armadale-第109章

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which　he　has　spoken　of　his　private　affairs　to　me　by　the　same
frankness　on　my　side。'

〃I　had　no　choice　but　to　give　the　necessary　permission；　and　I　gave
it。　It　is　of　the　utmost　importance　to　me　to　know　what　course
Major　Milroy　takes　with　his　daughter　and　Armadale　after　receiving
my　anonymous　letter；　and；　unless　I　invite　Armadale's　confidence
in　some　way；　I　am　nearly　certain　to　be　kept　in　the　dark。　Let　him
once　be　trusted　with　the　knowledge　that　I　am　to　be　Midwinter's
wife；　and　what　he　tells　his　friend　about　his　love　affair　he　will
tell　me。

〃When　it　had　been　understood　between　us　that　Armadale　was　to　be
taken　into　our　confid　ence；　we　began　to　talk　about　ourselves
again。　How　the　time　flew！　What　a　sweet　enchantment　it　was　to
forget　everything　in　his　arms！　How　he　loves　me！ah；　poor　fellow；
how　he　loves　me！

〃I　have　promised　to　meet　him　to…morrow　morning　in　the　Regent's
Park。　The　less　he　is　seen　here　the　better。　The　people　in　this
house　are　strangers　to　me；　certainly；　but　it　may　be　wise　to
consult　appearances；　as　if　I　was　still　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　not
to　produce　the　impression；　even　on　their　minds；　that　Midwinter　is
engaged　to　me。　If　any　after…inquiries　are　made；　when　I　have　run
my　grand　risk；　the　testimony　of　my　London　landlady　might　be
testimony　worth　having。

〃That　wretched　old　Bashwood！　Writing　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　reminds　me
of　him。　What　will　he　say　when　the　town　gossip　tells　him　that
Armadale　has　taken　me　to　London；　in　a　carriage　reserved　for
ourselves？　It　really　is　too　absurd　in　a　man　of　Bashwood's　age　and
appearance　to　presume　to　be　in　love！　。　。　。　。


〃July　30th。…News　at　last！　Armadale　has　heard　from　Miss　Milroy。
My　anonymous　letter　has　produced　its　effect。　The　girl　is　removed
from　Thorpe　Ambrose　already；　and　the　whole　project　of　the
elopement　is　blown　to　the　winds　at　once　and　forever。　This　was　the
substance　of　what　Midwinter　had　to　tell　me　when　I　met　him　in　the
Park。　I　affected　to　be　excessively　astonished；　and　to　feel　the
necessary　feminine　longing　to　know　all　the　particulars。　'Not　that
I　expect　to　have　my　curiosity　satisfied；'　I　added；　'for　Mr。
Armadale　and　I　are　little　better　than　mere　acquaintances；　after
all。'

〃　'You　are　far　more　than　a　mere　acquaintance　in　Allan's　eyes；'
said　Midwinter。　'Having　your　permission　to　trust　him；　I　have
already　told　him　how　near　and　dear　you　are　to　me。'

〃Hearing　this；　I　thought　it　desirable；　before　I　put　any　questions
about　Miss　Milroy；　to　attend　to　my　own　interests　first；　and　to
find　out　what　effect　the　announcement　of　my　coming　marriage　had
produced　on　Armadale。　It　was　possible　that　he　might　be　still
suspicious　of　me；　and　that　the　inquiries　he　made　in　London；　at
Mrs。　Milroy's　instigation；　might　be　still　hanging　on　his　mind。

〃　'Did　Mr。　Armadale　seem　surprised；'　I　asked；　'when　you　told　him
of　our　engagement；　and　when　you　said　it　was　to　be　kept　a　secret
from　everybody？'

〃　'He　seemed　greatly　surprised；'　said　Midwinter；　'to　hear　that　we
were　going　to　be　married。　All　he　said　when　I　told　him　it　must　be
kept　a　secret　was　that　he　supposed　there　were　reasons　on　your
side　for　making　the　marriage　a　private　one。'

〃　'What　did　you　say；'　I　inquired；　'when　he　made　that　remark？'

〃　'I　said　the　reasons　were　on　my　side；'　answered　Midwinter。　'And
I　thought　it　right　to　addconsidering　that　Allan　had　allowed
himself　to　be　misled　by　the　ignorant　distrust　of　you　at　Thorpe
Ambrosethat　you　had　confided　to　me　the　whole　of　your　sad　family
story；　and　that　you　had　amply　justified　your　unwillingness；　under
any　ordinary　circumstances；　to　speak　of　your　private　affairs。'

（〃I　breathed　freely　again。　He　had　said　just　what　was　wanted；　just
in　the　right　way。）

〃　'Thank　you；'　I　said；　'for　putting　me　right　in　your　friend's
estimation。　Does　he　wish　to　see　me？'　I　added；　by　way　of　getting
back　to　the　other　subject　of　Miss　Milroy　and　the　elopement。

〃　'He　is　longing　to　see　you；'　returned　Midwinter。　'He　is　in　great
distress；　poor　fellowdistress　which　I　have　done　my　best　to
soothe；　but　which；　I　believe；　would　yield　far　more　readily　to　a
woman's　sympathy　than　to　mine。'

〃　'Where　is　he　now？'　I　asked。

〃He　was　at　the　hotel；　and　to　the　hotel　I　instantly　proposed　that
we　should　go。　It　is　a　busy；　crowded　place；　and　（with　my　veil
down）　I　have　less　fear　of　compromising　myself　there　than　at　my
quiet　lodgings。　Besides；　it　is　vitally　important　to　me　to　know
what　Armadale　does　next；　under　this　total　change　of
circumstancesfor　I　must　so　control　his　proceedings　as　to　get
him　away　from　England　if　I　can。　We　took　a　cab：　such　was　my
eagerness　to　sympathize　with　the　heart…broken　lover；　that　we　took
a　cab！

〃Anything　so　ridiculous　as　Armadale's　behavior　under　the　double
shock　of　discovering　that　his　young　lady　has　been　taken　away　from
him；　and　that　I　am　to　be　married　to　Midwinter；　I　never　before
witnessed　in　all　my　experience。　To　say　that　he　was　like　a　child
is　a　libel　on　all　children　who　are　not　born　idiots。　He
congratulated　me　on　my　coming　marriage；　and　execrated　the　unknown
wretch　who　had　written　the　anonymous　letter；　little　thinking　that
he　was　speaking　of　one　and　the　same　person　in　one　and　the　same
breath。　Now　he　submissively　acknowledged　that　Major　Milroy　had
his　rights　as　a　father；　and　now　he　reviled　the　major　as　having　no
feeling　for　anything　but　his　mechanics　and　his　clock。　At　one
moment　he　started　up；　with　the　tears　in　his　eyes；　and　declared
that　his　'darling　Neelie'　was　an　angel　on　earth。　At　another　he
sat　down　sulkily；　and　thought　that　a　girl　of　her　spirit　might
have　run　away　on　the　spot　and　joined　him　in　London。　After　a　good
half…hour　of　this　absurd　exhibition；　I　succeeded　in　quieting　him；
and　then　a　few　words　of　tender　inquiry　produced　what　I　had
expressly　come　to　the　hotel　to　seeMiss　Milroy's　letter。

〃It　was　outrageously　long；　and　rambling；　and　confused；　in　short；
the　letter　of　a　fool。　I　had　to　wade　through　plenty　of　vulgar
sentiment　and　lamentation；　and　to　lose　time　and　patience　over
maudlin　outbursts　of　affection；　and　nauseous　kisses　inclosed　in
circles　of　ink。　However；　I　contrived　to　extract　the　information　I
wanted　at　last；　and　here　it　is：


〃The　major；　on　receipt　of　my　anonymous　warning；　appears　to　have
sent　at　once　for　his　daughter；　and　to　have　shown　her　the　letter。
'You　know　what　a　hard　life　I　lead　with　your　mother；　don't　make　it
harder　still；　Neelie；　by　deceiving　me。'　That　was　all　the　poor　old
gentleman　said。　I　always　did　like　the　major；　and；　though　he　was
afraid　to　show　it；　I　know　he　always　liked　me。　His　appeal　to　his
daughter　（if　_her_　account　of　it　is　to　be　believed）　cut　her　to
the　heart。　She　burst　out　crying　（let　her　alone　for　crying　at　the
right　moment！）　and　confessed　everything。

〃After　giving　her　time　to　recover　herself　（if　he　had　given　her　a
good　box　on　the　ears　it　would　have　been　more　to　the　purpose！）；
the　major　seems　to　have　put　certain　questions；　and　to　have　become
convinced　（as　I　was　convinced　myself）　that　his　daughter's　heart；
or　fancy；　or　whatever　she　calls　it；　was　really　and　truly　set　on
Armadale。　The　discovery　evidently　distressed　as　well　as　surprised
him。　He　appears　to　have　hesitated；　and　to　have　maintained　his　own
unfavorable　opinion　of　Miss　Neelie's　lover　for　some　little　time。
But　his　daughter's　tears　and　entreaties　（so　like　the　weakness　of
the　dear　old　gentleman！）　shook　him　at　last。　Though　he　firmly
refused　to　allow　of　any　marriage　engagement　at　present；　he
consented　to　overlook　the　clandestine　meetings　in　the　park；　and
to　put　Armadale's　fitness　to　become　his　son…in…law　to　the　test；
on　certain　conditions。

〃These　conditions　are；　that　for　the　next　six　months　to　come　all
communication　is　to　be　broken　off；　both　personally　and　by
writing；　between　Armadale　and　Miss　Milroy。　That　space　of　time　is
to　be　occupied　by　the　young　gentleman　as　he　himself　thinks　best；
and　by　the　young　lady　in　completing　her　education　at　school。　If；
when　the　six　months　have　passed；　they　are　both　still　of　the　same
mind；　and　if　Armadale's　conduct　in　the　interval　has　been　such　as
to　improve　the　major's　opinion　of　him；　he　will　be　allowed　to
present　himself　in　the　character　of　Miss　Milroy's　suitor；　and；　in
six　months　more；　if　all　goes　well；　the　marriage　may　take　place。

〃I　declare　I　could　kiss　the　dear　old　major；　if　I　was　only　within
reach　of　him！　If　I　had　been　at　his　elbow；　and　had　dictated　the
conditions　myself；　I　could　have　asked　for　nothing　better　than
this。　Six　months　of　total　separation　between　Armadale　and　Miss
Milroy！　In　half　that　timewith　all　communication　cut　off　between
the　twoit　must　go　hard　with　me；　indeed；　if　I　don't　find　myself
dressed　in　the　necessary　mourning；　and　publicly　recognized　as
Armadale's　widow。

〃But　I　am　forgetting　the　girl's　letter。　She　gives　her　father's
reasons　for　making　his　conditions；　in　her　father's　own　words。　The
major　seems　to　have　spoken　so　sensibly　and　so　feelingly　that　he
left　his　daughter　no　decent　alternativeand　he　leaves　Armadale
no　decent　alternativebut　to　submit。　As　well　as　I　can　remember；
he　seems　to　have　expressed　himself　to　Miss　Neelie　in　these；　or
nearly　in　these　terms：

〃　'Don't　think　I　am　behaving　cruelly　to　you；　my　dear：　I　am　merely
asking　you　to　put　Mr。　Armadale　to　the　proof。　It　is　not　only
right；　it　is　absolutely　necessary；　that　you　should　hold　no
communication　with　him　for　some　time　to　come；　and　I　will　show　you
why。　In　the　first　place；　if　you　go　to　school；　the　necessary　rules
in　such　placesnecessary　for　the　sake　of　the　other　girlswould
not　permit　you　to　see　Mr。　Armadale　or　to　receive　letters　from
him；　and；　if　you　are　to　become　mistress　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　to
school　you　must　go；　for　you　would　be　ashamed；　and　I　should　be
ashamed；　if　you　occupied　the　position　of　a　lady　of　station
without　having　the　accomplishments　which　all　ladies　of　station
are　expected　to　possess。　In　the　second　place；　I　want　to　see
whether　Mr。　Armadale　will　continue　to　think　of　you　as　he　thinks
now；　without　being　encouraged　in　his　attachment　by　seeing　you；　or
reminded　of　it　by　hearing　from　you。　If　I　am　wrong　in　thinking　him
flighty　and　unreliable；　and　if　your　opinion　of　him　is　the　right
one；　this　is　not　putting　the　young　man　to　an　unfair　testtrue
love　survives　much　longer　separations　than　a　separation　of　six
months。　And　when　that　time　is　over；　and　well　over；　and　when　I
have　had　him　under　my　own　eye　for　another　six　months；　and　have
learned　to　think　as　highly　of　him　as　you　doeven　then；　my　dear；
after　all　that　terrible　delay；　you　will　still　be　a　married　woman
before　you　are　eighteen。　Think　of　this；　Neelie；　and　show　that　you
love　me　and　trust　me；　by　accepting　my　proposal。　I　will　hold　no
communication　with　Mr。　Armadale　myself。　I　will　leave　it　to　you　to
write　and　tell　him　what　has　been　decided　on。　He　may　write　back
one　letter；　and　one　only；　to　acquaint　you　with　his　decision。
After　that；　for　the　sake　of　your　reputation；　nothing　more　is　to
be　said；　and　nothing　more　is　to　be　done；　and　the　matter　is　to　be
kept　strictly　private　until　the　six　months'　interval　is　at　an
end。'

〃To　this　effect　the　major　spoke。　His　behavior　to　that　little　slut
of　a　girl　has　produced　a　stronger　impression　on　me　than　anything
else　in　the　letter。　It　has　set　me　thinking　（me；　of　all　the　people
in　the　world！）　of　what　they　call　'a　moral　difficulty。'　We　are
perpetually　told　th