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letter which my mother wrote to Mr。 Blanchard at the outset of my
illnesshad then caused his own dismissal from his
situationand had sailed for Madeira in the very ship that was
to have sailed with me。 Arrived at the island； he had waited
again till the vessel was away once more on her voyage； and had
then presented himself at Mr。 Blanchard'snot in the assumed
name by which I shall continue to speak of him here； but in the
name which was as certainly his as mine； 'Allan Armadale。' The
fraud at the outset presented few difficulties。 He had only an
ailing old man （who had not seen my mother for half a lifetime）
and an innocent； unsuspicious girl （who had never seen her at
all） to deal with； and he had learned enough in my service to
answer the few questions that were put to him as readily as I
might have answered them myself。 His looks and manners； his
winning ways with women； his quickness and cunning； did the rest。
While I was still on my sickbed； he had won Miss Blanchard's
affections。 While I was dreaming over the likeness in the first
days of my convalescence； he had secured Mr。 Blanchard's consent
to the celebration of the marriage before he and his daughter
left the island。
〃Thus far Mr。 Blanchard's infirmity of sight had helped the
deception。 He had been content to send messages to my mother； and
to receive the messages which were duly invented in return。 But
when the suitor was accepted； and the wedding…day was appointed；
he felt it due to his old friend to write to her； asking her
formal consent and inviting her to the marriage。 He could only
complete part of the letter himself； the rest was finished； under
his dictation； by Miss Blanchard。 There was no chance of being
beforehand with the post…office this time； and Ingleby； sure of
his place in the heart of his victim； waylaid her as she came out
of her father's room with the letter； and privately told her the
truth。 She was still under age； and the position was a serious
one。 If the lett er was posted； no resource would be left but to
wait and be parted forever； or to elope under circumstances which
made detection almost a certainty。 The destination of any ship
which took them away would be known beforehand； and the
fast…sailing yacht in which Mr。 Blanchard had come to Madeira was
waiting in the harbor to take him back to England。 The only other
alternative was to continue the deception by suppressing the
letter； and to confess the truth when they were securely married。
What arts of persuasion Ingleby usedwhat base advantage he
might previously have taken of her love and her trust in him to
degrade Miss Blanchard to his own levelI cannot say。 He did
degrade her。 The letter never went to its destination； and； with
the daughter's privity and consent； the father's confidence was
abused to the very last。
〃The one precaution now left to take was to fabricate the answer
from my mother which Mr。 Blanchard expected； and which would
arrive in due course of post before the day appointed for the
marriage。 Ingleby had my mother's stolen letter with him； but he
was without the imitative dexterity which would have enabled him
to make use of it for a forgery of her handwriting。 Miss
Blanchard； who had consented passively to the deception； refused
to take any active share in the fraud practiced on her father。 In
this difficulty； Ingleby found an instrument ready to his hand in
an orphan girl of barely twelve years old； a marvel of precocious
ability； whom Miss Blanchard had taken a romantic fancy to
befriend and whom she had brought away with her from England to
be trained as her maid。 That girl's wicked dexterity removed the
one serious obstacle left to the success of the fraud。 I saw the
imitation of my mother's writing which she had produced under
Ingleby's instructions and （if the shameful truth must be told）
with her young mistress's knowledgeand I believe I should have
been deceived by it myself。 I saw the girl afterwardand my
blood curdled at the sight of her。 If she is alive now； woe to
the people who trust her！ No creature more innately deceitful and
more innately pitiless ever walked this earth。
〃The forged letter paved the way securely for the marriage； and
when I reached the house； they were （as the servant had truly
told me） man and wife。 My arrival on the scene simply
precipitated the confession which they had both agreed to make。
Ingleby's own lips shamelessly acknowledged the truth。 He had
nothing to lose by speaking outhe was married； and his wife's
fortune was beyond her father's control。 I pass over all that
followedmy interview with the daughter； and my interview with
the fatherto come to results。 For two days the efforts of the
wife； and the efforts of the clergyman who had celebrated the
marriage； were successful in keeping Ingleby and myself apart。 On
the third day I set my trap more successfully； and I and the man
who had mortally injured me met together alone； face to face。
〃Remember how my confidence had been abused； remember how the one
good purpose of my life had been thwarted； remember the violent
passions rooted deep in my nature； and never yet controlledand
then imagine for yourself what passed between us。 All I need tell
here is the end。 He was a taller and a stronger man than I； and
he took his brute's advantage with a brute's ferocity。 He struck
me。
〃Think of the injuries I had received at that man's hands； and
then think of his setting his mark on my face by a blow！
〃I went to an English officer who had been my fellow…passenger on
the voyage from Barbadoes。 I told him the truth； and he agreed
with me that a meeting was inevitable。 Dueling had its received
formalities and its established laws in those days； and he began
to speak of them。 I stopped him。 'I will take a pistol in my
right hand；' I said； 'and he shall take a pistol in his： I will
take one end of a handkerchief in my left hand； and he shall take
the other end in his； and across that handkerchief the duel shall
be fought。' The officer got up； and looked at me as if I had
personally insulted him。 'You are asking me to be present at a
murder and a suicide；' he said； 'I decline to serve you。' He left
the room。 As soon as he was gone I wrote down the words I had
said to the officer and sent them by a messenger to Ingleby。
While I was waiting for an answer； I sat down before the glass；
and looked at his mark on my face。 'Many a man has had blood on
his hands and blood on his conscience；' I thought； 'for less than
this。'
〃The messenger came back with Ingleby's answer。 It appointed a
meeting for three o'clock the next day； at a lonely place in the
interior of the island。 I had resolved what to do if he refused；
his letter released me from the horror of my own resolution。 I
felt grateful to himyes； absolutely grateful to himfor
writing it。
〃The next day I went to the place。 He was not there。 I waited two
hours； and he never came。 At last the truth dawned on me。 'Once a
coward； always a coward；' I thought。 I went back to Mr。
Blanchard's house。 Before I got there； a sudden misgiving seized
me； and I turned aside to the harbor。 I was right； the harbor was
the place to go to。 A ship sailing for Lisbon that afternoon had
offered him the opportunity of taking a passage for himself and
his wife； and escaping me。 His answer to my challenge had served
its purpose of sending me out of the way into the interior of the
island。 Once more I had trusted in Fergus Ingleby； and once more
those sharp wits of his had been too much for me。
〃I asked my informant if Mr。 Blanchard was aware as yet of his
daughter's departure。 He had discovered it； but not until the
ship had sailed。 This time I took a lesson in cunning from
Ingleby。 Instead of showing myself at Mr。 Blanchard's house； I
went first and looked at Mr。 Blanchard's yacht。
〃The vessel told me what the vessel's master might have
concealedthe truth。 I found her in the confusion of a sudden
preparation for sea。 All the crew were on board； with the
exception of some few who had been allowed their leave on shore；
and who were away in the interior of the island； nobody knew
where。 When I discovered that the sailing…master was trying in；
to supply their places with the best men he could pick up at a
moment's notice； my resolution was instantly taken。 I knew the
duties on board a yacht well enough； having had a vessel of my
own； and having sailed her myself。 Hurrying into the town； I
changed my dress for a sailor's coat and hat； and； returning to
the harbor； I offered myself as one of the volunteer crew。 I
don't know what the sailing…master saw in my face。 My answers to
his questions satisfied him； and yet he looked at me and
hesitated。 But hands were scarce； and it ended in my being taken
on board。 An hour later Mr。 Blanchard joined us； and was assisted
into the cabin； suffering pitiably in mind and body both。 An hour
after that we were at sea； with a starless night overhead； and a
fresh breeze behind us。
〃As I had surmised； we were in pursuit of the vessel in which
Ingleby and his wife had left the island that afternoon。 The ship
was French； and was employed in the timber trade： her name was
_La Grace de Dieu。