The Woman in White: The Third Epoch: Part 3, Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

Walter finds Count Fosco packing his things. Although the two men have never met, Count Fosco recognizes Walter’s name. The Count is unfriendly and seems scattered and shaken by events at the opera; he asks Walter what he wants. Walter asks him why he is leaving London and the Count refuses to tell him. Count Fosco locks the door of the room and sits down in front of it. Walter sees that his hand hovers on the handle of a drawer in the desk beside him.

Walter tells Count Fosco that he knows the reason he is leaving; the answer, he says, is branded on Count Fosco’s left arm. Count Fosco looks horrified by this and he opens to drawer and puts his hands inside. Walter hears the Count drag something along the bottom of the drawer and feels that his life is in danger. The Count tells Walter that he is going to shoot him, but Walter tells him to wait because he has something to ask him. He gives Count Fosco the note from Pesca, and Count Fosco understands that Walter has trapped him.

Count Fosco asks Walter what he wants, and Walter tells him that he wants justice for Laura, who is now his wife. The Count seems to find this amusing but becomes worried when Walter mentions the ten thousand pounds which the Count received for helping Sir Percival. Walter scornfully tells him that he doesn’t want the money back, he simply wants proof of the date when Laura came to London from Blackwater.

Count Fosco agrees to this on three conditions. First, he and Madame Fosco are to be allowed to leave the house freely when the letter of proof is written. Second, Walter is to send a messenger to bring the letter which Walter sent to Pesca back unopened, so that he will know that no assassin has been dispatched against him. Third, that, at a future time, he will write to Walter and invite him to duel as punishment for his impudent behavior.

Walter agrees, on the condition that the letter he sent to Count Fosco is “destroyed unopened in his presence.” This way Count Fosco will not be able to send The Brotherhood after Pesca for revealing their secret. For a moment, Walter has his doubts about accepting these conditions, which will allow Count Fosco to go free, but then he remembers that, although he did not personally punish Sir Percival, Sir Percival was still punished, and he decides to trust to fate.

These terms agreed, Count Fosco suddenly seems quite cheerful and calls to his wife to make him coffee while he writes the letter for Walter. Walter is impressed by Count Fosco’s mental strength, even though he hates him. Madame Fosco brings in the coffee and Count Fosco sits down to pen his narrative.

Count Fosco finishes his letter at four o’ clock in the morning and cheerfully fixes the manuscript together. He also gives Walter the name of the cabman who took Laura from the station when she arrived in London and a letter from Sir Percival to Count Fosco, dated the 26th of July, which tells Count Fosco that Laura has just left for London. The date on Anne Catherick’s death certificate is the 25th of July, so this letter proves Laura’s identity.

Count Fosco then tells Walter that he will nap briefly before his departure that morning. He calls Madame Fosco into the room to make sure that Walter does not escape while he is asleep. Madame Fosco tells Walter that, if she had been her husband, she would have killed Walter. Then she begins to quietly read her book. When the Count wakes up, he finishes his packing but suddenly realizes that he cannot take his birds. Walter is amazed to see that the Count looks genuinely distressed by this and takes the time to write to a local zoo about them. He decides to take his mice with him, as he cannot bear to part with them.

At dawn, Count Fosco’s agent arrives to collect the letter from Pesca. His agent is Monsieur Rubelle, the husband of Mrs. Rubelle who the Count put in charge of Marian during her illness. Monsieur Rubelle returns with the letter unopened and the Count burns it as they agreed.

Madame Fosco gets into the cab. Count Fosco takes Walter aside for a final word. He warns him not to forget the third condition and that Walter will hear from Count Fosco shortly. Before he leaves, Count Fosco also says that Marian looked ill when he saw her in London and he tasks Walter with looking after Marian, whom the Count says is an “admirable woman.”

As the cab drives away, Walter sees the “stranger from the opera” watching the carriage from the street. Walter goes back into Count Fosco’s house to read the manuscript.