armadale-第49章
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family affairs seriously concern us both； for； as ill luck will
have it； the man has got a daughter！
〃You may imagine how I questioned our agent； and how our agent
ransacked his memory； when I stumbled； in due course； on such a
discovery as this。 If Heaven is responsible for women's
chattering tongues； Heaven be praised！ From Miss Blanchard to
Miss Blanchard's maid； from Miss Blanchard's maid to Miss
Blanchard's aunt's maid； from Miss Blanchard's aunt's maid； to
the ugly housemaid； from the ugly housemaid to the
harmless…looking young manso the stream of gossip trickled into
the right reservoir at last； and thirsty Mother Oldershaw has
drunk it all up。
〃In plain English； my dear； this is how it stands。 The major's
daughter is a minx just turned sixteen； lively and nice…looking
（hateful little wretch！）； dowdy in her dress （thank Heaven！） and
deficient in her manners （thank Heaven again！）。 She has been
brought up at home。 The governess who last had charge of her left
before her father moved to Thorpe Ambrose。 Her education stands
woefully in want of a finishing touch； and the major doesn't
quite know what to do next。 None of his friends can recommend him
a new governess and he doesn't like the notion of sending the
girl to school。 So matters rest at present； on the major's own
showing； for so the major expressed himself at a morning call
which the father and daughter paid to the ladies at the great
house。
〃You have now got my promised news； and you will have little
difficulty； I think； in agreeing with me that the Armadale
business must be settled at once； one way or the other。 If； with
your hopeless prospects； and with what I may call your family
claim on this young fellow； you decide on giving him up； I shall
have the pleasure of sending you the balance of your account with
me （seven…and…twenty shillings）； and shall then be free to devote
myself entirely to my own proper business。 If； on the contrary；
you decide to try your luck at Thorpe Ambrose； then （there being
no kind of doubt that the major's minx will set her cap at the
young squire） I should be glad to hear how you mean to meet the
double difficulty of inflaming Mr。 Armadale and extinguishing
Miss Milroy。
〃Affectionately yours；
〃MARIA OLDERSHAW。
5。 _From Miss Gwilt to Mrs。 Oldershaw。
（First Answer。）_
〃Richmond； Wednesday Morning。
〃MRS。 OLDERSHAWSend me my seven…and…twenty shillings； and
devote yourself to your own proper business。 Yours； L。 G。〃
6。 _From Miss Gwilt to Mrs。 Oldershaw。
（Second Answer。）_
〃Richmond； Wednesday Night。
〃DEAR OLD LOVEKeep the seven…and…twenty shillings； and burn my
other letter。 I have changed my mind。
〃I wrote the first time after a horrible night。 I write this time
after a ride on horseback； a tumbler of claret； and the breast of
a chicken。 Is that explanation enough？ Please say Yes； for I want
to go back to my piano。
〃No； I can't go back yet； I must answer your question first。 But
are you really so very simple as to suppose that I don't see
straight through you and your letter？ You know that the major's
difficulty is our opportunity as well as I do； but you want me to
take the responsibility of making the first proposal； don't you？
Suppose I take it in your own roundabout way？ Suppose I say；
'Pray don't ask me how I propose inflaming Mr。 Armadale and
extinguishing Miss Milroy； the question is so shockingly abrupt I
really can't answer it。 Ask me； instead； if it is the modest
ambition of my life to become Miss Milroy's governess？' Yes； if
you please； Mrs。 Oldershaw； and if you will assist me by becoming
my reference。
〃There it is for you！ If some serious disaster happens （which is
quite possible）； what a comfort it will be to remember that it
was all my fault！
〃Now I have done this for you； will you do something for me。 I
want to dream away the little time I am likely to have left here
in my own way。 Be a merciful Mother Oldershaw； and spare me the
worry of looking at the Ins and Outs； and adding up the chances
For and Against； in this new venture of mine。 Think for me； in
short； until I am obliged to think for myself。
〃I had better not write any more； or I shall say something savage
that you won't like。 I am in one of my tempers to…night。 I want a
husband to vex； or a child to beat； or something of that sort。 Do
you ever like to see the summer insects kill themselves in the
candle？ I do； sometimes。 Good…night； Mrs。 Jezebel The longer you
can leave me here the better。 The air agrees with me； and I am
looking charmingly。
〃L。 G。〃
7。 _From Mrs。 Oldershaw to Miss Gwilt。_
〃Thursday。
〃MY DEAR LYDIASome persons in my situation might be a little
offended at the tone of your last letter。 But I am so fondly
attached to you！ And when I love a person； it is so very hard； my
dear； for that person to offend me！ Don't ride quite so far； and
only drink half a tumblerful of claret next time。 I say no more。
〃Shall we leave off our fencing…match and come to serious matters
now？ How curiously hard it always seems to be for women to
understand each other； especially when they have got their pens
in their hands！ But suppose we try。
〃Well； then； to begin with： I gather from your letter that you
have wisely decided to try the Thorpe Ambrose experiment； and to
secure； if you can； an excellent position at starting by becoming
a member of Major Milroy's household。 If the circumstances turn
against you； and some other woman gets the governess's place
（about which I shall have something more to say presently）； you
will then have no choice but to make Mr。 Armadale's acquaintance
in some other character。 In any case； you will want my
assistance； and the first question； therefore； to set at rest
between us is the question of what I am willing to do； and what I
can do； to help you。
〃A woman； my dear Lydia； with your appearance； your manners； your
abilities； and your education； can make almost any excursions
into society that she pleases if she only has money in her pocket
and a respectable reference to appeal to in cases of emergency。
As to the money； in the first place。 I will engage to find it； on
condition of your remembering my assistance with adequate
pecuniary gratitude if you win the Armadale prize。 Your promise
so to remember me； embodying the terms in plain figures； shall be
drawn out on paper by my own lawyer； so that we can sign and
settle at once when I see you in London。
〃Next； as to the reference。
〃Here； again； my services are at your disposal； on another
condition。 It is this： that you present yourself at Thorpe
Ambrose； under the name to which you have returned ever since
that dreadful business of your marriage； I mean your own maiden
name of Gwilt。 I have only one motive in insisting on this； I
wish to run no needless risks 。 My experience； as confidential
adviser of my customers； in various romantic cases of private
embarrassment； has shown me that an assumed name is； nine times
out of ten； a very unnecessary and a very dangerous form of
deception。 Nothing could justify your assuming a name but the
fear of young Armadale's detecting youa fear from which we are
fortunately relieved by his mother's own conduct in keeping your
early connection with her a profound secret from her son and from
everybody。
〃The next； and last； perplexity to settle relates； my dear； to
the chances for and against your finding your way； in the
capacity of governess； into Major Milroy's house。 Once inside the
door； with your knowledge of music and languages； if you can keep
your temper； you may be sure of keeping the place。 The only
doubt； as things are now； is whether you can get it。
〃In the major's present difficulty about his daughter's
education； the chances are； I think； in favor of his advertising
for a governess。 Say he does advertise； what address will he give
for applicants to write to？
〃If he gives an address in London； good…by to all chances in your
favor at once； for this plain reason； that we shall not be able
to pick out his advertisement from the advertisements of other
people who want governesses； and who will give them addresses in
London as well。 If； on the other hand； our
