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〃Let me think； I have failed completelyfailed； with all the
circumstances in favor of success。 I caught him alone on the
drive in front of the house。 He was excessively disconcerted； but
at the same time quite willing to hear me。 I tried him； first
quietlythen with tears； and the rest of it。 I introduced myself
in the character of the poor innocent woman whom he had been the
means of injuring。 I confused； I interested； I convinced him。 I
went on to the purely Christian part of my errand； and spoke with
such feeling of his separation from his friend； for which I was
innocently responsible； that I turned his odious rosy face quite
pale； and made him beg me at last not to distress him。 But；
whatever other feelings I roused in him； I never once roused his
old feeling for _me。_ I saw it in his eyes when he looked at me；
I felt it in his fingers when we shook hands。 We parted friends；
and nothing more。
〃It is for this； is it； Miss Milroy； that I resisted temptation；
morning after morning； when I knew you were out alone in the
park？ I have just left you time to slip in； and take my place in
Armadale's good graces； have I？ I never resisted temptation yet
without suffering for it in some such way as this！ If I had only
followed my first thoughts； on the day when I took leave of you；
my young ladywell； well； never mind that now。 I have got the
future before me； you are not Mrs。 Armadale yet！ And I can tell
you one other thingwhoever else he marries； he will never marry
_you。_ If I am even with you in no other way； trust me； whatever
comes of it； to be even with you there！
〃I am not； to my own surprise； in one of my furious passions。 The
last time I was in this perfectly cool state； under serious
provocation； something came of it； which I daren't write down；
even in my own private diary。 I shouldn't be surprised if
something comes of it now。
〃On my way back； I called at Mr。 Bashwood's lodgings in the town。
He was not at home； and I left a message telling him to come here
tonight and speak to me。 I mean to relieve him at once of the
duty of looking after Armadale and Miss Milroy。 I may not see my
way yet to ruining her prospects at Thorpe Ambrose as completely
as she has ruined mine。 But when the time comes； and I do see it；
I don't know to what lengths my sense of injury may take me； and
there may be inconvenience； and possibly danger； in having such a
chicken…hearted creature as Mr。 Bashwood in my confidence。
〃I suspect I am more upset by all this than I supposed。
Midwinter's story is beginning to haunt me again； without rhyme
or reason。
〃A soft； quick； trembling knock at the street door！ I know who it
is。 No hand but old Bashwood's could knock in that way。
〃Nine o'clock。I have just got rid of him。 He has surprised me
by coming out in a new character。
〃It seems （though I didn't detect him） that he was at the great
house while I was in company with Armadale。 He saw us talking on
the drive； and he afterward heard what the servants said； who saw
us too。 The wise opinion below stairs is that we have 'made it
up；' and that the master is likely to marry me after all。 'He's
sweet on her red hair；' was the elegant expression they used in
the kitchen。 'Little missie can't match her there； and little
missie will get the worst of it。' How I hate the coarse ways of
the lower orders！
〃While old Bashwood was telling me this； I thought he looked even
more confused and nervous than usual。 But I failed to see what
was really the matter until after I had told him that he was to
leave all further observation of Mr。 Armadale and Miss Milroy to
me。 Every drop of the little blood there is in the feeble old
creature's body seemed to fly up into his face。 He made quite an
overpowering effort； he really looked as if he would drop down
dead of fright at his own boldness； but be forced out the
question for all that； stammering； and stuttering； and kneading
desperately with both hands at the brim of his hideous great hat。
'I beg your pardon； Miss Gwi…Gwi…Gwilt！ You are not really
go…go…going to marry Mr。 Armadale； are you？ Jealousif ever I
saw it in a man's face yet； I saw it in hisactually jealous of
Armadale at his age！ If I had been in the humor for it； I should
have burst out laughing in his face。 As it was； I was angry； and
lost all patience with him。 I told him he was an old fool； and
ordered him to go on quietly with his usual business until I sent
him word that he was wanted again。 He submitted as usual； but
there was an indescribable something in his watery old eyes； when
he took leave of me； which I have never noticed in them before。
Love has the credit of working all sorts of strange
transformations。 Can it be really possible that Love has made Mr。
Bashwood man enough to be angry with me？
〃Wednesday。My experience of Miss Milroy's habits suggested a
suspicion to me last night which I thought it desirable to clear
up this morning。
〃It was always her way； when I was at the cottage； to take a walk
early in the morning before breakfast。 Considering that I used
often to choose that very time for _my_ private meetings with
Armadale； it struck me as likely that my former pupil might be
taking a leaf out of my book； and that I might make some
desirable discoveries if I turned my steps in the direction of
the major's garden at the right hour。 I deprived myself of my
Drops； to make sure of waking； passed a miserable night in
consequence； and was ready enough to get up at six o'clock； and
walk the distance from my lodgings to the cottage in the fresh
morning air。
〃I had not been five minutes on the park side of the garden
inclosure before I sat her come out。
〃She seemed to have had a bad night too； her eyes were heavy and
red； and her lips and cheeks looked swollen as if she had been
crying。 There was something on her mind； evidently； something； as
it soon appeared； to take her out of the garden into the park。
She walked （if one can call it walking； with such legs as hers！）
straight to the summer house； and opened the door； and crossed
the bridge； and went on quicker and quicker toward the low ground
in the park； where the trees are thickest。 I followed her over
the open space with perfect impunity in the preoccupied state she
was in； and； when she began to slacken her pace among the trees；
I was among the trees too； and was not afraid of her seeing me。
〃Before long； there was a crackling and trampling of heavy feet
coming up toward us through the under…wood in a deep dip of the
ground。 I knew that step as well as she knew it。 'Here I am；' she
said； in a faint little voice。 I kept behind the trees a few
yards off； in some doubt on which side Armadale would come out of
the under…wood to join her。 He came out up the side of the dell；
opposite to the tree behind which I was standing。 They sat down
together on the bank。 I sat down behind the tree； and looked at
them through the under…wood； and heard without the slightest
difficulty every word that they said。
〃The talk began by his noticing that she looked out of spirits；
and asking if anything had gone wrong at the cottage。 The artful
little minx lost no time in making the necessary impression on
him； she began to cry。 He took her hand； of course； and tried； in
his brutishly straightforward way； to comfort her。 No； she was
not to be comforted。 A miserable prospect was before her； she had
not slept the whole night for thinking of it。 Her father had
called her into his room the previous evening； had spoken about
the state of her education； and had told her in so many words
that she was to go to school。 The place had been found； and the
terms had been settled； and as soon as her clothes could he got
ready； miss was to go。
〃 'While that hateful Miss Gwilt was in the house；' says this
model young person； 'I would have gone to school willinglyI
wanted to go。 But it's all different now； I don't think of it in
the same way； I feel too old for school。 I'm quite heart…broken；
Mr。 Armadale。' There she stopped as if she had meant to say more；
and gave him a look which finished the sentence plainly： 'I'm
quite heart…broken； Mr。 Armadale； now we are friendly again； at
going away from you！' For d ownright brazen impudence； which a
grown woman would be ashamed of； give me the young girls whose
'modesty' is so pertinaciously insisted on by the nauseous
domestic sentimentalists of the present day！
〃Even Armadale； booby as he is； understood her。 After bewildering
himself in a labyrinth of words that led nowhere； he took
herone can hardly say round the waist； for she hasn't got
onehe took her round the last hook…and…eye of her dress； and；
by way of offering her a refuge from the indignity of being sent
to school at her age； made her a proposal of marriage in so many
words。
〃If I could have killed them both at that moment by lifting up my
little finger； I have not the least doubt I should have lifted
it。 As things were； I only waited to see what Miss Milroy would
do。
〃She appeared to think it necessaryfeeling； I suppose； that she
had met him without her father's knowledge； and not forgetting
that I had had the start of her as the favored object of Mr。
Armadale's