armadale-第142章

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Pedgift　Senior　slackened　the　pace　of　his　fast…trotting　mare；
without　pulling　up。　〃Come　to　the　office　in　half　an　hour；〃　he
said；　〃I'm　busy　now。〃　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　without
noticing　Mr。　Bashwood's　bow；　he　gave　the　mare　the　rein　again；　and
was　out　of　sight　in　another　minute。

Mr。　Bashwood　sat　down　once　more　in　a　shady　place　by　the　roadside。
He　appeared　to　be　incapable　of　feeling　any　slight　but　the　one
unpardonable　slight　put　upon　him　by　Miss　Gwilt。　He　not　only
declined　to　resent；　he　even　made　the　best　of　Mr。　Pedgift's
unceremonious　treatment　of　him。　〃Half　an　hour；〃　he　said；
resignedly。　〃Time　enough　to　compose　myself；　and　I　want　time。　Very
kind　of　Mr。　Pedgift；　though　he　mightn't　have　meant　it。〃

The　sense　of　oppression　in　his　head　forced　him　once　again　to
remove　his　hat。　He　sat　with　it　on　his　lap；　deep　in　thought；　his
face　bent　low；　and　the　wavering　fingers　of　one　hand　drumming
absently　on　the　crown　of　the　hat。　If　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder；
seeing　him　as　he　sat　now；　could　only　have　looked　a　little　way
into　the　future；　the　monotonously　drumming　hand　of　the
deputy…steward　might　have　been　strong　enough；　feeble　as　it　was；
to　stop　the　lawyer　by　the　roadside。　It　was　the　worn；　weary；
miserable　old　hand　of　a　worn；　weary；　miserable　old　man；　but　it
was；　for　all　that　（to　use　the　language　of　Mr。　Pedgift's　own
parting　prediction　to　Allan）；　the　hand　that　was　now　destined　to
〃let　the　light　in　on　Miss　Gwilt。〃

CHAPTER　XIII。

AN　OLD　MAN'S　HEART。

PUNCTUAL　to　the　moment；　when　the　half　hour's　interval　had
expired；　Mr。　Bashwood　was　announced　at　the　office　as　waiting　to
see　Mr。　Pedgift　by　special　appointment。

The　lawyer　looked　up　from　his　papers　with　an　air　of　annoyance：　he
had　totally　forgotten　the　meeting　by　the　roadside。　〃See　what　he
wants；〃　said　Pedgift　Senior　to　Pedgift　Junior；　working　in　the
same　room　with　him。　〃And　if　it's　nothing　of　importance；　put　it
off　to　some　other　time。〃

Pedgift　Junior　swiftly　disappeared　and　swiftly　returned。

〃Well？〃　asked　the　father。

〃Well；〃　answered　the　son；　〃he　is　rather　more　shaky　and
unintelligible　than　usual。　I　can　make　nothing　out　of　him；　except
that　he　persists　in　wanting　to　see　you。　My　own　idea；〃　pursued
Pedgift　Junior；　with　his　usual；　sardonic　gravity；　〃is　that　he　is
going　to　have　a　fit；　and　that　he　wishes　to　acknowledge　your
uniform　kindness　to　him　by　obliging　you　with　a　private　view　of
the　whole　proceeding。〃

Pedgift　Senior　habitually　matched　everybodyhis　son
includedwith　their　own　weapons。　〃Be　good　enough　to　remember；
Augustus；〃　he　rejoined；　〃that　my　Room　is　not　a　Court　of　Law。　A
bad　joke　is　not　invariably　followed　by　'roars　of　laughter'
_here。_　Let　Mr。　Bashwood　come　in。〃

Mr。　Bashwood　was　introduced；　and　Pedgift　Junior　withdrew。　〃You
mustn't　bleed　him；　sir；〃　whispered　the　incorrigible　joker；　as　he
passed　the　back　of　his　father's　chair。　〃Hot…water　bottles　to　the
soles　of　his　feet；　and　a　mustard　plaster　on　the　pit　of　his
stomachthat's　the　modern　treatment。〃

〃Sit　down；　Bashwood；〃　said　Pedgift　Senior　when　they　were　alone。
〃And　don't　forget　that　time's　money。　Out　with　it；　whatever　it　is；
at　the　quickest　possible　rate；　and　in　the　fewest　possible　words。〃

These　preliminary　directions；　bluntly　but　not　at　all　unkindly
spoken；　rather　increased　than　diminished　the　painful　agitation
under　which　Mr。　Bashwood　was　suffering。　He　stammered　more
helplessly；　he　trembled　more　continuously　than　usual；　as　he　made
his　little　speech　of　thanks；　and　added　his　apologies　at　the　end
for　intruding　on　his　patron　in　business　hours。

〃Everybody　in　the　place；　Mr。　Pedgift；　sir；　knows　your　time　is
valuable。　Oh；　dear；　yes！　oh；　dear；　yes！　most　valuable；　most
valuable！　Excuse　me；　sir；　I'm　coming　out　with　it。　Your
goodnessor　rather　your　businessno；　your　goodness　gave　me　half
an　hour　to　waitand　I　ha　ve　thought　of　what　I　had　to　say；　and
prepared　it；　and　put　it　short。〃　Having　got　as　far　as　that；　he
stopped　with　a　pained；　bewildered　look。　He　had　put　it　away　in　his
memory；　and　now；　when　the　time　came；　he　was　too　confused　to　find
it。　And　there　was　Mr。　Pedgift　mutely　waiting；　his　face　and　manner
expressive　alike　of　that　silent　sense　of　the　value　of　his　own
time　which　every　patient　who　has　visited　a　great　doctor；　every
client　who　has　consulted　a　lawyer　in　large　practice；　knows　so
well。　〃Have　you　heard　the　news；　sir？〃　stammered　Mr。　Bashwood；
shifting　his　ground　in　despair；　and　letting　the　uppermost　idea　in
his　mind　escape　him；　simply　because　it　was　the　one　idea　in　him
that　was　ready　to　come　out。

〃Does　it　concern　_me？_〃　asked　Pedgift　Senior；　mercilessly　brief；
and　mercilessly　straight　in　coming　to　the　point。

〃It　concerns　a　lady；　sirno；　not　a　ladya　young　man；　I　ought　to
say；　in　whom　you　used　to　feel　some　interest。　Oh；　Mr。　Pedgift；
sir；　what　do　you　think！　Mr。　Armadale　and　Miss　Gwilt　have　gone　up
to　London　together　to…dayalone；　siralone　in　a　carriage
reserved　for　their　two　selves。　Do　you　think　he's　going　to　marry
her？　Do　you　really　think；　like　the　rest　of　them；　he's　going　to
marry　her？〃

He　put　the　question　with　a　sudden　flush　in　his　face　and　a　sudden
energy　in　his　manner。　His　sense　of　the　value　of　the　lawyer's
time；　his　conviction　of　the　greatness　of　the　lawyer's
condescension；　his　constitutional　shyness　and　timidityall
yielded　together　to　his　one　overwhelming　interest　in　hearing　Mr。
Pedgift's　answer。　He　was　loud　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　in
putting　the　question。

〃After　my　experience　of　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　lawyer；　instantly
hardening　in　look　and　manner；　〃I　believe　him　to　be　infatuated
enough　to　marry　Miss　Gwilt　a　dozen　times　over；　if　Miss　Gwilt
chose　to　ask　him。　Your　news　doesn't　surprise　me　in　the　least；
Bashwood。　I'm　sorry　for　him。　I　can　honestly　say　that；　though　he
_has_　set　my　advice　at　defiance。　And　I'm　more　sorry　still；〃　he
continued；　softening　again　as　his　mind　reverted　to　his　interview
with　Neelie　under　the　trees　of　the　park〃I'm　more　sorry　still
for　another　person　who　shall　be　nameless。　But　what　have　I　to　do
with　all　this？　And　what　on　earth　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　he
resumed；　noticing　for　the　first　time　the　abject　misery　in　Mr。
Bashwood's　manner；　the　blank　despair　in　Mr。　Bashwood's　face；
which　his　answer　had　produced。　〃Are　you　ill？　Is　there　something
behind　the　curtain　that　you're　afraid　to　bring　out？　I　don't
understand　it。　Have　you　come　herehere　in　my　private　room；　in
business　hourswith　nothing　to　tell　me　but　that　young　Armadale
has　been　fool　enough　to　ruin　his　prospects　for　life？　Why；　I
foresaw　it　all　weeks　since；　and　what　is　more；　I　as　good　as　told
him　so　at　the　last　conversation　I　had　with　him　in　the　great
house。〃

At　those　last　words；　Mr。　Bashwood　suddenly　rallied。　The　lawyer's
passing　reference　to　the　great　house　had　led　him　back　in　a　moment
to　the　purpose　that　he　had　in　view。

〃That's　it；　sir！〃　he　said；　eagerly；　〃that's　what　I　wanted　to
speak　to　you　about；　that's　what　I've　been　preparing　in　my　mind。
Mr。　Pedgift；　sir；　the　last　time　you　were　at　the　great　house；　when
you　came　away　in　your　gig；　youyou　overtook　me　on　the　drive。〃

〃I　dare　say　I　did；〃　remarked　Pedgift；　resignedly。　〃My　mare
happens　to　be　a　trifle　quicker　on　her　legs　than　you　are　on　yours；
Bashwood。　Go　on；　go　on。　We　shall　come　in　time；　I　suppose；　to　what
you　are　driving　at。〃

〃You　stopped；　and　spoke　to　me；　sir；〃　proceeded　Mr。　Bashwood；
advancing　more　and　more　eagerly　to　his　end。　〃You　said　you
suspected　me　of　feeling　some　curiosity　about　Miss　Gwilt；　and　you
told　me　（I　remember　the　exact　words；　sir）you　told　me　to　gratify
my　curiosity　by　all　means；　for　you　didn't　object　to　it。〃

Pedgift　Senior　began　for　the　first　time　to　look　interested　in
hearing　more。

〃I　remember　something　of　the　sort；〃　he　replied；　〃and　I　also
remember　thinking　it　rather　remarkable　that　you　should
_happen_we　won't　put　it　in　any　more　offensive　wayto　be
exactly　under　Mr。　Armadale's　open　window　while　I　was　talking　to
him。　It　might　have　been　accident；　of　course；　but　it　looked　rather
more　like　curiosity。　I　could　only　judge　by　appearances；〃
concluded　Pedgift；　pointing　his　sarcasm　with　a　pinch　of　snuff；
〃and　appearances；　Bashwood；　were　decidedly　against　you。〃

〃I　don't　deny　it；　sir。　I　only　mentioned　the　circumstance　because
I　wished　to　acknowl