armadale-第123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！
character and position are publicly involved in this matter
between yourself and Miss Gwilt； and you persist； at a most
critical moment； in taking a course of your own； which I believe
will end badly。 After what I have already said and done in this
very serious case； I can't consent to go on with it with both my
hands tied； and I can't drop it with credit to myself while I
remain publicly known as your solicitor。 You leave me no
alternative； sir； but to resign the honor of acting as your legal
adviser。' 'I am sorry to hear it；' says Mr。 Armadale； 'but I have
suffered enough already through interfering with Miss Gwilt。 I
can't and won't stir any further in the matter。' '_You_ may not
stir any further in it； sir；' says Mr。 Pedgift； 'and _I_ shall
not stir any further in it； for it has ceased to be a question of
professional interest to me。 But mark my words； Mr。 Armadale； you
are not at the end of this business yet。 Some other person's
curiosity may go on from the point where you （and I） have
stopped； and some other person's hand may let the broad daylight
in yet on Miss Gwilt。'
〃I report their language； d ear madam； almost word for word； I
believe； as I heard it。 It produced an indescribable impression
on me； it filled me； I hardly know why； with quite a panic of
alarm。 I don't at all understand it； and I understand still less
what happened immediately afterward。
〃Mr。 Pedgift's voice； when he said those last words； sounded
dreadfully close to me。 He must have been speaking at the open
window； and he must； I fear； have seen me under it。 I had time；
before he left the house； to get out quietly from among the
laurels； but not to get back to the office。 Accordingly I walked
away along the drive toward the lodge； as if I was going on some
errand connected with the steward's business。
〃Before long； Mr。 Pedgift overtook me in his gig； and stopped。
'So _you_ feel some curiosity about Miss Gwilt； do you？' he said。
'Gratify your curiosity by all means； _I_ don't object to it。' I
felt naturally nervous； but I managed to ask him what he meant。
He didn't answer； he only looked down at me from the gig in a
very odd manner； and laughed。 'I have known stranger things
happen even than _that！_' he said to himself suddenly； and drove
off。
〃I have ventured to trouble you with this last incident； though
it may seem of no importance in your eyes； in the hope that your
superior ability may be able to explain it。 My own poor
faculties； I confess； are quite unable to penetrate Mr。 Pedgift's
meaning。 All I know is that he has no right to accuse me of any
such impertinent feeling as curiosity in relation to a lady whom
I ardently esteem and admire。 I dare not put it in warmer words。
〃I have only to add that I am in a position to be of continued
service to you here if you wish it。 Mr。 Armadale has just been
into the office； and has told me briefly that； in Mr。 Midwinter's
continued absence； I am still to act as steward's deputy till
further notice。
〃Believe me； dear madam； anxiously and devotedly yours； FELIX
BASHWOOD。〃
4。 _From Allan Armadale to the Reverend Decimus Brock。_
Thorpe Ambrose； Tuesday。
〃MY DEAR MR。 BROCKI am in sad trouble。 Midwinter has quarreled
with me and left me； and my lawyer has quarreled with me and left
me； and （except dear little Miss Milroy； who has forgiven me） all
the neighbors have turned their backs on me。 There is a good deal
about 'me' in this； but I can't help it。 I am very miserable
alone in my own house。 Do pray come and see me！ You are the only
old friend I have left； and I do long so to tell you about it。
〃N。 B。On my word of honor as a gentleman； I am not to blame。
Yours affectionately；
〃ALLAN ARMADALE。
〃P。 S。I would come to you （for this place is grown quite
hateful to me）； but I have a reason for not going too far away
from Miss Milroy just at present。〃
5。 _From Robert Stapleton to Allan Armadale； Esq。_
〃Bascombe Rectory； Thursday Morning。
〃RESPECTED SIRI see a letter in your writing； on the table
along with the others； which I am sorry to say my master is not
well enough to open。 He is down with a sort of low fever。 The
doctor says it has been brought on with worry and anxiety which
master was not strong enough to bear。 This seems likely； for I
was with him when he went to London last month； and what with his
own business； and the business of looking after that person who
afterward gave us the slip； he was worried and anxious all the
time； and for the matter of that； so was I。
〃My master was talking of you a day or two since。 He seemed
unwilling that you should know of his illness； unless he got
worse。 But I think you ought to know of it。 At the same time he
is not worse； perhaps a trifle better。 The doctor says he must be
kept very quiet； and not agitated on any account。 So be pleased
to take no notice of thisI mean in the way of coming to the
rectory。 I have the doctor's orders to say it is not needful； and
it would only upset my master in the state he is in now。
〃I will write again if you wish it。 Please accept of my duty； and
believe me to remain； sir； your humble servant；
〃ROBERT STAPLETON。
〃P。 S。The yacht has been rigged and repainted； waiting your
orders。 She looks beautiful。〃
6。 _From Mrs。 Oldershaw to Miss Gwilt。_
〃Diana Street； July 24th。
〃MISS GWILTThe post hour has passed for three mornings
following； and has brought me no answer to my letter。 Are you
purposely bent on insulting me？ or have you left Thorpe Ambrose？
In either case； I won't put up with your conduct any longer。 The
law shall bring you to book； if I can't。
〃Your first note of hand （for thirty pounds） falls due on Tuesday
next； the 29th。 If you had behaved with common consideration
toward me； I would have let you renew it with pleasure。 As things
are； I shall have the note presented； and； if it is not paid； I
shall instruct my man of business to take the usual course。
〃Yours； MARIA OLDERSHAW。〃
7。 _From Miss Gwilt to Mrs。 Oldershaw。_
〃5 Paradise Place； Thorpe Ambrose； July 25th。
MRS。 OLDERSHAWThe time of your man of business being； no doubt；
of some value； I write a line to assist him when he takes the
usual course。 He will find me waiting to be arrested in the
first…floor apartments； at the above address。 In my present
situation； and with my present thoughts； the best service you can
possibly render me is to lock me up。
〃L。 G。〃
8。 _From Mrs。 Oldershaw to Miss Gwilt。_
〃Diana Street； July 26th。
〃MY DARLING LYDIAThe longer I live in this wicked world the
more plainly I see that women's own tempers are the worst enemies
women have to contend with。 What a truly regretful style of
correspondence we have fallen into！ What a sad want of
self…restraint； my dear； on your side and on mine！
〃Let me； as the oldest in years； be the first to make the needful
excuses； the first to blush for my own want of self…control。 Your
cruel neglect； Lydia； stung me into writing as I did。 I am so
sensitive to ill treatment； when it is inflicted on me by a
person whom I love and admire； and； though turned sixty； I am
still （unfortunately for myself） so young at heart。 Accept my
apologies for having made use of my pen； when I ought to have
been content to take refuge in my pocket…handkerchief。 Forgive
your attached Maria for being still young at heart！
〃But oh； my dearthough I own I threatened youhow hard of you
to take me at my word！ How cruel of you； if your debt had been
ten times what it is； to suppose me capable （whatever I might
say） of the odious inhumanity of arresting my bosom friend！
Heavens！ have I deserved to be taken at my word in this
unmercifully exact way； after the years of tender intimacy that
have united us？ But I don't complain； I only mourn over the
frailty of our common human nature。 Let us expect as little of
each other as possible； my dear； we are both women； and we can't
help it。 I declare； when I reflect on the origin of our
unfortunate sexwhen I remember that we were all originally made
of no better material than the rib of a man （and that rib of so
little importance to its possessor that he never appears to have
missed it afterward）； I am quite asto
