e. Mrs. Catherick may have let out just as
much as that, and no more. I'm next to certain I should have heard the
whole truth from Anne, if she had really known it as she pretended to
do, and as she very likely fancied she did, poor soul."

This idea had more than once occurred to my own mind. I had already
told Marian that I doubted whether Laura was really on the point of
making any important discovery when she and Anne Catherick were
disturbed by Count Fosco at the boat-house. It was perfectly in
character with Anne's mental affliction that she should assume an
absolute knowledge of the secret on no better grounds than vague
suspicion, derived from hints which her mother had incautiously let
drop in her presence. Sir Percival's guilty distrust would, in that
case, infallibly inspire him with the false idea that Anne knew all
from her mother, just as it had afterwards fixed in his mind the
equally false suspicion that his wife knew all from Anne.

The time was passing, the morning was wearing away. It was doubtful,
if I stayed longer, whether I should hear anything more from Mrs.
Clements that would be at all useful to my purpose. I had already
discovered those local and family particulars, in relation to Mrs.
Catherick, of which I had been in search, and I had arrived at certain
conclusions, entirely new to me, which might immensely assist in
directing the course of my future proceedings. I rose to take my
leave, and to thank Mrs. Clements for the friendly readiness she had
shown in affording me information.

"I am afraid you must have thought me very inquisitive," I said. "I
have troubled you with more questions than many people would have cared
to answer."

"You are heartily welcome, sir, to anything I can tell you," answered
Mrs. Clements. She stopped and looked at me wistfully. "But I do
wish," said the poor woman, "you could have told me a little more about
Anne, sir. I thought I saw something in your face when you came in
which looked as if you could. You can't think how hard it is not even
to know whether she is living or dead. I could bear it better if I was
only certain. You said you never expected we should see her alive
again. Do you know, sir--do you know for truth--that it has pleased
God to take her?"

I was not proof against this appeal, it would have been unspeakably
mean and cruel of me if I had resisted it.

"I am afraid there is no doubt of the truth," I answered gently; "I
ha