armadale-第76章

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himwas；　nevertheless；　the　conclusion　of　all　others　that　was
furthest　even　from　touching　on　the　truth。　The　true　story　of　Miss
Gwilt's　connection　with　the　house　in　Pimlico　and　the　people　who
inhabited　ita　house　rightly　described　as　filled　with　wicked
secrets；　and　people　rightly　represented　as　perpetually　in　danger
of　feeling　the　grasp　of　the　lawwas　a　story　which　coming　events
were　yet　to　disclose：　a　story　infinitely　less　revolting；　and　yet
infinitely　more　terrible；　than　Allan　or　Allan's　companion　had
either　of　them　supposed。

〃I　tried　to　spare　you；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　repeated　Pedgift。　〃I　was
anxious；　if　I　could　possibly　avoid　it；　not　to　distress　you。〃

Allan　looked　up；　and　made　an　effort　to　control　himself。　〃You　have
distressed　me　dreadfully；〃　he　said。　〃You　have　quite　crushed　me
down。　But　it　is　not　your　fault。　I　ought　to　feel　you　have　done　me
a　service；　and　what　I　ought　to　do　I　will　do；　when　I　am　my　own　man
again。　There　is　one　thing；〃　Allan　added；　after　a　moment's　painful
consideration；　〃which　ought　to　be　understood　between　us　at　once。
The　advice　you　offered　me　just　now　was　very　kindly　meant；　and　it
was　the　best　advice　that　could　be　given。　I　will　take　it
gratefully。　We　will　never　talk　of　this　again；　if　you　please；　and
I　beg　and　entreat　you　will　never　speak　about　it　to　any　other
person。　Will　you　promise　me　that？〃

Pedgift　gave　the　promise　with　very　evident　sincerity；　but　without
his　professional　confidence　of　manner。　The　distress　in　Allan's
face　seemed　to　daunt　him。　After　a　moment　of　very　uncharacteristic
hesitation；　he　considerately　quitted　the　room。

Left　by　himself；　Allan　rang　for　writing　materials；　and　took　out
of　his　pocket…book　the　fatal　letter　of　introduction　to　〃Mrs。
Mandeville〃　which　he　had　received　from　the　major's　wife。

A　man　accustomed　to　consider　consequences　and　to　prepare　himself
for　action　by　previous　thought　would；　in　Allan's　present
circumstances；　have　felt　some　difficulty　as　to　the　course　which
it　might　now　be　least　embarrassing　and　least　dangerous　to　pursue。
Accustomed　to　let　his　impulses　direct　him　on　all　other　occasions；
Allan　acted　on　impulse　in　the　serious　emergency　that　now
confronted　him。　Though　his　attachment　to　Miss　Gwilt　was　nothing
like　the　deeply　rooted　feeling　which　he　had　himself　honestly
believed　it　to　be；　she　had　taken　no　common　place　in　his
admiration；　and　she　filled　him　with　no　common　grief　when　he
thought　of　her　now。　His　one　dominant　desire；　at　that　critical
moment　in　his　life；　was　a　man's　merciful　desire　to　protect　from
exposure　and　ruin　the　unhappy　woman　who　had　lost　her　place　in　his
estimation；　without　losing　her　claim　to　the　forbearance　that
could　spare；　and　to　the　compassion　that　could　shield　her。　〃I
can't　go　back　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　I　can't　trust　myself　to　speak　to
her；　or　to　see　her　again。　But　I　can　keep　her　miserable　secret；
and　I　will！〃　With　that　thought　in　his　heart；　Allan　set　himself　to
perform　the　first　and　foremost　duty　which　now　claimed　himthe
duty　of　communicating　with　Mrs。　Milroy。　If　he　had　possessed　a
higher　mental　capacity　and　a　clearer　mental　view；　he　might　have
found　the　letter　no　easy　one　to　write。　As　it　was；　he　calculated
no　consequences；　and　felt　no　difficulty。　His　instinct　warned　him
to　withdraw　at　once　from　the　position　in　which　he　now　stood
toward　the　major's　wife；　and　he　wrote　what　his　instinct　counseled
him　to　write　under　those　circumstances；　as　rapidly　as　the　pen
could　travel　over　the　paper：


〃Dunn's　Hotel；　Covent　Garden；　Tuesday。

〃DEAR　MADAMPray　excuse　my　not　returning　to　Thorpe　Ambrose
today；　as　I　said　I　would。　Unforeseen　circumstances　oblige　me　to
stop　in　London。　I　am　sorry　to　say　I　have　not　succeeded　in　seeing
Mrs。　Mandeville；　for　which　reason　I　cannot　perform　your　errand；
and　I　beg；　therefore；　with　many　apologies；　to　return　the　letter
of　introduction。　I　hope　you　will　allow　me　to　conclude　by　saying
that　I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you　for　your　kindness；　and　that　I
will　not　venture　to　trespass　on　it　any　further。

〃I　remain；　dear　madam；　yours　truly；

〃ALLAN　ARMADALE。〃


In　those　artless　words；　still　entirely　unsuspicious　of　the
character　of　the　woman　he　had　to　deal　with；　Allan　put　the　weapon
she　wanted　into　Mrs。　Milroy's　hands。

The　letter　and　its　inclosure　once　sealed　up　and　addressed；　he　was
free　to　think　of　himself　and　his　future。　As　he　sat　idly　drawing
lines　with　his　pen　on　the　blotting…paper；　the　tears　came　into　his
eyes　for　the　first　timetears　in　which　the　woman　who　had
deceived　him　had　no　share。　His　heart　had　gone　back　to　his　dead
mother。　〃If　she　had　been　alive；〃　he　thought；　〃I　might　have
trusted　_her；_　and　she　would　have　comforted　me。〃　It　was　useless
to　dwell　on　it；　he　dashed　away　the　tears；　and　turned　his
thoughts；　with　the　heart…sick　resignation　that　we　all　know；　to
living　and　present　things。

He　wrote　a　line　to　Mr。　Bashwood；　briefly　informing　the　deputy
steward　that　his　absence　from　Thorpe　Ambrose　was　likely　to　be
prolonged　for　some　little　time；　and　that　any　further　instructions
which　might　be　necessary；　under　those　circumstances；　would　reach
him　through　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder。　This　done；　and　the　letters
sent　to　the　post；　his　thoughts　were　forced　back　once　more　on
himself。　Again　the　blank　future　waited　before　him　to　be　filled
up；　and　again　his　heart　shrank　from　it　to　the　refuge　of　the　past。

This　time　other　images　than　the　image　of　his　mother　filled　his
mind。　The　one　all…absorbing　interest　of　his　earlier　days　stirred
living　and　eager　in　him　again。　He　thought　of　the　sea；　he　thought
of　his　yacht　lying　idle　in　the　fishing　h　arbor　at　his
west…country　home。　The　old　longing　got　possession　of　him　to　hear
the　wash　of　the　waves；；　to　see　the　filling　of　the　sails；　to　feel
the　vessel　that　his　own　hands　had　helped　to　build　bounding　under
him　once　more。　He　rose　in　his　impetuous　way　to　call　for　the
time…table；　and　to　start　for　Somersetshire　by　the　first　train；
when　the　dread　of　the　questions　which　Mr。　Brock　might　ask；　the
suspicion　of　the　change　which　Mr。　Brock　might　see　in　him；　drew
him　back　to　his　chair。　〃I'll　write；〃　he　thought；　〃to　have　the
yacht　rigged　and　refitted；　and　I'll　wait　to　go　to　Somersetshire
myself　till　Midwinter　can　go　with　me。〃　He　sighed　as　his　memory
reverted　to　his　absent　friend。　Never　had　he　fell　the　void　made　in
his　life　by　Midwinter's　departure　so　painfully　as　he　felt　it　now；
in　the　dreariest　of　all　social　solitudesthe　solitude　of　a
stranger　in　London；　left　by　himself　at　a　hotel。

Before　long；　Pedgift　Junior　looked　in；　with　an　apology　for　his
intrusion。　Allan　felt　too　lonely　and　too　friendless　not　to
welcome　his　companion's　re…appearance　gratefully。　〃I'm　not　going
back　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　going　to　stay　a　little
while　in　London。　I　hope　you　will　be　able　to　stay　with　me？〃　To　do
him　justice；　Pedgift　was　touched　by　the　solitary　position　in
which　the　owner　of　the　great　Thorpe　Ambrose　estate　now　appeared
before　him。　He　had　never；　in　his　relations　with　Allan；　so
entirely　forgotten　his　business　interests　as　he　forgot　them　now。

〃You　are　quite　right；　sir；　to　stop　here；　London's　the　place　to
divert　your　mind；〃　said　Pedgift；　cheerfully。　〃All　business　is
more　or　less　elastic　in　its　nature；　Mr。　Armadale；　I'll　spin　_my_
business　out；　and　keep　you　company　with　the　greatest　pleasure。　We
are　both　of　us　on　the　right　side　of　thirty；　sir；　let's　enjoy
ourselves。　What　do　you　say　to　dining　early；　and　going　to　the
play；　and　trying　the　Great　Exhibition　in　Hyde　Park　to…morrow
morning；　after　breakfast？　If　we　only　live　like　fighting…cocks；
and　go　in　perpetually　for　public　amusements；　we　shall　arrive　in
no　time　at　the　_mens　sana　in　corpore　sano_　of　the　ancients。　Don't
be　alarmed　at　the　quotation；　sir。　I　dabble　a　little　in　Latin
after　business　hours；　and　enlarge　my　sympathies　by　occasional
perusal　of　the　Pagan　writers；　assisted　by　a　crib。　William；　dinner
at　five；　and；　as　it's　particularly　important　to…day；　I'll　see　the
cook　myself。〃

The　evening　passed；　the　next　day　passed；　Thursday　morning　came；
and　brought　with　it　a　letter　for　Allan。　The　direction　was　in　Mrs。
Milroy's　handwriting；　and　the　form　of　address　adopted　in　the
letter　warned　Allan；　the　moment　he　opened　it；　that　something　had
gone　wrong。


＇〃Private。〃＇

〃The　Cottage；　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Wednesday。

〃SIRI　have　just　received　your　mysterious　letter。　It　has　more
than　surprised；　it　has　really　alarmed　me。　After　having　made　the
friendliest　advances　to　you　on　my　side；　I　find　myself　suddenly
shut　out　from　your　confidence　in　the　most　unintelligible；　and；　I
must　add；　the　most　discourteous　manner。　It　is　quite　impossible
that　I　can　allow　the　matter　to　rest　where　you　have　left　it。　The
only　conclusion　I　can　draw　from　your　letter　is　that　my　confidence
must　have　been　abused　in　some　way；　and　that　you　know　a　great　deal
more　than　you　are　willing　to　tell　me。　Speaking　in　the　interest　of
my　daughter's　welfare；　I　request　that　you　will　inform　me　what　the
circumstances　are　which　have　prevented　your　seeing　Mrs。
Mandeville；　and　which　have　led　to　the　withdrawal　of　the
assistance　that　you　unconditionally　promised　me　in　your　letter　of
Monday　last。

〃In　my　state　of　health；　I　cannot　involve　myself　in　a　lengthened
correspondence。　I　must　endeavor　to　anticipate　any　objections　you
may　make；　and　I　must　say　all　that　I　have　to　say　in　my　present
letter。　In　the　event　（which　I　am　most　unwilling　to　consider
possible）　of　your　declining　to　accede　to　the　request　that　I　have
just　addressed　to　you；　I　beg　to　say　that　I　shall　consider　it　my
duty　to　my　daughter　to　have　this　very　unpleasant　matter　cleared
up。　If　I　don't　hear　from　you　to　my　full　satisfaction　by　return　of
post；　I　shall　be　obliged　to　tell　my　husband　that　circumstances
have　happened　which　justify　us　in　immediately　testing　the
respectability　of　Miss　Gwilt's　reference。　And　when　he　asks　me　for
my　authority；　I　will　refer　him　to　you。

〃Your　obedient　servant；　ANNE　MILROY。〃


In　those　terms　the　major's　wife　threw　off　the　mask；　and　left　her
victim　to　survey　at　his　leisure　the　trap　in　which　she　had　caught
him。　Allan's　belief　in　Mrs。　Milroy's　good　faith　had　been　so
implicitly　sincere　that　her　letter　simply　bewildered　him。　He　saw
vaguely　that　he　had　been　deceived　in　some　way；　and　that　Mrs。
Milroy's　neighborly　interest　in　him　was　not　what　it　had　looked　on
the　surface；　and　he　saw　no　more。　The　threat　of　appealing　to　the
majoron　which；　with　a　woman's　ignorance　of　the　natures　of　men；
Mrs。　Milroy　had　relied　for　producing　its　effectwas　the　only
part　of　the　letter　to　which　Allan　reverted　with　any　satisfaction：
it　relieved　instead　of　alarming　him。　〃If　there　_is_　to　be　a
quarrel；〃　he　thought；　〃it　will　be　a　comfort；　at　any　rate；　to　have
it　out　with　a　man。〃

Firm　in　his　resolution　to　shield　the　unhappy　woman　whose　secret
he　wrongly　believed　himself　to　have　surprised；　Allan　sat　down　to
write　his　apologies　to　the　major's　wife。　After　setting　up　three
polite　declarations；　in　close　marching　order；　he　retired　from　the
field。　〃He　was　extremely　sorry　to　have　offended　Mrs。　Milroy。　He
was　innocent　of　all　intention　to　offend　Mrs。　Milroy。　And　he
begged　to　remain　Mrs。　Milroy's　truly。〃　Never　had　Allan's　habitual
brevity　as　a　letter…writer　done　him　better　service　than　it　did
him　now。　With　a　little　more　skillfulness　in　the　use　of　his　pen；
he　might