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Midwinter； 〃the testimonial would； I assure you； be quite enough
to satisfy me。 But while I am learning my new duties； the person
who teaches me will be really and truly the steward of my
friend's estate。 I am very unwilling to ask you to speak on what
may be a painful subject； and I am sadly inexperienced in putting
such questions as I ought to put； but； perhaps； in Mr。 Armadale's
interests； I ought to know something more； either from yourself；
or from Mr。 Pedgift； if you prefer it〃 He； too； stopped
confusedly； looked at the testimonial； and said no more。
There was another moment of silence。 The night was warm； and Mr。
Bashwood； among his other misfortunes； had the deplorable
infirmity of perspiring in the palms of the hands。 He took out a
miserable little cotton pocket…handkerchief； rolled it up into a
ball； and softly dabbed it to and fro； from one hand to the
other； with the regularity of a pendulum。 Performed by other men；
under other circumstances； the action might have been ridiculous。
Performed by this man； at the crisis of the interview； the action
was horrible。
〃Mr。 Pedgift's time is too valuable； sir； to be wasted on me；〃 he
said。 〃I will mention what ought to be mentioned myselfif you
will please to allow me。 I have been unfortunate in my family。 It
is very hard to bear； though it seems not much to tell。 My
wife〃 One of his hands closed fast on the pocket…handkerchief；
he moistened his dry lips； struggled with himself； and went on。
〃My wife； sir；〃 he resumed； 〃stood a little in my way； she did me
（I am afraid I must confess） some injury with Sir John。 Soon
after I got the steward's situation； she contractedshe
tookshe fell into habits （I hardly know how to say it） of
drinking。 I couldn't break her of it； and I couldn't always
conceal it from Sir John's knowledge。 She broke out； andand
tried his patience once or twice； when he came to my office on
business。 Sir John excused it； not very kindly； but still he
excused it。 I don't complain of Sir John！ I don't complain now of
my wife。〃 He pointed a trembling finger at his miserable
crape…covered beaver hat on the floor。 〃I'm in mourning for her；〃
he said； faintly。 〃She died nearly a year ago； in the county
asylum here。〃
His mouth began to work convulsively。 He took up the glass of
wine at his side； and； instead of sipping it this time； drained
it to the bottom。 〃I'm not much used to wine； sir；〃 he said；
conscious； apparently； of the flush that flew into his face as he
drank； and still observant of the obligations of politeness amid
all the misery of the recollections that he was calling up。
〃I beg； Mr。 Bashwood； you will not distress yourself by telling
me any more；〃 said Midwinter； recoiling from any further sanction
on his part of a disclosure which had already bared the sorrows
of the unhappy man before him to the quick。
〃I'm much obliged to you； sir；〃 replied Mr。 Bashwood。 〃But if I
don't detain you too long； and if you will please to remember
that Mr。 Pedgift's directions to me were very particularand；
besides； I only mentioned my late wife because if she hadn't
tried Sir John's patience to begin with； things might have turned
out differently〃 He paused； gave up the disjointed sentence in
which he had involved himself； and tried another。 〃I had only two
children； sir；〃 he went on； advancing to a new point in his
narrative； 〃a boy and a girl。 The girl died when she was a baby。
My son lived to grow up； and it was my son who lost me my place。
I did my best for him； I got him into a respectable office in
London。 They wouldn't take him without security。 I'm afraid it
was imprudent； but I had no rich friends to help me； and I became
security。 My boy turned out badly； sir。 He perhaps you will
kindly understand what I mean； if I say he behaved dishonestly。
His employers consented； at my entreaty； to let him off without
prosecuting。 I begged very hardI was fond of my son Jamesand
I took him home； and did my best to reform him。 He wouldn't stay
with me； he went away again to London； heI beg your pardon；
sir！ I'm afraid I'm confusing things； I'm afraid I'm wandering
from the point。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Midwinter； kindly。 〃If you think it right to tell
me this sad story； tell it in your own way。 Have you seen your
son since he left you to go to London？〃
〃No； sir。 He's in London still； for all I know。 When I last heard
of him； he was getting his breadnot very creditably。 He was
employed； under the inspector； at the Private Inquiry Office in
Shadyside Place。〃
He spoke those wordsapparently （as events then stood） the most
irrelevant to the matter in hand that had yet escaped him；
actually （as events were soon to be） the most vitally important
that he had uttered yethe spoke those words absently； looking
about him in confusion； and trying vainly to recover the lost
thread of his narrative。
Midwinter compassionately helped him。 〃You were telling me；〃 he
said； 〃that your son had been the cause of your losing your
place。 How did that happen？〃
〃In this way； sir；〃 said Mr。 Bashwood； getting back again
excitedly into the right train of thought。 〃His employers
consented to let him off； but they came down on his security； and
I was the man。 I suppose they were not to blame； the security
covered their loss。 I couldn't pay it all out of my savings； I
had to borrowon the word of a man； sir； I couldn't help itI
had to borrow。 My creditor pressed me； it seemed cruel； but； if
he wanted the money； I suppose it was only just。 I was sold out
of house and home。 I dare say other gentlemen would have said
what Sir John said； I dare say most people would have refused to
keep a steward who had had the bailiffs after him； and his
furniture sold in the neighborhood。 That was how it ended； Mr。
Midwinter。 I needn't detain you any longerhere is Sir John's
address； if you wish to apply to him。〃 Midwinter generously
refused to receive the address。
〃Thank you kindly； sir；〃 said Mr。 Bashwood； getting tremulously
on his legs。 〃There is nothing more； I think； exceptexcept that
Mr。 Pedgift will speak for me； if you wish to inquire into my
conduct in his service。 I'm very much indebted to Mr。 Pedgift；
he's a little rough with me sometimes； but； if he hadn't taken me
into his office； I think I should have gone to the workhouse when
I left Sir John； I was so broken down。〃 He picked up his dingy
old hat from the floor。 〃I won't intrude any longer； sir。 I shall
be happy to call again if you wish to have time to consider
before you decide…〃
〃I want no time to consider after what you have told me；〃 replied
Midwinter； warmly； his memory busy； while he spoke； with the time
when _he_ had told _his_ story to Mr。 Brock； and was waiting for
a generous word in return； as the man before him was waiting now。
〃To…day is Saturday；〃 he went on。 〃Can you come and give me my
first lesson on Monday morning？ I beg your pardon；〃 he added；
interrupting Mr。 Bashwood's profuse expressions of
acknowledgment； and stopping him on his way out of the room；
〃there is one thing we ought to settle； ought we not？ We haven't
spoken yet about your own interest in this matter； I mean； about
the terms。〃 He referred； a little confusedly； to the pecuniary
part of the subject。 Mr。 Bashwood （getting nearer and nearer to
the door） answered him more confusedly still。
〃Anything； siranything you think right。 I won't intrude any
longer； I'll leave it to you and Mr。 Armadale。〃
〃I will send for Mr。 Armadale； if you like；〃 said Midwinter；
following him into the hall。 〃But I am afraid he has as little
experience in matters of this kind as I have。 Perhaps； if you see
no objection； we might be guided by Mr。 Pedgift？〃
Mr。 Bashwood caught eagerly at the last suggestion； pushing his
retreat； while he spoke； as far as the front door。 〃Yes； siroh；
yes； yes！ nobody better than Mr。 Pedgift。 Don'tpray don't
disturb Mr。 Armadale！〃 His watery eyes looked quite wild with
nervous alarm as he turned round for a moment in the light of the
hall lamp to make that polite request。 If sending for Allan had
been equivalent to unchaining a ferocious watch…dog； Mr。 Bashwood
could hardly have been more anxious to stop the proceeding。 〃I
wish you kindly good…evening； sir；〃 he went on； getting out to
the steps。 〃I'm much obliged to you。 I will be scrupulously
punctual on Monday morningI hopeI thinkI'm sure you will
soon learn everything I can teach you。 It's not difficultoh
dear； nonot difficult at all！ I wish you kindly good…evening；
sir。 A beautiful night； yes； indeed； a beautiful night for a walk
home。〃
With those words； all dropping out of his lips one on the top of
the other； and without noticing； in his agony of embarrassment at
effecting his departure； Midwinter's outstretched hand； he went
noiselessly down the steps； and was lost in the darkness of the
night。
As Midwinter turned to re…enter the house； the dining…room door
opened and his friend met him in the hall。
〃Has Mr。 Bashwood gone？〃 asked Allan。
〃He has gone；〃 replied Midwinter； 〃after telling me a very sad
story； and leaving me a little ashamed of myself for having
doubted him without any just cause。 I have arranged that he is to
give me my first lesson