MissHalcombepromisedtocomplywithhisrequest。Hethankedher，noddedpleasantly，andleftus，togoandestablishhimselfinhisownroom。Asheopenedthedoorthecross-grainedgreyhoundpokedouthersharpmuzzlefromunderthesofa，andbarkedandsnappedathim。
　　`Agoodmorning’swork，MissHalcombe，’Isaid，assoonaswewerealone。
　　`Hereisananxiousdaywellendedalready。’
　　`Yes，’sheanswered；`nodoubt。Iamverygladyourmindissatisfied。’
　　`Mymind！Surely，withthatnoteinyourhand，yourmindisateasetoo？’
　　`Ohyes——howcanitbeotherwise？Iknowthethingcouldnotbe，’
　　shewenton，speakingmoretoherselfthantome；`butIalmostwishWalterHartrighthadstayedherelongenoughtobepresentattheexplanation，andtoheartheproposaltometowritethisnote。’
　　Iwasalittlesurprised——perhapsalittlepiquedalso——bytheselastwords。
　　`Events，itistrue，connectedMrHartrightveryremarkablywiththeaffairoftheletter，’Isaid；`andIreadilyadmitthatheconductedhimself，allthingsconsidered，withgreatdelicacyanddiscretion。ButIamquiteatalosstounderstandwhatusefulinfluencehispresencecouldhaveexercisedinrelationtotheeffectofSirPercival’sstatementonyourmindormine。’
　　`Itwasonlyafancy，’shesaidabsently。`Thereisnoneedtodiscussit，MrGilmore。Yourexperienceoughttobe，andis，thebestguideIcandesire。’
　　Ididnotaltogetherlikeherthrustingthewholeresponsibility，inthismarkedmanner，onmyshoulders。IfMrFairliehaddoneit，Ishouldnothavebeensurprised。Butresolute，clear-mindedMissHalcombewastheverylastpersonintheworldwhomIshouldhaveexpectedtofindshrinkingfromtheexpressionofanopinionofherown。
　　`Ifanydoubtsstilltroubleyou，’Isaid，`whynotmentionthemtomeatonce？Tellmeplainly，haveyouanyreasontodistrustSirPercivalGlyde？’
　　`Nonewhatever。’
　　`Doyouseeanythingimprobable，orcontradictory，inhisexplanation？’
　　`HowcanIsayIdo，aftertheproofhehasofferedmeofthetruthofit？Cantherebebettertestimonyinhisfavour，MrGilmore，thanthetestimonyofthewoman’smother？’
　　`Nonebetter。Iftheanswertoyournoteofinquiryprovestobesatisfactory，IforonecannotseewhatmoreanyfriendofSirpercival’scanpossiblyexpectfromhim。’
　　`Thenwewillpostthenote，’shesaid，arisingtoleavetheroom，`anddismissallfurtherreferencetothesubjectuntiltheanswerarrives。
　　Don’tattachanyweighttomyhesitation。IcangivenobetterreasonforitthanthatIhavebeenover-anxiousaboutLauralately——andanxiety，MrGilmore，unsettlesthestrongestofus。’
　　Sheleftmeabruptly，hernaturallyfirmvoicefalteringasshespokethoselastwords。Asensitive，vehement，passionatenature——awomanoftenthousandinthesetrivial，superficialtimes。Ihadknownherfromherearliestyears——Ihadseenhertested，asshegrewup，inmorethanonetryingfamilycrisis，andmylongexperiencemademeattachanimportancetoherhesitationunderthecircumstancesheredetailed，whichIshouldcertainlynothavefeltinthecaseofanotherwoman。Icouldseenocauseforanyuneasinessoranydoubt，butshehadmademealittleuneasy，andalittledoubtful，nevertheless。Inmyyouth，Ishouldhavechafedandfrettedundertheirritationofmyownunreasonablestateofmind。Inmyage，Iknewbetter，andwentoutphilosophicallytowalkitoff。IIWeallmetagainatdinner-time。
　　SirPercivalwasinsuchboisteroushighspiritsthatIhardlyrecognisedhimasthesamemanwhosequiettact，refinement，andgoodsensehadimpressedmesostronglyattheinterviewofthemorning。TheonlytraceofhisformerselfthatIcoulddetectreappeared，everynowandthen，inhismannertowardsMissFairlie。Alookorawordfromhersuspendedhisloudestlaugh，checkedhisgayestflowoftalk，andrenderedhimallattentiontoher，andtonooneelseattable，inaninstant。Althoughheneveropenlytriedtodrawherintotheconversation，heneverlosttheslightestchanceshegavehimoflettingherdriftintoitbyaccident，andofsayingthewordstoher，underthosefavourablecircumstances，whichamanwithlesstactanddelicacywouldhavepointedlyaddressedtoherthemomenttheyoccurredtohim。Rathertomysurprise，MissFairlieappearedtobesensibleofhisattentionswithoutbeingmovedbythem。Shewasalittleconfusedfromtimetotimewhenhelookedather，orspoketoher；butsheneverwarmedtowardshim。Rank，fortune，goodbreeding，goodlooks，therespectofagentleman，andthedevotionofaloverwereallhumblyplacedatherfeet，and，sofarasappearanceswent，wereallofferedinvain。
　　Onthenextday，theTuesday，SirPercivalwentinthemorningtakingoneoftheservantswithhimasaguidetoTodd’sCorner-Hisinquiries，asIafterwardsheard，ledtonoresults。OnhisreturnhehadaninterviewwithMrFairlie，andintheafternoonheandMissHalcomberodeouttogether。
　　Nothingelsehappenedworthyofrecord。Theeveningpassedasusual。TherewasnochangeinSirPercival，andnochangeinMissFairlie。
　　TheWednesday’spostbroughtwithitanevent——thereplyfromMrsCatherick。Itookacopyofthedocument，whichIhavepreserved，andwhichImayaswellpresentinthisplace。Itranasfollows——
　　`MADAM，——Ibegtoacknowledgethereceiptofyourletter，inquiringwhethermydaughter，Anne，wasplacedundermedicalsuperintendencewithmyknowledgeandapproval，andwhetherthesharetakeninthematterbySirPercivalGlydewassuchastomerittheexpressionofmygratitudetowardsthatgentleman。Bepleasedtoacceptmyanswerintheaffirmativetoboththosequestions，andbelievemetoremain，yourobedientservant，`JANE
　　ANNECATHERICK。’
　　Short，sharp，andtothepoint；informratherabusiness-likeletterforawomantowrite——insubstanceasplainaconfirmationascouldbedesiredofSirPercivalGlyde’sstatement。Thiswasmyopinion，andwithcertainminorreservations，MissHalcombe’sopinionalso。SirPercival，whentheletterwasshowntohim，didnotappeartobestruckbythesharp，shorttoneofit。HetoldusthatMrsCatherickwasawomanoffewwords，aclear-headed，straightforward，unimaginativeperson，whowrotebrieflyandplainly，justasshespoke。
　　Thenextdutytobeaccomplished，nowthattheanswerhadbeenreceived，wastoacquaintMissFairliewithSirPercival’sexplanation。MissHalcombehadundertakentodothis，andhadlefttheroomtogotohersister，whenshesuddenlyreturnedagain，andsatdownbytheeasy-chairinwhichI
　　wasreadingthenewspaper。SirPercivalhadgoneoutaminutebeforetolookatthestables，andnoonewasintheroombutourselves。
　　`Isupposewehavereallyandtrulydoneallwecan？’shesaid，turningandtwistingMrsCatherick’sletterinherhand。
　　`IfwearefriendsofSirPercival’s，whoknowhimandtrusthim，wehavedoneall，andmorethanall，thatisnecessary，’Ianswered，alittleannoyedbythisreturnofherhesitation。`Butifweareenemieswhosuspecthim——’
　　`Thatalternativeisnoteventobethoughtof，’sheinterposed。`WeareSirPercival’sfriends，andifgenerosityandforbearancecanaddtoourregardforhim，weoughttobeSirPercival’sadmirersaswell。YouknowthathesawMrFairlieyesterday，andthatheafterwardswentoutwithme。’
　　`Yes。Isawyouridingawaytogether。’
　　`WebegantheridebytalkingaboutAnneCatherick，andaboutthesingularmannerinwhichMrHartrightmetwithher。Butwesoondroppedthatsubject，andSirPercivalspokenext，inthemostunselfishterms，ofhisengagementwithLaura。Hesaidhehadobservedthatshewasoutofspirits，andhewaswilling，ifnotinformedtothecontrary，toattributetothatcausethealterationinhermannertowardshimduringhispresentvisit。If，however，therewasanymoreseriousreasonforthechange，hewouldentreatthatnoconstraintmightbeplacedonherinclinationseitherbyMrFairlieorbyme。Allheasked，inthatcase，wasthatshewouldrecalltomind，forthelasttime，whatthecircumstanceswereunderwhichtheengagementbetweenthemwasmade，andwhathisconducthadbeenfromthebeginningofthecourtshiptothepresenttime。If，afterduereflectiononthosetwosubjects，sheseriouslydesiredthatheshouldwithdrawhispretensionstothehonourofbecomingherhusband——andifshewouldtellhimsoplainlywithherownlips——hewouldsacrificehimselfbyleavingherperfectlyfreetowithdrawfromtheengagement。’
　　`Nomancouldsaymorethanthat，MissHalcombe。Astomyexperience，fewmeninhissituationwouldhavesaidasmuch。’
　　ShepausedafterIhadspokenthosewords，andlookedatmewithasingularexpressionofperplexityanddistress。
　　`Iaccusenobody，andIsuspectnothing，’shebrokeoutabruptly。`ButIcannotandwillnotaccepttheresponsibilityofpersuadingLauratothismarriage。’
　　`ThatisexactlythecoursewhichSirPercivalGlydehashimselfrequestedyoutotake，’Irepliedinastonishment。`Hehasbeggedyounottoforceherinclinations。’
　　`Andheindirectlyobligesmetoforcethem，ifIgiveherhismessage。’
　　`Howcanthatpossiblybe？’
　　`ConsultyourownknowledgeofLaura，MrGilmore。IfItellhertoreflectonthecircumstancesofherengagement，Iatonceappealtotwoofthestrongestfeelingsinhernature——toherloveforherfather’smemory，andtoherstrictregardfortruth。Youknowthatsheneverbrokeapromiseinherlife——youknowthatsheenteredonthisengagementatthebeginningofherfather’sfatalillness，andthathespokehopefullyandhappilyofhermarriagetoSirPercivalGlydeonhisdeathbed。’
　　IownthatIwasalittleshockedatthisviewofthecase。
　　`Surely，’Isaid，`youdon’tmeantoinferthatwhenSirPercivalspoketoyouyesterdayhespeculatedonsucharesultasyouhavejustmentioned？’
　　Herfrank，fearlessfaceansweredforherbeforeshespoke。
　　`DoyouthinkIwouldremainaninstantinthecompanyofanymanwhomIsuspectedofsuchbasenessasthat？’sheaskedangrily。