armadale-第64章

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you　would　have　attributed　it　entirely　to　the　music！

〃No！　you　may　take　my　word　for　it；　the　harm　is　done。　_This_　man　is
no　rattle…pated　fool；　who　changes　his　fancies　as　readily　as　he
changes　his　clothes。　The　fire　that　lights　those　big　black　eyes　of
his　is　not　an　easy　fire；　when　a　woman　has　once　kindled　it；　for
that　woman　to　put　out。　I　don't　wish　to　discourage　you；　I　don't
say　the　changes　are　against　us。　But　with　Mrs。　Milroy　threatening
me　on　one　side；　and　Mr。　Midwinter　on　the　other；　the　worst　of　all
risks　to　run　is　the　risk　of　losing　time。　Young　Armadale　has
hinted　already；　as　well　as　such　a　lout　can　hint；　at　a　private
interview！　Miss　Milroy's　eyes　are　sharp；　and　the　nurse's　eyes　are
sharper；　and　I　shall　lose　my　place　if　either　of　them　find　me　out。
No　matter！　I　must　take　my　chance；　and　give　him　the　interview。
Only　let　me　get　him　alone；　only　let　me　escape　the　prying　eyes　of
the　women；　andif　his　friend　doesn't　come　between　usI　answer
for　the　result！

〃In　the　meantime；　have　I　anything　more　to　tell　you？　Are　there　any
other　people　in　our　way　at　Thorpe　Ambrose？　Not　another　creature！
None　of　the　resident　families　call　here；　young　Armadale　being；
most　fortunately；　in　bad　odor　in　the　neighborhood。　There　are　no
handsome　highly…bred　women　to　come　to　the　house；　and　no　persons
of　consequence　to　protest　against　his　attentions　to　a　governess。
The　only　guests　he　could　collect　at　his　party　to…night　were　the
lawyer　and　his　family　（a　wife；　a　son；　and　two　daughters）；　and　a
deaf　old　woman　and　_her_　sonall　perfectly　unimportant　people；
and　all　obedient　humble　servants　of　the　stupid　young　squire。

〃Talking　of　obedient　humble　servants；　there　is　one　other　person
established　here；　who　is　employed　in　the　steward's　officea
miserable；　shabby；　dilapidated　old　man；　named　Bashwood。　He　is　a
perfect　stranger　to　me；　and　I　am　evidently　a　perfect　stranger　to
him；　for　he　has　been　asking　the　house…maid　at　the　cottage　who　I
am。　It　is　paying　no　great　compliment　to　myself　to　confess　it；　but
it　is　not　the　less　true　that　I　produced　the　most　extraordinary
impression　on　this　feeble　old　creature　the　first　time　he　saw　me。
He　turned　all　manner　of　colors；　and　stood　trembling　and　staring
at　me；　as　if　there　was　something　perfectly　frightful　in　my　face。
I　felt　quite　startled　for　the　moment；　for；　of　all　the　ways　in
which　men　have　looked　at　me；　no　man　ever　looked　at　me　in　that　way
before。　Did　you　ever　see　the　boa　constrictor　fed　at　the
Zoological　Gardens？　They　put　a　live　rabbit　into　his　cage；　and
there　is　a　moment　when　the　two　creatures　look　at　each　other。　I
declare　Mr。　Bashwood　reminded　me　of　the　rabbit。

〃Why　do　I　mention　this？　I　don't　know　why。　Perhaps　I　have　been
writing　too　long；　and　my　head　is　beginning　to　fail　me。　Perhaps
Mr。　Bashwood's　manner　of　admiring　me　strikes　my　fancy　by　its
novelty。　Absurd！　I　am　exciting　myself；　and　troubling　you　about
nothing。　Oh；　what　a　weary；　long　letter　I　have　written！　and　how
brightly　the　stars　look　at　me　through　the　window；　and　how　awfully
quiet　the　night　is！　Send　me　some　more　of　those　sleeping　drops；
and　write　me　one　of　your　nice；　wicked；　amusing　letters。　You　shall
hear　from　me　again　as　soon　as　I　know　a　little　better　how　it　is
all　likely　to　end。　Good…night；　and　keep　a　corner　in　your　stony
old　heart　for

L。　G。〃

3。　_From　Mrs。　Oldershaw　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Diana　Street；　Pimlico；　Monday。

〃MY　DEAR　LYDIAI　am　in　no　state　of　mind　to　write　you　an　amusing
letter。　Your　news　is　very　discouraging；　and　the　recklessness　of
your　tone　quite　alarms　me。　Consider　the　money　I　have　already
advanced；　and　the　interests　we　both　have　at　stake。　Whatever　else
you　are；　don't　be　reckless；　for　Heaven's　sake！

〃What　can　I　do？　I　ask　myself；　as　a　woman　of　business；　what　can　I
do　to　help　you？　I　can't　give　you　advice；　for　I　am　not　on　the
spot；　and　I　don't　know　how　circumstances　may　alter　from　one　day
to　another。　Situated　as　we　are　now；　I　can　only　be　useful　in　one
way。　I　can　discover　a　new　obstacle　that　threatens　you；　and　I
think　I　can　remove　it。

〃You　say；　with　great　truth；　that　there　never　was　a　prospect　yet
without　an　ugly　place　in　it；　and　that　there　are　two　ugly　places
in　your　prospect。　My　dear；　there　may　be　_three_　ugly　places；　if　I
don't　bestir　myself　to　prevent　it；　and　the　name　of　the　third
place　will　beBrock！　Is　it　possible　you　can　refer；　as　you　have
done；　to　the　Somersetshire　clergyman；　and　not　see　that　the
progress　you　make　with　young　Armadale　will　be；　sooner　or　later；
reported　to　him　by　young　Armadale's　friend？　Why；　now　I　think　of
it；　you　are　doubly　at　the　parson's　mercy！　You　are　at　the　mercy　of
any　fresh　suspicion　which　may　bring　him　into　the　neighborhood
himself　at　a　day's　notice；　and　you　are　at　the　mercy　of　his
interference　the　moment　he　hears　that　the　squire　is　committing
himself　with　a　neighbor's　governess。　If　I　can　do　nothing　else；　I
can　keep　this　additional　difficulty　out　of　your　way。　And　oh；
Lydia；　with　what　alacrity　I　shall　exert　myself；　after　the　manner
in　which　the　old　wretch　insulted　me　when　I　told　him　that　pitiable
story　in　the　street！　I　declare　I　tingle　with　pleasure　at　this　new
prospect　of　making　a　fool　of　Mr。　Brock。

〃And　how　is　it　to　be　done？　Just　as　we　have　done　it　already；　to　be
sure。　He　has　lost　'Miss　Gwilt'　（otherwise　my　house…maid）；　hasn't
he？　Very　well。　He　shall　find　her　again；　wherever　he　is　now；
suddenly　settled　within　easy　reach　of　him。　As　long　as　_she_　stops
in　the　place；　_he_　will　stop　in　it；　and　as　we　know　he　is　not　at
Thorpe　Ambrose；　there　you　are　free　of　him！　The　old　gentleman's
suspicions　have　given　us　a　great　deal　of　trouble　so　far。　Let　us
turn　them　to　some　profitable　account　at　last；　let　us　tie　him；　by
his　suspicions；　to　my　house…maid's　apron…string。　Most　refreshing。
Quite　a　moral　retribution；　isn't　it？

〃The　only　help　I　need　trouble　you　for　is　help　you　can　easily
give。　Find　out　from　Mr。　Midwinter　where　the　parson　is　now；　and
let　me　know　by　return　of　post。　If　he　is　in　London；　I　will
personally　assist　my　housemaid　in　the　necessary　mystification　of
him。　If　he　is　anywhere　else；　I　will　send　her　after　him；
accompanied　by　a　person　on　whose　discretion　I　can　implicitly
rely。

〃You　shall　have　the　sleeping　drops　to…morrow。　In　the　meantime；　I
say　at　the　end　what　I　said　at　the　beginningno　recklessness。
Don't　encourage　poetical　feelings　by　looking　at　the　stars；　and
don't　talk　about　the　night　being　awfully　quiet。　There　are　people
（in　observatories）　paid　to　look　at　the　stars　for　you；　leave　it　to
them。　And　as　for　the　night；　do　what　Providence　intended　you　to　do
with　the　night　when　Providence　provided　you　with　eyelidsgo　to
sleep　in　it。　Affectionately　yours；

〃MARIA　OLDERSHAW。〃

4。　_From　the　Reverend　Decimus　Brock　to　Ozias　Midwinter。_

〃Bascombe　Rectory；　West　Somerset；　Thursday；　July　8。

〃MY　DEAR　MIDWINTEROne　line　before　the　post　goes　out；　to　relieve
you　of　all　sense　of　responsibility　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　to　make
my　apologies　to　the　lady　who　lives　as　governess　in　Major　Milroy's
family。

〃_The_　Miss　Gwiltor　perhaps　I　ought　to　say；　the　woman　calling
herself　by　that　namehas；　to　my　unspeakable　astonishment；　openly
made　her　appearance　here；　in　my　own　parish！　She　is　staying　at　the
i　nn；　accompanied　by　a　plausible…looking　man；　who　passes　as　her
brother。　What　this　audacious　proceeding　really　meansunless　it
marks　a　new　step　in　the　conspiracy　against　Allan；　taken　under　new
adviceis；　of　course；　more　than　I　can　yet　find　out。

〃My　own　idea　is；　that　they　have　recognized　the　impossibility　of
getting　at　Allan；　without　finding　me　（or　you）　as　an　obstacle　in
their　way；　and　that　they　are　going　to　make　a　virtue　of　necessity
by　boldly　trying　to　open　their　communications　through　me。　The　man
looks　capable　of　any　stretch　of　audacity；　and　both　he　and　the
woman　had　the　impudence　to　bow　when　I　met　them　in　the　village
half　an　hour　since。　They　have　been　making　inquiries　already　about
Allan's　mother　here；　where　her　exemplary　life　may　set　their
closest　scrutiny　at　defiance。　If　they　will　only　attempt　to　extort
money；　as　the　price　of　the　woman's　silence　on　the　subject　of　poor
Mrs。　Armadale's　conduct　in　Madeira　at　the　time　of　her　marriage；
they　will　find　me　well　prepared　for　them　beforehand。　I　have
written　by　this　post　to　my　lawyers　to　send　a　competent　man　to
assist　me；　and　he　will　stay　at　the　rectory；　in　any　character
which　he　thinks　it　safest　to　assume　under　present　circumstances。

〃You　shall　hear　what　happens　in　the　next　day　or　two。

〃Always　truly　yours；　DECIMUS　BROCK。〃

CHAPTER　XII。

THE　CLOUDING　OF　THE　SKY。

NINE　days　had　passed；　and　the　tenth　day　was　nearly　at　an　end；
since　Miss　Gwilt　and　her　pupil　had　taken　their　morning　walk　in
the　cottage　garden。

The　night　was　overcast。　Since　sunset；　there　had　been　signs　in　the
sky　from　which　the　popular　forecast　had　predicted　rain。　The
reception…rooms　at　the　great　house　were　all　empty　and　dark。　Allan
was　away；　passing　the　evening　with　the　Milroys；　and　Midwinter　was
waiting　his　returnnot　where　Midwinter　usually　waited；　among　the
books　in　the　library；　but　in　the　little　back　room　which　Allan's
mother　had　inhabited　in　the　last　days　of　her　residence　at　Thorpe
Ambrose。

Nothing　had　been　taken　away；　but　much　had　been　added　to　the　room；
since　Midwinter　had　first　seen　it。　The　books　which　Mrs。　Armadale
had　left　behind　her；　the　furniture；　the　old　matting　on　the　floor；
the　old　paper　on　the　walls；　were　all　undisturbed。　The　statuette
of　Niobe　still　stood　on　its　bracket；　and　the　French　window　still
opened　on　the　garden。　But　now；　to　the　relics　left　by　the　mother；
were　added　the　personal　possessions　belonging　to　the　son。　The
wall；　bare　hitherto；　was　decorated　with　water…color
drawingswith　a　portrait　of　Mrs。　Armadale　supported　on　one　side
by　a　view　of　the　old　house　in　Somersetshire；　and　on　the　other　by
a　picture　of　the　yacht。　Among　the　books　which　bore　in　faded　ink
Mrs。　Armadale's　inscriptions；　〃From　my　father；〃　were　other　books
inscribed　in　the　same　handwriting；　in　brighter　ink；　〃To　my　son。〃
Hanging　to　the　wall；　ranged　on　the　chimney…piece；　scattered　over
the　table；　were　a　host　of　little　objects；　some　associated　with
Allan's　past　life；　others　necessary　to　his　daily　pleasures　and
pursuits；　and　all　plainly　testifying　that　the　room　which　he
habitually　occupied　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　was　the　very　room　which　had
once　recalled　to　Midwinter　the　second　vision　of　the　dream。　Here；
strangely　unmoved　by　the　scene　around　him；　so　lately　the　object
of　his　superstitious　distrust；　Allan's　friend　now　waited
composedly　for　Allan's　return；　and　here；　more　strangely　still；　he
looked　on　a　change　in　the　household　arrangements；　due　in　the
first　instance　entirely　to　himself。　His　own　lips　had　revealed　the
discovery　which　he　had　made　on　the　first　morning　in　the　new
house；　his　own　voluntary　act　had　induced　the　son　to　establish
himself　in　the　mother's　room。

Under　what　motives　had　he　spoken　the　words？　Under　no　motives
which　were　not　the　natural　growth　of　the　new　interests　and　the
new　hopes　that　now　animated　him。

The　entire　change　wrought　in　his　convictions　by　the　memorable
event　that　had　brought　him　face　to　face　with　Miss　Gwilt　was　a
change　which　it　was　not　in　his　nature　to　hide　from　Allan's
knowledge。　He　had　spoken　openly；　and　had　spoken　as　it　was　in　his
character　to　speak。　The　merit　of　conquering