armadale-第71章

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my　wife。〃　He　pointed　a　trembling　finger　at　his　miserable
crape…covered　beaver　hat　on　the　floor。　〃I'm　in　mourning　for　her；〃
he　said；　faintly。　〃She　died　nearly　a　year　ago；　in　the　county
asylum　here。〃

His　mouth　began　to　work　convulsively。　He　took　up　the　glass　of
wine　at　his　side；　and；　instead　of　sipping　it　this　time；　drained
it　to　the　bottom。　〃I'm　not　much　used　to　wine；　sir；〃　he　said；
conscious；　apparently；　of　the　flush　that　flew　into　his　face　as　he
drank；　and　still　observant　of　the　obligations　of　politeness　amid
all　the　misery　of　the　recollections　that　he　was　calling　up。

〃I　beg；　Mr。　Bashwood；　you　will　not　distress　yourself　by　telling
me　any　more；〃　said　Midwinter；　recoiling　from　any　further　sanction
on　his　part　of　a　disclosure　which　had　already　bared　the　sorrows
of　the　unhappy　man　before　him　to　the　quick。

〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you；　sir；〃　replied　Mr。　Bashwood。　〃But　if　I
don't　detain　you　too　long；　and　if　you　will　please　to　remember
that　Mr。　Pedgift's　directions　to　me　were　very　particularand；
besides；　I　only　mentioned　my　late　wife　because　if　she　hadn't
tried　Sir　John's　patience　to　begin　with；　things　might　have　turned
out　differently〃　He　paused；　gave　up　the　disjointed　sentence　in
which　he　had　involved　himself；　and　tried　another。　〃I　had　only　two
children；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　advancing　to　a　new　point　in　his
narrative；　〃a　boy　and　a　girl。　The　girl　died　when　she　was　a　baby。
My　son　lived　to　grow　up；　and　it　was　my　son　who　lost　me　my　place。
I　did　my　best　for　him；　I　got　him　into　a　respectable　office　in
London。　They　wouldn't　take　him　without　security。　I'm　afraid　it
was　imprudent；　but　I　had　no　rich　friends　to　help　me；　and　I　became
security。　My　boy　turned　out　badly；　sir。　He　perhaps　you　will
kindly　understand　what　I　mean；　if　I　say　he　behaved　dishonestly。
His　employers　consented；　at　my　entreaty；　to　let　him　off　without
prosecuting。　I　begged　very　hardI　was　fond　of　my　son　Jamesand
I　took　him　home；　and　did　my　best　to　reform　him。　He　wouldn't　stay
with　me；　he　went　away　again　to　London；　heI　beg　your　pardon；
sir！　I'm　afraid　I'm　confusing　things；　I'm　afraid　I'm　wandering
from　the　point。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Midwinter；　kindly。　〃If　you　think　it　right　to　tell
me　this　sad　story；　tell　it　in　your　own　way。　Have　you　seen　your
son　since　he　left　you　to　go　to　London？〃

〃No；　sir。　He's　in　London　still；　for　all　I　know。　When　I　last　heard
of　him；　he　was　getting　his　breadnot　very　creditably。　He　was
employed；　under　the　inspector；　at　the　Private　Inquiry　Office　in
Shadyside　Place。〃

He　spoke　those　wordsapparently　（as　events　then　stood）　the　most
irrelevant　to　the　matter　in　hand　that　had　yet　escaped　him；
actually　（as　events　were　soon　to　be）　the　most　vitally　important
that　he　had　uttered　yethe　spoke　those　words　absently；　looking
about　him　in　confusion；　and　trying　vainly　to　recover　the　lost
thread　of　his　narrative。

Midwinter　compassionately　helped　him。　〃You　were　telling　me；〃　he
said；　〃that　your　son　had　been　the　cause　of　your　losing　your
place。　How　did　that　happen？〃

〃In　this　way；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Bashwood；　getting　back　again
excitedly　into　the　right　train　of　thought。　〃His　employers
consented　to　let　him　off；　but　they　came　down　on　his　security；　and
I　was　the　man。　I　suppose　they　were　not　to　blame；　the　security
covered　their　loss。　I　couldn't　pay　it　all　out　of　my　savings；　I
had　to　borrowon　the　word　of　a　man；　sir；　I　couldn't　help　itI
had　to　borrow。　My　creditor　pressed　me；　it　seemed　cruel；　but；　if
he　wanted　the　money；　I　suppose　it　was　only　just。　I　was　sold　out
of　house　and　home。　I　dare　say　other　gentlemen　would　have　said
what　Sir　John　said；　I　dare　say　most　people　would　have　refused　to
keep　a　steward　who　had　had　the　bailiffs　after　him；　and　his
furniture　sold　in　the　neighborhood。　That　was　how　it　ended；　Mr。
Midwinter。　I　needn't　detain　you　any　longerhere　is　Sir　John's
address；　if　you　wish　to　apply　to　him。〃　Midwinter　generously
refused　to　receive　the　address。

〃Thank　you　kindly；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Bashwood；　getting　tremulously
on　his　legs。　〃There　is　nothing　more；　I　think；　exceptexcept　that
Mr。　Pedgift　will　speak　for　me；　if　you　wish　to　inquire　into　my
conduct　in　his　service。　I'm　very　much　indebted　to　Mr。　Pedgift；
he's　a　little　rough　with　me　sometimes；　but；　if　he　hadn't　taken　me
into　his　office；　I　think　I　should　have　gone　to　the　workhouse　when
I　left　Sir　John；　I　was　so　broken　down。〃　He　picked　up　his　dingy
old　hat　from　the　floor。　〃I　won't　intrude　any　longer；　sir。　I　shall
be　happy　to　call　again　if　you　wish　to　have　time　to　consider
before　you　decide…〃

〃I　want　no　time　to　consider　after　what　you　have　told　me；〃　replied
Midwinter；　warmly；　his　memory　busy；　while　he　spoke；　with　the　time
when　_he_　had　told　_his_　story　to　Mr。　Brock；　and　was　waiting　for
a　generous　word　in　return；　as　the　man　before　him　was　waiting　now。
〃To…day　is　Saturday；〃　he　went　on。　〃Can　you　come　and　give　me　my
first　lesson　on　Monday　morning？　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　added；
interrupting　Mr。　Bashwood's　profuse　expressions　of
acknowledgment；　and　stopping　him　on　his　way　out　of　the　room；
〃there　is　one　thing　we　ought　to　settle；　ought　we　not？　We　haven't
spoken　yet　about　your　own　interest　in　this　matter；　I　mean；　about
the　terms。〃　He　referred；　a　little　confusedly；　to　the　pecuniary
part　of　the　subject。　Mr。　Bashwood　（getting　nearer　and　nearer　to
the　door）　answered　him　more　confusedly　still。

〃Anything；　siranything　you　think　right。　I　won't　intrude　any
longer；　I'll　leave　it　to　you　and　Mr。　Armadale。〃

〃I　will　send　for　Mr。　Armadale；　if　you　like；〃　said　Midwinter；
following　him　into　the　hall。　〃But　I　am　afraid　he　has　as　little
experience　in　matters　of　this　kind　as　I　have。　Perhaps；　if　you　see
no　objection；　we　might　be　guided　by　Mr。　Pedgift？〃

Mr。　Bashwood　caught　eagerly　at　the　last　suggestion；　pushing　his
retreat；　while　he　spoke；　as　far　as　the　front　door。　〃Yes；　siroh；
yes；　yes！　nobody　better　than　Mr。　Pedgift。　Don'tpray　don't
disturb　Mr。　Armadale！〃　His　watery　eyes　looked　quite　wild　with
nervous　alarm　as　he　turned　round　for　a　moment　in　the　light　of　the
hall　lamp　to　make　that　polite　request。　If　sending　for　Allan　had
been　equivalent　to　unchaining　a　ferocious　watch…dog；　Mr。　Bashwood
could　hardly　have　been　more　anxious　to　stop　the　proceeding。　〃I
wish　you　kindly　good…evening；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　getting　out　to
the　steps。　〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you。　I　will　be　scrupulously
punctual　on　Monday　morningI　hopeI　thinkI'm　sure　you　will
soon　learn　everything　I　can　teach　you。　It's　not　difficultoh
dear；　nonot　difficult　at　all！　I　wish　you　kindly　good…evening；
sir。　A　beautiful　night；　yes；　indeed；　a　beautiful　night　for　a　walk
home。〃

With　those　words；　all　dropping　out　of　his　lips　one　on　the　top　of
the　other；　and　without　noticing；　in　his　agony　of　embarrassment　at
effecting　his　departure；　Midwinter's　outstretched　hand；　he　went
noiselessly　down　the　steps；　and　was　lost　in　the　darkness　of　the
night。

As　Midwinter　turned　to　re…enter　the　house；　the　dining…room　door
opened　and　his　friend　met　him　in　the　hall。

〃Has　Mr。　Bashwood　gone？〃　asked　Allan。

〃He　has　gone；〃　replied　Midwinter；　〃after　telling　me　a　very　sad
story；　and　leaving　me　a　little　ashamed　of　myself　for　having
doubted　him　without　any　just　cause。　I　have　arranged　that　he　is　to
give　me　my　first　lesson　in　the　steward's　office　on　Monday
morning。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Allan。　〃You　needn't　be　afraid；　old　boy；　of　my
interrupting　you　over　your　studies。　I　dare　say　I'm　wrongbut　I
don't　like　Mr。　Bashwood。〃

〃I　dare　say　_I'm_　wrong；〃　retorted　the　other；　a　little
petulantly。　〃I　do。〃


The　Sunday　morning　found　Midwinter　in　the　park；　waiting　to
intercept　the　postman；　on　the　chance　of　his　bringing　more　news
from　Mr。　Brock。

At　the　customary　hour　the　man　made　his　appearance；　and　placed　the
expected　letter　in　Midwinter's　hands。　He　opened　it；　far　away　from
all　fear　of　observation　this　time；　and　read　these　lines：


〃MY　DEAR　MIDWINTERI　write　more　for　the　purpose　of　quieting　your
anxiety　than　because　I　have　anything　definite　to　say。　In　my　last
hurried　letter　I　had　no　time　to　tell　you　that　the　elder　of　the
two　women　whom　I　met　in　the　Gardens　had　followed　me；　and　spoken
to　me　in　the　street。　I　believe　I　may　characterize　what　she　said
（without　doing　her　any　injustice）　as　a　tissue　of　falsehoods　from
beginning　to　end。