armadale-第135节

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disguise。

〃Knowing　the　risks　the　doctor　runs　in　his　particular　form　of
practice；　I　suspected　at　once　that　something　serious　had
happened；　and　that　even　cunning　Mrs。　Oldershaw　was　compromised
this　time。　Without　stopping；　or　making　any　inquiry；　therefore；　I
called　the　first　cab　that　passed　me；　and　drove　to　the　post…office
to　which　I　had　desired　my　letters　to　be　forwarded　if　any　came　for
me　after　I　left　my　Thorpe　Ambrose　lodging。

〃On　inquiry　a　letter　was　produced　for　'Miss　Gwilt。'　It　was　in
Mother　Oldershaw's　handwriting；　and　it　told　me　（as　I　had
supposed）　that　the　doctor　had　got　into　a　serious　difficultythat
she　was　herself　most　unfortunately　mixed　up　in　the　matter；　and
that　they　were　both　in　hiding　for　the　present。　The　letter　ended
with　some　sufficiently　venomous　sentences　about　my　conduct　at
Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　with　a　warning　that　I　have　not　heard　the　last
of　Mrs。　Oldershaw　yet。　It　relieved　me　to　find　her　writing　in　this
wayfor　she　would　have　been　civil　and　cringing　if　she　had　had
any　suspicion　of　what　I　have　really　got　in　view。　I　burned　the
letter　as　soon　as　the　candles　came　up。　And　there；　for　the
present；　is　an　end　of　the　connection　between　Mother　Jezebel　and
me。　I　must　do　all　my　own　dirty　work　now；　and　I　shall　be　all　the
safer；　perhaps；　for　trusting　nobody's　hands　to　do　it　but　my　own。


〃July　31st。More　useful　information　for　me。　I　met　Midwinter
again　in　the　Park　（on　the　pretext　that　my　reputation　might　suffer
if　he　called　too　often　at　my　lodgings）；　and　heard　the　last　news
of　Armadale　since　I　left　the　hotel　yesterday。

〃After　he　had　written　to　Miss　Milroy；　Midwinter　took　the
opportunity　of　speaking　to　him　about　the　necessary　business
arrangements　during　his　absence　from　the　great　house。　It　was
decided　that　the　servants　should　be　put　on　board　wages；　and　that
Mr。　Bashwood　should　be　left　in　charge。　（Somehow；　I　don't　like
this　re…appearance　of　Mr。　Bashwood　in　connection　with　my　present
interests；　but　there　is　no　help　for　it。）　The　next　questionthe
question　of　moneywas　settled　at　once　by　Mr。　Armadale　himself。
All　his　available　ready…money　（a　large　sum）　is　to　be　lodged　by
Mr。　Bashwood　in　Coutts's　Bank；　and　to　be　there　deposited　in
Armadale's　name。　This；　he　said；　would　save　him　the　worry　of　any
further　letter…writing　to　his　steward；　and　would　enable　him　to
get　what　he　wanted；　when　he　went　abroad；　at　a　moment's　notice。
The　plan　thus　proposed；　being　certainly　the　simplest　and　the
safest；　was　adopted　with　Midwinter's　full　concurrence；　and　here
the　business　discussion　would　have　ended；　if　the　everlasting　Mr。
Bashwood　had　not　turned　up　again　in　the　conversation；　and
prolonged　it　in　an　entirely　new　direction。

〃On　reflection；　it　seems　to　have　struck　Midwinter　that　the　whole
responsibility　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　ought　not　to　rest　on　Mr。
Bashwood's　shoulders。　Without　in　the　least　distrusting　him；
Midwinter　felt；　nevertheless；　that　he　ought　to　have　somebody　set
over　him；　to　apply　to　in　case　of　emergency。　Armadale　made　no
objection　to　this；　he　only　asked；　in　his　helpless　way；　who　the
person　was　to　be？

〃The　answer　was　not　an　easy　one　to　arrive　at。

〃Either　of　the　two　solicitors　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　might　have　been
employed；　but　Armadale　was　on　bad　terms　with　both　of　them。　Any
reconciliation　with　such　a　bitter　enemy　as　the　elder　lawyer；　Mr。
Darch；　was　out　of　the　question；　and　reinstating　Mr。　Pedgift　in
his　former　position　implied　a　tacit　sanction　on　Armadale's　part
of　the　lawyer's　abominable　conduct　toward　_me；_　which　was
scarcely　consistent　with　the　respect　and　regard　that　he　felt　for
a　lady　who　was　soon　to　be　his　friend's　wife。　After　some　further
discussion；　Midwinter　hit　on　a　new　suggestion　which　appeared　to
meet　the　difficulty。　He　proposed　that　Armadale　should　write　to　a
respectable　solicitor　at　Norwich；　stating　his　position　in　general
terms；　and　requesting　that　gentleman　to　act　as　Mr。　Bashwood's
adviser　and　superintendent　when　occasion　required。　Norwich　being
within　an　easy　railway　ride　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Armadale　saw　no
objection　to　the　proposal；　and　promised　to　write　to　the　Norwich
lawyer。　Fearing　that　he　might　make　some　mistake　if　he　wrote
without　assistance；　Midwinter　had　drawn　him　out　a　draft　of　the
necessary　letter；　and　Armadale　was　now　engaged　in　copying　the
draft；　and　also　in　writing　to　Mr。　Bashwood　to　lodge　the　money
immediately　in　Coutts's　Bank。

〃These　details　are　so　dry　and　uninteresting　in　themselves　that　I
hesitated　at　first　about　putting　them　down　in　my　diary。　But　a
little　reflection　has　convinced　me　that　they　are　too　important　to
be　passed　over。　Looked　at　from　my　point　of　view；　they　mean
thisthat　Armadale's　own　act　is　now　cutting　him　off　from　all
communication　with　Thorpe　Ambrose；　even　by　letter。　_He　is　as　good
as　dead　already　to　everybody　he　leaves　behind　him。_　The　causes
which　have　led　to　such　a　result　as　that　are　causes　which
certainly　claim　the　best　place　I　can　give　them　in　these　pages。


〃August　1st。Nothing　to　record；　but　that　I　have　had　a　long；
quiet；　happy　day　with　Midwinter。　He　hired　a　carriage；　and　we
drove　to　Richmond；　and　dined　there。　After　to…day's　experience；　it
is　impossible　to　deceive　myself　any　longer。　Come　what　may　of　it；
I　love　him。

〃I　have　fallen　into　low　spirits　since　he　left　me。　A　persuasion
has　taken　possession　of　my　mind　that　the　smooth　and　prosperous
course　of　my　affairs　since　I　have　been　in　London　is　too　smooth
and　prosperous　to　last。　There　is　something　oppressing　me
to…night；　which　is　more　than　the　oppression　of　the　heavy　London
air。


〃August　2d。Three　o'clock。My　presentiments；　like　other
people's；　have　deceived　me　often　enough；　but　I　am　almost　afraid
that　my　presentiment　of　last　night　was　really　prophetic；　for　once
in　a　way。

〃I　went　after　breakfast　to　a　milliner's　in　this　neighborhood　to
order　a　few　cheap　summer　things；　and　thence　to　Midwinter's　hotel
to　arrange　with　him　for　another　day　in　the　country。　I　drove　to
the　milliner's　and　to　the　hotel；　and　part　of　the　way　back。　Then；
feeling　disgusted　with　the　horrid　close　smell　of　the　cab
（somebody　had　been　smoking　in　it；　I　suppose）；　I　got　out　to　walk
the　rest　of　the　way。　Before　I　had　been　two　minutes　on　my　feet；　I
discovered　that　I　was　being　followed　by　a　strange　man。

〃This　may　mean　nothing　but　that　an　idle　fellow　has　been　struck　by
my　figure；　and　my　appearance　generally。　My　face　could　have　made
no　impression　on　him；　for　it　was　hidden　as　usual　by　my　veil。
Whether　he　followed　me　（in　a　cab；　of　course）　from　the　milliner's；
or　from　the　hotel；　I　cannot　say。　Nor　am　I　quite　certain　whether
he　did　or　did　not　track　me　to　this　door。　I　only　know　that　I　lost
sight　of　him　before　I　got　back。　There　is　no　help　for　it　but　to
wait　till　events　enlighten　me。　If　there　is　anything　serious　in
what　has　happened；　I　shall　soon　discover　it。


〃Five　o'clock。It　_is_　serious。　Ten　minutes　since；　I　was　in　my
bedroom；　which　communicates　with　the　sitting…room。　I　was　just
coming　out；　when　I　heard　a　strange　voice　on　the　landing
outsidea　woman's　voice。　The　next　instant　the　sitting…room　door
was　suddenly　opened；　the　woman's　voice　said；　'Are　these　the
apartments　you　have　got　to　let？'　and　though
　the　landlady；　behind　her；　answered；　'No！　higher　up；　ma'am；'　the
woman　came　on　straight　to　my　bedroom；　as　if　she　had　not　heard。　I
had　just　time　to　slam　the　door　in　her　face　before　she　saw　me。　The
necessary　explanations　and　apologies　followed　between　the
landlady　and　the　stranger　in　the　sitting…room；　and　then　I　was
left　alone　again。

〃I　have　no　time　to　write　more。　It　is　plain　that　somebody　has　an
interest　in　trying　to　identify　me；　and　that；　but　for　my　own
quickness；　the　strange　woman　would　have　accomplished　this　object
by　taking　me　by　surprise。　She　and　the　man　who　followed　me　in　the
street　are；　I　suspect；　in　league　together；　and　there　is　probably
somebody　in　the　background　whose　interests　they　are　serving。　Is
Mother　Oldershaw　attacking　me　in　the　dark？　or　who　else　can　it　be？
No　matter　who　it　is；　my　present　situation　is　too　critical　to　be
trifled　with。　I　must　get　away　from　this　house　to…night；　and　leave
no　trace　behind　me　by　which　I　can　be　followed　to　another　place。


〃August　3d。Gary　Street；　Tottenham　Court　Road。I　got　away　last
night　（after　writing　an　excuse　to　Midwinter；　in　which　'my　invalid
mother'　figured　as　the　all…sufficient　cause　of　my　disappearance）；
and　I　have　found　refuge　here。　It　has　cost　me　some　money；　but　my
object　is　attained！　Nobody　can　possibly　have　traced　me　from　All
Saints'　Terrace　to　this　address。

〃After　paying　my　landlady　the　necessary　forfeit　for　leaving　her
without　notice；　I　arranged　with　her　son　that　he　should　take　my
boxes　in　a　cab　to　the　cloak…room　at　the　nearest　railway　station；
and　send　me　the　ticket　in　a　letter；　to　wait　my　application　for　it
at　the　post…office。　While　he　went　his　way　in　one　cab；　I　went　mine
in　another；　with　a　few　things　for　the　night　in　my　little
hand…bag。

〃I　drove　straight　to　the　milliner's　shop；　which　I　had　observed；
when　I　was　there　yesterday；　had　a　back　entrance　into　a　mews；　for
the　apprentices　to　go　in　and　out　by。　I　went　in　at　once；　leaving
the　cab　waiting　for　me　at　the　door。　'A　man　is　following　me；'　I
said；　'and　I　want　to　get　rid　of　him。　Here　is　my　cab　fare；　wait
ten　minutes　before　you　give　it