armadale-第77章

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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　have　given　his　enemy　even　a　stronger　hold　on　him　than
the　hold　she　had　got　already。

The　interval　day　passed；　and　with　the　next　morning's　post　Mrs。
Milroy's　threat　came　realized　in　the　shape　of　a　letter　from　her
husband。　The　major　wrote　less　formally　than　his　wife　had　written；
but　his　questions　were　mercilessly　to　the　point：


＇〃Private。〃＇

〃The　Cottage；　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Friday；　July　11；　1851。

〃DEAR　SIRWhen　you　did　me　the　favor　of　calling　here　a　few　days
since；　you　asked　a　question　relating　to　my　governess；　Miss　Gwilt；
which　I　thought　rather　a　strange　one　at　the　time；　and　which
caused；　as　you　may　remember；　a　momentary　embarrassment　between
us。

〃This　morning　the　subject　of　Miss　Gwilt　has　been　brought　to　my
notice　again　in　a　manner　which　has　caused　me　the　utmost
astonishment。　In　plain　words；　Mrs。　Milroy　has　informed　me　that
Miss　Gwilt　has　exposed　herself　to　the　suspicion　of　having
deceived　us　by　a　false　reference。　On　my　expressing　the　surprise
which　such　an　extraordinary　statement　caused　me；　and　requesting
that　it　might　be　instantly　substantiated；　I　was　still　further
astonished　by　being　told　to　apply　for　all　particulars　to　no　less
a　person　than　Mr。　Armadale。　I　have　vainly　requested　some　further
explanation　from　Mrs。　Milroy；　she　persists　in　maintaining
silence；　and　in　referring　me　to　yourself。

〃Under　these　extraordinary　circumstances；　I　am　compelled；　in
justice　to　all　parties；　to　ask　you　certain　questions　which　I　will
endeavor　to　put　as　plainly　as　possible；　and　which　I　am　quite
ready　to　believe　（from　my　previous　experience　of　you）　that　you
will　answer　frankly　on　your　side。

〃I　beg　to　inquire；　in　the　first　place；　whether　you　admit　or　deny
Mrs。　Milroy's　assertion　that　you　have　made　yourself　acquainted
with　particulars　relating　either　to　Miss　Gwilt　or　to　Miss　Gwilt's
reference；　of　which　I　am　entirely　ignorant？　In　the　second　place；
if　you　admit　the　truth　of　Mrs。　Milroy's　statement；　I　request　to
know　how　you　became　acquainted　with　those　particulars？　Thirdly；
and　lastly；　I　beg　to　ask　you　what　the　particulars　are？

〃If　any　special　justification　for　putting　these　questions　be
neededwhich；　purely　as　a　matter　of　courtesy　toward　yourself；　I
am　willing　to　admitI　beg　to　remind　you　that　the　most　precious
charge　in　my　house；　the　charge　of　my　daughter；　is　confided　to
Miss　Gwilt；　and　that　Mrs。　Milroy's　statement　places　you；　to　all
appearance；　in　the　position　of　being　competent　to　tell　me　whether
that　charge　is　properly　bestowed　or　not。

〃I　have　only　to　add　that；　as　nothing　has　thus　far　occurred　to
justify　me　in　entertaining　the　slightest　suspicion　either　of　my
governess　or　her　reference；　I　shall　wait　before　I　make　any　appeal
to　Miss　Gwilt　until　I　have　received　your　answerwhich　I　shall
expect　by　return　of　post。　Believe　me；　dear　sir；　faithfully　yours；

〃DAVID　MILROY。〃


This　transparently　straightforward　letter　at　once　dissipated　the
confusion　which　had　thus　far　existed　in　Allan's　mind。　He　saw　the
snare　in　which　he　had　been　caught　（though　he　was　still
necessarily　at　a　loss　to　understand　why　it　had　been　set　for　him）
as　he　had　not　seen　it　yet。　Mrs。　Milroy　had　clearly　placed　him
between　two　alternativesthe　alternative　of　putting　himself　in
the　wrong；　by　declining　to　answer　her　husband's　questions；　or　the
alternative　of　meanly　sheltering　his　responsibility　behind　the
responsibility　of　a　woman；　by　acknowledging　to　the　major's　own
face　that　the　major's　wife　had　deceived　him。

In　this　difficulty　Allan　acted　as　usual；　without　hesitation。　His
pledge　to　Mrs。　Milroy　to　consider　their　correspondence　private
still　bound　him；　disgracefully　as　she　had　abused　it。　And　his
resolution　was　as　immovable　as　ever　to　let　no　earthly
consideration　tempt　him　into　betraying　Miss　Gwilt。　〃I　may　have
behaved　like　a　fool；〃　he　thought；　〃but　I　won't　break　my　word；　and
I　won't　be　the　means　of　turning　that　miserable　woman　adrift　in
the　world　again。〃

He　wrote　to　the　major　as　artlessly　and　briefly　as　he　had　written
to　the　major's　wife。　He　declared　his　unwillingness　to　cause　a
friend　and　neighbor　any　disappointment；　if　he　could　possibly　help
it。　On　this　occasion　he　had　no　other　choice。　The　questions　the
major　asked　him　were　questions　which　he　could　not　consent　to
answer。　He　was　not　very　clever　at　explaining　himself；　and　he
hoped　he　might　be　excused　for　putting　it　in　that　way；　and　saying
no　more。

Monday's　post　brought　with　it　Major　Milroy's　rejoinder；　and
closed　the　correspondence。


〃The　Cottage；　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Sunday。

〃SIRYour　refusal　to　answer　my　questions；　unaccompanied　as　it　is
by　even　the　shadow　of　an　excuse　for　such　a　proceeding；　can　be
interpreted　but　in　one　way。　Besides　being　an　implied
acknowledgment　of　the　correctness　of　Mrs。　Milroy's　statement；　it
is　also　an　implied　reflection　on　my　governess's　character。　As　an
act　of　justice　toward　a　lady　who　lives　under　the　protection　of　my
roof；　and　who　has　given　me　no　reason　whatever　to　distrust　her；　I
shall　now　show　our　correspondence　to　Miss　Gwilt；　and　I　shall
repeat　to　her　the　conversation　which　I　had　with　Mrs。　Milroy　on
the　subject；　in　Mrs。　Milroy's　presence。

〃One　word　more　respecting　the　future　relations　between　us；　and　I
have　done。　My　ideas　on　certain　subjects　are；　I　dare　say；　the
ideas　of　an　old…fashioned　man。　In　my　time；　we　had　a　code　of　honor
by　which　we　regulated　our　actions。　According　to　that　code；　if　a
man　made　private　inquiries　into　a　lady's　affairs；　without　being
either　her　husband；　her　father；　or　her　brother；　he　subjected
himself　to　the　responsibility　of　justifying　his　conduct　in　the
estimation　of　others；　and；　if　he　evaded　that　responsibility；　he
abdicated　the　position　of　a　gentleman。　It　is　quite　possible　that
this　antiquated　way　of　thinking　exists　no　longer；　but　it　is　too
late　for　me；　at　my　time　of　life；　to　adopt　more　modern　views。　I　am
scrupulously　anxious；　seeing　that　we　live　in　a　country　and　a　time
in　which　the　only　court　of　honor　is　a　police…court；　to　express
myself　with　the　utmost　moderation　of　language　upon　this　the　last
occasion　that　I　shall　have　to　communicate　with　you。　Allow　me；
therefore；　merely　to　remark　that　our　ideas　of　the　conduct　which
is　becoming　in　a　gentleman　differ　seriously；　and　permit　me　on
this　account　to　request　that　you　will　consider　yourself　for　the
future　as　a　stranger　to　my　family　and　to　myself。

〃Your　obedient　servant；

〃DAVID　MILROY。〃


The　Monday　morning　on　which　his　client　received　the　major's
letter　was　the　blackest　Monday　that　had　yet　been　marked　in
Pedgift's　calendar。　When　Allan's　first　angry　sense　of　the　tone　of
contempt　in　which　his　friend　and　neighbor　pronounced　sentence　on
him　had　subsided；　it　left　him　sunk　in　a　state　of　depression　from
which　no　efforts　made　by　his　traveling　companion　could　rouse　him
for　the　rest　of　the　day。　Reverting　naturally；　now　that　his
sentence　of　banishment　had　been　pronounced；　to　his　early
intercourse　with　the　cottage；　his　memory　went　back　to　Neelie；
more　regretfully　and　more　penitently　than　it　had　gone　back　to　her
yet。〃　If　_she_　had　shut　the　door　on　me；　instead　of　her　father；〃
was　the　bitter　reflection　with　which　Allan　now　reviewed　the　past；
〃I　shouldn't　have　had　a　word　to　say　against　it；　I　should　have
felt　it　served　me　right。〃

The　next　day　brought　another　lettera　welcome　letter　this　time；
from　Mr。　Brock。　Allan　had　written　to　Somersetshire　on　the　subject
of　refitting　the　yacht　some　days　since。　The　letter　had　found　the
rector　engaged；　as　he　innocently　supposed；　in　protecting　his　old
pupil　against　the　woman　whom　he　had　watched　in　London；　and　whom
he　now　believed　to　have　followed　him　back　to　his　own　home。　Acting
under　the　directions　sent　to　her；　Mrs。　Oldershaw's　house…maid　had
completed　the　mystification　of　Mr。　Brock。　She　had　tranquilized
all　further　anxiety　on　the　rector's　part　by　giving　him　a　written
undertaking　（in　the　character　of　Miss　Gwilt）；　engaging　never　to
approach　Mr。　Armadale；　either　personally　or　by　letter！　Firmly
persuaded　that　he　had　won　the　victory　at　last；　poor　Mr。　Brock
answered　Allan's　note　in　the　highest　spirits；　expressing　some
natural　surprise　at　his　leaving　Thorpe　Ambrose；　but　readily
promising　that　the　yacht　should　be　refitted；　and　offering　the
hospitality　of　the　rectory　in　the　heartiest　manner。

This　letter　did　wonders　in　raising　Allan's　spirits。　It　gave　him　a
new　interest　to　look　to；　entirely　disassociated　from　his　past
life　in　Norfolk。　He　began　to　count　the　days　that　were　still　to
pass　before　the　return　of　his　absent　friend。　It　was　then　Tuesday。
If　Midwinter　came　back　from　his　walking　trip；　as　he　had　engaged
to　come　back；　in　a　fortnight；　Saturday　would　find　him　at　Thorpe
Ambrose。　A　note　sent　to　meet　the　traveler　might　bring　him　to
London　the　same　night；　and；　if　all　went　well；　before　another　week
was　over　they　might　be　afloat　together　in　the　yacht。

The　next　day　passed；　to　Allan's　relief；　without　bringing　any
letters。　The　spirits　of　Pedgift　rose　sympathetically　with　the
spirits　of　his　client。　Toward　dinner　time　he　reverted　to　the
_mens　sana　in　corpore　sano_　of　the　ancients；　and　issued　his
orders　to　the　head…waiter　more　royally　than　ever。

Thursday　came；　and　brought　the　fatal　postman　with　more　news　from
Norfolk。　A　letter…writer　now　stepped　on　the　scene　who　had　not
appeared　there　yet；　and　the　total　overthrow　of　all　Allan's　plans
for　a　visit　to　Somersetshire　was　accomplished　on　the　spot。

Pedgift　Junior　happened　that　morning　to　be　the　first　at　the
breakfast　table。　When　Allan　came　in；　he　relapsed　into　his
professional　manner；　and　offered　a　letter　to　his　patron　with　a
bow　performed　in　dreary　silence。

〃For　me？〃　inquired　Allan；　shrinking　instinctively　from　a　new
correspondent。

〃For　you；　sirfrom　my　father；〃　replied　Pedgift；　〃inclosed　in　one
to　myself。　Perhaps　you　will　allow　me　to　suggest；　by　way　of
preparing　you　forfor　something　a　little　unpleasantthat　we
shall　want　a　particularly　good　dinner　to…day；　and　（if　they're　not
performing　any　modern　German　music　to…night）　I　think　we　should　do
well　to　finish　the　evening　melodiously　at　the　Opera。〃

〃Something　wrong　at　Thorpe　Ambrose？〃　asked　Allen。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Armadale；　something　wrong　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。〃

Allan　sat　down　resignedly；　and　opened　the　letter。


＇〃Private　and　Confidential。〃＇

〃High　Street　Thorpe　Ambrose；　17th　July；　1851。

〃DEAR　SIRI　cannot　reconcile　it　with　my　sense　of　duty　to　your
interests　to　leave　you　any　longer　in　ignorance　of　reports　current
in　this　town　and　its　neighborhood；　which；　I　regret　to　say；　are
reports　affecting　yourself。

〃The　first　intimation　of　anything　unpleasant　reached　me　on　Monday
last。　It　was　widely　rumored　in　the　town　that　something　had　gone
wrong　at　Major　Milroy's　with　the　new　governess；　and　that　Mr。
Armadale　was　mixed　up　in　it。　I　paid　no　heed　to　this；　believing　it
to　be　one　of　the　many　trumpery　pieces　of　scandal　perpetually　set
going　here；　and　as　necessary　as　the　air　they　breathe　to　the
comfort　of　the　inhabitants　of　this　highly　respectable　place。

〃Tuesday；　however；　put　the　matter　in　a　new　light。　The　most
interesting　particulars　were　circulated　on　the　highest　authority。
On　Wednesday；　the　gentry　in　the　neighborhood　took　the