armadale-第88章

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stood　revealed　of　Midwinter's　interest　in　Miss　Gwilt。

〃What　right　have　you　to　say　that？〃　he　asked；　with　raised　voice
and　threatening　eyes。

〃I　told　_you；_〃　said　Allan；　simply；　〃when　I　thought　I　was　sweet
on　her　myself。　Come！　come！　it's　a　little　hard；　I　think；　even　if
you　are　in　love　with　her；　to　believe　everything　she　tells　you；
and　not　to　let　me　say　a　word。　Is　_that_　the　way　you　decide
between　us？〃

〃Yes；　it　is！〃　cried　the　other；　infuriated　by　Allan's　second
allusion　to　Miss　Gwilt。　〃When　I　am　asked　to　choose　between　the
employer　of　a　spy　and　the　victim　of　a　spy；　I　side　with　the
victim！〃

〃Don't　try　me　too　hard；　Midwinter；　I　have　a　temper　to　lose　as
well　as　you。〃

He　stopped；　struggling　with　himself。　The　torture　of　passion　in
Midwinter's　face；　from　which　a　less　simple　and　less　generous
nature　might　have　recoiled　in　horror；　touched　Allan　suddenly　with
an　artless　distress；　which；　at　that　moment；　was　little　less　than
sublime。　He　advanced；　with　his　eyes　moistening；　and　his　hand　held
out。　〃You　asked　me　for　my　hand　just　now；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　gave　it
you。　Will　you　remember　old　times；　and　give　me　yours；　before　it's
too　late？〃

〃No！〃　retorted　Midwinter；　furiously。　〃I　may　meet　Miss　Gwilt
again；　and　I　may　want　my　hand　free　to　deal　with　your　spy！〃

He　had　drawn　back　along　the　wall　as　Allan　advanced；　until　the
bracket　which　supported　the　Statuette　was　before　instead　of
behind　him。　In　the　madness　of　his　passion　he　saw　nothing　but
Allan's　face　confronting　him。　In　the　madness　of　his　passion；　he
stretched　out　his　right　hand　as　he　answered；　and　shook　it
threateningly　in　the　air。　It　struck　the　forgotten　projection　of
the　bracketand　the　next　instant　the　Statuette　lay　in　fragments
on　the　floor。

The　rain　drove　slanting　over　flower…bed　and　lawn；　and　pattered
heavily　against　the　glass；　and　the　two　Armadales　stood　by　the
window；　as　the　two　Shadows　had　stood　in　the　Second　Vision　of　the
Dream；　with　the　wreck　of　the　image　between　them。

Allan　stooped　over　the　fragments　of　the　little　figure；　and　lifted
them　one　by　one　from　the　floor。

〃Leave　me；〃　he　said；　without　looking　up；　〃or　we　shall　both　repent
it。〃

Without　a　word；　Midwinter　moved　back　slowly。　He　stood　for　the
second　time　with　his　hand　on　the　door；　and　looked　his　last　at　the
room。　The　horror　of　the　night　on　the　Wreck　had　got　him　once　more；
and　the　flame　of　his　passion　was　quenched　in　an　instant。

〃The　Dream！〃　he　whispered；　under　his　breath。　〃The　Dream　again！〃

The　door　was　tried　from　the　outside；　and　a　servant　appeared　with
a　trivial　message　about　the　breakfast。

Midwinter　looked　at　the　man　with　a　blank；　dreadful　helplessness
in　his　face。　〃Show　me　the　way　out；〃　he　said。　〃The　place　is　dark；
and　the　room　turns　round　with　me。〃

The　servant　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　silently　led　him　out。

As　the　door　closed　on　them；　Allan　picked　up　the　last　fragment　of
the　broken　figure。　He　sat　down　alone　at　the　table；　and　hid　his
face　in　his　hands。　The　self…control　which　he　had　bravely
preserved　under　exasperation　renewed　again　and　again　now　failed
him　at　last　in　the　friendless　solitude　of　his　room；　and；　in　the
first　bitterness　of　feeling　that　Midwinter　had　turned　against　him
like　the　rest；　he　burst　into　tears。

The　moments　followed　each　other；　the　slow　time　wore　on。　Little　by
little　the　signs　of　a　new　elemental　disturbance　began　to　show
themselves　in　the　summer　storm。　The　shadow　of　a　swiftly　deepening
darkness　swept　over　the　sky。　The　pattering　of　the　rain　lessened
with　the　lessening　wind。　There　was　a　momentary　hush　of　stillness。
Then　on　a　sudden　the　rain　poured　down　again　like　a　cataract；　and
the　low　roll　of　thunder　came　up　solemnly　on　the　dying　air。

CHAPTER　IX。

SHE　KNOWS　THE　TRUTH。

1。　_From　Mr。　Bashwood　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Thorpe　Ambrose；　July　20th；　1851。

〃DEAR　MADAMI　received　yesterday；　by　private　messenger；　your
obliging　note；　in　which　you　di　rect　me　to　communicate　with　you
through　the　post　only；　as　long　as　there　is　reason　to　believe　that
any　visitors　who　may　come　to　you　are　likely　to　be　observed。　May　I
be　permitted　to　say　that　I　look　forward　with　respectful　anxiety
to　the　time　when　I　shall　again　enjoy　the　only　real　happiness　I
have　ever　experiencedthe　happiness　of　personally　addressing
you？

〃In　compliance　with　your　desire　that　I　should　not　allow　this　day
（the　Sunday）　to　pass　without　privately　noticing　what　went　on　at
the　great　house；　I　took　the　keys；　and　went　this　morning　to　the
steward's　office。　I　accounted　for　my　appearance　to　the　servants
by　informing　them　that　I　had　work　to　do　which　it　was　important　to
complete　in　the　shortest　possible　time。　The　same　excuse　would
have　done　for　Mr。　Armadale　if　we　had　met；　but　no　such　meeting
happened。

〃Although　I　was　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　in　what　I　thought　good　time；　I
was　too　late　to　see　or　hear　anything　myself　of　a　serious　quarrel
which　appeared　to　have　taken　place；　just　before　I　arrived；
between　Mr。　Armadale　and　Mr。　Midwinter。

〃All　the　little　information　I　can　give　you　in　this　matter　is
derived　from　one　of　the　servants。　The　man　told　me　that　he　heard
the　voices　of　the　two　gentlemen　loud　in　Mr。　Armadale's
sitting…room。　He　went　in　to　announce　breakfast　shortly　afterward；
and　found　Mr。　Midwinter　in　such　a　dreadful　state　of　agitation
that　he　had　to　be　helped　out　of　the　room。　The　servant　tried　to
take　him　upstairs　to　lie　down　and　compose　himself。　He　declined；
saying　he　would　wait　a　little　first　in　one　of　the　lower　rooms；
and　begging　that　he　might　be　left　alone。　The　man　had　hardly　got
downstairs　again　when　he　heard　the　front　door　opened　and　closed。
He　ran　back；　and　found　that　Mr。　Midwinter　was　gone。　The　rain　was
pouring　at　the　time；　and　thunder　and　lightning　came　soon
afterward。　Dreadful　weather　certainly　to　go　out　in。　The　servant
thinks　Mr。　Midwinter's　mind　was　unsettled。　I　sincerely　hope　not。
Mr。　Midwinter　is　one　of　the　few　people　I　have　met　with　in　the
course　of　my　life　who　have　treated　me　kindly。

〃Hearing　that　Mr。　Armadale　still　remained　in　the　sitting…room；　I
went　into　the　steward's　office　（which；　as　you　may　remember；　is　on
the　same　side　of　the　house）；　and　left　the　door　ajar；　and　set　the
window　open；　waiting　and　listening　for　anything　that　might
happen。　Dear　madam；　there　was　a　time　when　I　might　have　thought
such　a　position　in　the　house　of　my　employer　not　a　very　becoming
one。　Let　me　hasten　to　assure　you　that　this　is　far　from　being　my
feeling　now。　I　glory　in　any　position　which　makes　me　serviceable
to　you。

〃The　state　of　the　weather　seemed　hopelessly　adverse　to　that
renewal　of　intercourse　between　Mr。　Armadale　and　Miss　Milroy　which
you　so　confidently　anticipate；　and　of　which　you　are　so　anxious　to
be　made　aware。　Strangely　enough；　however；　it　is　actually　in
consequence　of　the　state　of　the　weather　that　I　am　now　in　a
position　to　give　you　the　very　information　you　require。　Mr。
Armadale　and　Miss　Milroy　met　about　an　hour　since。　The
circumstances　were　as　follows：

〃Just　at　the　beginning　of　the　thunder…storm；　I　saw　one　of　the
grooms　run　across　from　the　stables；　and　heard　him　tap　at　his
master's　window。　Mr。　Armadale　opened　the　window　and　asked　what
was　the　matter。　The　groom　said　he　came　with　a　message　from　the
coachman's　wife。　She　had　seen　from　her　room　over　the　stables
（which　looks　on　to　the　park）　Miss　Milroy　quite　alone；　standing
for　shelter　under　one　of　the　trees。　As　that　part　of　the　park　was
at　some　distance　from　the　major's　cottage；　she　had　thought　that
her　master　might　wish　to　send　and　ask　the　young　lady　into　the
houseespecially　as　she　had　placed　herself；　with　a　thunder…storm
coming　on；　in　what　might　turn　out　to　be　a　very　dangerous
position。

〃The　moment　Mr。　Armadale　understood　the　man's　message；　he　called
for　the　water…proof　things　and　the　umbrellas；　and　ran　out
himself；　instead　of　leaving　it　to　the　servants。　In　a　little　time
he　and　the　groom　came　back　with　Miss　Milroy　between　them；　as　well
protected　as　could　be　from　the　rain。

〃I　ascertained　from　one　of　the　women…servants；　who　had　taken　the
young　lady　into　a　bedroom；　and　had　supplied　her　with　such　dry
things　as　she　wanted；　that　Miss　Milroy　had　been　afterward　shown
into　the　drawing…room；　and　that　Mr。　Armadale　was　there　with　her。
The　only　way　of　following　your　instructions；　and　finding　out　what
passed　between　them；　was　to　go　round　the　house　in　the　pelting
rain；　and　get　into　the　conservatory　（which　opens　into　the
drawing…room）　by　the　outer　door。　I　hesitate　at　nothing；　dear
madam；　in　your　service；　I　would　cheerfully　get　wet　every　day；　to
please　you。　Besides；　though　I　may　at　first　sight　be　thought
rather　an　elderly　man；　a　wetting　is　of　no　very　serious
consequence　to　me。　I　assure　you　I　am　not　so　old　as　I　look；　and　I
am　of　a　stronger　constitution　than　appears。

〃It　was　impossible　for　me　to　get　near　enough　in　the　conservatory
to　see　what　went　on　in　the　drawing…room；　without　the　risk　of
being　discovered。　But　most　of　the　conversation　reached　me；　except
when　they　dropped　their　voices。　This　is　the　substance　of　what　I
heard：

〃I　gathered　that　Miss　Milroy　had　been　prevailed　on；　against　her
will；　to　take　refuge　from　the　thunder…storm　in　Mr。　Armadale's
house。　She　said　so；　at　least；　and　she　gave　two　reasons。　The　first
was　that　her　father　had　forbidden　all　intercourse　between　the
cottage　and　the　great　house。　Mr。　Armadale　met　this　objection　by
declaring　that　her　father　had　issued　his　orders　under　a　total
misconception　of　the　truth；　and　by　entreating　her　not　to　treat
him　as　cruelly　as　the　major　had　treated　him。　He　entered；　I
suspect；　into　some　explanations　at　this　point；　but　as　he　dropped
his　voice　I　am　unable　to　say　what　they　were。　His　language；　when　I
did　hear　it；　was　confused　and　ungrammatical。　It　seemed；　however；
to　be　quite　intelligible　enough　to　persuade　Miss　Milroy　that　her
father　had　been　acting　under　a　mistaken　impression　of　the
circumstances。　At　least；　I　infer　this；　for；　when　I　next　heard　the
conversation；　the　young　lady　was　driven　back　to　her　second
objection　to　being　in　the　housewhich　was；　that　Mr。　Armadale　had
behaved　very　badly　to　her；　and　that　he　richly　deserved　that　she
should　never　speak　to　him　again。

〃In　this　latter　case；　Mr。　Armadale　attempted　no　defense　of　any
kind。　He　agreed　with　her　that　he　had　behaved　badly；　he　agreed
with　her　that　he　richly　deserved　she　should　never　speak　to　him
again。　At　the　same　time　he　implored　her　to　remember　that　he　had
suffered　his　punishment　already。　He　was　disgraced　in　the
neighborhood；　and　his　dearest　friend；　his　one　intimate　friend　in
the　world；　had　that　very　morning　turned　against　him　like　the
rest。　Far　or　near；　there　was　not　a　living　creature　whom　he　was
fond　of　to　comfort　him；　or　to　say　a　friendly　word　to　him。　He　was
lonely　and　miserable；　and　his　heart　ached　for　a　little
kindnessand　that　was　his　only　excuse　for　asking　Miss　Milroy　to
forget　and　forgive　the　past。

〃I　must　leave　you；　I　fear；　to　judge　for　yourself　of　the　effect　of
this　on　the　young　lady；　for；　though　I　tried　hard；　I　failed　to
catch　what　she　said。　I　am　almost　certain　I　heard　her　crying；　and
Mr。　Armadale　entreating　her　not　to　break　his　heart。　They
whispered　a　great　deal；　which　aggravated　me。　I　was　afterward
alarmed　by　Mr。　Armadale　coming　out　into　the　conservatory　to　pick
some　flowers。　He　did　not　come　as　far；　fortunately；　as　the　place