MadameFoscohadevidentlybeenwatchingoutside。Themischiefshemightdobyherselfwaslittletobefeared。Butthemischiefshemightdo，asawillinginstrumentinherhusband’shands，wastooformidabletobeoverlooked。
　　`Whatbecameoftherustlingofthegownwhenyounolongerhearditintheante-room？’Iinquired。`Didyouhearitgopastyourwall，alongthepassage？’
　　`Yes。Ikeptstillandlistened，andjustheardit。’
　　`Whichwaydiditgo？’
　　`Towardsyourroom。’
　　Iconsideredagain。Thesoundhadnotcaughtmyears。ButIwasthendeeplyabsorbedinmyletters，andIwritewithaheavyhandandaquillpen，scrapingandscratchingnoisilyoverthepaper。ItwasmorelikelythatMadameFoscowouldhearthescrapingofmypenthanthatIshouldheartherustlingofherdress。AnotherreasonifIhadwantedonefornottrustingmyletterstothepost-baginthehall。
　　Laurasawmethinking。`Moredifficulties！’shesaidwearily；`moredifficultiesandmoredangers！’
　　`Nodangers，’Ireplied。`Somelittledifficulty，perhaps。IamthinkingofthesafestwayofputtingmytwolettersintoFanny’shands。’
　　`Youhavereallywrittenthem，then？Oh，Marian，runnorisks——pray，pray，runnorisks！’
　　`No，no——nofear。Letmesee——whato’clockisitnow？’
　　Itwasaquartertosix。Therewouldbetimeformetogettothevillageinn，andtocomebackagainbeforedinner。IfIwaitedtilltheeveningImightfindnosecondopportunityofsafelyleavingthehouse。
　　`Keepthekeyturnedinthelock，Laura，’Isaid，`anddon’tbeafraidaboutme。Ifyouhearanyinquiriesmade，callthroughthedoor，andsaythatIamgoneoutforawalk。’
　　`Whenshallyoubeback？’
　　`Beforedinner，withoutfail。Courage，mylove。Bythistimetomorrowyouwillhaveaclear-headed，trustworthymanactingforyourgood。MrGilmore’spartnerisournextbestfriendtoMrGilmorehimself。’
　　Amoment’sreflection，assoonasIwasalone，convincedmethatIhadbetternotappearinmywalking-dressuntilIhadfirstdiscoveredwhatwasgoingoninthelowerpartofthehouse。IhadnotascertainedyetwhetherSirPercivalwasindoorsorout。
　　Thesingingofthecanariesinthelibrary，andthesmelloftobacco-smokethatcamethroughthedoor，whichwasnotclosed，toldmeatoncewheretheCountwas。IlookedovermyshoulderasIpassedthedoorway，andsawtomysurprisethathewasexhibitingthedocilityofthebirdsinhismostengaginglypolitemannertothehousekeeper。Hemusthavespeciallyinvitedhertoseethem——forshewouldneverhavethoughtofgoingintothelibraryofherownaccord。Theman’sslightestactionshadapurposeofsomekindatthebottomofeveryoneofthem。Whatcouldbehispurposehere？
　　Itwasnotimethentoinquireintohismotives。IlookedaboutforMadameFosconext，andfoundherfollowingherfavouritecircleroundandroundthefish-pond。
　　Iwasalittledoubtfulhowshewouldmeetme，aftertheoutbreakofjealousyofwhichIhadbeenthecausesoshortatimesince。Butherhusbandhadtamedherintheinterval，andshenowspoketomewiththesamecivilityasusual。MyonlyobjectinaddressingmyselftoherwastoascertainifsheknewwhathadbecomeofSirPercival。Icontrivedtorefertohimindirectly，andafteralittlefencingoneithersidesheatlastmentionedthathehadgoneout。
　　`Whichofthehorseshashetaken？’Iaskedcarelessly。
　　`Noneofthem，’shereplied。`Hewentawaytwohourssinceonfoot。
　　AsIunderstoodit，hisobjectwastomakefreshinquiriesaboutthewomannamedAnneCatherick。Heappearstobeunreasonablyanxiousabouttracingher。Doyouhappentoknowifsheisdangerouslymad，MissHalcombe？’
　　`Idonot，Countess。’
　　`Areyougoingin？’
　　`Yes，Ithinkso。Isupposeitwillsoonbetimetodressfordinner。’
　　Weenteredthehousetogether。MadameFoscostrolledintothelibrary，anddosedthedoor。Iwentatoncetofetchmyhatandshawl。Everymomentwasofimportance，ifIwastogettoFannyattheinnandhebackbeforedinner。
　　WhenIcrossedthehallagainnoonewasthere，andthesingingofthebirdsinthelibraryhadceased。Icouldnotstoptomakeanyfreshinvestigations。
　　Icouldonlyassuremyselfthatthewaywasclear，andthenleavethehousewiththetwoletterssafeinmypocket。
　　OnmywaytothevillageIpreparedmyselfforthepossibilityofmeetingSirPercival。AslongasIhadhimtodealwithaloneIfeltcertainofnotlosingmypresenceofmind。Anywomanwhoissureofherownwitsisamatchatanytimeforamanwhoisnotsureofhisowntemper。IhadnosuchfearofSirPercivalasIhadoftheCount。Insteadoffluttering，ithadcomposedme，tohearoftheerrandonwhichhehadgoneout。WhilethetracingofAnneCatherickwasthegreatanxietythatoccupiedhim，LauraandImighthopeforsomecessationofanyactivepersecutionathishands。Foroursakesnow，aswellasforAnne’s，Ihopedandprayedferventlythatshemightstillescapehim。
　　IwalkedonasbrisklyastheheatwouldletmetillIreachedthecross-roadwhichledtothevillage，lookingbackfromtimetotimetomakesurethatIwasnotfollowedbyanyone。
　　Nothingwasbehindmeallthewaybutanemptycountrywaggon。Thenoisemadebythelumberingwheelsannoyedme，andwhenIfoundthatthewaggontooktheroadtothevillage，aswellasmyself，Istoppedtoletitgobyandpassoutofhearing。AsIlookedtowardit，moreattentivelythanbefore，Ithoughtldetectedatintervalsthefeetofamanwalkingclosebehindit，thecarterbeinginfront，bythesideofhishorses。Thepartofthecross-roadwhichIhadjustpassedoverwassonarrowthatthewaggoncomingaftermebrushedthetreesandthicketsoneitherside，andIhadtowaituntilitwentbybeforeIcouldtestthecorrectnessofmyimpression。
　　Apparentlythatimpressionwaswrong，forwhenthewaggonhadpassedmetheroadbehinditwasquiteclear。
　　IreachedtheinnwithoutmeetingSirPercival，andwithoutnoticinganythingmore，andwasgladtofindthatthelandladyhadreceivedFannywithallpossiblekindness。Thegirlhadalittleparlourtositin，awayfromthenoiseofthetaproom，andacleanbedchamberatthetopofthehouse。Shebegancryingagainatthesightofme，andsaid，poorsoul，trulyenough，thatitwasdreadfultofeelherselfturnedoutintotheworldasifshehadcommittedsomeunpardonablefault，whennoblamecouldbelaidatherdoorbyanybody——notevenbyhermaster，whohadsentheraway。
　　`Trytomakethebestofit，Fanny，’Isaid。`YourmistressandIwillstandyourfriends，andwilltakecarethatyourcharactershallnotsuffer。
　　Now，listentome。Ihaveverylittletimetospare，andIamgoingtoputagreattrustinyourhands。Iwishyoutotakecareofthesetwoletters。
　　TheonewiththestamponityouaretoputintothepostwhenyoureachLondontomorrow。Theother，directedtoMrFairlie，youaretodelivertohimyourselfassoonasyougethome。Keepboththelettersaboutyouandgivethemuptonoone。Theyareofthelastimportancetoyourmistress’sinterests。’
　　Fannyputthelettersintothebosomofherdress。`Theretheyshallstop，miss，’shesaid，`tillIhavedonewhatyoutellme。’
　　`Mindyouareatthestationingoodtimetomorrowmorning，’Icontinued。
　　`AndwhenyouseethehousekeeperatLimmeridgegivehermycompliments，andsaythatyouareinmyserviceuntilLadyGlydeisabletotakeyouback。Wemaymeetagainsoonerthanyouthink。Sokeepagoodheart，anddon’tmisstheseveno’clocktrain。’
　　`Thankyou，miss——thankyoukindly。Itgivesonecouragetohearyourvoiceagain。Pleasetooffermydutytomylady，andsayIleftallthethingsastidyasIcouldinthetime。Oh，dear！dear！whowilldressherfordinnertoday？Itreallybreaksmyheart，miss，tothinkofit。’
　　WhenIgotbacktothehouseIhadonlyaquarterofanhourtosparetoputmyselfinorderfordinner，andtosaytwowordstoLaurabeforeIwentdownstairs。
　　`ThelettersareinFanny’shands，’Iwhisperedtoheratthedoor。
　　`Doyoumeantojoinusatdinner？’
　　`Oh，no，no——notfortheworld。’
　　`Hasanythinghappened？Hasanyonedisturbedyou？’
　　`Yes——justnow——SirPercival——’
　　`Didhecomein？’
　　`No，hefrightenedmebyathumponthedooroutside。Isaid，``Who’sthere？’’``Youknow，’’heanswered。``Willyoualteryourmind，andtellmetherest？Youshall！SoonerorlaterI’llwringitoutofyou。YouknowwhereAnneCatherickisatthismoment。’’``Indeed，indeed，’’Isaid，``I
　　don’t。’’``Youdo！’’hecalledback。``I’llcrushyourobstinacy——mindthat！——I’llwringitoutofyou！’’Hewentawaywiththosewords——wentaway，Marian，hardlyfiveminutesago。’hadnotfoundheryet。
　　`Youaregoingdownstairs，Marian？Comeupagainintheevening。’
　　`Yes，yes。Don’tbeuneasyifIamalittlelate——Imustbecarefulnottogiveoffencebyleavingthemtoosoon。’
　　Thedinner-bellrangandIhastenedaway。
　　SirPercivaltookMadameFoscointothedining-room，andtheCountgavemehisann。Hewashotandflushed，andwasnotdressedwithhiscustomarycareandcompleteness。Hadhe，too，beenoutbeforedinner，andbeenlateingettingback？orwasheonlysufferingfromtheheatalittlemoreseverelythanusual？