`Damnit！whatdoyoumean？’criedSirPercival，astheCountquietlymovedawaywithhiswifetothedoor。
　　`AtothertimesImeanwhatIsay，butatthistimeImeanwhatmywifesays，’repliedtheimpenetrableItalian。`Wehavechangedplaces，Percival，foronce，andMadameFosco’sopinionis——mine。’
　　SirPercivalcrumpledupthepaperinhishand，andpushingpasttheCount，withanotheroath，stoodbetweenhimandthedoor。
　　`Haveyourownway，’hesaid，withbaffledrageinhislow，half-whisperingtones。`Haveyourownway——andseewhatcomesofit。’Withthosewordshelefttheroom。
　　MadameFoscoglancedinquiringlyatherhusband。`Hehasgoneawayverysuddenly，’shesaid。`Whatdoesitmean？’
　　`ItmeansthatyouandItogetherhavebroughttheworst-temperedmaninallEnglandtohissenses，’answeredtheCount。`Itmeans，MissHalcombe，thatLadyGlydeisrelievedfromagrossindignity，andyoufromtherepetitionofanunpardonableinsult。Suffermetoexpressmyadmirationofyourconductandyourcourageataverytryingmoment。’
　　`Sincereadmiration，’suggestedMadameFosco。
　　`Sincereadmiration，’echoedtheCount。
　　Ihadnolongerthestrengthofmyfirstangryresistancetooutrageandinjurytosupportme。Myheart-sickanxietytoseeLaura，mysenseofmyownhelplessignoranceofwhathadhappenedattheboat-house，pressedonmewithanintolerableweight。ItriedtokeepupappearancesbyspeakingtotheCountandhiswifeinthetonewhichtheyhadchosentoadoptinspeakingtome，butthewordsfailedonmylips——mybreathcameshortandthick——myeyeslookedlongingly，insilence，atthedoor。TheCount，understandingmyanxiety，openedit，wentout，andpulledittoafterhim。
　　AtthesametimeSirPercival’sheavystepdescendedthestairs。Iheardthemwhisperingtogetheroutside，whileMadameFoscowasassuringme，inhercalmestandmostconventionalmanner，thatsherejoiced，foralloursakes，thatSirPercival’sconducthadnotobligedherhusbandandherselftoleaveBlackwaterPark。Beforeshehaddonespeakingthewhisperingceased，thedooropened，andtheCountlookedin。
　　`MissHalcombe，’hesaid，`IamhappytoinformyouthatLadyGlydeismistressagaininherownhouse。IthoughtitmightbemoreagreeabletoyoutohearofthischangeforthebetterfrommethanfromSirPercival，andIhavethereforeexpresslyreturnedtomentionit。’
　　`Admirabledelicacy！’saidMadameFosco，payingbackherhusband’stributeofadmirationwiththeCount’sowncoin，intheCount’sownmanner。Hesmiledandbowedasifhehadreceivedaformalcomplimentfromapolitestranger，anddrewbacktoletmepassoutfirst。
　　SirPercivalwasstandinginthehall。AsIhurriedtothestairsI
　　heardhimcallimpatientlytotheCounttocomeoutofthelibrary。
　　`Whatareyouwaitingtherefor？’hesaid。`Iwanttospeaktoyou。’
　　`AndIwanttothinkalittlebymyself，’repliedtheother。`Waittilllater，Percival，waittilllater。’
　　Neitherhenorhisfriendsaidanymore。Igainedthetopofthestairsandranalongthepassage。InmyhasteandmyagitationIleftthedooroftheante-chamberopen，butIclosedthedoorofthebedroomthemomentIwasinsideit。
　　Laurawassittingaloneatthefarendoftheroom，herarmsrestingwearilyonatable，andherfacehiddeninherhands。Shestartedupwithacryofdelightwhenshesawme。
　　`Howdidyougethere？’sheasked。`Whogaveyouleave？NotSirPercival？’
　　Inmyoverpoweringanxietytohearwhatshehadtotellme，Icouldnotanswerher——Icouldonlyputquestionsonmyside。Laura’seagernesstoknowwhathadpasseddownstairsproved，however，toostrongtoberesisted。
　　Shepersistentlyrepeatedherinquiries。
　　`TheCount，ofcourse，’Iansweredimpatiently。`Whoseinfluenceinthehouse——’
　　Shestoppedmewithagestureofdisgust。
　　`Don’tspeakofhim，’shecried。`TheCountisthevilestcreaturebreathing！
　　TheCountisamiserableSpy！’
　　Beforewecouldeitherofussayanotherwordwewerealarmedbyasoftknockingatthedoorofthebedroom。
　　Ihadnotyetsatdown，andIwentfirsttoseewhoitwas。WhenIopenedthedoorMadameFoscoconfrontedmewithmyhandkerchiefinherhand。
　　`Youdroppedthisdownstairs，MissHalcombe，’shesaid，`andIthoughtIcouldbringittoyou，asIwaspassingbytomyownroom。
　　Herface，naturallypale，hadturnedtosuchaghastlywhitenessthatIstartedatthesightofit。Herhands，sosureandsteadyatallothertimes，trembledviolently，andhereyeslookedwolfishlypastmethroughtheopendoor，andfixedonLaura。
　　Shehadbeenlisteningbeforesheknocked！Isawitinherwhiteface，Isawitinhertremblinghands，IsawitinherlookatLaura。
　　Afterwaitinganinstantsheturnedfrommeinsilence，andslowlywalkedaway。
　　Iclosedthedooragain。`Oh，LauraILaura！WeshallbothruethedaywhenyoucalledtheCountaSpy！’
　　`Youwouldhavecalledhimsoyourself，Marian，ifyouhadknownwhatIknow。AnneCatherickwasright。Therewasathirdpersonwatchingusintheplantationyesterday，andthatthirdperson——
　　`AreyousureitwastheCount？’
　　`Iamabsolutelycertain。HewasSirPercival’sspy——hewasSirPercival’sinformer——hesetSirPercivalwatchingandwaiting，allthemorningthrough，forAnneCatherickandforme。’
　　`IsAnnefound？Didyouseeheratthelake？’
　　`No。Shehassavedherselfbykeepingawayfromtheplace。WhenIgottotheboat-housenoonewasthere。’
　　`Yes？Yes？’
　　`Iwentinandsatwaitingforafewminutes。Butmyrestlessnessmademegetupagain，towalkaboutalittle。AsIpassedoutIsawsomemarksonthesand，closeunderthefrontoftheboat-house。Istoopeddowntoexaminethem，anddiscoveredawordwritteninlargelettersonthesand。
　　Thewordwas——LOOK。’
　　`Andyouscrapedawaythesand，anddugahollowplaceinit？’
　　`Howdoyouknowthat，Marian？’
　　`IsawthehollowplacemyselfwhenIfollowedyoutotheboat-house。
　　Goon——goon！’
　　`Yes，Iscrapedawaythesandonthesurface，andinalittlewhileIcametoastripofpaperhiddenbeneath，whichhadwritingonit。ThewritingwassignedwithAnneCatherick’sinitials。’
　　`Whereisit？’
　　`SirPercivalhastakenitfromme。’
　　`Canyourememberwhatthewritingwas？Doyouthinkyoucanrepeatittome？’
　　`InsubstanceIcan，Marian。Itwasveryshort。Youwouldhaverememberedit。wordforword。’
　　`Trytotellmewhatthesubstancewasbeforewegoanyfurther。’
　　Shecomplied。Iwritethelinesdownhereexactlyassherepeatedthemtome。Theyranthus——andhadtoruntosavemyself。Hewasnotquickenoughonhisfeettofollowme，andhelostmeamongthetrees。Idarenotriskcomingbackheretodayatthesametime。Iwritethis，andhideitinthesand，atsixinthemorning，totellyouso。Whenwespeaknextofyourwickedhusband’sSecretwemustspeaksafely，ornotatall。Trytohavepatience。Ipromiseyoushallseemeagainandthatsoon——A。
　　C。’
　　Thereferencetothe`tall，stoutoldman’thetermsofwhichLaurawascertainthatshehadrepeatedtomecorrectlyleftnodoubtastowhotheintruderhadbeen。IcalledtomindthatIhadtoldSirPercival，intheCount’spresencethedaybefore，thatLaurahadgonetotheboat-housetolookforherbrooch。Inallprobabilityhehadfollowedherthere，inhisofficiousway，torelievehermindaboutthematterofthesignature，immediatelyafterhehadmentionedthechangeinSirPercival’splanstomeinthedrawing-room。Inthiscasehecouldonlyhavegottotheneighbourhoodoftheboat-houseattheverymomentwhenAnneCatherickdiscoveredhim。
　　ThesuspiciouslyhurriedmannerinwhichshepartedfromLaurahadnodoubtpromptedhisuselessattempttofollowher。Oftheconversationwhichhadpreviouslytakenplacebetweenthemhecouldhaveheardnothing。Thedistancebetweenthehouseandthelake，andthetimeatwhichheleftmeinthedrawing-room，ascomparedwiththetimeatwhichLauraandAnneCatherickhadbeenspeakingtogether，provedthatfacttousatanyrate，beyondadoubt。
　　Havingarrivedatsomethinglikeaconclusionsofar，mynextgreatinterestwastoknowwhatdiscoveriesSirPercivalhadmadeafterCountFoscohadgivenhimhisinformation。
　　`Howcameyoutolosepossessionoftheletter？’Iasked。`Whatdidyoudowithitwhenyoufounditinthesand？’