`Myuncleisright，’shesaid。`Ihavecausedtroubleandanxietyenoughtoyou，andtoallaboutme。Letmecausenomore，Marian——letSirPercivaldecide。’
　　Iremonstratedwarmly，butnothingthatIcouldsaymovedher。
　　`Iamheldtomyengagement，’shereplied；`Ihavebrokenwithmyoldlife。TheevildaywillnotcomethelesssurelybecauseIputitoff。
　　No，Marian！onceagainmyuncleisright。Ihavecausedtroubleenoughandanxietyenough，andIwillcausenomore。’
　　Sheusedtobepliabilityitself，butshewasnowinflexiblypassiveinherresignation——Imightalmostsayinherdespair。DearlyasIloveher，Ishouldhavebeenlesspainedifshehadbeenviolentlyagitated——itwassoshockinglyunlikehernaturalcharactertoseehercoldandinsensibleasIsawhernow。
　　12th——SirPercivalputsomequestionstomeatbreakfastaboutLaura，whichleftmenochoicebuttotellhimwhatshehadsaid。
　　Whileweweretalkingsheherselfcamedownandjoinedus。ShewasjustasunnaturallycomPosedinSirPercival’spresenceasshehadbeeninmine。
　　Whenbreakfastwasoverhehadanopportunityofsayingafewwordstoherprivately，inarecessofoneofthewindows。Theywerenotmorethantwoorthreeminutestogether，andontheirseparatingshelefttheroomwithMrsVesey，whileSirPercivalcametome。Hesaidhehadentreatedhertofavourhimbymaintainingherprivilegeoffixingthetimeforthemarriageatherownwillandpleasure。Inreplyshehadmerelyexpressedheracknowledgments，andhaddesiredhimtomentionwhathiswishesweretoMissHalcombe。
　　Ihavenopatiencetowritemore。Inthisinstance，asineveryother，SirPercivalhascarriedhispointwiththeutmostpossiblecredittohimself，inspiteofeverythingthatIcansayordo。Hiswishesarenow，whattheywere，ofcourse，whenhefirstcamehere；andLaurahavingresignedherselftotheoneinevitablesacrificeofthemarriage，remainsascoldlyhopelessandenduringasever。InpartingwiththelittleoccupationsandrelicsthatremindedherofHartright，sheseemstohavepartedwithallhertendernessandallherimpressibility。Itisonlythreeo’clockintheafternoonwhileIwritetheselines，andSirPercivalhasleftusalready，inthehappyhurryofabridegroom，toprepareforthebride’sreceptionathishouseinHampshire。Unlesssomeextraordinaryeventhappenstopreventittheywillbemarriedexactlyatthetimewhenhewishedtobemarried——beforetheendoftheyear。MyveryfingersburnasIwriteit！
　　13th——Asleeplessnight，throughuneasinessaboutLaura。TowardsthemorningIcametoaresolutiontotrywhatchangeofscenewoulddotorouseher。Shecannotsurelyremaininherpresenttorporofinsensibility，ifItakeherawayfromLimmeridgeandsurroundherwiththepleasantfacesofoldfriends？AftersomeconsiderationIdecidedonwritingtotheArnolds，inYorkshire。Theyaresimple，kind-hearted，hospitablepeople，andshehasknownthemfromherchildhood。WhenIhadputtheletterinthepost-bagItoldherwhatIhaddone。Itwouldhavebeenarelieftomeifshehadshownthespirittoresistandobject。Butno——sheonlysaid，`Iwillgoanywherewithyou，Marian。Idaresayyouareright——Idaresaythechangewilldomegood。’
　　14th——IwrotetoMrGilmore，informinghimthattherewasreallyaprospectofthismiserablemarriagetakingplace，andalsomentioningmyideaoftryingwhatchangeofscenewoulddoforLaura。Ihadnohearttogointoparticulars。Timeenoughforthemwhenwegetnearertotheendoftheyear。
　　15th——Threelettersforme。Thefirst，fromtheArnolds，fullofdelightattheprospectofseeingLauraandme。Thesecond，fromoneofthegentlementowhomIwroteonWalterHartright’sbehalf，informingmethathehasbeenfortunateenoughtofindanopportunityofcomplyingwithmyrequest。Thethird，fromWalterhimself，thankingme，poorfellow，inthewarmestterms，forgivinghimanopportunityofleavinghishome，hiscountry，andhisfriends。AprivateexpeditiontomakeexcavationsamongtheruinedcitiesofCentralAmericais，itseems，abouttosailfromLiverpool。
　　Thedraughtsmanwhohadbeenalreadyappointedtoaccompanyithaslostheart，andwithdrawnattheeleventhhour，andWalteristofillhisplace。
　　Heistobeengagedforsixmonthscertain，fromthetimeofthelandinginHonduras，andforayearafterwards，iftheexcavationsaresuccessful，andifthefundsholdout。Hisletterendswithapromisetowritemeafarewelllinewhentheyareallonboardship，andwhenthepilotleavesthem。IcanonlyhopeandprayearnestlythatheandIarebothactinginthismatterforthebest。Itseemsofitstartlesme。Andyet，inhisunhappyposition，howcanIexpecthimorwishhimtoremainathome？
　　16th——Thecarriageisatthedoor。LauraandIsetoutonourvisittotheArnoldstoday。POLESDEANLODGE，YORKSHIRE。
　　23rd——Aweekinthesenewscenesandamongthesekind-heartedpeoplehasdonehersomegood，thoughnotsomuchasIhadhoped。Ihaveresolvedtoprolongourstayforanotherweekatleast。ItisuselesstogobacktoLimmeridgetillthereisanabsolutenecessityforourreturn。
　　24th——Sadnewsbythismorning’spost。TheexpeditiontoCentralAmericasailedonthetwenty-first。Wehavepartedwithatrueman——wehavelostafaithfulfriend。WalterHartrighthasleftEngland。
　　25th——Sadnewsyesterday——ominousnewstoday。SirPercivalGlydehaswrittentoMrFairlie，andMrFairliehaswrittentoLauraandme，torecallustoLimmeridgeimmediately。
　　Whatcanthismean？Hasthedayforthemarriagebeenfixedinourabsence？
　　[NextChapter][TableofContents]WomaninWhite：Chapter11[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter11LIMMERIDGEHOUSE。
　　November27th——Myforebodingsarerealised。Themarriageisfixedforthetwenty-secondofDecember。
　　ThedayafterweleftforPolesdeanLodgeSirPercivalwrote，itseems，toMrFairlie，tosaythatthenecessaryrepairsandalterationsinhishouseinHampshirewouldoccupyamuchlongertimeincompletionthanhehadoriginallyanticipated。Theproperestimatesweretobesubmittedtohimassoonaspossible，anditwouldgreatlyfacilitatehisenteringintodefinitearrangementswiththeworkpeople，ifhecouldbeinformedoftheexactperiodatwhichtheweddingceremonymightbeexpectedtotakeplace。
　　Hecouldthenmakeallhiscalculationsinreferencetotime，besideswritingthenecessaryapologiestofriendswhohadbeenengagedtovisithimthatwinter，andwhocouldnot，ofcourse，bereceivedwhenthehousewasinthehandsoftheworkmen。
　　TothisletterMrFairliehadrepliedbyrequestingSirPercivalhimselftosuggestadayforthemarriage，subjecttoMissFairlie’sapproval，whichherguardianwillinglyundertooktodohisbesttoobtain。SirPercivalwrotebackbythenextpost，andproposedinaccordancewithhisownviewsandwishesfromthefirstthelatterpartofDecember——perhapsthetwenty-second，ortwenty-fourth，oranyotherdaythattheladyandherguardianmightprefer。Theladynotbeingathandtospeakforherself，herguardianhaddecided，inherabsence，ontheearliestdaymentioned——thetwenty-secondofDecember，andhadwrittentorecallustoLimmeridgeinconsequence。
　　Afterexplainingtheseparticularstomeataprivateinterviewyesterday，MrFairliesuggested，inhismostamiablemanner，thatIshouldopenthenecessarynegotiationstoday。Feelingthatresistancewasuseless，unlessIcouldfirstobtainLaura’sauthoritytomakeit，Iconsentedtospeaktoher，butdeclared，atthesametime，thatIwouldonnoconsiderationundertaketogainherconsenttoSirPercival’swishes。MrFairliecomplimentedmeonmy`excellentconscience，’muchashewouldhavecomplimentedme，ifhehadbeenoutwalking，onmy`excellentconstitution，’andseemedperfectlysatisfied，sofar，withhavingsimplyshiftedonemorefamilyresponsibilityfromhisownshoulderstomine。
　　ThismorningIspoketoLauraasIhadpromised。Thecomposure——I
　　mayalmostsay，theinsensibility——whichshehassostrangelyandsoresolutelymaintainedeversinceSirPercivalleftus，wasnotproofagainsttheshockofthenewsIhadtotellher。Sheturnedpaleandtrembledviolently。
　　`Notsosoon！’shepleaded。`Oh，Marian，notsosoon！’
　　Theslightesthintshecouldgivewasenoughforme。Irosetoleavetheroom，andfightherbattleforheratoncewithMrFairlie。
　　rustasmyhandwasonthedoor，shecaughtfastholdofmydressandstoppedme。
　　`Letmego！’Isaid。`MytongueburnstotellyourunclethatheandSirPercivalarenottohaveitalltheirownway。’
　　Shesighedbitterly，andstillheldmydress。
　　`No！’shesaidfaintly。`Toolate，Marian，toolate！’
　　`Notaminutetoolate，’Iretorted。`Thequestionoftimeisourquestion——andtrustme，Laura，totakeawoman’sfulladvantageofit。’
　　IunclaspedherhandfrommygownwhileIspoke；butsheslippedbothherarmsroundmywaistatthesamemoment，andheldmemoreeffectuallythanever。
　　`Itwillonlyinvolveusinmoretroubleandmoreconfusion，’shesaid。
　　`Itwillsetyouandmyuncleatvariance，andbringSirPercivalhereagainwithfreshcausesofcomplaint——’
　　`Somuchthebetter！’Icriedoutpassionately。`Whocaresforhiscausesofcomplaint？Areyoutobreakyourhearttosethismindatease？Nomanunderheavendeservesthesesacrificesfromuswomen。Men！Theyaretheenemiesofourinnocenceandourpeace——theydragusawayfromourparents’
　　loveandoursisters’friendship——theytakeusbodyandsoultothemselves，andfastenourhelplesslivestotheirsastheychainupadogtohiskennel。
　　Andwhatdoesthebestofthemgiveusinreturn？Letmego，Laura——I’mmadwhenIthinkofit！’
　　Thetears——miserable，weak，women’stearsofvexationandrage——
　　startedtomyeyes。Shesmiledsadly，andputherhandkerchiefovermyfacetohideformethebetrayalofmyownweakness——theweaknessofallotherswhichsheknewthatImostdespised。
　　`Oh，Marian！’shesaid。`Youcrying！Thinkwhatyouwouldsaytome，iftheplaceswerechanged，andifthosetearsweremine。Allyourloveandcourageanddevotionwillnotalterwhatmusthappen，soonerorlater。