. The next day she proceeded to the Asylum,
which was situated not far from London on the northern side of the
metropolis.

She was immediately admitted to see the proprietor.

At first he appeared to be decidedly unwilling to let her communicate
with his patient. But on her showing him the postscript to Count
Fosco's letter--on her reminding him that she was the "Miss Halcombe"
there referred to--that she was a near relative of the deceased Lady
Glyde--and that she was therefore naturally interested, for family
reasons, in observing for herself the extent of Anne Catherick's
delusion in relation to her late sister--the tone and manner of the
owner of the Asylum altered, and he withdrew his objections. He
probably felt that a continued refusal, under these circumstances,
would not only be an act of discourtesy in itself, but would also imply
that the proceedings in his establishment were not of a nature to bear
investigation by respectable strangers.

Miss Halcombe's own impression was that the owner of the Asylum had not
been received into the confidence of Sir Percival and the Count. His
consenting at all to let her visit his patient seemed to afford one
proof of this, and his readiness in making admissions which could
scarcely have escaped the lips of an accomplice, certainly appeared to
furnish another.

For example, in the course of the introductory conversation which took
place, he informed Miss Halcombe that Anne Catherick had been brought
back to him with the necessary order and certificates by Count Fosco on
the twenty-seventh of July--the Count also producing a letter of
explanations and instructions signed by Sir Percival Glyde. On
receiving his inmate again, the proprietor of the Asylum acknowledged
that he had observed some curious personal changes in her. Such
changes no doubt were not without precedent in his experience of
persons mentally afflicted. Insane people were often at one time,
outwardly as well as inwardly, unlike what they were at another--the
change from better to worse, or from worse to better, in the madness
having a necessary tendency to produce alterations of appearance
externally. He allowed for these, and he allowed also for the
modification in the form of Anne Catherick's delusion, which was
reflected no doubt in her manner and expression. But he was still
perplexed at times by certain differences between his patient before
she had escaped and his patient since she had be