Mysuspicionofeverybodyandeverythinginthishouseinclinesmetothinkthatthesecondplanmaybethebest。TheCountissafeinthebreakfast-room。
　　Iheardhim，throughthedoor，asIranupstairstenminutessince，exercisinghiscanary-birdsattheirtricks：——`Comeoutonmylittlefinger，mypret-pret-prettiesIComeout，andhopupstairsIOne，two，three——andup！Three，two，one——anddown！One，two，three——twit-twit-twit-tweet！’
　　Thebirdsburstintotheirusualecstasyofsinging，andtheCountchirrupedandwhistledattheminreturn，asifhewasabirdhimself。Myroomdoorisopen，andIcanheartheshrillsingingandwhistlingatthisverymoment。
　　IfIamreallytoslipoutwithoutbeingobserved，nowismytime。
　　Fouro’clock。ThethreehoursthathavepassedsinceImademylastentryhaveturnedthewholemarchofeventsatBlackwaterParkinanewdirection。Whetherforgoodorforevil，Icannotanddarenotdecide。
　　LetmegetbackfirsttotheplaceatwhichIleftoff，orIshalllosemyselfintheconfusionofmyownthoughts。
　　Iwentout，asIhadproposed，tomeetthemessengerwithmyletterfromLondonatthelodgegate。OnthestairsIsawnoone。InthehallIheardtheCountstillexercisinghisbirds。Butoncrossingthequadrangleoutside，IpassedMadameFosco，walkingbyherselfinherfavouritecircle，roundandroundthegreatfish-pond。Iatonceslackenedmypace，soastoavoidallappearanceofbeinginahurry，andevenwentthelength，forcaution’ssake，ofinquiringifshethoughtofgoingoutbeforelunch。
　　Shesmiledatmeinthefriendliestmanner——saidshepreferredremainingnearthehouse，noddedpleasantly，andreenteredthehall。Ilookedback，andsawthatshehadclosedthedoorbeforeIhadopenedthewicketbythesideofthecarriagegates。
　　InlessthanaquarterofanhourIreachedthelodge。
　　Thelaneoutsidetookasuddenturntotheleft，ranonstraightforahundredyardsorso，andthentookanothersharpturntotherighttojointhehigh-road。Betweenthesetwoturns，hiddenfromthelodgeononeside，andfromthewaytothestationontheother，Iwaited，walkingbackwardsandforwards。Highhedgeswereoneithersideofme，andfortwentyminutes，bymywatch，Ineithersawnorheardanything。Attheendofthattimethesoundofacarriagecaughtmyear，andIwasmet，asIadvancedtowardsthesecondturning，byaflyfromtherailway。Imadeasigntothedrivertostop。Asheobeyedmearespectable-lookingmanputhisheadoutofthewindowtoseewhatwasthematter。
　　`Ibegyourpardon，’Isaid，`butamIrightinsupposingthatyouaregoingtoBlackwaterPark？’
　　`Yes，ma’am。’
　　`Withaletterforanyone？’
　　`WithaletterforMissHalcombe，ma’am。’
　　`Youmaygivemetheletter。IamMissHalcombe。
　　Themantouchedhishat，gotoutoftheflyimmediately，andgavemetheletter。
　　Iopeneditatonceandreadtheselines。Icopythemhere，thinkingitbesttodestroytheoriginalforcaution’ssake。
　　`DEARMADAM，——Yourletterreceivedthismorninghascausedmeverygreatanxiety。Iwillreplytoitasbrieflyandplainlyaspossible。
　　`Mycarefulconsiderationofthestatementmadebyyourself，andmyknowledgeofLadyGlyde’sposition，asdefinedinthesettlement，leadme，Iregrettosay，totheconclusionthataloanofthetrustmoneytoSirPercivalor，inotherwords，aloanofsomeportionofthetwentythousandpoundsofLadyGlyde’sfortuneisincontemplation，andthatsheismadeapartytothedeed，inordertosecureherapprovalofaflagrantbreachoftrust，andtohavehersignatureproducedagainstherifsheshouldcomplainhereafter。Itisimpossible，onanyothersupposition，toaccount，situatedassheis，forherexecutiontoadeedofanykindbeingwantedatall。
　　`IntheeventofLadyGlyde’ssigningsuchadocument，asIamcompelledtosupposethedeedinquestiontobe，hertrusteeswouldbeatlibertytoadvancemoneytoSirPercivaloutofhertwentythousandpounds。Iftheamountsolentshouldnotbepaidback，andifLadyGlydeshouldhavechildren，theirfortunewillthenbediminishedbythesum，largeorsmall，soadvanced。lnplainertermsstill，thetransaction，foranythingthatLadyGlydeknowstothecontrary，maybeafrauduponherunbornchildren。
　　`Undertheseseriouscircumstances，IwouldrecommendLadyGlydetoassignasareasonforwithholdinghersignature，thatshewishesthedeedtobefirstsubmittedtomyself，asherfamilysolicitorintheabsenceofmypartner，SGilmore。Noreasonableobjectioncanbemadetotakingthiscourse——for，ifthetransactionisanhonourableone，therewillnecessarilybenodifficultyinmygivingmyapproval。
　　`Sincerelyassuringyouofmyreadinesstoaffordanyadditionalhelporadvicethatmaybewanted，Ibegtoremain，Madam，yourfaithfulservant，WILLIAMKYRLE。
　　Ireadthiskindandsensibleletterverythankfully。ItsuppliedLaurawithareasonforobjectingtothesignaturewhichwasunanswerable，andwhichwecouldbothofusunderstand。ThemessengerwaitednearmewhileIwasreadingtoreceivehisdirectionswhenIhaddone。
　　`WillyoubegoodenoughtosaythatIunderstandtheletter，andthatIamverymuchobliged？’Isaid。`Thereisnootherreplynecessaryatpresent。’
　　ExactlyatthemomentwhenIwasspeakingthosewords，holdingtheletteropeninmyhand，CountFoscoturnedthecornerofthelanefromthehigh-road，andstoodbeforemeasifhehadsprungupoutoftheearth。
　　Thesuddennessofhisappearance，intheverylastplaceunderheaveninwhichIshouldhaveexpectedtoseehim，tookmecompletelybysurprise。
　　Themessengerwishedmegoodmorning，andgotintotheflyagain。Icouldnotsayawordtohim——Iwasnotevenabletoreturnhisbow。TheconvictionthatIwasdiscovered——andbythatman，ofallothers——absolutelypetrifiedme。
　　`Areyougoingbacktothehouse，MissHalcombe？’heinquired，withoutshowingtheleastsurpriseonhisside，andwithoutevenlookingafterthefly，whichdroveoffwhilehewasspeakingtome。
　　Icollectedmyselfsufficientlytomakeasignintheaffirmative。
　　`Iamgoingbacktoo，’hesaid。`Prayallowmethepleasureofaccompanyingyou。Willyoutakemyarm？Youlooksurprisedatseeingme！’
　　Itookhisarm。Thefirstofmyscatteredsensesthatcamebackwasthesensethatwarnedmetosacrificeanythingratherthanmakeanenemyofhim。
　　`Youlooksurprisedatseeingme！’herepeatedinhisquietlypertinaciousway。
　　`Ithought，Count，Iheardyouwithyourbirdsinthebreakfast-room，’
　　Ianswered，asquietlyandfirmlyasIcould。
　　`Surely。Butmylittlefeatheredchildren，dearlady，areonlytoolikeotherchildren。Theyhavetheirdaysofperversity，andthismorningwasoneofthem。MywifecameinasIwasputtingthembackintheircage，andsaidshehadleftyougoingoutaloneforawalk。Youtoldherso，didyounot？’
　　`Certainly。’
　　`Well，MissHalcombe，thepleasureofaccompanyingyouwastoogreatatemptationformetoresist。Atmyagethereisnoharminconfessingsomuchasthat，isthere？Iseizedmyhat，andsetofftooffermyselfasyourescort。EvensofatanoldmanasFoscoissurelybetterthannoescortatall？Itookthewrongpath——Icamebackindespair，andhereIam，arrivedmayIsayit？attheheightofmywishes。’
　　Hetalkedoninthiscomplimentarystrainwithafluencywhichleftmenoexertiontomakebeyondtheeffortofmaintainingmycomposure。Heneverreferredinthemostdistantmannertowhathehadseeninthelane，ortotheletterwhichlstillhadinmyhand。Thisominousdiscretionhelpedtoconvincemethathemusthavesurprised，bythemostdishonourablemeans，thesecretofmyapplicationinLaura’sinteresttothelawyer；
　　andthat，havingnowassuredhimselfoftheprivatemannerinwhichIhadreceivedtheanswer，hehaddiscoveredenoughtosuithispurposes，andwasonlybentontryingtoquietthesuspicionswhichheknewhemusthavearousedinmymind。Iwaswiseenough，underthesecircumstances，nottoattempttodeceivehimbyplausibleexplanations，andwomanenough，notwithstandingmydreadofhim，tofeelasifmyhandwastaintedbyrestingonhisarm。
　　Onthedriveinfrontofthehousewemetthedog-cartbeingtakenroundtothestables。SirPercivalhadjustreturned。Hecameouttomeetusatthehouse-door。Whateverotherresultshisjourneymighthavehad，ithadnotendedinsofteninghissavagetemper。
　　`OhIherearetwoofyoncomeback，’hesaid，withaloweringface。
　　`Whatisthemeaningofthehousebeingdesertedinthisway？WhereisLadyGlyde？’
　　Itoldhimofthelossofthebrooch，andsaidthatLaurahadgoneintotheplantationtolookforit。
　　`Broochornobrooch，’hegrowledsulkily，`Irecommendhernottoforgetherappointmentinthelibrarythisafternoon。Ishallexpecttoseeherinhalfanhour。’
　　ItookmyhandfromtheCount’sarm，andslowlyascendedthesteps。
　　Hehonouredmewithoneofhismagnificentbows，andthenaddressedhimselfgailytothescowlingmasterofthehouse。
　　`Tellme，Percival，’hesaid，`haveyouhadapleasantdrive？AndhasyourprettyshiningBrownMollycomebackatalltired？’
　　`BrownMollybehanged——andthedrivetoo！Iwantmylunch。’
　　`AndIwantfiveminutes’talkwithyou，Percival，first，’returnedtheCount。`Fiveminutes’talk，myfriend，hereonthegrass。’
　　`Whatabout？’