hadmyselfsupposed，Iputthebookaside，andwentouttotakeaturninthegarden。SirPercivalhadnotyetreturned，tomyknowledge，soI
　　couldfeelnohesitationaboutshowingmyselfinthegrounds。
　　Onturningthecornerofthehouse，andgainingaviewofthegarden，Iwasstartledbyseeingastrangerwalkinginit。Thestrangerwasawoman——shewasloungingalongthepathwithherhacktome。andwasgatheringtheflowers。
　　AsIapproachedsheheardme，andturnedround。
　　Mybloodcurdledinmyveins。ThestrangewomaninthegardenwasMrsRubelle！
　　Icouldneithermorenorspeak。Shecameuptome，ascomposedlyasever，withherflowersinherhand。
　　`Whatisthematter，ma’am？’shesaidquietly。
　　`Youhere！’Igaspedout。`NotgonetoLondon！NotgonetoCumberland！’
　　MrsRubellesmeltatherflowerswithasmileofmaliciouspity。
　　`Certainlynot，’shesaid。`IhaveneverleftBlackwaterPark。’
　　Isummonedbreathenoughandcourageenoughforanotherquestion。
　　`WhereisMissHalcombe？’
　　MrsRubellefairlylaughedatmethistime，andrepliedinthesewords——
　　`MissHalcombe，ma’am，hasnotleftBlackwaterParkeither。’
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter26[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter26MISSHALCOMBEhadneverleftBlackwaterPark！
　　WhenIheardthatastoundinganswer，allmythoughtswerestartledbackontheinstanttomypartingwithLadyGlyde。IcanhardlysayIreproachedmyself，butatthatmomentIthinkIwouldhavegivenmanyayear’shardsavingstohaveknownfourhoursearlierwhatIknewnow。
　　MrsRubellewaited，quietlyarranginghernosegay，asifsheexpectedmetosaysomething。
　　Icouldsaynothing。IthoughtofLadyGlyde’sworn-outenergiesandweaklyhealth，andItrembledforthetimewhentheshockofthediscoverythatIhadmadewouldfallonher。Foraminuteormoremyfearsforthepoorladiessilencedme。AttheendofthattimeMrsRubellelookedupsidewaysfromherflowers，andsaid，`HereisSirPercival，ma’am，returnedfromhisride。’
　　Isawhimassoonasshedid。Hecametowardsus，slashingviciouslyattheflowerswithhisriding-whip。Whenhewasnearenoughtoseemyfacehestopped，struckathisbootwiththewhip，andburstoutlaughing，soharshlyandsoviolentlythatthebirdsflewaway，startled，fromthetreebywhichhestood。
　　`Well。MrsMichelson，’hesaid，`youhavefounditoutatlast，haveyou？’
　　Imadenoreply。HeturnedtoMrsRubelle。
　　`Whendidyoushowyourselfinthegarden？’
　　`Ishowedmyselfabouthalfanhourago，sir。YousaidImighttakemylibertyagainassoonasLadyGlydehadgoneawaytoLondon。’
　　`Quiteright。Idon’tblameyouIonlyaskedthequestion。’Hewaitedamoment，andthenaddressedhimselfoncemoretome。`Youcan’tbelieveit，canyou？’hesaidmockingly。`Here！comealongandseeforyourself。’
　　Heledthewayroundtothefrontofthehouse。Ifollowedhim，andMrsRubellefollowedme。Afterpassingthroughtheirongateshestopped，andpointedwithhiswhiptothedisusedmiddlewingofthebuilding。
　　`There！’hesaid。`Lookupatthefirstfloor。YouknowtheoldElizabethanbedrooms？MissHalcombeissnugandsafeinoneofthebestofthematthismoment。Takeherin，MrsRubelleyouhavegotyourkey？；takeMrsMichelsonin，andletherowneyessatisfyherthatthereisnodeceptionthistime。’
　　Thetoneinwhichhespoketome。andtheminuteortwothathadpassedsinceweleftthegarden。helpedmetorecovermyspiritsalittle。WhatImighthavedoneatthiscriticalmoment，ifallmylifehadbeenpassedinservice，Icannotsay。Asitwas，possessingthefeelings，theprinciples，andthebringingupofalady，Icouldnothesitateabouttherightcoursetopursue。Mydutytomyself，andmydutytoLadyGlyde，alikeforbademetoremainintheemploymentofamanwhohadshamefullydeceivedusbothbyaseriesofatrociousfalsehoods。
　　`Imustbegpermission，SirPercival，tospeakafewwordstoyouinprivate，’Isaid。`Havingdoneso，IshallbereadytoproceedwiththispersontoMissHalcombe’sroom。’
　　MrsRubelle，whomIhadindicatedbyaslightturnofmyhead，insolentlysniffedathernosegayandwalkedaway，withgreatdeliberation，towardsthehousedoor。
　　`Well，’saidSirPercivalsharply，`whatisitnow？’
　　`Iwishtomention，sir，thatIamdesirousofresigningthesituationInowholdatBlackwaterPark。’Thatwasliterallyhowlputit。Iwasresolvedthatthefirstwordsspokeninhispresenceshouldbewordswhichexpressedmyintentiontoleavehisservice。
　　Heeyedmewithoneofhisblackestlooks，andthrusthishandssavagelyintothepocketsofhisriding-coat。
　　`Why？’hesaid，`why，Ishouldliketoknow？’
　　`Itisnotforme，SirPercival，toexpressanopiniononwhathastakenplaceinthishouse。Idesiretogivenooffence。ImerelywithtosaythatIdonotfeelitconsistentwithmydutytoLadyGlydeandtomyselftoremainanylongerinyourservice。’
　　`Isitconsistentwithyourdutytometostandthere，castingsuspiciononmetomyface？’hebrokeoutinhismostviolentmanner。`Iseewhatyou’redrivingat。Youhavetakenyourownmean，underhandviewofaninnocentdeceptionpractisedonLadyGlydeforherowngood。Itwasessentialtoherhealththatsheshouldhavea。changeofairimmediately，andyouknowaswellasIdoshewouldneverhavegoneawayifshehadbeentoldMissHalcombewasstilllefthere。Shehasbeendeceivedinherowninterests——andIdon’tcarewhoknowsit。Go，ifyoulike——thereareplentyofhousekeepersasgoodasyoutobehadfortheasking。Gowhenyouplease——buttakecarehowyouspreadscandalsaboutmeandmyaffairswhenyou’reoutofmyservice。Tellthetruth，andnothingbutthetruth，oritwillbetheworseforyou！SeeMissHalcombeforyourself——seeifshehasn’tbeenaswelltakencareofinonepartofthehouseasintheother。Rememberthedoctor’sownordersthatLadyGlydewastohaveachangeofairattheearliestpossibleopportunity。Bearallthatwellinmind，andthensayanythingagainstmeandmyproceedingsifyoudare！’
　　Hepouredoutthesewordsfiercely，allinabreath，walkingbackwardsandforwards，andstrikingabouthimintheairwithhiswhip。
　　Nothingthathesaidordidshookmyopinionofthedisgracefulseriesoffalsehoodsthathehadtoldinmypresencethedaybefore，orofthecrueldeceptionbywhichhehadseparatedLadyGlydefromhersister，andhadsentheruselesslytoLondon，whenshewashalfdistractedwithanxietyonMissHalcombe’saccount。Inaturallykeptthesethoughtstomyself，andsaidnothingmoretoirritatehim；butIwasnotthelessresolvedtopersistinmypurpose。Asoftanswerturnethawaywrath，andIsuppressedmyownfeelingsaccordinglywhenitwasmyturntoreply。
　　`WhileIaminyourservice，SirPercival，’Isaid。`IhopeIknowmydutywellenoughnottoinquireintoyourmotives。WhenIamoutofyourservice，IhopeIknowmyownplacewellenoughnottospeakofmatterswhichdon’tconcernme——’
　　`Whendoyouwanttogo？’heasked，interruptingmewithoutceremony。
　　`Don’tsupposeIamanxioustokeepyou——don’tsupposeIcareaboutyourleavingthehouse。Iamperfectlyfairandopeninthismatter，fromfirsttolast。Whendoyouwanttogo？’
　　`Ishouldwishtoleaveatyourearliestconvenience，SirPercival-’
　　`Myconveniencehasnothingtodowithit。Ishallbeoutofthehouseforgoodandalltomorrowmorning，andIcansettleyouraccounttonight。
　　Ifyouwanttostudyanybody’sconvenience，ithadbetterbeMissHalcombe’s。
　　MrsRubelle’stimeisuptoday，andshehasreasonsforwishingtobeinLondontonight。Ifyougoatonce，MissHalcombewon’thaveasoulleftheretolookafterher。’
　　IhopeitisunnecessaryformetosaythatIwasquiteincapableofdesertingMissHalcombeinsuchanemergencyashadnowbefallenLadyGlydeandherself。AfterfirstdistinctlyascertainingfromSirPercivalthatMrsRubellewascertaintoleaveatonceifItookherplace，andafteralsoobtainingpermissiontoarrangeforMrDawson’sresuminghisattendanceonhispatient，IwillinglyconsentedtoremainatBlackwaterParkuntilMissHalcombenolongerrequiredmyservices。ItwassettledthatIshouldgiveSirPercival’ssolicitoraweek’snoticebeforeIleft，andthathewastoundertakethenecessaryarrangementsforappointingmysuccessor。
　　Thematterwasdiscussedinveryfewwords。AtitsconclusionSirPercivalabruptlyturnedonhisheel，andleftmefreetojoinMrsRubelle。Thatsingularforeignpersonhadbeensittingcomposedlyonthedoorstepallthistime，waitingtillIcouldfollowhertoMissHalcombe’sroom。
　　Ihadhardlywalkedhalf-waytowardsthehousewhenSirPercival，whohadwithdrawnintheoppositedirection，suddenlystoppedandcalledmeback。
　　`Whyareyouleavingmyservice？’heasked。
　　Thequestionwassoextraordinary，afterwhathadjustpassedbetweenus，thatIhardlyknewwhattosayinanswertoit。
　　`Mind！Idon’tknowwhyyouaregoing，’hewenton。`Youmustgiveareasonforleavingme，Isuppose，whenyougetanothersituation。
　　Whatreason？Thebreakingupofthefamily？Isthatit？’
　　`Therecanbenopositiveobjection，SirPercival，tothatreason——’