereturned。
　　`DoesAnneCatherickrefusetoseeyou？’Iaskedinastonishment。
　　`AnneCatherickisgone，’repliedMissHalcombe。
　　`Gone？’
　　`GonewithMrsClements。Theybothleftthefarmateighto’clockthismorning。’
　　Icouldsaynothing——Icouldonlyfeelthatourlastchanceofdiscoveryhadgonewiththem`AllthatMrsToddknowsaboutherguests，Iknow，’MissHalcombewenton，`anditleavesme，asitleavesher，inthedark。Theybothcamebacksafelastnight，aftertheyleftyou，andtheypassedthefirstpart-oftheeveningwithMrTodd’sfamilyasusual。rustbeforesupper-time，however，AnneCatherickstartledthemallbybeingsuddenlyseizedwithfaintness。
　　Shehadhadasimilarattack，ofalessalarmingkind，onthedayshearrivedatthefarm；andMrsToddhadconnectedit，onthatoccasion，withsomethingshewasreadingatthetimeinourlocalnewspaper，whichlayonthefarmtable，andwhichshehadtakenuponlyaminuteortwobefore。’
　　`DoesMrsToddknowwhatparticularpassageinthenewspaperaffectedherinthatway？’Iinquired。
　　`No，’repliedMissHalcombe。`Shehadlookeditover，andhadseennothinginittoagitateanyone。Iaskedleave，however，tolookitoverinmyturn，adattheveryfirstpageIopenedIfoundthattheeditorhadenrichedhissmallstockofnewsbydrawinguponourfamilyaffairs，andhadpublishedmysister’smarriageengagement，amonghisotherannouncements，copiedfromtheLondonpapers，ofMarriagesinHighLife。IconcludedatoncethatthiswastheparagraphwhichhadsostrangelyaffectedAnneCatherick，andIthoughtIsawinit，also，theoriginoftheletterwhichshesenttoourhousethenextday。’
　　`Therecanbenodoubtineithercase。Butwhatdidyouhearabouthersecondattackoffaintnessyesterdayevening？’
　　`Nothing。Thecauseofitisacompletemystery。Therewasnostrangerintheroom。Theonlyvisitorwasourdairymaid，who，asItoldyou，isoneofMrTodd’sdaughters，andtheonlyconversationwastheusualgossipaboutlocalaffairs。Theyheardhercryout，andsawherturndeadlypale，withouttheslightestapparentreason。MrsToddandMrsClementstookherupstairs，andMrsClementsremainedwithher。Theywereheardtalkingtogetheruntillongaftertheusualbedtime，andearlythismorningMrsClementstookMrsToddaside，andamazedherbeyondallpowerofexpressionbysayingthattheymustgo。TheonlyexplanationMrsToddcouldextractfromherguestwas，thatsomethinghadhappened，whichwasnotthefaultofanyoneatthefarmhouse，butwhichwasseriousenoughtomakeAnneCatherickresolvetoleaveLimmeridgeimmediately。ItwasquiteuselesstopressMrsClementstobemoreexplicit。Sheonlyshookherhead，andsaidthat，forAnne’ssake，shemustbegandpraythatnoonewouldquestionher。
　　Allshecouldrepeat，witheveryappearanceofbeingseriouslyagitatedherself，wasthatAnnemustgo，thatshemustgowithher，andthatthedestinationtowhichtheymightbothbetakethemselvesmustbekeptasecretfromeverybody。IspareyoutherecitalofMrsTodd’shospitableremonstrancesandrefusals。Itendedinherdrivingthembothtotheneareststation，morethanthreehourssince。Shetriedhardonthewaytogetthemtospeakmoreplainly，butwithoutsuccess；andshesetthemdownoutsidethestation-door，sohurtandoffendedbytheunceremoniousabruptnessoftheirdepartureandtheirunfriendlyreluctancetoplacetheleastconfidenceinher，thatshedroveawayinanger，withoutsomuchasstoppingtobidthemgood-bye。
　　Thatisexactlywhathastakenplace。Searchyourownmemory，MrHartright，andtellmeifanythinghappenedintheburial-groundyesterdayeveningwhichcanatallaccountfortheextraordinarydepartureofthosetwowomenthismorning。’
　　`Ishouldliketoaccountfirst，MissHalcombe，forthesuddenchangeinAnneCatherickwhichalarmedthematthefarmhouse，hoursaftersheandIhadparted，andwhentimeenoughhadelapsedtoquietanyviolentagitationthatImighthavebeenunfortunateenoughtocause。Didyouinquireparticularlyaboutthegossipwhichwasgoingonintheroomwhensheturnedfaint？’
　　`Yes。ButMrsTodd’shouseholdaffairsseemtohavedividedherattentionthateveningwiththetalkinthefarmhouseparlour。Shecouldonlytellmethatitwas``justthenews，’’——meaning，Isuppose，thattheyalltalkedasusualabouteachother。’
　　`Thedairymaid’smemorymaybebetterthanhermother’s，’Isaid。`Itmaybeaswellforyoutospeaktothegirl，MissHalcombe，assoonaswegetback。’
　　Mysuggestionwasactedonthemomentwereturnedtothehouse。MissHalcombeledmeroundtotheservants’offices，andwefoundthegirlinthedairy，withhersleevestuckeduptohershoulders，cleaningalargemilk-panandsingingblithelyoverherwork。
　　`Ihavebroughtthisgentlemantoseeyourdairy，Hannah，’saidMissHalcombe。`Itisoneofthesightsofthehouse，anditalwaysdoesyoucredit。’
　　Thegirlblushedandcurtseyed，andsaidshylythatshehopedshealwaysdidherbesttokeepthingsneatandclean。
　　`Wehavejustcomefromyourfather’s，’MissHalcombecontinued。`Youwerethereyesterdayevening，Ihear，andyoufoundvisitorsatthehouse？’
　　`Yes，miss。’
　　`Oneofthemwastakenfaintandill，Iamtold？Isupposenothingwassaidordonetofrightenher？Youwerenottalkingofanythingveryterrible，wereyou？’
　　`Ohno，miss！’saidthegirl，laughing。`Wewereonlytalkingofthenews。’
　　`YoursisterstoldyouthenewsatTodd’sCorner，Isuppose？’
　　Yes，miss。
　　`AndyoutoldthemthenewsatLimmeridgeHouse？’
　　`Yes，miss。AndI’mquitesurenothingwassaidtofrightenthepoorthing，forIwastalkingwhenshewastakenill。Itgavemequiteaturn，miss，toseeit，neverhavingbeentakenfaintmyself。’
　　Beforeanymorequestionscouldbeputtoher，shewascalledawaytoreceiveabasketofeggsatthedairydoor。AssheleftusIwhisperedtoMissHalcombe