s. At the same time Sir Percival turned
his head, observed that I was approaching the stairs, and looked at me
in the most rudely angry manner possible.

"Come in here and tell me about it," he said to the Count. "Whenever
there are women in a house they're always sure to be going up or down
stairs."

"My dear Percival," observed his lordship kindly, "Mrs. Michelson has
duties. Pray recognise her admirable performance of them as sincerely
as I do! How is the sufferer, Mrs. Michelson?"

"No better, my lord, I regret to say."

"Sad--most sad!" remarked the Count. "You look fatigued, Mrs.
Michelson. It is certainly time you and my wife had some help in
nursing. I think I may be the means of offering you that help.
Circumstances have happened which will oblige Madame Fosco to travel to
London either to-morrow or the day after. She will go away in the
morning and return at night, and she will bring back with her, to
relieve you, a nurse of excellent conduct and capacity, who is now
disengaged. The woman is known to my wife as a person to be trusted.
Before she comes here say nothing about her, if you please, to the
doctor, because he will look with an evil eye on any nurse of my
providing. When she appears in this house she will speak for herself,
and Mr. Dawson will be obliged to acknowledge that there is no excuse
for not employing her. Lady Glyde will say the same. Pray present my
best respects and sympathies to Lady Glyde."

I expressed my grateful acknowledgments for his lordship's kind
consideration. Sir Percival cut them short by calling to his noble
friend (using, I regret to say, a profane expression) to come into the
library, and not to keep him waiting there any longer.

I proceeded upstairs. We are poor erring creatures, and however well
established a woman's principles may be she cannot always keep on her
guard against the temptation to exercise an idle curiosity. I am
ashamed to say that an idle curiosity, on this occasion, got the better
of my principles, and made me unduly inquisitive about the question
which Sir Percival had addressed to his noble friend at the library
door. Who was the Count expected to find in the course of his studious
morning rambles at Blackwater Park? A woman, it was to be presumed,
from the terms of Sir Percival's inquiry. I did not suspect the Count
of any impropriety--I knew his moral character too well. The only
question I asked myself was--Had he found her?