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fellow…men。 And humbly and trustfully leave the rest to the God
who made you； and to the Saviour who loved you better than his
own life。
〃This is the faith in which I have lived； by the Divine help and
mercy； from my youth upward。 I ask you earnestly； I ask you
confidently； to make it your faith； too。 It is the mainspring of
all the good I have ever done； of all the happiness I have ever
known； it lightens my darkness； it sustains my hope； it comforts
and quiets me； lying here； to live or die； I know not which。 Let
it sustain； comfort； and enlighten you。 It will help you in your
sorest need； as it has helped me in mine。 It will show you
another purpose in the events which brought you and Allan
together than the purpose which your guilty father foresaw。
Strange things； I do not deny it； have happened to you already。
Stranger things still may happen before long； which I may not
live to see。 Remember； if that time comes； that I died firmly
disbelieving in your influence over Allan being other than an
influence for good。 The great sacrifice of the AtonementI say
it reverentlyhas its mortal reflections； even in this world。 If
danger ever threatens Allan； you； whose father took his father's
lifeYOU； and no other； may be the man whom the providence of
God has appointed to save him。
〃Come to me if I live。 Go back to the friend who loves you；
whether I live or die。
〃Yours affectionately to the last；
〃DECIMUS BROCK。〃
〃 'YOU； and no other； may be the man whom the providence of God
has appointed to save him！'
〃Those are the words which have shaken me to the soul。 Those are
the words which make me feel as if the dead man had left his
grave； and had put his hand on the place in my heart where my
terrible secret lies hidden from every living creature but
myself。 One part of the letter has come true already。 The danger
that it foresees threatens Armadale at this momentand threatens
him from Me！
〃If the favoring circumstances which have driven me thus far
drive me on to the end； and if that old man's last earthly
conviction is prophetic of the truth； Armadale will escape me； do
what I may。 And Midwinter will be the victim who is sacrificed to
save his life。
〃It is horrible！ it is impossible！ it shall never be！ At the
thinking of it only； my hand trembles and my heart sinks。 I bless
the trembling that unnerves me！ I bless the sinking that turns me
faint！ I bless those words in the letter which have revived the
relenting thoughts that first came to me two days since！ Is it
hard； now that events are taking me； smoothly and safely； nearer
and nearer to the Endis it hard to conquer the temptation to go
on？ No！ If there is only a chance of harm coming to Midwinter；
the dread of that chance is enough to decide meenough to
strengthen me to conquer the temptation； for his sake。 I have
never loved him yet； never； never； never as I love him now！
〃Sunday； August 10th。The eve of my wedding…day！ I close and
lock this book； never to write in it； never to open it again。
〃I have won the great victory； I have trampled my own wickedness
under foot。 I am innocent； I am happy again。 My love！ my angel！
when to…morrow gives me to you； I will not have a thought in my
heart which is not _your_ thought； as well as mine！〃
CHAPTER XV。
THE WEDDING…DAY。
THE time was nine o'clock in the morning。 The place was a private
room in one of the old…fashioned inns which still remain on the
Borough side of the Thames。 The date was Monday； the 11th of
August。 And the person was Mr。 Bashwood； who had traveled to
London on a summons from his son； and had taken up his abode at
the inn on the previous day。
He had never yet looked so pitiably old and helpless as he looked
now。 The fever and chill of alternating hope and despair had
dried； and withered； and wasted him。 The angles of his figure had
sharpened。 The outline of his face had shrunk。 His dress pointed
the melancholy change in him with a merciless and shocking
emphasis。 Never； even in his youth； had he worn such clothes as
he wore now。 With the desperate resolution to leave no chance
untried of producing an impression on Miss Gwilt； he had cast
aside his dreary black garments； he had even mustered the courage
to wear his blue satin cravat。 His coat was a riding…coat of
light gray。 He had ordered it； with a vindictive subtlety of
purpose； to be made on the pattern of a coat that he had seen
Allan wear。 His waistcoat was white； his trousers were of the
gayest summer pattern； in the largest check。 His wig was oiled
and scented； and brushed round； on either side； to hide the
wrinkles on his temples。 He was an object to laugh at； he was an
object to weep over。 His enemies； if a creature so wretched could
have had enemies； would have forgiven him； on seeing him in his
new dress。 His friendshad any of his friends been leftwould
have been less distressed if they had looked at him in his coffin
than if they had looked at him as he was now。 Incessantly
restless； he paced the room from end to end。 Now he looked at his
watch； now he looked out of the window； now he looked at the
well…furnished breakfast…tablealways with the same wistful；
uneasy inquiry in his eyes。 The waiter coming in； with the urn of
boiling water； was addressed for the fiftieth time in the one
form of words which the miserable creature seemed to be capable
of uttering that morning： 〃My son is coming to breakfast。 My son
is very particular。 I want everything of the besthot things and
cold thingsand tea and coffeeand all the rest of it； waiter；
all the rest of it。〃 For the fiftieth time； he now reiterated
those anxious words。 For the fiftieth time； the impenetrable
waiter had just returned his one pacifying answer； 〃All right；
sir； you may leave it to me〃when the sound of leisurely
footsteps was heard on the stairs； the door opened； and the
long…expected son sauntered indolently into the room； with a neat
little black leather bag in his hand。
〃Well done； old gentleman！〃 said Bashwood the younger； surveying
his father's dress with a smile of sardonic encouragement。
〃You're ready to be married to Miss Gwilt at a moment's notice！〃
The father took the son's hand； and tried to echo the son's
laugh。
〃You have such good spirits； Jemmy；〃 he said； using the name in
its familiar form； as he had been accustomed to use it in happier
days。 〃You always had good spirits； my dear； from a child。 Come
and sit down； I've ordered you a nice breakfast。 Everything of
the best！ everything of the best！ What a relief it is to see you！
Oh； dear； dear； what a relief it is to see you。〃 He stopped and
sat down at the table； his face flushed with the effort to
control the impatience that was devouring him。 〃Tell me about
her！〃 he burst out； giving up the effort with a sudden
self…abandonment。 〃I shall die； Jemmy； if I wait for it any
longer。 Tell me！ tell me！ tell me！〃
〃One thing at a time；〃 said Bashwood the younger； perfectly
unmoved by his father's impatience。 〃We'll try the breakfast
first； and come to the lady afterward！ Gently does it； old
gentlemangently does it！〃
He put his leather bag on a chair； and sat down opposite to his
father； composed； and smiling； and humming a little tune。
No ordinary observation； applying the ordinary rules of analysis；
would have detected the character of Bashwood the younger in his
face。 His youthful look； aided by his light hair and his plump
beardless cheeks； his easy manner and his ever…ready smile； his
eyes which met unshrinkingly the eyes of every one whom he
addressed； all combined to make the impression of him a favorable
impression in the general mind。 No eye for reading character； but
such an eye as belongs to one person； perhaps； in ten thousand；
could have penetrated the smoothly deceptive surface of this man；
and have seen him for what he really wasthe vile creature whom
the viler need of Society has fashioned for its own use。 There he
satthe Confidential Spy of modern times； whose business is
steadily enlarging； whose Private Inquiry Offices are steadily on
the increase。 There he satthe necessary Detective attendant on
the progress of our national civilization； a man who was； in this
instance at least； the legitimate and intelligible product of the
vocation that employed him； a man professionally ready on the
merest suspicion （if the merest suspicion paid him） to get under
our beds； and to look through gimlet…holes in our doors； a man
who would have been useless to his employers if he could have
felt a touch of human sympathy in his father's presence； and who
would have deservedly forfeited his situation if； under any
circumstances whatever； he had been personally accessible to a
sense of pity or a sense of shame。
〃Gently does it； old gentleman；〃 he repeated； lifting the covers
from the dishes； and looking under them one after the other all
round the table。 〃Gently does it！〃
〃Don't be angry with me； Jemmy；〃 pleaded his father。 〃Try； if you
can； to think how anxious I must be。 I got your letter so long
ago as yesterday morning。 I have had to travel all the way from
Thorpe AmbroseI have had to get through the dreadful long
evening and the dreadful long nightwith your let