morning, noon, and night, till you
confess the truth.' He was deaf to everything I could say. He took me
straight upstairs into my own room. Fanny was sitting there, doing
some work for me, and he instantly ordered her out. 'I'll take good
care YOU'RE not mixed up in the conspiracy,' he said. 'You shall leave
this house to-day. If your mistress wants a maid, she shall have one
of my choosing.' He pushed me into the room, and locked the door on me.
He set that senseless woman to watch me outside, Marian! He looked and
spoke like a madman. You may hardly understand it--he did indeed."

"I do understand it, Laura. He is mad--mad with the terrors of a
guilty conscience. Every word you have said makes me positively
certain that when Anne Catherick left you yesterday you were on the eve
of discovering a secret which might have been your vile husband's ruin,
and he thinks you HAVE discovered it. Nothing you can say or do will
quiet that guilty distrust, and convince his false nature of your
truth. I don't say this, my love, to alarm you. I say it to open your
eyes to your position, and to convince you of the urgent necessity of
letting me act, as I best can, for your protection while the chance is
our own. Count Fosco's interference has secured me access to you
to-day, but he may withdraw that interference to-morrow. Sir Percival
has already dismissed Fanny because she is a quick-witted girl, and
devotedly attached to you, and has chosen a woman to take her place who
cares nothing for your interests, and whose dull intelligence lowers
her to the level of the watch-dog in the yard. It is impossible to say
what violent measures he may take next, unless we make the most of our
opportunities while we have them."

"What can we do, Marian? Oh, if we could only leave this house, never
to see it again!"

"Listen to me, my love, and try to think that you are not quite
helpless so long as I am here with you."

"I will think so--I do think so. Don't altogether forget poor Fanny in
thinking of me. She wants help and comfort too."

"I will not forget her. I saw her before I came up here, and I have
arranged to communicate with her to-night. Letters are not safe in the
post-bag at Blackwater Park, and I shall have two to write to-day, in
your interests, which must pass through no hands but Fanny's."

"What letters?"

"I mean to write first, Laura, to Mr. Gilmore's partner, who has
offered to help us in any fresh eme