English
WhenIclosedthelastleafoftheCount’smanuscriptthehalf-hourduringwhichIhadengagedtoremainatForestRoadhadexpired.
MonsieurRubellelookedathiswatchandbowed.
Iroseimmediately,andlefttheagentinpossessionoftheemptyhouse.
Ineversawhimagain—Ineverheardmoreofhimorofhiswife.
Outofthedarkbywaysofvillainyanddeceittheyhadcrawledacrossourpath—intothesamebywaystheycrawledbacksecretlyandwerelost.
InaquarterofanhourafterleavingForestRoadIwasathomeagain.
ButfewwordssufficedtotellLauraandMarianhowmydesperateventurehadended,andwhatthenexteventinourliveswaslikelytobe.
Ileftalldetailstobedescribedlaterintheday,andhastenedbacktoSt.John’sWood,toseethepersonofwhomCountFoscohadorderedthefly,whenhewenttomeetLauraatthestation.
Theaddressinmypossessionledmetosome“liverystables,”aboutaquarterofamiledistantfromForestRoad.
Theproprietorprovedtobeacivilandrespectableman.
WhenIexplainedthatanimportantfamilymatterobligedmetoaskhimtorefertohisbooksforthepurposeofascertainingadatewithwhichtherecordofhisbusinesstransactionsmightsupplyme,heofferednoobjectiontograntingmyrequest.
Thebookwasproduced,andthere,underthedateof“July26th,1850,”theorderwasenteredinthesewords—
“BroughamtoCountFosco,5ForestRoad.Twoo’clock.(JohnOwen).”
Ifoundoninquirythatthenameof“JohnOwen,”attachedtotheentry,referredtothemanwhohadbeenemployedtodrivethefly.
Hewasthenatworkinthestable-yard,andwassentfortoseemeatmyrequest.
“Doyourememberdrivingagentleman,inthemonthofJulylast,fromNumberFiveForestRoadtotheWaterlooBridgestation?”Iasked.
“Well,sir,”saidtheman,“Ican’texactlysayIdo.”
“Perhapsyourememberthegentlemanhimself?Canyoucalltominddrivingaforeignerlastsummer—atallgentlemanandremarkablyfat?”Theman’sfacebrighteneddirectly.
“Irememberhim,sir!ThefattestgentlemanaseverIsee,andtheheaviestcustomeraseverIdrove.Yes,yes—Icallhimtomind,sir!
WeDIDgotothestation,anditWASfromForestRoad.
Therewasaparrot,orsummatlikeit,screechinginthewindow.
Thegentlemanwasinamortalhurryaboutthelady’sluggage,andhegavemeahandsomepresentforlookingsharpandgettingtheboxes.”
Gettingtheboxes!IrecollectedimmediatelythatLaura’sownaccountofherselfonherarrivalinLondondescribedherluggageasbeingcollectedforherbysomepersonwhomCountFoscobroughtwithhimtothestation.Thiswastheman.
“Didyouseethelady?”Iasked.“Whatdidshelooklike?Wassheyoungorold?”
“Well,sir,whatwiththehurryandthecrowdofpeoplepushingabout,Ican’trightlysaywhattheladylookedlike.Ican’tcallnothingtomindaboutherthatIknowofexceptinghername.”
“Yourememberhername?”
“Yes,sir.HernamewasLadyGlyde.”
“Howdoyoucometorememberthat,whenyouhaveforgottenwhatshelookedlike?”
Themansmiled,andshiftedhisfeetinsomelittleembarrassment.
“Why,totellyouthetruth,sir,”hesaid,“Ihadn’tbeenlongmarriedatthattime,andmywife’sname,beforeshechangeditformine,wasthesameasthelady’s—meaningthenameofGlyde,sir.Theladymentioneditherself.‘Isyournameonyourboxes,ma’am?’
saysI.‘Yes,’saysshe,‘mynameisonmyluggage—itisLadyGlyde.’‘Come!
‘Isaystomyself,‘I’veabadheadforgentlefolks’namesingeneral—butTHISonecomeslikeanoldfriend,atanyrate.’
Ican’tsaynothingaboutthetime,sir,itmightbenighonayearago,oritmightn’t.
ButIcansweartothestoutgentleman,andsweartothelady’sname.”
Therewasnoneedthatheshouldrememberthetime—thedatewaspositivelyestablishedbyhismaster’sorder-book.
Ifeltatoncethatthemeanswerenowinmypowerofstrikingdownthewholeconspiracyatablowwiththeirresistibleweaponofplainfact.
Withoutamoment’shesitation,Itooktheproprietoroftheliverystablesasideandtoldhimwhattherealimportancewasoftheevidenceofhisorder-bookandtheevidenceofhisdriver.
Anarrangementtocompensatehimforthetemporarylossoftheman’sserviceswaseasilymade,andacopyoftheentryinthebookwastakenbymyself,andcertifiedastruebythemaster’sownsignature.
Ilefttheliverystables,havingsettledthatJohnOwenwastoholdhimselfatmydisposalforthenextthreedays,orforalongerperiodifnecessityrequiredit.
InowhadinmypossessionallthepapersthatIwanted—thedistrictregistrar’sowncopyofthecertificateofdeath,andSirPercival’sdatedlettertotheCount,beingsafeinmypocket-book.
Withthiswrittenevidenceaboutme,andwiththecoachman’sanswersfreshinmymemory,Inextturnedmysteps,forthefirsttimesincethebeginningofallmyinquiries,inthedirectionofMr.Kyrle’soffice.
Oneofmyobjectsinpayinghimthissecondvisitwas,necessarily,totellhimwhatIhaddone.
TheotherwastowarnhimofmyresolutiontotakemywifetoLimmeridgethenextmorning,andtohaveherpubliclyreceivedandrecognisedinheruncle’shouse.
IleftittoMr.Kyrletodecideunderthesecircumstances,andinMr.Gilmore’sabsence,whetherhewasorwasnotbound,asthefamilysolicitor,tobepresentonthatoccasioninthefamilyinterests.
IwillsaynothingofMr.Kyrle’samazement,orofthetermsinwhichheexpressedhisopinionofmyconductfromthefirststageoftheinvestigationtothelast.
ItisonlynecessarytomentionthatheatoncedecidedonaccompanyingustoCumberland.
Westartedthenextmorningbytheearlytrain.
Laura,Marian,Mr.Kyrle,andmyselfinonecarriage,andJohnOwen,withaclerkfromMr.Kyrle’soffice,occupyingplacesinanother.
OnreachingtheLimmeridgestationwewentfirsttothefarmhouseatTodd’sCorner.
ItwasmyfirmdeterminationthatLaurashouldnotenterheruncle’shousetillsheappearedtherepubliclyrecognisedashisniece.
IleftMariantosettlethequestionofaccommodationwithMrs.Todd,assoonasthegoodwomanhadrecoveredfromthebewildermentofhearingwhatourerrandwasinCumberland,andIarrangedwithherhusbandthatJohnOwenwastobecommittedtothereadyhospitalityofthefarm-servants.
Thesepreliminariescompleted,Mr.KyrleandIsetforthtogetherforLimmeridgeHouse.
IcannotwriteatanylengthofourinterviewwithMr.Fairlie,forIcannotrecallittomindwithoutfeelingsofimpatienceandcontempt,whichmakethescene,eveninremembranceonly,utterlyrepulsivetome.
IprefertorecordsimplythatIcarriedmypoint.
Mr.Fairlieattemptedtotreatusonhiscustomaryplan.
Wepassedwithoutnoticehispoliteinsolenceattheoutsetoftheinterview.
Weheardwithoutsympathytheprotestationswithwhichhetriednexttopersuadeusthatthedisclosureoftheconspiracyhadoverwhelmedhim.
Heabsolutelywhinedandwhimperedatlastlikeafretfulchild.
“Howwashetoknowthathisniecewasalivewhenhewastoldthatshewasdead?
HewouldwelcomedearLaurawithpleasure,ifwewouldonlyallowhimtimetorecover.
Didwethinkhelookedasifhewantedhurryingintohisgrave?No.Then,whyhurryhim?”
Hereiteratedtheseremonstrancesateveryavailableopportunity,untilIcheckedthemonceforall,byplacinghimfirmlybetweentwoinevitablealternatives.
Igavehimhischoicebetweendoinghisniecejusticeonmyterms,orfacingtheconsequenceofapublicassertionofherexistenceinacourtoflaw.
Mr.Kyrle,towhomheturnedforhelp,toldhimplainlythathemustdecidethequestionthenandthere.
Characteristicallychoosingthealternativewhichpromisedsoonesttoreleasehimfromallpersonalanxiety,heannouncedwithasuddenoutburstofenergy,thathewasnotstrongenoughtobearanymorebullying,andthatwemightdoaswepleased.
Mr.KyrleandIatoncewentdownstairs,andagreeduponaformofletterwhichwastobesentroundtothetenantswhohadattendedthefalsefuneral,summoningthem,inMr.Fairlie’sname,toassembleinLimmeridgeHouseonthenextdaybutone.
Anorderreferringtothesamedatewasalsowritten,directingastatuaryinCarlisletosendamantoLimmeridgechurchyardforthepurposeoferasinganinscription—Mr.Kyrle,whohadarrangedtosleepinthehouse,undertakingthatMr.Fairlieshouldheartheselettersreadtohim,andshouldsignthemwithhisownhand.
Ioccupiedtheintervaldayatthefarminwritingaplainnarrativeoftheconspiracy,andinaddingtoitastatementofthepracticalcontradictionwhichfactsofferedtotheassertionofLaura’sdeath.
ThisIsubmittedtoMr.KyrlebeforeIreaditthenextdaytotheassembledtenants.
Wealsoarrangedtheforminwhichtheevidenceshouldbepresentedatthecloseofthereading.
Afterthesemattersweresettled,Mr.KyrleendeavouredtoturntheconversationnexttoLaura’saffairs.
Knowing,anddesiringtoknownothingofthoseaffairs,anddoubtingwhetherhewouldapprove,asamanofbusiness,ofmyconductinrelationtomywife’slife-interestinthelegacylefttoMadameFosco,IbeggedMr.KyrletoexcusemeifIabstainedfromdiscussingthesubject.
Itwasconnected,asIcouldtrulytellhim,withthosesorrowsandtroublesofthepastwhichweneverreferredtoamongourselves,andwhichweinstinctivelyshrankfromdiscussingwithothers.
Mylastlabour,astheeveningapproached,wastoobtain“TheNarrativeoftheTombstone,”bytakingacopyofthefalseinscriptiononthegravebeforeitwaserased.
Thedaycame—thedaywhenLauraoncemoreenteredthefamiliarbreakfast-roomatLummeridgeHouse.
AllthepersonsassembledrosefromtheirseatsasMarianandIledherin.
Aperceptibleshockofsurprise,anaudiblemurmurofinterestranthroughthem,atthesightofherface.
Mr.Fairliewaspresent(bymyexpressstipulation),withMr.Kyrlebyhisside.
Hisvaletstoodbehindhimwithasmelling-bottlereadyinonehand,andawhitehandkerchief,saturatedwitheau-de-Cologne,intheother.
IopenedtheproceedingsbypubliclyappealingtoMr.FairlietosaywhetherIappearedtherewithhisauthorityandunderhisexpresssanction.
Heextendedanarm,oneitherside,toMr.Kyrleandtohisvalet—wasbythemassistedtostandonhislegs,andthenexpressedhimselfintheseterms:“AllowmetopresentMr.Hartright.
Iamasgreataninvalidasever,andheissoveryobligingastospeakforme.Thesubjectisdreadfullyembarrassing.
Pleasehearhim,anddon’tmakeanoise!”
Withthosewordsheslowlysankbackagainintothechair,andtookrefugeinhisscentedpocket-handkerchief.
Thedisclosureoftheconspiracyfollowed,afterIhadofferedmypreliminaryexplanation,firstofall,inthefewestandtheplainestwords.
Iwastherepresent(Iinformedmyhearers)todeclare,first,thatmywife,thensittingbyme,wasthedaughterofthelateMr.PhilipFairlie;secondly,toprovebypositivefacts,thatthefuneralwhichtheyhadattendedinLimmeridgechurchyardwasthefuneralofanotherwoman;thirdly,togivethemaplainaccountofhowithadallhappened.
Withoutfurtherpreface,Iatoncereadthenarrativeoftheconspiracy,describingitinclearoutline,anddwellingonlyuponthepecuniarymotiveforit,inordertoavoidcomplicatingmystatementbyunnecessaryreferencetoSirPercival’ssecret.
Thisdone,Iremindedmyaudienceofthedateontheinscriptioninthechurchyard(the25th),andconfirmeditscorrectnessbyproducingthecertificateofdeath.
IthenreadthemSirPercival’sletterofthe25th,announcinghiswife’sintendedjourneyfromHampshiretoLondononthe26th.
Inextshowedthatshehadtakenthatjourney,bythepersonaltestimonyofthedriverofthefly,andIprovedthatshehadperformeditontheappointedday,bytheorder-bookattheliverystables.
MarianthenaddedherownstatementofthemeetingbetweenLauraandherselfatthemad-house,andofhersister’sescape.
AfterwhichIclosedtheproceedingsbyinformingthepersonspresentofSirPercival’sdeathandofmymarriage.
Mr.KyrlerosewhenIresumedmyseat,anddeclared,asthelegaladviserofthefamily,thatmycasewasprovedbytheplainestevidencehehadeverheardinhislife.
Ashespokethosewords,IputmyarmroundLaura,andraisedhersothatshewasplainlyvisibletoeveryoneintheroom.“Areyouallofthesameopinion?”
Iasked,advancingtowardsthemafewsteps,andpointingtomywife.
Theeffectofthequestionwaselectrical.
Fardownatthelowerendoftheroomoneoftheoldesttenantsontheestatestartedtohisfeet,andledtherestwithhiminaninstant.
Iseethemannow,withhishonestbrownfaceandhisiron-greyhair,mountedonthewindow-seat,wavinghisheavyriding-whipoverhishead,andleadingthecheers.
“Theresheis,aliveandhearty—Godblessher!Gi’ittongue,lads!Gi’ittongue!”
Theshoutthatansweredhim,reiteratedagainandagain,wasthesweetestmusicIeverheard.
Thelabourersinthevillageandtheboysfromtheschool,assembledonthelawn,caughtupthecheeringandechoeditbackonus.
Thefarmers’wivesclusteredroundLaura,andstruggledwhichshouldbefirsttoshakehandswithher,andtoimploreher,withthetearspouringovertheirowncheeks,tobearupbravelyandnottocry.
Shewassocompletelyoverwhelmed,thatIwasobligedtotakeherfromthem,andcarryhertothedoor.
ThereIgaveherintoMarian’scare—Marian,whohadneverfailedusyet,whosecourageousself-controldidnotfailusnow.
Leftbymyselfatthedoor,Iinvitedallthepersonspresent(afterthankingtheminLaura’snameandmine)tofollowmetothechurchyard,andseethefalseinscriptionstruckoffthetombstonewiththeirowneyes.
Theyallleftthehouse,andalljoinedthethrongofvillagerscollectedroundthegrave,wherethestatuary’smanwaswaitingforus.
Inabreathlesssilence,thefirstsharpstrokeofthesteelsoundedonthemarble.
Notavoicewasheard—notasoulmoved,tillthosethreewords,“Laura,LadyGlyde,”hadvanishedfromsight.
Thentherewasagreatheaveofreliefamongthecrowd,asiftheyfeltthatthelastfettersoftheconspiracyhadbeenstruckoffLauraherself,andtheassemblyslowlywithdrew.
Itwaslateinthedaybeforethewholeinscriptionwaserased.
Onelineonlywasafterwardsengravedinitsplace:“AnneCatherick,July25th,1850.”
IreturnedtoLimmeridgeHouseearlyenoughintheeveningtotakeleaveofMr.Kyrle.
Heandhisclerk,andthedriverofthefly,wentbacktoLondonbythenighttrain.
OntheirdepartureaninsolentmessagewasdeliveredtomefromMr.Fairlie—whohadbeencarriedfromtheroominashatteredcondition,whenthefirstoutbreakofcheeringansweredmyappealtothetenantry.
Themessageconveyedtous“Mr.Fairlie’sbestcongratulations,”andrequestedtoknowwhether“wecontemplatedstoppinginthehouse.”
Isentbackwordthattheonlyobjectforwhichwehadenteredhisdoorswasaccomplished—thatIcontemplatedstoppinginnoman’shousebutmyown—andthatMr.Fairlieneednotentertaintheslightestapprehensionofeverseeingusorhearingfromusagain.
Wewentbacktoourfriendsatthefarmtorestthatnight,andthenextmorning—escortedtothestation,withtheheartiestenthusiasmandgoodwill,bythewholevillageandbyallthefarmersintheneighbourhood—wereturnedtoLondon.
AsourviewoftheCumberlandhillsfadedinthedistance,Ithoughtofthefirstdishearteningcircumstancesunderwhichthelongstrugglethatwasnowpastandoverhadbeenpursued.
Itwasstrangetolookbackandtosee,now,thatthepovertywhichhaddeniedusallhopeofassistancehadbeentheindirectmeansofoursuccess,byforcingmetoactformyself.
Ifwehadbeenrichenoughtofindlegalhelp,whatwouldhavebeentheresult?
Thegain(onMr.Kyrle’sownshowing)wouldhavebeenmorethandoubtful—theloss,judgingbytheplaintestofeventsastheyhadreallyhappened,certain.
ThelawwouldneverhaveobtainedmemyinterviewwithMrs.Catherick.
ThelawwouldneverhavemadePescathemeansofforcingaconfessionfromtheCount.
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