June19th——Theeventsofyesterdaywarnedmetobeready，soonerorlater，tomeettheworst。Todayisnotyetatanend，andtheworsthascome。
JudgingbytheclosestcalculationoftimethatLauraandIcouldmake，wearrivedattheconclusionthatAnneCatherickmusthaveappearedattheboat-houseathalf-pasttwoo’clockontheafternoonofyesterday。IaccordinglyarrangedthatLaurashouldjustshowherselfattheluncheon-cabletoday，andshouldthenslipoutatthefirstopportunity，leavingmebehindtopreserveappearances，andtofollowherassoonasIcouldsafelydoso。Thismodeofproceeding，ifnoobstaclesoccurredtothwartus，wouldenablehertobeattheboat-housebeforehalf-pasttwo，andwhenIleftthetable，inmyturnwouldtakemetoasafepositionintheplantationbeforethree。
Thechangeintheweather，whichlastnight’swindwarnedustoexpect，camewiththemorning。ItwasrainingheavilywhenIgotup，anditcontinuedtorainuntiltwelveo’clock——whenthecloudsdispersed，theblueskyappeared，andthesunshoneagainwiththebrightpromiseofafineafternoon。
MyanxietytoknowhowSirPercivalandtheCountwouldoccupytheearlypartofthedaywasbynomeanssetatrest，sofarasSirPercivalwasconcerned，byhisleavingusimmediatelyafterbreakfast，andgoingoutbyhimself，inspiteoftherain。Heneithertolduswherehewasgoingnorwhenwemightexpecthimback。Wesawhimpassthebreakfast-roomwindowhastily，withhishighbootsandhiswaterproofcoaton——andthatwasall。
TheCountpassedthemorningquietlyindoors，somepartofitinthelibrary，somepartinthedrawing-room，playingoddsandendsofmusiconthepiano，andhummingtohimself。Judgingbyappearances，thesentimentalsideofhischaracterwaspersistentlyinclinedtobetrayitselfstill。Hewassilentandsensitive，andreadytosighandlanguishponderouslyasonlyfatmenFansighandlanguishonthesmallestprovocation。