armadale-第112章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


loftiest　manner；　and　actually　tries　to　look　me　down。　Ha！　ha！　the
idea　of　anybody　looking　_me_　down；　at　my　time　of　life。　I　behaved
like　a　Christian；　I　nodded　kindly　to　old　What's…o'clock　'Fine
morning；　major；'　says　I。　'Have　you　any　business　with　me？'　says
he。　'Just　a　word；'　says　I。　Miss　Neelie；　like　the　sensible　girl
she　is；　gets　up　to　leave　the　room；　and　what　does　her　ridiculous
father　do？　He　stops　her。　'You　needn't　go；　my　dear；　I　have　nothing
to　say　to　Mr。　Pedgift；'　says　this　old　military　idiot；　and　turns
my　way；　and　tries　to　look　me　down　again。　'You　are　Mr。　Armadale's
lawyer；'　says　he；　'if　you　come　on　any　business　relating　to　Mr。
Armadale；　I　refer　you　to　my　solicitor。'　（His　solicitor　is　Darch；
and　Darch　has　had　enough　of　_me_　in　business；　I　can　tell　you！）
'My　errand　here；　major；　does　certainly　relate　to　Mr。　Armadale；'
says　I；　'but　it　doesn't　concern　your　lawyerat　any　rate；　just
yet。　I　wish　to　caution　you　to　suspend　your　opinion　of　my　client；
or；　if　you　won't　do　that；　to　be　careful　how　you　express　it　in
public。　I　warn　you　that　our　turn　is　to　come；　and　that　you　are　not
at　the　end　yet　of　this　scandal　about　Miss　Gwilt。'　It　struck　me　as
likely　that　he　would　lose　his　temper　when　he　found　himself
tackled　in　that　way；　and　he　amply　fulfilled　my　expectations。　He
was　quite　violent　in　his　languagethe　poor　weak
creatureactually　violent　with　_me！_　I　behaved　like　a　Christian
again；　I　nodded　kindly；　and　wished　him　good…morning。　When　I
looked　round　to　wish　Miss　Neelie　good…morning；　too；　she　was　gone。
You　seem　restless；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　remarked　Pedgift　Senior；　as
Allan；　feeling　the　sting　of　old　recollections；　suddenly　started
out　of　his　chair；　and　began　pacing　up　and　down　the　room。　〃I　won't
try　your　patience　much　longer；　sir；　I　am　coming　to　the　point。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Pedgift；〃　said　Allan；　returning　to　his
seat；　and　trying　to　look　composedly　at　the　lawyer　through　the
intervening　image　of　Neelie　which　the　lawyer　had　called　up。

〃Well；　sir；　I　left　the　cottage；〃　resumed　Pedgift　Senior。　〃Just　as
I　turned　the　corner　from　the　garden　into　the　park；　whom　should　I
stumble　on　but　Miss　Neelie　herself；　evidently　on　the　lookout　for
me。　'I　want　to　speak　to　you　for　one　moment；　Mr。　Pedgift！'　says
she。　'Does　Mr。　Armadale　think　_me_　mixed　up　in　this　matter？'　She
was　violently　agitatedtears　in　her　eyes；　sir；　of　the　sort　which
my　legal　experience　has　_not_　accustomed　me　to　see。　I　quite
forgot　myself；　I　actually　gave　her　my　arm；　and　led　her　away
gently　among　the　trees。　（A　nice　position　to　find　me　in；　if　any　of
the　scandal…mongers　of　the　town　had　happened　to　be　walking　in
that　direction！）　'My　dear　Miss　Milroy；'　says　I；　'why　should　Mr。
Armadale　think　_you_　mixed　up　in　it？'　〃

〃You　ought　to　have　told　her　at　once　that　I　thought　nothing　of　the
kind！〃　exclaimed　Allan；　indignantly。　〃Why　did　you　leave　her　a
moment　in　doubt　about　it？〃

〃Because　I　am　a　lawyer；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　rejoined　Pedgift　Senior；
dryly。　〃Even　in　moments　of　sentiment；　under　convenient　trees；
with　a　pretty　girl　on　my　arm；　I　can't　entirely　divest　myself　of
my　professional　caution。　Don't　look　distressed；　sir；　pray！　I　set
things　right　in　due　course　of　time。　Before　I　left　Miss　Milroy；　I
told　her；　in　the　plainest　terms；　no　such　idea　had　ever　entered
your　head。〃

〃Did　she　seem　relieved？〃　asked　Allan。

〃She　was　able　to　dispense　with　the　use　of　my　arm；　sir；〃　replied
old　Pedgift；　as　dryly　as　ever；　〃and　to　pledge　me　to　inviolable
secrecy　on　the　subject　of　our　interview。　She　was　particularly
desirous　that　_you_　should　hear　nothing　about　it。　If　you　are　at
all　anxious　on　your　side　to　know　why　I　am　now　betraying　her
confidence；　I　beg　to　inform　you　that　her　confidence　related　to　no
less　a　person　than　the　lady　who　favored　you　with　a　call　just
nowMiss　Gwilt。〃

Allan；　who　had　been　once　more　restlessly　pacing　the　room；
stopped；　and　returned　to　his　chair。

〃Is　this　serious？〃　he　asked。

〃Most　serious；　sir；〃　returned　Pedgift　Senior。　〃I　am　betraying
Miss　Neelie's　secret；　in　Miss　Neelie's　own　interest。　Let　us　go
back　to　that　cautious　question　I　put　to　her。　She　found　some
little　difficulty　in　answering　it；　for　the　reply　involved　her　in
a　narrative　of　the　parting　interview　between　her　governess　and
herself。　This　is　the　substance　of　it。　The　two　were　alone　when
Miss　Gwilt　took　leave　of　her　pupil；　and　the　words　she　used　（as
reported　to　me　by　Miss　Neelie）　were　these。　She　said；　'Your　mother
has　declined　to　allow　me　to　take　leave　of　her。　Do　you　decline
too？'　Miss　Neelie's　answer　was　a　remarkably　sensible　one　for　a
girl　of　her　age。　'We　have　not　been　good　friends；'　she　said；　'and
I　believe　we　are　equally　glad　to　part　with　each　other。　But　I　have
no　wish　to　decline　taking　leave　of　you。'　Saying　that；　she　held
out　her　hand。　Miss　Gwilt　stood　looking　at　her　steadily；　without
taking　it；　and　addressed　her　in　these　words：　'_You　are　not　Mrs。
Armadale　yet。_'　Gently；　sir！　Keep　your　temper。　It's　not　at　all
wonderful　that　a　woman；　conscious　of　having　her　own　mercenary
designs　on　you；　should　attribute　similar　designs　to　a　young　lady
who　happens　to　be　your　near　neighbor。　Let　me　go　on。　Miss　Neelie；
by　her　own　confession　（and　quite　naturally；　I　think）；　was
excessively　indignant。　She　owns　to　having　answered；　'You
shameless　creature；　how　dare　you　say　that　to　me！'　Miss　Gwilt's
rejoinder　was　rather　a　remarkable　onethe　anger；　on　her　side；
appears　to　have　been　of　the　cool；　still；　venomous　kind。　'Nobody
ever　yet　injured　me；　Miss　Milroy；'　she　said；　'without　sooner　or
later　bitterly　repenting　it。　_You_　will　bitterly　repent　it。'　She
stood　looking　at　her　pupil　for　a　moment　in　dead　silence；　and　then
left　the　room。　Miss　Neelie　appears　to　have　felt　the　imputation
fastened　on　her；　in　connection　with　you；　far　more　sensitively
than　she　felt　the　threat。　She　had　previously　known；　as　everybody
had　known　in　the　house；　that　some　unacknowledged　proceedings　of
yours　in　London　had　led　to　Miss　Gwilt's　voluntary　withdrawal　from
her　situation。　And　she　now　inferred；　from　the　language　addressed
to　her；　that　she　was　actually　believed　by　Miss　Gwilt　to　have　set
those　proceedings　on　foot；　to　advance　herself；　and　to　injure　her
governess；　in　your　estimation。　Gently；　sir；　gently！　I　haven't
quite　done　yet。　As　soon　as　Miss　Neelie　had　recovered　herself；　she
went　upstairs　to　speak　to　Mrs。　Milroy。　Miss　Gwilt's　abominable
imputation　had　taken　her　by　surprise；　and　she　went　to　her　mother
first　for　enlightenment　and　advice。　She　got　neither　the　one　nor
the　other。　Mrs。　Milroy　declared　she　was　too　ill　to　enter　on　the
subject；　and　she　has　remained　too　ill　to　enter　on　it　ever　since。
Miss　Neelie　applied　next　to　her　father。　The　major　stopped　her　the
moment　your　name　passed　her　lips：　he　declared　he　would　never　hear
you　mentioned　again　by　any　member　of　his　family。　She　has　been
left　in　the　dark　from　that　time　to　this；　not　knowing　how　she
might　have　been　misrepresented　by　Miss　Gwilt；　or　what　falsehoods
you　might　have　been　led　to　believe　of　her。　At　my　age　and　in　my
profession；　I　don't　profess　to　have　any　extraordinary　softness　of
heart。　But　I　do　think；　Mr。　Armadale；　that　Miss　Neelie's　position
deserves　our　sympathy。〃

〃I'll　do　anything　to　help　her！〃　cried　Allan；　impulsively。　〃You
don't　know；　Mr。　Pedgift；　what　reason　I　have〃　He　checked
himself；　and　confusedly　repeated　his　first　words。　〃I'll　do
anything；〃　he　reiterated　earnestly〃anything　in　the　world　to
help　her！〃

〃Do　you　really　mean　that；　Mr。　Armadale？　Excuse　my　asking；　but　you
can　very　materially　help　Miss　Neelie；　if　you　choose！　〃

〃How？〃　asked　Allan。　〃Only　tell　me　how！〃

〃By　giving　me　your　authority；　sir；　to　protect　her　from　Miss
Gwilt。〃

Having　fired　that　shot　pointblank　at　his　client；　the　wise　lawyer
waited　a　little　to　let　it　take　its　effect　before　he　said　any
more。

Allan's　face　clouded；　and　he　shifted　uneasily　from　side　to　side
of　his　chair。

〃Your　son　is　hard　enough　to　deal　with；　Mr。　Pedgift；〃　he　said；
〃and　you　are　harder　than　your　son。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　rejoined　the　ready　Pedgift；　〃in　my　son's　name
and　my　own；　for　a　handsome　compliment　to　the　firm。　If　you　really
wish　to　be　of　assistance　to　Miss　Neelie；〃　he　went　on；　more
seriously；　〃I　have　shown　you　the　way。　You　can　do　nothing　to　quiet
her　anxiety　which