TheCountesscameintothehallratherhastily，andaskedifIhadleisureenoughforfiveminutes’privateconversation。Feelingalittlesurprisedbysuchanappealfromsuchaperson，Iputmyletterintothebag，andrepliedthatIwasquiteatherdisposal。Shetookmyarmwithunaccustomedfriendlinessandfamiliarity，andinsteadofleadingmeintoanemptyroom，drewmeoutwithhertothebeltofturfwhichsurroundedthelargefish-pond。
　　AswepassedtheCountonthestepshebowedandsmiled，andthenwentatonceintothehouse，pushingthehalldoortoafterhim，butnotactuallyclosingit。
　　TheCountesswalkedmegentlyroundthefish-pond。Iexpectedtobemadethedepositaryofsomeextraordinaryconfidence，andIwasastonishedtofindthatMadameFosco’scommunicationformyprivateearwasnothingmorethanapoliteassuranceofhersympathyforme，afterwhathadhappenedinthelibrary。Herhusbandhadtoldherofallthathadpassed，andoftheinsolentmannerinwhichSirPercivalhadspokentome。Thisinformationhadsoshockedanddistressedher，onmyaccountandonLaura’s，thatshehadmadeuphermind，ifanythingofthesorthappenedagain，tomarkhersenseofSirPercival’soutrageousconductbyleavingthehouse。TheCounthadapprovedofheridea，andshenowhopedthatIapprovedofittoo。
　　IthoughtthisaverystrangeproceedingonthepartofsucharemarkablyreservedwomanasMadameFosco，especiallyaftertheinterchangeofsharpspeecheswhichhadpassedbetweenusduringtheconversationintheboat-houseonthatverymorning。However，itwasmyplaindutytomeetapoliteandfriendlyadvanceonthepartofoneofmyelderswithapoliteandfriendlyreply。IansweredtheCountessaccordinglyinherowntone，andthen，thinkingwehadsaidallthatwasnecessaryoneitherside，madeanattempttogetbacktothehouse。
　　ButMadameFoscoseemedresolvednottopartwithme，andtomyunspeakableamazement，resolvedalsototalk。Hithertothemostsilentofwomen，shenowpersecutedmewithfluentconventionalitiesonthesubjectofmarriedlife，onthesubjectofSirPercivalandLaura，onthesubjectofherownhappiness，onthesubjectofthelateMrFairlie’sconducttoherinthematterofherlegacy，andonhalfadozenothersubjectsbesides，untilshehaddetainedmewalkingroundandroundthefishpondformorethanhalfanhour，andhadquiteweariedmeout。Whethershediscoveredthisornot，Icannotsay，butshestoppedasabruptlyasshehadbegun——lookedtowardsthehousedoor，resumedhericymannerinamoment，anddroppedmyarmofherownaccordbeforeIcouldthinkofanexcuseforaccomplishingmyownreleasefromher。
　　AsIpushedopenthedoorandenteredthehall，IfoundmyselfsuddenlyfacetofacewiththeCountagain。Hewasjustputtingaletterintothepost-bag。
　　Afterhehaddroppeditinandhadclosedthebag，heaskedwhereI
　　hadleftMadameFosco。Itoldhim，andhewentoutatthehalldoorimmediatelytojoinhiswife。HismannerwhenhespoketomewassounusuallyquietandsubduedthatIturnedandlookedafterhim，wonderingifhewereilloroutofspirits。
　　Whymynextproceedingwastogostraightuptothepost-bagandtakeoutmyownletterandlookatitagain，withavaguedistrustonme，andwhythelookingatitforthesecondtimeinstantlysuggestedtheideatomymindofsealingtheenvelopeforitsgreatersecurity——aremysterieswhichareeithertoodeeportooshallowformetofathom。Women，aseverybodyknows，constantlyactonimpulseswhichtheycannotexplaineventothemselves，andIcanonlysupposethatoneofthoseimpulseswasthehiddencauseofmyunaccountableconductonthisoccasion。
　　Whateverinfluenceanimatedme，IfoundcausetocongratulatemyselfonhavingobeyeditassoonasIpreparedtosealtheletterinmyownroom。Ihadoriginallyclosedtheenvelopeintheusualwaybymoisteningtheadhesivepointandpressingitonthepaperbeneath，andwhenInowtrieditwithmyfinger，afteralapseoffullthree-quartersofanhour，theenvelopeopenedontheinstant，withoutstickingortearing。PerhapsIhadfasteneditinsufficiently？Perhapstheremighthavebeensomedefectintheadhesivegum？
　　Or，perhaps——No！itisquiterevoltingenoughtofeelthatthirdconjecturestirringinmymind。Iwouldrathernotseeitconfrontingmeinplainblackandwhite。
　　Ialmostdreadtomorrow——somuchdependsonmydiscretionandself-control。
　　Therearetwoprecautions，atallevents，whichIamsurenottoforget。
　　ImustbecarefultokeepupfriendlyappearanceswiththeCount，andI
　　mustbewellonmyguardwhenthemessengerfromtheofficecomesherewiththeanswertomyletter。
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter16[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter16June17th——Whenthedinnerhourbroughtustogetheragain，CountFoscowasinhisusualexcellentspirits。Heexertedhimselftointerestandamuseus，asifhewasdeterminedtoeffacefromourmemoriesallrecollectionofwhathadpassedinthelibrarythatafternoon。Livelydescriptionsofhisadventuresintravelling，amusinganecdotesofremarkablepeoplewhomhehadmetwithabroad，quaintcomparisonsbetweenthesocialcustomsofvariousnations，illustratedbyexamplesdrawnfrommenandwomenindiscriminatelyalloverEurope，humorousconfessionsoftheinnocentfolliesofhisownearlylife，whenheruledthefashionsofasecond-rateItaliantown，andwrotepreposterousromancesontheFrenchmodelforasecond-rateItaliannewspaper——allflowedinsuccessionsoeasilyandsogailyfromhislips，andalladdressedourvariouscuriositiesandvariousinterestssodirectlyandsodelicately，thatLauraandIlistenedtohimwithasmuchattentionand，inconsistentasitmayseem，with，asmuchadmirationalso，asMadameFoscoherself。Womencanresistaman’slove，aman’sfame，amanspersonalappearance，andaman’smoney，buttheycannotresistaman’stonguewhenheknowshowtotalkt-KanbaAPp点com-othem。
　　Afterdinner，whilethefavourableimpressionwhichhehadproducedonuswasstillvividinourminds，theCountmodestlywithdrewtoreadinthelibrary。
　　Lauraproposedastrollinthegroundstoenjoythecloseofthelongevening。Itwasnecessaryir。commonpolitenesstoaskMadameFoscotojoinus，butthistimeshehadapparentlyreceivedherordersbeforehand，andshebeggedwewouldkindlyexcuseher。`TheCountwillprobablywantafreshsupplyofcigarettes，’sheremarkedbywayofapology，`andnobodycanmakethemtohissatisfactionbutmyself。’Hercoldblueeyesalmostwarmedasshespokethewords——shelookedactuallyproudofbeingtheofficiatingmediumthroughwhichherlordandmastercomposedhimselfwithtobacco-smoke！
　　LauraandIwentouttogetheralone。
　　Itwasamisty，heavyevening。Therewasasenseofblightintheair；
　　theflowersweredroopinginthegarden，andthegroundwasparchedanddewless。Thewesternheaven，aswesawitoverthequiettrees，wasofapaleyellowhue，andthesunwassettingfaintlyinahaze。Comingrainseemednear——itwouldfallprobablywiththefallofnight。
　　`Whichwayshallwego？’Iasked。
　　`Towardsthelake，Marian，ifyoulike，’sheanswered。
　　`Youseemunaccountablyfond，Laura，ofthatdismallake。’
　　`No，notofthelakebutofthesceneryaboutit。Thesandandheathandthefir-treesaretheonlyobjectsIcandiscover，inallthislargeplace，toremindmeofLimmeridge。Butwewillwalkinsomeotherdirectionifyoupreferit。’
　　`IhavenofavouritewalksatBlackwaterPark，mylove。Oneisthesameasanothertome。Letusgotothelake——wemayfinditcoolerintheopenspacethanwefindithere。’
　　Wewalkedthroughtheshadowyplantationinsilence。Theheavinessintheeveningairoppressedusboth，andwhenwereachedtheboat-houseweweregladtositdownandrestinside。
　　Awhitefoghunglowoverthelake。Thedensebrownlineofthetreesontheoppositebankappearedaboveit，likeadwarfforestfloatinginthesky。Thesandyground，shelvingdownwardfromwherewesat，waslostmysteriouslyintheoutwardlayersofthefog。Thesilencewashorrible。
　　Norustlingoftheleaves——nobird’snoteinthewood——nocryofwater-fowlfromthepoolsofthehiddenlake。Eventhecroakingofthefrogshadceasedtonight`Itisverydesolateandgloomy，’saidLaura。`Butwecanbemorealoneherethananywhereelse。’
　　Shespokequietlyandlookedatthewildernessofsandandmistwithsteady，thoughtfuleyes。Icouldseethathermindwastoomuchoccupiedtofeelthedrearyimpressionsfromwithoutwhichhadfastenedthemselvesalreadyonmine。
　　`Ipromised，Marian，totellyouthetruthaboutmymarriedlife，insteadofleavingyouanylongertoguessitforyourself，’shebegan。`ThatsecretisthefirstIhaveeverhadfromyou，love，andIamdetermineditshallbethelast。Iwassilent，asyouknow，foryoursake——andperhapsalittleformyownsakeaswell。Itisveryhardforawomantoconfessthatthemantowhomshehasgivenherwholelifeisthemanofallotherswhocaresleastforthegift。Ifyouweremarriedyourself，Marian——andespeciallyifyouwerehappilymarried——youwouldfeelformeasnosinglewomancanfeel，howeverkindandtrueshemaybe。’
　　WhatanswercouldImake？Icouldonlytakeherhandandlookatherwithmywholeheartaswellasmyeyeswouldletme。
　　`Howoften，’shewenton，`Ihaveheardyoulaughingoverwhatyouusedtocallyour``poverty！’’howoftenyouhavemadememock-speechesofcongratulationonmywealth！Oh，Marian，neverlaughagain。ThankGodforyourpoverty——ithasmadeyouyourownmistress，andhassavedyoufromthelotthathasfallenonme。’
　　Asadbeginningonthelipsofayoungwife！——sadinitsquiet，plain-spokentruth。ThefewdayswehadallpassedtogetheratBlackwaterParkhadbeenmanyenoughtoshowme——toshowanyone——whatherhusbandhadmarriedherfor。
　　`Youshallnotbedistressed，’shesaid，`byhearinghowsoonmydisappointmentsandmytrialsbegan——orevenbyknowingwhattheywere。Itisbadenoughtohavethemonmymemory。IfItellyouhowhereceivedthefirstandlastattemptatremonstrancethatIevermade，youwillknowhowhehasalwaystreatedme，aswellasifIhaddescribeditinsomanywords。
　　ItwasonedayatRomewhenwehadriddenouttogethertothetombofCeciliaMetella。Theskywascalmandlovely，andthegrandoldruinlookedbeautiful，andtheremembrancethatahusband’slovehadraiseditintheoldtimetoawife’smemory，mademefeelmoretenderlyandmoreanxiouslytowardsmyhusbandthanIhadeverfeltyet。``Wouldyoubuildsuchatombforme，Percival？’’Iaskedhim。``Yousaidyoulovedmedearlybeforeweweremarried，andyet，sincethattime——’’Icouldgetnofarther。