armadale-第72章

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（without　doing　her　any　injustice）　as　a　tissue　of　falsehoods　from
beginning　to　end。　At　any　rate；　she　confirmed　me　in　the　suspicion
that　some　underhand　proceeding　is　on　foot；　of　which　Allan　is
destined　to　be　the　victim；　and　that　the　prime　mover　in　the
conspiracy　is　the　vile　woman　who　helped　his　mother's　marriage　and
who　hastened　his　mother's　death。

〃Feeling　this　conviction；　I　have　not　hesitated　to　do；　for　Allan's
sake；　what　I　would　have　done　for　no　other　creature　in　the　world。
I　have　left　my　hotel；　and　have　installed　myself　（with　my　old
servant　Robert）　in　a　house　opposite　the　house　to　which　I　traced
the　two　women。　We　are　alternately　on　the　watch　（quite
unsuspected；　I　am　certain；　by　the　people　opposite）　day　and　night。
All　my　feelings；　as　a　gentleman　and　a　clergyman；　revolt　from　such
an　occupation　as　I　am　now　engaged　in；　but　there　is　no　other
choice。　I　must　either　do　this　violence　to　my　own　self…respect；　or
I　must　leave　Allan；　with　his　easy　nature；　and　in　his　assailable
position；　to　defend　himself　against　a　wretch　who　is　prepared；　I
firmly　believe；　to　take　the　most　unscrupulous　advantage　of　his
weakness　and　his　youth。　His　mother's　dying　entreaty　has　never
left　my　memory；　and；　God　help　me；　I　am　now　degrading　myself　in　my
own　eyes　in　consequence。

'There　has　been　some　reward　already　for　the　sacrifice。　This　day
（Saturday）　I　have　gained　an　immense　advantageI　have　at　last
seen　the　woman's　face。　She　went　out　with　her　veil　down　as　before；
and　Robert　kept　her　in　view；　having　my　instructions；　if　she
returned　to　the　house；　not　to　follow　her　back　to　the　door。　She
did　return　to　the　house；　and　the　result　of　my　precaution　was；　as
I　had　expected；　to　throw　her　off　her　guard。　I　saw　her　face
unveiled　at　the　window；　and　　afterward　again　in　the　balcony。　If
any　occasion　should　ari　se　for　describing　her　particularly；　you
shall　have　the　description。　At　present　I　need　only　say　that　she
looks　the　full　age　（five…and…thirty）　at　which　you　estimated　her；
and　that　she　is　by　no　means　so　handsome　a　woman　as　I　had　（I
hardly　know　why）　expected　to　see。

〃This　is　all　I　can　now　tell　you。　If　nothing　more　happens　by
Monday　or　Tuesday　next；　I　shall　have　no　choice　but　to　apply　to　my
lawyers　for　assistance；　though　I　am　most　unwilling　to　trust　this
delicate　and　dangerous　matter　in　other　hands　than　mine。　Setting
my　own　feelings　however；　out　of　the　question；　the　business　which
has　been　the　cause　of　my　journey　to　London　is　too　important　to　be
trifled　with　much　longer　as　I　am　trifling　with　it　now。　In　any　and
every　case；　depend　on　my　keeping　you　informed　of　the　progress　of
events；　and　believe　me　yours　truly；

〃DECIMUS　BROCK。〃


Midwinter　secured　the　letter　as　he　had　secured　the　letter　that
preceded　itside　by　side　in　his　pocket…book　with　the　narrative
of　Allan's　Dream。

〃How　many　days　more？〃　he　asked　himself；　as　he　went　back　to　the
house。　〃How　many　days　more？〃

Not　many。　The　time　he　was　waiting　for　was　a　time　close　at　hand。


Monday　came；　and　brought　Mr。　Bashwood；　punctual　to　the　appointed
hour。　Monday　came；　and　found　Allan　immersed　in　his　preparations
for　the　picnic。　He　held　a　series　of　interviews；　at　home　and
abroad；　all　through　the　day。　He　transacted　business　with　Mrs。
Gripper；　with　the　butler；　and　with　the　coachman；　in　their　three
several　departments　of　eating；　drinking；　and　driving。　He　went　to
the　town　to　consult　his　professional　advisers　on　the　subject　of
the　Broads；　and　to　invite　both　the　lawyers；　father　and　son　（in
the　absence　of　anybody　else　in　the　neighborhood　whom　he　could
ask）；　to　join　the　picnic。　Pedgift　Senior　（in　his　department）
supplied　general　information；　but　begged　to　be　excused　from
appearing　at　the　picnic；　on　the　score　of　business　engagements。
Pedgift　Junior　（in　his　department）　added　all　the　details；　and；
casting　business　engagements　to　the　winds；　accepted　the
invitation　with　the　greatest　pleasure。　Returning　from　the
lawyer's　office；　Allan's　next　proceeding　was　to　go　to　the　major's
cottage　and　obtain　Miss　Milroy's　approval　of　the　proposed
locality　for　the　pleasure　party。　This　object　accomplished；　he
returned　to　his　own　house；　to　meet　the　last　difficulty　now　left
to　encounterthe　difficulty　of　persuading　Midwinter　to　join　the
expedition　to　the　Broads。

On　first　broaching　the　subject；　Allan　found　his　friend
impenetrably　resolute　to　remain　at　home。　Midwinter's　natural
reluctance　to　meet　the　major　and　his　daughter　after　what　had
happened　at　the　cottage；　might　probably　have　been　overcome。　But
Midwinter's　determination　not　to　allow　Mr。　Bashwood's　course　of
instruction　to　be　interrupted　was　proof　against　every　effort　that
could　be　made　to　shake　it。　After　exerting　his　influence　to　the
utmost；　Allan　was　obliged　to　remain　contented　with　a　compromise。
Midwinter　promised；　not　very　willingly；　to　join　the　party　toward
evening；　at　the　place　appointed　for　a　gypsy　tea…making；　which　was
to　close　the　proceedings　of　the　day。　To　this　extent　he　would
consent　to　take　the　opportunity　of　placing　himself　on　a　friendly
footing　with　the　Milroys。　More　he　could　not　concede；　even　to
Allan's　persuasion；　and　for　more　it　would　he　useless　to　ask。

The　day　of　the　picnic　came。　The　lovely　morning；　and　the　cheerful
bustle　of　preparation　for　the　expedition；　failed　entirely　to
tempt　Midwinter　into　altering　his　resolution。　At　the　regular　hour
he　left　the　breakfast…table　to　join　Mr。　Bashwood　in　the　steward's
office。　The　two　were　quietly　closeted　over　the　books；　at　the　back
of　the　house；　while　the　packing　for　the　picnic　went　on　in　front。
Young　Pedgift　（short　in　stature；　smart　in　costume；　and
self…reliant　in　manner）　arrived　some　little　time　before　the　hour
for　starting；　to　revise　all　the　arrangements；　and　to　make　any
final　improvements　which　his　local　knowledge　might　suggest。　Allan
and　he　were　still　busy　in　consultation　when　the　first　hitch
occurred　in　the　proceedings。　The　woman…servant　from　the　cottage
was　reported　to　be　waiting　below　for　an　answer　to　a　note　from　her
young　mistress；　which　was　placed　in　Allan's　hands。

On　this　occasion　Miss　Milroy's　emotions　had　apparently　got　the
better　of　her　sense　of　propriety。　The　tone　of　the　letter　was
feverish；　and　the　handwriting　wandered　crookedly　up　and　down　in
deplorable　freedom　from　all　proper　restraint。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Armadale〃　（wrote　the　major's　daughter）；　〃such　a
misfortune！　What　_are_　we　to　do？　Papa　has　got　a　letter　from
grandmamma　this　morning　about　the　new　governess。　Her　reference
has　answered　all　the　questions；　and　she's　ready　to　come　at　the
shortest　notice。　Grandmamma　thinks　（how　provoking！）　the　sooner
the　better；　and　she　says　we　may　expect　herI　mean　the
governesseither　to…day　or　to…morrow。　Papa　says　（he　_will_　be　so
absurdly　considerate　to　everybody！）　that　we　can't　allow　Miss
Gwilt　to　come　here　（if　she　comes　to…day）　and　find　nobody　at　home
to　receive　her。　What　is　to　be　done？　I　am　ready　to　cry　with
vexation。　I　have　got　the　worst　possible　impression　（though
grandmamma　says　she　is　a　charming　person）　of　Miss　Gwilt。　_Can_
you　suggest　something；　dear　Mr。　Armadale？　I'm　sure　papa　would
give　way　if　you　could。　Don't　stop　to　write；　send　me　a　message
back。　I　have　got　a　new　hat　for　the　picnic；　and　oh；　the　agony　of
not　knowing　whether　I　am　to　keep　it　on　or　take　it　off。　Yours
truly；　E。　M。〃

〃The　devil　take　Miss　Gwilt！〃　said　Allan；　staring　at　his　legal
adviser　in　a　state　of　helpless　consternation。

〃With　all　my　heart；　sirI　don't　wish　to　interfere；〃　remarked
Pedgift　Junior。　〃May　I　ask　what's　the　matter？〃

Allan　told　him。　Mr。　Pedgift　the　younger　might　have　his　faults；
but　a　want　of　quickness　of　resource　was　not　among　them。

〃There's　a　way　out　of　the　difficulty；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　he　said。　〃If
the　governess　comes　today；　let's　have　her　at　the　picnic。〃

Allan's　eyes　opened　wide　in　astonishment。

〃All　the　horses　and　carriages　in　the　Thorpe　Ambrose　stables　are
not　wanted　for　this　small　party　of　ours；〃　proceeded　Pedgift
Junior。　〃Of　course　not！　Very　good。　If　Miss　Gwilt　comes　to…day；
she　can't　possibly　get　here　before　five　o'clock。　Good　again。　You
order　an　open　carriage　to　be　waiting　at　the　major's　door　at　that
time；　Mr。　Armadale；　and　I'll　give　the　man　his　directions　where　to
drive　to。　When　the　governess　comes　to　the　cottage；　let　her　find