armadale-第35章

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of　_twelve　hundred　a　year　for　life。_　There　is　no　doubt　about
this；　the　lawyer　himself　has　looked　at　the　will。　Of　course；　Mr。
Blanchard　had　his　son　and　his　son's　widow　in　his　eye　when　he　made
the　provision。　But；　as　it　is　not　limited　to　any　one　heir　by　name；
and　not　revoked　anywhere；　it　now　holds　as　good　with　young
Armadale　as　it　would　have　held　under　other　circumstances　with　Mr。
Blanchard's　son。　W　hat　a　chance　for　you；　after　all　the　miseries
and　the　dangers　you　have　gone　through；　to　be　mistress　of　Thorpe
Ambrose；　if　he　lives；　to　have　an　income　for　life；　if　he　dies！
Hook　him；　my　poor　dear；　hook　him　at　any　sacrifice。

〃I　dare　say　you　will　make　the　same　objection　when　you　read　this
which　you　made　when　we　were　talking　about　it　the　other　day；　I
mean　the　objection　of　your　age。

〃Now；　my　good　creature；　just　listen　to　me。　The　question　isnot
whether　you　were　five…and…thirty　last　birthday；　we　will　own　the
dreadful　truth；　and　say　you　werebut　whether　you　do　look；　or
don't　look；　your　real　age。　My　opinion　on　this　matter　ought　to　be；
and　is；　one　of　the　best　opinions　in　London。　I　have　had　twenty
years　experience　among　our　charming　sex　in　making　up　battered　old
faces　and　wornout　old　figures　to　look　like　new；　and　I　say
positively　you　don't　look　a　day　over　thirty；　if　as　much。　If　you
will　follow　my　advice　about　dressing；　and　use　one　or　two　of　my
applications　privately；　I　guarantee　to　put　you　back　three　years
more。　I　will　forfeit　all　the　money　I　shall　have　to　advance　for
you　in　this　matter；　if；　when　I　have　ground　you　young　again　in　my
wonderful　mill；　you　look　more　than　seven…and…twenty　in　any　man's
eyes　livingexcept；　of　course；　when　you　wake　anxious　in　the
small　hours　of　the　morning；　and　then；　my　dear；　you　will　be　old
and　ugly　in　the　retirement　of　your　own　room；　and　it　won't　matter。

〃　'But；'　you　may　say；　'supposing　all　this；　here　I　am；　even　with
your　art　to　help　me；　looking　a　good　six　years　older　than　he　is；
and　that　is　against　me　at　starting。'　Is　it？　Just　think　again。
Surely；　your　own　experience　must　have　shown　you　that　the
commonest　of　all　common　weaknesses；　in　young　fellows　of　this
Armadale's　age；　is　to　fall　in　love　with　women　older　than
themselves。　Who　are　the　men　who　really　appreciate　us　in　the　bloom
of　our　youth　（I'm　sure　I　have　cause　to　speak　well　of　the　bloom　of
youth；　I　made　fifty　guineas　to…day　by　putting　it　on　the　spotted
shoulders　of　a　woman　old　enough　to　be　your　mother）who　are　the
men；　I　say；　who　are　ready　to　worship　us　when　we　are　mere　babies
of　seventeen？　The　gay　young　gentlemen　in　the　bloom　of　their　own
youth？　No！　The　cunning　old　wretches　who　are　on　the　wrong　side　of
forty。

〃And　what　is　the　moral　of　this；　as　the　story…books　say？

〃The　moral　is　that　the　chances；　with　such　a　head　as　you　have　got
on　your　shoulders；　are　all　in　your　favor。　If　you　feel　your
present　forlorn　position；　as　I　believe　you　do；　if　you　know　what　a
charming　woman　（in　the　men's　eyes）　you　can　still　be　when　you
please；　and　if　all　your　resolution　has　really　come　back；　after
that　shocking　outbreak　of　desperation　on　board　the　steamer
（natural　enough；　I　own；　under　the　dreadful　provocation　laid　on
you）；　you　will　want　no　further　persuasion　from　me　to　try　this
experiment。　Only　to　think　of　how　things　turn　out！　If　the　other
young　booby　had　not　jumped　into　the　river　after　you；　_this_　young
booby　would　never　have　had　the　estate。　It　really　looks　as　if　fate
had　determined　that　you　were　to　be　Mrs。　Armadale；　of　Thorpe
Ambrose；　and　who　can　control　his　fate；　as　the　poet　says？

〃Send　me　one　line　to　say　Yes　or　No；　and　believe　me　your　attached
old　friend；

〃MARIA　OLDERSHAW。〃

3。　_From　Miss　Gwilt　to　Mrs。　Oldershaw。_

Richmond；　Thursday。

'YOU　OLD　WRETCHI　won't　say　Yes　or　No　till　I　have　had　a　long；
long　look　at　my　glass　first。　If　you　had　any　real　regard　for
anybody　but　your　wicked　old　self；　you　would　know　that　the　bare
idea　of　marrying　again　（after　what　I　have　gone　through）　is　an
idea　that　makes　my　flesh　creep。

〃But　there　can　be　no　harm　in　your　sending　me　a　little　more
information　while　I　am　making　up　my　mind。　You　have　got　twenty
pounds　of　mine　still　left　out　of　those　things　you　sold　for　me；
send　ten　pounds　here　for　my　expenses；　in　a　post…office　order；　and
use　the　other　ten　for　making　private　inquiries　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。
I　want　to　know　when　the　two　Blanchard　women　go　away；　and　when
young　Armadale　stirs　up　the　dead　ashes　in　the　family　fire…place。
Are　you　quite　sure　he　will　turn　out　as　easy　to　manage　as　you
think？　If　he　takes　after　his　hypocrite　of　a　mother；　I　can　tell
you　thisJudas　Iscariot　has　come　to　life　again。

〃I　am　very　comfortable　in　this　lodging。　There　are　lovely　flowers
in　the　garden；　and　the　birds　wake　me　in　the　morning　delightfully。
I　have　hired　a　reasonably　good　piano。　The　only　man　I　care　two
straws　aboutdon't　be　alarmed；　he　was　laid　in　his　grave　many　a
long　year　ago；　under　the　name　of　BEETHOVENkeeps　me　company；　in
my　lonely　hours。　The　landlady　would　keep　me　company；　too；　if　I
would　only　let　her。　I　hate　women。　The　new　curate　paid　a　visit　to
the　other　lodger　yesterday；　and　passed　me　on　the　lawn　as　he　came
out。　My　eyes　have　lost　nothing　yet；　at　any　rate；　though　I　_am_
five…and…thirty；　the　poor　man　actually　blushed　when　I　looked　at
him！　What　sort　of　color　do　you　think　he　would　have　turned；　if　one
of　the　little　birds　in　the　garden　had　whispered　in　his　ear；　and
told　him　the　true　story　of　the　charming　Miss　Gwilt？

〃Good…by；　Mother　Oldershaw。　I　rather　doubt　whether　I　am　yours；　or
anybody's；　affectionately；　but　we　all　tell　lies　at　the　bottoms　of
our　letters；　don't　we？　If　you　are　my　attached　old　friend；　I　must；
of　course；　be　yours　affectionately。

〃LYDIA　GWILT。

〃P。S。Keep　your　odious　powders　and　paints　and　washes　for　the
spotted　shoulders　of　your　customers；　not　one　of　them　shall　touch
my　skin；　I　promise　you。　If　you　really　want　to　be　useful；　try　and
find　out　some　quieting　draught　to　keep　me　from　grinding　my　teeth
in　my　sleep。　I　shall　break　them　one　of　these　nights；　and　then
what　will　become　of　my　beauty；　I　wonder？〃

4。　_From　Mrs。　Oldershaw　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Ladies'　Toilet　Repository；　Tuesday。

〃MY　DEAR　LYDIAIt　is　a　thousand　pities　your　letter　was　not
addressed　to　Mr。　Armadale；　your　graceful　audacity　would　have
charmed　him。　It　doesn't　affect　me；　I　am　so　well　used　to　audacity
in　my　way　of　life；　you　know。　Why　waste　your　sparkling　wit；　my
love；　on　your　own　impenetrable　Oldershaw？　It　only　splutters　and
goes　out。　Will　you　try　and　be　serious　this　next　time？　I　have　news
for　you　from　Thorpe　Ambrose；　which　is　beyond　a　joke；　and　which
must　not　be　trifled　with。

〃An　hour　after　I　got　your　letter　I　set　the　inquiries　on　foot。　Not
knowing　what　consequences　they　might　lead　to；　I　thought　it　safest
to　begin　in　the　dark。　Instead　of　employing　any　of　the　people　whom
I　have　at　my　own　disposal　（who　know　you　and　know　me）；　I　went　to
the　Private　Inquiry　Office　in　Shadyside　Place；　and　put　the　matter
in　the　inspector's　hands；　in　the　character　of　a　perfect　stranger；
and　without　mentioning　you　at　all。　This　was　not　the　cheapest　way
of　going　to　work；　I　own；　but　it　was　the　safest　way；　which　is　of
much　greater　consequence。

〃The　inspector　and　I　understood　each　other　in　ten　minutes；　and
the　right　person　for　the　purposethe　most　harmless　looking　young
man　you　ever　saw　in　your　lifewas　produced　immediately。　He　left
for　Thorpe　Ambrose　an　hour　after　I　saw　him。　I　arranged　to　call　at
the　office　on　the　afternoons　of　Saturday；　Monday；　and　to…day　for
news。　There　was　no　news　till　to…day；　and　there　I　found　our
confidential　agent　just　returned　to　town；　and　waiting　to　favor　me
with　a　full　account　of　his　trip　to　Norfolk。

〃First　of　all；　let　me　quiet　your　mind　about　those　two　questions
of　yours；　I　have　got　answers　to　both　the　one　and　the　other。　The
Blanchard　women　go　away　to　foreign　parts　on　the　thirteenth；　and
young　Armadale　is　at　this　moment　cruising　somewhere　at　sea　in　his
yacht。　There　is　talk　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　of　giving　him　a　public
reception；　and　of　calling　a　meeting　of　the　local　grandees　to
settle　it　all。　The　speechifying　and　fuss　on　these　occasions
generally　wastes　plenty　of　time；　and　the　public　reception　is　not
thought　likely　to　meet　the　new　squire　much　before　the　end　of　the
month。

〃If　our　messenger　had　done　no　more　for　us　than　this；　I　think　he
would　have　earned　his　money。　But　the　harmless　young　man　is　a
regular　Jesuit　at　a　private　inquiry；　with　this　great　advantage
over　all　the　Popish　priests　I　have　ever　seen；　that　he　has　not　got
his　slyness　written　in　his　face。

〃Having　to　get　his　information　through　the　female　servants　in　the
usual　way；　he　addressed　himself；　with　admirable　discretion；　to
the　ugliest　woma　n　in　the　house。　'When　they　are　nice…looking；　and
can　pick　and　choose；'　as　he　neatly　expressed　it　to　me；　'they
waste　a　great　deal　of　valuable　time　in　deciding　on　a　sweetheart。
When　they　are　ugly；　and　haven't　got　the　ghost　of　a　chance　of
choosing；　they　snap　at　a　sweetheart；　if　he　comes　their　way；　like
a　starved　dog　at　a　bone。'　Acting　on　these　excellent　principles；
our　confidential　agent　succeeded；　after　certain　unavoidable
delays；　in　addressing　himself　to　the　upper　housemaid　at　Thorpe
Ambrose；　and　took　full　possession　of　her　confidence　at　the　first
interview。　Bearing　his　instructions　carefully　in　mind；　he
encouraged　the　woman　to　chatter；　and　was　favored；　of　course；　with
all　the　gossip　of　the　servants'　hall。　The　greater　part　of　it　（as
repeated　to　me）　was　of　no　earthly　importance。　But　I　listened
patiently；　and　was　rewarded　by　a　valuable　discovery　at　last。　Here
it　is。

〃It　seems　there　is　an　ornamental　cottage　in　the　grounds　at　Thorpe
Ambrose。　For　some　reason　unknown；　young　Armadale　has　chosen　to
let　it；　and　a　tenant　has　come　in　already。　He　is　a　poor　half…pay
major　in　the　army；　named　Milroy；　a　meek　sort　of　man；　by　all
accounts；　with　a　turn　for　occupying　himself　in　mechanical
pursuits；　and　with　a　domestic　incumbrance　in　the　shape　of　a
bedridden　wife；　who　has　not　been　seen　by　anybody。　Well；　and　what
of　all　this？　you　will　ask；　with　that　sparkling　impatience　which
becomes　you　so　well。　My　dear　Lydia；　don't　sparkle！　The　man's
family　affairs　seriously　concern　us　both；　for；　as　ill　luck　will
have　it；　the　man　has　got　a　daughter！

〃You　may　imagine　how　I　questioned　our　agent；　and　how　our　agent
ransacked　his　memory；　when　I　stumbled；　in　due　course；　on　such　a
discovery　as　this。　If　Heaven　is　responsible　for　women's
chattering　tongues；　Heaven　be　praised！　From　Miss　Blanchard　to
Miss　Blanchard's　maid；　from　Miss　Blanchard's　maid　to　Miss
Blanchard's　aunt's　maid；　from　Miss　Blanchard's　aunt's　maid；　to
the　ugly　housemaid；　from　the　ugly　housemaid　to　the
harmless…looking　young　manso　the　stream　of　gossip　trickled　into
the　right　reservoir　at　last；　and　thirsty　Mother　Oldershaw　has
drunk　it　all　up。

〃In　plain　English；　my　dear；　this　is　how　it　stands。　The　major's
daughter　is　a　minx　just　turned　sixteen；　lively　and　nice…looking
（hateful　little　wretch！）；　dowdy　in　her　dress　（thank　Heaven！）　and
deficient　in　her　manners　（thank　Heaven　again！）。　She　has　been
brought　up　at　home。　The　governess　who　last　had　charge　of　her　left
before　her　father　moved　to　Thorpe　Ambrose。　Her　education　stands
woefully　in　want　of　a　finishing　touch；　and　the　major　doesn't
quite　know　what　to　do　next。　None　of