armadale-第203章

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of　more　of　this　mischief　than　we　shall　ever　find　out；　and　to　have
profited　by　the　self…imposed　silence　of　Mr。　Midwinter　and　Mr。
Armadale；　as　rogues　perpetually　profit　by　the　misfortunes　and
necessities　of　honest　men。　It　is　an　ascertained　fact　that　he
connived　at　the　false　statement　about　Miss　Milroy；　which
entrapped　the　two　gentlemen　into　his　house；　and　that　one
circumstance　（after　my　Old　Bailey　experience）　is　enough　for　_me。_
As　to　evidence　against　him；　there　is　not　a　jot；　and　as　to
Retribution　overtaking　him；　I　can　only　say　I　heartily　hope
Retribution　may　prove；　in　the　long　run；　to　be　the　more　cunning
customer　of　the　two。　There　is　not　much　prospect　of　it　at　present。
The　doctor's　friends　and　admirers　are；　I　understand；　about　to
present　him　with　a　Testimonial；　'expressive　of　their　sympathy
under　the　sad　occurrence　which　has　thrown　a　cloud　over　the
opening　of　his　Sanitarium；　and　of　their　undiminished　confidence
in　his　integrity　and　ability　as　a　medical　man。'　We　live；
Augustus；　in　an　age　eminently　favorable　to　the　growth　of　all
roguery　which　is　careful　enough　to　keep　up　appearances。　In　this
enlightened　nineteenth　century；　I　look　upon　the　doctor　as　one　of
our　rising　men。

〃To　turn　now　to　pleasanter　subjects　than　Sanitariums；　I　may　tell
you　that　Miss　Neelie　is　as　good　as　well　again；　and　is；　in　my
humble　opinion；　prettier　than　ever。　She　is　staying　in　London
under　the　care　of　a　female　relative；　and　Mr。　Armadale　satisfies
her　of　the　fact　of　his　existence　（in　case　she　should　forget　it）
regularly　every　day。　They　are　to　be　married　in　the　spring；　unless
Mrs。　Milroy's　death　causes　the　ceremony　to　be　postponed。　The
medical　men　are　of　opinion　that　the　poor　lady　is　sinking　at　last。
It　may　be　a　question　of　weeks　or　a　question　of　months；　they　can
say　no　more。　She　is　greatly　alteredquiet　and　gentle；　and
anxiously　affectionate　with　her　husband　and　her　child。　But　in　her
case　this　happy　change　is；　it　seems；　a　sign　of　approaching
dissolution；　from　the　medical　point　of　view。　There　is　a
difficulty　in　making　the　poor　old；　major　understand　this。　He　only
sees　that　she　has　gone　back　to　the　likeness　of　her　better　self
when　he　first　married　her；　and　he　sits　for　hours　by　her　bedside
now；　and　tells　her　about　his　wonderful　clock。

〃Mr。　Midwinter；　of　whom　you　will　next　expect　me　to　say　something；
is　improving　rapidly。　After　causing　some　anxiety　at　first　to　the
medical　men　（who　declared　that　he　was　suffering　from　a　serious
nervous　shock；　produced　by　circumstances　about　which　their
patient's　obstinate　silence　kept　them　quite　in　the　dark）；　he　has
rallied；　as　only　men　of　his　sensitive　temperament　（to　quote　the
doctors　again）　can　rally。　He　and　Mr。　Armadale　are　together　in　a
quiet　lodging。　I　saw　him　last　week　when　I　was　in　London。　His　face
showed　signs　of　wear　and　tear；　very　sad　to　see　in　so　young　a　man。
But　he　spoke　of　himself　and　his　future　with　a　courage　and
hopefulness　which　men　of　twice　his　years　（if　he　has　suffered　as　I
suspect　him　to　have　suffered）　might　have　envied。　If　I　know
anything　of　humanity；　this　is　no　common　man；　and　we　shall　hear　of
him　yet　in　no　common　way。

〃You　will　wonder　how　I　came　to　be　in　London。　I　went　up；　with　a
return　ticket　（from　Saturday　to　Monday）；　about　that　matter　in
dispute　at　our　agent's。　We　had　a　tough　fight；　but；　curiously
enough；　a　point　occurred　to　me　just　as　I　got　up　to　go；　and　I　went
back　to　my　chair；　and　settled　the　question　in　no　time。　Of　course
I　stayed　at　Our　Hotel　in　Covent　Garden。　William；　the　waiter；
asked　after　you　with　the　affection　of　a　father；　and　Matilda；　the
chamber…maid；　said　you　almost　persuaded　her　that　last　time　to
have　the　hollow　tooth　taken　out　of　her　lower　jaw。　I　had　the
agent's　second　son　（the　young　chap　you　nicknamed　Mustapha；　when
he　made　that　dreadful　mess　about　the　Turkish　Securities）　to　dine
with　me　on　Sunday。　A　little　incident　happened　in　the　evening
which　may　be　worth　recording；　as　it　connected　itself　with　a
certain　old　lady　who　was　not　'at　home'　when　you　and　Mr。　Armadale
blundered　on　that　house　in　Pimlico　in　the　bygone　time。

〃Mustapha　was　like　all　the　rest　of　you　young　men　of　the　present
dayhe　go　t　restless　after　dinner。　'Let's　go　to　a　public
amusement；　Mr。　Pedgift；'　says　he。　'Public　amusement？　Why；　it's
Sunday　evening！'　says　I。　'All　right；　sir；'　says　Mustapha。　'They
stop　acting　on　the　stage；　I　grant　you；　on　Sunday　eveningbut
they　don't　stop　acting　in　the　pulpit。　Come　and　see　the　last　new
Sunday　performer　of　our　time。'　As　he　wouldn't　have　any　more　wine；
there　was　nothing　else　for　it　but　to　go。

〃We　went　to　a　street　at　the　West　End；　and　found　it　blocked　up
with　carriages。　If　it　hadn't　been　Sunday　night；　I　should　have
thought　we　were　going　to　the　opera。　'What　did　I　tell　you？'　says
Mustapha；　taking　me　up　to　an　open　door　with　a　gas　star　outside
and　a　bill　of　the　performance。　I　had　just　time　to　notice　that　I
was　going　to　one　of　a　series　of　'Sunday　Evening　Discourses　on　the
Pomps　and　Vanities　of　the　World；　by　A　Sinner　Who　Has　Served
Them；'　when　Mustapha　jogged　my　elbow；　and　whispered；　'Half　a
crown　is　the　fashionable　tip。'　I　found　myself　between　two　demure
and　silent　gentlemen；　with　plates　in　their　hands；　uncommonly　well
filled　already　with　the　fashionable　tip。　Mustapha　patronized　one
plate；　and　I　the　other。　We　passed　through　two　doors　into　a　long
room；　crammed　with　people。　And　there；　on　a　platform　at　the
further　end；　holding　forth　to　the　audience；　wasnot　a　man；　as　I
had　expected　but　a　Woman；　and　that　woman；　MOTHER　OLDERSHAW！　You
never　listened　to　anything　more　eloquent　in　your　life。　As　long　as
I　heard　her　she　was　never　once　at　a　loss　for　a　word　anywhere。　I
shall　think　less　of　oratory　as　a　human　accomplishment；　for　the
rest　of　my　days；　after　that　Sunday　evening。　As　for　the　matter　of
the　sermon；　I　may　describe　it　as　a　narrative　of　Mrs。　Oldershaw's
experience　among　dilapidated　women；　profusely　illustrated　in　the
pious　and　penitential　style。　You　will　ask　what　sort　of　audience
it　was。　Principally　Women；　Augustusand；　as　I　hope　to　be　saved；
all　the　old　harridans　of　the　world　of　fashion　whom　Mother
Oldershaw　had　enameled　in　her　time；　sitting　boldly　in　the　front
places；　with　their　cheeks　ruddled　with　paint；　in　a　state　of
devout　enjoyment　wonderful　to　see！　I　left　Mustapha　to　hear　the
end　of　it。　And　I　thought　to　myself；　as　I　went　out；　of　what
Shakespeare　says　somewhere；　'Lord；　what　fools　we　mortals　be！'

〃Have　I　anything　more　to　tell　you　before　I　leave　off？　Only　one
thing　that　I　can　remember。

〃That　wretched　old　Bashwood　has　confirmed　the　fears　I　told　you　I
had　about　him　when　he　was　brought　back　here　from　London。　There　is
no　kind　of　doubt　that　he　has　really　lost　all　the　little　reason　he
ever　had。　He　is　perfectly　harmless；　and　perfectly　happy。　And　he
would　do　very　well　if　we　could　only　prevent　him　from　going　out　in
his　last　new　suit　of　clothes；　smirking　and　smiling　and　inviting
everybody　to　his　approaching　marriage　with　the　handsomest　woman
in　England。　It　ends　of　course　in　the　boys　pelting　him；　and　in　his
coming　here　crying　to　me；　covered　with　mud。　The　moment　his
clothes　are　cleaned　again　he　falls　back　into　his　favorite
delusion；　and　struts　about　before　the　church　gates；　in　the
character　of　a　bridegroom；　waiting　for　Miss　Gwilt。　We　must　get
the　poor　wretch　taken　care　of　somewhere　for　the　rest　of　the
little　time　he　has　to　live。　Who　would　ever　have　thought　of　a　man
at　his　age　falling　in　love？　And　who　would　ever　have　believed　that
the　mischief　that　woman's　beauty　has　done　could　have　reached　as
far　in　the　downward　direction　as　our　superannuated　old　clerk？

〃Good…by；　for　the　present；　my　dear　boy。　If　you　see　a　particularly
handsome　snuff…box　in　Paris；　rememberthough　your　father　scorns
Testimonialshe　doesn't　object　to　receive　a　present　from　his
son。

〃Yours　affectionately；

A。　PEDGIFT；　Sen。

〃POSTSCRIPT。I　think　it　likely　that　the　account　you　mention　in
the　French　papers；　of　a　fatal　quarrel　among　some　foreign　sailors
in　one　of　the　Lipari　Islands；　and　of　the　death　of　their　captain；
among　others；　may　really　have　been　a　quarrel　among　the　scoundrels
who　robbed　Mr。　Armadale　and　scuttled　his　yacht。　_Those_　fellows；
luckily　for　society；　can't　always　keep　up　appearances；　and；　in
their　case；　Rogues