armadale-第83章

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necessarily　an　imperfect　one。　But　this　latter　circumstance；　in　my
opinion；　matters　little。　I　as　firmly　disbelieve　in　the　woman's
actual　departure　by　that　train　as　if　I　had　searched　every　one　of
the　carriages　myself；　and　you；　I　have　no　doubt；　will　entirely
agree　with　me。

〃You　now　know　how　the　disaster　happened。　Let　us　not　waste　time
and　words　in　lamenting　it。　The　evil　is　done；　and　you　and　I
together　must　find　the　way　to　remedy　it。

〃What　I　have　accomplished　already；　on　my　side；　may　be　told　in　two
words。　Any　hesitation　I　might　have　previously　felt　at　trusting
this　delicate　business　in　strangers'　hands　was　at　an　end　the
moment　I　heard　Robert's　news。　I　went　back　at　once　to　the　city；
and　placed　the　whole　matter　confidentially　before　my　lawyers。　The
conference　was　a　long　one；　and　when　I　left　the　office　it　was　past
the　post　hour；　or　I　should　have　written　to　you　on　Monday　instead
of　writing　today。　My　interview　with　the　lawyers　was　not　very
encouraging。　They　warn　me　plainly　that　serious　difficulties　stand
in　the　way　of　our　recovering　the　lost　trace。　But　they　have
promised　to　do　their　best；　and　we　have　decided　on　the　course　to
be　taken；　excepting　one　point　on　which　we　totally　differ。　I　must
tell　you　what　this　difference　is；　for；　while　business　keeps　me
away　from　Thorpe　Ambrose；　you　are　the　only　person　whom　I　can
trust　to　put　my　convictions　to　the　test。

〃The　lawyers　are　of　opinion；　then；　that　the　woman　has　been　aware
from　the　first　that　I　was　watching　her；　that　there　is；
consequently；　no　present　hope　of　her　being　rash　enough　to　appear
personally　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　that　any　mischief　she　may　have　it
in　contemplation　to　do　will　be　done　in　the　first　instance　by
deputy；　and　that　the　only　wise　course　for　Allan's　friends　and
guardians　to　take　is　to　wait　passively　till　events　enlighten
them。　My　own　idea　is　diametrically　opposed　to　this。　After　what
has　happened　at　the　railway；　I　cannot　deny　that　the　woman　must
have　discovered　that　I　was　watching　her。　But　she　has　no　reason　to
suppose　that　she　has　not　succeeded　in　deceiving　me；　and　I　firmly
believe　she　is　bold　enough　to　take　us　by　surprise；　and　to　win　or
force　her　way　into　Allan's　confidence　before　we　are　prepared　to
prevent　her。

〃You　and　you　only　（while　I　am　detained　in　London）　can　decide
whether　I　am　right　or　wrongand　you　can　do　it　in　this　way。
Ascertain　at　once　whether　any　woman　who　is　a　stranger　in　the
neighborhood　has　appeared　since　Monday　last　at　or　near　Thorpe
Ambrose。　If　any　such　person　has　been　observed　（and　nobody　escapes
observation　in　the　country）；　take　the　first　opportunity　you　can
get　of　seeing　her；　and　ask　yourself　if　her　face　does　or　does　not
answer　certain　plain　questions　which　I　am　now　about　to　write　down
for　you。　You　may　depend　on　my　accuracy。　I　saw　the　woman　unveiled
on　more　than　one　occasion；　and　the　last　time　through　an　excellent
glass。

〃1。　Is　her　hair　light　brown；　and　（apparently）　not　very　plentiful？
2。　Is　her　forehead　high；　narrow；　and　sloping　backward　from　the
brow？　3。　Are　her　eyebrows　very　faintly　marked；　and　are　her　eyes
small；　and　nearer　dark　than　lighteither　gray　or　hazel　（I　have
not　seen　her　close　enough　to　he　certain　which）？　4。　Is　her　nose
aquiline？　5　Are　her　lips　thin；　and　is　the　upper　lip　long？　6。　Does
her　complexion　look　like　an　originally　fair　complexion；　which　has
deteriorated　into　a　dull；　sickly　paleness？　7　（and　lastly）。　Has
she　a　retreating　chin；　and　is　there　on　the　left　side　of　it　a　mark
of　some　k　inda　mole　or　a　scar；　I　can't　say　which？

〃I　add　nothing　about　her　expression；　for　you　may　see　her　under
circumstances　which　may　partially　alter　it　as　seen　by　me。　Test
her　by　her　features；　which　no　circumstances　can　change。　If　there
is　a　stranger　in　the　neighborhood；　and　if　her　face　answers　my
seven　questions；　_you　have　found　the　woman！_　Go　instantly；　in
that　case；　to　the　nearest　lawyer；　and　pledge　my　name　and　credit
for　whatever　expenses　may　be　incurred　in　keeping　her　under
inspection　night　and　day。　Having　done　this；　take　the　speediest
means　of　communicating　with　me；　and　whether　my　business　is
finished　or　not；　I　will　start　for　Norfolk　by　the　first　train。

〃Always　your　friend；　DECIMUS　BROCK。〃


Hardened　by　the　fatalist　conviction　that　now　possessed　him；
Midwinter　read　the　rector's　confession　of　defeat；　from　the　first
line　to　the　last；　without　the　slightest　betrayal　either　of
interest　or　surprise。　The　one　part　of　the　letter　at　which　he
looked　back　was　the　closing　part　of　it。　〃I　owe　much　to　Mr。
Brock's　kindness；〃　he　thought；　〃and　I　shall　never　see　Mr。　Brock
again。　It　is　useless　and　hopeless；　but　he　asks　me　to　do　it；　and
it　shall　be　done。　A　moment's　look　at　her　will　be　enougha
moment's　look　at　her　with　his　letter　in　my　handand　a　line　to
tell　him　that　the　woman　is　here！〃

Again　he　stood　hesitating　at　the　half…opened　door；　again　the
cruel　necessity　of　writing　his　farewell　to　Allan　stopped　him；　and
stared　him　in　the　face。

He　looked　aside　doubtingly　at　the　rector's　letter。　〃I　will　write
the　two　together；〃　he　said。　〃One　may　help　the　other。〃　His　face
flushed　deep　as　the　words　escaped　him。　He　was　conscious　of　doing
what　he　had　not　done　yetof　voluntarily　putting　off　the　evil
hour；　of　making　Mr。　Brock　the　pretext　for　gaining　the　last
respite　left；　the　respite　of　time。

The　only　sound　that　reached　him　through　the　open　door　was　the
sound　of　Allan　stirring　noisily　in　the　next　room。　He　stepped　at
once　into　the　empty　corridor；　and　meeting　no　one　on　the　stairs；
made　his　way　out　of　the　house。　The　dread　that　his　resolution　to
leave　Allan　might　fail　him　if　he　saw　Allan　again　was　as　vividly
present　to　his　mind　in　the　morning　as　it　had　been　all　through　the
night。　He　drew　a　deep　breath　of　relief　as　he　descended　the　house
stepsrelief　at　having　escaped　the　friendly　greeting　of　the
morning；　from　the　one　human　creature　whom　he　loved！

He　entered　the　shrubbery　with　Mr。　Brock's　letter　in　his　hand；　and
took　the　nearest　way　that　led　to　the　major's　cottage。　Not　the
slightest　recollection　was　in　his　mind　of　the　talk　which　had
found　its　way　to　his　ears　during　the　night。　His　one　reason　for
determining　to　see　the　woman　was　the　reason　which　the　rector　had
put　in　his　mind。　The　one　remembrance　that　now　guided　him　to　the
place　in　which　she　lived　was　the　remembrance　of　Allan's
exclamation　when　he　first　identified　the　governess　with　the
figure　at　the　pool。

Arrived　at　the　gate　of　the　cottage；　he　stopped。　The　thought
struck　him　that　he　might　defeat　his　own　object　if　he　looked　at
the　rector's　questions　in　the　woman's　presence。　Her　suspicions
would　be　probably　roused；　in　the　first　instance；　by　his　asking　to
see　her　（as　he　had　determined　to　ask；　with　or　without　an　excuse）；
and　the　appearance　of　the　letter　in　his　hand　might　confirm　them。

She　might　defeat　him　by　instantly　leaving　the　room。　Determined　to
fix　the　description　in　his　mind　first；　and　then　to　confront　her；
he　opened　the　letter；　and；　turning　away　slowly　by　the　side　of　the
house；　read　the　seven　questions　which　he　felt　absolutely　assured
beforehand　the　woman's　face　would　answer。

In　the　morning　quiet　of　the　park　slight　noises　traveled　far。　A
slight　noise　disturbed　Midwinter　over　the　letter。

He　looked　up　and　found　himself　on　the　brink　of　a　broad　grassy
trench；　having　the　park　on　one　side　and　the　high　laurel　hedge　of
an　inclosure　on　the　other。　The　inclosure　evidently　surrounded　the
back　garden　of　the　cottage；　and　the　trench　was　intended　to
protect　it　from　being　damaged　by　the　cattle　grazing　in　the　park。

Listening　carefully　as　the　slight　sound　which　had　disturbed　him
grew　fainter；　he　recognized　in　it　the　rustling　of　women's
dresses。　A　few　paces　ahead；　the　trench　was　crossed　by　a　bridge
（closed　by　a　wicket　gate）　which　connected　the　garden　with　the
park。　He　passed　through　the　gate；　crossed　the　bridge；　and；
opening　a　door　at　the　other　end；　found　himself　in　a　summer…house
thickly　covered　with　creepers；　and　commanding　a　full　view　of　the
garden　from　end　to　end。

He　looked；　and　saw　the　figures　of　two　ladies　walking　slowly　away
from　him　toward　the　cottage。　The　shorter　of　the　two　failed　to
occupy　his　attention　for　an　instant；　he　never　stopped　to　think
whether　she　was　or　was　not　the　major's　daughter。　His　eyes　were
rive