armadale-第103章
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resources； and Allan failed to catch him at the end of them now。
〃I quite agree with you； sir；〃 he said； 〃we must do something。
We'll cross…examine the cabman。〃
The cabman proved to be immovable。 Charged with mistaking the
place； he pointed to the empty shop window。 〃I don't know what
you may have seen； gentlemen；〃 he remarked； 〃but there's the only
shop window I ever saw with nothing at all inside it。 _That_
fixed the place in my mind at the time； and I know it again when
I see it。〃 Charged with mistaking the person or the day； or the
house at which he had taken the person up； the cabman proved to
be still unassailable。 The servant who fetched him was marked as
a girl well known on the stand。 The day was marked as the
unluckiest working…day he had had since the first of the year；
and the lady was marked as having had her money ready at the
right moment （which not one elderly lady in a hundred usually
had）； and having paid him his fare on demand without disputing it
（which not one elderly lady in a hundred usually did）。 〃Take my
number； gentlemen；〃 concluded the cabman； 〃and pay me for my
time； and what I've said to you； I'll swear to anywhere。〃
Pedgift made a note in his pocket…book of the man's number。
Having added to it the name of the street； and the names on the
two brass plates； he quietly opened the cab door。 〃We are quite
in the dark； thus far；〃 he said。 〃Suppose we grope our way back
to the hotel？〃
He spoke and looked more seriously than usual The mere fact of
〃Mrs。 Mandeville's〃 having changed her lodging without telling
any one where she was going； and without leaving any address at
which letters could be forwarded to herwhich the jealous
malignity of Mrs。 Milroy had interpreted as being undeniably
suspicious in itselfhad produced no great impression on the
more impartial judgment of Allan's solicitor。 People frequently
left their lodgings in a private manner； with perfectly
producible reasons for doing so。 But the appearance of the place
to which the cabman persisted in declaring that he had driven
〃Mrs。 Mandeville〃 set the character and proceedings of that
mysterious lady before Pedgift Junior in a new light。 His
personal interest in the inquiry suddenly strengthened； and he
began to feel a curiosity to know the real nature of Allan's
business which he had not felt yet。
〃Our next move； Mr。 Armadale； is not a very easy move to see；〃 he
said； as they drove back to the hotel。 〃Do you think you could
put me in possession of any further particulars？〃
Allan hesitated； and Pedgift Junior saw that he had advanced a
little too far。 〃I mustn't force it；〃 he thought； 〃I must give it
time； and let it come of its own accord。〃 〃In the absence of any
other information； sir；〃 he resumed； 〃what do you say to my
making some inquiry about that queer shop； and about those two
names on the door…plate？ My business in London； when I leave you；
is of a professional nature； and I am going into the right
quarter for getting information； if it is to be got。〃
〃There can't be any harm； I suppose； in making inquiries；〃
replied Allan。
He； too； spoke more seriously than usual； he； too； was beginning
to feel an all…mastering curiosity to know more。 Some vague
connection； not to be distinctly realized or traced out； began to
establish itself in his mind between the difficulty of
approaching Miss Gwilt's family circumstances and the difficulty
of approaching Miss Gwilt's reference。 〃I'll get down and walk；
and leave you to go on to your business；〃 he said。 〃I want to
consider a little about this； and a walk and a cigar will help
me。〃
〃My business will be done； sir； between one and two；〃 said
Pedgift； when the cab had been stopped； and Allan had got out。
〃Shall we meet again at two o'clock； at the hotel？〃
Allan nodded； and the cab drove off。
CHAPTER IV。
ALLAN AT BAY。
Two o'clock came； and Pedgift Junior； punctual to his time； came
with it。 His vivacity of the morning had all sparkled out； he
greeted Allan with his customary politeness； but without his
customary smile； and； when the headwaiter came in for orders； his
dismissal was instantly pronounced in words never yet heard to
issue from the lips of Pedgift in that hotel： 〃Nothing at
present。〃
〃You seem to be in low spirits；〃 said Allan。 〃Can't we get our
information？ Can nobody tell you anything about the house in
Pimlico？〃
〃Three different people have told me about it； Mr。 Armadale； and
they have all three said the same thing。〃
Allan eagerly drew his chair nearer to the place occupied by his
traveling companion。 His reflections in the interval since they
had last seen each other had not tended to compose him。 That
strange connection； so easy to feel； so hard to trace； between
the difficulty of approaching Miss Gwilt's family circumstances
and the difficulty of approaching Miss Gwilt's reference； which
had already established itself in his thoughts； had by this time
stealthily taken a firmer and firmer hold on his mind。 Doubts
troubled him which he could neither understand nor express。
Curiosity filled him； which he half longed and half dreaded to
satisfy。
〃I am afraid I must trouble you with a question or two； sir；
before I can come to the point；〃 said Pedgift Junior。 〃I don't
want to force myself into your confidence。 I only want to see my
way； in what looks to me like a very awkward business。 Do you
mind telling me whether others besides yourself are interested in
this inquiry of ours？〃
〃Other people _are_ interested in it；〃 replied Allan。 〃There's no
objection to telling you that。〃
〃Is there any other person who is the object of the inquiry
besides Mrs。 Mandeville； herself？〃 pursued Pedgift； winding his
way a little deeper into the secret。
〃Yes； there is another person；〃 said Allan； answering rather
unwillingly。
〃Is the person a young woman； Mr。 Armadale？〃
Allan started。 〃How do you come to guess that？〃 he began； then
checked himself； when it was too late。 〃Don't ask me any more
questions；〃 he resumed。 〃I'm a bad hand at defending myself
against a sharp fellow like you； and I'm bound in honor toward
other people to keep the particulars of this business to myself。〃
Pedgift Junior had apparently heard enough for his purpose。 He
drew his chair； in his turn； nearer to Allan。 He was evidently
anxious and embarrassed； but his professional manner began to
show itself again from sheer fo rce of habit。
〃I've done with my questions； sir；〃 he said； 〃and I have
something to say now on my side。 In my father's absence； perhaps
you may be kindly disposed to consider me as your legal adviser。
If you will take my advice； you will not stir another step in
this inquiry。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 interposed Allan。
〃It is just possible； Mr。 Armadale； that the cabman； positive as
he is； may have been mistaken。 I strongly recommend you to take
it for granted that he _is_ mistaken； and to drop it there。〃
The caution was kindly intended； but it came too late。 Allan did
what ninety…nine men out of a hundred in his position would have
donehe declined to take his lawyer's advice。
〃Very well； sir；〃 said Pedgift Junior； 〃if you will have it； you
must have it。〃
He leaned forward close to Allan's ear； and whispered what he had
heard of the house in Pimlico； and of the people who occupied it。
〃Don't blame me； Mr。 Armadale；〃 he added； when the irrevocable
words had been spoken。 〃I tried to spare you。〃
Allan suffered the shock； as all great shocks are suffered； in
silence。 His first impulse would have driven him headlong for
refuge to that very view of the cabman's assertion which had just
been recommended to him； but for one damning circumstance which
placed itself inexorably in his way。 Miss Gwilt's marked
reluctance to approach the story of her past life rose
irrepressibly on his memory； in indirect but horrible
confirmation of the evidence which connected Miss Gwilt's
reference with the house in Pimlico。 One conclusion； and one
onlythe conclusion which any man must have drawn； hearing what
he had just heard； and knowing no more than he knewforced
itself into his mind。 A miserable； fallen woman； who had
abandoned herself in her extremity
