armadale-第86章

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doubt　by　the　Somersetshire　clergyman）；　and　that　Mr。　Midwinter　had
been　chosen　（evidently　by　the　same　person）　to　identify　the　Miss
Gwilt　who　had　vanished　from　Brompton　with　the　Miss　Gwilt　who　had
appeared　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。　You　foresaw　this　danger；　I　remember；
but　you　could　scarcely　have　imagined　that　the　exposure　would
threaten　me　so　soon。

〃I　spare　you　the　details　of　our　conversation　to　come　to　the　end。
Mr。　Midwinter　put　the　matter　very　delicately；　declaring；　to　my
great　surprise；　that　he　felt　quite　certain　himself　that　I　was　not
the　Miss　Gwilt　of　whom　his　friend　was　in　search；　and　that　he　only
acted　as　he　did　out　of　regard　to　the　anxiety　of　a　person　whose
wishes　he　was　bound　to　respect。　Would　I　assist　him　in　setting
that　anxiety　completely　at　rest；　as　far　as　I　was　concerned；　by
kindly　answering　one　plain　questionwhich　he　had　no　other　right
to　ask　me　than　the　right　my　indulgence　might　give　him？　The　lost
'Miss　Gwilt'　had　been　missed　on　Monday　last；　at　two　o'clock；　in
the　crowd　on　the　platform　of　the　North…western　Railway；　in　Euston
Square。　Would　I　authorize　him　to　say　that　on　that　day；　and　at
that　hour；　the　Miss　Gwilt　who　was　Major　Milroy's　governess　had
never　been　near　the　place？

〃I　need　hardly　tell　you　that　I　seized　the　fine　opportunity　he　had
given　me　of　disarming　all　future　suspicion。　I　took　a　high　tone　on
the　spot；　and　met　him　with　the　old　lady's　letter。　He　politely
refused　to　look　at　it。　I　insisted　on　his　looking　at　it。　'I　don't
choose　to　be　mistaken；'　I　said；　'for　a　woman　who　may　be　a　bad
character；　because　she　happens　to　bear；　or　to　have　assumed；　the
same　name　as　mine。　I　insist　on　your　reading　the　first　part　of
this　letter　for　my　satisfaction；　if　not　for　your　own。'　He　was
obliged　to　comply；　and　there　was　the　proof；　in　the　old　lady's
handwriting；　that；　at　two　o'clock　on　Monday　last；　she　and　I　were
together　in　Kingsdown　Crescent；　which　any　directory　would　tell
him　is　a　'crescent'　in　Bayswater！　I　leave　you　to　imagine　his
apologies；　and　the　perfect　sweetness　with　which　I　received　them。

〃I　might；　of　course；　if　I　had　not　preserved　the　letter；　have
referred　him　to　you；　or　to　the　major's　mother；　with　similar
results。　As　it　is；　the　object　has　been　gained　without　trouble　or
delay。　_I　have　been　proved　not　to　be　myself；_　and　one　of　the　many
dangers　that　threatened　me　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　is　a　danger　blown
over　from　this　moment。　Your　house…maid's　face　may　not　be　a　very
handsome　one；　but　there　is　no　denying　that　it　has　done　us
excellent　service。


〃So　much　for　the　past；　now　for　the　future。　You　shall　hear　how　I
get　on　with　the　people　about　me；　and　you　shall　judge　for　yourself
what　the　chances　are　for　and　against　my　becoming　mistress　of
Thorpe　Ambrose。

〃Let　me　begin　with　young　Armadalebecause　it　is　beginning　with
good　news。　I　have　produced　the　right　impression　on　him　already；
and　Heaven　knows　_that_　is　nothing　to　boast　of！　Any　moderately
good…looking　woman　who　chose　to　take　the　trouble　could　make　him
fall　in　love　with　her。　He　is　a　rattle…pated　young　foolone　of
those　noisy；　rosy；　light…haired；　good…tempered　men　whom　I
particularly　detest。　I　had　a　whole　hour　alone　with　him　in　a　boat；
the　first　day　I　came　here；　and　I　have　made　good　use　of　my　time；　I
can　tell　you；　from　that　day　to　this。　The　only　difficulty　with　him
is　the　difficulty　of　concealing　my　own　feelings；　especially　when
he　turns　my　dislike　of　him　into　downright　hatred　by　sometimes
reminding　me　of　his　mother。　I　really　never　saw　a　man　whom　I　could
use　so　ill；　if　I　had　the　opportunity。　He　will　give　me　the
opportunity；　I　believe；　if　no　accident　happens；　sooner　than　we
calculated　on。　I　have　just　returned　from　a　party　at　the　great
house；　in　celebration　of　the　rent…day　dinner；　and　the　squire's
attentions　to　me；　and　my　modest　reluctance　to　receive　them；　have
already　excited　general　remark。

〃My　pupil；　Miss　Milroy；　comes　ne　xt。　She；　too；　is　rosy　and
foolish；　and；　what　is　more；　awkward　and　squat　and　freckled；　and
ill…tempered　and　ill…dressed。　No　fear　of　_her；_　though　she　hates
me　like　poison；　which　is　a　great　comfort；　for　I　get　rid　of　her
out　of　lesson　time　and　walking　time。　It　is　perfectly　easy　to　see
that　she　has　made　the　most　of　her　opportunities　with　young
Armadale　（opportunities；　by…the…by；　which　we　never　calculated
on）；　and　that　she　has　been　stupid　enough　to　let　him　slip　through
her　fingers。　When　I　tell　you　that　she　is　obliged；　for　the　sake　of
appearances；　to　go　with　her　father　and　me　to　the　little
entertainments　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　to　see　how　young　Armadale
admires　me；　you　will　understand　the　kind　of　place　I　hold　in　her
affections。　She　would　try　me　past　all　endurance　if　I　didn't　see
that　I　aggravate　her　by　keeping　my　temper；　so；　of　course；　I　keep
it。　If　I　do　break　out；　it　will　be　over　our　lessonsnot　over　our
French；　our　grammar；　history；　and　globesbut　over　our　music。　No
words　can　say　how　I　feel　for　her　poor　piano。　Half　the　musical
girls　in　England　ought　to　have　their　fingers　chopped　off　in　the
interests　of　society；　and；　if　I　had　my　way；　Miss　Milroy's　fingers
should　be　executed　first。

〃As　for　the　major；　I　can　hardly　stand　higher　in　his　estimation
than　I　stand　already。　I　am　always　ready　to　make　his　breakfast；
and　his　daughter　is　not。　I　can　always　find　things　for　him　when　he
loses　them；　and　his　daughter　can't。　I　never　yawn　when　he　proses；
and　his　daughter　does。　I　like　the　poor　dear　harmless　old
gentleman；　so　I　won't　say　a　word　more　about　him。

〃Well；　here　is　a　fair　prospect　for　the　future　surely？　My　good
Oldershaw；　there　never　was　a　prospect　yet　without　an　ugly　place
in　it。　_My_　prospect　has　two　ugly　places　in　it。　The　name　of　one
of　them　is　Mrs。　Milroy；　and　the　name　of　the　other　is　Mr。
Midwinter。

〃Mrs。　Milroy　first。　Before　I　had　been　five　minutes　in　the
cottage；　on　the　day　of　my　arrival；　what　do　you　think　she　did？　She
sent　downstairs　and　asked　to　see　me。　The　message　startled　me　a
little；　after　hearing　from　the　old　lady；　in　London；　that　her
daughter…in…law　was　too　great　a　sufferer　to　see　anybody；　but；　of
course；　when　I　got　her　message；　I　had　no　choice　but　to　go　up
stairs　to　the　sick…room。　I　found　her　bedridden　with　an　incurable
spinal　complaint；　and　a　really　horrible　object　to　look　at；　but
with　all　her　wits　about　her；　and；　if　I　am　not　greatly　mistaken；
as　deceitful　a　woman；　with　as　vile　a　temper；　as　you　could　find
anywhere　in　all　your　long　experience。　Her　excessive　politeness；
and　her　keeping　her　own　face　in　the　shade　of　the　bed…curtains
while　she　contrived　to　keep　mine　in　the　light；　put　me　on　my　guard
the　moment　I　entered　the　room。　We　were　more　than　half　an　hour
together；　without　my　stepping　into　any　one　of　the　many　clever
little　traps　she　laid　for　me。　The　only　mystery　in　her　behavior；
which　I　failed　to　see　through　at　the　time；　was　her　perpetually
asking　me　to　bring　her　things　（things　she　evidently　did　not　want）
from　different　parts　of　the　room。

〃Since　then　events　have　enlightened　me。　My　first　suspicions　were
raised　by　overhearing　some　of　the　servants'　gossip；　and　I　have
been　confirmed　in　my　opinion　by　the　conduct　of　Mrs。　Milroy's
nurse。

〃On　the　few　occasions　when　I　have　happened　to　be　alone　with　the
major；　the　nurse　has　also　happened　to　want　something　of　her
master；　and　has　invariably　forgotten　to　announce　her　appearance
by　knocking；　at　the　door。　Do　you　understand　now　why　Mrs。　Milroy
sent　for　me　the　moment　I　got　into　the　house；　and　what　she　wanted
when　she　kept　me　going　backward　and　forward；　first　for　one　thing
and　then　for　another？　There　is　hardly　an　attractive　light　in
which　my　face　and　figure　can　be　seen；　in　which　that　woman's
jealous　eyes　have　not　studied　them　already。　I　am　no　longer
puzzled　to　know　why　the　father　and　daughter　started；　and　looked
at　each　other；　when　I　was　first　presented　to　them；　or　why　the
servants　still　stare　at　me　with　a　mischievous　expectation　in
their　eyes　when　I　ring　the　bell　and　ask　them　to　do　anything。　It
is　useless　to　disguise　the　truth；　Mother　Oldershaw；　between　you
and　me。　When　I　went　upstairs　into　that　sickroom；　I　marched
blindfold　into　the　clutches　of　a　jealous　woman。　If　Mrs。　Milroy
_can_　turn　me　out　of　the　house；　Mrs。　Milroy　_will；_　and；　morning
and　night；　she　has　nothing　else　to　do　in　that　bed　prison　of　her