armadale-第36章

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woefully　in　want　of　a　finishing　touch；　and　the　major　doesn't
quite　know　what　to　do　next。　None　of　his　friends　can　recommend　him
a　new　governess　and　he　doesn't　like　the　notion　of　sending　the
girl　to　school。　So　matters　rest　at　present；　on　the　major's　own
showing；　for　so　the　major　expressed　himself　at　a　morning　call
which　the　father　and　daughter　paid　to　the　ladies　at　the　great
house。

〃You　have　now　got　my　promised　news；　and　you　will　have　little
difficulty；　I　think；　in　agreeing　with　me　that　the　Armadale
business　must　be　settled　at　once；　one　way　or　the　other。　If；　with
your　hopeless　prospects；　and　with　what　I　may　call　your　family
claim　on　this　young　fellow；　you　decide　on　giving　him　up；　I　shall
have　the　pleasure　of　sending　you　the　balance　of　your　account　with
me　（seven…and…twenty　shillings）；　and　shall　then　be　free　to　devote
myself　entirely　to　my　own　proper　business。　If；　on　the　contrary；
you　decide　to　try　your　luck　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　then　（there　being
no　kind　of　doubt　that　the　major's　minx　will　set　her　cap　at　the
young　squire）　I　should　be　glad　to　hear　how　you　mean　to　meet　the
double　difficulty　of　inflaming　Mr。　Armadale　and　extinguishing
Miss　Milroy。

〃Affectionately　yours；

〃MARIA　OLDERSHAW。

5。　_From　Miss　Gwilt　to　Mrs。　Oldershaw。

（First　Answer。）_

〃Richmond；　Wednesday　Morning。

〃MRS。　OLDERSHAWSend　me　my　seven…and…twenty　shillings；　and
devote　yourself　to　your　own　proper　business。　Yours；　L。　G。〃

6。　_From　Miss　Gwilt　to　Mrs。　Oldershaw。

（Second　Answer。）_

〃Richmond；　Wednesday　Night。

〃DEAR　OLD　LOVEKeep　the　seven…and…twenty　shillings；　and　burn　my
other　letter。　I　have　changed　my　mind。

〃I　wrote　the　first　time　after　a　horrible　night。　I　write　this　time
after　a　ride　on　horseback；　a　tumbler　of　claret；　and　the　breast　of
a　chicken。　Is　that　explanation　enough？　Please　say　Yes；　for　I　want
to　go　back　to　my　piano。

〃No；　I　can't　go　back　yet；　I　must　answer　your　question　first。　But
are　you　really　so　very　simple　as　to　suppose　that　I　don't　see
straight　through　you　and　your　letter？　You　know　that　the　major's
difficulty　is　our　opportunity　as　well　as　I　do；　but　you　want　me　to
take　the　responsibility　of　making　the　first　proposal；　don't　you？
Suppose　I　take　it　in　your　own　roundabout　way？　Suppose　I　say；
'Pray　don't　ask　me　how　I　propose　inflaming　Mr。　Armadale　and
extinguishing　Miss　Milroy；　the　question　is　so　shockingly　abrupt　I
really　can't　answer　it。　Ask　me；　instead；　if　it　is　the　modest
ambition　of　my　life　to　become　Miss　Milroy's　governess？'　Yes；　if
you　please；　Mrs。　Oldershaw；　and　if　you　will　assist　me　by　becoming
my　reference。

〃There　it　is　for　you！　If　some　serious　disaster　happens　（which　is
quite　possible）；　what　a　comfort　it　will　be　to　remember　that　it
was　all　my　fault！

〃Now　I　have　done　this　for　you；　will　you　do　something　for　me。　I
want　to　dream　away　the　little　time　I　am　likely　to　have　left　here
in　my　own　way。　Be　a　merciful　Mother　Oldershaw；　and　spare　me　the
worry　of　looking　at　the　Ins　and　Outs；　and　adding　up　the　chances
For　and　Against；　in　this　new　venture　of　mine。　Think　for　me；　in
short；　until　I　am　obliged　to　think　for　myself。

〃I　had　better　not　write　any　more；　or　I　shall　say　something　savage
that　you　won't　like。　I　am　in　one　of　my　tempers　to…night。　I　want　a
husband　to　vex；　or　a　child　to　beat；　or　something　of　that　sort。　Do
you　ever　like　to　see　the　summer　insects　kill　themselves　in　the
candle？　I　do；　sometimes。　Good…night；　Mrs。　Jezebel　The　longer　you
can　leave　me　here　the　better。　The　air　agrees　with　me；　and　I　am
looking　charmingly。

〃L。　G。〃

7。　_From　Mrs。　Oldershaw　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Thursday。

〃MY　DEAR　LYDIASome　persons　in　my　situation　might　be　a　little
offended　at　the　tone　of　your　last　letter。　But　I　am　so　fondly
attached　to　you！　And　when　I　love　a　person；　it　is　so　very　hard；　my
dear；　for　that　person　to　offend　me！　Don't　ride　quite　so　far；　and
only　drink　half　a　tumblerful　of　claret　next　time。　I　say　no　more。

〃Shall　we　leave　off　our　fencing…match　and　come　to　serious　matters
now？　How　curiously　hard　it　always　seems　to　be　for　women　to
understand　each　other；　especially　when　they　have　got　their　pens
in　their　hands！　But　suppose　we　try。

〃Well；　then；　to　begin　with：　I　gather　from　your　letter　that　you
have　wisely　decided　to　try　the　Thorpe　Ambrose　experiment；　and　to
secure；　if　you　can；　an　excellent　position　at　starting　by　becoming
a　member　of　Major　Milroy's　household。　If　the　circumstances　turn
against　you；　and　some　other　woman　gets　the　governess's　place
（about　which　I　shall　have　something　more　to　say　presently）；　you
will　then　have　no　choice　but　to　make　Mr。　Armadale's　acquaintance
in　some　other　character。　In　any　case；　you　will　want　my
assistance；　and　the　first　question；　therefore；　to　set　at　rest
between　us　is　the　question　of　what　I　am　willing　to　do；　and　what　I
can　do；　to　help　you。

〃A　woman；　my　dear　Lydia；　with　your　appearance；　your　manners；　your
abilities；　and　your　education；　can　make　almost　any　excursions
into　society　that　she　pleases　if　she　only　has　money　in　her　pocket
and　a　respectable　reference　to　appeal　to　in　cases　of　emergency。
As　to　the　money；　in　the　first　place。　I　will　engage　to　find　it；　on
condition　of　your　remembering　my　assistance　with　adequate
pecuniary　gratitude　if　you　win　the　Armadale　prize。　Your　promise
so　to　remember　me；　embodying　the　terms　in　plain　figures；　shall　be
drawn　out　on　paper　by　my　own　lawyer；　so　that　we　can　sign　and
settle　at　once　when　I　see　you　in　London。

〃Next；　as　to　the　reference。

〃Here；　again；　my　services　are　at　your　disposal；　on　another
condition。　It　is　this：　that　you　present　yourself　at　Thorpe
Ambrose；　under　the　name　to　which　you　have　returned　ever　since
that　dreadful　business　of　your　marriage；　I　mean　your　own　maiden
name　of　Gwilt。　I　have　only　one　motive　in　insisting　on　this；　I
wish　to　run　no　needless　risks　。　My　experience；　as　confidential
adviser　of　my　customers；　in　various　romantic　cases　of　private
embarrassment；　has　shown　me　that　an　assumed　name　is；　nine　times
out　of　ten；　a　very　unnecessary　and　a　very　dangerous　form　of
deception。　Nothing　could　justify　your　assuming　a　name　but　the
fear　of　young　Armadale's　detecting　youa　fear　from　which　we　are
fortunately　relieved　by　his　mother's　own　conduct　in　keeping　your
early　connection　with　her　a　profound　secret　from　her　son　and　from
everybody。

〃The　next；　and　last；　perplexity　to　settle　relates；　my　dear；　to
the　chances　for　and　against　your　finding　your　way；　in　the
capacity　of　governess；　into　Major　Milroy's　house。　Once　inside　the
door；　with　your　knowledge　of　music　and　languages；　if　you　can　keep
your　temper；　you　may　be　sure　of　keeping　the　place。　The　only
doubt；　as　things　are　now；　is　whether　you　can　get　it。

〃In　the　major's　present　difficulty　about　his　daughter's
education；　the　chances　are；　I　think；　in　favor　of　his　advertising
for　a　governess。　Say　he　does　advertise；　what　address　will　he　give
for　applicants　to　write　to？

〃If　he　gives　an　address　in　London；　good…by　to　all　chances　in　your
favor　at　once；　for　this　plain　reason；　that　we　shall　not　be　able
to　pick　out　his　advertisement　from　the　advertisements　of　other
people　who　want　governesses；　and　who　will　give　them　addresses　in
London　as　well。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　our　luck　helps　us；　and　he
refers　his　correspondents　to　a　shop；　post…office；　or　what　not　_at
Thorpe　Ambrose；_　there　we　have　our　advertiser　as　plainly　picked
out　for　us　as　we　can　wish。　In　this　last　case；　I　have　little　or　no
doubtwith　me　for　your　referenceof　your　finding　your　way　into
the　major's　family　circle。　We　have　one　great　advantage　over　the
other　women　who　will　answer　the　advertisement。　Thanks　to　my
inquiries　on　the　spot；　I　know　Major　Milroy　to　be　a　poor　man；　and
we　will　fix　the　salary　you　ask　at　a　figure　that　is　sure　to　tempt
him。　As　for　the　style　of　the　letter；　if　you　and　I　together　can't
write　a　modest　and　interesting　application　for　the　vacant　place；
I　should　like　to　know　who　can？

〃All　this；　however；　is　still　in　the　future。　For　the　present　my
advice　is；　stay　where　you　are；　and　dream　to　your　heart's　content；
till　you　hear　from　me　again。　I　take　in　_The　Times_　regularly；　and
you　may　trust　my　wary　eye　not　to　miss　the　right　advertisement。　We
can　luckily　give　the　major　time；　without　doing　any　injury　to　our
own　interests；　for　there　is　no　fear　just　yet　of　the　girl's
getting　the　start　of　you。　The　public　reception；　as　we　know；　won't
be　ready　till　near　the　end　of　the　month；　and　we　may　safely　trust
young　Armadale's　vanity　to　keep　him　out　of　his　new　house　until
his　flatterers　are　all　assembled　to　welcome　him。

〃It's　odd；　isn't　it；　to　think　how　much　depends　on　this　half…pay
officer's　decision？　For　my　part；　I　shall　wake　every　morning　now
with　the　same　question　in　my　mind：　If　the　major's　advertisment
appears；　which　will　the　major　sayThorpe　Ambrose；　or　London？

〃Ever；　my　dear　Lydia；　affectionately　yours；

〃MARIA　OLDERSHAW。〃


CHAPTER　II。

ALLAN　AS　A　LANDED　GENTLEMAN。

EARLY　on　the　morning　after　his　first　night's　rest　at　Thorpe
Ambrose；　Allan　rose　and　surveyed　the　prospect　from　his　bedroom
window；　lost　in　the　dense　mental　bewilderment　of　feeling　himself
to　be　a　stranger　in　his　own　house。

The　bedroom　looked　out　over　the　great　front　door；　with　its
portico；　its　terrace　and　flight　of　steps　beyond；　and；　further
still；　the　broad　sweep　of　the　well…timbered　park　to　close　the
view。　The　morning　mist　nestled　lightly　about　the　distant　trees；
and　the　cows　were　feeding　sociably；　close　to　the　iron　fence　which
railed　off　the　park　from　the　drive　in　front　of　the　house。　〃All
mine！〃　thought　Allan；　staring　in　blank　amazement　at　the　prospect
of　his　own　possessions。　〃Hang　me　if　I　can　beat　it　into　my　head
yet。　All　mine！〃

He　dressed；　left　his　room；　and　walked　along　the　corridor　which
led　to　the　staircase　and　hall；　opening　the　doors　in　succession　as
he　passed　them。

The　rooms　in　this　part　of　the　house　were　bedrooms　and
dressing…rooms；　light；　spacious；　perfectly　furnished；　and　all
empty；　except　the　one　bed…chamber　next　to　Allan's；　which　had　been
appropriated　to　Midwinter。　He　was　still　sleeping　when　his　friend
looked　in　on　him；　having　sat　late　into　the　night　writing　his
letter　to　Mr。　Brock。　Allan　went　on　to　the　end　of　the　first
corridor；　turned　at　right　angles　into　a　second；　and；　that　passed；
gained　the　head　of　the　great　staircase。　〃No　romance　here；〃　he
said　to　himself；　looking　down　the　handsomely　carpeted　stone
stairs　into　the　bright　modern　hall。　〃Nothing　to　startle
Midwinter's　fidgety　nerves　in　this　house。〃　There　was　nothing；
indeed；　Allan's　essentially　superficial　observation　had　not
misled　him　for　once。　The　mansion　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　（built　after
the　pulling　down　of　the　dilapidated　old　manor…house）　was　barely
fifty　years　old。　Nothing　picturesque；　nothing　in　the　slightest
degree　suggestive　of　mystery　and　romance；　appeared　in　any　part　of
it。　It　was　a　purely　conventional　country　housethe　product　of
the　classical　idea　filtered　judiciously　through　the　commercial
English　mind。　Viewed　on　the　outer　side；　it　presented　the
spectacle　of　a　modern　manufactory　trying　to　look　like　an　ancient
temple。　Viewed　on　the　inner　side；　it　was　a　marvel　of　luxurious
comfort　in　every　part　of　it；　from　basement　to　roof。　〃And　quite
right；　too；〃　thought　Allan；　sauntering　contentedly　down　the
broad；　gently　graduated　stairs。　〃Deuce　take　all　mystery　and