Hermindinthisinstance，and，asIfeared，inotherinstancesbesides，confusedlypresentedtohersomethingwhichshehadonlyintendedtodointhefalselightofsomethingwhichshehadreallydone。Theunconsciouscontradictionofherselfwaseasytoaccountforinthisway——butitwaslikelytoleadtoseriousresults。Itwasastumbleonthethresholdatstarting——itwasaflawintheevidencewhichtoldfatallyagainstus。
　　WhenInextaskedfortheletterwhichLaurahadwrittentoMrsVeseyfromBlackwaterPark，itwasgiventomewithouttheenvelope，whichhadbeenthrownintothewastepaperbasket，andlongsincedestroyed。Intheletteritselfnodatewasmentioned——noteventhedayoftheweek。Itonlycontainedtheselines：——`DearestMrsVesey，Iaminsaddistressandanxiety，andImaycometoyourhousetomorrownight，andaskforabed。Ican’ttellyouwhatisthematterinthisletter——IwriteitinsuchfearofbeingfoundoutthatIcanfixmymindonnothing。Praybeathometoseeme。Iwillgiveyouathousandkisses，andtellyoueverything。
　　YouraffectionateLaura。’Whathelpwasthereinthoselines？None。
　　OnreturningfromMrsVesey’s，IinstructedMariantowriteobservingthesamecautionwhichIpractisedmyselftoMrsMichelson。Shewastoexpress，ifshepleased，somegeneralsuspicionofCountFosco’sconduct，andshewastoaskthehousekeepertosupplyuswithaplainstatementofevents，intheinterestsoftruth。Whilewewerewaitingfortheanswer，whichreachedusinaweek’stime，IwenttothedoctorinStJohn’sWood，introducingmyselfassentbyMissHalcombetocollect，ifpossible，moreparticularsofhersister’slastillnessthanMrKyrlehadfoundthetimetoprocure。ByMrGoodricke’sassistance，Iobtainedacopyofthecertificateofdeath，andaninterviewwiththewomanJaneGouldwhohadbeenemployedtopreparethebodyforthegrave。ThroughthispersonIalsodiscoveredameansofcommunicatingwiththeservant，HesterPinhorn。Shehadrecentlyleftherplaceinconsequenceofadisagreementwithhermistress，andshewaslodgingwithsomepeopleintheneighbourhoodwhomMrsGouldknew。
　　InthemannerhereindicatedIobtainedtheNarrativesofthehousekeeper，ofthedoctor，ofJaneGould，andofHesterPinhorn，exactlyastheyarepresentedinthesepages。
　　Furnishedwithsuchadditionalevidenceasthesedocumentsafforded，IconsideredmyselftobesufficientlypreparedforaconsultationwithMrKyrle，andMarianwroteaccordinglytomentionmynametohim，andtospecifythedayandhouratwhichIrequestedtoseehimonprivatebusiness。
　　TherewastimeenoughinthemorningformetotakeLauraoutforherwalkasusual，andtoseeherquietlysettledatherdrawingafterwards。
　　ShelookedupatmewithanewanxietyinherfaceasIrosetoleavetheroom，andherfingersbegantotoydoubtfully，intheoldway，withthebrushesandpencilsonthetable。
　　`Youarenottiredofmeyet？’shesaid。`Youarenotgoingawaybecauseyouaretiredofme？Iwilltrytodobetter——Iwilltrytogetwell。
　　Areyouasfondofme，Walter，asyouusedtobe，nowIamsopaleandthin，andsoslowinlearningtodraw？’
　　Shespokeasachildmighthavespoken，sheshowedmeherthoughtsasachildmighthaveshownthem。Iwaitedafewminuteslonger——waitedtotellherthatshewasdearertomenowthanshehadeverbeeninthepasttimes。`Trytogetwellagain，’Isaid，encouragingthenewhopeinthefuturewhichIsawdawninginhermind，`trytogetwellagain，forMarian’ssakeandformine。’
　　`Yes，’shesaidtoherself，returningtoherdrawing。`Imusttry，becausetheyarebothsofondofme。’Shesuddenlylookedupagain。`Don’tbegonelong！Ican’tgetonwithmydrawing，Walter，whenyouarenotheretohelpme。’
　　`Ishallsoonbeback，mydarling——soonbebacktoseehowyouaregettingon。’
　　Myvoicefalteredalittleinspiteofme。Iforcedmyselffromtheroom。Itwasnotime，then，forpartingwiththeself-controlwhichmightyetservemeinmyneedbeforethedaywasout。
　　AsIopenedthedoor，IbeckonedtoMariantofollowmetothestairs。
　　ItwasnecessarytoprepareherforaresultwhichIfeltmightsoonerorlaterfollowmyshowingmyselfopenlyinthestreets。
　　`Ishall，inallprobability，bebackinafewhours，’Isaid，`andyouwilltakecare，asusual，toletnooneinsidethedoorsinmyabsence。
　　Butifanythinghappens——’
　　`Whatcanhappen？’sheinterposedquickly。`Tellmeplainly，Walter，ifthereisanydanger，andIshallknowhowtomeetit。’
　　`Theonlydanger，’Ireplied，`isthatSirPercivalGlydemayhavebeenrecalledtoLondonbythenewsofLaura’sescape。YouareawarethathehadmewatchedbeforeIleftEngland，andthatheprobablyknowsmebysight，althoughIdon’tknowhim？’
　　Shelaidherhandonmyshoulderandlookedatmeinanxioussilence。
　　Isawsheunderstoodtheseriousriskthatthreatenedus。
　　`Itisnotlikely，’Isaid，`thatIshallbeseeninLondonagainsosoon，eitherbySirPercivalhimselforbythepersonsinhisemploy。Butitisbarelypossiblethatanaccidentmayhappen。Inthatcase，youwillnotbealarmedifIfailtoreturntonight，andyouwillsatisfyanyinquiryofLaura’swiththebestexcusethatyoucanmakeforme？IfIfindtheleastreasontosuspectthatIamwatched，Iwilltakegoodcarethatnospyfollowsmebacktothishouse。Don’tdoubtmyreturn，Marian，howeveritmaybedelayed——andfearnothing。’
　　`Nothing！’sheansweredfirmly。`Youshallnotregret，Walter，thatyouhaveonlyawomantohelpyou。’Shepaused，anddetainedmeforamomentlonger。`Takecare！’shesaid，pressingmyhandanxiously——`takecare！’
　　Ilefther，andsetforthtopavethewayfordiscovery——thedarkanddoubtfulway，whichbeganatthelawyer’sdoor。
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter29[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter29IVNocircumstancesoftheslightestimportancehappenedonmywaytotheofficesofMessrsGilmore&；Kyrle，inChanceryLane。
　　WhilemycardwasbeingtakenintoMrKyrle，aconsiderationoccurredtomewhichIdeeplyregrettednothavingthoughtofbefore。TheinformationderivedfromMarian’sdiarymadeitamatterofcertaintythatCountFoscohadopenedherfirstletterfromBlackwaterParktoMrKyrle，andhad，bymeansofhiswife，interceptedthesecond。Hewasthereforewellawareoftheaddressoftheoffice，andhewouldnaturallyinferthatifMarianwantedadviceandassistance，afterLaura’sescapefromtheAsylum，shewouldapplyoncemoretotheexperienceofMrKyrle。InthiscasetheofficeinChanceryLanewastheveryfirstplacewhichheandSirPercivalwouldcausetobewatched，andifthesamepersonswerechosenforthepurposewhohadbeenemployedtofollowme，beforemydeparturefromEngland，thefactofmyreturnwouldinallprobabilitybeascertainedonthatveryday。Ihadthought，generally，ofthechancesofmybeingrecognisedinthestreets，butthespecialriskconnectedwiththeofficehadneveroccurredtomeuntilthepresentmoment。Itwastoolatenowtorepairthisunfortunateerrorinjudgment——toolatetowishthatIhadmadearrangementsformeetingthelawyerinsomeplaceprivatelyappointedbeforehand。IcouldonlyresolvetobecautiousonleavingChanceryLane，andnottogostraighthomeagainunderanycircumstanceswhatever。
　　AfterwaitingafewminutesIwasshownintoMrKyrle’sprivateroom。
　　Hewasapale，thin，quiet，self-possessedman，withaveryattentiveeye，averylowvoice，andaveryundemonstrativemanner——notasIjudged
　　readywithhissympathywherestrangerswereconcerned，andnotatalleasytodisturbinhisprofessionalcomposure。Abettermanformypurposecouldhardlyhavebeenfound。Ifhecommittedhimselftoadecisionatall，andifthedecisionwasfavourable，thestrengthofourcasewasasgoodasprovedfromthatmoment。
　　`BeforeIenteronthebusinesswhichbringsmehere，’Isaid，`Ioughttowarnyou，MrKyrle，thattheshorteststatementIcanmakeofitmayoccupysomelittletime。’
　　`MytimeisatMissHalcombe’sdisposal，’hereplied。`Whereanyinterestsofhersareconcerned，Irepresentmypartnerpersonally，aswellasprofessionally。
　　ItwashisrequestthatIshoulddoso，whenheceasedtotakeanactivepartinbusiness。’
　　`MayIinquirewhetherMrGilmoreisinEngland？’
　　`Heisnot，heislivingwithhisrelativesinGermany。Hishealthhasimproved，buttheperiodofhisreturnisstilluncertain。’
　　Whilewewereexchangingthesefewpreliminarywords，hehadbeensearchingamongthepapersbeforehim，andhenowproducedfromthemasealedletter。
　　Ithoughthewasabouttohandthelettertome，but，apparentlychanginghismind，heplaceditbyitselfonthetable，settledhimselfinhischair，andsilentlywaitedtohearwhatIhadtosay。
　　Withoutwastingamomentinprefatorywordsofanysort，Ienteredonmynarrative，andputhiminfullpossessionoftheeventswhichhavealreadybeenrelatedinthesepages。
　　Lawyerashewastotheverymarrowofhisbones，Istartledhimoutofhisprofessionalcomposure。Expressionsofincredulityandsurprise，whichhecouldnotrepress，interruptedmeseveraltimesbeforeIhaddone。
　　Ipersevered，however，totheend，andassoonasIreachedit，boldlyaskedtheoneimportantquestion——
　　`Whatisyouropinion，MrKyrle？’
　　Hewastoocautioustocommithimselftoananswerwithouttakingtimetorecoverhisself-possessionfist。
　　`BeforeIgivemyopinion，’hesaid，`Imustbegpermissiontoclearthegroundbyafewquestions。’
　　Heputthequestions——sharp，suspicious，unbelievingquestions，whichclearlyshowedme，astheyproceeded，thathethoughtIwasthevictimofadelusion，andthathemightevenhavedoubted，butformyintroductiontohimbyMissHalcombe，whetherIwasnotattemptingtheperpetrationofacunningly-designedfraud。