temporaryseparationbetweenhusbandandwifeistheonepeaceablesolutionofthisdifficulty。Partthemforthepresent，andwhenallcausesofirritationareremoved，I，whohavenowthehonourofaddressingyou——IwillundertaketobringSirPercivaltoreason。LadyGlydeisinnocent，LadyGlydeisinjured，but——followmythoughthere！——sheis，onthatveryaccountIsayitwithshame，thecauseofirritationwhilesheremainsunderherhusband’sroof。Nootherhousecanreceiveherwithproprietybutyours。
　　Iinviteyoutoopenit。’
　　Cool。HerewasamatrimonialhailstormpouringintheSouthofEngland，andIwasinvited，byamanwithfeverineveryfoldofhiscoat，tocomeoutfromtheNorthofEnglandandtakemyshareofthepelting。Itriedtoputthepointforcibly。justasIhaveputithere-TheCountdeliberatelyloweredoneofhishorridfingers，kepttheotherup，andwenton——rodeoverme，asitwere，withouteventhecommoncoachmanlikeattentionofcrying`Hi！’beforeheknockedmedown。
　　`Followmythoughtoncemore，ifyouplease，’heresumed。`Myfirstobjectyouhaveheard。MysecondobjectincomingtothishouseistodowhatMissHalcombe’sillnesshaspreventedherfromdoingforherself。
　　MylargeexperienceisconsultedonalldifficultmattersatBlackwaterPark，andmyfriendlyadvicewasrequestedontheinterestingsubjectofyourlettertoMissHalcombe-Iunderstoodatonce——formysympathiesareyoursympathies——whyyouwishedtoseeherherebeforeyoupledgedyourselftoinvitingLadyGlyde。Youaremostright，sir，inhesitatingtoreceivethewifeuntilyouarequitecertainthatthehusbandwillnotexerthisauthoritytoreclaimher。Iagreetothat。Ialsoagreethatsuchdelicateexplanationsasthisdifficultyinvolvesarenotexplanationswhichcanbeproperlydisposedofbywritingonly。MypresenceheretomyowngreatinconvenienceistheproofthatIspeaksincerely。Asfortheexplanationsthemselves，I——Fosco——I，whoknowSirPercivalmuchbetterthanMissHalcombeknowshim，affirmtoyou，onmyhonourandmyword，thathewillnotcomenearthishouse，orattempttocommunicatewiththishouse，whilehiswifeislivinginit。Hisaffairsareembarrassed。
　　OfferhimhisfreedombymeansoftheabsenceofLadyGlyde。Ipromiseyouhewilltakehisfreedom，andgobacktotheContinentattheearliestmomentwhenhecangetaway。Isthiscleartoyouascrystal？Yes，itis。
　　Haveyouquestionstoaddresstome？Beitso，Iamheretoanswer-Ask，MrFairlie——obligemebyaskingtoyourheart’scontent。
　　Hehadsaidsomuchalreadyinspiteofme，andhelookedsodreadfullycapableofsavingagreatdealmorealsoinspiteofme，thatIdeclinedhisamiableinvitationinpureself-defence。
　　`Manythanks。Ireplied。`Iamsinkingfast。InmystateofhealthI
　　musttakethingsforgranted。Allowmetodosoonthisoccasion。Wequiteunderstandeachother。Yes。Muchobliged，Iamsure，foryourkindinterference。
　　IfIevergetbetter，andeverhaveasecondopportunityofimprovingouracquaintance——’
　　Hegotup。Ithoughthewasgoing。No。Moretalk，moretimeforthedevelopmentofinfectiousinfluences——inmyroom，too——rememberthat，inmyroom！
　　`Onemomentvet。’hesaid。`onemomentbeforeItakemyleave。Iaskpermissionatpartingtoimpressonyouanurgentnecessity。Itisthis，sir。YoumustnotthinkofwaitingtillMissHalcomberecoversbeforeyoureceiveLadyGlyde。MissHalcombehastheattendanceofthedoctor，ofthehousekeeperatBlackwaterPark，andofanexperiencednurseaswell——threepersonsforwhosecapacityanddevotionIanswerwithmylife。
　　Itellyouthat。Itellyou，also，thattheanxietyandalarmofhersister’sillnesshasalreadyaffectedthehealthandspiritsofLadyGlyde，andhasmadehertotallyunfittobeofuseinthesickroom。Herpositionwithherhusbandgrowsmoreandmoredeplorableanddangerouseveryday。IfyouleaveheranylongeratBlackwaterPark，youdonothingwhatevertohastenhersister’srecovery，andatthesametime，youriskthepublicscandal。whichyouandI，andallofus，areboundinthesacredinterestsofthefamilytoavoid。Withallmysoul，IadviseyoutoremovetheseriousresponsibilityofdelayfromyourownshouldersbywritingtoLadyGlydetocomehereatonce。Doyouraffectionate，yourhonourable，yourinevitableduty，andwhateverhappensinthefuture，noonecanlaytheblameonyou。
　　Ispeakfrommylargeexperience——Ioffermyfriendlyadvice。Isitaccepted——Yes，orNo？’
　　Ilookedathim——merelylookedathim——withmysenseofhisamazingassurance，andmydawningresolutiontoringforLouisandhavehimshownoutoftheroomexpressedineverylineofmyface。Itisperfectlyincredible，butquitetrue，thatmyfacedidnotappeartoproducetheslightestimpressiononhim。Bornwithoutnerves——evidentlybornwithoutnerves。
　　`Youhesitate？’hesaid。`MrFairlie！Iunderstandthathesitation。
　　Youobject——see，sir，howmysympathieslookstraightdownintoyourthoughts！——youobjectthatLadyGlydeisnotinhealthandnotinspiritstotakethelongjourney，fromHampshiretothisplace，byherself。Herownmaidisremovedfromher，asyouknow，andofotherservantsfittotravelwithher，fromoneendofEnglandtoanother，therearenoneatBlackwaterPark。Youobject，again，thatshecannotcomfortablystopandrestinLondon，onherwayhere，becauseshecannotcomfortablygoalonetoapublichotelwheresheisatotalstranger。Inonebreath，Igrantbothobjections——inanotherbreath，Iremovethem。Followme，ifyouplease，forthelasttime。Itwasmyintention，whenIreturnedtoEnglandwithSirPercival，tosettlemyselfintheneighbourhoodofLondon。Thatpurposehasjustbeenhappilyaccomplished。Ihavetaken，forsixmonths，alittlefurnishedhouseinthequartercalledStJohn’sWood。Besoobligingastokeepthisfactinyourmind，andobservetheprogrammeInowpropose。
　　LadyGlydetravelstoLondonashortjourney——Imyselfmeetheratthestation——Itakehertorestandsleepatmyhouse，whichisalsothehouseofheraunt——whensheisrestoredIescorthertothestationagain——shetravelstothisplace，andherownmaidwhoisnowunderyourroofreceivesheratthecarriage-door。Hereiscomfortconsulted——herearetheinterestsofproprietyconsulted——hereisyourownduty——dutyofhospitality，sympathy，protection，toanunhappyladyinneedofallthree——smoothedandmadeeasy，fromthebeginningtotheend。
　　Icordiallyinviteyou，sir，tosecondmyeffortsinthesacredinterestsofthefamily-Iseriouslyadviseyoutowrite，bymyhands，offeringthehospitalityofyourhouseandheart，andthehospitalityofmyhouseandheart，tothatinjuredandunfortunateladywhosecauseIpleadtoday。’
　　Hewavedhishorridhandatme——hestruckhisinfectiousbreast——
　　headdressedmeoratorically，asifIwaslaidupintheHouseofCommons。
　　Itwashightimetotakeadesperatecourseofsomesort。ItwasalsohightimetosendforLouis，andadopttheprecautionoffumigatingtheroom。
　　Inthistryingemergencyanideaoccurredtome——aninestimableideawhich，sotospeak，killedtwointrusivebirdswithonestone。IdeterminedtogetridoftheCount’stiresomeeloquence，andofLadyGlyde’stiresometroubles，bycomplyingwiththisodiousforeigner’srequest，andwritingtheletteratonce。Therewasnottheleastdangeroftheinvitationbeingaccepted，fortherewasnottheleastchancethatLaurawouldconsenttoleaveBlackwaterParkwhileMarianwaslyingthereill。HowthischarminglyconvenientobstaclecouldhaveescapedtheofficiouspenetrationoftheCount，itwasimpossibletoconceive——butithadescapedhim。Mydreadthathemightyetdiscoverit，ifIallowedhimanymoretimetothink，stimulatedmetosuchanamazingdegree，thatIstruggledintoasittingposition——seized，reallyseized，thewritingmaterialsbymyside，andproducedtheletterasrapidlyasifIhadbeenacommonclerkinanoffice。
　　`DearestLaura，Pleasecome，wheneveryoulike。BreakthejourneybysleepinginLondonatyouraunt’shouse。GrievedtohearofdearMarian’sillness。
　　Everaffectionatelyyours。’Ihandedtheselines，atarm’slength，totheCount——Isankbackinmychair——Isaid，`Excuseme——Iamentirelyprostrated——Icandonomore。Willyourestandlunchdownstairs？Lovetoall，andsympathy，andsoon。Goodmorning。’
　　Hemadeanotherspeech——themanwasabsolutelyinexhaustible。Iclosedmyeyes——Iendeavouredtohearaslittleaspossible。InspiteofmyendeavoursIwasobligedtohearagreatdeal。Mysister’sendlesshusbandcongratulatedhimself，andcongratulatedme，ontheresultofourinterview——hementionedagreatdealmoreabouthissympathiesandmine——hedeploredmymiserablehealth——heofferedtowritemeaprescription——heimpressedonmethenecessityofnotforgettingwhathehadsaidabouttheimportanceoflight——heacceptedmyobliginginvitationtorestandlunch——herecommendedmetoexpectLadyGlydeintwoorthreedays’time——hebeggedmypermissiontolookforwardtoournextmeeting，insteadofpaininghimselfandpainingme，bysayingfarewell——headdedagreatdealmore，which，Irejoicetothink，Ididnotattendtoatthetime，anddonotremembernow。Iheardhissympatheticvoicetravellingawayfrommebydegrees——
　　but，largeashewas，Ineverheardhim。Hehadthenegativemeritofbeingabsolutelynoiseless。Idon’tknowwhenheopenedthedoor，orwhenheshutit。Iventuredtomakeuseofmyeyesagain，afteranintervalofsilence——andhewasgone。
　　IrangforLouis，andretiredtomybathroom。Tepidwater，strengthenedwitharomaticvinegar，formyself，andcopiousfumigationformystudy，weretheobviousprecautionstotake，andofcourseIadoptedthem。Irejoicetosaytheyprovedsuccessful。Ienjoyedmycustomarysiesta。Iawokemoistandcool。
　　MyfirstinquirieswerefortheCount。Hadwereallygotridofhim？
　　Yes——hehadgoneawaybytheafternoontrain。Hadhelunched，andifso，uponwhat？Entirelyuponfruit-tartandcream。Whataman！Whatadigestion！
　　AmIexpectedtosayanythingmore？Ibelievenot。IbelieveIhavereachedthelimitsassignedtome。Theshockingcircumstanceswhichhappenedatalaterperioddidnot，Iamthankfultosay，happeninmypresence。
　　Idobegandentreatthatnobodywillbesoveryunfeelingastolayanypartoftheblameofthosecircumstancesonme。Idideverythingforthebest。Iamnotanswerableforadeplorablecalamity，whichitwasquiteimpossibletoforesee。Iamshatteredbyit——Ihavesufferedunderit，asnobodyelsehassuffered。Myservant，Louiswhoisreallyattachedtomeinhisunintelligentway，thinksIshallnevergetoverit。Heseesmedictatingatthismoment，withmyhandkerchieftomyeyes。Iwishtomention，injusticetomyself，thatitwasnotmyfault，andthatIamquiteexhaustedandheartbroken。NeedIsaymore？THESTORYCONTINUEDBYELIZAMICHELSONHousekeeperatBlackwaterParkIAMaskedtostateplainlywhatIknowoftheprogressofMissHalcombe’sillnessandofthecircumstancesunderwhichLadyGlydeleftBlackwaterParkforLondon。