armadale-第68章

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a　boy；　the　pest　of　the　neighborhood。　The　boy's　customary
impudence　had　broken　out　even　more　unrestrainedly　than　usual　at
the　sight　of　the　gentleman's　knapsack。　And　what　had　the　gentleman
done　in　return？　He　had　stopped　and　looked　distressed；　and　had　put
his　two　hands　gently　on　the　boy's　shoulders。　The　grocer's　own
eyes　had　seen　that；　and　the　grocer's　own　ears　had　heard　him　say；
〃Poor　little　chap！　I　know　how　the　wind　gnaws　and　the　rain　wets
through　a　ragged　jacket；　better　than　most　people　who　have　got　a
good　coat　on　their　backs。〃　And　with　those　words　he　had　put　his
hand　in　his　pocket；　and　had　rewarded　the　boy's　impudence　with　a
present　of　a　shilling。　〃Wrong　here…abouts；〃　said　the　grocer；
touching　his　forehead。　〃That's　my　opinion　of　Mr。　Armadale's
friend！〃

The　butcher　had　seen　him　further　on　in　the　journey；　at　the　other
end　of　the　town。　He　had　stoppedagain　in　the　pouring　rainand
this　time　to　look　at　nothing　more　remarkable　than　a　half…starved
cur；　shivering　on　a　doorstep。　〃I　had　my　eye　on　him；〃　said　the
butcher；　〃and　what　do　you　think　he　did？　He　crossed　the　road　over
to　my　shop；　and　bought　a　bit　of　meat　fit　for　a　Christian。　Very
well。　He　says　good…morning；　and　crosses　back　again；　and；　on　the
word　of　a　man；　down　he　goes　on　his　knees　on　the　wet　doorstep；　and
out　he　takes　his　knife；　and　cuts　up　the　meat；　and　gives　it　to　the
dog。　Meat；　I　tell　you　again；　fit　for　a　Christian！　I'm　not　a　hard
man；　ma'am；〃　concluded　the　butcher；　addressing　the　cook；　〃but
meat's　meat；　and　it　will　serve　your　master's　friend　right　if　he
lives　to　want　it。〃

With　those　old　unforgotten　sympathies　of　the　old　unforgotten　time
to　keep　him　company　on　his　lonely　road；　he　had　left　the　town
behind　him；　and　had　been　lost　to　view　in　the　misty　rain。　The
grocer　and　the　butcher　had　seen　the　last　of　him；　and　had　judged　a
great　nature；　as　all　natures　_are_　judged　from　the　grocer　and　the
butcher　point　of　view。

THE　END　OF　THE　SECOND　BOOK。

BOOK　THE　THIRD。

CHAPTER　I。

MRS。　MILROY。

Two　days　after　Midwinter's　departure　from　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Mrs。
Milroy；　having　completed　her　morning　toilet；　and　having　dismissed
her　nurse；　rang　the　bell　again　five　minutes　afterward；　and　on　the
woman's　re…appearance　asked　impatiently　if　the　post　had　come　in

〃Post？〃　echoed　the　nurse。　〃Haven't　you　got　your　watch？　Don't　you
know　that　it's　a　good　half…hour　too　soon　to　ask　for　your
letters？〃　She　spoke　with　the　confident　insolence　of　a　servant
long　accustomed　to　presume　on　her　mistress's　weakness　and　her
mistress's　necessities。　Mrs。　Milroy；　on　her　side；　appeared　to　be
well　used　to　her　nurses　manner；　she　gave　her　orders　composedly；
without　noticing　it。

〃When　the　postman　does　come；〃　she　said；　〃see　him　yourself。　I　am
expecting　a　letter　which　I　ought　to　have　had　two　days　since。　I
don't　understand　it。　I'm　beginning　to　suspect　the　servants。〃

The　nurse　smiled　contemptuously。　〃Whom　will　you　suspect　next？〃
she　asked。　〃There！　don't　put　yourself　out。　I'll　answer　the
gate…bell　this　morning；　and　we'll　see　if　I　can't　bring　you　a
letter　when　the　postman　comes。〃　Saying　those　words；　with　the　tone
and　manner　of　a　woman　who　is　quieting　a　fractious　child；　the
nurse；　without　waiting　to　be　dismissed；　left　the　room。

Mrs。　Milroy　turned　slowly　and　wearily　on　her　bed；　when　she　was
left　by　herself　again；　and　let　the　light　from　the　window　fall　on
her　face。　It　was　the　face　of　a　woman　who　had　once　been　handsome；
and　who　was　still；　so　far　as　years　went；　in　the　prime　of　her
life。　Long…continued　suffering　of　body　and　long…continued
irritation　of　mind　had　worn　her　awayin　the　roughly　expressive
popular　phraseto　skin　and　bone。　The　utter　wreck　of　her　beauty
was　made　a　wreck　horrible　to　behold；　by　her　desperate　efforts　to
conceal　the　sight　of　it　from　her　own　eyes；　from　the　eyes　of　her
husband　and　her　child；　from　the　eyes　even　of　the　doctor　who
attended　her；　and　whose　business　it　was　to　penetrate　to　the
truth。　Her　head；　from　which　the　greater　part　of　the　hair　had
fallen　off；　would　have　been　less　shocking　to　see　than　the
hideously　youthful　wig　by　which　she　tried　to　hide　the　loss。　No
deterioration　of　her　complexion；　no　wrinkling　of　her　skin；　could
have　been　so　dreadful　to　look　at　as　the　rouge　that　lay　thick　on
her　cheeks；　and　the　white　enamel　plastered　on　her　forehead。　The
delicate　lace；　and　the　bright　trimming　on　her　dressing…gown；　the
ribbons　in　her　cap；　and　the　rings　on　her　bony　fingers；　all
intended　to　draw　the　eye　away　from　the　change　that　had　passed
over　her；　directed　the　eye　to　it；　on　the　contrary；　emphasized　it；
made　it　by　sheer　force　of　contrast　more　hopeless　and　more
horrible　than　it　really　was。　An　illustrated　book　of　the　fashions；
in　which　women　were　represented　exhibiting　their　finery　by　means
of　the　free　use　of　their　limbs；　lay　on　the　bed；　from　which　she
had　not　moved　for　years　without　being　lifted　by　her　nurse。　A
hand…glass　was　placed　with　the　book　so　that　she　could　reach　it
easily。　She　took　up　the　glass　after　her　attendant　had　left　the
room；　and　looked　at　her　face　with　an　unblushing　interest　and
attention　which　she　would　have　been　ashamed　of　herself　at　the　age
of　eighteen。

〃Older　and　older；　and　thinner　and　thinner！〃　she　said。　〃The　major
will　soon　be　a　free　man；　but　I'll　have　that　red…haired　hussy　out
of　the　house　first！〃

She　dropped　the　looking…glass　on　the　counterpane；　and　clinched
the　hand　that　held　it。　Her　eyes　suddenly　riveted　themselves　on　a
little　crayon　portrait　of　her　husband　hanging　on　the　opposite
wall；　they　looked　at　the　likeness　with　the　hard　and　cruel
brightness　of　the　eyes　of　a　bird　of　prey。　〃Red　is　your　taste　in
your　old　age　is　it？〃　she　said　to　the　portrait。　〃Red　hair；　and　a
scrofulous　complexion；　and　a　padded　figure；　a　ballet…girl's　walk；
and　a　pickpocket's　light　fingers。　_Miss_　Gwilt！　_Miss；_　with
those　eyes；　and　that　walk！〃　She　turned　her　head　suddenly　on　the
pillow；　and　burst　into　a　harsh；　jeering　laugh。　〃_Miss！_〃　she
repeated　over　and　over　again；　with　the　venomously　pointed
emphasis　of　the　most　merciless　of　all　human　forms　of
contemptthe　contempt　of　one　woman　for　another。

The　age　we　live　in　is　an　age　which　finds　no　human　creature
inexcusable。　Is　there　an　excuse　for　Mrs。　Milroy？　Let　the　story　of
her　life　answer　the　question。

She　had　married　the　major　at　an　unusually　early　age；　and；　in
marrying　him；　had　taken　a　man　for　her　husband　who　was　old　enough
to　be　her　fathera　man　who；　at　that　time；　had　the　reputation；
and　not　unjustly；　of　having　made　the　freest　use　of　his　social
gifts　and　his　advantages　of　personal　appearance　in　the　society　of
women。　Indifferently　educated；　and　below　her　husband　in　station；
she　had　begun　by　accepting　his　addresses　under　the　influence　of
her　own　flattered　vanity；　and　had　ended　by　feeling　the
fascination　which　Major　Milroy　had　exercised　over　women
infinitely　her　mental　superiors　in　his　earlier　life。　He　had　been
touched；　on　his　side；　by　her　devotion；　and　had　felt；　in　his　turn；
the　attraction　of　her　beauty；　her　freshness；　and　her　youth。　Up　to
the　time　when　their　little　daughter　and　only　child　had　reached
the　age　of　eight　years；　their　married　life　had　been　an　unusually
happy　one。　At　that　period　the　double　misfortune　fell　on　the
household；　of　the　failure　of　the　wife's　health；　and　the　almost
total　loss　of　the　husband's　fortune；　and　from　that　moment　the
domestic　happiness　of　the　married　pair　was　virtually　at　an　end。

Having　reached　the　age　when　men　in　general　are　readier；　under　the
pressure　of　calamity；　to　resign　themselves　than　to　resist；　the
major　had　secured　the　little　relics　of　his　property；　had　retired
into　the　country；　and　had　patiently　taken　refuge　in　his
mechanical　pursuits。　A　woman　nearer　to　him　in　age；　or　a　woman
with　a　better　training　and　more　patience　of　disposition　than　his
wife　possessed；　would　have　understood　the　major's　conduct；　and
have　found　consolation　in　the　major's　submission。　Mrs。　Milroy
found　consolation　in　nothing。　Neither　nature　nor　training　helped
her　to　meet　resignedly　the　cruel　calamity　which　had　struck　at　her
in　the　bloom　of　womanhood　and　the　prime　of　beauty。　The　curse　of
incurable　sickness　blighted　her　at　once　and　for　life。

Suffering　can；　and　does；　develop　the　latent　evil　that　there　is　in
humanity；　as　well　as　the　latent　good。　The　good　that　was　in　Mrs。
Milroy's　nature　shrank　up；　under　that　subtly　deteriorating
influence　in　which　the　evil　grew　and　flourished。　Month　by　month；
as　she　became　the　weaker　woman　physically；　she　became　the　worse
woman　morally。　All　that　was　mean；　cruel；　and　false　in　her
expanded　in　steady　proportion　to　the　contraction　of　all　that　had
once　been　generous；　gentle；　and　true。　Old　suspicions　of　her
husband's　readiness　to　relapse　into　the　irregularities　of　his
bachelor　life；　which；　in　her　healthier　days　of　mind　and　body；　she
had　openly　confessed　to　himwhich　she　had　always　sooner　or　later
seen　to　be　suspicions　that　he　had　not　deservedcame　back；　now
that　sickness　had　divorced　her　from　him；　in　the　form　of　that
baser　conjugal　distrust　which　keeps　itself　cunningly　secret；
which　gathers　together　its　inflammatory　particles　atom　by　atom
into　a　heap；　and　sets　the　slowly　burning　frenzy　of　jealousy
alight　in　the　mind。　No　proof　of　her　husband's　blameless　and
patient　life　that　could　now　be　shown　to　Mrs。　Milroy；　no　appeal
that　could　be　made　to　her　respect　for　herself；　or　for　her　child
growing　up　to　womanhood；　availed　to　dissipate　the　terrible
delusion　born　of　her　hopeless　illness；　and　growing　steadily　with
its　growth。　Like　all　other　madness；　it　had　its　ebb　and　flow；　its
time　of　spasmodic　outburst；　and　its　time　of　deceitful　repose；
but；　active　or　passive；　it　was　always　in　her。　It　had　injured
innocent　servants；　and　insulted　blameless　strangers。　It　had
brought　the　first　tears　of　shame　and　sorrow　into　her　daughter's
eyes；　and　had　set　the　deepest　lines　that　scored　it　in　her
husband's　face。　It　had　made　the　secret　misery　of　the　little
household　for　years；　and　it　was　now　to　pass　beyond　the　family
limits；　and　to　influence　coming　events　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　in
which　the　future　interests　of　Allan　and　Allan's　friend　were
vitally　concerned。

A　moment's　glance　at　the　posture　of　domestic　affairs　in　the
cottage；　prior　to　the　engagement　of　the　new　governess；　is
necessary　to　the　due　appreciation　of　the　serious　consequences
that　followed　Miss　Gwilt's　appearance　on　the　scene。

On　the　marriage　of　the　governess　who　had　lived　in　his　service　for
many　years　（a　woman　of　an　age　and　an　appearance　to　set　even　Mrs。
Milroy's　jealousy　at　defiance）；　the　major　had　considered　the
question　of　sending　his　daughter　away　from　home　far　more
seriously　than　his　wife　supposed。　He　was　conscious　that　scenes
took　place　in　the　house　at　which　no　young　girl　should　be　present；
but　he　felt　an　invincible　reluctance　to　apply　the　one　efficient
remedythe　keeping　his　daughter　away　from　home　in　school　time
and　holiday　time　alike。　The　struggle　thus　raised　in　his　mind　once
set　at　rest；　by　the　resolution　to　advertise　for　a　new　governess；
Major　Milroy's　natural　tendency　to　avoid　trouble　rather　than　to
meet　it　had　declared　itself　in　its　customary　manner。　He　had
closed　his　eyes　again　on　his　home　anxieties　as　quietly　as　usual；
and　had　gone　back；　as　he　had　gone　back　on　hundreds　of　previous
occasions；　to　the　consoling　society　of　his　old　f