I was on the point of answering, “I never said so,” but the vicious cockatoo ruffled his clipped wings and gave a screech that set all my nerves on edge in an instant, and made me only too glad to get out of the room.

I joined Laura at the foot of the stairs. The thought in her mind was the same as the thought in mine, which Count Fosco had surprised, and when she spoke her words were almost the echo of his. She, too, said to me secretly that she was afraid something had happened.

June 16th .⁠—Something to chronicle today besides my own ideas and impressions. A visitor has arrived⁠—quite unknown to Laura and to me, and apparently quite unexpected by Sir Percival.