Ibegantosuspect，fromwhatIobservedinthisway，thattheCounthadbeenrightabouttheillnessallthewaythrough，andIwasnaturallyconfirmedinthatideawhenMrDawson，aftersomelittledelay，askedtheoneimportantquestionwhichtheLondondoctorhadbeensentfortosetatrest。
　　`Whatisyouropinionofthefever？’heinquired。
　　`Typhus，’repliedthephysician。`Typhusfeverbeyondalldoubt。’
　　Thatquietforeignperson，MrsRubelle，crossedherthinbrownhandsinfrontofher，andlookedatmewithaverysignificantsmile。TheCounthimselfcouldhardlyhaveappearedmoregratifiedifhehadbeenpresentintheroomandhadheardtheconfirmationofhisownopinion。
　　Aftergivingussomeusefuldirectionsaboutthemanagementofthepatient，andmentioningthathewouldcomeagaininfivedays’time，thephysicianwithdrewtoconsultinprivatewithMrDawson。HewouldoffernoopiniononMissHalcombe’schancesofrecovery——hesaiditwasimpossibleatthatstageoftheillnesstopronounceonewayortheother。
　　Thefivedayspassedanxiously。
　　CountessFoscoandmyselftookitbyturnstorelieveMrsRubelle，MissHalcombe’sconditiongrowingworseandworse，andrequiringourutmostcareandattention。Itwasaterriblytryingtime。LadyGlydesupported，asMrDawsonsaid，bytheconstantstrainofhersuspenseonhersister’saccountralliedinthemostextraordinarymanner，andshowedafirmnessanddeterminationforwhichIshouldmyselfneverhavegivenhercredit。
　　Sheinsistedoncomingintothesick-roomtwoorthreetimeseveryday，tolookatMissHalcombewithherowneyes，promisingnottogotooclosetothebed，ifthedoctorwouldconsenttoherwishessofar。MrDawsonveryunwillinglymadetheconcessionrequiredofhim——Ithinkhesawthatitwashopelesstodisputewithher。Shecameineveryday，andsheself-denyinglykeptherpromise。Ifeltitpersonallysodistressingasremindingmeofmyownafflictionduringmyhusband’slastillnesstoseehowshesufferedunderthesecircumstances，thatImustbegnottodwellonthispartofthesubjectanylonger。ItismoreagreeabletometomentionthatnofreshdisputestookplacebetweenMrDawsonandtheCount。Hislordshipmadeallhisinquiriesbydeputy，andremainedcontinuallyincompanywithSirPercivaldownstairs。
　　Onthefifthdaythephysiciancameagainandgaveusalittlehope。
　　Hesaidthetenthdayfromthefirstappearanceofthetyphuswouldprobablydecidetheresultoftheillness，andhearrangedforhisthirdvisittotakeplaceonthatdate。Theintervalpassedasbefore——exceptthattheCountwenttoLondonagainonemorningandreturnedatnight。
　　OnthetenthdayitpleasedamercifulProvidencetorelieveourhouseholdfromallfurtheranxietyandalarm。ThephysicianpositivelyassuredusthatMissHalcombewasoutofdanger。`Shewantsnodoctornow——allsherequiresiscarefulwatchingandnursingforsometimetocome，andthatIseeshehas。’Thosewerehisownwords。ThateveningIreadmyhusband’stouchingsermononRecoveryfromSickness，withmorehappinessandadvantageinaspiritualpointofviewthanIeverremembertohavederivedfromitbefore。
　　TheeffectofthegoodnewsonpoorLadyGlydewas，Igrievetosay，quiteoverpowering。Shewastooweaktobeartheviolentreaction，andinanotherdayortwoshesankintoastateofdebilityanddepressionwhichobligedhertokeepherroom。Restandquiet，andchangeofairafterwards，werethebestremedieswhichMrDawsoncouldsuggestforherbenefit。Itwasfortunatethatmatterswerenoworse，for，ontheverydayaftershetooktoherroom，theCountandthedoctorhadanotherdisagreement——
　　andthistimethedisputebetweenthemwasofsoseriousanaturethatMrDawsonleftthehouse。
　　Iwasnotpresentatthetime，butIunderstoodthatthesubjectofdisputewastheamountofnourishmentwhichitwasnecessarytogivetoassistMissHalcombe’sconvalescenceaftertheexhaustionofthefever。
　　MrDawson，nowthathispatientwassafe，waslessinclinedthanevertosubmittounprofessionalinterference，andtheCountIcannotimaginewhylostalltheself-controlwhichhehadsojudiciouslypreservedonformeroccasions，andtauntedthedoctor，overandoveragain，withhismistakeaboutthefeverwhenitchangedtotyphus。TheunfortunateaffairendedinMrDawson’sappealingtoSirPercival，andthreateningnowthathecouldleavewithoutabsolutedangertoMissHalcombetowithdrawfromhisattendanceatBlackwaterParkiftheCount’sinterferencewasnotperemptorilysuppressedfromthatmoment。SirPercival’sreplythoughnotdesignedlyuncivilhadonlyresultedinmakingmattersworse，andMrDawsonhadthereuponwithdrawnfromthehouseinastateofextremeindignationatCountFosco’susageofhim，andhadsentinhishillthenextmorning。
　　Wewerenow，therefore，leftwithouttheattendanceofamedicalman。
　　Althoughtherewasnoactualnecessityforanotherdoctor——nursingandwatchingbeing，asthephysicianhadobserved，allthatMissHalcomberequired——Ishouldstill，ifmyauthorityhadbeenconsulted，haveobtainedprofessionalassistancefromsomeotherquarter，forform’ssake。
　　ThematterdidnotseemtostrikeSirPercivalinthatlight。HesaiditwouldbetimeenoughtosendforanotherdoctorifMissHalcombeshowedanysignsofarelapse。InthemeanwhilewehadtheCounttoconsultinanyminordifficulty，andweneednotunnecessarilydisturbourpatientinherpresentweakandnervousconditionbythepresenceofastrangeratherbedside。Therewasmuchthatwasreasonable，nodoubt，intheseconsiderations，buttheyleftmealittleanxiousnevertheless。NorwasIquitesatisfiedinmyownmindoftheproprietyofourconcealingthedoctor’sabsenceaswedidfromLadyGlyde。Itwasamercifuldeception，Iadmit——forshewasinnostatetobearanyfreshanxieties。Butstillitwasadeceptionand，assuch，toapersonofmyprinciples，atbestadoubtfulproceeding。
　　Asecondperplexingcircumstancewhichhappenedonthesameday，andwhichtookmecompletelybysurprise，addedgreatlytothesenseofuneasinessthatwasnowweighingonmymind。
　　IwassentfortoseeSirPercivalinthelibrary。TheCount，whowaswithhimwhenIwentinimmediatelyroseandleftusalonetogether。SirPercivalcivillyaskedmetotakeaseat，andthen，tomygreatastonishment，addressedmeintheseterms——
　　`Iwanttospeaktoyou，MrsMichelson，aboutamatterwhichIdecidedonsometimeago，andwhichIshouldhavementionedbefore，butforthesicknessandtroubleinthehouse-Inplainwords，Ihavereasonsforwishingtobreakupmyestablishmentimmediatelyatthisplace——leavingyouincharge，ofcourse，asusual。AssoonasLadyGlydeandMissHalcombecantraveltheymustbothhavechangeofair。Myfriends，CountFoscoandtheCountess，willleaveusbeforethattimetoliveintheneighbourhoodofLondon，andIhavereasonsfornotopeningthehousetoanymorecompany，withaviewtoeconomisingascarefullyasIcan。Idon’tblameyou，butmyexpenseshereareagreatdealtooheavy。Inshort，Ishallsellthehorses，andgetridofalltheservantsatonce。Ineverdothingsbyhalves，asyouknow，andImeantohavethehouseclearofapackofuselesspeoplebythistimetomorrow。’
　　Ilistenedtohim，perfectlyaghastwithastonishment。
　　`Doyoumean，SirPercival，thatIamtodismisstheindoorservantsundermychargewithouttheusualmonth’swarning？’lasked。
　　`CertainlyIdo。Wemayallbeoutofthehousebeforeanothermonth，andIamnotgoingtoleavetheservantshereinidleness，withnomastertowaiton。’
　　`Whoistodothecooking，SirPercival，whileyouarestillstayinghere？’
　　`MargaretPorchercanroastandboil——keepher。WhatdoIwantwithacookifIdon’tmeantogiveanydinner-parties？’
　　`Theservantyouhavementionedisthemostunintelligentservantinthehouse，SirPercival——’
　　`Keepher，Itellyou，andhaveawomaninfromthevillagetodothecleaningandgoawayagain。Myweeklyexpensesmustandshallbeloweredimmediately。Idon’tsendforyoutomakeobjections，MrsMichelson——
　　Isendforyoutocarryoutmyplansofeconomy。Dismissthewholelazypackofindoorservantstomorrow，exceptPorcher。Sheisasstrongasahorse——andwe’llmakeherworklikeahorse。’
　　`Youwillexcusemeforremindingyou，SirPercival，thatiftheservantsgotomorrowtheymusthaveamonth’swagesinlieuofamonth’swarning。’
　　`Letthem！Amonth’swagessavesamonth’swasteandgluttonyintheservants’hall。’
　　Thislastremarkconveyedanaspersionofthemostoffensivekindonmymanagement。Ihadtoomuchself-respecttodefendmyselfundersogrossanimputation。ChristianconsiderationforthehelplesspositionofMissHalcombeandLadyGlyde，andfortheseriousinconveniencewhichmysuddenabsencemightinflictonthem，alonepreventedmefromresigningmysituationonthespot。Iroseimmediately。Itwouldhaveloweredmeinmyownestimationtohavepermittedtheinterviewtocontinueamomentlonger。
　　`Afterthatlastremark，SirPercival，Ihavenothingmoretosay。Yourdirectionsshallbeattendedto。’Pronouncingthosewords，Ibowedmyheadwiththemostdistantrespect，andwentoutoftheroom。
　　Thenextdaytheservantsleftinabody。SirPercivalhimselfdismissedthegroomsandstablemen，sendingthem，withallthehorsesbutone，toLondon。Ofthewholedomesticestablishment，indoorsandout，therenowremainedonlymyself，MargaretPorcher，andthegardener——thislastlivinginhisowncottage，andbeingwantedtotakecareoftheonehorsethatremainedinthestables。
　　Withthehouseleftinthisstrangeandlonelycondition——withthemistressofitillinherroom——withMissHalcombestillashelplessasachild——andwiththedoctor’sattendancewithdrawnfromusinenmity——itwassurelynotunnaturalthatmyspiritsshouldsink，andmycustomarycomposurebeveryhardtomaintain。Mymindwasillatease。Iwishedthepoorladiesbothwellagain，andIwishedmyselfawayfromBlackwaterPark。
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter25[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter25Thenexteventthatoccurredwasofsosingularanaturethatitmighthavecausedmeafeelingofsuperstitioussurprise，ifmymindhadnotbeenfortifiedbyprincipleagainstanypaganweaknessofthatsort。TheuneasysenseofsomethingwronginthefamilywhichhadmademewishmyselfawayfromBlackwaterPark，wasactuallyfollowed，strangetosay，bymydeparturefromthehouse。Itistruethatmyabsencewasforatemporaryperiodonly，butthecoincidencewas，inmyopinion，notthelessremarkableonthataccount。
　　Mydeparturetookplaceunderthefollowingcircumstances