`Wait，Marian！I’mfrightened——Idon’tseethepath。Supposethefigureshouldfollowus？’
　　`Notatalllikely，Laura。Thereisreallynothingtobealarmedabout。
　　Theshoresofthelakearenotfarfromthevillage，andtheyarefreetoanyonetowalkonbydayornight。Itisonlywonderfulwehaveseennolivingcreaturetherebefore。’
　　Wewerenowintheplantation。Itwasverydark——sodark，thatwefoundsomedifficultyinkeepingthepath。IgaveLauramyarm，andwewalkedasfastaswecouldonourwayback。
　　Beforewewerehalf-waythroughshestopped，andforcedmetostopwithher。Shewaslistening。
　　`Hush，’shewhispered。`Ihearsomethingbehindus。’
　　`Deadleaves，’Isaidtocheerher，`oratwigblownoffthetrees。’
　　`Itissummertime，Marian，andthereisnotabreathofwind。Listen！’
　　Iheardthesoundtoo——asoundlikealightfootstepfollowingus。
　　`Nomatterwhoitis，orwhatitis，’Isaid，`letuswalkon。Inanotherminute，ifthereisanythingtoalarmus，weshallbenearenoughtothehousetobeheard。’
　　Wewentonquickly——soquickly，thatLaurawasbreathlessbythetimewewerenearlythoughtheplantation，andwithinsightofthelightedwindows。
　　Iwaitedamomenttogiveherbreathing-time。Justaswewereabouttoproceedshestoppedmeagain，andsignedtomewithherhandtolistenoncemore。Webothhearddistinctlyalong，heavysighbehindus，intheblackdepthsofthetrees。
　　`Who’sthere？’Icalledout。
　　Therewasnoanswer。
　　`Who’sthere？’Irepeated。
　　Aninstantofsilencefollowed，andthenweheardthelightfallofthefootstepsagain，fainterandfainter——sinkingawayintothedarkness——sinking，sinking，sinking——tilltheywerelostinthesilence。
　　Wehurriedoutfromthetreestotheopenlawnbeyond，crosseditrapidly，andwithoutanotherwordpassingbetweenus，reachedthehouse。
　　Inthelightofthehall-lampLauralookedatme，withwhitecheeksandstartledeyes。
　　`Iamhalfdeadwithfear，’shesaid。`Whocouldithavebeen？’
　　`Wewilltrytoguesstomorrow，’Ireplied。`Inthemeantimesaynothingtoanyoneofwhatwehaveheardandseen。’
　　`Whynot？’
　　`Becausesilenceissafe，andwehaveneedofsafetyinthishouse。’
　　IsentLauraupstairsimmediately，waitedaminutetotakeoffmyhatandputmyhairsmooth，andthenwentatoncetomakemyfirstinvestigationsinthelibrary，onpretenceofsearchingforabook。
　　TheresattheCount，fillingoutthelargesteasy-chairinthehouse，smokingandreadingcalmly，withhisfeetonanottoman，hiscravatacrosshisknees，andhisshirtcollarwideopen。AndtheresatMadameFosco，likeaquietchild，onastoolbyhisside，makingcigarettes。Neitherhusbandnorwifecould，byanypossibility，havebeenoutlatethatevening，andhavejustgotbacktothehouseinahurry。IfeltthatmyobjectinvisitingthelibrarywasansweredthemomentIseteyesonthem。
　　CountFoscoroseinpoliteconfusionandtiedhiscravatonwhenIenteredtheroom。
　　`Praydon’tletmedisturbyou，’Isaid。`Ihaveonlycomeheretogetabook。’
　　`Allunfortunatemenofmysizesufferfromtheheat，’saidtheCount，refreshinghimselfgravelywithalargegreenfan。`IwishIcouldchangeplaceswithmyexcellentwife。Sheisascoolatthismomentasafishinthepondoutside。’
　　TheCountessallowedherselftothawundertheinfluenceofherhusband’squaintcomparison。Iamneverwarm，MissHalcombe，’sheremarked，withthemodestairofawomanwhowasconfessingtooneofherownmerits。
　　`HaveyouandLadyGlydebeenoutthisevening？’askedtheCount，whileIwastakingabookfromtheshelvestopreserveappearances。
　　`Yes，wewentouttogetalittleair。’
　　`MayIaskinwhatdirection？’
　　`Inthedirectionofthelake——asfarastheboat-house。’
　　`Aha？Asfarastheboat-house？’
　　UnderothercircumstancesImighthaveresentedhiscuriosity。ButtonightIhaileditasanotherproofthatneitherhenorhiswifewereconnectedwiththemysteriousappearanceatthelake。
　　`Nomoreadventures，IsupPose，thisevening？’hewenton。`Nomorediscoveries，likeyourdiscoveryofthewoundeddog？’
　　Hefixedhisunfathomablegreyeyesonme，withthatcold，clear，irresistibleglitterinthemwhichalwaysforcesmetolookathim，andalwaysmakesmeuneasywhileIdolook。Anunutterablesuspicionthathismindispryingintomineovercomesmeatthesetimes，anditovercamemenow。
　　`No，’Isaidshortly；`noadventures——nodiscoveries。’
　　Itriedtolookawayfromhimandleavetheroom。Strangeasitseems，IhardlythinkIshouldhavesucceededintheattemptifMadameFoscohadnothelpedmebycausinghimtomoveandlookawayfirst。
　　`Count，youarekeepingMissHalcombestanding，’shesaid。
　　Themomentheturnedroundtogetmeachair，Iseizedmyopportunity——thankedhim——mademyexcuses——andslippedout。
　　Anhourlater，whenLaura’smaidhappenedtobeinhermistress’sroom，Itookoccasiontorefertotheclosenessofthenight，withaviewtoascertainingnexthowtheservantshadbeenpassingtheirtime。
　　`Haveyoubeensufferingmuchfromtheheatdownstairs？’Iasked。
　　`No，miss，’saidthegirl，`wehavenotfeltittospeakof。’
　　`Youhavebeenoutinthewoodsthen，Isuppose？’
　　`Someofusthoughtofgoing，miss。Butcooksaidsheshouldtakeherchairintothecoolcourt-yard，outsidethekitchendoor，andonsecondthoughts，alltherestofustookourchairsouttheretoo。’
　　Thehousekeeperwasnowtheonlypersonwhoremainedtobeaccountedfor。
　　`IsMrsMichelsongonetobedyet？’Iinquired。
　　`Ishouldthisnot，miss，’saidthegirl，smiling。`MrsMichelsonismorelikelytobegettingupjustnowthangoingtobed。’
　　`Why？Whatdoyoumean？HasMrsMichelsonbeentakingtoherbedinthedaytime？’
　　`No，miss，notexactly，butthenextthingtoit。She’sbeenasleepalltheeveningonthesofainherownroom。’
　　PuttingtogetherwhatIobservedformyselfinthelibrary，andwhatIhavejustheardfromLaura’smaid，oneconclusionseemsinevitable。ThefigurewesawatthelakewasnotthefigureofMadameFosco，ofherhusband，orofanyoftheservants。Thefootstepsweheardbehinduswerenotthefootstepsofanyonebelongingtothehouse。
　　Whocouldithavebeen？
　　Itseemsuselesstoinquire。Icannotevendecidewhetherthefigurewasaman’sorawoman’s。IcanonlysaythatIthinkitwasawoman’s。
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter17[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter17June18th——Themiseryofself-reproachwhichIsufferedyesterdayevening，onhearingwhatLauratoldmeintheboat-house，returnedinthelonelinessofthenight，andkeptmewakingandwretchedforhours。
　　Ilightedmycandleatlast，andsearchedthroughmyoldjournalstoseewhatmyshareinthefatalerrorofhermarriagehadreallybeen，andwhatImighthaveoncedonetosaveherfromit。Theresultsoothedmealittle——foritshowedthat，howeverblindlyandignorantlyIacted，Iactedforthebest。Cryinggenerallydoesmeharm；butitwasnotsolastnight——Ithinkitrelievedme。Irosethismorningwithasettledresolutionandaquietmind。NothingSirPercivalcansayordoshalleverirritatemeagain，ormakemeforgetforonemomentthatIamstayinghereindefianceofmortifications，insults，andthreats，forLaura’sserviceandforLaura’ssake。
　　Thespeculationsinwhichwemighthaveindulgedthismorning，onthesubjectofthefigureatthelakeandthefootstepsintheplantation，havebeenallsuspendedbyatriflingaccidentwhichhascausedLauragreatregret。ShehaslostthelittlebroochIgaveherforakeepsakeonthedaybeforehermarriage。Assheworeitwhenwewentoutyesterdayeveningwecanonlysupposethatitmusthavedroppedfromherdress，eitherintheboat-houseoronourwayback。Theservantshavebeensenttosearch，andhavereturnedunsuccessful。AndnowLauraherselfhasgonetolookforit。Whethershefindsitornotthelosswillhelptoexcuseherabsencefromthehouse，ifSirPercivalreturnsbeforetheletterfromMrGilmore’spartnerisplacedinmyhands。
　　Oneo’clockhasjuststruck。IamconsideringwhetherIhadbetterwaithereforthearrivalofthemessengerfromLondon，orslipawayquietly，andwatchforhimoutsidethelodgegate。