Theattemptisatleastworthmaking，andtomorrowIamdetermineditshallbemade。’
　　`Andsupposeitfails——Ilookattheworstnow，Walter；butIwilllookatthebestifdisappointmentscometotryus——supposenoonecanhelpyouatBlackwater？’
　　`Therearetwomenwhocanhelpme，andshallhelpme，inLondon——
　　SirPercivalandtheCount。Innocentpeoplemaywellforgetthedate——
　　buttheyareguilty，andtheyknowit。IfIfaileverywhereelse，Imeantoforceaconfessionoutofoneorbothofthemonmyownterms。’
　　AllthewomanflushedupinMarian’sfaceasIspoke。
　　`BeginwiththeCount，’shewhisperedeagerly。`FormysakebeginwiththeCount。’
　　`Wemustbegin，forLaura’ssake，wherethereisthebestchanceofsuccess，’Ireplied。
　　Thecolourfadedfromherfaceagain，andsheshookherheadsadly。
　　`Yes，’shesaid，`youareright——itwasmeanandmiserableofmetosaythat。Itrytobepatient，Walter，andsucceedbetternowthanIdidinhappiertimes。ButIhavealittleofmyoldtemperstillleft，anditwillgetthebetterofmewhenIthinkoftheCount！’
　　`Histurnwillcome，’Isaid。`Butremember，thereisnoweakplaceinhislifethatweknowofyet。’Iwaitedalittletoletherrecoverherself-possession，andthenspokethedecisivewords——
　　`Marian！ThereisaweakplacewebothknowofinSirPercival’slife。’
　　`YoumeantheSecret！’
　　`Yes：theSecret。Itisouronlysureholdonhim。Icanforcehimfromhispositionofsecurity，Icandraghimandhisvillainyintothefaceofday，bynoothermeans。WhatevertheCountmayhavedone，SirPercivalhasconsentedtotheconspiracyagainstLaurafromanothermotivebesidesthemotiveofgain。YouheardhimtelltheCountthathebelievedhiswifeknewenoughtoruinhim？YouheardhimsaythathewasalostmanifthesecretofAnneCatherickwasknown？’
　　`Yes！yes！Idid。’
　　`Well，Marian，whenourotherresourceshavefailedus，ImeantoknowtheSecret。Myoldsuperstitionclingstome，evenyet。Isayagainthewomaninwhiteisalivinginfluenceinourthreelives。TheEndisappointed——theEndisdrawinguson——andAnneCatherick，deadinhergrave，pointsthewaytoitstill！’
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter30[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter30VThestoryofmyfirstinquiriesinHampshireissoontold。
　　MyearlydeparturefromLondonenabledmetoreachMrDawson’shouseintheforenoon。Ourinterview，sofarastheobjectofmyvisitwasconcerned，ledtonosatisfactoryresult。
　　MrDawson’sbookscertainlyshowedwhenhehadresumedhisattendanceonMissHalcombeatBlackwaterPark，butitwasnotpossibletocalculatebackfromthisdatewithanyexactness，withoutsuchhelpfromMrsMichelsonasIknewshewasunabletoafford。Shecouldnotsayfrommemorywho，insimilarcases，evercan？howmanydayshadelapsedbetweentherenewalofthedoctor’sattendanceonhispatientandthepreviousdepartureofLadyGlyde。ShewasalmostcertainofhavingmentionedthecircumstanceofthedeparturetoMissHalcombe，onthedayafterithappened——butthenshewasnomoreabletofixthedateofthedayonwhichthisdisclosuretookplace，thantofixthedateofthedaybefore，whenLadyGlydehadleftforLondon。Neithercouldshecalculate，withanynearerapproachtoexactness，thetimethathadpassedfromthedepartureofhermistress，tothePeriodwhentheundatedletterfromMadameFoscoarrived。Lastly，asiftocompletetheseriesofdifficulties，thedoctorhimself，havingbeenillatthetime，hadomittedtomakehisusualentryofthedayoftheweekandmonthwhenthegardenerfromBlackwaterParkhadcalledonhimtodeliverMrsMichelson’smessage。
　　HopelessofobtainingassistancefromMrDawson，IresolvedtotrynextifIcouldestablishthedateofSirPercival’sarrivalatKnowlesbury。
　　Itseemedlikeafatality！WhenIreachedKnowlesburytheinnwasshutup，andbillswerepostedonthewalls。Thespeculationhadbeenabadone，asIwasinformed，eversincethetimeoftherailway。Thenewhotelatthestationhadgraduallyabsorbedthebusiness，19andtheoldinnwhichweknewtobetheinnatwhichSirPercivalhadputup，hadbeenclosedabouttwomonthssince。Theproprietorhadleftthetownwithallhisgoodsandchattels，andwherehehadgoneIcouldnotpositivelyascertainfromanyone。ThefourpeopleofwhomIinquiredgavemefourdifferentaccountsofhisplansandprojectswhenheleftKnowlesbury。
　　TherewerestillsomehourstosparebeforethelasttrainleftforLondon，andIdrovebackagaininaflyfromtheKnowlesburystationtoBlackwaterPark，withthepurposeofquestioningthegardenerandthepersonwhokeptthelodge。Ifthey，too，provedunabletoassistme，myresourcesforthepresentwereatanend，andImightreturntotown。
　　Idismissedtheflyamiledistantfromthepark，andgettingmydirectionsfromthedriver，proceededbymyselftothehouse。
　　AsIturnedintothelanefromthehigh-road，Isawaman，withacarpet-bag，walkingbeforemerapidlyonthewaytothelodge。Hewasalittleman，dressedinshabbyblack，andwearingaremarkablylargehat。Isethimdownaswellasitwaspossibletojudgeforalawyer’sclerk，andstoppedatoncetowidenthedistancebetweenus。Hehadnotheardme，andhewalkedonoutofsight，withoutlookingback。WhenIpassedthroughthegatesmyself，alittlewhileafterwards，hewasnotvisible——hehadevidentlygoneontothehouse。
　　Thereweretwowomeninthelodge。Oneofthemwasold，theotherI
　　knewatonce，byMarian’sdescriptionofher，tobeMargaretPorcher。
　　IaskedfirstifSirPercivalwasatthePark，andreceivingareplyinthenegative，inquirednextwhenhehadleftit。Neitherofthewomencouldtellmemorethanthathehadgoneawayinthesummer。IcouldextractnothingfromMargaretPorcherbutvacantsmilesandshakingsofthehead。
　　Theoldwomanwasalittlemoreintelligent，andImanagedtoleadherintospeakingofthemannerofSirPercival’sdeparture，andofthealarmthatitcausedher。Sherememberedhermastercallingheroutofbed，andrememberedhisfrighteningherbyswearing——butthedateatwhichtheoccurrencehappenedwas，asshehonestlyacknowledged，`quitebeyondher。’
　　OnleavingthelodgeIsawthegardeneratworknotfaroff。WhenI
　　firstaddressedhim，helookedatmeratherdistrustfully，butonmyusingMrsMichelson’sname，withacivilreferencetohimself，heenteredintoconversationreadilyenough。Thereisnoneedtodescribewhatpassedbetweenus——itended，asallmyotherattemptstodiscoverthedatehadended。
　　Thegardenerknewthathismasterhaddrivenaway，atnight，`sometimeinJuly，thelastfortnightorthelasttendaysinthemonth’——andknewnomore。
　　WhilewewerespeakingtogetherIsawthemaninblack，withthelargehat，comeoutfromthehouse，andstandatsomelittledistanceobservingus。
　　CertainsuspicionsofhiserrandatBlackwaterParkhadalreadycrossedmymind。Theywerenowincreasedbythegardener’sinabilityorunwillingness
　　totellmewhothemanwas，andIdeterminedtoclearthewaybeforeme，ifpossible，byspeakingtohim。TheplainestquestionIcouldputasastrangerwouldbetoinquireifthehousewasallowedtobeshowntovisitors。
　　Iwalkeduptothemanatonce，andaccostedhiminthosewords。
　　HislookandmannerunmistakablybetrayedthatheknewwhoIwas，andthathewantedtoirritatemeintoquarrellingwithhim。Hisreplywasinsolentenoughtohaveansweredthepurpose，ifIhadbeenlessdeterminedtocontrolmyself。Asitwas，Imethimwiththemostresolutepoliteness，apologisedformyinvoluntaryintrusionwhichhecalleda`trespass，’
　　andleftthegrounds。ItwasexactlyasIsuspected。TherecognitionofmewhenIleftMrKyrle’sofficehadbeenevidentlycommunicatedtoSirPercivalGlyde，andthemaninblackhadbeensenttotheParkinanticipationofmymakinginquiriesatthehouseorintheneighbourhood。IfIhadgivenhimtheleastchanceoflodginganysortoflegalcomplaintagainstme，theinterferenceofthelocalmagistratewouldnodoubthavebeenturnedtoaccountasaclogonmyproceedings，andameansofseparatingmefromMarianandLauraforsomedaysatleast。
　　IwaspreparedtobewatchedonthewayfromBlackwaterParktothestation，exactlyasIhadbeenwatchedinLondonthedaybefore-ButI
　　couldnotdiscoveratthetime，whetherIwasreallyfollowedonthisoccasionornot。ThemaninblackmighthavehadmeansoftrackingmeathisdisposalofwhichIwasnotaware，butIcertainlysawnothingofhim，inhisownperson，eitheronthewaytothestation，orafterwardsonmyarrivalattheLondonterminusintheevening。Ireachedhomeonfoot，takingtheprecaution，beforeIapproachedourowndoor，ofwalkingroundbythelonelieststreetintheneighbourhood，andtherestoppingandlookingbackmorethanonceovertheopenspacebehindme。IhadfirstlearnttousethisstratagemagainstsuspectedtreacheryinthewildsofCentralAmerica——andnowIwaspractisingitagain，withthesamepurposeandwithevengreatercaution，intheheartofcivilisedLondonI
　　NothinghadhappenedtoalarmMarianduringmyabsence。SheaskedeagerlywhatsuccessIhadmetwith。WhenItoldhershecouldnotconcealhersurpriseattheindifferencewithwhichIspokeofthefailureofmyinvestigationsthusfar。
　　Thetruthwas，thattheill-successofmyinquirieshadinnosensedauntedme。Ihadpursuedthemasamatterofduty，andIhadexpectednothingfromthem。Inthestateofmymindatthattime，itwasalmostarelieftometoknowthatthestrugglewasnownarrowedtoatrialofstrengthbetweenmyselfandSirPercivalGlyde。Thevindictivemotivehadmingleditselfallalongwithmyotherandbettermotives，andIconfessitwasasatisfactiontometofeelthatthesurestway，theonlywayleft，ofservingLaura’scause，wastofastenmyholdfirmlyonthevillainwhohadmarriedher。