armadale-第107章

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to　London　with　Allan　in　the　character　of　Allan's　future　wife。

On　the　Wednesday　morning；　the　postman；　entering　the　street　in
which　Mr。　Bashwood　lived；　was　encountered　by　Mr。　Bashwood
himself；　so　eager　to　know　if　there　was　a　letter　for　him　that　he
had　come　out　without　his　hat。　There　_was_　a　letter　for　himthe
letter　that　he　longed　for　from　his　vagabond　son。

These　were　the　terms　in　which　Bashwood　the　younger　answered　his
father's　supplication　for　helpafter　having　previously　ruined
his　father's　prospects　for　life：


〃Shadyside　Place。　Tuesday；　July　29th。

〃MY　DEAR　DADWe　have　some　little　practice　in　dealing　with
mysteries　at　this　office；　but　the　mystery　of　your　letter　beats　me
altogether。　Are　you　speculating　on　the　interesting　hidden
frailties　of　some　charming　woman？　Or；　after　_your_　experience　of
matrimony；　are　you　actually　going　to　give　me　a　stepmother　at　this
time　of　day？　Whichever　it　is；　upon　my　life　your　letter　interests
me。

〃I　am　not　joking；　mindthough　the　temptation　is　not　an　easy　one
to　resist。　On　the　contrary；　I　have　given　you　a　quarter　of　an　hour
of　my　valuable　time　already。　The　place　you　date　from　sounded
somehow　familiar　to　me。　I　referred　back　to　the　memorandum　book；
and　found　that　I　was　sent　down　to　Thorpe　Ambrose　to　make　private
inquiries　not　very　long　since。　My　employer　was　a　lively　old　lady；
who　was　too　sly　to　give　us　her　right　name　and　address。　As　a
matter　of　course；　we　set　to　work　at　once；　and　found　out　who　she
was。　Her　name　is　Mrs。　Oldershaw；　and；　if　you　think　of　_her_　for
my　stepmother；　I　strongly　recommend　you　to　think　again　before　you
make　her　Mrs。　Bashwood。

〃If　it　is　not　Mrs。　Oldershaw；　then　all　I　can　do；　so　far；　is　to
tell　you　how　you　may　find　out　the　unknown　lady's　address。　Come　to
town　yourself　as　soon　as　you　get　the　letter　you　expect　from　the
gentleman　who　has　gone　away　with　her　（I　hope　he　is　not　a　handsome
young　man；　for　your　sake）　and　call　here。　I　will　send　somebody　to
help　you　in　watching　his　hotel　or　lodgings；　and　if　he
communicates　with　the　lady；　or　the　lady　with　him；　you　may
consider　her　address　discovered　from　that　moment。　Once　let　me
identify　her；　and　know　where　she　is；　and　you　shall　see　all　her
charming　little　secrets　as　plainly　as　you　see　the　paper　on　which
your　affectionate　son　is　now　writing　to　you。

〃A　word　more　about　the　terms。　I　am　as　willing　as　you　are　to　be
friends　again；　but；　though　I　own　you　were　out　of　pocket　by　me
once；　I　can't　afford　to　be　out　of　pocket　by　you。　It　must　be
understood　that　you　are　answerable　for　all　the　expenses　of　the
inquiry。　We　may　have　to　employ　some　of　the　women　attached　to　this
office；　if　your　lady　is　too　wideawake　or　too　nice…looking　to　be
dealt　with　by　a　man。　There　will　be　cab　hire；　and
postage…stampsadmissions　to　public　amusements；　if　she　is
inclined　that　wayshillings　for　pew…openers；　if　she　is　serious；
and　takes　our　people　into　churches　to　hear　popular　preachers；　and
so　on。　My　own　professional　services　you　shall　have　gratis；　but　I
can't　lose　by　you　as　well。　Only　remember　that；　and　you　shall　have
your　way。　By…gones　shall　be　by…gones；　and　we　will　forget　the
past。

〃Your　affectionate　son；

〃JAMES　BASHWOOD。〃


In　the　ecstasy　of　seeing　help　placed　at　last　within　his　reach；
the　father　put　his　son's　atrocious　letter　to　his　lips。　〃My　good
boy！〃　he　murmured；　tenderly〃my　dear；　good　boy！〃

He　put　the　letter　down；　and　fell　into　a　new　train　of　thought。　The
next　question　to　face　was　the　serious　question　of　time。　Mr。
Pedgift　had　told　him　Miss　Gwilt　might　be　married　in　a　fortnight。
One　day　of　the　fourteen　had　passed　already；　and　another　was
passing。　He　beat　his　hand　impatiently　on　the　table　at　his　side；
wondering　how　soon　the　want　of　money　would　force　Allan　to　write
to　him　from　London。　〃To…morrow？〃　he　asked　himself。　〃Or　next　day？〃

The　morrow　passed；　and　nothing　happened。　The　next　day　came；　and
the　letter　arrived！　It　was　on　business；　as　he　had　anticipated；　it
asked　for　money；　as　he　had　anticipated；　and　there；　at　the　end　of
it；　in　a　postscript；　was　the　address　added；　concluding　with　the
words；　〃You　may　count　on　my　staying　here　till　further　notice。〃

He　gave　one　deep　gasp　of　relief；　and　instantly　busied
himselfthough　there　were　nearly　two　hours　to　spare　before　the
train　started　for　Londonin　packing　his　bag。　The　last　thing　he
put　in　was　his　blue　satin　cravat。　〃She　likes　bright　colors；〃　he
said；　〃and　she　may　see　me　in　it　yet！〃

CHAPTER　XIV。

MISS　GWILT'S　DIARY。

〃All　Saints'　Terrace；　New　Road；　London；　July　28th；　Monday
night。I　can　hardly　hold　my　head　up；　I　am　so　tired。　But　in　my
situation；　I　dare　not　trust　anything　to　memory。　Before　I　go　to
bed；　I　must　write　my　customary　record　of　the　events　of　the　day。

〃So　far；　the　turn　of　luck　in　my　favor　（it　was　long　enough　before
it　took　the　turn！）　seems　likely　to　continue。　I　succeeded　in
forcing　Armadalethe　brute　required　nothing　short　of
forcing！to　leave　Thorpe　Ambrose　for　London；　alone　in　the　same
carriage　with　me；　before　all　the　people　in　the　station。　There　was
a　full　attendance　of　dealers　in　small　scandal；　all　staring　hard
at　us；　and　all　evidently　drawing　their　own　conclusions。　Either　I
knew　nothing　of　Thorpe　Ambroseor　the　town　gossip　is　busy　enough
by　this　time　with　Mr。　Armadale　and　Miss　Gwilt。

〃I　had　some　difficulty　with　him　for　the　first　half…hour　after　we
left　the　station。　The　guard　（delightful　man！　I　felt　so　grateful
to　him！）　had　shut　us　up　together；　in　expectation　of　half　a　crown
at　the　end　of　the　journey。　Armadale　was　suspicious　of　me；　and　he
showed　it　plainly。　Little　by　little　I　tamed　my　wild　beastpartly
by　taking　care　to　display　no　curiosity　about　his　journey　to　town；
and　partly　by　interesting　him　on　the　subject　of　his　friend
Midwinter；　dwelling　especially　on　the　opportunity　that　now
offered　itself　for　a　reconciliation　between　them。　I　kept　harping
on　this　string　till　I　set　his　tongue　going；　and　made　him　amuse　me
as　a　gentleman　is　bound　to　do　when　he　has　the　honor　of　escorting
a　lady　on　a　long　railway　journey。

〃What　little　mind　he　has　was　full；　of　course；　of　his　own　affairs
and　Miss　Milroy's。　No　words　can　express　the　clumsiness　he　showed
in　trying　to　talk　about　himself；　without　taking　me　into　his
confidence　or　mentioning　Miss　Milroy's　name。

〃He　was　going　to　London；　he　gravely　informed　me；　on　a　matter　of
indescribable　interest　to　him。　It　was　a　secret　for　the　present；
but　he　hoped　to　tell　it　me　soon；　it　had　made　a　great　difference
already　in　the　way　in　which　he　looked　at　the　sl　anders　spoken　of
him　in　Thorpe　Ambrose；　he　was　too　happy　to　care　what　the
scandal…mongers　said　of　him　now；　and　he　should　soon　stop　their
mouths　by　appearing　in　a　new　character　that　would　surprise　them
all。　So　he　blundered　on；　with　the　firm　persuasion　that　he　was
keeping　me　quite　in　the　dark。　It　was　hard　not　to　laugh；　when　I
thought　of　my　anonymous　letter　on　its　way　to　the　major；　but　I
managed　to　control　myselfthough；　I　must　own；　with　some
difficulty。　As　the　time　wore　on；　I　began　to　feel　a　terrible
excitement；　the　position　was；　I　think；　a　little　too　much　for　me。
There　I　was；　alone　with　him；　talking　in　the　most　innocent；　easy；
familiar　manner；　and　having　it　in　my　mind　all　the　time　to　brush
his　life　out　of　my　way；　when　the　moment　comes；　as　I　might　brush　a
stain　off　my　gown。　It　made　my　blood　leap；　and　my　checks　flush。　I
caught　myself　laughing　once　or　twice　much　louder　than　I　ought；
and　long　before　we　got　to　London　I　thought　it　desirable　to　put　my
face　in　hiding　by　pulling　down　my　veil。

〃There　was　no　difficulty；　on　reaching　the　terminus；　in　getting
him　to　come　in　the　cab　with　me　to　the　hotel　where　Midwinter　is
staying。　He　was　all　eagerness　to　be　reconciled　with　his　dear
friendprincipally；　I　have　no　doubt；　because　he　wants　the　dear
friend　to　lend　a　helping　hand　to　the　elopement。　The　real
difficulty　lay；　of　course；　with　Midwinter。　My　sudden　journey　to
London　had　allowed　me　no　opportunity　of　writing　to　combat　his
superstitious　conviction　that　he　and　his　former　friend　are　better
apart。　I　thought　it　wise　to　leave　Armadale　in　the　cab　at　the
door；　and　to　go　into　the　hotel　by　myself　to　pave　the　way　for　him。

〃Fortunately；　Midwinter　had　not　gone　out。　His　delight　at　seeing
me　some　days　sooner　than　he　had　hoped　had　something　infectious　in
it；　I　suppose。　Pooh！　I　may　own　the　truth　to　my　own　diary！　There
was　a　moment　when　_I_　forgot　everything　in　the　world　but　our　two
selves　as　completely　as　he　did。　I　felt　as　if　I　was　back　in　my
teensuntil　I　remembered　the　lout　in　the　cab　at　the　door。　And
then　I　was　five…and…thirty　again　in　an　instant。

〃His　face　altered　when　he　heard　who　was　below；　and　what　it　was　I
wanted　of　him；　he　looked　not　angry；　but　distressed。　He　yielded；
however；　before　long；　not　to　my　reasons；　for　I　gave　him　none；　but
to　my　entreaties。　His　old　fondness　for　his　friend　might　possibly
have　had　some　share　in　persuading　him　against　his　will；　but　my
own　opinion　is　that　he　acted　entirely　under　the　influence　of　his
fondness　for　Me。

〃I　waited　in　the　sitting…room　while　he　went　down　to　the　door；　so
I　knew　nothing　of　what　passed　between　them　when　they　first　saw
each　other　again。　But　oh；　the　difference　between　the　two　men　when
the　interval　had　passed；　and　they　came　upstairs　together　and
joined　me。

〃They　were　both　agitated；　but　in　such　different　ways！　The　hateful
Armadale；　so　loud　and　red　and　clumsy；　the　dear；　lovable
Midwinter；　so　pale　and　quiet；　with　such　a　gentleness　in　his　voice
when　he　spoke；　and　such　tenderness　in　his　eyes　every　time　they
turned　my　way。　Armadale　overlooked　me　as　completely　as　if　I　had
not　been　in　the　room。　_He_　referred　to　me　over　and　over　again　in
the　conversation；　_he_　constantly　looked　at　me　to　see　what　I
thought；　while　I　sat　in　my　corner　silently　watching　them；　_he_
wanted　to　go　with　me　and　see　me　safe　to　my　lodgings；　and　spare　me
all　trouble　with　the　cabman　and　the　luggage。　When　I　thanked　him
and　declined；　Armadale　looked　unaffectedly　relieved　at　the
prospect　of　seeing　my　back　turned；　and　of　having　his　friend　all
to　himself。　I　left　him；　with　his　awkward　elbows　half　over　the
table；　scrawling　a　letter　（no　doubt　to　Miss　Milroy）；　and　shouting
to　the　waiter　that　he　wanted　a　bed　at　the　hotel。　I　had　calculated
on　his　staying；　as　a　matter　of　course；　where　he　found　his　friend
staying。　It　was　pleasant　to　find　my　anticipations　realized；　and
to　know　that　I　have　as　good　as　got　him　now　under　my　own　eye。

〃After　promising　to　let　Midwinter　know　where　he　could　see　me
to…morrow；　I　went　away　in　the　cab　to　hunt　for　lodgings　by　myself。

〃With　some　difficulty　I　have　succeeded　in　getting　an　endurable
sitting…room　and　bedroom　in　this　house；　where　the　people　are
perfect　strangers　to　me。　Having　paid　a　week's　rent　in　advance
（for　I　naturally　preferred　dispensing　with　a　reference）；　I　find
myself　with　exactly　three　shillings　and　ninepence　left　in　my
purse。　It　is　impossible　to　ask　Midwinter　for　money；　after　he　has
already　paid　Mrs。　Oldershaw's　note　of　hand。　I　must　borrow
something　to…morrow　on　my　watch　and　chain　at　the　pawnbroker's。
Enough　to　keep　me　going　for　a　fortnight　is　all；　and　more　than
all；　that　I　want。　In　that　time；　or　in　less　than　that　time；
Midwinter　will　have　married　me。


〃July　29th。Two　o'clock。Early　in　the　morning　I　sent　a　line　to
Midwinter；　telling　him　that　he　wou