armadale-第79章

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overlapped　his　hips；　and　his　favorite　summer　cravat　was　of　light
spotted　muslin；　tied　in　the　neatest　and　smallest　of　bows。　He　used
tobacco　like　his　son；　but　in　a　different　form。　While　the　younger
man　smoked；　the　elder　took　snuff　copiously；　and　it　was　noticed
among　his　intimates　that　he　always　held　his　〃pinch〃　in　a　state　of
suspense　between　his　box　and　his　nose　when　he　was　going　to　clinch
a　good　bargain　or　to　say　a　good　thing。　The　art　of　diplomacy
enters　largely　into　the　practice　of　all　successful　men　in　the
lower　branch　of　the　law。　Mr。　Pedgift's　form　of　diplomatic
practice　had　been　the　same　throughout　his　life；　on　every　occasion
when　he　found　his　arts　of　persuasion　required　at　an　interview
with　another　man。　He　invariably　kept　his　strongest　argument；　or
his　boldest　proposal；　to　the　last；　and　invariably　remembered　it
at　the　door　（after　previously　taking　his　leave）；　as　if　it　was　a
purely　accidental　consideration　which　had　that　instant　occurred
to　him。　Jocular　friends；　acquainted　by　previous　experience　with
this　form　of　proceeding；　had　given　it　the　name　of　〃Pedgift's
postscript。〃　There　were　few　people　in　Thorpe　Ambrose　who　did　not
know　what　it　meant　when　the　lawyer　suddenly　checked　his　exit　at
the　opened　door；　came　back　softly　to　his　chair；　with　his　pinch　of
snuff　suspended　between　his　box　and　his　nose；　said；　〃By…the…by；
there's　a　point　occurs　to　me；〃　and　settled　the　question　off…hand；
after　having　given　it　up　in　despair　not　a　minute　before。

This　was　the　man　whom　the　march　of　events　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　had
now　thrust　capriciously　into　a　foremost　place。　This　was　the　one
friend　at　hand　to　whom　Allan　in　his　social　isolation　could　turn
for　counsel　in　the　hour　of　need。


〃Good…evening；　Mr。　Armadale。　Many　thanks　for　your　prompt
attention　to　my　very　disagreeable　letter；〃　said　Pedgift　Senior；
opening　the　conversation　cheerfully　the　moment　he　entered　his
client's　house。　〃I　hope　you　understand；　sir；　that　I　had　really　no
choice　under　the　circumstances　but　to　write　as　I　did？〃

〃I　have　very　few　friends；　Mr。　Pedgift；〃　returned　Allan；　simply。
〃And　I　am　sure　you　are　one　of　the　few。〃

〃Much　obliged；　Mr。　Armadale。　I　have　always　tried　to　deserve　your
good　opinion；　and　I　mean；　if　I　can；　to　deserve　it　now。　You　found
yourself　comfortable；　I　hope；　sir；　at　the　hotel　in　London？　We
call　it　Our　hotel。　Some　rare　old　wine　in　the　cellar；　which　I
should　have　introduced　to　your　notice　if　I　had　had　the　honor　of
being　with　you。　My　son　unfortunately　knows　nothing　about　wine。〃

Allan　felt　his　false　position　in　the　neighborhood　far　too　acutely
to　be　capable　of　talking　of　anything　but　the　main　business　of　the
evening　His　lawyer's　politely　roundabout　method　of　approaching
the　painful　subject　to　be　discussed　between　them　rather　irritated
than　composed　him。　He　came　at　once　to　the　point；　in　his　own
bluntly　straightforward　way。

〃The　hotel　was　very　comfortable；　Mr。　Pedgift；　and　your　son　was
very　kind　to　me。　But　we　are　not　in　London　now；　and　I　want　to　talk
to　you　about　how　I　am　to　meet　the　lies　that　are　being　told　of　me
in　this　place。　Only　point　me　out　any　one　man；〃　cried　Allan；　with
a　rising　voice　and　a　mounting　color〃any　one　man　who　says　I　am
afraid　to　show　my　face　in　the　neighborhood；　and　I'll　horsewhip
him　publicly　before　another　day　is　over　his　head！〃

Pedgift　Senior　helped　himself　to　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and　held　it
calmly　in　suspense　midway　between　his　box　and　his　nose。

〃You　can　horsewhip　a　man；　sir；　but　you　can't　horsewhip　a
neighborhood；〃　said　the　lawyer；　in　his　politely　epigrammatic
manner。　〃We　will　fight　our　battle；　if　you　please；　without
borrowing　our　weapons　of　the　coachman　yet　a　while；　at　any　rate。〃

〃But　how　are　we　to　begin？〃　asked　Allan；　impatiently。　〃How　am　I　to
contradict　the　infamous　things　they　say　of　me？〃

〃There　are　two　ways　of　stepping　out　of　your　present　awkward
position；　sira　short　way；　and　a　long　way；〃　replied　Pedgift
Senior。　〃The　short　way　（which　is　always　the　best）　has　occurred　to
me　since　I　have　heard　of　your　proceedings　in　London　from　my　son。
I　understand　that　you　permitted　him；　after　you　received　my
letter；　to　take　me　into　your　confidence。　I　have　drawn　various
conclusions　from　what　he　has　told　me；　which　I　may　find　it
necessary　to　trouble　you　with　presently。　In　the　meantime　I　should
be　glad　to　know　under　what　circumstances　you　went　to　London　to
make　these　unfortunate　inquiries　about　Miss　Gwilt？　Was　it　your
own　notion　to　pay　that　visit　to　Mrs。　Mandeville？　or　were　you
acting　under　the　influence　of　some　other　person？〃

Allan　hesitated。　〃I　can't　honestly　tell　you　it　was　my　own
notion；〃　he　replied；　and　said　no　more。

〃I　thought　as　much！〃　remarked　Pedgift　Senior；　in　high　triumph。
〃The　short　way　out　of　our　present　difficulty；　Mr。　Armadale；　lies
straight　through　that　other　person；　under　whose　influence　you
acted。　That　other　person　must　be　presented　forthwith　to　public
notice；　and　must　stand　in　that　other　person's　proper　place。　The
name；　if　you　please；　sir；　to　begin　withwe'll　come　to　the
circumstances　directly。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　say；　Mr。　Pedgift；　that　we　must　try　the　longest
way；　if　you　have　no　objection；〃　replied　Allan；　quietly。　〃The
short　way　happens　to　b　e　a　way　I　can't　take　on　this　occasion。〃

The　men　who　rise　in　the　law　are　the　men　who　decline　to　take　No
for　an　answer。　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　had　risen　in　the　law；　and
Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　now　declined　to　take　No　for　an　answer。　But
all　pertinacityeven　professional　pertinacity　includedsooner
or　later　finds　its　limits；　and　the　lawyer；　doubly　fortified　as　he
was　by　long　experience　and　copious　pinches　of　snuff；　found　his
limits　at　the　very　outset　of　the　interview。　It　was　impossible
that　Allan　could　respect　the　confidence　which　Mrs。　Milroy　had
treacherously　affected　to　place　in　him。　But　he　had　an　honest
man's　regard　for　his　own　pledged　wordthe　regard　which　looks
straightforward　at　the　fact；　and　which　never　glances　sidelong　at
the　circumstancesand　the　utmost　persistency　of　Pedgift　Senior
failed　to　move　him　a　hairbreadth　from　the　position　which　he　had
taken　up。　〃No〃　is　the　strongest　word　in　the　English　language；　in
the　mouth　of　any　man　who　has　the　courage　to　repeat　it　often
enough；　and　Allan　had　the　courage　to　repeat　it　often　enough　on
this　occasion。

〃Very　good；　sir；〃　said　the　lawyer；　accepting　his　defeat　without
the　slightest　loss　of　temper。　〃The　choice　rests　with　you；　and　you
have　chosen。　We　will　go　the　long　way。　It　starts　（allow　me　to
inform　you）　from　my　office；　and　it　leads　（as　I　strongly　suspect）
through　a　very　miry　road　toMiss　Gwilt。〃

Allan　looked　at　his　legal　adviser　in　speechless　astonishment。

〃If　you　won't　expose　the　person　who　is　responsible　in　the　first
instance；　sir；　for　the　inquiries　to　which　you　unfortunately　lent
yourself；〃　proceeded　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder；　〃the　only　other
alternative；　in　your　present　position；　is　to　justify　the
inquiries　themselves。〃

〃And　how　is　that　to　be　done？〃　inquired　Allan。

〃By　proving　to　the　whole　neighborhood；　Mr。　Armadale；　what　I
firmly　believe　to　be　the　truththat　the　pet　object　of　the　public
protection　is　an　adventuress　of　the　worst　class；　an　undeniably
worthless　and　dangerous　woman。　In　plainer　English　still；　sir；　by
employing　time　enough　and　money　enough　to　discover　the　truth
about　Miss　Gwilt。〃


Before　Allan　could　say　a　word　in　answer；　there　was　an
interruption　at　the　door。　After　the　usual　preliminary　knock；　one
of　the　servants　came　in。

〃I　told　you　I　was　not　to　be　interrupted；〃　said　Allan；　irritably。
〃Good　heavens！　am　I　never　to　have　done　with　them？　Another
letter！〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　holding　it　out。　〃And；〃　he　added；
speaking　words　of　evil　omen　in　his　master's　ears；　〃the　person
waits　for　an　answer。〃

Allan　looked　at　the　address　of　the　letter　with　a　natural
expectation　of　encountering　the　handwriting　of　the　major's　wife。
The　anticipation　was　not　realized。　His　correspondent　was　plainly
a　lady；　but　the　lady　was　not　Mrs。　Milroy。

〃Who　can　it　be？〃　he　said；　looking　mechanically　at　Pedgift　Senior
as　he　opened　the　envelope。

Pedgift　Senior　gently　tapped　his　snuff…box；　and　said；　without　a
moment's　hesitation；　〃Miss　Gwilt。〃

Allan　opened　the　letter。　The　first　two　words　in　it　were　the　echo
of　the　two　words　the　lawyer　had　just　pronounced。　It　_was_　Miss
Gwilt！

Once　more；　Allan　looked　at　his　legal　adviser　in　speechless
astonishment。

〃I　have　known　a　good　many　of　them　in　my　time；　sir；〃　explained
Pedgift　Senior；　with　a　modesty　equally　rare　and　becoming　in　a　man
of　his　age。　〃Not　as　handsome　as　Miss　Gwilt；　I　admit。　But　quite　as
bad；　I　dare　say。　Read　your　letter；　Mr。　Armadaleread　your
letter。〃

Allan　read　these　lines：


〃Miss　Gwilt　presents　her　compliments　to　Mr。　Armadale　and　begs　to
know　if　it　will　be　convenient　to　him　to　favor　her　with　an
interview；　either　this　evening　or　to…morrow　morning。　Miss　Gwilt
offers　no　apology　for　making　her　present　request。　She　believes
Mr。　Armadale　will　grant　it　as　an　act　of　justice　toward　a
friendless　woman　whom　he　has　been　innocently　the　means　of
injuring；　and　who　is　earnestly　desirous　to　set　herself　right　in
his　estimation。〃


Allan　handed　the　letter　to　his　lawyer　in　silent　perplexity　and
distress。

The　face　of　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　expressed　but　one　feeling　when
he　had　read　the　letter　in　his　turn　and　had　handed　it　backa
feeling　of　profound　admiration。　〃What　a　lawyer　she　would　have
made；〃　he　exclaimed；　fervently；　〃if　she　had　only　been　a　man！〃

〃I　can't　treat　this　as　lightly　as　you　do；　Mr。　Pedgift；〃　said
Allan。　〃It's　dreadfully　distressing　to　me。　I　was　so　fond　of　her；〃
he　added；　in　a　lower　tone〃I　was　so　fond　of　her　once。〃

Mr。　Pedgift　Senior　suddenly　became　serious　on　his　side。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say；　sir；　that　you　actually　contemplate　seeing
Miss　Gwilt？〃　he　asked；　with　an　expression　of　genuine　dismay。

〃I　can't　treat　her　cruelly；〃　returned　Allan。　〃I　have　been　the
means　of　injuring　herwithout　intending　it；　God　knows！　I　can't
treat　her　cruelly　after　that！　〃

〃Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃you　did　me　the　honor；　a　little
while　since；　to　say　that　you　considered　me　your　friend。　May　I
presume　on　that　position　to　ask　you　a　question　or　two；　before　you
go　straight　to　your　own　ruin？〃

〃Any　questions　you　like；〃　said　Allan；　looking　back　at　the
letterthe　only　letter　he　had　ever　received　from　Miss　Gwilt。

〃You　have　had　one　trap　set　for　you　already；　sir；　and　you　have
fallen　into　it。　Do　you　want　to　fall　into　another？〃

〃You　know　the　answer　to　that　question；　Mr。　Pedgift；　as　well　as　I
do。〃

〃I'll　try　again；　Mr。　Armadale；　we　lawyers　are　not　easily
discouraged。　Do　you　think　that　any　statement　Miss　Gwilt　might
make　to　you；　if　you　do　see　her；　would　be　a　statement　to　be　relied
on；　after　what　you　and　my　son　discovered　in　London？〃

〃She　might　explain　what　we　discovered　in　London；〃　suggested
Allan；　still　looking　at　the　writing；　and　thinking　of　the　hand
that　had　traced　it。

〃_Might_　explain　it？　My　dear　sir；　she　is　quite　certain　to　explain
it！　I　will　do　her　justice：　I　believe　she　would　make　out　a　case
without　a　single　flaw　in　it　from　beginning　to　end。〃

That　last　answer　forced　Allan's　attention　away　from　the　letter。
The　lawyer's　pitiless　common　sense　showed　him　no　mercy。

〃If　you　see　that　woman　again；　sir；〃　proceeded　Pedgift　Senior；
〃you　will　commit