armadale-第143章

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〃I　don't　deny　it；　sir。　I　only　mentioned　the　circumstance　because
I　wished　to　acknowledge　that　I　_was_　curious；　and　_am_　curious
about　Miss　Gwilt。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Pedgift　Senior；　seeing　something　under　the　surface
in　Mr。　Bashwood's　face　and　manner；　but　utterly　in　the　dark　thus
far　as　to　what　that　something　might　be。

There　was　silence　for　a　moment。　The　moment　passed；　Mr。　Bashwood
took　the　refuge　usually　taken　by　nervous；　unready　men；　placed　in
his　circumstances；　when　they　are　at　a　loss　for　an　answer。　He
simply　reiterated　the　assertion　that　he　had　just　made。　〃I　feel
some　curiosity　sir；〃　he　said；　with　a　strange　mixture　of
doggedness　and　timidity；　〃about　Miss　Gwilt。〃

There　was　another　moment　of　silence。　In　spite　of　his　practiced
acuteness　and　knowledge　of　the　world；　the　lawyer　was　more　puzzled
than　ever。　The　case　of　Mr。　Bashwood　presented　the　one　human
riddle　of　all　others　which　he　was　least　qualified　to　solve。
Though　year　after　year　witnesses　in　thousands　and　thousands　of
cases；　the　remorseless　disinheriting　of　nearest　and　dearest
relations；　the　unnatural　breaking…up　of　sacred　family　ties；　the
deplorable　severance　of　old　and　firm　friendships；　due　entirely　to
the　intense　self…absorption　which　the　sexual　passion　can　produce
when　it　enters　the　heart　of　an　old　man；　the　association　of　love
with　infirmity　and　gray　hairs　arouses；　nevertheless；　all　the
world　over；　no　other　idea　than　the　idea　of　extravagant
improbability　or　extravagant　absurdity　in　the　general　mind。　If
the　interview　now　taking　place　in　Mr。　Pedgift's　consulting…room
had　taken　place　at　his　dinner…table　instead；　when　wine　had　opened
his　mind　to　humorous　influences；　it　is　possible　that　he　might；　by
this　time；　have　suspected　the　truth。　But；　in　his　business　hours；
Pedgift　Senior　was　in　the　habit　of　investigating　men's　motives
seriously　from　the　business　point　of　view；　and　he　was　on　that
very　account　simply　incapable　of　conceiving　any　improbability　so
startling；　any　absurdity　so　enormous；　as　the　absurdity　and
improbability　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　being　in　love。

Some　men　in　the　lawyer's　position　would　have　tried　to　force　their
way　to　enlightenment　by　obstinately　repeating　the　unanswered
question。　Pedgift　Senior　wisely　postponed　the　question　until　he
had　moved　the　conversation　on　another　step。　〃Well；〃　he　resumed；
〃let　us　say　you　feel　a　curiosity　about　Miss　Gwilt。　What　next？〃

The　palms　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　hands　began　to　moisten　under　the
influence　of　his　agitation；　as　they　had　moistened　in　the　past
days　when　he　had　told　the　story　of　his　domestic　sorrows　to
Midwinter　at　the　great　house。　Once　more　he　rolled　his
handkerchief　into　a　ball；　and　dabbed　it　softly　to　and　fro　from
one　hand　to　the　other。

〃May　I　ask　if　I　am　right；　sir；〃　he　began；　〃in　believing　that　you
have　a　very　unfavorable　opinion　of　Miss　Gwilt？　You　are　quite
convinced；　I　think〃

〃My　good　fellow；〃　interrupted　Pedgift　Senior；　〃why　need　you　be　in
any　doubt　about　it？　You　were　under　Mr。　Armadale's　open　window　all
the　while　I　was　talking　to　him；　and　your　ears；　I　presume；　were
not　absolutely　shut。〃

Mr。　Bashwood　showed　no　sense　of　the　interruption。　The　little
sting　of　the　lawyer's　sarcasm　was　lost　in　the　nobler　pain　that
wrung　him　from　the　wound　inflicted　by　Miss　Gwilt。

〃You　are　quite　convinced；　I　think；　sir；〃　he　resumed；　〃that　there
are　circumstances　in　this　lady's　past　life　which　would　be　highly
discreditable　to　her　if　they　were　discovered　at　the　present
time？〃

〃The　window　was　open　at　the　great　house；　Bashwood；　and　your　ears；
I　presume；　were　not　absolutely　shut。〃

Still　impenetrable　to　the　sting；　Mr。　Bashwood　persisted　more
obstinately　than　ever。

〃Unless　I　am　greatly　mistaken；〃　he　said；　〃your　long　experience　in
such　things　has　even　suggested　to　you；　sir；　that　Miss　Gwilt　might
turn　out　to　be　known　to　the　police？〃

Pedgift　Senior's　patience　gave　way。　〃You　have　been　over　ten
minutes　in　this　room；〃　he　broke　out。　〃Can　you；　or　can　you　not；
tell　me　in　plain　English　what　you　want？〃

In　plain　Englishwith　the　passion　that　had　transformed　him；　the
passion　which　（in　Miss　Gwilt's　own　words）　had　made　a　man　of　him；
burning　in　his　haggard　cheeksMr。　Bashwood　met　the　challenge；
and　faced　the　lawyer　（as；　the　worried　sheep　faces　the　dog）　on　his
own　ground。

〃I　wish　to　say；　sir；〃　he　answered；　〃that　your　opinion　in　this
matter　is　my　opinion　too。　I　believe　there　is　something　wrong　in
Miss　Gwilt's　past　life　which　she　keeps　concealed　from　everybody；
and　I　want　to　be　the　man　who　knows　it。〃

Pedgift　Senior　saw　his　chance；　and　instantly　reverted　to　the
question　that　he　had　postponed。　〃Why？〃　he　asked　for　the　second
time。

For　the　second　time　Mr。　Bashwood　hesitated。

Could　he　acknowledge　that　he　had　been　mad　enough　to　love　her；　and
mean　enough　to　be　a　spy　for　her？　Could　he　say；　She　has　deceived
me　from　the　first；　and　she　has　deserted　me；　now　her　object　is
served。　After　robbing　me　of　my　happiness；　robbing　me　of　my　honor；
robbing　me　of　my　last　hope　left　in　life；　she　has　gone　from　me
forever；　and　left　me　nothing　but　my　old　man's　longing；　slow　and
sly；　and　strong　and　changeless；　for　revenge。　Revenge　that　I　may
have；　if　I　can　poison　her　success　by　dragging　her　frailties　into
the　public　view。　Revenge　that　I　will　buy　（for　what　is　gold　or
what　is　life　to　me？）　with　the　last　farthing　of　my　hoarded　money
and　the　last　drop　of　my　stagnant　blood。　Could　he　say　that　to　the
man　who　sat　waiting　for　his　answer？　No；　he　could　only　crush　it
down　and　be　silent。

The　lawyer's　expression　began　to　harden　once　more。

〃One　of　us　must　speak　out；〃　he　said；　〃and　as　you　evidently　won't；
I　will。　I　can　only　account　for　this　extraordinary　anxiety　of
yours　to　make　yourself　acquainted　with　Miss　Gwilt's　secrets；　in
one　of　two　ways。　Your　motive　is　either　an　excessively　mean　one
（no　offense；　Bashwood；　I　am　only　putting　the　case）；　or　an
excessively　generous　one。　After　my　experience　of　your　honest
character　and　your　creditable　conduct；　it　is　only　your　due　that　I
should　absolve　you　at　once　of　the　mean　motive。　I　believe　you　are
as　incapable　as　I　amI　can　say　no　moreof　turning　to　mercenary
account　any　discoveries　you　might　make　to　Miss　Gwilt's　prejudice
in　Miss　Gwilt's　past　life。　Shall　I　go　on　any　further？　or　would
you　prefer；　on　second　thoughts；　opening　your　mind　frankly　to　me
of　your　own　accord？〃

〃I　should　prefer　not　interrupting　you；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Bashwood。

〃As　you　please；　〃　pursued　Pedgift　Senior。　〃Having　absolved　you　of
the　mean　motive；　I　come　to　the　generous　motive　next。　It　is
possible　that　you　are　an　unusually　grateful　man；　and　it　is
certain　that　Mr。　Armadale　has　been　remarkably　kind　to　you。　After
employing　you　under　Mr。　Midwinter；　in　the　steward's　office；　he
has　had　confidence　enough　in　your　honesty　and　your　capacity；　now
his　friend　has　left　him；　to　put　his　business　entirely　and
unreservedly　in　your　hands。　It's　not　in　my　experience　of　human
naturebut　it　may　be　possible；　nevertheless…that　you　are　so
gratefully　sensible　of　that　confidence；　and　so　gratefully
interested　in　your　employer's　welfare；　that　you　can't　see　him；　in
his　friendless　position；　going　straight　to　his　own　disgrace　and
ruin；　without　making　an　effort　to　save　him。　To　put　it　in　two
words。　Is　it　your　idea　that　Mr。　Armadale　might　be　prevented　from
marrying　Miss　Gwilt；　if　he　could　be　informed　in　time　of　her　real
character？　And　do　you　wish　to　be　the　man　who　opens　his　eyes　to
the　truth？　If　that　is　the　case〃

He　stopped　in　astonishment。　Acting　under　some　uncontrollable
impulse；　Mr。　Bashwood　had　started　to　his　feet。　He　stood；　with　his
withered　face　lit　up　by　a　sudden　irradiation　from　within；　which
made　him　look　younger　than　his　age　by　a　good　twenty　yearshe
stood；　gasping　for　breath　enough　to　speak；　and　gesticulated
entreatingly　at　the　lawyer　with　both　hands。

〃Say　it　again；　sir！〃　he　burst　out；　eagerly；　recovering　his　breath
before　Pedgift　Senior　had　recovered　his　surprise。　〃The　question
about　Mr。　Armadale；　sir！only　once　more！only　once　more；　Mr。
Pedgift；　please！〃

With　his　practiced　observation　closely　and　distrustfully　at　work
on　Mr。　Bashwood'　s　face；　Pedgift　Senior　motioned　to　him　to　sit
down　again；　and　put　the　question　for　the　second　time。

〃Do　I　think；〃　said　Mr。　Bashwood；　repeati