shoulddiefirst——’
　　Shepausedagain。Thecolourthathadspreadoverhercheekssuddenly，assuddenlyleftthem。Thehandonthealbumresigneditshold，trembledalittle，andmovedthebookawayfromher。Shelookedatmeforaninstant——thenturnedherheadasideinthechair。Herhandkerchieffelltothefloorasshechangedherposition，andshehurriedlyhidherfacefrommeinherhands。
　　Sad！Torememberher，asIdid，theliveliest，happiestchildthateverlaughedthedaythrough，andtoseehernow，intheflowerofherageandherbeauty，sobrokenandsobroughtdownasthis！
　　InthedistressthatshecausedmeIforgottheyearsthathadpassed，andthechangetheyhadmadeinourpositiontowardsoneanother。Imovedmychairclosetoher，andpickedupherhandkerchieffromthecarpet，anddrewherhandsfromherfacegently。`Don’tcry，mylove，’Isaid，anddriedthetearsthatweregatheringinhereyeswithmyownhand，asifshehadbeenthelittleLauraFairlieoftenlongyearsago。
　　ItwasthebestwayIcouldhavetakentocomposeher。Shelaidherheadonmyshoulder，andsmiledfaintlythroughhertears。
　　`Iamverysorryforforgettingmyself，’shesaidartlessly。`Ihavenotbeenwell——Ihavefeltsadlyweakandnervouslately，andIoftencrywithoutreasonwhenIamalone。Iambetternow——IcanansweryouasIought，MrGilmore，Icanindeed。’
　　`No，no，mydear，’Ireplied，`wewillconsiderthesubjectasdonewithforthepresent。Youhavesaidenoughtosanctionmytakingthebestpossiblecareofyourinterests，andwecansettledetailsatanotheropportunity。
　　Letushavedonewithbusinessnow，andtalkofsomethingelse。’
　　Iledheratonceintospeakingonothertopics。Intenminutes’timeshewasinbetterspirits，andIrosetotakemyleave。
　　`Comehereagain，’shesaidearnestly。`Iwilltrytobeworthierofyourkindfeelingformeandformyinterestsifyouwillonlycomeagain。’
　　Stillclingingtothepast——thatpastwhichIrepresentedtoher，inmyway，asMissHalcombedidinhers！Ittroubledmesorelytoseeherlookingback，atthebeginningofhercareer，justasIlookbackattheendofmine。
　　`IfIdocomeagain，IhopeIshallfindyoubetter，’Isaid；`betterandhappier。Godblessyou，mydear！’
　　Sheonlyansweredbyputtinguphercheektometobekissed。Evenlawyershavehearts，andmineachedalittleasItookleaveofher。
　　Thewholeinterviewbetweenushadhardlylastedmorethanhalfanhour——shehadnotbreathedaword，inmypresence，toexplainthemysteryofherevidentdistressanddismayattheprospectofhermarriage，andyetshehadcontrivedtowinmeovertohersideofthequestion，Ineitherknewhownorwhy。Ihadenteredtheroom，feelingthatSirPercivalGlydehadfairreasontocomplainofthemannerinwhichshewastreatinghim。
　　Ileftit，secretlyhopingthatmattersmightendinhertakinghimathiswordandclaimingherrelease。Amanofmyageandexperienceoughttohaveknownbetterthantovacillateinthisunreasonablemanner。Icanmakenoexcuseformyself；Icanonlytellthetruth，andsay——soitwas。
　　Thehourformydeparturewasnowdrawingnear。IsenttoMrFairlietosaythatIwouldwaitonhimtotakeleaveifheliked，butthathemustexcusemybeingratherinahurry。Hesentamessageback，writteninpencilonaslipofpaper：`Kindloveandbestwishes，dearGilmore。
　　Hurryofanykindisinexpressiblyinjurioustome。Praytakecareofyourself。
　　Goodbye。’
　　rustbeforeIleftIsawMissHalcombeforamomentalone。
　　`HaveyousaidallyouwantedtoLaura？’sheasked。
　　`Yes，’Ireplied。`Sheisveryweakandnervous——Iamgladshehasyoutotakecareofher。’
　　MissHalcombe’ssharpeyesstudiedmyfaceattentively。
　　`YouarealteringyouropinionaboutLaura，’shesaid。`Youarereadiertomakeallowancesforherthanyouwereyesterday。’
　　Nosensiblemaneverengages，unprepared，inafencingmatchofwordswithawoman。Ionlyanswered——
　　`Letmeknowwhathappens。IwilldonothingtillIhearfromyou。’
　　Shestilllookedhardinmyface。`Iwishitwasallover，andwellover，MrGilmore——andsodoyou。’Withthosewordssheleftme。
　　SirPercivalmostpolitelyinsistedonseeingmetothecarriagedoor。
　　`Ifyouareeverinmyneighbourhood，’hesaid，`praydon’tforgetthatIamsincerelyanxioustoimproveouracquaintance。Thetriedandtrustedoldfriendofthisfamilywillbealwaysawelcomevisitorinanyhouseofmine。’
　　Areallyirresistibleman——courteous，considerate，delightfullyfreefrompride——agentleman，everyinchofhim。AsIdroveawaytothestationIfeltasifIcouldcheerfullydoanythingtopromotetheinterestsofSirPercivalGlyde——anythingintheworld，exceptdrawingthemarriagesettlementofhiswife。
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter9[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter9IIIAweekpassed，aftermyreturntoLondon，withoutthereceiptofanycommunicationfromMissHalcombe。
　　Ontheeighthdayaletterinherhandwritingwasplacedamongtheotherlettersonmytable。
　　ItannouncedthatSirPercivalGlydehadbeendefinitelyaccepted，andthatthemarriagewastotakeplace，ashehadoriginallydesired，beforetheendoftheyear。InallprobabilitytheceremonywouldbeperformedduringthelastfortnightinDecember。MissFairlie’stwenty-firstbirthdaywaslateinMarch。Shewould，therefore，bythisarrangementbecomeSirPercival’swifeaboutthreemonthsbeforeshewasofage。
　　Ioughtnottohavebeensurprised，Ioughtnottohavebeensorry，butIwassurprisedandsorry，nevertheless。Somelittledisappointment，causedbytheunsatisfactoryshortnessofMissHalcombe’sletter，mingleditselfwiththesefeelings，andcontributeditssharetowardsupsettingmyserenityfortheday。Insixlinesmycorrespondentannouncedtheproposedmarriage——inthreemore，shetoldmethatSirPercivalhadleftCumberlandtoreturntohishouseinHampshire，andintwoconcludingsentencessheinformedme，first，thatLaurawassadlyinwantofchangeandcheerfulsociety；secondly，thatshehadresolvedtotrytheeffectofsomesuchchangeforthwith，bytakinghersisterawaywithheronavisittocertainoldfriendsinYorkshire。Theretheletterended，withoutawordtoexplainwhatthecircumstanceswerewhichhaddecidedMissFairlietoacceptSirPercivalGlydeinoneshortweekfromthetimewhenIhadlastseenher。
　　Atalaterperiodthecauseofthissuddendeterminationwasfullyexplainedtome。Itisnotmybusinesstorelateitimperfectly，onhearsayevidence。
　　ThecircumstancescamewithinthepersonalexperienceofMissHalcombe，andwhenhernarrativesucceedsmine，shewilldescribethemineveryparticularexactlyastheyhappened。Inthemeantime，theplaindutyformetoperform——beforeI，inmyturn，laydownmypenandwithdrawfromthestory——
　　istorelatetheoneremainingeventconnectedwithMissFairlie’sproposedmarriageinwhichIwasconcerned，namely，thedrawingofthesettlement。
　　Itisimpossibletoreferintelligiblytothisdocumentwithoutfirstenteringintocertainparticularsinrelationtothebride’specuniaryaffairs。Iwilltrytomakemyexplanationbrieflyandplainly，andtokeepitfreefromprofessionalobscuritiesandtechnicalities。Thematterisoftheutmostimportance。IwarnallreadersoftheselinesthatMissFairlie’sinheritanceisaveryseriouspartofMissFairlie’sstory，andthatMrGilmore’sexperience，inthisparticular，mustbetheirexperiencealso，iftheywishtounderstandthenarrativeswhichareyettocome。
　　MissFairlie’sexpectations，then，wereofatwofoldkind，comprisingherpossibleinheritanceofrealproperty，orland，whenheruncledied，andherabsoluteinheritanceofpersonalproperty，ormoney，whenshecameofage。
　　Letustakethelandfirst。
　　InthetimeofMissFairlie’spaternalgrandfatherwhomwewillcallMrFairlie，theeldertheentailedsuccessiontotheLimmeridgeestatestoodthus