armadale-第96章

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letters　will　be　forwarded　if　you　write。　I　got　yours　yesterday；
and　I　agree　with　you　that　it　is　very　important　to　put　him　off　the
awkward　subject　of　yourself　and　your　family　as　long　as　you　safely
can。　The　better　you　know　him；　the　better　you　will　be　able　to　make
up　the　sort　of　story　that　will　do。　Once　told；　you　will　have　to
stick　to　it；　and；　_having_　to　stick　to　it；　beware　of　making　it
complicated；　and　beware　of　making　it　in　a　hurry。　I　will　write
again　about　this；　and　give　you　my　own　ideas。　In　the　meantime；
don't　risk　meeting　him　too　often　in　the　park。

〃Yours；　M。　O。〃

〃Well？〃　asked　the　nurse；　returning　to　the　bedside。　〃Have　you　done
with　it？〃

〃Meeting　him　in　the　park！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Milroy；　with　her　eyes
still　fastened　on　the　letter。　〃_Him！_　Rachel；　where　is　the
major？〃

〃In　his　own　room。〃

〃I　don't　believe　it！　〃

〃Have　your　own　way。　I　want　the　letter　and　the　envelope。〃

〃Can　you　close　it　again　so　that　she　won't　know？〃

〃What　I　can　open　I　can　shut。　Anything　more？〃

〃Nothing　more。〃

Mrs。　Milroy　was　left　alone　again；　to　review　her　plan　of　attack　by
the　new　light　that　had　now　been　thrown　on　Miss　Gwilt。

The　information　that　had　been　gained　by　opening　the　governess's
letter　pointed　plainly　to　the　conclusion　that　an　adventuress　had
stolen　her　way　into　the　house　by　means　of　a　false　reference。　But
having　been　obtained　by　an　act　of　treachery　which　it　was
impossible　to　acknowledge；　it　was　not　information　that　could　be
used　either　for　warning　the　major　or　for　exposing　Miss　Gwilt。　The
one　available　weapon　in　Mrs。　Milroy's　hands　was　the　weapon
furnished　by　her　own　returned　letter；　and　the　one　question　to
decide　was　how　to　make　the　best　and　speediest　use　of　it。

The　longer　she　turned　the　matter　over　in　her　mind；　the　more　hasty
and　premature　seemed　the　exultation　which　she　had　felt　at　the
first　sight　of　the　Post…office　circular。　That　a　lady　acting　as
reference　to　a　governess　should　have　quitted　her　residence
without　leaving　any　trace　behind　her；　and　without　even　mentioning
an　address　to　which　her　letters　could　be　forwarded；　was　a
circumstance　in　itself　sufficiently　suspicious　to　be　mentioned　to
the　major。　But　Mrs。　Milroy；　however　perverted　her　estimate　of　her
husband　might　be　in　some　respects；　knew　enough　of　his　character
to　be　assured　that；　if　she　told　him　what　had　happened；　he　would
frankly　appeal　to　the　governess　herself　for　an　explanation。　Miss
Gwilt's　quickness　and　cunning　would；　in　that　case；　produce　some
plausible　answer　on　the　spot；　which　the　major's　partiality　would
be　only　too　ready　to　accept；　and　she　would　at　the　same　time；　no
doubt；　place　matters　in　train；　by　means　of　the　post；　for　the　due
arrival　of　all　needful　confirmation　on　the　part　of　her　accomplice
in　London。　To　keep　strict　silence　for　the　present；　and　to
institute　（without　the　governess's　knowledge）　such　inquiries　as
might　be　necessary　to　the　discovery　of　undeniable　evidence；　was
plainly　the　only　safe　course　to　take　with　such　a　man　as　the
major；　and　with　such　a　woman　as　Miss　Gwilt。　Helpless　herself；　to
whom　could　Mrs。　Milroy　commit　the　difficult　and　dangerous　task　of
investigation？　The　nurse；　even　if　she　was　to　be　trusted；　could
not　be　spared　at　a　day's　notice；　and　could　not　be　sent　away
without　the　risk　of　exciting　remark。　Was　there　any　other
competent　and　reliable　person　to　employ；　either　at　Thorpe　Ambrose
or　in　London？　Mrs。　Milroy　turned　from　side　to　side　of　the　bed；
searching　every　corner　of　her　mind　for　the　needful　discovery；　And
searching　in　vain。　〃Oh；　if　I　could　only　lay　my　hand　on　some　man　I
could　trust！〃　she　thought；　despairingly。　〃If　I　only　knew　where　to
look　for　somebody　to　help　me！〃

As　the　idea　passed　through　her　mind；　the　sound　of　her　daughter's
voice　startled　her　from　the　other　side　of　the　door。

〃May　I　come　in？〃　asked　Neelie。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　returned　Mrs。　Milroy；　impatiently。

〃I　have　brought　up　your　breakfast；　mamma。〃

〃My　breakfast？〃　repeated　Mrs。　Milroy；　in　surprise。　〃Why　doesn't
Rachel　bring　it　up　as　usual？〃　She　considered　a　moment；　and　then
called　out；　sharply；　〃Come　in！〃

CHAPTER　II。

THE　MAN　IS　FOUND。

NEELIE　entered　the　room；　carrying　the　tray　with　the　tea；　the　dry
toast；　and　the　pat　of　butter　which　composed　the　invalid's
invariable　breakfast。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　asked　Mrs。　Milroy；　speaking　and　looking　as
she　might　have　spoken　and　looked　if　the　wrong　servant　had　come
into　the　room。

Neelie　put　the　tray　down　on　the　bedside　table。　〃I　thought　I
should　like　to　bring　you　up　your　breakfast；　mamma；　for　once　in　a
way；〃　she　replied；　〃and　I　asked　Rachel　to　let　me。〃

〃Come　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Milroy；　〃and　wish　me　good…morning。〃

Neelie　obeyed。　As　she　stooped　to　kiss　her　mother；　Mrs。　Milroy
caught　her　by　the　arm；　and　turned　her　roughly　to　the　light。　There
were　plain　signs　of　disturbance　and　distress　in　her　daughter's
face。　A　deadly　thrill　of　terror　ran　through　Mrs。　Milroy　on　the
instant。　She　suspected　that　the　opening　of　the　letter　had　been
discovered　by　Miss　Gwilt；　and　that　the　nurse　was　keeping　out　of
the　way　in　consequence。

〃Let　me　go；　mamma；〃　said　Neelie；　shrinking　under　her　mother's
grasp。　〃You　hurt　me。〃

〃Tell　me　why　you　have　brought　up　my　breakfast　this　morning；〃
persisted　Mrs。　Milroy。

〃I　have　told　you；　mamma。〃

〃You　have　not！　You　have　made　　an　excuse；　I　see　it　in　your　face。
Come！　what　is　it？〃

Neelie's　resolution　ga　ve　way　before　her　mother's。　She　looked
aside　uneasily　at　the　things　in　the　tray。　〃I　have　been　vexed；〃
she　said；　with　an　effort；　〃and　I　didn't　want　to　stop　in　the
breakfast…room。　I　wanted　to　come　up　here；　and　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃Vexed？　Who　has　vexed　you？　What　has　happened？　Has　Miss　Gwilt
anything　to　do　with　it？〃

Neelie　looked　round　again　at　her　mother　in　sudden　curiosity　and
alarm。　〃Mamma！〃　she　said；　〃you　read　my　thoughts。　I　declare　you
frighten　me。　It　_was_　Miss　Gwilt。〃

Before　Mrs。　Milroy　could　say　a　word　more　on　her　side；　the　door
opened　and　the　nurse　looked　in。

〃Have　you　got　what　you　want？〃　she　asked；　as　composedly　as　usual。
〃Miss；　there；　insisted　on　taking　your　tray　up　this　morning。　Has
she　broken　anything？〃

〃Go　to　the　window。　I　want　to　speak　to　Rachel。〃　said　Mrs。　Milroy。

As　soon　as　her　daughter's　back　was　turned；　she　beckoned　eagerly
to　the　nurse。　〃Anything　wrong？〃　she　asked；　in　a　whisper。　〃Do　you
think　she　suspects　us？〃

The　nurse　turned　away　with　her　hard；　sneering　smile。　〃I　told　you
it　should　be　done；〃　she　said；　〃and　it　_has_　been　done。　She　hasn't
the　ghost　of　a　suspicion。　I　waited　in　the　room；　and　I　saw　her
take　up　the　letter　and　open　it。〃

Mrs。　Milroy　drew　a　deep　breath　of　relief。　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said；
loud　enough　for　her　daughter　to　hear。　〃I　want　nothing　more。〃

The　nurse　withdrew；　and　Neelie　came　back　from　the　window。　Mrs。
Milroy　took　her　by　the　hand；　and　looked　at　her　more　attentively
and　more　kindly　than　usual。　Her　daughter　interested　her　that
morning；　for　her　daughter　had　something　to　say　on　the　subject　of
Miss　Gwilt。

〃I　used　to　think　that　you　promised　to　be　pretty；　child；〃　she
said；　cautiously　resuming　the　interrupted　conversation　in　the
least　direct　way。　〃But　you　don't　seem　to　be　keeping　your　promise。
You　look　out　of　health　and　out　of　spirits。　What　is　the　matter
with　you？〃

If　there　had　been　any　sympathy　between　mother　and　child；　Neelie
might　have　owned　the　truth。　She　might　have　said　frankly：　〃I　am
looking　ill；　because　my　life　is　miserable　to　me。　I　am　fond　of　Mr。
Armadale；　and　Mr。　Armadale　was　once　fond　of　me。　We　had　one　little
disagreement；　only　one；　in　which　I　was　to　blame。　I　wanted　to　tell
him　so　at　the　time；　and　I　have　wanted　to　tell　him　so　ever　since；
and　Miss　Gwilt　stands　between　us　and　prevents　me。　She　has　made　us
like　strangers；　she　has　altered　him；　and　taken　him　away　from　me。
He　doesn't　look　at　me　as　he　did；　he　doesn't　speak　to　me　as　he
did；　he　is　never　alone　with　me　as　he　used　to　be；　I　can't　say　the
words　to　him　that　I　long　to　say；　and　I　can't　write　to　him；　for　it
would　look　as　if　I　wanted　to　get　him　back。　It　is　all　over　between
me　and　Mr。　Armadale；　and　it　is　that　woman's　fault。　There　is
ill…blood　between　Miss　Gwilt　and　me　the　whole　day　long；　and　say
what　I　may；　and　do　what　I　may；　she　always　gets　the　better　of　me；
and　always