armadale-第188章
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behind him； exclaiming： 〃Can that be Mr。 Bashwood！〃 He turned in
eager expectation； and found himself face to face with the last
man under heaven whom he had expected to see。
The man was MIDWINTER。
CHAPTER II。
IN THE HOUSE。
NOTICING Mr。 Bashwood's confusion （after a moment's glance at the
change in his personal appearance）； Midwinter spoke first。
〃I see I have surprised you；〃 he said。 〃You are looking； I
suppose； for somebody else？ Have you heard from Allan？ Is he on
his way home again already？〃
The inquiry about Allan； though it would naturally have suggested
itself to any one in Midwinter's position at that moment； added
to Mr。 Bashwood's confusion。 Not knowing how else to extricate
himself from the critical position in which he was placed； he
took refuge in simple denial。
〃I know nothing about Mr。 Armadaleoh dear； no； sir； I know
nothing about Mr。 Armadale；〃 he answered； with needless eagerness
and hurry。 〃Welcome back to England； sir；〃 he went on； changing
the subject in his nervously talkative manner。 〃I didn't know you
had been abroad。 It's so long since we have had the
pleasuresince I have had the pleasure。 Have you enjoyed
yourself； sir； in foreign parts？ Such different manners from
oursyes； yes； yessuch different manners from ours！ Do you
make a long stay in England； now you have come back？〃
〃I hardly know；〃 said Midwinter。 〃I have been obliged to alter my
plans； and to come to England unexpectedly。〃 He hesitated a
little； his manner changed； and he added； in lower tones： 〃A
serious anxiety has brought me back。 I can't say what my plans
will be until that anxiety is set at rest。〃
The light of a lamp fell on his face while he spoke； and Mr。
Bashwood observed； for the first time； that he looked sadly worn
and changed。
〃I'm sorry； sirI'm sure I'm very sorry。 If I could be of any
use〃 suggested Mr。 Bashwood； speaking under the influence in
some degr ee of his nervous politeness； and in some degree of his
remembrance of what Midwinter had done for him at Thorpe Ambrose
in the by…gone time。
Midwinter thanked him and turned away sadly。 〃I am afraid you can
be of no use； Mr。 Bashwoodbut I am obliged to you for your
offer； all the same。〃 He stopped； and considered a little；
〃Suppose she should _not_ be ill？ Suppose some misfortune should
have happened？〃 he resumed； speaking to himself； and turning
again toward the steward。 〃If she has left her mother； some trace
of her _might_ be found by inquiring at Thorpe Ambrose。〃
Mr。 Bashwood's curiosity was instantly aroused。 The whole sex was
interesting to him now； for the sake of Miss Gwilt。
〃A lady； sir？〃 he inquired。 〃Are you looking for a lady？〃
〃I am looking；〃 said Midwinter； simply； 〃for my wife。〃
〃Married； sir！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Bashwood。 〃Married since I last had
the pleasure of seeing you！ Might I take the liberty of
asking？〃
Midwinter's eyes dropped uneasily to the ground。
〃You knew the lady in former times；〃 he said。 〃I have married
Miss Gwilt。〃
The steward started back as he might have started back from a
loaded pistol leveled at his head。 His eyes glared as if he had
suddenly lost his senses； and the nervous trembling to which he
was subject shook him from head to foot。
〃What's the matter？〃 said Midwinter。 There was no answer。 〃What
is there so very startling；〃 he went on； a little impatiently；
〃in Miss Gwilt's being my wife？〃
〃_Your_ wife？〃 repeated Mr。 Bashwood； helplessly。 〃Mrs。
Armadale！〃 He checked himself by a desperate effort； and said
no more。
The stupor of astonishment which possessed the steward was
instantly reflected in Midwinter's face。 The name in which he had
secretly married his wife had passed the lips of the last man in
the world whom he would have dreamed of admitting into his
confidence！ He took Mr。 Bashwood by the arm； and led him away to
a quieter part of the terminus than the part of it in which they
had hitherto spoken to each other。
〃You referred to my wife just now；〃 he said； 〃and you spoke of
_Mrs。 Armadale_ in the same breath。 What do you mean by that？〃
Again there was no answer。 Utterly incapable of understanding
more than that he had involved himself in some serious
complication which was a complete mystery to him； Mr。 Bashwood
struggled to extricate himself from the grasp that was laid on
him； and struggled in vain。
Midwinter sternly repeated the question。 〃I ask you again；〃 he
said； 〃what do you mean by it？〃
〃Nothing； sir！ I give you my word of honor； I meant nothing！〃 He
felt the hand on his arm tightening its grasp； he saw； even in
the obscurity of the remote corner in which they stood； that
Midwinter's fiery temper was rising； and was not to be trifled
with。 The extremity of his danger inspired him with the one ready
capacity that a timid man possesses when he is compelled by main
force to face an emergencythe capacity to lie。 〃I only meant to
say； sir；〃 he burst out； with a desperate effort to look and
speak confidently； 〃that Mr。 Armadale would be surprised〃
〃You said _Mrs。_ Armadale！〃
〃No； siron my word of honor； on my sacred word of honor； you
are mistakenyou are； indeed！ I said _Mr。_ Armadalehow could I
say anything else？ Please to let me go； sirI'm pressed for
time。 I do assure you I'm dreadfully pressed for time！〃
For a moment longer Midwinter maintained his hold； and in that
moment he decided what to do。
He had accurately stated his motive for returning to England as
proceeding from anxiety about his wifeanxiety naturally caused
（after the regular receipt of a letter from her every other； or
every third day） by the sudden cessation of the correspondence
between them on her side for a whole week。 The first vaguely
terrible suspicion of some other reason for her silence than the
reason of accident or of illness； to which he had hitherto
attributed it； had struck through him like a sudden chill the
instant he heard the steward associate the name of 〃Mrs。
Armadale〃 with the idea of his wife。 Little irregularities in her
correspondence with him； which he had thus far only thought
strange； now came back on his mind； and proclaimed themselves to
be suspicions as well。 He had hitherto believed the reasons she
had given for referring him； when he answered her letters； to no
more definite address than an address at a post…office。 _Now_ he
suspected her reasons of being excuses； for the first time。 He
had hitherto resolved； on reaching London； to inquire at the only
place he knew of at which a clew to her could be foundthe
address she had given him as the address at which 〃her mother〃
lived。 _Now_ （with a motive which he was afraid to define even to
himself； but which was strong enough to overbear every other
consideration in his mind） he determined； before all things； to
solve the mystery of Mr。 Bashwood's familiarity with a secret；
which was a marriage secret between himself and his wife。 Any
direct appeal to a man of the steward's disposition； in the
steward's present state of mind； would be evidently useless。 The
weapon of deception was； in this case； a weapon literally forced
into Midwinter's hands。 He let go of Mr。 Bashwood's arm； and
accepted Mr。 Bashwood's explanation。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said； 〃I have no doubt you are right。
Pray attribute my rudeness to over…anxiety and over…fatigue。 I
wish you good…evening。〃
The station was by this time almost a solitude； the passengers by
the train being assembled at the examination of their luggage in
the custom…house waiting…room。 It was no easy matter； ostensibly
to take leave of Mr。 Bashwood； and really to keep him in view。
But Midwinter's early life with the gypsy master had been of a
nature to practice him in such stratagems as he was now compelled
to adopt。 He walked away toward the waiting…room by the line of
empty carriages； opened the door of one of them； as if to look
after something that he had left behind； and detected Mr。
Bashwood making for the cab…rank on the opposite side of the
platform。 In an instant Midwinter had crossed； and had passed
through the long row of vehicles； so as to skirt it on the side
furthest from the platform。 He entered the second cab by the
left…hand door the m
