armadale-第89章

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alarmed　by　Mr。　Armadale　coming　out　into　the　conservatory　to　pick
some　flowers。　He　did　not　come　as　far；　fortunately；　as　the　place
where　I　was　hidden；　and　he　went　in　again　into　the　drawing…room；
and　there　was　more　talking　（I　suspect　at　close　quarters）；　which
to　my　great　regret　I　again　failed　to　catch。　Pray　forgive　me　for
having　so　little　to　tell　you。　I　can　only　add　that；　when　the　storm
cleared　off；　Miss　Milroy　went　away　with　the　flowers　in　her　hand；
and　with　Mr。　Armadale　escorting　her　from　the　house。　My　own　humble
opinion　is　that　he　had　a　powerful　friend　at　court；　all　through
the　interview；　in　the　young　lady's　own　liking　for　him。

〃This　is　all　I　can　say　at　present；　with　the　exception　of　one
other　thing　I　heard；　which　I　blush　to　mention。　But　your　word　is
law；　and　you　have　ordered　me　to　have　no　concealments　from　you。

〃Their　talk　turned　once；　dear　madam；　on　yourself。　I　think　I　heard
the　word　'creature'　from　Miss　Milroy；　and　I　am　certain　that　Mr。
Armadale；　while　acknowledging　that　he　had　once　admired　you；　added
that　circumstances　had　since　satisfied　him　of　'his　folly。'　I
quote　his　own　expression；　it　made　me　quite　tremble　with
indignation。　If　I　may　be　permitted　to　say　so；　the　man　who　admires
Miss　Gwilt　lives　in　Paradise。　Respect；　if　nothing　else；　ought　to
have　closed　Mr。　Armadale's　lips。　He　is　my　employer；　I　know；　but
after　his　calling　it　an　act　of　folly　to　admire　you　（though　I　_am_
his　deputy…steward）；　I　utterly　despise　him。

〃Trusting　that　I　may　have　been　so　happy　as　to　give　you
satisfaction　thus　far；　and　earnestly　desirous　to　deserve　the
honor　of　your　continued　confidence　in　me；　I　remain；　dear　madam；

〃Your　grateful　and　devoted　servant；

〃FELIX　BASHWOOD。〃

2。　_From　Mrs。　Oldershaw　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Diana　Street；　Monday；　July　21st。

〃MY　DEAR　LYDIAI　trouble　you　with　a　few　lines。　They　are　written
under　a　sense　of　the　duty　which　I　owe　to　myself；　in　our　present
position　toward　each　other。

〃I　am　not　at　all　satisfied　with　the　tone　of　your　last　two
letters；　and　I　am　still　less　pleased　at　your　leaving　me　this
morning　without　any　letter　at　alland　this　when　we　had　arranged；
in　the　doubtful　state　of　our　prospects；　that　I　was　to　hear　from
you　every　day。　I　can　only　interpret　your　conduct　in　one　way。　I
can　only　infer　that　matters　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　having　been　all
mismanaged；　are　all　going　wrong。

〃It　is　not　my　present　object　to　reproach　you；　for　why　should　I
waste　time；　language；　and　paper？　I　merely　wish　to　recall　to　your
memory　certain　considerations　which　you　appear　to　be　disposed　to
overlook。　Shall　I　put　them　in　the　plainest　English？　Yes；　for；
with　all　my　faults；　I　am　frankness　personified。

〃In　the　first　place；　then；　I　have　an　interest　in　your　becoming
Mrs。　Armadale　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　as　well　as　you。　Secondly；　I　have
provided　you　（to　say　nothing　of　good　advice）　with　all　the　money
needed　to　accomplish　our　object。　Thirdly；　I　hold　your　notes　of
hand；　at　short　dates；　for　every　farthing　so　advanced。　Fourthly
and　lastly；　though　I　am　indulgent　to　a　fault　in　the　capacity　of　a
friendin　the　capacity　of　a　woman　of　business；　my　dear；　I　am　not
to　be　trifled　with。　That　is　all；　Lydia；　at　least　for　the　present。

〃Pray　don't　suppose　I　write　in　anger；　I　am　only　sorry　and
disheartened。　My　state　of　mind　resembles　David's。　If　I　had　the
wings　of　a　dove；　I　would　flee　away　and　be　at　rest。

〃Affectionately　yours；　MARIA　OLDERSHAW。〃

3。　_From　Mr。　Bashwood　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Thorpe　Ambrose；　July　21st。

〃DEAR　MADAMYou　will　probably　receive　these　lines　a　few　hours
after　my　yesterday's　communication　reaches　you。　I　posted　my　first
letter　last　night；　and　I　shall　post　this　before　noon　to…day。

〃My　present　object　in　writing　is　to　give　you　some　more　news　from
this　house。　I　have　the　inexpressible　happiness　of　announcing　that
Mr。　Armadale's　disgraceful　intrusion　on　your　privacy　is　at　an
end。　The　watch　set　on　your　actions　is　to　be　withdrawn　this　day。　I
write；　dear　madam；　with　the　tears　in　my　eyestears　of　joy；
caused　by　feelings　which　I　ventured　to　express　in　my　previous
letter　（see　first　paragraph　toward　the　end）。　Pardon　me　this
personal　reference。　I　can　speak　to　you　（I　don't　know　why）　so　much
more　readily　with　my　pen　than　with　my　tongue。

〃Let　me　try　to　compose　myself；　and　proceed　with　my　narrative。

〃I　had　just　arrived　at　the　steward's　office　this　morning；　when
Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　followed　me　to　the　great　house　to　see　Mr。
Armadale　by　special　appointment。　It　is　needless　to　say　that　I　at
once　suspended　any　little　business　there　was　to　do；　feeling　that
your　interests　might　possibly　be　concerned。　It　is　also　most
gratifying　to　add　that　this　time　circumstances　favored　me。　I　was
able　to　stand　under　the　open　window　and　to　hear　the　whole
interview。

〃Mr。　Armadale　explained　himself　at　once　in　the　plainest　terms。　He
gave　orders　that　the　person　who　had　been　hired　to　watch　you
should　be　instantly　dismissed。　On　being　asked　to　explain　this
sudden　change　of　purpose；　he　did　not　conceal　that　it　was　owing　to
the　effect　produced　on　his　mind　by　what　had　passed　between　Mr。
Midwinter　and　himself　on　the　previous　day。　Mr。　Midwinter's
language；　cruelly　unjust　as　it　was；　had　nevertheless　convinced
him　that　no　necessity　whatever　could　excuse　any　proceeding　so
essentially　base　in　itself　as　the　employment　of　a　spy；　and　on
that　conviction　he　was　now　determined　to　act。

〃But　for　your　own　positive　directions　to　me　to　conceal　nothing
that　passes　here　in　which　your　name　is　concerned；　I　should　really
be　ashamed　to　report　what　Mr。　Pedgift　said　on　his　side。　He　has
behaved　kindly　to　me；　I　know。　But　if　he　was　my　own　brother；　I
could　never　forgive　him　the　tone　in　which　he　spoke　of　you；　and
the　obstinacy　with　which　he　tried　to　make　Mr。　Armadale　change　his
mind。

〃He　began　by　attacking　Mr。　Midwinter。　He　declared　that　Mr。
Midwinter's　opinion　was　the　very　worst　opinion　that　could　be
taken；　for　it　was　quite　plain　that　you；　dear　madam；　had　twisted
him　round　your　finger。　Producing　no　effect　by　this　coarse
suggestion　（which　nobody　who　knows　you　could　for　a　moment
believe）；　Mr。　Pedgift　next　referred　to　Miss　Milroy；　and　asked　Mr。
Armadale　if　he　had　given　up　all　idea　of　protecting　her。　What　this
meant　I　cannot　imagine。　I　can　only　report　it　for　your　private
consideration。　Mr。　Armadale　briefly　answered　that　he　had　his　own
plan　for　protecting　Miss　Milroy；　and　that　the　circumstances　were
altered　in　that　quarter；　or　words　to　a　similar　effect。　Still　Mr。
Pedgift　persisted。　He　went　on　（I　blush　to　mention）　from　bad　to
worse。　He　tried　to　persuade　Mr。　Armadale　next　to　bring　an　action
at　law　against　one　or　other　of　the　persons　who　had　been　most
strongly　condemning　his　conduct　in　the　neighborhood；　for　the
purposeI　really　hardly　know　how　to　write　itof　getting　you
into　the　witness…box。　And　worse　yet：　when　Mr。　Armadale　still　said
No；　Mr。　Pedgift；　after　having；　as　I　suspected　by　the　sound　of　his
voice；　been　on　the　point　of　leaving　the　room；　artfully　came　back；
and　proposed　sending　for　a　detective　officer　from　London；　simply
to　look　at　you。　'The　whole　of　this　mystery　about　Miss　Gwilt's
true　character；'　he　said；　'may　turn　on　a　question　of　identity。　It
won't　cost　much　to　have　a　man　down　from　London；　and　it's　worth
trying　whether　her　face　is　or　is　not　known　at　headquarters　to　the
police。'　I　again　and　again　assure　you；　dearest　lady；　that　I　only
repeat　those　abominable　words　from　a　sense　of　duty　toward
yourself。　I　shookI　declare　I　shook　from　head　to　foot　when　I
heard　them。

〃To　resume；　for　there　is　more　to　tell　you。

〃Mr。　Armadale　（to　his　creditI　don't　deny　it；　though　I　don't
like　him）　still　said　No。　He　appeared　to　be　getting　irritated
under　Mr。　Pedgift's　persistence；　and　he　spoke　in　a　somewhat　hasty
way。　'You　persuaded　me　on　the　last　occasion　when　we　talked　about
this；'　he　said；　'to　do　something　that　I　have　been　since　heartily
ashamed　of。　You　won't　succeed　in　persuading　me；　Mr。　Pedgift；　a
second　time。'　Those　were　his　words。　Mr。　Pedgift　took　him　up
short；　Mr。　Pedgift　seemed　to　be　nettled　on　his　side。

〃　'If　that　is　the　light　in　which　you　see　my　advice；　sir；'　he
said；　'the　less　you　have　of　it　for　the　future；　the　better。　Your
character　and　position　are　publicly　involved　in　this　matter
between　yourself　and　Miss　Gwilt；　and　you　persist；　at　a　most
critical　moment；　in　taking　a　course　of　your　own；　which　I　believe
will　end　badly。　After　what　I　have　already　said　and　done　in　this
very　serious　case；　I　can't　consent　to　go　on　with　it　with　both　my
hands　tied；　and　I　can't　drop　it　with　credit　to　myself　while　I
remain　publicly　known　as　your　solicitor。　You　leave　me　no
alternative；　sir；　but　to　resign　the　honor　of　acting　as　your　legal
adviser。'　'I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；'　says　Mr。　Armadale；　'but　I　have
suffered　enough　already　through　interfering　with　Miss　Gwilt。　I
can't　and　won't　stir　any　further　in　the　matter。'　'_You_　may　not
stir　any　further　in　it；　sir；'　says　Mr。　Pedgift；　'and　_I_　shall
not　stir　any　further　in　it；　for　it　has　ceased　to　be　a　question　of
professional　interest　to　me。　But　mark　my　words；　Mr。　Armadale；　you
are　not　at　the　end　of　this　business　yet。　Some　other　person's
curiosity　may　go　on　from　the　point　where　you　（and　I）　have
stopped；　and　some　other　person's　hand　may　let　the　broad　daylight
in　yet　on　Miss　Gwilt。'

〃I　report　their　language；　d　ear　madam；　almost　word　for　word；　I
believe；　as　I　heard　it。　It　produced　an　indescribable　impression
on　me；　it　filled　me；　I　hardly　know　why；　with　quite　a　panic　of
alarm。　I　don't　at　all　understand　it；　and　I　understand　still　less
what　happened　immediately　afterward。

〃Mr。　Pedgift's　voice；　when　he　said　those　last　words；　sounded
dreadfully　close　to　me。　He　must　have　been　speaking　at　the　open
window；　and　he　must；　I　fear；　have　seen　me　under　it。　I　had　time；
before　he　left　the　house；　to　get　out　quietly　from　among　the
laurels；　but　not　to　get　back　to　the　office。　Accordingly　I　walked
away　along　the　drive　toward　the　lodge；　as　if　I　was　going　on　some
errand　connected　with　the　steward's　business。

〃Before　long；　Mr。　Pedgift　overtook　me　in　his　gig；　and　stopped。
'So　_you_　feel　some　curiosity　about　Miss　Gwilt；　do　you？'　he　said。
'Gratify　your　curiosity　by　all　means；　_I_　don't　object　to　it。'　I
felt　naturally　nervous；　but　I　managed　to　ask　him　what　he　meant。
He　didn't　answer；　he　only　looked　down　at　me　from　the　gig　in　a
very　odd　manner；　and　laughed。　'I　have　known　stranger　things
happen　even　than　_that！_'　he　said　to　himself　suddenly；　and　drove
off。

〃I　have　ventured　to　trouble　you　with　this　last　incident；　though
it　may　seem　of　no　importance　in　your　eyes；　in　the　hope　that　your
superior　ability　may　be　able　to　explain　it。　My　own　poor
faculties；　I　confess；　are　quite　unable　to　penetrate　Mr。　Pedgift's
meaning。　All　I　know　is　that　he　has　no　right　to　accuse　me　of　any
such　impertinent　feeling　as　curiosity　in　relation　to　a　lady　whom
I　ardently　esteem　and　admire。　I　dare　not　put　it　in　warmer　words。

〃I　have　only　to　add　that　I　am　in　a　position　to　be　of　continued
service　to　you　here　if　you　wish　it。　Mr。　Armadale　has　just　been
into　the　office；　and　has　told　me　briefly　that；　in　Mr。　Midwinter's
continued　absence；　I　am　still　to　act　as　steward's　deputy　till
further　notice。

〃Believe　me；　dear　madam；　anxiously　and　devotedly　yours；　FELIX
BASHWOOD。〃

4。　_From　Allan　Armadale　to　the　Reve