armadale-第157章

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〃You're　ready　to　be　married　to　Miss　Gwilt　at　a　moment's　notice！〃

The　father　took　the　son's　hand；　and　tried　to　echo　the　son's
laugh。

〃You　have　such　good　spirits；　Jemmy；〃　he　said；　using　the　name　in
its　familiar　form；　as　he　had　been　accustomed　to　use　it　in　happier
days。　〃You　always　had　good　spirits；　my　dear；　from　a　child。　Come
and　sit　down；　I've　ordered　you　a　nice　breakfast。　Everything　of
the　best！　everything　of　the　best！　What　a　relief　it　is　to　see　you！
Oh；　dear；　dear；　what　a　relief　it　is　to　see　you。〃　He　stopped　and
sat　down　at　the　table；　his　face　flushed　with　the　effort　to
control　the　impatience　that　was　devouring　him。　〃Tell　me　about
her！〃　he　burst　out；　giving　up　the　effort　with　a　sudden
self…abandonment。　〃I　shall　die；　Jemmy；　if　I　wait　for　it　any
longer。　Tell　me！　tell　me！　tell　me！〃

〃One　thing　at　a　time；〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger；　perfectly
unmoved　by　his　father's　impatience。　〃We'll　try　the　breakfast
first；　and　come　to　the　lady　afterward！　Gently　does　it；　old
gentlemangently　does　it！〃

He　put　his　leather　bag　on　a　chair；　and　sat　down　opposite　to　his
father；　composed；　and　smiling；　and　humming　a　little　tune。

No　ordinary　observation；　applying　the　ordinary　rules　of　analysis；
would　have　detected　the　character　of　Bashwood　the　younger　in　his
face。　His　youthful　look；　aided　by　his　light　hair　and　his　plump
beardless　cheeks；　his　easy　manner　and　his　ever…ready　smile；　his
eyes　which　met　unshrinkingly　the　eyes　of　every　one　whom　he
addressed；　all　combined　to　make　the　impression　of　him　a　favorable
impression　in　the　general　mind。　No　eye　for　reading　character；　but
such　an　eye　as　belongs　to　one　person；　perhaps；　in　ten　thousand；
could　have　penetrated　the　smoothly　deceptive　surface　of　this　man；
and　have　seen　him　for　what　he　really　wasthe　vile　creature　whom
the　viler　need　of　Society　has　fashioned　for　its　own　use。　There　he
satthe　Confidential　Spy　of　modern　times；　whose　business　is
steadily　enlarging；　whose　Private　Inquiry　Offices　are　steadily　on
the　increase。　There　he　satthe　necessary　Detective　attendant　on
the　progress　of　our　national　civilization；　a　man　who　was；　in　this
instance　at　least；　the　legitimate　and　intelligible　product　of　the
vocation　that　employed　him；　a　man　professionally　ready　on　the
merest　suspicion　（if　the　merest　suspicion　paid　him）　to　get　under
our　beds；　and　to　look　through　gimlet…holes　in　our　doors；　a　man
who　would　have　been　useless　to　his　employers　if　he　could　have
felt　a　touch　of　human　sympathy　in　his　father's　presence；　and　who
would　have　deservedly　forfeited　his　situation　if；　under　any
circumstances　whatever；　he　had　been　personally　accessible　to　a
sense　of　pity　or　a　sense　of　shame。

〃Gently　does　it；　old　gentleman；〃　he　repeated；　lifting　the　covers
from　the　dishes；　and　looking　under　them　one　after　the　other　all
round　the　table。　〃Gently　does　it！〃

〃Don't　be　angry　with　me；　Jemmy；〃　pleaded　his　father。　〃Try；　if　you
can；　to　think　how　anxious　I　must　be。　I　got　your　letter　so　long
ago　as　yesterday　morning。　I　have　had　to　travel　all　the　way　from
Thorpe　AmbroseI　have　had　to　get　through　the　dreadful　long
evening　and　the　dreadful　long　nightwith　your　letter　telling　me
that　you　had　found　out　who　she　is；　and　telling　me　nothing　more。
Suspense　is　very　hard　to　bear；　Jemmy；　when　you　come　to　my　age。
What　was　it　prevented　you；　my　dear；　from　coming　to　me　when　I　got
here　yesterday　evening？〃

〃A　little　dinner　at　Richmond；〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger。　〃Give
me　some　tea。〃

Mr。　Bashwood　tried　to　comply　with　the　request；　but　the　hand　with
which　he　lifted　the　teapot　trembled　so　unmanageably　that　the　tea
missed　the　cup　and　streamed　out　on　the　cloth。　〃I'm　very　sorry；　I
can't　help　trembling　when　I'm　anxious；〃　said　the　old　man；　as　his
son　took　the　tea…pot　out　of　his　hand。　〃I'm　afraid　you　bear　me
malice；　Jemmy；　for　what　happened　when　I　was　last　in　town。　I　own　I
was　obstinate　and　unreasonable　about　going　back　to　Thorpe
Ambrose。　I'm　more　sensible　now。　You　were　quite　right　in　taking　it
all　on　yourself；　as　soon　as　I　showed　you　the　veiled　lady　when　we
saw　her　come　out　of　the　hotel；　and　you　were　quite　right　to　send
me　back　the　same　day　to　my　business　in　the　steward's　office　at
the　Great　House。〃　He　watched　the　effect　of　these　concessions　on
his　son；　and　ventured　doubtfully　on　another　entreaty。　〃If　you
won't　tell　me　anything　else　just　yet；〃　he　said；　faintly；　〃will
you　tell　me　how　you　found　her　out。　Do；　Jemmy；　do！〃

Bashwood　the　younger　looked　up　from　his　plate。　〃I'll　tell　you
that；〃　he　said。　〃The　reckoning　up　of　Miss　Gwilt　has　cost　more
money　and　taken　more　time　than　I　expected；　and　the　sooner　we　come
to　a　settlement　about　it；　the　sooner　we　shall　get　to　what　you
want　to　know。〃

Without　a　word　of　expostulation；　the　father　laid　his　dingy　old
pocket…book　and　his　purse　on　the　table　before　the　son。　Bashwood
the　younger　looked　into　the　purse；　observed；　with　a　contemptuous
elevation　of　the　eyebrows；　that　it　held　no　more　than　a　sovereign
and　some　silver；　and　returned　it　intact。　The　pocket…book；　on
being　opened　next；　proved　to　contain　four　five…pound　notes。
Bashwood　the　younger　transferred　three　of　the　notes　to　his　own
keeping；　and　handed　the　pocket…book　back　to　his　father；　with　a
bow　expressive　of　mock　gratitude　and　sarcastic　respect。

〃A　thousand　thanks；〃　he　said。　〃Some　of　it　is　for　the　people　at
our　office；　and　the　balance　is　for　myself。　One　of　the　few　stupid
things；　my　dear　sir；　that　I　have　done　in　the　course　of　my　life
was　to　write　you　word；　when　you　first　consulted　me；　that　you
might　have　my　services　gratis。　As　you　see；　I　hasten　to　repair　the
error。　An　hour　or　two　at　odd　times　I　was　ready　enough　to　give
you。　But　this　business　has　taken　days；　and　has　got　in　the　way　of
other　jobs。　I　told　you　I　couldn't　be　out　of　pocket　by　you　I　put
it　in　my　letter；　as　plain　as　words　could　say　it。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　Jemmy。　I　don't　complain；　my　dear；　I　don't　complain。
Never　mind　the　moneytell　me　how　you　found　her　out。〃

〃Besides；〃　pursued　Bashwood。　the　younger；　proceeding　impenetrably
with　his　justification　of　himself；　〃I　have　given　you　the　benefit
of　my　experience；　I've　done　it　cheap。　It　would　have　cost　double
the　money　if　another　man　had　taken　this　in　hand。　Another　man
would　have　kept　a　watch　on　Mr。　Armadale　as　well　as　Miss　Gwilt。　I
have　saved　you　that　expense。　You　are　certain　that　Mr。　Armadale　is
bent　on　marrying　her。　Very　good。　In　that　case；　while　we　have　our
eye　on　_her；_　we　have；　for　all　useful　purposes；　got　our　eye　on
_him。_　Know　where　the　lady　is；　and　you　know　that　the　gentleman
can't　be　far　off。〃

〃Quite　true；　Jemmy。　But　how　was　it　Miss　Gwilt　came　to　give　you　so
much　trouble？〃

〃She's　a　devilish　clever　woman；〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger；
〃that's　how　it　was。　She　gave　us　the　slip　at　a　milliner's　shop。　We
made　it　all　right　with　the　milliner；　and　speculated　on　the　chance
of　her　coming　back　to　try　on　a　gown　she　had　ordered。　The
cleverest　women　lose　the　use　of　their　wits　in　nine　cases　out　of
ten　where　there's　a　new　dress　in　the　case；　and　even　Miss　Gwilt
was　rash　enough　to　go　back。　That　was　all　we　wanted。　One　of　the
women　from　our　office　helped　to　try　on　her　new　gown；　and　put　her
in　the　right　position　to　be　seen　by　one　of　our　men　behind　the
door。　He　instantly　suspected　who　she　was；　on　the　strength　of　what
he　had　been　told　of　her；　for　she's　a　famous　woman　in　her　way。　Of
course；　we　didn't　trust　to　that。　We　traced　her　to　her　new
address；　and　we　got　a　man　from　Scotland　Yard；　who　was　certain　to
know　her；　if　our　own　man's　idea　was　the　right　one。　The　man　from
Scotland　Yard　turned　milliner's　lad　for　the　occasion；　and　took
her　gown　home。　He　saw　her　in　the　passage；　and　identified　her　in
an　instant。　You're　in　luck；　I　can　tell　you。　Miss　Gwilt's　a　public
character。　If　we　had　had　a　less　notorious　woman　to　deal　with；　she
might　have　cost　us　weeks　of　inquiry；　and　you　might　have　had　to
pay　hundreds　of　pounds。　A　day　did　it　in　Miss　Gwilt's　case；　and
another　day　put　the　whole　story　of　her　life；　in　black　and　white；
into　my　hand。　There　it　is　at　the　present　moment；　old　gentleman；
in　my　black　bag。〃

Bashwood　the　father　made　straight　for　the　bag　with　eager　eyes　and
outstretched　hand。　Bashwood　the　son　took　a　little　key　out　of　his
waistcoat　pocket；　winked；　shook　his　head；　and　put　the　key