armadale-第94章

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happy　one。　At　that　period　the　double　misfortune　fell　on　the
household；　of　the　failure　of　the　wife's　health；　and　the　almost
total　loss　of　the　husband's　fortune；　and　from　that　moment　the
domestic　happiness　of　the　married　pair　was　virtually　at　an　end。

Having　reached　the　age　when　men　in　general　are　readier；　under　the
pressure　of　calamity；　to　resign　themselves　than　to　resist；　the
major　had　secured　the　little　relics　of　his　property；　had　retired
into　the　country；　and　had　patiently　taken　refuge　in　his
mechanical　pursuits。　A　woman　nearer　to　him　in　age；　or　a　woman
with　a　better　training　and　more　patience　of　disposition　than　his
wife　possessed；　would　have　understood　the　major's　conduct；　and
have　found　consolation　in　the　major's　submission。　Mrs。　Milroy
found　consolation　in　nothing。　Neither　nature　nor　training　helped
her　to　meet　resignedly　the　cruel　calamity　which　had　struck　at　her
in　the　bloom　of　womanhood　and　the　prime　of　beauty。　The　curse　of
incurable　sickness　blighted　her　at　once　and　for　life。

Suffering　can；　and　does；　develop　the　latent　evil　that　there　is　in
humanity；　as　well　as　the　latent　good。　The　good　that　was　in　Mrs。
Milroy's　nature　shrank　up；　under　that　subtly　deteriorating
influence　in　which　the　evil　grew　and　flourished。　Month　by　month；
as　she　became　the　weaker　woman　physically；　she　became　the　worse
woman　morally。　All　that　was　mean；　cruel；　and　false　in　her
expanded　in　steady　proportion　to　the　contraction　of　all　that　had
once　been　generous；　gentle；　and　true。　Old　suspicions　of　her
husband's　readiness　to　relapse　into　the　irregularities　of　his
bachelor　life；　which；　in　her　healthier　days　of　mind　and　body；　she
had　openly　confessed　to　himwhich　she　had　always　sooner　or　later
seen　to　be　suspicions　that　he　had　not　deservedcame　back；　now
that　sickness　had　divorced　her　from　him；　in　the　form　of　that
baser　conjugal　distrust　which　keeps　itself　cunningly　secret；
which　gathers　together　its　inflammatory　particles　atom　by　atom
into　a　heap；　and　sets　the　slowly　burning　frenzy　of　jealousy
alight　in　the　mind。　No　proof　of　her　husband's　blameless　and
patient　life　that　could　now　be　shown　to　Mrs。　Milroy；　no　appeal
that　could　be　made　to　her　respect　for　herself；　or　for　her　child
growing　up　to　womanhood；　availed　to　dissipate　the　terrible
delusion　born　of　her　hopeless　illness；　and　growing　steadily　with
its　growth。　Like　all　other　madness；　it　had　its　ebb　and　flow；　its
time　of　spasmodic　outburst；　and　its　time　of　deceitful　repose；
but；　active　or　passive；　it　was　always　in　her。　It　had　injured
innocent　servants；　and　insulted　blameless　strangers。　It　had
brought　the　first　tears　of　shame　and　sorrow　into　her　daughter's
eyes；　and　had　set　the　deepest　lines　that　scored　it　in　her
husband's　face。　It　had　made　the　secret　misery　of　the　little
household　for　years；　and　it　was　now　to　pass　beyond　the　family
limits；　and　to　influence　coming　events　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　in
which　the　future　interests　of　Allan　and　Allan's　friend　were
vitally　concerned。

A　moment's　glance　at　the　posture　of　domestic　affairs　in　the
cottage；　prior　to　the　engagement　of　the　new　governess；　is
necessary　to　the　due　appreciation　of　the　serious　consequences
that　followed　Miss　Gwilt's　appearance　on　the　scene。

On　the　marriage　of　the　governess　who　had　lived　in　his　service　for
many　years　（a　woman　of　an　age　and　an　appearance　to　set　even　Mrs。
Milroy's　jealousy　at　defiance）；　the　major　had　considered　the
question　of　sending　his　daughter　away　from　home　far　more
seriously　than　his　wife　supposed。　He　was　conscious　that　scenes
took　place　in　the　house　at　which　no　young　girl　should　be　present；
but　he　felt　an　invincible　reluctance　to　apply　the　one　efficient
remedythe　keeping　his　daughter　away　from　home　in　school　time
and　holiday　time　alike。　The　struggle　thus　raised　in　his　mind　once
set　at　rest；　by　the　resolution　to　advertise　for　a　new　governess；
Major　Milroy's　natural　tendency　to　avoid　trouble　rather　than　to
meet　it　had　declared　itself　in　its　customary　manner。　He　had
closed　his　eyes　again　on　his　home　anxieties　as　quietly　as　usual；
and　had　gone　back；　as　he　had　gone　back　on　hundreds　of　previous
occasions；　to　the　consoling　society　of　his　old　friend　the　clock。

It　was　far　otherwise　with　the　major's　wife。　The　chance　which　her
husband　had　entirely　overlooked；　that　the　new　governess　who　was
to　come　might　be　a　younger　and　a　more　attractive　woman　than　the
old　governess　who　had　gone；　was　the　first　chance　that　presented
itself　as　possible　to　Mrs。　Milroy's　mind。　She　had　said　nothing。
Secretly　waiting；　and　secretly　nursing　her　inveterate　distrust；
she　had　encouraged　her　husband　and　her　daughter　to　leave　her　on
the　occasion　of　the　picnic；　with　the　express　purpose　of　making　an
opportunity　for　seeing　the　new　governess　alone。　The　governess　had
shown　herself；　and　the　smoldering　fire　of　Mrs。　Milroy's　jealousy
had　burst　into　flame　in　the　moment　when　she　and　the　handsome
stranger　first　set　eyes　on　each　other。

The　interview　over；　Mrs。　Milroy's　suspicions　fastened　at　once　and
immovably　on　he　r　husband's　mother。

She　was　well　aware　that　there　was　no　one　else　in　London　on　whom
the　major　could　depend　to　make　the　necessary　inquiries；　she　was
well　aware　that　Miss　Gwilt　had　applied　for　the　situation；　in　the
first　instance；　as　a　stranger　answering　an　advertisement
published　in　a　newspaper。　Yet　knowing　this；　she　had　obstinately
closed　her　eyes；　with　the　blind　frenzy　of　the　blindest　of　all　the
passions；　to　the　facts　straight　before　her；　and；　looking　back　to
the　last　of　many　quarrels　between　them　which　had　ended　in
separating　the　elder　lady　and　herself；　had　seized　on　the
conclusion　that　Miss　Gwilt's　engagement　was　due　to　her
mother…in…law's　vindictive　enjoyment　of　making　mischief　in　her
household。　The　inference　which　the　very　servants　themselves；
witnesses　of　the　family　scandal；　had　correctly　drawnthat　the
major's　mother；　in　securing　the　services　of　a　well…recommended
governess　for　her　son；　had　thought　it　no　part　of　her　duty　to
consider　that　governess's　looks　in　the　purely　fanciful　interests
of　the　major's　wifewas　an　inference　which　it　was　simply
impossible　to　convey　into　Mrs。　Milroy's　mind。　Miss　Gwilt　had
barely　closed　the　sick…room　door　when　the　whispered　words　hissed
out　of　Mrs。　Milroy's　lips；　〃Before　another　week　is　over　your
head；　my　lady；　you　go！〃

From　that　moment；　through　the　wakeful　night　and　the　weary　day；
the　one　object　of　the　bedridden　woman's　life　was　to　procure　the
new　governess's　dismissal　from　the　house。

The　assistance　of　the　nurse；　in　the　capacity　of　spy；　was
securedas　Mrs。　Milroy　had　been　accustomed　to　secure　other　extra
services　which　her　attendant　was　not　bound　to　render　herby　a
present　of　a　dress　from　the　mistress's　wardrobe。　One　after
another　articles　of　wearing　apparel　which　were　now　useless　to
Mrs。　Milroy　had　ministered　in　this　way　to　feed　the　nurse's
greedthe　insatiable　greed　of　an　ugly　woman　for　fine　clothes。
Bribed　with　the　smartest　dress　she　had　secured　yet；　the　household
spy　took　her　secret　orders；　and　applied　herself　with　a　vile
enjoyment　of　it　to　her　secret　work。

The　days　passed；　the　work　went　on；　but　nothing　had　come　of　it。
Mistress　and　servant　had　a　woman　to　deal　with　who　was　a　match　for
both　of　them。

Repeated　intrusions　on　the　major；　when　the　governess　happened　to
be　in　the　same　room　with　him；　failed　to　discover　the　slightest
impropriety　of　word；　look；　or　action；　on　either　side。　Stealthy
watching　and　listening　at　the　governess's　bedroom　door　detected
that　she　kept　a　light　in　her　room　at　late　hours　of　the　night；　and
that　she　groaned　and　ground　her　teeth　in　her　sleepand　detected
nothing　more。　Careful　superintendence　in　the　day…time　proved　that
she　regularly　posted　her　own　letters；　instead　of　giving　them　to
the　servant；　and　that　on　certain　occasions；　when　the　occupation
of　her　hours　out　of　lesson　time　and　walking　time　was　left　at　her
own　disposal；　she　had　been　suddenly　missed　from　the　garden；　and
then　caught　coming　back　alone　to　it　from　the　park。　Once　and　once
only；　the　nurse　had　found　an　opportunity　of　following　her　out　of
the　garden；　had　been　detected　immediately　in　the　park；　and　had
been　asked　with　the　most　exasperating　politeness　if　she　wished　to
join　Miss　Gwilt　in　a　walk。　Small　circumstance