armadale-第116章

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the　school　in　France？〃

Bashwood　the　younger　referred　to　the　papers。　〃She　stopped　at　the
French　school；〃　he　replied；　〃till　she　was　seventeen。　At　that　time
something　happened　at　the　school　which　I　find　mildly　described　in
these　papers　as　'something　unpleasant。'　The　plain　fact　was　that
the　music…master　attached　to　the　establishment　fell　in　love　with
Miss　Gwilt。　He　was　a　respectable　middle…aged　man；　with　a　wife　and
family；　and；　finding　the　circumstances　entirely　hopeless；　he　took
a　pistol；　and；　rashly　assuming　that　he　had　brains　in　his　head；
tried　to　blow　them　out。　The　doctor　saved　his　life；　but　not　his
reason；　he　ended；　where　he　had　better　have　begun；　in　an　asylum。
Miss　Gwilt's　beauty　having　been　at　the　bottom　of　the　scandal；　it
was；　of　course；　impossiblethough　she　was　proved　to　have　been
otherwise　quite　blameless　in　the　matterfor　her　to　remain　at　the
school　after　what　had　happened。　Her　'friends'　（the　Blanchards）
were　communicated　with。　And　her　friends　transferred　her　to
another　school；　at　Brussels；　this　time。What　are　you　sighing
about？　What's　wrong　now？〃

〃I　can't　help　feeling　a　little　for　the　poor　music…master；　Jemmy。
Go　on。〃

〃According　to　her　own　account　of　it；　dad；　Miss　Gwilt　seems　to
have　felt　for　him　too。　She　took　a　serious　turn；　and　was
'converted'　（as　they　call　it）　by　the　lady　who　had　charge　of　her
in　the　interval　before　she　went　to　Brussels。　The　priest　at　the
Belgium　school　appears　to　have　been　a　man　of　some　discretion；　and
to　have　seen　that　the　girl's　sensibilities　were　getting　into　a
dangerously　excited　state。　Before　he　could　quiet　her　down；　he
fell　ill；　and　was　succeeded　by　another　priest；　who　was　a　fanatic。
You　will　understand　the　sort　of　interest　he　took　in　the　girl；　and
the　way　in　which　he　worked　on　her　feelings；　when　I　tell　you　that
she　announced　it　as　her　decision；　after　having　been　nearly　two
years　at　the　school；　to　end　her　days　in　a　convent！　You　may　well
stare！　Miss　Gwilt；　in　the　character　of　a　Nun；　is　the　sort　of
female　phenomenon　you　don't　often　set　eyes　on。〃

〃Did　she　go　into　the　convent？〃　asked　Mr。　Bashwood。　〃Did　they　let
her　go　in；　so　friendless　and　so　young；　with　nobody　to　advise　her
for　the　best？〃

〃The　Blanchards　were　consulted；　as　a　matter　of　form；〃　pursued
Bashwood　the　younger。　〃_They_　had　no　objection　to　her　shutting
herself　up　in　a　convent；　as　you　may　well　imagine。　The　pleasantest
letter　they　ever　had　from　her；　I'll　answer　for　it；　was　the　letter
in　which　she　solemnly　took　leave　of　them　in　this　world　forever。
The　people　at　the　convent　were　as　careful　as　usual　not　to　commit
themselves。　Their　rules　wouldn't　allow　her　to　take　the　veil　till
she　had　tried　the　life　for　a　year　first；　and　then；　if　she　had　any
doubt；　for　another　year　after　that。　She　tried　the　life　for　the
first　year；　accordingly；　and　doubted。　She　tried　it　for　the　second
year；　and　was　wise　enough；　by　that　time；　to　give　it　up　without
further　hesitation。　Her　position　was　rather　an　awkward　one　when
she　found　herself　at　liberty　again。　The　sisters　at　the　convent
had　lost　their　interest　in　her；　the　mistress　at　the　school
declined　to　take　her　back　as　teacher；　on　the　ground　that　she　was
too　nice…looking　for　the　place；　the　priest　considered　her　to　be
possessed　by　the　devil。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　write　to
the　Blanchards　again；　and　ask　them　to　start　her　in　life　as　a
teacher　of　music　on　her　own　account。　She　wrote　to　her　former
mistress　accordingly。　Her　former　mistress　had　evidently　doubted
the　genuineness　of　the　girl's　resolution　to　be　a　nun；　and　had
seized　the　opportunity　offered　by　her　entry　into　the　convent　to
cut　off　all　further　communication　between　her　ex…waiting…maid　and
herself。　Miss　Gwilt's　letter　was　returned　by　the　post…office。　She
caused　inquiries　to　be　made；　and　found　that　Mr。　Blanchard　was
dead；　and　that　his　daughter　had　left　the　great　house　for　some
place　of　retirement　unknown。　The　next　thing　she　did；　upon　this；
was　to　write　to　the　heir　in　possession　of　the　estate。　The　letter
was　answered　by　his　solicitors；　who　were　instructed　to　put　the
law　in　force　at　the　first　attempt　she　made　to　extort　money　from
any　member　of　the　family　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。　The　last　chance　was
to　get　at　the　address　of　her　mistress's　place　of　retirement。　The
family　bankers；　to　whom　she　wrote；　wrote　back　to　say　that　they
were　instructed　not　to　give　the　lady's　address　to　any　one
applying　for　it；　without　being　previously　empowered　to　do　so　by
the　lady　herself。　That　last　letter　settled　the　questionMiss
Gwilt　could　do　nothing　more。　With　money　at　her　command；　she　might
have　gone　to　England　and　made　the　Blanchards　think　twice　before
they　carried　things　with　too　high　a　hand。　Not　having　a　half…penny
at　command；　she　was　helpless。　Without　money　and　without　friends；
you　may　wonder　how　she　supported　herself　while　the　correspondence
was　going　on。　She　supported　herself　by　playing　the　piano…forte　at
a　low　concert…room　in　Brussels。　The　men　laid　siege　to　her；　of
course；　in　all　directions；　but　they　found　her　insensible　as
adamant。　One　of　these　rejected　gentlemen　was　a　Russian；　and　he
was　the　means　of　making　her　acquainted　with　a　countrywoman　of
his；　whose　name　is　unpronounceable　by　English　lips。　Let　us　give
her　her　title；　and　call　her　the　baroness。　The　two　women　liked
each　other　at　their　first　introduction；　and　a　new　scene　opened　in
Miss　Gwilt's　life。　She　became　reader　and　companion　to　the
baroness。　Everything　was　right；　everything　was　smooth　on　the
surface。　Everything　was　rotten　and　everything　was　wrong　under
it。〃

〃In　what　way；　Jemmy？　Please　to　wait　a　little；　and　tell　me　in　what
way。〃

〃In　this　way。　The　baroness　was　fond　of　traveling；　and　she　had　a
select　set　of　friends　about　her　who　were　quite　of　her　way　of
thinking。　They　went　from　one　city　on　the　Continent　to　another；
and　were　such　charming　people　that　they　picked　up　acquaintances
everywhere。　The　acquaintances　were　invited　to　the　baroness's
receptions；　and　card…tables　were　invariably　a　part　of　the
baroness's　furniture。　Do　you　see　it　now？　or　must　I　tell　you；　in
the　strictest　confidence；　that　cards　were　not　considered　sinful
on　these　festive　occasions；　and　that　the　luck；　at　the　end　of　the
evening；　turned　out　to　be　almost　invariably　on　the　side　of　the
baroness　and　her　friends？　Swindlers；　all　of　them；　and　there　isn't
a　doubt　on　my　mind；　whatever　there　may　be　on　yours；　that　Miss
Gwilt's　manners　and　appearance　made　her　a　valuable　member　of　the
society　in　the　capacity　of　a　decoy。　Her　own　statement　is　that　she
was　innocent　of　all　knowledge　of　what　really　went　on；　that　she
was　quite　ignorant　of　card…playing；　that　she　hadn't　such　a　thing
as　a　respectable　friend　to　turn　to　in　the　world；　and　that　she
honestly　liked　the　baroness；　for　the　simple　reason　that　the
baroness　was　a　hearty　good　friend　to　her　from　first　to　last。
Believe　that　or　not；　as　you　please。　For　five　years　she　traveled
about　all　over　the　Continent　with　these　card…sharpers　in　high
life；　and　she　might　have　been　among　them　at　this　moment；　for
anything　I　know　to　the　contrary；　if　the　baroness　had　not　caught　a
Tartar　at　Naples；　in　the　shape　of　a　rich　traveling　Englishman；
named　Waldron。　Aha！　that　name　startles　you；　does　it？　You've　read
the　Trial　of　the　famous　Mrs。　Waldron；　like　the　rest　of　the　world？
And　you　know　who　Miss　Gwilt　is　now；　without　my　telling　you？〃

He　paused；　and　looked　at　his　father　in　sudden　perplexity。　Far
from　being　overwhelmed　by　the　discovery　which　had　just　burst　on
him；　Mr。　Bashwood；　after　the　first　natural　movement　of　surprise；
faced　his　son　with　a　self…possession　which　was　nothing　short　of
extraordinary　under　the　circumstances。　There　was　a　new　brightness
in　his　eyes；　and　a　new　color　in　his　face。　If　it　had　been　possible
to　conceive　such　a　thing　of　a　man　in　his　position；　he　seemed　to
be　absolutely　encouraged　instead　of　depressed　by　what　he　had　just
heard。　〃Go　on；　Jemmy；〃　he　said；　quietly；　〃I　am　one　of　the　few
people　who　didn't　read　the　trial；　I　only　heard　of　it。〃

Still　wondering　inwardly；　Bashwood　the　younger　recovered　himself；
and　went　on。

〃You　always　were；　and　you　always　will　be；　behind　the　age；〃　he
said。　〃When　we　come　to　the　trial；　I　can　tell　you　as　much　about　it
as　you　need　know。　In　the　meantime；　we　must　go　back　to　the
baroness　and　Mr。　Waldron。　For　a　certain　number　of　nights　the
Englishman　let　the　card…sharpers　have　it　all　their　own　way；　in
other　words；　he　paid　for　the　privilege　of　making　himself
agreeable　to　Miss　Gwilt。　When　he　thought　he　had　produced　the
necessary　impression　on　her；　he　exposed　the　whole　confederacy
without　mercy。　The　police　interfered；　the　baroness　found　herself
in　prison；　and　Miss　Gwilt　was　put　between　the　two　alternatives　of
accepting　Mr。　Waldron's　protection　or　being　thrown　on　the　world
again。　She　was　amazingly　virtuous；　or　amazingly　clever；　which　you
please。　To　Mr。　Waldron's　astonishment；　she　told　him　that　she
could　face　the　prospect　of　being　thrown　on　the　world；　and　that　he
must　address　her　honorably　or　leave　her　forever。　The　end　of　it
was　what　the　end　always　is；　where　the　man　is　infatuated　and　the
woman　is　determined。　To　the　disgust　of　his　family　and　friends；
Mr。　Waldron　made　a　virtue　of　necessity；　and　married　her。〃

〃How　old　was　he？〃　asked　Bashwood　the　elder；　eagerly。

Bashwood　the　younger　burst　out　laughing。　〃He　was　about　old
enough；　daddy；　to　be　your　son；　and　rich　enough　to　have　burst　that
precious　pocket…book　of　yours　with　thousand…pound　notes！　Don't
hang　your　head。　It　wasn't　a　happy　marriage；　though　he　_was_　so
young　and　so　rich。　They　lived　abroad；　and　got　on　well　enough　at
first。　He　made　a　new　will；　of　course；　as　soon　as　he　was　married；
and　provided　handsomely　for　his　wife；　under　the　tender　pressure
of　the　honey…moon。　But　women　wear　out；　like　other　things；　with
time；　and　one　fine　morning　Mr。　Waldron　woke　up　with　a　doubt　in
his　mind　whether　he　had　not　acted　like　a　fool。　He　was　an
ill…tempered　man；　he　was　discontented　with　himself；　and　of　course
he　made　his　wife　feel　it。　Having　begun　by　quarreling　with　her；　he
got　on　to　suspecting　her；　and　became　savagely　jealous　of　every
male　creature　who　entered　the　house。　They　had　no　incumbrances　in
the　shape　of　children；　and　they　moved　from　one　place　to　another；
just　as　his　jealousy　inclined　him；　till　they　moved　back　to
England　at　last；　after　having　been　married　close　on　four　years。
He　had　a　lonely　old　house　of　his　own　among　the　Yorkshire　moors；
and　there　he　shut　his　wife　and　himself　up　from　every　living
creature；　except　his　servants　and　his　dogs。　Only　one　result　could
come；　of　course；　of　treating　a　high…spirited　young　woman　in　that
way。　It　may　be　her　fate；　or　it　may　be　chance；　but；　whenever　a
woman　is　desperate；　there　is　sure　to　be　a　man　handy　to　take
advantage　of　it。　The　man　in　this　case　was　rather　a　'dark　horse；'
as　they　say　on　the　turf。　He　was　a　certain　Captain　Manuel；　a
native　of　Cuba；　and　（according　to　his　own　account）　an　ex…officer
in　the　Spanish　navy。　He　had　met　Mr。　Waldron's　beautiful　wife　on
the　journey　back　to　England；　had　contrived　to　speak　to　her　in
spite　of　her　husband's　jealousy；　and　had　followed　her　to　her
place　of　imprisonment　in　Mr。　Waldron's　house　on　the　moors。　The
captain　is　described　as　a　clever；　determined　fellowof　the
daring　piratical　sortwith　the　dash　of　mystery　about　him　that
women　like〃

〃S