armadale-第181章

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forgot　my　risks　and　responsibilities　in　my　anxieties　to　be
charming。　For　a　minute　or　two　I　felt　a　warm　little　flutter　of
triumph。　And　it　was　a　triumpheven　with　an　old　man！　In　a　quarter
of　an　hour　I　had　him　smirking　and　smiling；　hanging　on　my　lightest
words　in　an　ecstasy；　and　answering　all　the　questions　I　put　to　him
like　a　good　little　child。

〃Here　is　his　account　of　affairs　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　as　I　gently
extracted　it　from　him　bit　by　bit：

〃In　the　first　place；　the　news　of　Armadale's　death　has　reached
Miss　Milroy。　It　has　so　completely　overwhelmed　her　that　her　father
has　been　compelled　to　remove　her　from　the　school。　She　is　back　at
the　cottage；　and　the　doctor　is　in　daily　attendance。　Do　I　pity
her？　Yes！　I　pity　her　exactly　as　much　as　she　once　pitied　me！

〃In　the　next　place；　the　state　of　affairs　at　the　great　house；
which　I　expected　to　find　some　difficulty　in　comprehending；　tu　rns
out　to　be　quite　intelligible；　and　certainly　not　discouraging　so
far。　Only　yesterday；　the　lawyers　on　both　sides　came　to　an
understanding。　Mr。　Darch　（the　family　solicitor　of　the　Blanchards；
and　Armadale's　bitter　enemy　in　past　times）　represents　the
interests　of　Miss　Blanchard；　who　（in　the　absence　of　any　male
heir）　is　next　heir　to　the　estate；　and　who　has；　it　appears；　been
in　London　for　some　time　past。　Mr。　Smart；　of　Norwich　（originally
employed　to　overlook　Bashwood）；　represents　the　deceased　Armadale。
And　this　is　what　the　two　lawyers　have　settled　between　them。

〃Mr。　Darch；　acting　for　Miss　Blanchard；　has　claimed　the　possession
of　the　estate；　and　the　right　of　receiving　the　rents　at　the
Christmas　audit；　in　her　name。　Mr。　Smart；　on　his　side；　has
admitted　that　there　is　great　weight　in　the　family　solicitor's
application。　He　cannot　see　his　way；　as　things　are　now；　to
contesting　the　question　of　Armadale's　death；　and　he　will　consent
to　offer　no　resistance　to　the　application；　if　Mr。　Darch　will
consent；　on　his　side；　to　assume　the　responsibility　of　taking
possession　in　Miss　Blanchard's　name。　This　Mr。　Darch　has　already
done；　and　the　estate　is　now　virtually　in　Miss　Blanchard's
possession。

〃One　result　of　this　course　of　proceeding　will　be　（as　Bashwood
thinks）　to　put　Mr。　Darch　in　the　position　of　the　person　who　really
decides　on　my　claim　to　the　widow's　place　and　the　widow's　money。
The　income　being　charged　on　the　estate；　it　must　come　out　of　Miss
Blanchard's　pocket；　and　the　question　of　paying　it　would　appear；
therefore；　to　be　a　question　for　Miss　Blanchard's　lawyer。
To…morrow　will　probably　decide　whether　this　view　is　the　right
one；　for　my　letter　to　Armadale's　representatives　will　have　been
delivered　at　the　great　house　this　morning。

〃So　much　for　what　old　Bashwood　had　to　tell　me。　Having　recovered
my　influence　over　him；　and　possessed　myself　of　all　his
information　so　far；　the　next　thing　to　consider　was　the　right　use
to　turn　him　to　in　the　future。　He　was　entirely　at　my　disposal；　for
his　place　at　the　steward's　office　has　been　already　taken　by　Miss
Blanchard's　man　of　business；　and　he　pleaded　hard　to　be　allowed　to
stay　and　serve　my　interests　in　London。　There　would　not　have　been
the　least　danger　in　letting　him　stay；　for　I　had；　as　a　matter　of
course；　left　him　undisturbed　in　his　conviction　that　I　really　am
the　widow　of　Armadale　of　Thorpe　Ambrose。　But　with　the　doctor's
resources　at　my　command；　I　wanted　no　assistance　of　any　sort　in
London；　and　it　occurred　to　me　that　I　might　make　Bashwood　more
useful　by　sending　him　back　to　Norfolk　to　watch　events　there　in　my
interests。

〃He　looked　sorely　disappointed　（having　had　an　eye　evidently　to
paying　his　court　to　me　in　my　widowed　condition！）　when　I　told　him
of　the　conclusion　at　which　I　had　arrived。　But　a　few　words　of
persuasion；　and　a　modest　hint　that　he　might　cherish　hopes　in　the
future　if　he　served　me　obediently　in　the　present；　did　wonders　in
reconciling　him　to　the　necessity　of　meeting　my　wishes。　He　asked
helplessly　for　'instructions'　when　it　was　time　for　him　to　leave
me　and　travel　back　by　the　evening　train。　I　could　give　him　none；
for　I　had　no　idea　as　yet　of　what　the　legal　people　might　or　might
not　do。　'But　suppose　something　happens；'　he　persisted；　'that　I
don't　understand；　what　am　I　to　do；　so　far　away　from　you？'　I　could
only　give　him　one　answer。　'Do　nothing；'　I　said。　'Whatever　it　is；
hold　your　tongue　about　it；　and　write；　or　come　up　to　London
immediately　to　consult　me。'　With　those　parting　directions；　and
with　an　understanding　that　we　were　to　correspond　regularly；　I　let
him　kiss　my　hand；　and　sent　him　off　to　the　train。

〃Now　that　I　am　alone　again；　and　able　to　think　calmly　of　the
interview　between　me　and　my　elderly　admirer；　I　find　myself
recalling　a　certain　change　in　old　Bashwood's　manner　which　puzzled
me　at　the　time；　and　which　puzzles　me　still。

〃Even　in　his　first　moments　of　agitation　at　seeing　me；　I　thought
that　his　eyes　rested　on　my　face　with　a　new　kind　of　interest　while
I　was　speaking　to　him。　Besides　this；　he　dropped　a　word　or　two
afterward；　in　telling　me　of　his　lonely　life　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；
which　seemed　to　imply　that　he　had　been　sustained　in　his　solitude
by　a　feeling　of　confidence　about　his　future　relations　with　me
when　we　next　met　If　he　had　been　a　younger　and　a　bolder　man　（and
if　any　such　discovery　had　been　possible）；　I　should　almost　have
suspected　him　of　having　found　out　something　about　my　past　life
which　had　made　him　privately　confident　of　controlling　me；　if　I
showed　any　disposition　to　deceive　and　desert　him　again。　But　such
an　idea　as　this　in　connection　with　old　Bashwood　is　simply　absurd。
Perhaps　I　am　overexcited　by　the　suspense　and　anxiety　of　my
present　position？　Perhaps　the　merest　fancies　and　suspicions　are
leading　me　astray？　Let　this　be　as　it　may；　I　have；　at　any　rate；
more　serious　subjects　than　the　subject　of　old　Bashwood　to　occupy
me　now。　Tomorrow's　post　may　tell　me　what　Armadale's
representatives　think　of　the　claim　of　Armadale's　widow。


〃November　26th。The　answer　has　arrived　this　morning；　in　the　form
（as　Bashwood　supposed）　of　a　letter　from　Mr。　Darch。　The　crabbed
old　lawyer　acknowledges　my　letter　in　three　lines。　Before　he　takes
any　steps；　or　expresses　any　opinion　on　the　subject；　he　wants
evidence　of　identity　as　well　as　the　evidence　of　the　certificate；
and　he　ventures　to　suggest　that　it　may　be　desirable；　before　we　go
any　further；　to　refer　him　to　my　legal　advisers。

〃Two　o'clock。The　doctor　called　shortly　after　twelve　to　say　that
he　had　found　a　lodging　for　me　within　twenty　minutes'　walk　of　the
Sanitarium。　In　return　for　his　news；　I　showed　him　Mr。　Darch's
letter。　He　took　it　away　at　once　to　his　lawyers；　and　came　back
with　the　necessary　information　for　my　guidance。　I　have　answered
Mr。　Darch　by　sending　him　the　address　of　my　legal
advisersotherwise；　the　doctor's　lawyerswithout　making　any
comment　on　the　desire　that　he　has　expressed　for　additional
evidence　of　the　marriage。　This　is　all　that　can　be　done　to…day。
To…morrow　will　bring　with　it　events　of　greater　interest；　for
to…morrow　the　doctor　is　to　make　his　Declaration　before　the
magistrate；　and　to…morrow　I　am　to　move　to　my　new　lodging　in　my
widow's　weeds。


〃November　27th。Fairweather　Vale　Villas。The　Declaration　has
been　made；　with　all　the　necessary　formalities。　And　I　have　taken
possession；　in　my　widow's　costume；　of　my　new　rooms。

〃I　ought　to　be　excited　by　the　opening　of　this　new　act　in　the
drama；　and　by　the　venturesome　part　that　I　am　playing　in　it
myself。　Strange　to　say；　I　am　quiet　and　depressed。　The　thought　of
Midwinter　has　followed　me　to　my　new　abode；　and　is　pressing　on　me
heavily　at　this　moment。　I　have　no　fear　of　any　accident　happening；
in　the　interval　that　must　still　pass　before　I　step　publicly　into
the　place　of　Armadale's　widow。　But　when　that　time　comes；　and　when
Midwinter　finds　me　（as　sooner　or　later　find　me　he　must！）　figuring
in　my　false　character；　and　settled　in　the　position　that　I　have
usurped_then；_　I　ask　myself；　What　will　happen？　The　answer　still
comes　as　it　first　came　to　me　this　morning；　when　I　put　on　my
widow's　dress。　Now；　as　then；　the　presentiment　is　fixed　in　my　mind
that　he　will　kill　me。　If　it　was　not　too　late　to　draw　back
Absurd！　I　shall　shut　up　my　journal。


〃November　28th。The　lawyers　have　heard　from　Mr。　Darch；　and　have
sent　him　the　Declaration　by　return　o