armadale-第65章

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answer　the　major's　inquiries　at　our　ease。　Can　you　see；　at　last；　a
little　further　than　your　poor　old　nose？　Is　there　anything　in　the
world　to　prevent　your　safe　disappearance　from　Pimlico　to…night；
and　your　safe　establishment　at　the　new　lodgings；　in　the　character
of　my　respectable　reference；　half　an　hour　afterward？　Oh；　fie；
fie；　Mother　Oldershaw！　Go　down　on　your　wicked　old　knees；　and
thank　your　stars　that　you　had　a　she…devil　like　me　to　deal　with
this　morning！

〃Suppose　we　come　now　to　the　only　difficulty　worth　mentioning_
my_　difficulty。　Watched　as　I　am　in　this　house；　how　am　I　to　join
you　without　bringing　the　parson　or　the　parson's　servant　with　me
at　my　heels？

〃Being　to　all　intents　and　purposes　a　prisoner　here；　it　seems　to
me　that　I　have　no　choice　but　to　try　the　old　prison　plan　of
escapea　change　of　clothes。　I　have　been　looking　at　your
house…maid。　Excep　t　that　we　are　both　light；　her　face　and　hair　and
my　face　and　hair　are　as　unlike　each　other　as　possible。　But　she　is
as　nearly　as　can　be　my　height　and　size；　and　（if　she　only　knew　how
to　dress　herself；　and　had　smaller　feet）　her　figure　is　a　very　much
better　one　than　it　ought　to　be　for　a　person　in　her　station　in
life。

〃My　idea　is；　to　dress　her　in　the　clothes　I　wore　in　the　Gardens
to…day；　to　send　her　out；　with　our　reverend　enemy　in　full　pursuit
of　her；　and；　as　soon　as　the　coast　is　clear；　to　slip　away　myself
and　join　you。　The　thing　would　be　quite　impossible；　of　course；　if
I　had　been　seen　with　my　veil　up；　but；　as　events　have　turned　out；
it　is　one　advantage　of　the　horrible　exposure　which　followed　my
marriage　that　I　seldom　show　myself　in　public；　and　never；　of
course；　in　such　a　populous　place　as　London；　without　wearing　a
thick　veil　and　keeping　that　veil　down。　If　the　house…maid　wears　my
dress；　I　don't　really　see　why　the　house…maid　may　not　be　counted
on　to　represent　me　to　the　life。

〃The　one　question　is；　Can　the　woman　be　trusted？　If　she　can；　send
me　a　line；　telling　her；　on　your　authority；　that　she　is　to　place
herself　at　my　disposal。　I　won't　say　a　word　till　I　have　heard　from
you　first。

〃Let　me　have　my　answer　to…night。　As　long　as　we　were　only　talking
about　my　getting　the　governess's　place；　I　was　careless　enough　how
it　ended。　But　now　that　we　have　actually　answered　Major　Milroy's
advertisement；　I　am　in　earnest　at　last。　I　mean　to　be　Mrs。
Armadale　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　woe　to　the　man　or　woman　who　tries
to　stop　me！　Yours；

〃LYDIA　GWILT。

〃P。S。I　open　my　letter　again　to　say　that　you　need　have　no　fear
of　your　messenger　being　followed　on　his　return　to　Pimlico。　He
will　drive　to　a　public…house　where　he　is　known；　will　dismiss　the
cab　at　the　door；　and　will　go　out　again　by　a　back　way　which　is
only　used　by　the　landlord　and　his　friends。L。　G。〃

3。　_From　Mrs。　Oldershaw　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Diana　Street；　10　o'clock。

〃MY　DEAR　LYDIAYou　have　written　me　a　heartless　letter。　If　you
had　been　in　my　trying　position；　harassed　as　I　was　when　I　wrote　to
you；　I　should　have　made　allowances　for　my　friend　when　I　found　my
friend　not　so　sharp　as　usual。　But　the　vice　of　the　present　age　is
a　want　of　consideration　for　persons　in　the　decline　of　life。
Morally　speaking；　you　are　in　a　sad　state；　my　dear；　and　you　stand
much　in　need　of　a　good　example。　You　shall　have　a　good　exampleI
forgive　you。

〃Having　now　relieved　my　mind　by　the　performance　of　a　good　action；
suppose　I　show　you　next　（though　I　protest　against　the　vulgarity
of　the　expression）　that　I　_can_　see　a　little　further　than　my　poor
old　nose？

〃I　will　answer　your　question　about　the　house…maid　first。　You　may
trust　her　implicitly。　She　has　had　her　troubles；　and　has　learned
discretion。　She　also　looks　your　age；　though　it　is　only　her　due　to
say　that；　in　this　particular；　she　has　some　years　the　advantage　of
you。　I　inclose　the　necessary　directions　which　will　place　her
entirely　at　your　disposal。

〃And　what　comes　next？

〃Your　plan　for　joining　me　at　Bayswater　comes　next。　It　is　very
well　as　far　as　it　goes；　but　it　stands　sadly　in　need　of　a　little
judicious　improvement。　There　is　a　serious　necessity　（you　shall
know　why　presently）　for　deceiving　the　parson　far　more　completely
than　you　propose　to　deceive　him。　I　want　him　to　see　the
house…maid's　face　under　circumstances　which　will　persuade　him
that　it　is　_your_　face。　And　then；　going　a　step　further；　I　want
him　to　see　the　house…maid　leave　London；　under　the　impression　that
he　has　seen　_you_　start　on　the　first　stage　of　your　journey　to　the
Brazils。　He　didn't　believe　in　that　journey　when　I　announced　it　to
him　this　afternoon　in　the　street。　He　may　believe　in　it　yet；　if
you　follow　the　directions　I　am　now　going　to　give　you。

〃To…morrow　is　Saturday。　Send　the　housemaid　out　in　your　walking
dress　of　to…day；　just　as　you　propose；　but　don't　stir　out
yourself；　and　don't　go　near　the　window。　Desire　the　woman　to　keep
her　veil　down；　to　take　half　an　hour's　walk　（quite　unconscious；　of
course；　of　the　parson　or　his　servant　at　her　heels）；　and　then　to
come　back　to　you。　As　soon　as　she　appears；　send　her　instantly　to
the　open　window；　instructing　her　to　lift　her　veil　carelessly　and
look　out。　Let　her　go　away　again　after　a　minute　or　two；　take　off
her　bonnet　and　shawl；　and　then　appear　once　more　at　the　window；
or；　better　still；　in　the　balcony　outside。　She　may　show　herself
again　occasionally　（not　too　often）　later　in　the　day。　And
to…morrowas　we　have　a　professional　gentleman　to　deal　withby
all　means　send　her　to　church。　If　these　proceedings　don't　persuade
the　parson　that　the　house…maid's　face　is　your　face；　and　if　they
don't　make　him　readier　to　believe　in　your　reformed　character　than
he　was　when　I　spoke　to　him；　I　have　lived　sixty　years；　my　love；　in
this　vale　of　tears　to　mighty　little　purpose。

〃The　next　day　is　Monday。　I　have　looked　at　the　shipping
advertisements；　and　I　find　that　a　steamer　leaves　Liverpool　for
the　Brazils　on　Tuesday。　Nothing　could　be　more　convenient；　we　will
start　you　on　your　voyage　under　the　parson's　own　eyes。　You　may
manage　it　in　this　way：

〃At　one　o'clock　send　out　the　man　who　cleans　the　knives　and　forks
to　get　a　cab；　and　when　he　has　brought　it　up　to　the　door；　let　him
go　back　and　get　a　second　cab；　which　he　is　to　wait　in　himself；
round　the　corner；　in　the　square。　Let　the　house…maid　（still　in
your　dress）　drive　off；　with　the　necessary　boxes；　in　the　first　cab
to　the　North…western　Railway。　When　she　is　gone；　slip　out　yourself
to　the　cab　waiting　round　the　corner；　and　come　to　me　at　Bayswater。
They　may　be　prepared　to　follow　the　house…maid's　cab；　because　they
have　seen　it　at　the　door；　but　they　won't　be　prepared　to　follow
your　cab；　because　it　has　been　hidden　round　the　corner。　When　the
house…maid　has　got　to　the　station；　and　has　done　her　best　to
disappear　in　the　crowd　（I　have　chosen　the　mixed　train　at　2：10；　so
as　to　give　her　every　chance）；　you　will　be　safe　with　me；　and
whether　they　do　or　do　not　find　out　that　she　does　not　really　start
for　Liverpool　won't　matter　by　that　time。　They　will　have　lost　all
trace　of　you；　and　they　may　follow　the　house…maid　half　over
London；　if　they　like。　She　has　my　instructions　（inclosed）　to　leave
the　empty　boxes　to　find　their　way　to　the　lost　luggage　office　and
to　go　to　her　friends　in　the　City；　and　stay　there　till　I　write
word　that　I　want　her　again。

〃And　what　is　the　object　of　all　this？

〃My　dear　Lydia；　the　object　is　your　future　security　（and　mine）。　We
may　succeed　or　we　may　fail；　in　persuading　the　parson　that　you
have　actually　gone　to　the　Brazils。　If　we　succeed；　we　are　relieved
of　all　fear　of　him。　If　we　fail；　he　will　warn　young　Armadale　to　be
careful　_of　a　woman　like　my　house…maid；　and　not　of　a　woman　like
you。_　This　last　gain　is　a　very　important　one；　for　we　don't　know
that　Mrs。　Armadale　may　not　have　told　him　your　maiden　name。　In
that　event；　the　'Miss　Gwilt'　whom　he　will　describe　as　having
slipped　through　his　fingers　here　will　be　so　entirely　unlike　the
'Miss　Gwilt'　established　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　as　to　satisfy
everybody　that　it　is　not　a　case　of　similarity　of　persons；　but
only　a　case　of　similarity　of　names。

〃What　do　you　say　now　to　my　improvement　on　your　idea？　Are　my
brains　not　quite　so　addled　as　you　thought　them　when　you　wrote？
Don't　suppose　I'm　at　all　overboastful　about　my　own　ingenuity。
Cleverer　tricks　than　this　trick　of　mine