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worst of it。 By some underhand means； of which I am quite
ignorant； Mr。 Armadale's simplicity was imposed on； and； when
application was made secretly to my reference in London； it was
made； Mr。 Midwinter； through your friend。〃
Midwinter suddenly rose from his chair and looked at her。 The
fascination that she exercised over him； powerful as it was；
became a suspended influence； now that the plain disclosure came
plainly at last from her lips。 He looked at her； and sat down
again； like a man bewildered； without uttering a word。
〃Remember how weak he is；〃 pleaded Miss Gwilt； gently； 〃and make
allowances for him as I do。 The trifling accident of his failing
to find my reference at the address given him seems； I can't
imagine why； to have excited Mr。 Armadale's suspicion。 At any
rate； he remained in London。 What he did there； it is impossible
for me to say。 I was quite in the dark； I knew nothing： I
distrusted nobody； I was as happy in my little round of duties as
I could be with a pupil whose affections I had failed to win；
when； one morning； to my indescribable astonishment； Major Milroy
showed me a correspondence between Mr。 Armadale and himself。 He
spoke to me in his wife's presence。 Poor
creature； I make no complaint of her； such affliction as she
suffers excuses everything。 I wish I could give you some idea of
the letters between Major Milroy and Mr。 Armadale； but my head is
only a woman's head； and I was so confused and distressed at the
time！ All I can tell you is that Mr。 Armadale chose to preserve
silence about his proceedings in London； under circumstances
which made that silence a reflection on my character。 The major
was most kind； his confidence in me remained unshaken； but could
his confidence protect me against his wife's prejudice and his
daughter's ill…will？ Oh； the hardness of women to each other！ Oh；
the humiliation if men only knew some of us as we really are！
What could I do？ I couldn't defend myself against mere
imputations； and I couldn't remain in my situation after a slur
had been cast on me。 My pride （Heaven help me； I was brought up
like a gentlewoman； and I have sensibilities that are not blunted
even yet！）my pride got the better of me； and I left my place。
Don't let it distress you； Mr。 Midwinter！ There's a bright side
to the picture。 The ladies in the neighborhood have overwhelmed
me with kindness； I have the prospect of getting pupils to teach；
I am spared the mortification of going back to be a burden on my
friends。 The only complaint I have to make is； I think； a just
one。 Mr。 Armadale has been back at Thorpe Ambrose for some days。
I have entreated him； by letter； to grant me an interview； to
tell me what dreadful suspicions he has of me； and to let me set
myself right in his estimation。 Would you believe it？ He has
declined to see meunder the influence of others； not of his own
free will； I am sure！ Cruel； isn't it？ But he has even used me
more cruelly still； he persists in suspecting me； it is he who is
having me watched。 Oh； Mr。 Midwinter； don't hate me for telling
you what you _must_ know！ The man you found persecuting me and
frightening me tonight was only earning his money； after all； as
Mr。 Armadale's spy。〃
Once more Midwinter started to his feet； and this time the
thoughts that were in him found their way into words。
〃I can't believe it； I won't believe it！〃 he exclaimed；
indignantly。 〃If the man told you that； the man lied。 I beg your
pardon； Miss Gwilt； I beg your pardon from the bottom of my
heart。 Don't； pray don't think I doubt _you；_ I only say there is
some dreadful mistake。 I am not sure that I understand as I ought
all that you have told me。 But this last infamous meanness of
which you think Allan guilty； I _do_ understand。 I swear to you；
he is incapable of it！ Some scoundrel has been taking advantage
of him； some scoundrel has been using his name。 I'll prove it to
you； if you will only give me time。 Let me go and clear it up at
once。 I can't rest； I can't bear to think of it； I can't even
enjoy the pleasure of being here。 Oh；〃 he burst out desperately；
〃I'm sure you feel for me； after what you have saidI feel so
for _you！_〃
He stopped in confusion。 Miss Gwilt's eyes were looking at him
again； and Miss Gwilt's hand had found its way once more into his
own。
〃You are the most generous of living men；〃 she said； softly。 〃I
will believe what you tell me to believe。 Go；〃 she added； in a
whisper； suddenly releasing his hand； and turning away from him。
〃For both our sakes； go！〃
His heart beat fast； he looked at her as she dropped into a chair
and put her handkerchief to her eyes。 For one moment he
hesitated； the next； he snatched up his knapsack from the floor；
and left her precipitately； without a backward look or a parting
word。
She rose when the door closed on him。 A change came over her the
instant she was alone。 The color faded out of her cheeks； the
beauty died out of her eyes； her face hardened horribly with a
silent despair。 〃It's even baser work than I bargained for；〃 she
said； 〃to deceive _him。_〃 After pacing to and fro in the room for
some minutes； she stopped wearily before the glass over the
fire…place。 〃You strange creature！〃 she murmured； leaning her
elbows on the mantelpiece； and languidly addressing the
reflection of herself in the glass。 〃Have you got any conscience
left？ And has that man roused it？〃
The reflection of her face changed slowly。 The color returned to
her cheeks； the delicious languor began to suffuse her eyes
again。 Her lips parted gently； and her quickening breath began to
dim the surface of the glass。 She drew back from it； after a
moment's absorption in her own thoughts； with a start of terror。
〃What am I doing？〃 she asked herself； in a sudden panic of
astonishment。 〃Am I mad enough to be thinking of him in _that_
way？〃
She burst into a mocking laugh； and opened her desk on the table
recklessly with a bang。 〃It's high time I had some talk with
Mother Jezebel；〃 she said； and sat down to write to Mrs。
Oldershaw。
〃I have met with Mr。 Midwinter；〃 she began； 〃under very lucky
circumstances； and I have made the most of my opportunity。 He has
just left me for his friend Armadale； and one of two good things
will happen to…morrow。 If they don't quarrel； the doors of Thorpe
Ambrose will be opened to me again at Mr。 Midwinter's
intercession。 If they do quarrel； I shall be the unhappy cause of
it； and I shall find my way in for myself； on the purely
Christian errand of reconciling them。〃
She hesitated at the next sentence； wrote the first few words of
it； scratched them out again； and petulantly tore the letter into
fragments； and threw the pen to the other end of the room。
Turning quickly on her chair； she looked at the seat which
Midwinter had occupied； her foot restlessly tapping the floor；
and her handkerchief thrust like a gag between her clinched
teeth。 〃Young as you are；〃 she thought； with her mind reviving
the image of him in the empty chair； 〃there has been something
out of the common in _your_ life； and I must and will know it！〃
The house clock struck the hour； and roused her。 She sighed； and；
walking back to the glass； wearily loosened the fastenings of her
dress； wearily removed the studs from the chemisette beneath it；
and put them on the chimney…piece。 She looked indolently at the
reflected beauties of her neck and bosom； as she unplaited her
hair and threw it back in one great mass over her shoulders。
〃Fancy；〃 she thought； 〃if he saw me now！〃 She turned back to the
table； and sighed again as she extinguished one of the candles
and took the other in her hand。 〃Midwinter？〃 she said； as she
passed through the folding…doors of the room to her bed…chamber。
〃I don't believe in his name； to begin with！〃
The night had advanced by more than an hour before Midwinter was
back again at the great house。
Twice； well as the homeward way was known to him； he had strayed
out of the right road。 The events of the eveningthe interview
with Miss Gwilt herself； after his fortnight's solitary thinking
of her； the extraordinary change that had taken place in her
position since he had seen her last； and the startling assertion
of Allan's connection with ithad all conspired to throw his
mind into a state of ungovernable confusion。 The darkness of the
cloudy night added to his bewilderment。 Even the familiar gates
of Thorpe Ambrose seemed strange to him。 When he tried to think
of it； it was a mystery to him how he had reached the place。
The front of the house was dark； and closed for the night。
Midwinter went round to the back。 The sound of men's voices； as
he advanced； caught his ear。 They were soon distinguishable as
the voices of the first and second footman； and the subject of
conversation between them was their master。
〃I'll bet you an even half…crown he's driven out of the
neighborhood before another week is over his head；〃 said the
first footman。
〃Done！〃 said the second。 〃He isn't as easy driven as you think。〃
〃Isn't he！〃 retorted the other。 〃He'll be mobbed if he stops
here！ I tell you again； he's not satisfied with the mess he's got
into already。 I know it for certain； he's having the gover