TheCountesscameintothehallratherhastily，andaskedifIhadleisureenoughforfiveminutes’privateconversation。Feelingalittlesurprisedbysuchanappealfromsuchaperson，Iputmyletterintothebag，andrepliedthatIwasquiteatherdisposal。Shetookmyarmwithunaccustomedfriendlinessandfamiliarity，andinsteadofleadingmeintoanemptyroom，drewmeoutwithhertothebeltofturfwhichsurroundedthelargefish-pond。
AswepassedtheCountonthestepshebowedandsmiled，andthenwentatonceintothehouse，pushingthehalldoortoafterhim，butnotactuallyclosingit。
TheCountesswalkedmegentlyroundthefish-pond。Iexpectedtobemadethedepositaryofsomeextraordinaryconfidence，andIwasastonishedtofindthatMadameFosco’scommunicationformyprivateearwasnothingmorethanapoliteassuranceofhersympathyforme，afterwhathadhappenedinthelibrary。Herhusbandhadtoldherofallthathadpassed，andoftheinsolentmannerinwhichSirPercivalhadspokentome。Thisinformationhadsoshockedanddistressedher，onmyaccountandonLaura’s，thatshehadmadeuphermind，ifanythingofthesorthappenedagain，tomarkhersenseofSirPercival’soutrageousconductbyleavingthehouse。TheCounthadapprovedofheridea，andshenowhopedthatIapprovedofittoo。
IthoughtthisaverystrangeproceedingonthepartofsucharemarkablyreservedwomanasMadameFosco，especiallyaftertheinterchangeofsharpspeecheswhichhadpassedbetweenusduringtheconversationintheboat-houseonthatverymorning。However，itwasmyplaindutytomeetapoliteandfriendlyadvanceonthepartofoneofmyelderswithapoliteandfriendlyreply。IansweredtheCountessaccordinglyinherowntone，andthen，thinkingwehadsaidallthatwasnecessaryoneitherside，madeanattempttogetbacktothehouse。
ButMadameFoscoseemedresolvednottopartwithme，andtomyunspeakableamazement，resolvedalsototalk。Hithertothemostsilentofwomen，shenowpersecutedmewithfluentconventionalitiesonthesubjectofmarriedlife，onthesubjectofSirPercivalandLaura，onthesubjectofherownhappiness，onthesubjectofthelateMrFairlie’sconducttoherinthematterofherlegacy，andonhalfadozenothersubjectsbesides，untilshehaddetainedmewalkingroundandroundthefishpondformorethanhalfanhour，andhadquiteweariedmeout。Whethershediscoveredthisornot，Icannotsay，butshestoppedasabruptlyasshehadbegun——lookedtowardsthehousedoor，resumedhericymannerinamoment，anddroppedmyarmofherownaccordbeforeIcouldthinkofanexcuseforaccomplishingmyownreleasefromher。