armadale-第106章

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for　the　undertaker；　Mr。　Bashwood；　when　_my_　time　comes；　whatever
you　may　be。　You're　too　lonely；　sir。　When　you're　in　trouble；　it's
some　helpthough　not　muchto　shift　a　share　of　it　off　on　another
person's　shoulders。　If　your　good　lady　had　only　been　alive　now；
sir；　what　a　comfort　you　would　have　found　her；　wouldn't　you？〃

A　momentary　spasm　of　pain　passed　across　Mr。　Bashwood's　face。　The
landlady　had　ignorantly　recalled　him　to　the　misfortunes　of　his
married　life。　He　had　been　long　since　forced　to　quiet　her
curiosity　about　his　family　affairs　by　telling　her　that　he　was　a
widower；　and　that　his　domestic　circumstances　had　not　been　happy
ones；　but　he　had　taken　her　no　further　into　his　confidence　than
this。　The　sad　story　which　he　had　related　to　Midwinter；　of　his
drunken　wife　who　had　ended　her　miserable　life　in　a　lunatic
asylum；　was　a　story　which　he　had　shrunk　from　confiding　to　the
talkative　woman；　who　would　have　confided　it　in　her　turn　to　every
one　else　in　the　house。

〃What　I　always　say　to　my　husband　when　he's　low；　sir；〃　pursued　the
landlady；　intent　on　the　kettle；　〃is；　'What　would　you　do　_now；_
Sam；　without　Me？'　When　his　temper　don't　get　the　better　of　him　（
it　will　boil　directly；　Mr。　Bashwood）；　he　says；　'Elizabeth；　I
could　do　nothing。'　When　his　temper　does　get　the　better　of　him；　he
says；　'I　should　try　the　public…house；　missus；　and　I'll　try　it
now。'　Ah；　I've　got　_my_　troubles！　A　man　with　grown…up　sons　and
daughters　tippling　in　a　public…house！　I　don't　call　to　mind；　Mr。
Bashwood；　whether　_you_　ever　had　any　sons　and　daughters？　And　yet；
now　I　think　of　it；　I　seem　to　fancy　you　said　yes；　you　had。
Daughters；　sir；　weren't　they？　and；　ah；　dear！　dear！　to　be　sure！
all　dead。〃

〃I　had　one　daughter；　ma'am；〃　said　Mr。　Bashwood；　patiently〃only
one；　who　died　before　she　was　a　year　old。〃

〃Only　one！〃　repeated　the　sympathizing　landlady。　〃It's　as　near
boiling　as　it　ever　will　be；　sir；　give　me　the　tea…pot。　Only　one！
Ah；　it　comes　heavier　（don't　it？）　when　it's　an　only　child？　You
said　it　was　an　only　child；　I　think；　didn't　you；　sir？〃

For　a　moment；　Mr。　Bashwood　looked　at　the　woman　with　vacant　eyes；
and　without　attempting　to　answer　her。　After　ignorantly　recalling
the　memory　of　the　wife　who　had　disgraced　him；　she　was　now；　as
ignorantly；　forcing　him　back　on　the　miserable　remembrance　of　the
son　who　had　ruined　and　deserted　him。　For　the　first　time；　since　he
had　told　his　story　to　Midwinter；　at　their　introductory　interview
in　the　great　house；　his　mind　reverted　once　more　to　the　bitter
disappointment　and　disaster　of　the　past。　Again　he　thought　of　the
bygone　days；　when　he　had　become　security　for　his　son；　and　when
that　son's　dishonesty　had　forced　him　to　sell　everything　he
possessed　to　pay　the　forfeit　that　was　exacted　when　the　forfeit
was　due。　〃I　have　a　son；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　becoming　conscious　that
the　landlady　was　looking　at　him　in　mute　and　melancholy　surprise。
〃I　did　my　best　to　help　him　forward　in　the　world；　and　he　has
behaved　very　badly　to　me。〃

〃Did　he；　now？〃　rejoined　the　landlady；　with　an　appearance　of　the
greatest　interest。　〃Behaved　badly　to　youalmost　broke　your
heart；　didn't　he？　Ah；　it　will　come　home　to　him；　sooner　or　later。
Don't　you　fear！　'Honor　your　father　and　mother；'　wasn't　put　on
Moses's　tables　of　stone　for　nothing；　Mr。　Bashwood。　Where　may　he
be；　and　what　is　he　doing　now；　sir？〃

The　question　was　in　effect　almost　the　same　as　the　question　which
Midwinter　had　put　when　the　circumstances　had　been　described　to
him。　As　Mr。　Bashwood　had　answered　it　on　the　former　occasion；　so
（in　nearly　the　same　words）　he　answered　it　now。

〃My　son　is　in　London；　ma'am；　for　all　I　know　to　the　contrary。　He
was　employed；　when　I　last　heard　of　him；　in　no　very　creditable
way；　at　the　Private　Inquiry　Office〃

At　those　words　he　suddenly　checked　himself。　His　face　flushed；　his
eyes　brightened；　he　pushed　away　the　cup　which　had　just　been
filled　for　him；　and　rose　from　his　seat。　The　landlady　started　back
a　step。　There　was　something　in　her　lodger's　face　that　she　had
never　seen　in　it　before。

〃I　hope　I've　not　offended　you；　sir；〃　said　the　woman；　recovering
her　self…possession；　and　looking　a　little　too　ready　to　take
offense　on　her　side；　at　a　moment's　notice。

〃Far　from　it；　ma'am；　far　from　it！〃　he　rejoined；　in　a　strangely
eager；　hurried　way。　〃I　have　just　remembered　somethingsomething
very　important。　I　must　go　upstairsit's　a　letter；　a　letter；　a
letter。　I'll　come　back　to　my　tea；　ma'am。　I　beg　your　pardon；　I'm
much　obliged　to　you；　you've　been　very　kindI'll　say　good…by；　if
you'll　allow　me；　for　the　present。〃　To　the　landlady's　amazement；
he　cordially　shook　hands　with　her；　and　made　for　the　door；　leaving
tea　and　tea…pot　to　take　care　of　themselves。

The　moment　he　reached　his　own　room；　he　locked　himself　in。　For　a
little　while　he　stood　holding　by　the　chimney…piece；　waiting　to
recover　his　breath。　The　moment　he　could　move　again；　he　opened　his
writing…desk　on　the　table。　〃That　for　you；　Mr。　Pedgift　and　Son！〃
he　said；　with　a　snap　of　his　fingers　as　he　sat　down。　〃I've　got　a
son　too！〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　doora　knock；　soft；　considerate；　and
confidential。　The　anxious　landlady　wished　to　know　whether　Mr。
Bashwood　was　ill；　and　begged　to　intimate　for　the　second　time　that
she　earnestly　trusted　she　had　given　him　no　offense。

〃No！　no！〃　he　called　through　the　door。　〃I'm　quite　wellI'm
writing；　ma'am；　I'm　writingplease　to　excuse　me。　She's　a　good
woman；　she's　an　excellent　woman；〃　he　thought；　when　the　landlady
had　retired。　〃I'll　make　her　a　little　present。　My　mind's　so
unsettled；　I　might　never　have　thought　of　it　but　for　her。　Oh；　if
my　boy　is　at　the　office　still！　Oh；　if　I　can　only　write　a　letter
that　will　make　him　pity　me！〃

He　took　up　his　pen；　and　sat　thinking　anxiously；　thinking　long；
before　he　touched　the　paper。　Slowly；　with　many　patient　pauses　to
think　and　think　again；　and　with　more　than　ordinary　care　to　make
his　writing　legible；　he　traced　these　lines：


〃MY　DEAR　JAMESYou　will　be　surprised；　I　am　afraid；　to　see　my
handwriting。　Pray　don't　suppose　I　am　going　to　ask　you　for　money；
or　to　reproach　you　for　having　sold　me　out　of　house　and　home　when
you　forfeited　your　security；　and　I　had　to　pay。　I　am　willing　and
anxious　to　let　by…gones　be　by…gones；　and　to　forget　the　past。

〃It　is　in　your　power　（if　you　are　still　at　the　Private　Inquiry
Office）　to　do　me　a　great　service。　I　am　in　sore　anxiety　and
trouble　on　the　subject　of　a　person　in　whom　I　am　interested。　The
person　is　a　lady。　Please　don't　make　game　of　me　for　confessing
this；　if　you　can　help　it。　If　you　knew　what　I　am　now　suffering；　I
think　you　would　be　more　inclined　to　pity　than　to　make　game　of　me。

〃I　would　enter　into　particulars；　only　I　know　your　quick　temper；
and　I　fear　exhausting　your　patience。　Perhaps　it　may　be　enough　to
say　that　I　have　reason　to　believe　the　lady's　past　life　has　not
been　a　very　creditable　one；　and　that　I　am　interestedmore
interested　than　words　can　tellin　finding　out　what　her　life　has
really　been；　and　in　making　the　discovery　within　a　fortnight　from
the　present　time。

〃Though　I　know　very　little　about　the　ways　of　business　in　an
office　like　yours；　I　can　understand　that；　without　first　having
the　lady's　present　address；　nothing　can　be　done　to　help　me。
Unfortunately；　I　am　not　yet　acquainted　with　her　present　address。
I　only　know　that　she　went　to　town　to…day；　accompanied　by　a
gentleman；　in　whose　employment　I　now　am；　and　who　（as　I　believe）
will　be　likely　to　write　to　me　for　money　before　many　days　more　are
over　his　head。

〃Is　this　circumstance　of　a　nature　to　help　us？　I　venture　to　say
'us；'　because　I　count　already；　my　dear　boy；　on　your　kind
assistance　and　advice。　Don't　let　money　stand　between　us；　I　have
saved　a　little　something；　and　it　is　all　freely　at　your　disposal。
Pray；　pray　write　to　me　by　return　of　post！　If　you　will　only　try
your　best　to　end　the　dreadful　suspense　under　which　I　am　now
suffering；　you　will　atone　for　all　the　grief　and　disappointment
you　caused　me　in　times　that　are　past；　and　you　will　confer　an
obligation　that　he　will　never　forget　on

〃Your　affectionate　father；

〃FELIX　BASHWOOD。〃


After　waiting　a　little；　to　dry　his　eyes；　Mr。　Bashwood　added　the
date　and　address；　and　directed　the　letter　to　his　son；　at　〃The
Private　Inquiry　Office；　Shadyside　Place；　London。〃　That　done；　he
went　out　at　once；　and　posted　his　letter　with　his　own　hands。　It
was　then　Monday；　and；　if　the　answer　was　sent　by　return　of　post；
the　answer　would　be　received　on　Wednesday　morning。

The　interval　day；　the　Tuesday；　was　passed　by　Mr。　Bashwood　in　the
steward's　office　at　the　great　house。　He　had　a　double　motive　for
absorbing　himself　as　deeply　as　might　be　in　the　various
occupations　connected　with　the　management　of　the　estate。　In　the
first　place；　employment　helped　him　to　control　the　devouring
impatience　with　which　he　looked　for　the　coming　of　the　next　day。
In　the　second　place；　the　more　forward　he　was　with　the　business　of
the　office；　the　more　free　he　would　be　to　join　his　son　in　London；
without　attracting　suspicion　to　himself　by　openly　neglecting　the
interests　placed　under　his　charge。

Toward　the　Tuesday　afternoon；　vague　rumors　of　something　wrong　at
the　cottage　found　their　way　（through　Major　Milroy's　servants）　to
the　servants　at　the　great　house；　and　attempted　ineffectually
through　this　latter　channel　to　engage　the　attention　of　Mr。
Bashwood；　impenetrably　fixed　on　other　things。　The　major　and　Miss
Neelie　had　been　shut　up　together　in　mysterious　conference；　and
Miss　Neelie's　appearance　after　the　close　of　the　interview　plainly
showed　that　she　had　been　crying。　This　had　happened　on　the　Monday
afternoon；　and　on　the　next　day　（that　present　Tuesday）　the　major
had　startled　the　household　by　announcing　briefly　that　his
daughter　wanted　a　change　to　the　air　of　the　seaside；　and　that　he
proposed　taking　her　himself；　by　the　next　train；　to　Lowestoft。　The
two　had　gone　away　together；　both　very　serious　and　silent；　but
both；　apparently；　very　good　friends；　for　all　that。　Opinions　at
the　great　house　attributed　this　domestic　revolution　to　the
reports　current　on　the　subject　of　Allan　and　Miss　Gwilt。　Opinions
at　the　cottage　rejected　that　solution　of　the　difficulty；　on
practical　grounds。　Miss　Neelie　had　remained　inaccessibly　shut　up
in　her　own　room；　from　the　Monday　afternoon　to　the　Tuesday　morning
when　her　father　took　her　away。　The　major；　during　the　same
interval；　had　not　been　outside　the　door；　and　had　spoken　to　nobody
And　Mrs。　Milroy；　at　the　first　attempt　of　her　new　attendant　to
inform　her　of　the　prevailing　scandal　in　the　town；　had　sealed　the
servant's　lips　by　flying　into　one　of　her　terrible　passions　the
instant　Miss　Gwilt's　name　was　mentioned。　Something　must　have
happened；　of　course；　to　take　Major　Milroy　and　his　daughter　so
suddenly　from　home；　but　that　something　was　certainly　not　Mr。
Armadale's　scandalous　elopement；　in　broad　daylight；　with　Miss
Gwilt。

The　afternoon　passed；　and　the　evening　passed；　and　no　other　event
happened　but　the　purely　private　and　personal　event　which　had
taken　place　at　the　cottage。　Nothing　occurred　（for　nothing　in　the
nature　of　things　_could_　occur）　to　dissipate　the　delusion　on
which　Miss　Gwilt　had　countedthe　delusion　which　all　Thorpe
Ambrose　now　shared　with　Mr。　Bashwood；　that　she　had　gone　privately
to　London　with　Allan　in　the　character　of　Allan's　future　wife。