SirPercivalroseandpaidhiscomplimentswithperfectgrace。Hisevidentconcernonseeingthechangefortheworseintheyounglady’slookswasexpressedwithamixtureoftendernessandrespect，withanunassumingdelicacyoftone，voice，andmanner，whichdidequalcredittohisgoodbreedingandhisgoodsense。Iwasrathersurprised，underthesecircumstances，toseethatMissFairliecontinuedtobeconstrainedanduneasyinhispresence，andthatshetookthefirstopportunityofleavingtheroomagain。
　　SirPercivalneithernoticedtherestraintinherreceptionofhim，norhersuddenwithdrawalfromoursociety。Hehadnotobtrudedhisattentionsonherwhileshewaspresent，andhedidnotembarrassMissHalcombebyanyallusiontoherdeparturewhenshewasgone。HistactandtastewereneveratfaultonthisoranyotheroccasionwhileIwasinhiscompanyatLimmeridgeHouse。
　　AssoonasMissFairliehadlefttheroomhesparedusallembarrassmentonthesubjectoftheanonymousletter，byadvertingtoitofhisownaccord。
　　HehadstoppedinLondononhiswayfromHampshire，hadseenhissolicitor，hadreadthedocumentsforwardedbyme，andhadtravelledontoCumberland，anxioustosatisfyourmindsbythespeediestandthefullestexplanationthatwordscouldconvey。Onhearinghimexpresshimselftothiseffect，Iofferedhimtheoriginalletter，whichIhadkeptforhisinspection。
　　Hethankedme，anddeclinedtolookatit，sayingthathehadseenthecopy，andthathewasquitewillingtoleavetheoriginalinourhands。
　　Thestatementitself，onwhichheimmediatelyentered，wasassimpleandsatisfactoryasIhadallalonganticipateditwouldbe。
　　MrsCatherick，heinformedus，hadinpastyearslaidhimundersomeobligationsforfaithfulservicesrenderedtohisfamilyconnectionsandtohimself。Shehadbeendoublyunfortunateinbeingmarriedtoahusbandwhohaddesertedher，andinhavinganonlychildwhosementalfacultieshadbeeninadisturbedconditionfromaveryearlyage。AlthoughhermarriagehadremovedhertoapartofHampshirefardistantfromtheneighbourhoodinwhichSirPercival’spropertywassituated，hehadtakencarenottolosesightofher——hisfriendlyfeelingtowardsthepoorwoman，inconsiderationofherpastservices，havingbeengreatlystrengthenedbyhisadmirationofthepatienceandcouragewithwhichshesupportedhercalamities。Incourseoftimethesymptomsofmentalafflictioninherunhappydaughterincreasedtosuchaseriousextent，astomakeitamatterofnecessitytoplaceherunderpropermedicalcare。MrsCatherickherselfrecognisedthisnecessity，butshealsofelttheprejudicecommontopersonsoccupyingherrespectablestation，againstallowingherchildtobeadmitted，asapauper，intoapublicAsylum。SirPercivalhadrespectedthisprejudice，asherespectedhonestindependenceoffeelinginanyrankoflife，andhadresolvedtomarkhisgratefulsenseofMrsCatherick’searlyattachmenttotheinterestsofhimselfandhisfamily，bydefrayingtheexpenseofherdaughter’smaintenanceinatrustworthyprivateAsylum。Tohermother’sregret，andtohisownregret，theunfortunatecreaturehaddiscoveredthesharewhichcircumstanceshadinducedhimtotakeinplacingherunderrestraint，andhadconceivedthemostintensehatredanddistrustofhiminconsequence。Tothathatredanddistrust——whichhadexpresseditselfinvariouswaysintheAsylum——theanonymousletter，writtenafterherescape，wasplainlyattributable。IfMissHalcombe’sorMrGilmore’srecollectionofthedocumentdidnotconfirmthatview，oriftheywishedforanyadditionalparticularsabouttheAsylumtheaddressofwhichhementioned，aswellasthenamesandaddressesofthetwodoctorsonwhosecertificatesthepatientwasadmitted，hewasreadytoansweranyquestionandtoclearupanyuncertainty。Hehaddonehisdutytotheunhappyyoungwoman，byinstructinghissolicitortosparenoexpenseintracingher，andinrestoringheroncemoretomedicalcare，andhewasnowonlyanxioustodohisdutytowardsMissFairlieandtowardsherfamily，inthesameplain。straightforwardway。
　　Iwasthefirsttospeakinanswertothisappeal。Myowncoursewasplaintome。ItisthegreatbeautyoftheLawthatitcandisputeanyhumanstatement，madeunderanycircumstances，andreducedtoanyform。
　　IfIhadfeltprofessionallycalledupontosetupacaseagainstSirPercivalGlyde，onthestrengthofhisownexplanation，Icouldhavedonesobeyondalldoubt。Butmydutydidnotlieinthisdirection——myfunctionwasofthepurelyjudicialkind。Iwastoweightheexplanationwehadjustheard，toallowalldueforcetothehighreputationofthegentlemanwhoofferedit，andtodecidehonestlywhethertheprobabilities，onSirPercival’sownshowing，wereplainlywithhim，orplainlyagainsthim。Myownconvictionwasthattheywereplainlywithhim，andIaccordinglydeclaredthathisexplanationwas，tomymind，unquestionablyasatisfactoryone。
　　MissHalcombe，afterlookingatmeveryearnestly，saidafewwords，onherside，tothesameeffect——withacertainhesitationofmanner，however，whichthecircumstancesdidnotseemtometowarrant。Iamunabletosay，positively，whetherSirPercivalnoticedthisornot。Myopinionisthathedid，seeingthathepointedlyresumedthesubject，althoughhemightnow，withallpropriety，haveallowedittodrop。
　　`IfmyplainstatementoffactshadonlybeenaddressedtoMrGilmore，’
　　hesaid，`Ishouldconsideranyfurtherreferencetothisunhappymatterasunnecessary。ImayfairlyexpectMrGilmore，asagentleman，tobelievemeonmyword，andwhenhehasdonemethatjustice，alldiscussionofthesubjectbetweenushascometoanend。Butmypositionwithaladyisnotthesame。Iowetoher——whatIwouldconcedetonomanalive——
　　aproofofthetruthofmyassertion。Youcannotaskforthatproof，MissHalcombe，anditisthereforemydutytoyou，andstillmoretoMissFairlie，toofferit。MayIbegthatyouwillwriteatoncetothemotherofthisunfortunatewoman——toMrsCatherick——toaskforhertestimonyinsupportoftheexplanationwhichIhavejustofferedtoyou。’
　　IsawMissHalcombechangecolour，andlookalittleuneasy。SirPercival’ssuggestion，politelyasitwasexpressed，appearedtoher，asitappearedtome，topointverydelicatelyatthehesitationwhichhermannerhadbetrayedamomentortwosince。
　　`Ihope，SirPercival，youdon’tdometheinjusticetosupposethatIdistrustyou，’shesaidquickly。
　　`Certainlynot，MissHalcombe。Imakemyproposalpurelyasanactofattentiontoyou。WillyouexcusemyobstinacyifIstillventuretopressit？’
　　Hewalkedtothewriting-tableashespoke，drewachairtoit，andopenedthepapercase。
　　`Letmebegyoutowritethenote，’hesaid，`asafavourtome。Itneednotoccupyyoumorethanafewminutes。YouhaveonlytoaskMrsCathericktwoquestions。First，ifherdaughterwasplacedintheAsylumwithherknowledgeandapproval。Secondly，iftheshareItookinthematterwassuchastomerittheexpressionofhergratitudetowardsmyself。MrGilmore’smindisateaseonthisunpleasantsubject，andyourmindisatease——
　　praysetmymindateasealsobywritingthenote。’
　　`Youobligemetograntyourrequest，SirPercival，whenIwouldmuchratherrefuseit。’
　　WiththosewordsMissHalcomberosefromherplaceandwenttothewriting-table。
　　SirPercivalthankedher，handedherapen，andthenwalkedawaytowardsthefireplace。MissFairlie’slittleItaliangreyhoundwaslyingontherug。Heheldouthishand，andcalledtothedoggood-humouredly。
　　`Come，Nina，’hesaid，`weremembereachother，don’twe？’
　　Thelittlebeast，cowardlyandcross-grained，aspet-dogsusuallyare，lookedupathimsharply，shrankawayfromhisoutstretchedhand，whined，shivered，andhiditselfunderasofa。Itwasscarcelypossiblethathecouldhavebeenputoutbysuchatrifleasadog’sreceptionofhim，butIobserved，nevertheless，thathewalkedawaytowardsthewindowverysuddenly。
　　Perhapshistemperisirritableattimesifso，Icansympathisewithhim。
　　Mytemperisirritableattimestoo。
　　MissHalcombewasnotlonginwritingthenote。Whenitwasdonesherosefromthewriting-table，andhandedtheopensheetofpapertoSirPercival。Hebowed，tookitfromher，foldeditupimmediatelywithoutlookingatthecontents，sealedit，wrotetheaddress，andhandeditbacktoherinsilence。Ineversawanythingmoregracefullyandmorebecominglydoneinmylife。
　　`Youinsistonmypostingthisletter，SirPercival？’saidMissHalcombe。
　　`Ibegyouwillpostit，’heanswered。`Andnowthatitiswrittenandsealedup，allowmetoaskoneortwolastquestionsabouttheunhappywomantowhomitrefers。IhavereadthecommunicationwhichMrGilmorekindlyaddressedtomysolicitor，describingthecircumstancesunderwhichthewriteroftheanonymousletterwasidentified。Buttherearecertainpointstowhichthatstatementdoesnotrefer。DidAnneCatherickseeMissFairlie？’
　　`Certainlynot，’repliedMissHalcombe。
　　`Didsheseeyou？’
　　`No。’
　　`Shesawnobodyfromthehousethen，exceptacertainMrHartright，whoaccidentallymetwithherinthechurchyardhere？’
　　`Nobodyelse。’
　　`MrHartrightwasemployedatLimmeridgeasadrawing-master，Ibelieve？
　　IsheamemberofoneoftheWater-ColourSocieties？’
　　`Ibelieveheis，’answeredMissHalcombe。
　　Hepausedforamoment，asifhewasthinkingoverthelastanswer，andthenadded——
　　`DidyoufindoutwhereAnneCatherickwasliving，whenshewasinthisneighbourhood？’
　　`Yes。Atafarmonthemoor，calledTodd’sCorner。’
　　`Itisadutyweallowetothepoorcreatureherselftotraceher，’
　　continuedSirPercival。`ShemayhavesaidsomethingatTodd’sCornerwhichmayhelpustofindher。Iwillgothereandmakeinquiriesonthechance。
　　Inthemeantime，asIcannotprevailonmyselftodiscussthispainfulsubjectwithMissFairlie，mayIbeg，MissHalcombe，thatyouwillkindlyundertaketogiveherthenecessaryexplanation，deferringitofcourseuntilyouhavereceivedthereplytothatnote。’