``Whatisityouhavetotellme？’’Iasked。``TheSecretthatyourcruelhusbandisafraidof，’’sheanswered。``IoncethreatenedhimwiththeSecret，andfrightenedhim。YoushallthreatenhimwiththeSecret，andfrightenhimtoo。’’Herfacedarkened，andahard，angrystarefixeditselfinhereyes。Shebeganwavingherhandatmeinavacant，unmeaningmanner。
　　``MymotherknowstheSecret，’’shesaid。``MymotherhaswastedundertheSecrethalfherlifetime。Oneday，whenIwasgrownup，shesaidsomethingtome。Andthenextdayyourhusband——’’’
　　`Yes！yes！Goon。Whatdidshetellyouaboutyourhusband？’
　　`Shestoppedagain，Marian，atthatpoint——’
　　`Andsaidnomore？’
　　`Andlistenedeagerly。``Hush！’’shewhispered，stillwavingherhandatme。`Hush！’’Shemovedasideoutofthedoorway，movedslowlyandstealthily，stepbystep，tillIlostherpasttheedgeoftheboat-house。’
　　`Surelyyoufollowedher？’
　　`Yes，myanxietymademeboldenoughtoriseandfollowher。rustasIreachedtheentrance，sheappearedagainsuddenly，roundthesideoftheboat-house。``TheSecret，’’Iwhisperedtoher——``waitandtellmetheSecret！’’Shecaughtholdofmyarm，andlookedatmewithwildfrightenedeyes。``Notnow，’’shesaid，``wearenotalone——wearewatched。Comeheretomorrowatthistime——byyourself——mind——byyourself。’’ShePushedmeroughlyintotheboat-houseagain，andIsawhernomore。’
　　`Oh，Laura，Laura，anotherchancelost！IfIhadonlybeennearyousheshouldnothaveescapedus。Onwhichsidedidyoulosesightofher？’
　　`Ontheleftside，wherethegroundsinksandthewoodisthickest。’
　　`Didyourunoutagain？didyoucallafterher？’
　　`HowcouldI？Iwastooterrifiedtomoveorspeak。’
　　`Butwhenyoudidmove——whenyoucameout——？’
　　`Iranbackhere，totellyouwhathadhappened。’
　　`Didyouseeanyone，orhearanyone，intheplantation？’
　　`No，itseemedtobeallstillandquietwhenIpassedthroughit。’
　　Iwaitedforamomenttoconsider。Wasthisperson，supposedtohavebeensecretlypresentattheinterview，areality，orthecreatureofAnneCatherick’sexcitedfancy？Itwasimpossibletodetermine。Theonethingcertainwas，thatwehadfailedagainontheverybrinkofdiscovery——
　　failedutterlyandirretrievably，unlessAnneCatherickkeptherappointmentattheboat-houseforthenextday。
　　`Areyouquitesureyouhavetoldmeeverythingthatpassed？Everywordthatwassaid？’Iinquired。
　　`Ithinkso，’sheanswered。`Mypowersofmemory，Marian，arenotlikeyours。ButIwassostronglyimpressed，sodeeplyinterested，thatnothingofanyimportancecanpossiblyhaveescapedme。’
　　`MydearLaura，themeresttriflesareofimportancewhereAnneCatherickisconcerned。Thinkagain。Didnochancereferenceescapeherastotheplaceinwhichsheislivingatthepresenttime？’
　　`NonethatIcanremember。’
　　`Didshenotmentionacompanionandfriend——awomannamedMrsClements？’
　　`Ohyes！yes！Iforgotthat。ShetoldmeMrsClementswantedsadlytogowithhertothelakeandtakecareofher，andbeggedandprayedthatshewouldnotventureintothisneighbourhoodalone。’
　　`WasthatallshesaidaboutMrsClements？’
　　`Yes，thatwasall。’
　　`ShetoldyounothingabouttheplaceinwhichshetookrefugeafterleavingTodd’sCorner？’
　　`Nothing——Iamquitesure。’
　　`Norwhereshehaslivedsince？Norwhatherillnesshadbeen？’
　　`No，Marian，notaword。Tellme，praytellme，whatyouthinkaboutit。Idon’tknowwhattothink，orwhattodonext。’
　　`Youmustdothis，mylove：Youmustcarefullykeeptheappointmentattheboat-housetomorrow。Itisimpossibletosaywhatinterestsmaynotdependonyourseeingthatwomanagain。Youshallnotbelefttoyourselfasecondtime。Iwillfollowyouatasafedistance。Nobodyshallseeme，butIwillkeepwithinhearingofyourvoice，ifanythinghappens。AnneCatherickhasescapedWalterHartright，andhasescapedyou。Whateverhappens，sheshallnotescapeme。’
　　Laura’seyesreadmineattentively。
　　`Youbelieve，’shesaid，`inthissecretthatmyhusbandisafraidof？
　　Suppose，Marian，itshouldonlyexistafterallinAnneCatherick’sfancy？
　　Supposesheonlywantedtoseemeandtospeaktome，forthesakeofoldremembrances？Hermannerwassostrange——Ialmostdoubtedher。Wouldyoutrustherinotherthings？’
　　`Itrustnothing，Laura，butmyownobservationofyourhusband’sconduct。
　　IjudgeAnneCatherick’swordsbyhisactions，andIbelievethereisasecret。’
　　Isaidnomore，andgotuptoleavetheroom。ThoughtsweretroublingmewhichImighthavetoldherifwehadspokentogetherlonger，andwhichitmighthavebeendangerousforhertoknow。Theinfluenceoftheterribledreamfromwhichshehadawakenedmehungdarklyandheavilyovereveryfreshimpressionwhichtheprogressofhernarrativeproducedonmymind。
　　Ifelttheominousfuturecomingclose，chillingmewithanunutterableawe，forcingonmetheconvictionofanunseendesigninthelongseriesofcomplicationswhichhadnowfastenedroundus。IthoughtofHartright——asIsawhiminthebodywhenhesaidfarewell；asIsawhiminthespiritinmydream——andItoobegantodoubtnowwhetherwewerenotadvancingblindfoldtoanappointedandaninevitableend。
　　LeavingLauratogoupstairsalone，Iwentouttolookaboutmeinthewalksnearthehouse。ThecircumstancesunderwhichAnneCatherickhadpartedfromherhadmademesecretlyanxioustoknowhowCountFoscowaspassingtheafternoon，andhadrenderedmesecretlydistrustfuloftheresultsofthatsolitaryjourneyfromwhichSirPercivalhadreturnedbutafewhourssince。
　　Afterlookingforthemineverydirectionanddiscoveringnothing，I
　　returnedtothehouse，andenteredthedifferentroomsonthegroundflooroneafteranother。Theywereallempty。Icaneoutagainintothehall，andwentupstairstoreturntoLaura。MadameFoscoopenedherdoorasI
　　passeditonmywayalongthepassage，andIstoppedtoseeifshecouldinformmeofthewhereaboutsofherhusbandandSirPercival。Yes，shehadseenthembothfromherwindowmorethananhoursince。TheCounthadlookedupwithhiscustomarykindness，andhadmentionedwithhishabitualattentiontoherinthesmallesttrifles，thatheandhisfriendweregoingouttogetherforalongwalk。
　　Foralongwalk！Theyhadneveryetbeenineachother’scompanywiththatobjectinmyexperienceofthem。SirPercivalcaredfornoexercisebutriding，andtheCountexceptwhenhewaspoliteenoughtobemyescort
　　caredfornoexerciseatall。
　　WhenIjoinedLauraagain，Ifoundthatshehadcalledtomindinmyabsencetheimpendingquestionofthesignaturetothedeed，which，intheinterestofdiscussingherinterviewwithAnneCatherick，wehadhithertooverlooked。HerfirstwordswhenIsawherexpressedhersurpriseattheabsenceoftheexpectedsummonstoattendSirPercivalinthelibrary。
　　`Youmaymakeyourmindeasyonthatsubject，’Isaid。`Forthepresent，atleast，neitheryourresolutionnorminewillbeexposedtoanyfurthertrial。SirPercivalhasalteredhisplans——thebusinessofthesignatureisputoff。’
　　`Putoff？’Laurarepeatedamazedly。`Whotoldyouso？’
　　`MyauthorityisCountFosco。Ibelieveitistohisinterferencethatweareindebtedforyourhusband’ssuddenchangeofpurpose。’
　　`Itseemsimpossible，Marian。Iftheobjectofmysigningwas，aswesuppose，toobtainmoneyforSirpercivalthatheurgentlywanted，howcanthematterbeputoff？’
　　`Ithink，Laura，wehavethemeansathandofsettingthatdoubtatrest。HaveyouforgottentheconversationthatIheardbetweenSirPercivalandthelawyerastheywerecrossingthehall？’
　　`No，butIdon’tremember——’
　　`Ido。Thereweretwoalternativesproposed。Onewastoobtainyoursignaturetotheparchment。Theotherwastogaintimebygivingbillsatthreemonths。Thelastresourceisevidentlytheresourcenowadopted，andwemayfairlyhopetoberelievedfromourshareinSirPercival’sembarrassmentsforsometimetocome。’
　　`Oh，Marian，itsoundstoogoodtobetrue！’
　　`Doesit，mylove？Youcomplimentedmeonmyreadymemorynotlongsince，butyouseemtodoubtitnow。Iwillgetmyjournal，andyoushallseeifIamrightorwrong。’
　　Iwentawayandgotthebookatonce。
　　Onlookingbacktotheentryreferringtothelawyer’svisit，wefoundthatmyrecollectionofthetwoalternativespresentedwasaccuratelycorrect。