`Onlyyesterday。Shesaidsomeonehadreportedthatastrangeransweringtothedescriptionofherdaughterhadbeenseeninourneighbourhood。
　　Nosuchreporthasreachedushere，andnosuchreportwasknowninthevillage，whenIsenttomakeinquiriesthereonMrsCatherick’saccount。
　　Shecertainlybroughtthispoorlittledogwithherwhenshecame，andIsawittrotoutafterherwhenshewentaway。Isupposethecreaturestrayedintotheplantations，andgotshot。Wheredidyoufindit，MissHalcombe？’
　　`Intheoldshedthatlooksoutonthelake。’
　　`Ah，yes，thatistheplantationside，andthepoorthingdraggeditself，Isuppose，tothenearestshelter，asdogswill，todie。Ifyoucanmoistenitslipswiththemilk，MissHalcombe，Iwillwashtheclottedhairfromthewound。Iamverymuchafraiditistoolatetodoanygood。However，wecanbuttry。’
　　MrsCatherick！Thenamestillranginmyears，asifthehousekeeperhadonlythatmomentsurprisedmebyutteringit。Whilewewereattendingtothedog，thewordsofWalterHartright’scautiontomereturnedtomymemory：`IfeverAnneCatherickcrossesyourpath，makebetteruseoftheopportunity，MissHalcombe，thanImadeofit。’ThefindingofthewoundedspanielhadledmealreadytothediscoveryofMrsCatherick’svisittoBlackwaterPark，andthateventmightlead，initsturn，tosomethingmore。
　　Ideterminedtomakethemostofthechancewhichwasnowofferedtome，andtogainasmuchinformationasIcould。
　　`DidyousaythatMrsCathericklivedanywhereinthisneighbourhood？’
　　Iasked。
　　`Ohdear，no，’saidthehousekeeper。`ShelivesatWelmingham，quiteattheotherendofthecounty——five-and-twentymilesoff，atleast。’
　　`IsupposeyouhaveknownMrsCatherickforsomeyears？’
　　`Onthecontrary，MissHalcombe，Ineversawherbeforeshecamehereyesterday。Ihadheardofher，ofcourse，becauseIhadheardofSirPercival’skindnessinputtingherdaughterundermedicalcare。MrsCatherickisratherastrangepersoninhermanners，butextremelyrespectable-looking。Sheseemedsorelyputoutwhenshefoundthattherewasnofoundation——none，atleast，thatanyofuscoulddiscover——forthereportofherdaughterhavingbeenseeninthisneighbourhood。’
　　`IamratherinterestedaboutMrsCatherick，’Iwenton，continuingtheconversationaslongaspossible。`IwishIhadarrivedheresoonenoughtoseeheryesterday。Didshestayforanylengthoftime？’
　　`Yes，’saidthehousekeeper，`shestayedforsometime；andIthinkshewouldhaveremainedlonger，ifIhadnotbeencalledawaytospeaktoastrangegentleman——agentlemanwhocametoaskwhenSirPercivalwasexpectedback。MrsCatherickgotupandleftatonce，whensheheardthemaidtellmewhatthevisitor’serrandwas。Shesaidtome，atparting，thattherewasnoneedtotellSirPercivalofhercominghere。Ithoughtthatratheranoddremarktomake，especiallytoapersoninmyresponsiblesituation。’
　　Ithoughtitanoddremarktoo。SirPercivalhadcertainlyledmetobelieve，atLimmeridge，thatthemostperfectconfidenceexistedbetweenhimselfandMrsCatherick。Ifthatwasthecase，whyshouldshebeanxioustohavehervisitatBlackwaterParkkeptasecretfromhim？
　　`Probably，’Isaid，seeingthatthehousekeeperexpectedmetogivemyopiniononMrsCatherick’spartingwords，`probablyshethoughttheannouncementofhervisitmightvexSirPercivaltonopurpose，byremindinghimthatherlostdaughterwasnotfoundyet。Didshetalkmuchonthatsubject？’
　　`Verylittle，’repliedthehousekeeper。’ShetalkedprincipallyofSirPercival，andaskedagreatmanyquestionsaboutwherehehadbeentravelling，andwhatsortofladyhisnewwifewas。Sheseemedtobemoresouredandputoutthandistressed，byfailingtofindanytracesofherdaughterintheseparts。``Igiveherup，’’werethelastwordsshesaidthatI
　　canremember；``Igiveherup，ma’am，forlost。’’AndfromthatshepassedatoncetoherquestionsaboutLadyGlyde，wantingtoknowifshewasahandsome，amiablelady，comelyandhealthyandyoung——Ah，dear！Ithoughthowitwouldend。Look，MissHalcombe，thepoorthingisoutofitsmiseryatlast！’
　　Thedogwasdead。Ithadgivenafaint，sobbingcry，ithadsufferedaninstant’sconvulsionofthelimbs，justasthoselastwords，`comelyandhealthyandyoung，’droppedfromthehousekeeper’slips。thechangehadhappenedwithstartlingsuddenness——inonemomentthecreaturelaylifelessunderourhands。
　　Eighto’clock。Ihavejustreturnedfromdiningdownstairs，insolitarystate。ThesunsetisburningredlyonthewildernessoftreesthatIseefrommywindow，andIamporingovermyjournalagain，tocalmmyimpatienceforthereturnofthetravellers。Theyoughttohavearrived，bymycalculations，beforethis。Howstillandlonelythehouseisinthedrowsyeveningquiet！
　　Ohme！howmanyminutesmorebeforeIhearthecarriagewheelsandrundownstairstofindmyselfinLaura’sarms？
　　Thepoorlittledog！IwishmyfirstdayatBlackwaterParkhadnotbeenassociatedwithdeath，thoughitisonlythedeathofastrayanimal。
　　Welmingham——Isee，onlookingbackthroughtheseprivatepagesofmine，thatWelminghamisthenameoftheplacewhereMrsCathericklives。
　　Hernoteisstillinmypossession，thenoteinanswertothatletteraboutherunhappydaughterwhichSirPercivalobligedmetowrite。Oneofthesedays，whenIcanfindasafeopportunity，Iwilltakethenotewithmebywayofintroduction，andtrywhatIcanmakeofMrsCatherickatapersonalinterview。Idon’tunderstandherwishingtoconcealhervisittothisplacefromSirPercival’sknowledge，andIdon’tfeelhalfsosure，asthehousekeeperseemstodo，thatherdaughterAnneisnotintheneighbourhoodafterall。WhatwouldWalterHartrighthavesaidinthisemergency？Poor，dearHartright！Iambeginningtofeelthewantofhishonestadviceandhiswillinghelpalready。
　　SurelyIheardsomething。Wasitabustleoffootstepsbelowstairs？
　　Yes！Ihearthehorses’feet——Iheartherollingwheels。Awaywithmyjournalandmypenandink！Thetravellershavereturned——mydarlingLauraishomeagainatlast！
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter13[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter13June15th——Theconfusionoftheirarrivalhashadtimetosubside。Twodayshaveelapsedsincethereturnofthetravellers，andthatintervalhassufficedtoputthenewmachineryofourlivesatBlackwaterParkinfairworkingorder。Imaynowreturntomyjournal，withsomelittlechanceofbeingabletocontinuetheentriesinitascollectedlyasusual。
　　IthinkImustbeginbyputtingdownanoddremarkwhichhassuggesteditselftomesinceLauracameback。
　　Whentwomembersofafamilyortwointimatefriendsareseparated，andonegoesabroadandoneremainsathome，thereturnoftherelativeorfriendwhohasbeentravellingalwaysseemstoplacetherelativeorfriendwhohasbeenstayingathomeatapainfuldisadvantagewhenthetwofirstmeet。thesuddenencounterofthenewthoughtsandnewhabitseagerlygainedintheonecase，withtheoldthoughtsandoldhabitspassivelypreservedintheother，seemsatfirsttopartthesympathiesofthemostlovingrelativesandthefondestfriends，andtosetasuddenstrangeness，unexpectedbybothanduncontrollablebyboth，betweenthemoneitherside。
　　AfterthefirsthappinessofmymeetingwithLaurawasover，afterwehadsatdowntogetherhandinhandtorecoverbreathenoughandcalmnessenoughtotalk，Ifeltthisstrangenessinstantly，andIcouldseethatshefeltittoo。Ithaspartiallywornaway，nowthatwehavefallenbackintomostofouroldhabits，anditwillprobablydisappearbeforelong。ButithascertainlyhadaninfluenceoverthefirstimpressionsthatIhaveformedofher，nowthatwearelivingtogetheragain——forwhichreasononlyIhavethoughtfittomentionithere。
　　Shehasfoundmeunaltered，butIhavefoundherchanged。
　　Changedinperson，andinonerespectchangedincharacter。Icannotabsolutelysaythatsheislessbeautifulthansheusedtobe——Icanonlysaythatsheislessbeautifultome。
　　Others，whodonotlookatherwithmyeyesandmyrecollections，wouldprobablythinkherimproved。Thereismorecolourthereusedtobe，andherfigureseemsmorefirmlysetandmoresureandeasyinallitsmovementsthanitwasinhermaidendays。ButImisssomethingwhenIlookather——somethingthatoncebelongedtothehappy，innocentlifeofLauraFairlie，andthatIcannotfindinLadyGlyde。Therewasintheoldtimesafreshness，asoftness，anever-varyingandyetever-remainingtendernessofbeautyinherface，thecharmofwhichitisnotpossibletoexpressinwords，or，aspoorHartrightusedoftentosay，inpaintingeither。ThisisGone。
　　IthoughtIsawthefaintreflectionofitforamomentwhensheturnedpaleundertheagitationofoursuddenmeetingontheeveningofherreturn，butithasneverreappearedsince。Noneofherlettershadpreparedmeforapersonalchangeinher。Onthecontrary。theyhadledmetoexpectthathermarriagehadlefther，inappearanceatleast，quiteunaltered。
　　PerhapsIreadherletterswronglyinthepast，andamnowreadingherfacewronglyinthepresent？Nomatter！Whetherherbeautyhasgainedorwhetherithaslostinthelastsixmonths，theseparationeitherwayhasmadeherowndearselfmoreprecioustomethanever，andthatisonegoodresultofhermarriage，atanyrate！
　　Thesecondchange，thechangethatIhaveobservedinhercharacter，hasnotsurprisedme，becauseIwaspreparedforitinthiscasebythetoneofherletters。Nowthatsheisathomeagain，IfindherjustasunwillingtoenterintoanydetailsonthesubjectofhermarriedlifeasIhadpreviouslyfoundherallthroughthetimeofourseparation，whenwecouldonlycommunicatewitheachotherbywriting。AtthefirstapproachImadetotheforbiddentopicsheputherhandonmylipswithalookandgesturewhichtouchingly，almostpainfully，recalledtomymemorythedaysofhergirlhoodandthehappybygonetimewhentherewerenosecretsbetweenus。