IsitLaura’sreluctancetobecomehiswifethathassetmeagainsthim？HaveHartright’sperfectlyintelligibleprejudicesinfectedmewithoutmysuspectingtheirinfluence？DoesthatletterofAnneCatherick’sstillleavealurkingdistrustinmymind，inspiteofSirPercival’sexplanation，andoftheproofinmypossessionofthetruthofit？Icannotaccountforthestateofmyownfeelings；theonethingIamcertainofis，thatitismyduty——doublymydutynow——nottowrongSirPercivalbyunjustlydistrustinghim。Ifithasgottobeahabitwithmealwaystowriteofhiminthesameunfavourablemanner，Imustandwillbreakmyselfofthisunworthytendency，eventhoughtheeffortshouldforcemetoclosethepagesofmyjournaltillthemarriageisover！Iamseriouslydissatisfiedwithmyself——Iwillwritenomoretoday。
　　December16th——Awholefortnighthaspassed，andIhavenotonceopenedthesepages。Ihavebeenlongenoughawayfrommyjournaltocomebacktoitwithahealthierandbettermind，Ihope，sofarasSirPercivalisconcerned。
　　Thereisnotmuchtorecordofthepasttwoweeks。Thedressesarealmostallfinished，andthenewtravellingtrunkshavebeensentherefromLondon。
　　PoordearLaurahardlyleavesmeforamomentallday，andlastnight，whenneitherofuscouldsleep，shecameandcreptintomybedtotalktomethere。`Ishallloseyousosoon，Marian，’shesaid；`ImustmakethemostofyouwhileIcan。’
　　TheyaretobemarriedatLimmeridgeChurch，andthankHeaven，notoneoftheneighboursistobeinvitedtotheceremony。Theonlyvisitorwillbeouroldfriend，MrArnold，whoistocomefromPolesdeantogiveLauraaway，herunclebeingfartoodelicatetotrusthimselfoutsidethedoorinsuchinclementweatheraswenowhave。IfIwerenotdetermined，fromthisdayforth，toseenothingbutthebrightsideofourprospects，themelancholyabsenceofanymalerelativeofLaura’s，atthemostimportantmomentofherlife，wouldmakemeverygloomyandverydistrustfulofthefuture。ButIhavedonewithgloomanddistrust——thatistosay，Ihavedonewithwritingabouteithertheoneortheotherinthisjournal。
　　SirPercivalistoarrivetomorrow。Heoffered，incasewewishedtotreathimontermsofrigidetiquette，towriteandaskourclergymantogranthimthehospitalityoftherectory，duringtheshortperiodofhissojournatLimmeridge，beforethemarriage。Underthecircumstances，neitherMrFairlienorIthoughtitatallnecessaryforustotroubleourselvesaboutattendingtotriflingformsandceremonies。Inourwildmoorlandcountry，andinthisgreatlonelyhouse，wemaywellclaimtobebeyondthereachofthetrivialconventionalitieswhichhamperpeopleinotherplaces。IwrotetoSirPercivaltothankhimforhispoliteoffer，andtobegthathewouldoccupyhisoldrooms，justasusual，atLimmeridgeHouse。
　　17th——Hearrivedtoday，looking，asIthought，alittlewornandanxious，butstilltalkingandlaughinglikeamaninthebestpossiblespirits。Hebroughtwithhimsomereallybeautifulpresentsinjewellery，whichLaurareceivedwithherbestgrace，and，outwardlyatleast，withperfectself-possession。TheonlysignIcandetectofthestruggleitmustcosthertopreserveappearancesatthistryingtime，expressesitselfinasuddenunwillingness，onherpart，evertobeleftalone。Insteadofretreatingtoherownroom，asusual，sheseemstodreadgoingthere。
　　WhenIwentupstairstoday，afterlunch，toputonmybonnetforawalk，shevolunteeredtojoinme，andagain，beforedinner，shethrewthedooropenbetweenourtworooms，sothatwemighttalktoeachotherwhileweweredressing。`Keepmealwaysdoingsomething，’shesaid；`keepmealwaysincompanywithsomebody。Don’tletmethink——thatisallIasknow，Marian——don’tletmethink。’
　　ThissadchangeinheronlyincreasesherattractionsforSirPercival。
　　Heinterpretsit，Icansee，tohisownadvantage。Thereisafeverishflushinhercheeks，afeverishbrightnessinhereyes，whichhewelcomesasthereturnofherbeautyandtherecoveryofherspirits。Shetalkedtodayatdinnerwithagaietyandcarelessnesssofalse，soshockinglyoutofhercharacter，thatIsecretlylongedtosilenceherandtakeheraway。SirPercival’sdelightandsurpriseappearedtobebeyondallexpression。
　　TheanxietywhichIhadnoticedonhisfacewhenhearrivedtotallydisappearedfromit，andhelooked，eventomyeyes，agoodtenyearsyoungerthanhereallyis。
　　Therecanbenodoubt——thoughsomestrangeperversitypreventsmefromseeingitmyself——therecanbenodoubtthatLaura’sfuturehusbandisaveryhandsomeman。Regularfeaturesformapersonaladvantagetobeginwith——andhehasthem。Brightbrowneyes，eitherinmanorwoman，areagreatattraction——andhehasthem。Evenbaldness，whenitisonlybaldnessovertheforeheadasinhiscase，isratherbecomingthannotinaman，foritheightenstheheadandaddstotheintelligenceoftheface。Graceandeaseofmovement，untiringanimationofmanner，ready，pliant，conversationalpowers——alltheseareunquestionablemerits，andallthesehecertainlypossesses。Surely，MrGilmore，ignorantasheisofLaura’ssecret，wasnottoblameforfeelingsurprisedthatsheshouldrepentofhermarriageengagement？Anyoneelseinhisplacewouldhavesharedourgoodoldfriend’sopinion。IfIwereasked，atthismoment，tosayplainlywhatdefectsI
　　havediscoveredinSirPercival，Icouldonlypointouttwo。One，hisincessantrestlessnessandexcitability——whichmaybecausednaturallyenough，byunusualenergyofcharacter。Theother，hisshort，sharp，ill-temperedmannerofspeakingtotheservants——whichmaybeonlyabadhabitafterall。No，Icannotdisputeit，andIwillnotdisputeit——SirPercivalisaveryhandsomeandaveryagreeableman。There！Ihavewrittenitdownatlast，andI’mgladit’sover。
　　18th——Feelingwearyanddepressedthismorning，IleftLaurawithMrsVesey，andwentoutaloneforoneofmybriskmiddaywalks，whichI
　　havediscontinuedtoomuchoflate。ItookthedryairyroadoverthemoorthatleadstoTodd’sCorner。Afterhavingbeenouthalfanhour，IwasexcessivelysurprisedtoseeSirPercivalapproachingmefromthedirectionofthefarm。Hewaswalkingrapidly，swinginghisstick，hisheaderectasusual，andhisshootingjacketflyingopeninthewind。Whenwemethedidnotwaitformetoaskanyquestions——hetoldmeatoncethathehadbeentothefarmtoinquireifMrorMrsToddhadreceivedanytidings，sincehislastvisittoLimmeridge，ofAnneCatherick。
　　`Youfound，ofcourse，thattheyhadheardnothing？’Isaid。
　　`Nothingwhatever，’hereplied。`Ibegintobeseriouslyafraidthatwehavelosther。Doyouhappentoknow，’hecontinued，lookingmeinthefaceveryattentively，`iftheartist——MrHartright——isinapositiontogiveusanyfurtherinformation？’
　　`Hehasneitherheardofher，norseenher，sinceheleftCumberland，’
　　Ianswered。
　　`Verysad，’saidSirPercival，speakinglikeamanwhowasdisappointed，andvet，oddlyenough，lookingatthesametimelikeamanwhowasrelieved。
　　`Itisimpossibletosaywhatmisfortunesmaynothavehappenedtothemiserablecreature。Iaminexpressiblyannoyedatthefailureofallmyeffortstorestorehertothecareandprotectionwhichshesourgentlyneeds。’
　　Thistimehereallylookedannoyed。Isaidafewsympathisingwords，andwethentalkedofothersubjectsonourwaybacktothehouse。Surelymychancemeetingwithhimonthemoorhasdisclosedanotherfavourabletraitinhischaracter？SurelyitwassingularlyconsiderateandunselfishofhimtothinkofAnneCatherickontheeveofhismarriage，andtogoallthewaytoTodd’sCornertomakeinquiriesabouther，whenhemighthavepassedthetimesomuchmoreagreeablyinLaura’ssociety？Consideringthathecanonlyhaveactedfrommotivesofpurecharity，hisconduct，underthecircumstances，showsunusualgoodfeelinganddeservesextraordinarypraise。Well！Igivehimextraordinarypraise——andthere’sanendofit。
　　19th——MorediscoveriesintheinexhaustiblemineofSirPercival’svirtues。
　　TodayIapproachedthesubjectofmyproposedsojournunderhiswife’sroofwhenhebringsherbacktoEngland。Ihadhardlydroppedmyfirsthintinthisdirectionbeforehecaughtmewarmlybythehand，andsaidIhadmadetheveryoffertohimwhichhehadbeen，onhisside，mostanxioustomaketome。Iwasthecompanionofallotherswhomhemostsincerelylongedtosecureforhiswife，andhebeggedmetobelievethatIhadconferredalastingfavouronhimbymakingtheproposaltolivewithLauraafterhermarriage，exactlyasIhadalwayslivedwithherbeforeit。
　　WhenIhadthankedhiminhernameandmineforhisconsideratekindnesstobothofus，wepassednexttothesubjectofhisweddingtour，andbegantotalkoftheEnglishsocietyinRometowhichLaurawastobeintroduced。
　　Heranoverthenamesofseveralfriendswhomheexpectedtomeetabroadthiswinter。TheywereallEnglish，aswellasIcanremember，withoneexception。TheoneexceptionwasCountFosco。
　　ThementionoftheCount’sname，andthediscoverythatheandhiswifearelikelytomeetthebrideandbridegroomonthecontinent，putsLaura’smarriage，forthefirsttime，inadistinctlyfavourablelight。Itislikelytobethemeansofhealingafamilyfeud。HithertoMadameFoscohaschosentoforgetherobligationsasLaura’sauntoutofsheerspiteagainstthelateMrFairlieforhisconductintheaffairofthelegacy。Nowhowever，shecanpersistinthiscourseofconductnolonger。SirPercivalandCountFoscoareoldandfastfriends，andtheirwiveswillhavenochoicebuttomeetoncivilterms。MadameFoscoinhermaidendayswasoneofthemostimpertinentwomenIevermetwith——capricious，exacting，andvaintothelastdegreeofabsurdity。Ifherhusbandhassucceededinbringinghertohersenses，hedeservesthegratitudeofeverymemberofthefamily，andhemayhaveminetobeginwith。
　　IambecominganxioustoknowtheCount。HeisthemostintimatefriendofLaura’shusband，andinthatcapacityheexcitesmystrongestinterest。
　　NeitherLauranorIhaveeverseenhim。AllIknowofhimisthathisaccidentalpresence，yearsago，onthestepsoftheTrinità；delMonteatRome，assistedSirPercival’sescapefromrobberyandassassinationatthecriticalmomentwhenhewaswoundedinthehand，andmightthenextinstanthavebeenwoundedintheheart。Irememberalsothat，atthetimeofthelateMrFairlie’sabsurdobjectionstohissister’smarriage，theCountwrotehimaverytemperateandsensibleletteronthesubject，which，Iamashamedtosay，remainedunanswered。ThisisallIknowofSirPercival’sfriend。
　　IwonderifhewillevercometoEngland？IwonderifIshalllikehim？
　　Mypenisrunningawayintomerespeculation。Letmereturntosobermatteroffact。ItiscertainthatSirpercival’sreceptionofmyventuresomeproposaltolivewithhiswifewasmorethankind，itwasalmostaffectionate。