Ittriedmetothequicktorefuseher，eveninherowninterests。Butwehadbeentoolongshutupalonetogetheralready。Ourchanceofseeingeachotheragainmightentirelydependonournotexcitinganyfreshsuspicions。
　　Itwasfulltimetoshowmyself，quietlyandunconcernedly，amongthewretcheswhowereatthatverymoment，perhaps，thinkingofusandtalkingofusdownstairs。IexplainedthemiserablenecessitytoLaura，andprevailedonhertorecogniseitasIdid。
　　`lwillcomebackagain，love，inanhourorless，’Isaid。`Theworstisoverfortoday。Keepyourselfquietandfearnothing。’
　　`Isthekeyinthedoor，Marian？CanIlockitontheinside？’
　　`Yes，hereisthekey。Lockthedoor，andopenittonobodyuntilI
　　comeupstairsagain。’
　　Ikissedherandlefther。ItwasarelieftomeasIwalkedawaytohearthekeyturnedinthelock，andtoknowthatthedoorwasatherowncommand。
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter20[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter20June19th——IhadonlygotasfarasthetopofthestairswhenthelockingofLaura’sdoorsuggestedtometheprecautionofalsolockingmyowndoor，andkeepingthekeysafelyaboutmewhileIwasoutoftheroom。Myjournalwasalreadysecuredwithotherpapersinthetabledrawer，butmywritingmaterialswereleftout。Theseincludedaseal，bearingthecommondeviceoftwodovesdrinkingoutofthesamecup，andsomesheetsofblotting-paper，whichhadtheimpressiononthemoftheclosinglinesofmywritinginthesepagestracedduringthepastnight。Distortedbythesuspicionwhichhadnowbecomeapartofmyself，evensuchtriflesastheselookedtoodangeroustobetrustedwithoutaguard——eventhelockedtabledrawerseemedtobenotsufficientlyprotectedinmyabsenceuntilthemeansofaccesstoithadbeencarefullysecuredaswell。
　　IfoundnoappearanceofanyonehavingenteredtheroomwhileIhadbeentalkingwithLaura。MywritingmaterialswhichIhadgiventheservantinstructionsnevertomeddlewithwerescatteredoverthetablemuchasusual。TheonlycircumstanceinconnectionwiththemthatatallstruckmewasthattheseallaytidilyinthetraywiththePencilsandthewax。
　　Itwasnotinmycarelesshabitslamsorrytosaytoputitthere，neitherdidIrememberputtingitthere。ButasIcouldnotcalltomind，ontheotherhand，whereelseIhadthrownitdown，andasIwasalsodoubtfulwhetherImightnotforoncehavelaiditmechanicallyintherightplace，Iabstainedfromaddingtotheperplexitywithwhichtheday’seventshadfilledmymindbytroublingitafreshaboutatrifle。Ilockedthedoor，putthekeyinmyPocket，andwentdownstairs。
　　MadameFoscowasaloneinthehalllookingattheweatherglass。
　　`Stillfalling，’shesaid。`Iamafraidwemustexpectmorerain。’
　　Herfacewascomposedagaintoitscustomaryexpressionanditscustomarycolour。Butthehandwithwhichshepointedtothedialoftheweather-glassstilltrembled。
　　CouldshehavetoldherhusbandalreadythatshehadoverheardLaurarevilinghim，inmycompany，asa`spy？’Mystrongsuspicionthatshemusthavetoldhim，myirresistibledreadallthemoreoverpoweringfromitsveryvaguenessoftheconsequenceswhichmightfollow，myfixedconviction，derivedfromvariouslittleself-betrayalswhichwomennoticeineachother，thatMadameFosco，inspiteofherwell-assumedexternalcivility，hadnotforgivenhernieceforinnocentlystandingbetweenherandthelegacyoftenthousandpounds——allrusheduponmymindtogether，allimpelledmetospeakinthevainhopeofusingmyowninfluenceandmyownpowersofpersuasionfortheatonementofLaura’soffence。
　　`MayItrusttoyourkindnesstoexcuseme，MadameFosco，ifIventuretospeaktoyouonanexceedinglypainfulsubject？’
　　Shecrossedherhandsinfrontofherandbowedherheadsolemnly，withoututteringaword，andwithouttakinghereyesoffmineforamoment。
　　`Whenyouweresogoodastobringmebackmyhandkerchief，’Iwenton，`lamvery，verymuchafraidyoumusthaveaccidentallyheardLaurasaysomethingwhichIamunwillingtorepeat，andwhichIwillnotattempttodefend。IwillonlyventuretohopethatyouhavenotthoughtitofsufficientimportancetobementionedtotheCount？’
　　`Ithinkitofnoimportancewhatever，’saidMadameFoscosharplyandsuddenly。`But，’sheadded，resuminghericymannerinamoment，`Ihavenosecretsfrommyhusbandevenintrifles。WhenhenoticedjustnowthatIlookeddistressed，itwasmypainfuldutytotellhimwhyIwasdistressed，andIfranklyacknowledgetoyou，MissHalcombe，thatIhavetoldhim。’
　　Iwaspreparedtohearit，andyetsheturnedmecoldalloverwhenshesaidthosewords。
　　`Letmeearnestlyentreatyou，MadameFosco——letmeearnestlyentreattheCount——tomakesomeallowancesforthesadpositioninwhichmysisterisplaced。Shespokewhileshewassmartingundertheinsultandinjusticeinflictedonherbyherhusband，andshewasnotherselfwhenshesaidthoserashwords。MayIhopethattheywillbeconsideratelyandgenerouslyforgiven？’
　　`Mostassuredly，’saidtheCount’squietvoicebehindme。Hehadstolenonuswithhisnoiselesstreadandhisbookinhishandfromthelibrary。
　　`WhenLadyGlydesaidthosehastywords，’hewenton，`shedidmeaninjusticewhichIlament——andforgive。Letusneverreturntothesubject，MissHalcombe；letusallcomfortablycombinetoforgetitfromthismoment’
　　`Youareverykind，’Isaid，`yourelievemeinexpressibly。~’’
　　Itriedtocontinue，buthiseyeswereonme；hisdeadlysmilethathideseverythingwasset，hard，andunwaveringonhisbroad，smoothface。
　　Mydistrustofhisunfathomablefalseness，mysenseofmyowndegradationinstoopingtoconciliatehiswifeandhimself，sodisturbedandconfusedme，thatthenextwordsfailedonmylips，andIstoodthereinsilence。
　　`Ibegyouonmykneestosaynomore，MissHalcombe——Iamtrulyshockedthatyoushouldhavethoughtitnecessarytosaysomuch。’Withthatpolitespeechhetookmyhand——oh，howIdespisemyself！oh，howlittlecomfortthereiseveninknowingthatIsubmittedtoitforLaura’ssake！——hetookmyhandandputittohispoisonouslips。NeverdidIknowallmyhorrorofhimtillthen。Thatinnocentfamiliarityturnedmybloodasifithadbeenthevilestinsultthatamancouldofferme。YetIhidmydisgustfromhim——Itriedtosmile——I，whooncemercilesslydespiseddeceitinotherwomen，wasasfalseastheworstofthem，asfalseastheJudaswhoselipshadtouchedmyhand。
　　Icouldnothavemaintainedmydegradingself-control——itisallthatredeemsmeinmyownestimationtoknowthatIcouldnot——ifhehadstillcontinuedtokeephiseyesonmyface。Hiswife’stigerishjealousycametomyrescueandforcedhisattentionawayfrommethemomenthepossessedhimselfofmyhand。Hercoldblueeyescaughtlight，herdullwhitecheeksflushedintobrightcolour，shelookedyearsyoungerthanherageinaninstant。
　　`Count！’shesaid。`YourforeignformsofpolitenessarenotunderstoodbyEnglishwomen。’
　　`Pardonme，myangel！ThebestanddearestEnglishwomanintheworldunderstandsthem。’Withthosewordshedroppedmyhandandquietlyraisedhiswife’shandtohislipsinplaceofit。
　　Iranbackupthestairstotakerefugeinmyownroom。Iftherehadbeentimetothink，mythoughts，whenIwasaloneagain，wouldhavecausedmebittersuffering。Buttherewasnotimetothink。Happilyforthepreservationofmycalmnessandmycouragetherewastimefornothingbutaction。
　　TheletterstothelawyerandtoMrFairliewerestilltobewritten，andIsatdownatoncewithoutamoment’shesitationtodevotemyselftothem。
　　Therewasnomultitudeofresourcestoperplexme——therewasabsolutelynoonetodependon，inthefirstinstance，butmyself。SirPercivalhadneitherfriendsnorrelativesintheneighbourhoodwhoseintercessionI
　　couldattempttoemploy。Hewasonthecoldestterms——insomecasesontheworsttermswiththefamiliesofhisownrankandstationwholivednearhim。Wetwowomenhadneitherfathernorbrothertocometothehouseandtakeourparts。Therewasnochoicebuttowritethosetwodoubtfulletters，ortoputLaurainthewrongandmyselfinthewrong，andtomakeallpeaceablenegotiationinthefutureimpossiblebysecretlyescapingfromBlackwaterPark。Nothingbutthemostimminentpersonalperilcouldjustifyourtakingthatsecondcourse。Thelettersmustbetriedfirst，andIwrotethem。
　　IsaidnothingtothelawyeraboutAnneCatherick，becauseasIhadalreadyhintedtoLaurathattopicwasconnectedwithamysterywhichwecouldnotyetexplain，andwhichitwouldthereforebeuselesstowriteabouttoaprofessionalman。IleftmycorrespondenttoattributeSirPercival’sdisgracefulconduct，ifhepleased，tofreshdisputesaboutmoneymatters，andsunplyconsultedhimonthepossibilityoftakinglegalproceedingsforLaura’sprotectionintheeventofherhusband’srefusaltoallowhertoleaveBlackwaterParkforatimeandreturnwithmetoLimmeridge。I
　　referredhimtoMrFairlieforthedetailsofthislastarrangement——
　　IassuredhimthatIwrotewithLaura’sauthority——andIendedbyentreatinghimtoactinhernametotheutmostextentofhispowerandwiththeleastpossiblelossoftime。
　　ThelettertoMrFairlieoccupiedmenext。IappealedtohimonthetermswhichIhadmentionedtoLauraasthemostlikelytomakehimbestirhimself；Ienclosedacopyofmylettertothelawyertoshowhimhowseriousthecasewas，andIrepresentedourremovaltoLimmeridgeastheonlycompromisewhichwouldpreventthedangeranddistressofLaura’spresentpositionfrominevitablyaffectingheruncleaswellasherselfatnoverydistanttime。
　　WhenIhaddone，andhadsealedanddirectedthetwoenvelopes，IwentbackwiththeletterstoLaura’sroom，toshowherthattheywerewritten。
　　`Hasanybodydisturbedyou？’Iasked，whensheopenedthedoortome。
　　`Nobodyhasknocked，’shereplied。`ButIheardsomeoneintheouterroom。’
　　`Wasitamanorawoman？’
　　`Awoman。Iheardtherustlingofhergown。’
　　`Arustlinglikesilk？’
　　`Yes，likesilk。’