armadale-第163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！
the color of Mr。 Armadale's money？Come along； dad！〃 he resumed。
〃We'll take a cab and catch the happy bridegroom before he starts
for the church！〃
They hailed a cab in the street； and started for the hotel which
had been the residence of Midwinter and Allan during their stay
in London。 The instant the door of the vehicle had closed； Mr。
Bashwood returned to the subject of Miss Gwilt。
〃Tell me the rest；〃 he said； taking his son's hand； and patting
it tenderly。 〃Let's go on talking about her all the way to the
hotel。 Help me through the time； Jemmyhelp me through the
time。〃
Bashwood the younger was in high spirits at the prospect of
seeing the color of Mr。 Armadale's money。 He trifled with his
father's anxiety to the very last。
〃Let's see if you remember what I've told you already；〃 he began。
〃There's a character in the story that's dropped out of it
without being accounted for。 Come！ can you tell me who it is？〃
He had reckoned on finding his father unable to answer the
question。 But Mr。 Bashwood's memory； for anything that related to
Miss Gwilt； was as clear and ready as his son's。 〃The foreign
scoundrel who tempted her； and let her screen him at the risk of
her own life；〃 he said； without an instant's hesitation。 〃Don't
speak of him； Jemmydon't speak of him again！〃
〃I _must_ speak of him；〃 retorted the other。 〃You want to know
what became of Miss Gwilt when she got out of prison； don't you？
Very goodI'm in a position to tell you。 She became Mrs。 Manuel。
It's no use staring at me； old gentleman。 I know it officially。
At the latter part of last year； a foreign lady came to our
place； with evidence to prove that she had been lawfully married
to Captain Manuel； at a former period of his career； when he had
visited England for the first time。 She had only lately
discovered that he had been in this country again； and she had
reason to believe that he had married another woman in Scotland。
Our people were employed to make the necessary inquiries。
Comparison of dates showed that the Scotch marriageif it was a
marriage at all； and not a shamhad taken place just about the
time when Miss Gwilt was a free woman again。 And a little further
investigation showed us that the second Mrs。 Manuel was no other
than the heroine of the famous criminal trialwhom we didn't
know then； but whom we do know now； to be identical with your
fascinating friend； Miss Gwilt。〃
Mr。 Bashwood's head sank on his breast。 He clasped his trembling
hands fast in each other； and waited in silence to hear the rest。
〃Cheer up！〃 pursued his son。 〃She was no more the captain's wife
than you are； and what is more； the captain himself is out of
your way now。 One foggy day in December last he gave us the slip；
and was off to the continent； nobody knew where。 He had spent the
whole of the second Mrs。 Manuel's five thousand pounds； in the
time that had elapsed （between two and three years） since she had
come out of prison； and the wonder was； where he had got the
money to pay his traveling expenses。 It turned out that he had
got it from the second Mrs。 Manuel herself。 She had filled his
empty pockets； and there she was； waiting confidently in a
miserable London lodging； to hear from him and join him as soon
as he was safely settled in foreign parts！ Where had _she_ got
the money； you may ask naturally enough？ Nobody could tell at the
time。 My own notion is； now； that her former mistress must have
been still living； and that she must have turned her knowledge of
the Blanchards' family secret to profitable account at last。 This
is mere guess…work； of course； but there's a circumstance that
makes it likely guess…work to my mind。 She had an elderly female
friend to apply to at the time； who was just the woman to help
her in ferreting out her mistress's address。 Can you guess the
name of the elderly female friend？ Not you！ Mrs。 Oldershaw； of
course！〃
Mr。 Bashwood suddenly looked up。 〃Why should she go back；〃 he
asked； 〃to the woman who had deserted her when she was a child？〃
〃I can't say；〃 rejoined his son； 〃unless she went back in the
interests of her own magnificent head of hair。 The
prison…scissors； I needn't tell you； had made short work of it
with Miss Gwilt's love…locks； in every sense of the word； and
Mrs。 Oldershaw； I beg to add； is the most eminent woman in
England； as restorer…general of the dilapidated heads and faces
of the female sex。 Put two and two together； and perhaps you'll
agree with me； in this case； that they make four。〃
〃Yes； yes； two and two make four；〃 repeated his father；
impatiently。 〃But I want to know something else。 Did she hear
from him again？ Did he send for her after he had gone away to
foreign parts？〃
〃The captain？ Why； what on earth can you be thinking of？ Hadn't
he spent every farthing of her money？ and wasn't he loose on the
Continent out of her reach？ She waited to hear from him。 I dare
say； for she persisted in believing in him。 But I'll lay you any
wager you like； she never saw the sight of his handwriting again。
We did our best at the office to open her eyes； we told her
plainly that he had a first wife living； and that she hadn't the
shadow of a claim on him。 She wouldn't believe us； though we met
her with the evidence。 Obstinate； devilish obstinate。 I dare say
she waited for months together before she gave up the last hope
of ever seeing him again。〃
Mr。 Bashwood looked aside quickly out of the cab window。 〃Where
could she turn for refuge next？〃 he said； not to his son； but to
himself。 〃What； in Heaven's name； could she do？〃
〃Judging by my experience of women；〃 remarked Bashwood the
younger； overhearing him； 〃I should say she probably tried to
drown herself。 But that's only guess…work again： it's all
guess…work at this part of her story。 You catch me at the end of
my evidence； dad； when you come to Miss Gwilt's proceedings in
the spring and summer of the present year。 She might； or she
might not； have been desperate enough to attempt suicide； and she
might； or she might not； have been at the bottom of those
inquiries that I made for Mrs。 Oldershaw。 I dare say you'll see
her this morning； and perhaps； if you use your influence； you may
he able to make her finish her own story herself。〃
Mr。 Bashwood； still looking out of the cab window； suddenly laid
his hand on his son's arm。
〃Hush！ hush！〃 he exclaimed； in violent agitation。 〃We have got
there at last。 Oh； Jemmy； feel how my heart beats！ Here is the
hotel。〃
〃Bother your heart；〃 said Bashwood the younger。 〃Wait here while
I ma ke the inquiries。〃
〃I'll come with you！〃 cried his father。 〃I can't wait！ I tell
you； I can't wait！〃
They went into the hotel together； and asked for 〃Mr。 Armadale。〃
The answer； after some little hesitation and delay； was that Mr。
Armadale had gone away six days since。 A second waiter added that
Mr。 Armadale's friendMr。 Midwinterhad only left that morning。
Where had Mr。 Armadale gone？ Somewhere into the country。 Where
had Mr。 Midwinter gone？ Nobody knew。
Mr。 Bashwood looked at his son in speechless and helpless dismay。
〃Stuff and nonsense！〃 said Bashwood the younger； pushing his
father back roughly into the cab。 〃He's safe enough。 We shall
find him at Miss Gwilt's。〃
The old man took his son's hand and kissed it。 〃Thank you； my
dear；〃 he said； gratefully。 〃Thank you for comforting me。〃
The cab was driven next to the second lodging which Miss Gwilt
had occupied； in the neighborhood of Tottenham Court Road。
〃Stop here；〃 said the spy； getting out； and shutting his father
into the cab。 〃I mean to manage this part of the business
myself。〃
He knocked at the house door。 〃I have got a note for Miss Gwilt；〃
he said； walking into the passage； the moment the door was
opened。
〃She's gone；〃 answered the servant。 〃She went away last night。〃
Bashwood the younger wasted no more words with the servant。 He
insisted on seeing the mistress。 The mistress confirmed the
announcement of Miss Gwilt's departure on the previous evening。
Where had she gone to？ The woman couldn't say。 How had she left？
On foot。 At what hour？ Between nine and ten。 What had she done
with her luggage？ She had no luggage。 Had a gentleman b
