Louislookedquiteshocked。Hesurprisedmeinexpressiblybydeclaringthatmysister’sforeignhusbandwasdressedsuperbly，andlookedthepictureofprosperity。Underthesecircumstancesmyfirstimpressionalteredtoacertainextent。InowtookitforgrantedthattheCounthadmatrimonialdifficultiesofhisowntocontendwith，andthathehadcome，liketherestofthefamily，tocastthemallonmyshoulders。
　　`Didhementionhisbusiness？’Iasked。
　　`CountFoscosaidhehadcomehere，sir，becauseMissHalcombewasunabletoleaveBlackwaterPark。’
　　Freshtroubles，apparently。Notexactlyhisown，asIhadsupposed，butdearMarian’s。Troubles，anyway。Ohdear！
　　`Showhimin，’Isaidresignedly。
　　TheCount’sfirstappearancereallystartledme。HewassuchanalarminglylargepersonthatIquitetrembled-Ifeltcertainthathewouldshakethefloorandknockdownmyart-treasures。Hedidneithertheonenortheother。Hewasrefreshinglydressedinsummercostume——hismannerwasdelightfullyself-possessedandquiet——hehadacharmingsmile。Myfirstimpressionofhimwashighlyfavourable。Itisnotcreditabletomypenetration——asthesequelwillshow——toacknowledgethis，butIamanaturallycandidman，andIdoacknowledgeitnotwithstanding。
　　`Allowmetopresentmyself，MrFairlie，’hesaid。`IcomefromBlackwaterPark，andIhavethehonourandthehappinessofbeingMadameFosco’shusband。
　　Letmetakemyfirstandlastadvantageofthatcircumstancebyentreatingyounottomakeastrangerofme。Ibegyouwillnotdisturbyourself——
　　Ibegyouwillnotmove。’
　　`Youareverygood，’Ireplied。`IwishIwasstrongenoughtogetup。
　　CharmedtoseeyouatLimmeridge。Pleasetakeachair。’
　　`Iamafraidyouaresufferingtoday，’saidtheCount。
　　`Asusual，’Isaid。`Iamnothingbutabundleofnervesdresseduptolooklikeaman。’
　　`Ihavestudiedmanysubjectsinmytime，’remarkedthissympatheticperson。`Amongotherstheinexhaustiblesubjectofnerves。MayImakeasuggestion，atoncethesimplestandthemostprofound？Willyouletmealterthelightinyourroom？’
　　`Certainly——ifyouwillbesoverykindasnottoletanyofitinonme。’
　　Hewalkedtothewindow。SuchacontrasttodearMarian！soextremelyconsiderateinallhismovements！
　　`Light，’hesaid，inthatdelightfulconfidentialtonewhichissosoothingtoaninvalid，`isthefirstessential。Lightstimulates。nourishes，preserves。
　　Youcannomoredowithoutit，MrFairlie，thanifyouwereaflower。Observe。
　　Here，whereyousit，Iclosetheshutterstocomposeyou。There，whereyoudonotsit，Idrawuptheblindandletintheinvigoratingsun。Admitthelightintoyourroomifyoucannotbearitonyourself。
　　Light，sir，isthegranddecreeofProvidence。YouacceptProvidencewithyourownrestrictions。Acceptlightonthesameterms。’
　　Ithoughtthisveryconvincingandattentive。Hehadtakenmeinuptothatpointaboutthelight，hehadcertainlytakenmein。
　　`Youseemeconfused，’hesaid。returningtohisplace——`onmywordofhonour，MrFairlie，youseemeconfusedinyourpresence。’
　　`Shockedtohearit，Iamsure。MayIinquirewhy？’
　　`Sir，canIenterthisroomwhereyousitasufferer，andseeyousurroundedbytheseadmirableobjectsofArt，withoutdiscoveringthatyouareamanwhosefeelingsareacutelyimpressionable，whosesympathiesareperpetuallyalive？Tellme，canIdothis？’
　　IfIhadbeenstrongenoughtositupinmychairIshould，ofcourse，havebowed。Notbeingstrongenough，Ismiledmyacknowledgmentsinstead。
　　Itdidjustaswell，webothunderstoodoneanother。
　　`Prayfollowmytrainofthought，’continuedtheCount。`Isithere，amanofrefinedsympathiesmyself，inthepresenceofanothermanofrefinedsympathiesalso。Iamconsciousofaterriblenecessityforlaceratingthosesympathiesbyreferringtodomesticeventsofaverymelancholykind。
　　Whatistheinevitableconsequence？Ihavedonemyselfthehonourofpointingitouttoyoualready。Isitconfused。’
　　WasitatthispointthatIbegantosuspecthewasgoingtoboreme？
　　Iratherthinkitwas。
　　`Isitabsolutelynecessarytorefertotheseunpleasantmatters？’I
　　inquired。`InourhomelyEnglishphrase，CountFosco，won’ttheykeep？’
　　TheCount，withthemostalarmingsolemnity，sighedandshookhishead。
　　`MustIreallyhearthem？’
　　Heshruggedhisshouldersitwasthefirstforeignthinghehaddonesincehehadbeenintheroom，andlookedatmeinanunpleasantlypenetratingmanner。MyinstinctstoldmethatIhadbetterclosemyeyes。Iobeyedmyinstincts。
　　`Pleasebreakitgently，’Ipleaded。`Anybodydead？’
　　`Dead！’criedtheCount，withunnecessaryforeignfierceness。`MrFairlie，yournationalcomposureterrifiesme。InthenameofHeaven，whathaveIsaidordonetomakeyouthinkmethemessengerofdeath？’
　　`Prayacceptmyapologies，’Ianswered。`Youhavesaidanddonenothing。
　　Imakeitaruleinthesedistressingcasesalwaystoanticipatetheworst-
　　Itbreakstheblowbymeetingithalf-way，andsoon。Inexpressiblyrelieved，Iamsure，tohearthatnobodyisdead。Anybodyill？’
　　Iopenedmyeyesandlookedathim。Washeveryyellowwhenhecamein，orhadheturnedveryyellowinthelastminuteortwo？Ireallycan’tsay，andIcan’taskLouis，becausehewasnotintheroomatthetime。
　　`Anybodyill？’Irepeated，observingthatmynationalcomposurestillappearedtoaffecthim。
　　`Thatispartofmybadnews，MrFairlie。Yes。Somebodyisill。’
　　`Grieved，Iamsure。Whichofthemisit？’
　　`Tomyprofoundsorrow，MissHalcombe。Perhapsyouwereinsomedegreepreparedtohearthis？PerhapswhenyoufoundthatMissHalcombedidnotcomeherebyherself，asyouproposed，anddidnotwriteasecondtime，youraffectionateanxietymayhavemadeyoufearthatshewasill？’
　　Ihavenodoubtmyaffectionateanxietyhadledtothatmelancholyapprehensionatsometimeorother，butatthemomentmywretchedmemoryentirelyfailedtoremindmeofthecircumstance。However，Isaidyes，injusticetomyself。
　　Iwasmuchshocked。ItwassoveryuncharacteristicofsucharobustpersonasdearMariantobeill，thatIcouldonlysupposeshehadmetwithanaccident。Ahorse，orafalsesteponthestairs，orsomethingofthatsort。
　　`Isitserious？’Iasked。
　　`Serious——beyondadoubt，’hereplied。`Dangerous——Ihopeandtrustnot。MissHalcombeunhappilyexposedherselftobewettedthroughbyaheavyrain。Thecoldthatfollowedwasofanaggravatedkind，andithasnowbroughtwithittheworstconsequences——fever。’
　　WhenIheardthewordfever，andwhenIrememberedatthesamemomentthattheunscrupulouspersonwhowasnowaddressingmehadjustcomefromBlackwaterPark，IthoughtIshouldhavefaintedonthespot。
　　`GoodGod！’Isaid。`Isitinfectious？’
　　`Notatpresent，’heanswered，withdetestablecomposure。`Itmayturntoinfection——butnosuchdeplorablecomplicationhadtakenplacewhenIleftBlackwaterPark。Ihavefeltthedeepestinterestinthecase，MrFairlie——Ihaveendeavouredtoassisttheregularmedicalattendantinwatchingit——acceptmypersonalassurancesoftheuninfectiousnatureofthefeverwhenIlastsawit。’
　　Accepthisassurances！Ineverwasfartherfromacceptinganythinginmylife。Iwouldnothavebelievedhimonhisoath。Hewastooyellowtobebelieved。Helookedlikeawalking-West-Indian-epidemic。Hewasbigenoughtocarrytyphusbytheton，andtodyetheverycarpethewalkedonwithscarletfever。Incertainemergenciesmymindisremarkablysoonmadeup。Iinstantlydeterminedtogetridofhim。
　　`Youwillkindlyexcuseaninvalid，’Isaid——`butlongconferencesofanykindinvariablyupsetme。MayIbegtoknowexactlywhattheobjectistowhichIamindebtedforthehonourofyourvisit？’
　　Iferventlyhopedthatthisremarkablybroadhintwouldthrowhimoffhisbalance——confusehim——reducehimtopoliteapologies——inshort，gethimoutoftheroom。Onthecontrary，itonlysettledhiminhischair。
　　Hebecameadditionallysolemn，anddignified，andconfidential。Hehelduptwoofhishorridfingersandgavemeanotherofhisunpleasantlypenetratinglooks。WhatwasItodo？Iwasnotstrongenoughtoquarrelwithhim。Conceivemysituation，ifyouplease。Islanguageadequatetodescribeit？Ithinknot。
　　`Theobjectsofmyvisit，’hewenton，quiteirrepressibly，`arenumberedonmyfingers。Theyaretwo。First，Icometobearmytestimony，withprofoundsorrow，tothelamentabledisagreementsbetweenSirPercivalandLadyGlyde。
　　IamSirPercival’soldestfriend——IamrelatedtoLadyGlydebymarriage——Iamaneye-witnessofallthathashappenedatBlackwaterPark。InthosethreecapacitiesIspeakwithauthority，withconfidence，withhonourableregret。Sir，Iinformyou，astheheadofladyGlyde’sfamily，thatMissHalcombehasexaggeratednothingintheletterwhichshewrotetoyouraddress。Iaffirmthattheremedywhichthatadmirableladyhasproposedistheonlyremedythatwillspareyouthehorrorsofpublicscandal。A