armadale-第119章
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Comparison of dates showed that the Scotch marriageif it was a
marriage at all； and not a shamhad taken place just about the
time when Miss Gwilt was a free woman again。 And a little further
investigation showed us that the second Mrs。 Manuel was no other
than the heroine of the famous criminal trialwhom we didn't
know then； but whom we do know now； to be identical with your
fascinating friend； Miss Gwilt。〃
Mr。 Bashwood's head sank on his breast。 He clasped his trembling
hands fast in each other； and waited in silence to hear the rest。
〃Cheer up！〃 pursued his son。 〃She was no more the captain's wife
than you are； and what is more； the captain himself is out of
your way now。 One foggy day in December last he gave us the slip；
and was off to the continent； nobody knew where。 He had spent the
whole of the second Mrs。 Manuel's five thousand pounds； in the
time that had elapsed （between two and three years） since she had
come out of prison； and the wonder was； where he had got the
money to pay his traveling expenses。 It turned out that he had
got it from the second Mrs。 Manuel herself。 She had filled his
empty pockets； and there she was； waiting confidently in a
miserable London lodging； to hear from him and join him as soon
as he was safely settled in foreign parts！ Where had _she_ got
the money； you may ask naturally enough？ Nobody could tell at the
time。 My own notion is； now； that her former mistress must have
been still living； and that she must have turned her knowledge of
the Blanchards' family secret to profitable account at last。 This
is mere guess…work； of course； but there's a circumstance that
makes it likely guess…work to my mind。 She had an elderly female
friend to apply to at the time； who was just the woman to help
her in ferreting out her mistress's address。 Can you guess the
name of the elderly female friend？ Not you！ Mrs。 Oldershaw； of
course！〃
Mr。 Bashwood suddenly looked up。 〃Why should she go back；〃 he
asked； 〃to the woman who had deserted her when she was a child？〃
〃I can't say；〃 rejoined his son； 〃unless she went back in the
interests of her own magnificent head of hair。 The
prison…scissors； I needn't tell you； had made short work of it
with Miss Gwilt's love…locks； in every sense of the word； and
Mrs。 Oldershaw； I beg to add； is the most eminent woman in
England； as restorer…general of the dilapidated heads and faces
of the female sex。 Put two and two together； and perhaps you'll
agree with me； in this case； that they make four。〃
〃Yes； yes； two and two make four；〃 repeated his father；
impatiently。 〃But I want to know something else。 Did she hear
from him again？ Did he send for her after he had gone away to
foreign parts？〃
〃The captain？ Why； what on earth can you be thinking of？ Hadn't
he spent every farthing of her money？ and wasn't he loose on the
Continent out of her reach？ She waited to hear from him。 I dare
say； for she persisted in believing in him。 But I'll lay you any
wager you like； she never saw the sight of his handwriting again。
We did our best at the office to open her eyes； we told her
plainly that he had a first wife living； and that she hadn't the
shadow of a claim on him。 She wouldn't believe us； though we met
her with the evidence。 Obstinate； devilish obstinate。 I dare say
she waited for months together before she gave up the last hope
of ever seeing him again。〃
Mr。 Bashwood looked aside quickly out of the cab window。 〃Where
could she turn for refuge next？〃 he said； not to his son； but to
himself。 〃What； in Heaven's name； could she do？〃
〃Judging by my experience of women；〃 remarked Bashwood the
younger； overhearing him； 〃I should say she probably tried to
drown herself。 But that's only guess…work again： it's all
guess…work at this part of her story。 You catch me at the end of
my evidence； dad； when you come to Miss Gwilt's proceedings in
the spring and summer of the present year。 She might； or she
might not； have been desperate enough to attempt suicide； and she
might； or she might not； have been at the bottom of those
inquiries that I made for Mrs。 Oldershaw。 I dare say you'll see
her this morning； and perhaps； if you use your influence； you may
he able to make her finish her own story herself。〃
Mr。 Bashwood； still looking out of the cab window； suddenly laid
his hand on his son's arm。
〃Hush！ hush！〃 he exclaimed； in violent agitation。 〃We have got
there at last。 Oh； Jemmy； feel how my heart beats！ Here is the
hotel。〃
〃Bother your heart；〃 said Bashwood the younger。 〃Wait here while
I ma ke the inquiries。〃
〃I'll come with you！〃 cried his father。 〃I can't wait！ I tell
you； I can't wait！〃
They went into the hotel together； and asked for 〃Mr。 Armadale。〃
The answer； after some little hesitation and delay； was that Mr。
Armadale had gone away six days since。 A second waiter added that
Mr。 Armadale's friendMr。 Midwinterhad only left that morning。
Where had Mr。 Armadale gone？ Somewhere into the country。 Where
had Mr。 Midwinter gone？ Nobody knew。
Mr。 Bashwood looked at his son in speechless and helpless dismay。
〃Stuff and nonsense！〃 said Bashwood the younger； pushing his
father back roughly into the cab。 〃He's safe enough。 We shall
find him at Miss Gwilt's。〃
The old man took his son's hand and kissed it。 〃Thank you； my
dear；〃 he said； gratefully。 〃Thank you for comforting me。〃
The cab was driven next to the second lodging which Miss Gwilt
had occupied； in the neighborhood of Tottenham Court Road。
〃Stop here；〃 said the spy； getting out； and shutting his father
into the cab。 〃I mean to manage this part of the business
myself。〃
He knocked at the house door。 〃I have got a note for Miss Gwilt；〃
he said； walking into the passage； the moment the door was
opened。
〃She's gone；〃 answered the servant。 〃She went away last night。〃
Bashwood the younger wasted no more words with the servant。 He
insisted on seeing the mistress。 The mistress confirmed the
announcement of Miss Gwilt's departure on the previous evening。
Where had she gone to？ The woman couldn't say。 How had she left？
On foot。 At what hour？ Between nine and ten。 What had she done
with her luggage？ She had no luggage。 Had a gentleman been to see
her on the previous day？ Not a soul； gentle or simple； had come
to the house to see Miss Gwilt。
The father's face； pale and wild； was looking out of the cab
window as the son descended the house steps。 〃Isn't she there；
Jemmy？〃 he asked； faintly〃isn't she there？〃
〃Hold your tongue；〃 cried the spy； with the native coarseness of
his nature rising to the surface at last。 〃I'm not at the end of
my inquiries yet。〃
He crossed the road； and entered a coffee…shop situated exactly
opposite the house he had just left。
In the box nearest the window two men were sitting talking
together anxiously。
〃Which of you was on duty yesterday evening； between nine and ten
o'clock？〃 asked Bashwood the younger； suddenly joining them； and
putting his question in a quick； peremptory whisper。
〃I was； sir；〃 said one of the men； unwillingly。
〃Did you lose sight of the house？Yes！ I see you did。〃
〃Only for a minute； sir。 An infernal blackguard of a soldier came
in〃
〃That will do；〃 said Bashwood the younger。 〃I know what the
soldier did； and who sent him to do it。 She has given us the slip
again。 You are the greatest ass living。 Consider yourself
dismissed。〃 With those words； and with an oath to emphasize them；
he left the coffee…shop and returned to the cab。
〃She's gone！〃 cried his father。 〃Oh； Jemmy； Jemmy； I see it in
your face！〃 He fell back into his own corner of the cab； with a
faint； wailing cry。 〃They're married；〃 he moaned to himself； his
hands falling helplessly on his knees； his hat falling unregarded
from his head。 〃Stop them！〃 he exclaimed； suddenly rousing
himself； and seizing his son in a frenzy by the collar of the
coat。
〃Go back to the hotel；〃 shouted Bashwood the younger to the
cabman。 〃Hold your noise！〃 he added； turning fiercely on his
father。 〃I want to think。〃
The varnish of smoothness was all off him by this time。 His
temper was roused。 His prideeven such a man has his pride！was
wounded to the quick。 Twice had he matched his wits against a
woman's； and twice the woman had baffled him。
He got out； on reaching the hotel for the second time； and
privately tried the servants with the offer of money。 The result
of the experiment satisfied him that they had； in this instance；
really and truly no information to sell。 After a moment's
reflection； he stopped； before leaving the hotel； to ask the way
to the parish church。 〃The chance may be worth trying；〃 he
thought to himself； as he gave the address to the driver。
〃Faster！〃 he called out； looking first at his watch； and then at
his father。 〃The minutes are precious this morning； and the old
one is beginning to give in。〃
It was true。 Still capable of hearing and of understanding； Mr。
Bashwood was past speaking by this time。 He clung with both hands
to his son's grudging arm； and let his head fall helplessly on
his son's averted shoulder。
The parish church stood back from the street； protected by gates
and railings； and surrounded by a space of open ground。 Shaking
off his father's hold； Bashwood the younger made straight for the
vestry。 The clerk； putting away the books； and the clerk's
assistant； hanging up a surplice； were the only persons in the
room when he entered it and asked leave to look at the marriage
register for the day。
The clerk gravely opened the book； and stood aside from the desk
on which it lay。
The day's register comprised three marriages solemnized that
morning； and the first two signatures on the page were 〃Allan
Armadale〃 and 〃Lydia Gwilt！〃
Even the spyignorant as he was of the truth； unsuspicious as he
was of the terrible future consequences to which the act of that
morning might leadeven the spy started； when his eye first fell
on the page。 It was done！ Come what might of it； it was done now。
There； in black and white； was the registered evidence of the
marriage； which was at once a truth in itself； and a lie in the
conclusion to which it led！ Therethrough the fatal similarity
in the namesthere； in Midwinter's own signature； was the proof
to persuade everybody that； not Midwinter； but Allan； was the
husband of Miss Gwilt！
Bashwood the younger closed the book； and returned it to the
clerk。 He descended the vestry steps； with his hands thrust
doggedly into his pockets； and with a serious shock inflicted on
his professional self…esteem。
The beadle met him under the church wall。 He considered for a
moment whether it was worth while to spend a shilling in
questioning the man； and decided in the affirmative。 If they
could be traced and overtaken； there might be a chance of seeing
the color of Mr。 Armadale's money even yet。
〃How long is it；〃 he asked； 〃since the first couple married here
this morning left the church？〃
〃About an hour；〃 said the beadle。
〃How did they go away？〃
The beadle deferred answering that second question until he had
first pocketed his fee。
〃You won't trace them from here； sir；〃 he said； when he had got
his shilling。 〃They went away on foot。〃
〃And that is all you know about it
