every facility to Mr. Kyrle, on that
gentleman's stating that he was sent by Miss Halcombe to collect such
particulars as had not yet reached her of Lady Glyde's decease. Mr.
Kyrle was placed in communication with the medical man, Mr. Goodricke,
and with the two servants. In the absence of any means of ascertaining
the exact date of Lady Glyde's departure from Blackwater Park, the
result of the doctor's and the servants' evidence, and of the
volunteered statements of Count Fosco and his wife, was conclusive to
the mind of Mr. Kyrle. He could only assume that the intensity of Miss
Halcombe's suffering, under the loss of her sister, had misled her
judgment in a most deplorable manner, and he wrote her word that the
shocking suspicion to which she had alluded in his presence was, in his
opinion, destitute of the smallest fragment of foundation in truth.
Thus the investigation by Mr. Gilmore's partner began and ended.

Meanwhile, Miss Halcombe had returned to Limmeridge House, and had
there collected all the additional information which she was able to
obtain.

Mr. Fairlie had received his first intimation of his niece's death from
his sister, Madame Fosco, this letter also not containing any exact
reference to dates. He had sanctioned his sister's proposal that the
deceased lady should be laid in her mother's grave in Limmeridge
churchyard. Count Fosco had accompanied the remains to Cumberland, and
had attended the funeral at Limmeridge, which took place on the 30th of
July. It was followed, as a mark of respect, by all the inhabitants of
the village and the neighbourhood. On the next day the inscription
(originally drawn out, it was said, by the aunt of the deceased lady,
and submitted for approval to her brother, Mr. Fairlie) was engraved on
one side of the monument over the tomb.

On the day of the funeral, and for one day after it, Count Fosco had
been received as a guest at Limmeridge House, but no interview had
taken place between Mr. Fairlie and himself, by the former gentleman's
desire. They had communicated by writing, and through this medium
Count Fosco had made Mr. Fairlie acquainted with the details of his
niece's last illness and death. The letter presenting this information
added no new facts to the facts already known, but one very remarkable
paragraph was contained in the postscript. It referred to Anne
Catherick.

The substance of the paragraph in question was as follows--

It first informe