armadale-第46章

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from　the　table　a　letter　which　the　morning's　post　had　brought　to
him；　and　that　he　had　gone　back　immediately　to　his　own　room。　Allan
at　once　ascended　the　stairs　again；　and　knocked　at　his　friend's
door。

〃May　I　come　in？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　just　now；〃　was　the　answer。

〃You　have　got　a　letter；　haven't　you？〃　persisted　Allan。　〃Any　bad
news？　Anything　wrong？〃

〃Nothing。　I'm　not　very　well　this　morning。　Don't　wait　breakfast
for　me；　I'll　come　down　as　soon　as　I　can。〃

No　more　was　said　on　either　side。　Allan　returned　to　the
breakfast…room　a　little　disappointed。　He　had　set　his　heart　on
rushing　headlong　into　his　consultation　with　Midwinter；　and　here
was　the　consultation　indefinitely　delayed。　〃What　an　odd　fellow　he
is！〃　thought　Allan。　〃What　on　earth　can　he　be　doing；　locked　in
there　by　himself？〃

He　was　doing　nothing。　He　was　sitting　by　the　window；　with　the
letter　which　had　reached　him　that　morning　open　in　his　hand。　The
handwriting　was　Mr。　Brock's；　and　the　words　written　were　these：


〃MY　DEAR　MIDWINTERI　have　literally　only　two　minutes　before　post
time　to　tell　you　that　I　have　just　met　（in　Kensington　Gardens）
with　the　woman　whom　we　both　only　know；　thus　far；　as　the　woman
with　the　red　Paisley　shawl。　I　have　traced　her　and　her　companion
（a　respectable…looking　elderly　lady）　to　their　residenceafter
having　distinctly　heard　Allan's　name　mentioned　between　them。
Depend　on　my　not　losing　sight　of　the　woman　until　I　am　satisfied
that　she　means　no　mischief　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　expect　to　hear
from　me　again　as　soon　as　I　know　how　this　strange　discovery　is　to
end。

〃Very　truly　yours；　D　ECIMUS　BROCK。〃


After　reading　the　letter　for　the　second　time；　Midwinter　folded　it
up　thoughtfully；　and　placed　it　in　his　pocket…book；　side　by　side
with　the　manuscript　narrative　of　Allan's　dream。

〃Your　discovery　will　not　end　with　_you；_　Mr。　Brock；〃　he　said。　〃Do
what　you　will　with　the　woman；　when　the　time　comes　the　woman　will
be　here。〃

CHAPTER　V。

MOTHER　OLDERSHAW　ON　HER　GUARD。

1。　_From　Mrs。　Oldershaw　（Diana　Street；　Pimlico）　to　Miss　Gwilt
（West　Place；　Old　Brompton）。_

〃Ladies'　Toilet　Repository；　June　20th；

Eight　in　the　Evening。

〃MY　DEAR　LYDIAAbout　three　hours　have　passed；　as　well　as　I　can
remember；　since　I　pushed　you　unceremoniously　inside　my　house　in
West　Place；　and；　merely　telling　you　to　wait　till　you　saw　me
again；　banged　the　door　to　between　us；　and　left　you　alone　in　the
hall。　I　know　your　sensitive　nature；　my　dear；　and　I　am　afraid　you
have　made　up　your　mind　by　this　time　that　never　yet　was　a　guest
treated　so　abominably　by　her　hostess　as　I　have　treated　you。

〃The　delay　that　has　prevented　me　from　explaining　my　strange
conduct　is；　believe　me；　a　delay　for　which　I　am　not　to　blame。　One
of　the　many　delicate　little　difficulties　which　beset　so
essentially　confidential　a　business　as　mine　occurred　here　（as　I
have　since　discovered）　while　we　were　taking　the　air　this
afternoon　in　Kensington　Gardens。　I　see　no　chance　of　being　able　to
get　back　to　you　for　some　hours　to　come；　and　I　have　a　word　of　very
urgent　caution　for　your　private　ear；　which　has　been　too　long
delayed　already。　So　I　must　use　the　spare　minutes　as　they　come；
and　write。

〃Here　is　caution　the　first。　On　no　account　venture　outside　the
door　again　this　evening；　and　be　very　careful；　while　the　daylight
lasts；　not　to　show　yourself　at　any　of　the　front　windows。　I　have
reason　to　fear　that　a　certain　charming　person　now　staying　with　me
may　possibly　be　watched。　Don't　be　alarmed；　and　don't　be
impatient；　you　shall　know　why。

〃I　can　only　explain　myself　by　going　back　to　our　unlucky　meeting
in　the　Gardens　with　that　reverend　gentleman　who　was　so　obliging
as　to　follow　us　both　back　to　my　house。

〃It　crossed　my　mind；　just　as　we　were　close　to　the　door；　that
there　might　be　a　motive　for　the　parson's　anxiety　to　trace　us
home；　far　less　creditable　to　his　taste；　and　far　more　dangerous　to
both　of　us；　than　the　motive　you　supposed　him　to　have。　In　plainer
words；　Lydia；　I　rather　doubted　whether　you　had　met　with　another
admirer；　and　I　strongly　suspected　that　you　had　encountered
another　enemy　instead　。　There　was　no　time　to　tell　you　this。　There
was　only　time　to　see　you　safe　into　the　house；　and　to　make　sure　of
the　parson　（in　case　my　suspicions　were　right）　by　treating　him　as
he　had　treated　us；　I　mean；　by　following　him　in　his　turn。

〃I　kept　some　little　distance　behind　him　at　first；　to　turn　the
thing　over　in　my　mind；　and　to　be　satisfied　that　my　doubts　were
not　misleading　me。　We　have　no　concealments　from　each　other；　and
you　shall　know　what　my　doubts　were。

〃I　was　not　surprised　at　_your_　recognizing　_him；_　he　is　not　at
all　a　common…looking　old　man；　and　you　had　seen　him　twice　in
Somersetshireonce　when　you　asked　your　way　of　him　to　Mrs。
Armadale's　house；　and　once　when　you　saw　him　again　on　your　way
back　to　the　railroad。　But　I　was　a　little　puzzled　（considering
that　you　had　your　veil　down　on　both　those　occasions；　and　your
veil　down　also　when　we　were　in　the　Gardens）　at　his　recognizing
_you。_　I　doubted　his　remembering　your　figure　in　a　summer　dress
after　he　had　only　seen　it　in　a　winter　dress；　and　though　we　were
talking　when　he　met　us；　and　your　voice　is　one　among　your　many
charms；　I　doubted　his　remembering　your　voice；　either。　And　yet　I
felt　persuaded　that　he　knew　you。　'How？'　you　will　ask。　My　dear；　as
ill…luck　would　have　it；　we　were　speaking　at　the　time　of　young
Armadale。　I　firmly　believe　that　the　name　was　the　first　thing　that
struck　him；　and　when　he　heard　_that；_；　your　voice　certainly　and
your　figure　perhaps；　came　back　to　his　memory。　'And　what　if　it
did？'　you　may　say。　Think　again；　Lydia；　and　tell　me　whether　the
parson　of　the　place　where　Mrs。　Armadale　lived　was　not　likely　to
be　Mrs。　Armadale's　friend？　If　he　_was_　her　friend；　the　very　first
person　to　whom　she　would　apply　for　advice　after　the　manner　in
which　you　frightened　her；　and　after　what　you　most　injudiciously
said　on　the　subject　of　appealing　to　her　son；　would　be　the
clergyman　of　the　parishand　the　magistrate；　too；　as　the　landlord
at　the　inn　himself　told　you。

〃You　will　now　understand　why　I　left　you　in　that　extremely　uncivil
manner；　and　I　may　go　on　to　what　happened　next。

〃I　followed　the　old　gentleman　till　he　turned　into　a　quiet　street；
and　then　accosted　him；　with　respect　for　the　Church　written　（I
flatter　myself）　in　every　line　of　my　face。

〃　'Will　you　excuse　me；'　I　said；　'if　I　venture　to　inquire；　sir；
whether　you　recognized　the　lady　who　was　walking　with　me　when　you
happened　to　pass　us　in　the　Gardens？'

〃　'Will　you　excuse　my　asking；　ma'am；　why　you　put　that　question？'
was　all　the　answer　I　got。

〃　'I　will　endeavor　to　tell　you；　sir；'　I　said。　'If　my　friend　is
not　an　absolute　stranger　to　you；　I　should　wish　to　request　your
attention　to　a　very　delicate　subject；　connected　with　a　lady
deceased；　and　with　her　son　who　survives　her。'

〃He　was　staggered；　I　could　see　that。　But　he　was　sly　enough　at　the
same　time　to　hold　his　tongue　and　wait　till　I　said　something　more。

〃　'If　I　am　wrong；　sir；　in　thinking　that　you　recognized　my
friend；'　I　went　on；　'I　beg　to　apologize。　But　I　could　hardly
suppose　it　possible　that　a　gentleman　in　your　profession　would
follow　a　lady　home　who　was　a　total　stranger　to　him。'

〃There　I　had　him。　He　colored　up　（fancy　that；　at　his　age！）；　and
owned　the　truth；　in　defense　of　his　own　precious　character。

〃　'I　have　met　with　the　lady　once　before；　and　I　acknowledge　that　I
recognized　her　in　the　Gardens；'　he　said。　'You　will　excuse　me　if　I
decline　entering　into　the　question　of　whether　I　did　or　did　not
purposely　follow　her　home。　If　you　wish　to　be　assured　that　your
friend　is　not　an　absolute　stranger　to　me；　you　now　have　that
assurance；　and　if　you　have　anything　particular　to　say　to　me；　I
leave　you　to　decide　whether　the　time　has　come　to　say　it。'

〃He　waited；　and　looked　about。　I　waited；　and　looked　about。　He　said
the　street　was　hardly　a　fit　place　to　speak　of　a　delicate　subject
in。　I　said　the　street　was　hardly　a　fit　place　to　speak　of　a
delicate　subject　in。　He　didn't　offer　to　take　me　to　where　he
lived。　I　didn't　offer　to　take　him　to　where　I　lived。　Have　you　ever
seen　two　strange　cats；　my　dear；　nose　to　nose　on　the　tiles？　If　you
have；　you　have　seen　the　parson　and　me　done　to　the　life。

〃　'Well；　ma'am；'　he　said；　at　last；　'shall　we　go　on　with　our
conversation　in　spite　of　circumstances？'

〃　'Yes；　sir；'　I　said；　'we　are　both　of　us；　fortunately；　of　an　age
to　set　circumstances　at　defiance'　（I　had　seen　the　old　wretch
looking　at　my　gray　hair；　and　satisfying　himself　that　his
character　was　safe　if　he　_was_　seen　with　me）。

〃After　all　this　snapping　and　snarling；　we　came　to　the　point　at
last。　I　began　by　telling　him　that　I　feared　his　interest　in　you
was　not　of　the　friendly　sort。　He　admitted　that　muchof　course；
in　defense　of　his　own　character　once　more。　I　next　repeated　to　him
everything　you　had　told　me　about　your　proceedings　in
Somersetshire；　when　we　first　found　that　he　was　following　us　home。
Don't　be　alarmed　my　dearI　was　acting　on　principle。　If　you　want
to　make　a　dish　of　lies　digestible；　always　give　it　a　garnish　of
truth。　Well；　having　appealed　to　the　reverend　gentleman's
confidence　in　this　matter；　I　next　declared　that　you　had　become　an
altered　woman　since　he　had　seen　you　last。　I　revived　that　dead
wretch；　your　husband　（without　mentioning　names；　of　course）；
established　him　（the　first　place　I　thought　of）　in　business　at　the
Brazils；　and　described　a　letter　which　he　had　written；　offering　to
forgive　his　erring　wife；　if　she　would　repent　and　go　back　to　him。
I　assured　the　parson　that　your　husband's　noble　conduct　had
softened　your　obdurate　nature；　and　then；　thinking　I　had　produced
the　right　impression；　I　came　boldly　to　close　quarters　with　him。　I
said；　'At　the　very　time　when　you　met　us；　sir；　my　unhappy　friend
was　speaking　in　terms　of　touching；　self…reproach　of　her　conduct
to　the　　late　Mrs。　Armadale。　She　confided　to　me　her　anxiety
　to　make　some　atonement；　if　possible；　to　Mrs。　Armadale's　son；　and
it　is　at　her　entreaty　（for　she　cannot　prevail　on　herself　to　face
you）　that　I　now　beg　to　inquire　whether　Mr。　Armadale　is　still　in
Somersetshire；　and　whether　he　would　consent　to　take　back　in　small
installments　the　sum　of　money　which　my　friend　acknowledges　that
she　received　by　practicing　on　Mrs。　Armadale's　fears。'　Those　were
my　very　words。　A　neater　story　（accounting　so　nicely　for
everything）　was　never　told；　it　was　a　story　to　melt　a　stone。　But
this　Somersetshire　parson　is　harder　than　stone　itself。　I　blush
for　_him；_　my　dear；　when　I　assure　you　that　he　was　evidently
insensible　enough　to　disbelieve　every　word　I　said　about　your
reformed　character；　your　husband　in　the　Brazils；　and　your
penitent　anxiety　to　pay　the　money　back。　It　is　really　a　disgrace
that　such　a　man　should　be　in　the　Church；　such　cunning　as　his　is
in　the　last　degree　unbecoming　in　a　member　of　a　sacred　profession。

〃　'Does　your　friend　propose　to　join　her　husband　by　the　next
steamer？'　was　all　he　condescended　to　say；　when　I　had　done。

〃I　acknowledge　I　was　angry。　I　snapped　at　him。　I　said；　'Yes；　she
does。'

〃　'How　am　I　to　communicate　with　her？'　he　asked。

〃I　snapped　at　him　again。　'By　letterthrough　me。'

〃　'At　what　address；　ma'am？'

〃There；　I　had　him　once　more。　'You　have　found　my　address　out　for
yourself；　sir；'　I　said。　'The　directory　will　te