armadale-第134节

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asking　you　to　put　Mr。　Armadale　to　the　proof。　It　is　not　only
right；　it　is　absolutely　necessary；　that　you　should　hold　no
communication　with　him　for　some　time　to　come；　and　I　will　show　you
why。　In　the　first　place；　if　you　go　to　school；　the　necessary　rules
in　such　placesnecessary　for　the　sake　of　the　other　girlswould
not　permit　you　to　see　Mr。　Armadale　or　to　receive　letters　from
him；　and；　if　you　are　to　become　mistress　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　to
school　you　must　go；　for　you　would　be　ashamed；　and　I　should　be
ashamed；　if　you　occupied　the　position　of　a　lady　of　station
without　having　the　accomplishments　which　all　ladies　of　station
are　expected　to　possess。　In　the　second　place；　I　want　to　see
whether　Mr。　Armadale　will　continue　to　think　of　you　as　he　thinks
now；　without　being　encouraged　in　his　attachment　by　seeing　you；　or
reminded　of　it　by　hearing　from　you。　If　I　am　wrong　in　thinking　him
flighty　and　unreliable；　and　if　your　opinion　of　him　is　the　right
one；　this　is　not　putting　the　young　man　to　an　unfair　testtrue
love　survives　much　longer　separations　than　a　separation　of　six
months。　And　when　that　time　is　over；　and　well　over；　and　when　I
have　had　him　under　my　own　eye　for　another　six　months；　and　have
learned　to　think　as　highly　of　him　as　you　doeven　then；　my　dear；
after　all　that　terrible　delay；　you　will　still　be　a　married　woman
before　you　are　eighteen。　Think　of　this；　Neelie；　and　show　that　you
love　me　and　trust　me；　by　accepting　my　proposal。　I　will　hold　no
communication　with　Mr。　Armadale　myself。　I　will　leave　it　to　you　to
write　and　tell　him　what　has　been　decided　on。　He　may　write　back
one　letter；　and　one　only；　to　acquaint　you　with　his　decision。
After　that；　for　the　sake　of　your　reputation；　nothing　more　is　to
be　said；　and　nothing　more　is　to　be　done；　and　the　matter　is　to　be
kept　strictly　private　until　the　six　months'　interval　is　at　an
end。'

〃To　this　effect　the　major　spoke。　His　behavior　to　that　little　slut
of　a　girl　has　produced　a　stronger　impression　on　me　than　anything
else　in　the　letter。　It　has　set　me　thinking　（me；　of　all　the　people
in　the　world！）　of　what　they　call　'a　moral　difficulty。'　We　are
perpetually　told　that　there　can　be　no　possible　connection　between
virtue　and　vice。　Can　there　not？　Here　is　Major　Milroy　doing
exactly　what　an　excellent　father；　at　once　kind　and　prudent；
affectionate　and　firm；　would　do　under　the　circumstances；　and　by
that　very　course　of　conduct　he　has　now　smoothed　the　way　for　_me；_
as　completely　as　if　he　had　been　the　chosen　accomplice　of　that
abominable　creature；　Miss　Gwilt。　Only　think　of　my　reasoning　in
this　way！　But　I　am　in　such　good　spirits；　I　can　do　anything
to…day。　I　have　not　looked　so　bright　and　so　young　as　I　look　now
for　months　past！

〃To　return　to　the　letter；　for　the　last　timeit　is　so　excessively
dull　and　stupid　that　I　really　can't　help　wandering　away　from　it
into　reflections　of　my　own；　as　a　mere　relief。

〃After　solemnly　announcing　that　she　meant　to　sacrifice　herself　to
her　beloved　father's　wishes　（the　brazen　assurance　of　her　setting
up　for　a　martyr　after　what　has　happened　exceeds　anything　I　ever
heard　or　read　of！）；　Miss　Neelie　next　mentioned　that　the　major
proposed　taking　her　to　the　seaside　for　change　of　air；　during　the
few　days　that　were　still　to　elapse　before　she　went　to　school。
Armadale　was　to　send　his　answer　by　return　of　post；　and　to　address
her；　under　cover　to　her　father；　at　Lowestoft。　With　this；　and　with
a　last　outburst　of　tender　protestation；　crammed　crookedly　into　a
corner　of　the　page；　the　letter　ended。　（N。B。The　major's　object
in　taking　her　to　the　seaside　is　plain　enough。　He　still　privately
distrusts　Armadale；　and　he　is　wisely　determined　to　prevent　any
more　clandestine　meetings　in　the　park　before　the　girl　is　safely
disposed　of　at　school。）


〃When　I　had　done　with　the　letterI　had　requested　permission　to
read　parts　of　it　which　I　particularly　admired；　for　the　second　and
third　time！we　all　consulted　together　in　a　friendly　way　about
what　Armadale　was　to　do。

〃He　was　fool　enough；　at　the　outset；　to　protest　against　submitting
to　Major　Milroy's　conditions。　He　declared；　with　his　odious　red
face　looking　the　picture　of　brute　health；　that　he　should　never
survive　a　six　months'　separation　from　his　beloved　Neelie。
Midwinter　（as　may　easily　be　imagined）　seemed　a　little　ashamed　of
him；　and　joined　me　in　bringing　him　to　his　senses。　We　showed　him；
what　would　have　been　plain　enough　to　anybody　but　a　booby；　that
there　was　no　honorable　or　even　decent　alternative　left　but　to
follow　the　example　of　submission　set　by　the　young　lady。　'Wait；
and　you　will　have　her　for　your　wife；'　was　what　I　said。　'Wait；　and
you　will　force　the　major　to　alter　his　unjust　opinion　of　you；'　was
what　Midwinter　added。　With　two　clever　people　hammering　common
sense　into　his　head　at　that　rate；　it　is　needless　to　say　that　his
head　gave　way；　and　he　submitted。

〃Having　decided　him　to　accept　the　major's　conditions　（I　was
careful　to　warn　him；　before　he　wrote　to　Miss　Milroy；　that　my
engagement　to　Midwinter　was　to　be　kept　as　strictly　secret　from
her　as　from　everybody　else）；　the　next　question　we　had　to　settle
related　to　his　future　proceedings。　I　was　ready　with　the　necessary
arguments　to　stop　him；　if　he　had　proposed　returning　to　Thorpe
Ambrose。　But　he　proposed　nothing　of　the　sort。　On　the　contrary；　he
declared；　of　his　own　accord；　that　nothing　would　induce　him　to　go
back。　The　place　and　the　people　were　associated　with　everything
that　was　hateful　to　him。　There　would　be　no　Miss　Milroy　now　to
meet　him　in　the　park；　and　no　Midwinter　to　keep　him　company　in　the
solitary　house。　'I'd　rather　break　stones　on　the　road；'　was　the
sensible　and　cheerful　way　in　which　he　put　it；　'than　go　back　to
Thorpe　Ambrose。'

〃The　first　suggestion　after　this　came　from　Midwinter。　The　sly　old
clergyman　who　gave　Mrs。　Oldershaw　and　me　so　much　trouble　has；　it
seems；　been　ill；　but　has　been　latterly　reported　better。　'Why　not
go　to　Somersetshire；'　said　Midwinter；　'and　see　your　good　friend；
and　my　good　friend；　Mr。　Brock？'

〃Armadale　caught　at　the　proposal　readily　enough。　He　longed；　in
the　first　place；　to　see　'dear　old　Brock；'　and　he　longed；　in　the
second　place；　to　see　his　yacht。　After　staying　a　few　days　more　in
London　with　Midwinter；　he　would　gladly　go　to　Somersetshire。　But
what　after　that？

〃Seeing　my　opportunity；　_I_　came　to　the　rescue　this　time。　'You
have　got　a　yacht；　Mr。　Armadale；'　I　said；　'and　you　know　that
Midwinter　is　going　to　Italy。　When　you　are　tired　of　Somersetshire；
why　not　make　a　voyage　to　the　Mediterranean；　and　meet　your　friend；
and　your　friend's　wife；　at　Naples？'

〃I　made　the　allusion　to　'his　friend's　wife'　with　the　most
becoming　modesty　and　confusion。　Armadale　was　enchanted。　I　had　hit
on　the　best　of　all　ways　of　occupying　the　weary　time。　He　started
up；　and　wrung　my　hand　in　quite　an　ecstasy　of　gratitude。　How　I　do
hate　people　who　can　only　express　their　feelings　by　hurting　other
people's　hands！

〃Midwinter　was　as　pleased　with　my　proposal　as　Armadale；　but　he
saw　difficulties　in　the　way　of　carrying　it　out。　He　considered　the
yacht　too　small　for　a　cruise　to　the　Mediterranean；　and　he　thought
it　desirable　to　hire　a　larger　vessel。　His　friend　thought
otherwise。　I　left　them　arguing　the　question。　It　was　quite　enough
for　me　to　have　made　sure；　in　the　first　place；　that　Armadale　will
not　return　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　to　have　decided　him；　in　the
second　place；　on　going　abroad。　He　may　go　how　he　likes。　I　should
prefer　the　small　yacht　myself；　for　there　seems　to　be　a　chance
that　the　small　yacht　might　do　me　the　inestimable　service　of
drowning　him。　。　。　。


〃Five　o'clock。The　excitement　of　feeling　that　I　had　got
Armadale's　future　movements　completely　under　my　own　control　made
me　so　restless；　when　I　returned　to　my　lodgings；　that　I　was
obliged　to　go　out　again；　and　do　something。　A　new　interest　to
occupy　me　being　what　I　wanted；　I　went　to　Pimlico　to　have　it　out
with　Mother　Oldershaw。

〃I　walked；　and　made　up　my　mind；　on　the　way；　that　I　would　begin　by
quarreling　with　her。

〃One　of　my　notes　of　hand　being　paid　already；　an　d　Midwinter　being
willing　to　pay　the　other　two　when　they　fall　due；　my　present
position　with　the　old　wretch　is　as　independent　a　one　as　I　could
desire。　I　always　get　the　better　of　her　when　it　comes　to　a
downright　battle　between　us；　and　find　her　wonderfully　civil　and
obliging　the　moment　I　have　made　her　feel　that　mine　is　the
strongest　will　of　the　two。　In　my　present　situation；　she　might　be
of　use　to　me　in　various　ways；　if　I　could　secure　her　assistance；
without　trusting　her　with　secrets　which　I　am　now　more　than　ever
determined　to　keep　to　myself。　That　was　my　idea　as　I　walked　to
Pimlico。　Upsetting　Mother　Oldershaw's　nerves；　in　the　first　place；
and　then　twisting　her　round　my　little　finger；　in　the　second；
promised　me；　as　I　thought；　an　interesting　occupation　for　the　rest
of　the　afternoon。

〃When　I　got　to　Pimlico；　a　surprise　was　in　store　for　we。　The　house
was　shut　upnot　only　on　Mrs。　Oldershaw's　side；　but　on　Doctor
Downward's　as　well。　A　padlock　was　on　the　shop　door；　and　a　man　was
hanging　about　on　the　watch；　who　might　have　been　an　ordinary　idler
certainly；　but　who　looked；　to　my　mind；　like　a　policeman　in
disguise。

〃Knowing　the　risks　the　doctor　runs　in　his　particular　form　of
practice；　I　suspected　at　onc