The Woman in White: The Second Epoch: Part 4, Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

The next section of the narrative is a transcript of the testament of Hester Pinhorn, who worked for Count Fosco as a cook in his house in London. She was taken into his service in the summer and, a couple of days after Count Fosco and Madame Fosco arrived in London, was told that his niece was coming to stay and that she was unwell. Shortly after his niece arrived, the doctor had to be called because the Count’s niece had a fit.

The doctor, Mr. Goodricke, was called and discovered that the lady suffered from heart disease which was very advanced. Count Fosco, on hearing this, began to weep and cry out, “Poor Lady Glyde!” The cook thought he was very sweet as he gathered flowers for Lady Glyde’s sick room. Lady Glyde spent a troubled night but seemed to recover slightly the next day. At five o’clock, however, she collapsed again and, when the doctor arrived, he pronounced her dead.

Count Fosco appeared to be devastated by Lady Glyde’s death, and Madame Fosco was left to arrange the funeral. Hester heard that Lady Glyde was to be buried in Cumberland, in the family tomb, with her mother. She concludes her narrative by answering three questions which have been put to her. She answers that she never saw the Count give Lady Glyde any medicine, that she never knew the Count to be alone with Lady Glyde, and that she did not know what had given Lady Glyde a fright or caused her to fall into a swoon.