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Thorpe AmbroseI have had to get through the dreadful long
evening and the dreadful long nightwith your letter telling me
that you had found out who she is； and telling me nothing more。
Suspense is very hard to bear； Jemmy； when you come to my age。
What was it prevented you； my dear； from coming to me when I got
here yesterday evening？〃
〃A little dinner at Richmond；〃 said Bashwood the younger。 〃Give
me some tea。〃
Mr。 Bashwood tried to comply with the request； but the hand with
which he lifted the teapot trembled so unmanageably that the tea
missed the cup and streamed out on the cloth。 〃I'm very sorry； I
can't help trembling when I'm anxious；〃 said the old man； as his
son took the tea…pot out of his hand。 〃I'm afraid you bear me
malice； Jemmy； for what happened when I was last in town。 I own I
was obstinate and unreasonable about going back to Thorpe
Ambrose。 I'm more sensible now。 You were quite right in taking it
all on yourself； as soon as I showed you the veiled lady when we
saw her come out of the hotel； and you were quite right to send
me back the same day to my business in the steward's office at
the Great House。〃 He watched the effect of these concessions on
his son； and ventured doubtfully on another entreaty。 〃If you
won't tell me anything else just yet；〃 he said； faintly； 〃will
you tell me how you found her out。 Do； Jemmy； do！〃
Bashwood the younger looked up from his plate。 〃I'll tell you
that；〃 he said。 〃The reckoning up of Miss Gwilt has cost more
money and taken more time than I expected； and the sooner we come
to a settlement about it； the sooner we shall get to what you
want to know。〃
Without a word of expostulation； the father laid his dingy old
pocket…book and his purse on the table before the son。 Bashwood
the younger looked into the purse； observed； with a contemptuous
elevation of the eyebrows； that it held no more than a sovereign
and some silver； and returned it intact。 The pocket…book； on
being opened next； proved to contain four five…pound notes。
Bashwood the younger transferred three of the notes to his own
keeping； and handed the pocket…book back to his father； with a
bow expressive of mock gratitude and sarcastic respect。
〃A thousand thanks；〃 he said。 〃Some of it is for the people at
our office； and the balance is for myself。 One of the few stupid
things； my dear sir； that I have done in the course of my life
was to write you word； when you first consulted me； that you
might have my services gratis。 As you see； I hasten to repair the
error。 An hour or two at odd times I was ready enough to give
you。 But this business has taken days； and has got in the way of
other jobs。 I told you I couldn't be out of pocket by you I put
it in my letter； as plain as words could say it。〃
〃Yes； yes； Jemmy。 I don't complain； my dear； I don't complain。
Never mind the moneytell me how you found her out。〃
〃Besides；〃 pursued Bashwood。 the younger； proceeding impenetrably
with his justification of himself； 〃I have given you the benefit
of my experience； I've done it cheap。 It would have cost double
the money if another man had taken this in hand。 Another man
would have kept a watch on Mr。 Armadale as well as Miss Gwilt。 I
have saved you that expense。 You are certain that Mr。 Armadale is
bent on marrying her。 Very good。 In that case； while we have our
eye on _her；_ we have； for all useful purposes； got our eye on
_him。_ Know where the lady is； and you know that the gentleman
can't be far off。〃
〃Quite true； Jemmy。 But how was it Miss Gwilt came to give you so
much trouble？〃
〃She's a devilish clever woman；〃 said Bashwood the younger；
〃that's how it was。 She gave us the slip at a milliner's shop。 We
made it all right with the milliner； and speculated on the chance
of her coming back to try on a gown she had ordered。 The
cleverest women lose the use of their wits in nine cases out of
ten where there's a new dress in the case； and even Miss Gwilt
was rash enough to go back。 That was all we wanted。 One of the
women from our office helped to try on her new gown； and put her
in the right position to be seen by one of our men behind the
door。 He instantly suspected who she was； on the strength of what
he had been told of her； for she's a famous woman in her way。 Of
course； we didn't trust to that。 We traced her to her new
address； and we got a man from Scotland Yard； who was certain to
know her； if our own man's idea was the right one。 The man from
Scotland Yard turned milliner's lad for the occasion； and took
her gown home。 He saw her in the passage； and identified her in
an instant。 You're in luck； I can tell you。 Miss Gwilt's a public
character。 If we had had a less notorious woman to deal with； she
might have cost us weeks of inquiry； and you might have had to
pay hundreds of pounds。 A day did it in Miss Gwilt's case； and
another day put the whole story of her life； in black and white；
into my hand。 There it is at the present moment； old gentleman；
in my black bag。〃
Bashwood the father made straight for the bag with eager eyes and
outstretched hand。 Bashwood the son took a little key out of his
waistcoat pocket； winked； shook his head； and put the key back
again。
〃I haven't done breakfast yet；〃 he said。 〃Gently does it； my dear
sirgently does it。〃
〃I can't wait！〃 cried the old man； struggling vainly to preserve
his self…control。 〃It's past nine！ It's a fortnight to…day since
she went to London with Mr。 Armadale！ She may be married to him
in a fortnight！ She may be married to him this morning！ I can't
wait！ I can't wait！〃
〃There's no knowing what you can do till you try；〃 rejoined
Bashwood the younger。 〃Try； and you'll find you can wait。 What
has become of your curiosity？〃 he went on； feeding the fire
ingeniously with a stick at a time。 〃Why don't you ask me what I
mean by calling Miss Gwilt a public character？ Why don't you
wonder how I came to lay my hand on the story of her life； in
black and white？ If you'll sit down again； I'll tell you。 If you
won't； I shall confine myself to my breakfast。〃
Mr。 Bashwood sighed heavily； and went back to his chair。
〃I wish you were not so fond of your joke； Jemmy；〃 he said。 〃I
wish； my dear； you were not quite so fond of your joke。〃
〃Joke？〃 repeated his son。 〃It would be serious enough in some
people's eyes； I can tell you。 Miss Gwilt has been tried for her
life； and the papers in that black bag are the lawyer's
instructions for the Defense。 Do you call that a joke？〃
The father started to his feet； and looked straight across the
table at the son with a smile of exultation that was terrible to
see。
〃She's been tried for her life！〃 he burst out； with a deep gasp
of satisfaction。 〃She's been tried for her life！〃 He broke into a
low； prolonged laugh； and snapped his fingers exultingly。
〃Aha…ha…ha！ Something to frighten Mr。 Armadale in _that！_〃
Scoundrel as he was； the son was daunted by the explosion of
pent…up passion which burst on him in those words。
〃Don't excite yourself；〃 he said； with a sullen suppression of
the mocking manner in which he had spoken thus far。
Mr。 Bashwood sat down again； and passed his handkerchief over his
forehead。 〃No；〃 he said； nodding and smiling at his son。 〃No；
nono excitement； as you sayI can wait now； Jemmy； I can wait
now。〃
He waited with immovable patience。 At intervals； he nodded； and
smiled； and whispered to himself； 〃Something to frighten Mr。
Armadale in _that！_〃 But he made no further attempt； by word；
look； or action； to hurry his son。
Bashwood the younger finished his breakfast slowly； out of pure
bravado； lit a cigar with the utmost deliberation； looked at his
father； and； seeing him still as immovably patient as ever；
opened the black bag at last； and spread the papers on the table。
〃How will you have it？〃 he asked。 〃Long or short？ I have got her
whole life here。 The counsel who defended her at the trial was
instructed to hammer hard at the sympathies of the jury： he went
head over ears into the miseries of her past career； and shocked
everybody in court in the most workman…like manner。 Shall I take
the same line？ Do you want to know all about her； from the time
when she was in short frocks and frilled trousers？ or do you
prefer getting on at once to her first appearance as a prisoner
in the dock？〃
〃I want to know all about her；〃 said his father； eagerly。 〃The
worst； and the bestthe worst particularly。 Don't spare my
feelings； Jemmywhatever you do； don't spare my feelings！ Can't
I look at the papers myself？〃
〃No； you can't。 They would be all Greek and Hebrew to you。 Thank
your stars that you have got a sharp son； who can take the pith
out of these papers； and give it a smack of the right flavor in
serving it up。 There are not ten men in England who could tell
you this woman's story as I can tell it。 It's a gift； old
gentleman； of the sort that is given to very few peopleand it
lodges here。〃
He tapped his forehead smartly； and turned to the first page of
the manuscript before him； with an unconcealed triumph at the
prospect of exhibiting his own cleverness； which was the first
expression of a genuine feeling of any sort that had escaped him
yet。
〃Miss Gwilt'