Ibowedandwalkedtothedoor。HecalledmebackandgavemetheletterwhichIhadseenhimplaceonthetablebyitselfatthebeginningofourinterview。
　　`Thiscamebypostafewdaysago，’hesaid。`Perhapsyouwillnotminddeliveringit？PraytellMissHalcombe，atthesametime，thatIsincerelyregretbeing，thusfar，unabletohelpher，exceptbyadvice，whichwillnotbemorewelcome，Iamafraid，toherthantoyou。’
　　Ilookedattheletterwhilehewasspeaking。Itwasaddressedto`MissHalcombe。CareofMessrsGilmore&；Kyrle，ChanceryLane。’Thehandwritingwasquiteunknowntome。
　　OnleavingtheroomIaskedonelastquestion。
　　`Doyouhappentoknow，’Isaid，`ifSirPercivalGlydeisstillinParis？’
　　`HehasreturnedtoLondon，’repliedMrKyrle。`AtleastIheardsofromhissolicitor，whomImetyesterday。’
　　AfterthatanswerIwentout。
　　Onleavingtheofficethefirstprecautiontobeobservedwastoabstainfromattractingattentionbystoppingtolookaboutme。IwalkedtowardsoneofthequietestofthelargesquaresonthenorthofHolborn，thensuddenlystoppedandturnedroundataplacewherealongstretchofpavementwasleftbehindme。
　　Thereweretwomenatthecornerofthesquarewhohadstoppedalso，andwhowerestandingtalkingtogether。Afteramoment’sreflectionIturnedbacksoastopassthem。OnemovedasIcamenear，andturnedthecornerleadingfromthesquareintothestreet。Theotherremainedstationary。
　　IlookedathimasIpassedandinstantlyrecognisedoneofthemenwhohadwatchedmebeforeIleftEngland。
　　IfIhadbeenfreetofollowmyowninstincts，Ishouldprobablyhavebegunbyspeakingtotheman，andhaveendedbyknockinghimdown。ButIwasboundtoconsiderconsequences。IfIonceplacedmyselfpubliclyinthewrong，IputtheweaponsatonceintoSirPercival’shands。Therewasnochoicebuttoopposecunningbycunning。Iturnedintothestreetdownwhichthesecondmanhaddisappeared，andpassedhim，waitinginadoorway。Hewasastrangertome，andIwasgladtomakesureofhispersonalappearanceincaseoffutureannoyance。Havingdonethis，IagainwalkednorthwardtillIreachedtheNewRoad。ThereIturnedasidetothewesthavingthemenbehindmeallthetime，andwaitedatapointwhereI
　　knewmyselftobeatsomedistancefromacab-stand，untilafasttwo-wheelcab，empty，shouldhappentopassme。Onepassedinafewminutes。IjumpedinandtoldthemantodriverapidlytowardsHydePark。Therewasnosecondfastcabforthespiesbehindme。Isawthemdartacrosstotheothersideoftheroad，tofollowmebyrunning，untilacaboracab-standcameintheirway。ButIhadthestartofthem，andwhenIstoppedthedriverandgotout，theywerenowhereinsight。IcrossedHydeParkandmadesure，ontheopenground，thatIwasfree。WhenIatlastturnedmystepshomewards，itwasnottillmanyhourslater——nottillafterdark。
　　IfoundMarianwaitingformealoneinthelittlesitting-room。ShehadpersuadedLauratogotorest，afterfirstpromisingtoshowmeherdrawing，themomentIcamein。Thepoorlittledimfaintsketch——sotriflinginitself，sotouchinginitsassociations——wasproppedupcarefullyonthetablewithtwobooks，andwasplacedwherethefaintlightoftheonecandleweallowedourselvesmightfallonittothebestadvantage。
　　Isatdowntolookatthedrawing，andtotellMarian，inwhispers，whathadhappened。ThepartitionwhichdividedusfromthenextroomwassothinthatwecouldalmosthearLaura’sbreathing，andwemighthavedisturbedherifwehadspokenaloud。
　　MarianpreservedhercomposurewhileIdescribedmyinterviewwithMrKyrle。ButherfacebecametroubledwhenIspokenextofthemenwhohadfollowedmefromthelawyer’soffice，andwhenItoldherofthediscoveryofSirPercival’sreturn。
　　`Badnews，Walter，’shesaid，`theworstnewsyoucouldbring。Haveyounothingmoretotellme？’
　　`Ihavesomethingtogiveyou，’Ireplied，handingherthenotewhichMrKyrlehadconfidedtomycare。
　　Shelookedattheaddressandrecognisedthehandwritinginstantly。
　　`Youknowyourcorrespondent？’Isaid。
　　`Toowell，’sheanswered。`MycorrespondentisCountFosco。’
　　Withthatreplysheopenedthenote。Herfaceflusheddeeplywhileshereadit——hereyesbrightenedwithangerasshehandedittometoreadinmyturn。
　　Thenotecontainedtheselines——
　　`Impelledbyhonourableadmiration——honourabletomyself，honourabletoyou——Iwrite，magnificentMarian，intheinterestsofyourtranquillity，tosaytwoconsolingwords——
　　`Fearnothing！
　　`Exerciseyourfinenaturalsenseandremaininretirement。Dearandadmirablewoman，invitenodangerouspublicity。Resignationissublime——adoptit。Themodestreposeofhomeiseternallyfresh——enjoyit。
　　ThestormsoflifepassharmlessoverthevalleyofSeclusion——dwell，dearlady，inthevalley。
　　`DothisandIauthoriseyoutofearnothing。Nonewcalamityshalllacerateyoursensibilities——sensibilitiesprecioustomeasmyown。
　　Youshallnotbemolested，thefaircompanionofyourretreatshallnotbepursued。Shehasfoundanewasyluminyourheart。Pricelessasylum！——
　　Ienvyherandleaveherthere。
　　`Onelastwordofaffectionatewarning，ofpaternalcaution，andItearmyselffromthecharmofaddressingyou——Iclosetheseferventlines。
　　`Advancenofartherthanyouhavegonealready，compromisenoseriousinterests，threatennobody。Donot，Iimploreyou，forcemeintoaction——ME，theManofAction——whenitisthecherishedobjectofmyambitiontobepassive，torestrictthevastreachofmyenergiesandmycombinationsforyoursake。Ifyouhaverashfriends，moderatetheirdeplorableardour。
　　IfMrHartrightreturnstoEngland，holdnocommunicationwithhim。Iwalkonapathofmyown，andPercivalfollowsatmyheels。OnthedaywhenMrHartrightcrossesthatpath，heisalostman。’
　　TheonlysignaturetotheselineswastheinitialletterF，surroundedbyacircleofintricateflourishes。IthrewtheletteronthetablewithallthecontemptIfeltforit。
　　`Heistryingtofrightenyou——asuresignthatheisfrightenedhimself，’
　　Isaid。
　　ShewastoogenuineawomantotreattheletterasItreatedit。Theinsolentfamiliarityofthelanguagewastoomuchforherself-control。
　　Asshelookedatmeacrossthetable，herhandsclenchedthemselvesinherlap，andtheoldquickfierytemperflamedoutagainbrightlyinhercheeksandhereyes。
　　`Walter！’shesaid，`ifeverthosetwomenareatyourmercyandifyouareobligedtospareoneofthem，don’tletitbetheCount。’
　　`Iwillkeepthisletter，Marian，tohelpmymemorywhenthetimecomes。’
　　ShelookedatmeattentivelyasIputtheletterawayinmypocket-book。
　　`Whenthetimecomes？’sherepeated。`Canyouspeakofthefutureasifyouwerecertainofit？——certainafterwhatyouhaveheardinMrKyrle’soffice，afterwhathashappenedtoyoutoday？’
　　`Idon’tcountthetimefromtoday，Marian。AllIhavedonetodayistoaskanothermantoactforme。Icountfromtomorrow——’
　　`Whyfromtomorrow？’
　　`BecausetomorrowImeantoactformyself。’
　　`How？’
　　`IshallgotoBlackwaterbythefirsttrain，andreturn，Ihope，atnight。’
　　`ToBlackwater！’
　　`Yes。IhavehadtimetothinksinceIleftMrKyrle。HisopinionononePointconfirmsmyown。WemustpersisttothelastinhuntingdownthedateofLaura’sjourney。Theoneweakpointintheconspiracy，andprobablytheonechanceofprovingthatsheisalivingwoman，centreinthediscoveryofthatdate。’
　　`Youmean，’saidMarian，`thediscoverythatLauradidnotleaveBlackwaterParktillafterthedateofherdeathonthedoctor’scertificate？’
　　`Certainly。’
　　`Whatmakesyouthinkitmighthavebeenafter？LauracantellusnothingofthetimeshewasinLondon。’
　　`ButtheowneroftheAsylumtoldyouthatshewasreceivedthereonthetwenty-seventhofJuly。IdoubtCountFosco’sabilitytokeepherinLondon，andtokeepherinsensibletoallthatwaspassingaroundher，morethanonenight。Inthatcase，shemusthavestartedonthetwenty-sixth，andmusthavecometoLondononedayafterthedateofherowndeathonthedoctor’scertificate。Ifwecanprovethatdate，weproveourcaseagainstSirPercivalandtheCount。’
　　`Yes，yes——Isee！Buthowistheprooftobeobtained？’
　　`MrsMichelson’snarrativehassuggestedtometwowaysoftryingtoobtainit。Oneofthemistoquestionthedoctor，MrDawson，whomustknowwhenheresumedhisattendanceatBlackwaterParkafterLauraleftthehouse。TheotheristomakeinquiriesattheinntowhichSirPercivaldroveawaybyhimselfatnight。WeknowthathisdeparturefollowedLaura’safterthelapseofafewhours，andwemaygetatthedateinthatway。