ThesummerandautumnpassedaftermyreturnfromParis,andbroughtnochangeswiththemwhichneedbenoticedhere. WelivedsosimplyandquietlythattheincomewhichIwasnowsteadilyearningsufficedforallourwants. IntheFebruaryofthenewyearourfirstchildwasborn—ason. MymotherandsisterandMrs.Veseywereourguestsatthelittlechristeningparty,andMrs.Clementswaspresenttoassistmywifeonthesameoccasion. Marianwasourboy’sgodmother,andPescaandMr.Gilmore(thelatteractingbyproxy)werehisgodfathers. ImayaddherethatwhenMr.Gilmorereturnedtousayearlaterheassistedthedesignofthesepages,atmyrequest,bywritingtheNarrativewhichappearsearlyinthestoryunderhisname,andwhich,thoughfirstinorderofprecedence,wasthus,inorderoftime,thelastthatIreceived. Theonlyeventinourliveswhichnowremainstoberecorded,occurredwhenourlittleWalterwassixmonthsold. AtthattimeIwassenttoIrelandtomakesketchesforcertainforthcomingillustrationsinthenewspapertowhichIwasattached. Iwasawayfornearlyafortnight,correspondingregularlywithmywifeandMarian,exceptduringthelastthreedaysofmyabsence,whenmymovementsweretoouncertaintoenablemetoreceiveletters. Iperformedthelatterpartofmyjourneybackatnight,andwhenIreachedhomeinthemorning,tomyutterastonishmenttherewasnoonetoreceiveme. LauraandMarianandthechildhadleftthehouseonthedaybeforemyreturn. Anotefrommywife,whichwasgiventomebytheservant,onlyincreasedmysurprise,byinformingmethattheyhadgonetoLimmeridgeHouse. Marianhadprohibitedanyattemptatwrittenexplanations—IwasentreatedtofollowthemthemomentIcameback—completeenlightenmentawaitedmeonmyarrivalinCumberland—andIwasforbiddentofeeltheslightestanxietyinthemeantime.Therethenoteended. Itwasstillearlyenoughtocatchthemorningtrain. IreachedLimmeridgeHousethesameafternoon. MywifeandMarianwerebothupstairs.Theyhadestablishedthemselves(bywayofcompletingmyamazement)inthelittleroomwhichhadbeenonceassignedtomeforastudio,whenIwasemployedonMr.Fairlie’sdrawings. OntheverychairwhichIusedtooccupywhenIwasatworkMarianwassittingnow,withthechildindustriouslysuckinghiscoraluponherlap—whileLaurawasstandingbythewell-remembereddrawing-tablewhichIhadsooftenused,withthelittlealbumthatIhadfilledforherinpasttimesopenunderherhand. “Whatinthenameofheavenhasbroughtyouhere?”Iasked.“DoesMr.Fairlieknow——?” MariansuspendedthequestiononmylipsbytellingmethatMr.Fairliewasdead. Hehadbeenstruckbyparalysis,andhadneverralliedaftertheshock. Mr.Kyrlehadinformedthemofhisdeath,andhadadvisedthemtoproceedimmediatelytoLimmeridgeHouse. Somedimperceptionofagreatchangedawnedonmymind.LauraspokebeforeIhadquiterealisedit.Shestoleclosetometoenjoythesurprisewhichwasstillexpressedinmyface. “MydarlingWalter,”shesaid,“mustwereallyaccountforourboldnessincominghere?Iamafraid,love,Icanonlyexplainitbybreakingthroughourrule,andreferringtothepast.” “Thereisnottheleastnecessityfordoinganythingofthekind,”saidMarian. “Wecanbejustasexplicit,andmuchmoreinteresting,byreferringtothefuture.” Sheroseandheldupthechildkickingandcrowinginherarms.“Doyouknowwhothisis,Walter?” sheasked,withbrighttearsofhappinessgatheringinhereyes. “EvenMYbewildermenthasitslimits,”Ireplied.“IthinkIcanstillanswerforknowingmyownchild.” “Child!”sheexclaimed,withallhereasygaietyofoldtimes. “DoyoutalkinthatfamiliarmannerofoneofthelandedgentryofEngland? Areyouaware,whenIpresentthisillustriousbabytoyournotice,inwhosepresenceyoustand?Evidentlynot! Letmemaketwoeminentpersonagesknowntooneanother:Mr.WalterHartright—THEHEIROFLIMMERIDGE.” Soshespoke.Inwritingthoselastwords,Ihavewrittenall.Thepenfaltersinmyhand. Thelong,happylabourofmanymonthsisover. Marianwasthegoodangelofourlives—letMarianendourStory. 
