ItwasalmostasgreatarelieftomymindastoLaura’s，tofindthatmymemoryhadservedme，onthisoccasion，asfaithfullyasusual。Intheperilousuncertaintyofourpresentsituation，itishardtosaywhatfutureinterestsmaynotdependupontheregularityoftheentriesinmyjournal，anduponthereliabilityofmyrecollectionatthetimewhenImakethem。
　　Laura’sfaceandmannersuggestedtomethatthislastconsiderationhadoccurredtoheraswellastomyself。Anyway，itisonlyatriflingmatter，andIamalmostashamedtoputitdownhereinwriting——itseemstosettheforlornnessofoursituationinsuchamiserablyvividlight。
　　Wemusthavelittleindeedtodependon，whenthediscoverythatmymemorycanstillbetrustedtoserveusishailedasifitwasthediscoveryofanewfriend！
　　Thefirstbellfordinnerseparatedus。rustasithaddoneringing，SirPercivalandtheCountreturnedfromtheirwalk。Weheardthemasterofthehousestormingattheservantsforbeingfiveminuteslate，andthemaster’sguestinterposing，asusual，intheinterestsofpropriety，patience，andpeace。
　　Theeveninghascomeandgone。Noextraordinaryeventhashappened。
　　ButIhavenoticedcertainpeculiaritiesintheconductofSirPercivalandtheCount，whichhavesentmetomybedfeelingveryanxiousanduneasyaboutAnneCatherick，andabouttheresultswhichtomorrowmayproduce。
　　Iknowenoughbythistime，tobesurethattheaspectofSirPercivalwhichisthemostfalse，andwhich，therefore，meanstheworst，ishispoliteaspect。Thatlongwalkwithhisfriendhadendedinimprovinghismanners，especiallytowardshiswife。ToLaura’ssecretsurpriseandtomysecretalarm，hecalledherbyherChristianname，askedifshehadheardlatelyfromheruncle，inquiredwhenMrsVeseywastoreceiveherinvitationtoBlackwater，andshowedhersomanyotherlittleattentionsthathealmostrecalledthedaysofhishatefulcourtshipatLimmeridgeHouse。Thiswasabadsigntobeginwith，andIthoughtitmoreominousstillthatheshouldpretendafterdinnertofallasleepinthedrawing-room，andthathiseyesshouldcunninglyfollowLauraandmewhenhethoughtweneitherofussuspectedhim。IhaveneverhadanydoubtthathissuddenjourneybyhimselftookhimtoWelminghamtoquestionMrsCatherick——
　　buttheexperienceoftonighthasmademefearthattheexpeditionwasnotundertakeninvain，andthathehasgottheinformationwhichheunquestionablyleftustocollect。IfIknewwhereAnneCatherickwastobefound，Iwouldbeuptomorrowwithsunriseandwarnher。
　　WhiletheaspectunderwhichSirPercivalpresentedhimselftonightwasunhappilybuttoofamiliartome，theaspectunderwhichtheCountappearedwas，ontheotherhand，entirelynewinmyexperienceofhim。
　　Hepermittedme，thisevening，tomakehisacquaintance，forthefirsttime，inthecharacterofaManofSentiment——ofsentiment，asIbelieve，reallyfelt，notassumedfortheoccasion。
　　Forinstance，hewasquietandsubdued——hiseyesandhisvoiceexpressedarestrainedsensibility。Heworeasiftherewassomehiddenconnectionbetweenhisshowiestfineryandhisdeepestfeelingthemostmagnificentwaistcoathehasyetappearedin——itwasmadeofpalesea-greensilk，anddelicatelytrimmedwithfinesilverbraid。Hisvoicesankintothetenderestinflections，hissmileexpressedathoughtful，fatherlyadmiration，wheneverhespoketoLauraortome。Hepressedhiswife’shandunderthetablewhenshethankedhimfortriflinglittleattentionsatdinner。Hetookwinewithher。`Yourhealthandhappiness，myangel！’hesaid，withfondglisteningeyes。Heatelittleornothing，andsighed，andsaid`GoodPercival！’whenhisfriendlaughedathim。Afterdinner，hetookLaurabythehand，andaskedherifshewouldbe`sosweetastoplaytohim。’
　　Shecomplied，throughsheerastonishment。Hesatbythepiano，withhiswatch-chainrestinginfolds，likeagoldenserpent，onthesea-greenprotuberanceofhiswaistcoat。Hisimmenseheadlaylanguidlyononeside，andhegentlybeattimewithtwoofhisyellow-whitefingers。Hehighlyapprovedofthemusic，andtenderlyadmiredLaura’smannerofplaying——notaspoorHartrightusedtopraiseit，withaninnocentenjoymentofthesweetsounds，butwithaclear，cultivated，practicalknowledgeofthemeritsofthecomposition，inthefirstplace，andofthemeritsoftheplayer’stouchinthesecond。
　　Astheeveningclosedin，hebeggedthatthelovelydyinglightmightnotbeprofaned，justyet，bytheappearanceofthelamps。Hecame，withhishorriblysilenttread，tothedistantwindowatwhichIwasstanding，tobeoutofhiswayandtoavoidtheverysightofhim——hecametoaskmetosupporthisprotestagainstthelamps。Ifanyoneofthemcouldonlyhaveburnthimupatthatmoment，Iwouldhavegonedowntothekitchen，andfetcheditmyself。
　　`Surelyyoulikethismodest，tremblingEnglishtwilight？’hesaidsoftly。
　　`Ah！Iloveit。Ifeelmyinbornadmirationofallthatisnoble，andgreat，andgood，purifiedbythebreathofheavenonaneveninglikethis。Naturehassuchimperishablecharms，suchinextinguishabletendernessforme！——
　　Iamanold，fatman——talkwhichwouldbecomeyourlips，MissHalcombe，soundslikeaderisionandamockeryonmine。Itishardtobelaughedatinmymomentofsentiment，asifmysoulwaslikemyself，oldandovergrown。
　　Observe，dearlady，whatalightisdyingonthetrees！Doesitpenetrateyourheart，asitpenetratesmine？’
　　Hepaused，lookedatme，andrepeatedthefamouslinesofDanteontheEvening-time，withamelodyandtendernesswhichaddedacharmoftheirowntothematchlessbeautyofthepoetryitself。
　　`Bah！’hecriedsuddenly，asthelastcadenceofthosenobleItalianwordsdiedawayonhislips；`Imakeanoldfoolofmyself，andonlywearyyouall！Letusshutupthewindowinourbosonsandgetbacktothematter-of-factworld。Percival！Isanctiontheadmissionofthelamps。LadyGlyde——MissHalcombe——Eleanor，mygoodwife——whichofyouwillindulgemewithagameatdominoes？’
　　Headdressedusall，buthelookedespeciallyatLaura。
　　Shehadlearnttofeelmydreadofoffendinghim，andsheacceptedhisproposal。ItwasmorethanIcouldhavedoneatthatmoment。Icouldnothavesatdownatthesametablewithhimforanyconsideration。Hiseyesseemedtoreachmyinmostsoulthroughthethickeningobscurityofthetwilight。Hisvoicetrembledalongeverynerveinmybody，andturnedmehotandcoldalternately。Themysteryandterrorofmydream，whichhadhauntedmeatintervalsallthroughtheevening，nowoppressedmymindwithanunendurableforebodingandanunutterableawe。Isawthewhitetombagain，andtheveiledwomanrisingoutofitbyHartright’sside。
　　ThethoughtofLaurawelleduplikeaspringinthedepthsofmyheart，andfilleditwithwatersofbitterness，never，neverknowntoitbefore。
　　Icaughtherbythehandasshepassedmeonherwaytothetable，andkissedherasifthatnightwastopartusforever。Whiletheywereallgazingatmeinastonishment，Iranoutthroughthelowwindowwhichwasopenbeforemetotheground——ranouttohidefromtheminthedarkness，tohideevenfrommyself。
　　Weseparatedthateveninglaterthanusual。Towardsmidnightthesummersilencewasbrokenbytheshudderingofalow，melancholywindamongthetrees。Weallfeltthesuddenchillintheatmosphere，buttheCountwasthefirsttonoticethestealthyrisingofthewind。Hestoppedwhilehewaslightingmycandleforme，andhelduphishandwarningly——
　　`Listen！’hesaid。`Therewillbeachangetomorrow。’
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter19[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter19June19th——Theeventsofyesterdaywarnedmetobeready，soonerorlater，tomeettheworst。Todayisnotyetatanend，andtheworsthascome。
　　JudgingbytheclosestcalculationoftimethatLauraandIcouldmake，wearrivedattheconclusionthatAnneCatherickmusthaveappearedattheboat-houseathalf-pasttwoo’clockontheafternoonofyesterday。
　　IaccordinglyarrangedthatLaurashouldjustshowherselfattheluncheon-cabletoday，andshouldthenslipoutatthefirstopportunity，leavingmebehindtopreserveappearances，andtofollowherassoonasIcouldsafelydoso。Thismodeofproceeding，ifnoobstaclesoccurredtothwartus，wouldenablehertobeattheboat-housebeforehalf-pasttwo，andwhenIleftthetable，inmyturnwouldtakemetoasafepositionintheplantationbeforethree。
　　Thechangeintheweather，whichlastnight’swindwarnedustoexpect，camewiththemorning。ItwasrainingheavilywhenIgotup，anditcontinuedtorainuntiltwelveo’clock——whenthecloudsdispersed，theblueskyappeared，andthesunshoneagainwiththebrightpromiseofafineafternoon。
　　MyanxietytoknowhowSirPercivalandtheCountwouldoccupytheearlypartofthedaywasbynomeanssetatrest，sofarasSirPercivalwasconcerned，byhisleavingusimmediatelyafterbreakfast，andgoingoutbyhimself，inspiteoftherain。Heneithertolduswherehewasgoingnorwhenwemightexpecthimback。Wesawhimpassthebreakfast-roomwindowhastily，withhishighbootsandhiswaterproofcoaton——andthatwasall。
　　TheCountpassedthemorningquietlyindoors，somepartofitinthelibrary，somepartinthedrawing-room，playingoddsandendsofmusiconthepiano，andhummingtohimself。Judgingbyappearances，thesentimentalsideofhischaracterwaspersistentlyinclinedtobetrayitselfstill。
　　Hewassilentandsensitive，andreadytosighandlanguishponderouslyasonlyfatmenFansighandlanguishonthesmallestprovocation。
　　Luncheon-timecameandSirPercivaldidnotreturn。TheCounttookhisfriend’splaceatthetable，plaintivelydevouredthegreaterpartofafruittart，submergedunderawholejugfulofcream，andexplainedthefullmeritoftheachievementtousassoonashehaddone。`Atasteforsweets，’hesaidinhissoftesttonesandhistenderestmanner，`istheinnocenttasteofwomenandchildren。Ilovetoshareitwiththem——itisanotherbond，dearladies，betweenyouandme。’
　　Lauraleftthetableintenminutes’time。Iwassorelytemptedtoaccompanyher。Butifwehadbothgoneouttogetherwemusthaveexcitedsuspicion，andworsestill，ifweallowedAnneCathericktoseeLaura，accompaniedbyasecondpersonwhowasastrangertoher，weshouldinallprobabilityforfeitherconfidencefromthatmoment，nevertoregainitagain。