thening more rapidly than I could have ventured
to anticipate, and she was able to send kind messages to Lady Glyde,
saying that she was fast getting well, and entreating her ladyship not
to exert herself again too soon. I left her in charge of Mrs. Rubelle,
who was still as quietly independent of every one else in the house as
ever. When I knocked at Lady Glyde's door before going away, I was
told that she was still sadly weak and depressed, my informant being
the Countess, who was then keeping her company in her room. Sir
Percival and the Count were walking on the road to the lodge as I was
driven by in the chaise. I bowed to them and quitted the house, with
not a living soul left in the servants' offices but Margaret Porcher.

Every one must feel what I have felt myself since that time, that these
circumstances were more than unusual--they were! almost suspicious.
Let me, however, say again that it was impossible for me, in my
dependent position, to act otherwise than I did.

The result of my errand at Torquay was exactly what I had foreseen. No
such lodgings as I was instructed to take could be found in the whole
place, and the terms I was permitted to give were much too low for the
purpose, even if I had been able to discover what I wanted. I
accordingly returned to Blackwater Park, and informed Sir Percival, who
met me at the door, that my journey had been taken in vain. He seemed
too much occupied with some other subject to care about the failure of
my errand, and his first words informed me that even in the short time
of my absence another remarkable change had taken place in the house.

The Count and Countess Fosco had left Blackwater Park for their new
residence in St. John's Wood.

I was not made aware of the motive for this sudden departure--I was
only told that the Count had been very particular in leaving his kind
compliments to me. When I ventured on asking Sir Percival whether Lady
Glyde had any one to attend to her comforts in the absence of the
Countess, he replied that she had Margaret Porcher to wait on her, and
he added that a woman from the village had been sent for to do the work
downstairs.

The answer really shocked me--there was such a glaring impropriety in
permitting an under-housemaid to fill the place of confidential
attendant on Lady Glyde. I went upstairs at once, and met Margaret on
the bedroom landing. Her services had not been required (naturally
enough), her mistress ha