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tried some other way of proving her guilty at the trial than the
way they did try； what would you and the jury have done then？' Of
course it was quite impossible for the judge to say。 This
comforted the Home Secretary； to begin with。 And； when he got the
judge's consent； after that； to having the conflict of medical
evidence submitted to one great doctor； and when the one great
doctor took the merciful view； after expressly stating； in the
first instance； that he knew nothing practically of the merits of
the case； the Home Secretary was perfectly satisfied。 The
prisoner's death…warrant went into the waste…paper basket； the
verdict of the law was reversed by general acclamation； and the
verdict of the newspapers carried the day。 But the best of it is
to come。 You know what happened when the people found themselves
with the pet object of their sympathy suddenly cast loose on
their hands？ A general impression prevailed directly that she was
not quite innocent enough； after all； to be let out of prison
then and there！ Punish her a littlethat was the state of the
popular feelingpunish her a little； Mr。 Home Secretary； on
general moral grounds。 A small course of gentle legal medicine；
if you love us； and then we shall feel perfectly easy on the
subject to the end of our days。〃
〃Don't joke about it！〃 cried his father。 〃Don't； don't； don't；
Jemmy！ Did they try her again？ They couldn't！ They dursn't！
Nobody can be tried twice over for the same offense。〃
〃Pooh！ pooh！ she could be tried a second time for a second
offense；〃 retorted Bashwood the younger 〃and tried she was。
Luckily for the pacification of the public mind； she had rushed
headlong into redressing her own grievances （as women will）； when
she discovered that her husband had cut her down from a legacy of
fifty thousand pounds to a legacy of five thousand by a stroke of
his pen。 The day before the inquest a locked drawer in Mr。
Waldron's dressing…room table； which contained some valuable
jewelry； was discovered to have been opened and emptied； and when
the prisoner was committed by the magistrates； the precious
stones were found torn out of their settings and sewed up in her
stays。 The lady considered it a case of justifiable
self…compensation。 The law declared it to be a robbery committed
on the executors of the dead man。 The lighter offensewhich had
been passed over when such a charge as murder was brought against
herwas just the thing to revive； to save appearances in the
eyes of the public。 They had stopped the course of justice； in
the case of the prisoner； at one trial； and now all they wanted
was to set the course of justice going again； in the case of the
prisoner； at another！ She was arraigned for the robbery； after
having been pardoned for the murder。 And； what is more； if her
beauty and her misfortunes hadn't made a strong impression on her
lawyer。 she would not only have had to stand another trial； but
would have had even the five thousand pounds； to which she was
entitled by the second will； taken away from her； as a felon； by
the Crown。〃
〃I respect her lawyer！ I admire her lawyer！〃 exclaimed Mr。
Bashwood。 〃I should like to take his hand； and tell him so。〃
〃He wouldn't thank you； if you did；〃 remarked Bashwood the
younger。 〃He is under a comfortable impression that nobody knows
how he saved Mrs。 Waldron's legacy for her but himself。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Jemmy；〃 interposed his father。 〃But don't
call her Mrs。 Waldron。 Speak of her； please； by her name when she
was innocent； and young； and a girl at school。 Would you mind；
for my sake； calling her Miss Gwilt？〃
〃Not I！ It makes no difference to me what name I give her。 Bother
your sentiment！ let's go on with the facts。 This is what the
lawyer did before the second trial came off。 He told her she
would be found guilty _again；_ to a dead certainty。 'And this
time；' he said； 'the public will let the law take its course。
Have you got an old friend whom you can trust？' She hadn't such a
thing as an old friend in the world。 'Very well； then；' says the
lawyer； you must trust me。 Sign this paper； and you will have
executed a fictitious sale of all your property to myself。 When
the right time comes； I shall first carefully settle with your
husband's executors； and I shall then reconvey the money to you；
securing it properly （in case you ever marry again） in your own
possession。 The Crown； in other transactions of this kind；
frequently waives its right of disputing the validity of the
sale； and； if the Crown is no harder on you than on other people；
when you come out of prison you will have your five thousand
pounds to begin the world with again。' Neat of the lawyer； when
she was going to be tried for robbing the executors； to put her
up to a way of robbing the Crown； wasn't it？ Ha！ ha！ what a world
it is！〃
The last effort of the son's sarcasm passed unheeded by the
father。 〃In prison！〃 he said to himself。 〃Oh me； after all that
misery； in prison again！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Bashwood the younger； rising and stretching himself；
〃that's how it ended。 The verdict was Guilty； and the sentence
was imprisonment for two years。 She served her time； and came
out； as well as I can reckon it； about three years since。 If you
want to know what she did when she recovered her liberty； and how
she went on afterward； I may be able to tell you something about
itsay； on another occasion； when you have got an extra note or
two in your pocket…book。 For the present； all you need know； you
do know。 There isn't the shadow of a doubt that this fascinating
lady has the double slur on her of having been found guilty of
murder； and of having served her term of imprisonment for theft。
There's your money's worth for your moneywith the whole of my
wonderful knack at stating a case clearly； thrown in for nothing。
If you have any gratitude in you； you ought to do something
handsome； one of these days； for your son。 But for me； I'll tell
you what you would have done； old gentleman。 If you could have
had your own way； you would have married Miss Gwilt。〃
Mr。 Bashwood rose to his feet； and looked his son steadily in the
face。
〃If I could have my own way；〃 he said； 〃I would marry her now。〃
Bashwood the younger started back a step。 〃After all I have told
you？〃 he asked； in the blankest astonishment。
〃After all you have told me。〃
〃With the chance of being poisoned； the first time you happened
to offend her？〃
〃With the chance of being poisoned；〃 answered Mr。 Bashwood； 〃in
four…and…twenty hours。〃
The Spy of the Private Inquiry Office dropped back into his
chair； cowed by his father's words and his father's looks。
〃Mad！〃 he said to himself。 〃Stark mad； by jingo！〃
Mr。 Bashwood looked at his watch； and hurriedly took his hat from
a side…table。
〃I should like to hear the rest of it；〃 he said。 〃I should like
to hear every word you have to tell me about her； to the very
last。 But the time； the dreadful； galloping time； is getting on。
For all I know； they may be on their way to be married at this
very moment。〃
〃What are you going to do？〃 asked Bashwood the younger； getting
between his father and the door。
〃I am going to the hotel；〃 said the old man； trying to pass him。
〃I am going to see Mr。 Armadale。〃
〃What for？〃
〃To tell him everything you have told me。〃 He paused after making
that reply。 The terrible smile of triumph which had once already
appeared on his face overspre ad it again。 〃Mr。 Armadale is
young； Mr。 Armadale has all his life before him；〃 he whispered；
cunningly； with his trembling fingers clutching his son's arm。
〃What doesn't frighten _me_ will frighten _him！_〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 said Bashwood the younger。 〃Are you as certain
as ever that Mr。 Armadale is the man？〃
〃What man？〃
〃The man who is going to marry her。〃
〃Yes！ yes！ yes！ Let me go； Jemmylet me go。〃
The spy set his back against the door； and considered for a
moment。 Mr。 Armadale was richMr。 Armadale （if _he_ was not
stark mad too） might be made to put the right money…value on
information that saved him from the disgrace of marrying Miss
Gwilt。 〃It may be a hundred pounds in my pocket if I work it
myself；〃 thought Bashwood the younger。 〃And it won't be a
half…penny if I leave it to my father。〃 He took up his hat and
his leather bag。 〃Can you carry it all in your own addled old
head； daddy？〃 he asked； with his easiest impudence of manner。
〃Not you！ I'll go with you and help you。 What do you think of
that？〃
The father threw his arms in an ecstasy round the son's neck。 〃I
can't help it； Jemmy；〃 he said； in broken tones。 〃You are so good
to me。 Take the other note； my dearI'll manage without ittake
the other note。〃
The son threw open the door with a flourish； and magnanimously
turned his back on the father's offered pocket…book。 〃Hang it；
old gentleman； I'm not quite so mercenary as _that！_〃 he said；
with an appearance of the deepest feeling。 〃Put up your
pocket…book； and let's be off。If I took my respected parent's
last five…pound note；〃 he thought to himself； as he led the way
downstairs； 〃how do I know he mightn't cry halves when he sees
the color of Mr。 Armadale's money？Come along； dad！〃 he resumed。
〃We'll take a cab a