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armadale-第78章

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you would have attributed it entirely to the music!

〃No! you may take my word for it; the harm is done。 _This_ man is
no rattle…pated fool; who changes his fancies as readily as he
changes his clothes。 The fire that lights those big black eyes of
his is not an easy fire; when a woman has once kindled it; for
that woman to put out。 I don't wish to discourage you; I don't
say the changes are against us。 But with Mrs。 Milroy threatening
me on one side; and Mr。 Midwinter on the other; the worst of all
risks to run is the risk of losing time。 Young Armadale has
hinted already; as well as such a lout can hint; at a private
interview! Miss Milroy's eyes are sharp; and the nurse's eyes are
sharper; and I shall lose my place if either of them find me out。
No matter! I must take my chance; and give him the interview。
Only let me get him alone; only let me escape the prying eyes of
the women; andif his friend doesn't come between usI answer
for the result!

〃In the meantime; have I anything more to tell you? Are there any
other people in our way at Thorpe Ambrose? Not another creature!
None of the resident families call here; young Armadale being;
most fortunately; in bad odor in the neighborhood。 There are no
handsome highly…bred women to come to the house; and no persons
of consequence to protest against his attentions to a governess。
The only guests he could collect at his party to…night were the
lawyer and his family (a wife; a son; and two daughters); and a
deaf old woman and _her_ sonall perfectly unimportant people;
and all obedient humble servants of the stupid young squire。

〃Talking of obedient humble servants; there is one other person
established here; who is employed in the steward's officea
miserable; shabby; dilapidated old man; named Bashwood。 He is a
perfect stranger to me; and I am evidently a perfect stranger to
him; for he has been asking the house…maid at the cottage who I
am。 It is paying no great compliment to myself to confess it; but
it is not the less true that I produced the most extraordinary
impression on this feeble old creature the first time he saw me。
He turned all manner of colors; and stood trembling and staring
at me; as if there was something perfectly frightful in my face。
I felt quite startled for the moment; for; of all the ways in
which men have looked at me; no man ever looked at me in that way
before。 Did you ever see the boa constrictor fed at the
Zoological Gardens? They put a live rabbit into his cage; and
there is a moment when the two creatures look at each other。 I
declare Mr。 Bashwood reminded me of the rabbit。

〃Why do I mention this? I don't know why。 Perhaps I have been
writing too long; and my head is beginning to fail me。 Perhaps
Mr。 Bashwood's manner of admiring me strikes my fancy by its
novelty。 Absurd! I am exciting myself; and troubling you about
nothing。 Oh; what a weary; long letter I have written! and how
brightly the stars look at me through the window; and how awfully
quiet the night is! Send me some more of those sleeping drops;
and write me one of your nice; wicked; amusing letters。 You shall
hear from me again as soon as I know a little better how it is
all likely to end。 Good…night; and keep a corner in your stony
old heart for

L。 G。〃

3。 _From Mrs。 Oldershaw to Miss Gwilt。_

〃Diana Street; Pimlico; Monday。

〃MY DEAR LYDIAI am in no state of mind to write you an amusing
letter。 Your news is very discouraging; and the recklessness of
your tone quite alarms me。 Consider the money I have already
advanced; and the interests we both have at stake。 Whatever else
you are; don't be reckless; for Heaven's sake!

〃What can I do? I ask myself; as a woman of business; what can I
do to help you? I can't give you advice; for I am not on the
spot; and I don't know how circumstances may alter from one day
to another。 Situated as we are now; I can only be useful in one
way。 I can discover a new obstacle that threatens you; and I
think I can remove it。

〃You say; with great truth; that there never was a prospect yet
without an ugly place in it; and that there are two ugly places
in your prospect。 My dear; there may be _three_ ugly places; if I
don't bestir myself to prevent it; and the name of the third
place will beBrock! Is it possible you can refer; as you have
done; to the Somersetshire clergyman; and not see that the
progress you make with young Armadale will be; sooner or later;
reported to him by young Armadale's friend? Why; now I think of
it; you are doubly at the parson's mercy! You are at the mercy of
any fresh suspicion which may bring him into the neighborhood
himself at a day's notice; and you are at the mercy of his
interference the moment he hears that the squire is committing
himself with a neighbor's governess。 If I can do nothing else; I
can keep this additional difficulty out of your way。 And oh;
Lydia; with what alacrity I shall exert myself; after the manner
in which the old wretch insulted me when I told him that pitiable
story in the street! I declare I tingle with pleasure at this new
prospect of making a fool of Mr。 Brock。

〃And how is it to be done? Just as we have done it already; to be
sure。 He has lost 'Miss Gwilt' (otherwise my house…maid); hasn't
he? Very well。 He shall find her again; wherever he is now;
suddenly settled within easy reach of him。 As long as _she_ stops
in the place; _he_ will stop in it; and as we know he is not at
Thorpe Ambrose; there you are free of him! The old gentleman's
suspicions have given us a great deal of trouble so far。 Let us
turn them to some profitable account at last; let us tie him; by
his suspicions; to my house…maid's apron…string。 Most refreshing。
Quite a moral retribution; isn't it?

〃The only help I need trouble you for is help you can easily
give。 Find out from Mr。 Midwinter where the parson is now; and
let me know by return of post。 If he is in London; I will
personally assist my housemaid in the necessary mystification of
him。 If he is anywhere else; I will send her after him;
accompanied by a person on whose discretion I can implicitly
rely。

〃You shall have the sleeping drops to…morrow。 In the meantime; I
say at the end what I said at the beginningno recklessness。
Don't encourage poetical feelings by looking at the stars; and
don't talk about the night being awfully quiet。 There are people
(in observatories) paid to look at the stars for you; leave it to
them。 And as for the night; do what Providence intended you to do
with the night when Providence provided you with eyelidsgo to
sleep in it。 Affectionately yours;

〃MARIA OLDERSHAW。〃

4。 _From the Reverend Decimus Brock to Ozias Midwinter。_

〃Bascombe Rectory; West Somerset; Thursday; July 8。

〃MY DEAR MIDWINTEROne line before the post goes out; to relieve
you of all sense of responsibility at Thorpe Ambrose; and to make
my apologies to the lady who lives as governess in Major Milroy's
family。

〃_The_ Miss Gwiltor perhaps I ought to say; the woman calling
herself by that namehas; to my unspeakable astonishment; openly
made her appearance here; in my own parish! She is staying at the
i nn; accompanied by a plausible…looking man; who passes as her
brother。 What this audacious proceeding really meansunless it
marks a new step in the conspiracy against Allan; taken under new
adviceis; of course; more than I can yet find out。

〃My own idea is; that they have recognized the impossibility of
getting at Allan; without finding me (or you) as an obstacle in
their way; and that they are going to make a virtue of necessity
by boldly trying to open their communications through me。 The man
looks capable of any stretch of audacity; and both he and the
woman had the impudence to bow when I met them in the village
half an hour since。 They have been making inquiries already about
Allan's mother here; where her exemplary life may set their
closest scrutiny at defiance。 If they will only attempt to extort
money; as the price of the woman's silence on the subject of poor
Mrs。 Armadale's conduct in Madeira at the time of her marriage;
they will find me well prepared for them beforehand。 I have
written by this post to my lawyers to send a competent man to
assist me; and he will stay at the rectory; in any character
which he thinks it safest to assume under present circumstances。

〃You shall hear what happens in the next day or two。

〃Always truly yours; DECIMUS BROCK。〃

CHAPTER XII。

THE CLOUDING OF THE SKY。

NINE days had passed; and the tenth day was nearly at an end;
since Miss Gwilt and her pupil had taken their morning walk in
the cottage garden。

The night was overcast。 Since sunset; there had been signs in the
sky from which the popular forecast had predicted rain。 The
reception…rooms at the great house were all empty and dark。 Allan
was away; passing the evening with the Milroys; and Midwinter was
waiting his returnnot where Midwinter usually waited; among the
books in the library; but in the little back room which Allan's
mother had inhabited in the last days of her residence at Thorpe
Ambrose。

Nothing had been taken away; but much had been added to the room;
since Midwinter had first seen it。 The books wh
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