IheardSirPercivalbarringupthewindow-shutters。Ithadbeenraining，rainingallthetime。Iwascrampedbymypositionandchilledtothebones。
　　WhenIfirsttriedtomove，theeffortwassopainfultomethatIwasobligedtodesist。Itriedasecondtime，andsucceededinrisingtomykneesonthewetroof。
　　AsIcrepttothewall，andraisedmyselfagainstit，Ilookedback，andsawthewindowoftheCount’sdressing-roomgleamintolight。Mysinkingcourageflickeredupinmeagain，andkeptmyeyesfixedonhiswindow，asIstolemywayback，stepbystep，pastthewallofthehouse。
　　Theclockstruckthequarterafterone，whenIlaidmyhandsonthewindow-sillofmyownroom。Ihadseennothingandheardnothingwhichcouldleadmetosupposethatmyretreathadbeendiscovered。
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter22[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter22June20th——Eighto’clock。Thesunisshininginaclearsky。Ihavenotbeennearmybed——Ihavenotonceclosedmywearywakefuleyes。FromthesamewindowatwhichIlookedoutintothedarknessoflastnight，Ilookoutnowatthebrightstillnessofthemorning。
　　IcountthehoursthathavepassedsinceIescapedtotheshelterofthisroombymyownsensations——andthosehoursseemlikeweeks。
　　Howshortatime，andyethowlongtome——sinceIsankdowninthedarkness，here，onthefloor——drenchedtotheskin，crampedineverylimb，coldtothebones，auseless，helpless，panic-strickencreature。
　　IhardlyknowwhenIrousedmyself。IhardlyknowwhenIgropedmywaybacktothebedroom，andlightedthecandle，andsearchedwithastrangeignorance，atfirst，ofwheretolookforthemfordryclothestowarmme。Thedoingofthesethingsisinmymind，butnotthetimewhentheyweredone。
　　CanIevenrememberwhenthechilled，crampedfeelingleftme，andthethrobbingheatcameinitsplace？
　　Surelyitwasbeforethesunrose？Yes，Iheardtheclockstrikethree。
　　Irememberthetimebythesuddenbrightnessandclearness，thefeverishstrainandexcitementofallmyfacultieswhichcamewithit。Iremembermyresolutiontocontrolmyself，towaitpatientlyhourafterhour，tillthechanceofferedofremovingLaurafromthishorribleplace，withoutthedangerofimmediatediscoveryandpursuit。Irememberthepersuasionsettlingitselfinmymindthatthewordsthosetwomenhadsaidtoeachotherwouldfurnishus，notonlywithourjustificationforleavingthehouse，butwithourweaponsofdefenceagainstthemaswell。Irecalltheimpulsethatawakenedinmetopreservethosewordsinwriting，exactlyastheywerespoken，whilethetimewasmyown，andwhilemymemoryvividlyretainedthem。AllthisIrememberplainly：thereisnoconfusioninmyheadyet。Thecominginherefromthebedroom，withmypenandinkandpaper，beforesunrise——thesittingdownatthewidely-openedwindowtogetalltheairIcouldtocoolme——theceaselesswriting，fasterandfaster，hotterandhotter，drivingonmoreandmorewakefully，allthroughthedreadfulintervalbeforethehousewasastiragain——howclearlyI
　　recallit，fromthebeginningbycandle-light，totheendonthepagebeforethis，inthesunshineofthenewday！
　　WhydoIsitherestill？WhydoIwearymyhoteyesandmyburningheadbywritingmore？Whynotliedownandrestmyself，andtrytoquenchthefeverthatconsumesme，insleep？
　　Idarenotattemptit。Afearbeyondallotherfearshasgotpossessionofme。Iamafraidofthisheatthatparchesmyskin。IamafraidofthecreepingandthrobbingthatIfeelinmyhead。IfIliedownnow，howdoIknowthatImayhavethesenseandthestrengthtoriseagain？
　　Oh，therain，therain——thecruelrainthatchilledmelastnight！
　　Nineo’clock。Wasitninestruck，oreight？Nine，surely？Iamshiveringagain——shivering，fromheadtofoot，inthesummerair。HaveIbeensittinghereasleep？Idon’tknowwhatIhavebeendoing。
　　Oh，myGod！amIgoingtobeill？
　　Ill，atsuchatimeasthis！
　　Myhead——Iamsadlyafraidofmyhead。Icanwrite，butthelinesallruntogether。Iseethewords。Laura——IcanwriteLaura，andseeIwriteit。Eightornine——whichwasit？
　　Socold，socold——oh，thatrainlastnight！——andthestrokesoftheclock，thestrokesIcan’tcount，keepstrikinginmyhead——NOTE
　　AtthisplacetheentryintheDiaryceasestobelegible。Thetwoorthreelineswhichfollowcontainfragmentsofwordsonly，mingledwithblotsandscratchesofthepen。ThelastmarksonthepaperbearsomeresemblancetothefirsttwolettersLandAofthenameofLadyGlyde。
　　OnthenextpageoftheDiary，anotherentryappears。Itisinaman’shandwriting，large，bold，andfirmlyregular，andthedateis`Junethe21st。’Itcontainstheselines]
　　POSTSCRIPTBYASINCEREFRIEND
　　TheillnessofourexcellentMissHalcombehasaffordedmetheopportunityofenjoyinganunexpectedintellectualpleasure。
　　IrefertotheperusalwhichIhavejustcompletedofthisinterestingDiary。
　　Therearemanyhundredpageshere。Icanlaymyhandonmyheart，anddeclarethateverypagehascharmed，refreshed，delightedme。
　　Toamanofmysentimentsitisunspeakablygratifyingtobeabletosaythis。
　　Admirablewoman！
　　IalludetoMissHalcombe。
　　Stupendouseffort！
　　IrefertotheDiary。
　　Yes！thesepagesareamazing。ThetactwhichIfindhere，thediscretion，therarecourage，thewonderfulpowerofmemory，theaccurateobservationofcharacter，theeasygraceofstyle，thecharmingoutburstsofwomanlyfeeling，haveallinexpressiblyincreasedmyadmirationofthissublimecreature，ofthismagnificentMarian。Thepresentationofmyowncharacterismasterlyintheextreme。Icertify，withmywholeheart，tothefidelityoftheportrait。IfeelhowvividanimpressionImusthaveproducedtohavebeenpaintedinsuchstrong，suchrich，suchmassivecoloursasthese。
　　Ilamentafreshthecruelnecessitywhichsetsourinterestsatvariance，andopposesustoeachother。UnderhappiercircumstanceshowworthyI
　　shouldhavebeenofMissHalcombe——howworthyMissHalcombewouldhavebeenofME。
　　ThesentimentswhichanimatemyheartassuremethatthelinesIhavejustwrittenexpressaProfoundTruth。
　　Thosesentimentsexaltmeaboveallmerelypersonalconsiderations。
　　Ibearwitness，inthemostdisinterestedmanner，totheexcellenceofthestratagembywhichthisunparalleledwomansurprisedtheprivateinterviewbetweenPercivalandmyself——alsotothemarvellousaccuracyofherreportofthewholeconversationfromitsbeginningtoitsend。
　　Thosesentimentshaveinducedmetooffertotheunimpressionabledoctorwhoattendsonhermyvastknowledgeofchemistry，andmyluminousexperienceofthemoresubtleresourceswhichmedicalandmagneticsciencehaveplacedatthedisposalofmankind。Hehashithertodeclinedtoavailhimselfofmyassistance。Miserableman！
　　Finally，thosesentimentsdictatethelines——grateful，sympathetic，paternallines——whichappearinthisplace。Iclosethehook。Mystrictsenseofproprietyrestoresitbythehandsofmywifetoitsplaceonthewriter’stable。Eventsarehurryingmeaway。Circumstancesareguidingmetoseriousissues。Vastperspectivesofsuccessunrollthemselvesbeforemyeyes。Iaccomplishmydestinywithacalmnesswhichisterribletomyself。
　　Nothingbutthehomageofmyadmirationismyown。IdeposititwithrespectfultendernessatthefeetofMissHalcombe。
　　Ibreathemywishesforherrecovery。
　　Icondolewithherontheinevitablefailureofeveryplanthatshehasformedforhersister’sbenefit。Atthesametime，IentreathertobelievethattheinformationwhichIhavederivedfromherDiarywillinnorespecthelpmetocontributetothatfailure。ItsimplyconfirmstheplanofconductwhichIhadpreviouslyarranged。Ihavetothankthesepagesforawakeningthefinestsensibilitiesinmynature——nothingmore。
　　Toapersonofsimilarsensibilitythissimpleassertionwillexplainandexcuseeverything。
　　MissHalcombeisapersonofsimilarsensibility。
　　InthatpersuasionIsignmyself，FOSCO。THESTORYCONTINUEDBYFREDERICKFAIRLIE，ESQ。，OFLIMMERIDGEHOUSE**note1。ThemannerinwhichMrFairlie’sNarrative，andotherNarrativesthatareshortlytofollowit，wereoriginallyobtained，formsthesubjectofanexplanationwhichwillappearatalaterperiod。
　　ITisthegrandmisfortuneofmylifethatnobodywillletmealone。
　　Why——Iaskeverybody——whyworryme？Nobodyanswersthatquestion，andnobodyletsmealone。Relatives，friends，andstrangersallcombinetoannoyme。WhathaveIdone？Iaskmyself，Iaskmyservant，Louis，fiftytimesaday——whathaveIdone？Neitherofuscantell。Mostextraordinary！
　　ThelastannoyancethathasassailedmeistheannoyanceofbeingcalledupontowritethisNarrative。Isamaninmystateofnervouswretchednesscapableofwritingnarratives？WhenIputthisextremelyreasonableobjection，Iamtoldthatcertainveryseriouseventsrelatingtomyniecehavehappenedwithinmyexperience，andthatIamthefitpersontodescribethemonthataccount。IamthreatenedifIfailtoexertmyselfinthemannerrequired，withconsequenceswhichIcannotsomuchasthinkofwithoutperfectprostration。