The Third Epoch: The Story continued by Walter Hartright, Part XI Summary

The next day, Walter gets a letter from Marian that she and Laura are well. Walter writes back about the death of Sir Percival begging Marian to keep the news from Laura until he returns. He is worried about her frail mental condition. He then goes to the inquest, where the body's identification is secured by an engraved pocket watch. Walter's testimony is limited to his presence at the parish clerk's house asking about the church and accompanying him to the church. Walter surmises that Sir Percival's intention was to tear out the page of the registry that showed his fraud and in so doing had to light a match to see in the dark. The lock probably failed, trapping him in the...