armadale-第150章

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woman's　sympathy　than　to　mine。'

〃　'Where　is　he　now？'　I　asked。

〃He　was　at　the　hotel；　and　to　the　hotel　I　instantly　proposed　that
we　should　go。　It　is　a　busy；　crowded　place；　and　（with　my　veil
down）　I　have　less　fear　of　compromising　myself　there　than　at　my
quiet　lodgings。　Besides；　it　is　vitally　important　to　me　to　know
what　Armadale　does　next；　under　this　total　change　of
circumstancesfor　I　must　so　control　his　proceedings　as　to　get
him　away　from　England　if　I　can。　We　took　a　cab：　such　was　my
eagerness　to　sympathize　with　the　heart…broken　lover；　that　we　took
a　cab！

〃Anything　so　ridiculous　as　Armadale's　behavior　under　the　double
shock　of　discovering　that　his　young　lady　has　been　taken　away　from
him；　and　that　I　am　to　be　married　to　Midwinter；　I　never　before
witnessed　in　all　my　experience。　To　say　that　he　was　like　a　child
is　a　libel　on　all　children　who　are　not　born　idiots。　He
congratulated　me　on　my　coming　marriage；　and　execrated　the　unknown
wretch　who　had　written　the　anonymous　letter；　little　thinking　that
he　was　speaking　of　one　and　the　same　person　in　one　and　the　same
breath。　Now　he　submissively　acknowledged　that　Major　Milroy　had
his　rights　as　a　father；　and　now　he　reviled　the　major　as　having　no
feeling　for　anything　but　his　mechanics　and　his　clock。　At　one
moment　he　started　up；　with　the　tears　in　his　eyes；　and　declared
that　his　'darling　Neelie'　was　an　angel　on　earth。　At　another　he
sat　down　sulkily；　and　thought　that　a　girl　of　her　spirit　might
have　run　away　on　the　spot　and　joined　him　in　London。　After　a　good
half…hour　of　this　absurd　exhibition；　I　succeeded　in　quieting　him；
and　then　a　few　words　of　tender　inquiry　produced　what　I　had
expressly　come　to　the　hotel　to　seeMiss　Milroy's　letter。

〃It　was　outrageously　long；　and　rambling；　and　confused；　in　short；
the　letter　of　a　fool。　I　had　to　wade　through　plenty　of　vulgar
sentiment　and　lamentation；　and　to　lose　time　and　patience　over
maudlin　outbursts　of　affection；　and　nauseous　kisses　inclosed　in
circles　of　ink。　However；　I　contrived　to　extract　the　information　I
wanted　at　last；　and　here　it　is：


〃The　major；　on　receipt　of　my　anonymous　warning；　appears　to　have
sent　at　once　for　his　daughter；　and　to　have　shown　her　the　letter。
'You　know　what　a　hard　life　I　lead　with　your　mother；　don't　make　it
harder　still；　Neelie；　by　deceiving　me。'　That　was　all　the　poor　old
gentleman　said。　I　always　did　like　the　major；　and；　though　he　was
afraid　to　show　it；　I　know　he　always　liked　me。　His　appeal　to　his
daughter　（if　_her_　account　of　it　is　to　be　believed）　cut　her　to
the　heart。　She　burst　out　crying　（let　her　alone　for　crying　at　the
right　moment！）　and　confessed　everything。

〃After　giving　her　time　to　recover　herself　（if　he　had　given　her　a
good　box　on　the　ears　it　would　have　been　more　to　the　purpose！）；
the　major　seems　to　have　put　certain　questions；　and　to　have　become
convinced　（as　I　was　convinced　myself）　that　his　daughter's　heart；
or　fancy；　or　whatever　she　calls　it；　was　really　and　truly　set　on
Armadale。　The　discovery　evidently　distressed　as　well　as　surprised
him。　He　appears　to　have　hesitated；　and　to　have　maintained　his　own
unfavorable　opinion　of　Miss　Neelie's　lover　for　some　little　time。
But　his　daughter's　tears　and　entreaties　（so　like　the　weakness　of
the　dear　old　gentleman！）　shook　him　at　last。　Though　he　firmly
refused　to　allow　of　any　marriage　engagement　at　present；　he
consented　to　overlook　the　clandestine　meetings　in　the　park；　and
to　put　Armadale's　fitness　to　become　his　son…in…law　to　the　test；
on　certain　conditions。

〃These　conditions　are；　that　for　the　next　six　months　to　come　all
communication　is　to　be　broken　off；　both　personally　and　by
writing；　between　Armadale　and　Miss　Milroy。　That　space　of　time　is
to　be　occupied　by　the　young　gentleman　as　he　himself　thinks　best；
and　by　the　young　lady　in　completing　her　education　at　school。　If；
when　the　six　months　have　passed；　they　are　both　still　of　the　same
mind；　and　if　Armadale's　conduct　in　the　interval　has　been　such　as
to　improve　the　major's　opinion　of　him；　he　will　be　allowed　to
present　himself　in　the　character　of　Miss　Milroy's　suitor；　and；　in
six　months　more；　if　all　goes　well；　the　marriage　may　take　place。

〃I　declare　I　could　kiss　the　dear　old　major；　if　I　was　only　within
reach　of　him！　If　I　had　been　at　his　elbow；　and　had　dictated　the
conditions　myself；　I　could　have　asked　for　nothing　better　than
this。　Six　months　of　total　separation　between　Armadale　and　Miss
Milroy！　In　half　that　timewith　all　communication　cut　off　between
the　twoit　must　go　hard　with　me；　indeed；　if　I　don't　find　myself
dressed　in　the　necessary　mourning；　and　publicly　recognized　as
Armadale's　widow。

〃But　I　am　forgetting　the　girl's　letter。　She　gives　her　father's
reasons　for　making　his　conditions；　in　her　father's　own　words。　The
major　seems　to　have　spoken　so　sensibly　and　so　feelingly　that　he
left　his　daughter　no　decent　alternativeand　he　leaves　Armadale
no　decent　alternativebut　to　submit。　As　well　as　I　can　remember；
he　seems　to　have　expressed　himself　to　Miss　Neelie　in　these；　or
nearly　in　these　terms：

〃　'Don't　think　I　am　behaving　cruelly　to　you；　my　dear：　I　am　merely
asking　you　to　put　Mr。　Armadale　to　the　proof。　It　is　not　only
right；　it　is　absolutely　necessary；　that　you　should　hold　no
communication　with　him　for　some　time　to　come；　and　I　will　show　you
why。　In　the　first　place；　if　you　go　to　school；　the　necessary　rules
in　such　placesnecessary　for　the　sake　of　the　other　girlswould
not　permit　you　to　see　Mr。　Armadale　or　to　receive　letters　from
him；　and；　if　you　are　to　become　mistress　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　to
school　you　must　go；　for　you　would　be　ashamed；　and　I　should　be
ashamed；　if　you　occupied　the　position　of　a　lady　of　station
without　having　the　accomplishments　which　all　ladies　of　station
are　expected　to　possess。　In　the　second　place；　I　want　to　see
whether　Mr。　Armadale　will　continue　to　think　of　you　as　he　thinks
now；　without　being　encouraged　in　his　attachment　by　seeing　you；　or
reminded　of　it　by　hearing　from　you。　If　I　am　wrong　in　thinking　him
flighty　and　unreliable；　and　if　your　opinion　of　him　is　the　right
one；　this　is　not　putting　the　young　man　to　an　unfair　testtrue
love　survives　much　longer　separations　than　a　separation　of　six
months。　And　when　that　time　is　over；　and　well　over；　and　when　I
have　had　him　under　my　own　eye　for　another　six　months；　and　have
learned　to　think　as　highly　of　him　as　you　doeven　then；　my　dear；
after　all　that　terrible　delay；　you　will　still　be　a　married　woman
before　you　are　eighteen。　Think　of　this；　Neelie；　and　show　that　you
love　me　and　trust　me；　by　accepting　my　proposal。　I　will　hold　no
communication　with　Mr。　Armadale　myself。　I　will　leave　it　to　you　to
write　and　tell　him　what　has　been　decided　on。　He　may　write　back
one　letter；　and　one　only；　to　acquaint　you　with　his　decision。
After　that；　for　the　sake　of　your　reputation；　nothing　more　is　to
be　said；　and　nothing　more　is　to　be　done；　and　the　matter　is　to　be
kept　strictly　private　until　the　six　months'　interval　is　at　an
end。'

〃To　this　effect　the　major　spoke。　His　behavior　to　that　little　slut
of　a　girl　has　produced　a　stronger　impression　on　me　than　anything
else　in　the　letter。　It　has　set　me　thinking　（me；　of　all　the　people
in　the　world！）　of　what　they　call　'a　moral　difficulty。'　We　are
perpetually　told　that　there　can　be　no　possible　connection　between
virtue　and　vice。　Can　there　not？　Here　is　Major　Milroy　doing
exactly　what　an　excellent　father；　at　once　kind　and　prudent；
affectionate　and　firm；　would　do　under　the　circumstances；　and　by
that　very　course　of　conduct　he　has　now　smoothed　the　way　for　_me；_
as　completely　as　if　he　had　been　the　chosen　accomplice　of　that
abominable　creature；　Miss　Gwilt。　Only　think　of　my　reasoning　in
this　way！　But　I　am　in　such　good　spirits；　I　can　do　anything
to…day。　I　have　not　looked　so　bright　and　so　young　as　I　look　now
for　months　past！

〃To　return　to　the　letter；　for　the　last　timeit　is　so　excessively
dull　and　stupid　that　I　really　can't　help　wandering　away　from　it
into　reflections　of　my　own；　as　a　mere　relief。

〃After　solemnly　announcing　that　she　meant　to　sacrifice　herself　to
her　beloved　father's　wishes　（the　brazen　assurance　of　her　setting
up　for　a　martyr　after　what　has　happened　exceeds　anything　I　ever
heard　or　read　of！）；　Miss　Neelie　next　mentioned　that　the　major
propos