armadale-第57节

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altered　woman　since　he　had　seen　you　last。　I　revived　that　dead
wretch；　your　husband　（without　mentioning　names；　of　course）；
established　him　（the　first　place　I　thought　of）　in　business　at　the
Brazils；　and　described　a　letter　which　he　had　written；　offering　to
forgive　his　erring　wife；　if　she　would　repent　and　go　back　to　him。
I　assured　the　parson　that　your　husband's　noble　conduct　had
softened　your　obdurate　nature；　and　then；　thinking　I　had　produced
the　right　impression；　I　came　boldly　to　close　quarters　with　him。　I
said；　'At　the　very　time　when　you　met　us；　sir；　my　unhappy　friend
was　speaking　in　terms　of　touching；　self…reproach　of　her　conduct
to　the　　late　Mrs。　Armadale。　She　confided　to　me　her　anxiety
　to　make　some　atonement；　if　possible；　to　Mrs。　Armadale's　son；　and
it　is　at　her　entreaty　（for　she　cannot　prevail　on　herself　to　face
you）　that　I　now　beg　to　inquire　whether　Mr。　Armadale　is　still　in
Somersetshire；　and　whether　he　would　consent　to　take　back　in　small
installments　the　sum　of　money　which　my　friend　acknowledges　that
she　received　by　practicing　on　Mrs。　Armadale's　fears。'　Those　were
my　very　words。　A　neater　story　（accounting　so　nicely　for
everything）　was　never　told；　it　was　a　story　to　melt　a　stone。　But
this　Somersetshire　parson　is　harder　than　stone　itself。　I　blush
for　_him；_　my　dear；　when　I　assure　you　that　he　was　evidently
insensible　enough　to　disbelieve　every　word　I　said　about　your
reformed　character；　your　husband　in　the　Brazils；　and　your
penitent　anxiety　to　pay　the　money　back。　It　is　really　a　disgrace
that　such　a　man　should　be　in　the　Church；　such　cunning　as　his　is
in　the　last　degree　unbecoming　in　a　member　of　a　sacred　profession。

〃　'Does　your　friend　propose　to　join　her　husband　by　the　next
steamer？'　was　all　he　condescended　to　say；　when　I　had　done。

〃I　acknowledge　I　was　angry。　I　snapped　at　him。　I　said；　'Yes；　she
does。'

〃　'How　am　I　to　communicate　with　her？'　he　asked。

〃I　snapped　at　him　again。　'By　letterthrough　me。'

〃　'At　what　address；　ma'am？'

〃There；　I　had　him　once　more。　'You　have　found　my　address　out　for
yourself；　sir；'　I　said。　'The　directory　will　tell　you　my　name；　if
you　wish　to　find　that　out　for　yourself　also；　otherwise；　you　are
welcome　to　my　card。'

〃　'Many　thanks；　ma'am。　If　your　friend　wishes　to　communicate　with
Mr。　Armadale；　I　will　give　you　_my_　card　in　return。'

〃　'Thank　you；　sir。'

〃　'Thank　you；　ma'am。'

〃　'Good…afternoon；　sir。'

〃　'Good…afternoon；　ma'am。'

〃So　we　parted。　I　went　my　way　to　an　appointment　at　my　place　of
business；　and　he　went　his　in　a　hurry；　which　is　of　itself
suspicious。　What　I　can't　get　over　is　his　heartlessness。　Heaven
help　the　people　who　send　for　_him_　to　comfort　them　on　their
death…beds！

〃The　next　consideration　is；　What　are　we　to　do？　If　we　don't　find
out　the　right　way　to　keep　this　old　wretch　in　the　dark；　he　may　be
the　ruin　of　us　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　just　as　we　are　within　easy　reach
of　our　end　in　view。　Wait　up　till　I　come　to　you；　with　my　mind
free；　I　hope；　from　the　other　difficulty　which　is　worrying　me
here。　Was　there　ever　such　ill　luck　as　ours？　Only　think　of　that
man　deserting　his　congregation；　and　coming　to　London　just　at　the
very　time　when　we　have　answered　Major　Milroy's　advertisement；　and
may　expect　the　inquiries　to　be　made　next　week！　I　have　no　patience
with　him；　his　bishop　ought　to　interfere。

〃Affectionately　yours；

〃MARIA　OLDERSHAW。〃

2。　_From　Miss　Gwilt　to　Mrs。　Oldershaw。_

〃West　Place；　June　20th。

〃MY　POOR　OLD　DEARHow　very　little　you　know　of　my　sensitive
nature；　as　you　call　it！　Instead　of　feeling　offended　when　you　left
me；　I　went　to　your　piano；　and　forgot　all　about　you　till　your
messenger　came。　Your　letter　is　irresistible；　I　have　been　laughing
over　it　till　I　am　quite　out　of　breath。　Of　all　the　absurd　stories
I　ever　read；　the　story　you　addressed　to　the　Somersetshire
clergyman　is　the　most　ridiculous。　And　as　for　your　interview　with
him　in　the　street；　it　is　a　perfect　sin　to　keep　it　to　ourselves。
The　public　ought　really　to　enjoy　it　in　the　form　of　a　farce　at　one
of　the　theaters。

〃Luckily　for　both　of　us　（to　come　to　serious　matters）；　your
messenger　is　a　prudent　person。　He　sent　upstairs　to　know　if　there
was　an　answer。　In　the　midst　of　my　merriment　I　had　presence　of
mind　enough　to　send　downstairs　and　say　'Yes。'

〃Some　brute　of　a　man　says；　in　some　book　which　I　once　read；　that
no　woman　can　keep　two　separate　trains　of　ideas　in　her　mind　at　the
same　time。　I　declare　you　have　almost　satisfied　me　that　the　man　is
right。　What！　when　you　have　escaped　unnoticed　to　your　place　of
business；　and　when　you　suspect　this　house　to　be　watched；　you
propose　to　come　back　here；　and　to　put　it　in　the　parson's　power　to
recover　the　lost　trace　of　you！　What　madness！　Stop　where　you　are；
and　when　you　have　got　over　your　difficulty　at　Pimlico　（it　is　some
woman's　business；　of　course；　what　worries　women　are！）；　be　so　good
as　to　read　what　I　have　got　to　say　about　our　difficulty　at
Brompton。

〃In　the　first　place；　the　house　（as　you　supposed）　is　watched。

〃Half　an　hour　after　you　left　me；　loud　voices　in　the　street
interrupted　me　at　the　piano；　and　I　went　to　the　window。　There　was
a　cab　at　the　house　opposite；　where　they　let　lodgings；　and　an　old
man；　who　looked　like　a　respectable　servant；　was　wrangling　with
the　driver　about　his　fare。　An　elderly　gentleman　came　out　of　the
house；　and　stopped　them。　An　elderly　gentleman　returned　into　the
house；　and　appeared　cautiously　at　the　front　drawing…room　window。
You　know　him；　you　worthy　creature；　he　had　the　bad　taste；　some　few
hours　since；　to　doubt　whether　you　were　telling　him　the　truth。
Don't　be　afraid；　he　didn't　see　me。　When　he　looked　up；　after
settling　with　the　cab　driver；　I　was　behind　the　curtain。　I　have
been　behind　the　curtain　once　or　twice　since；　and　I　have　seen
enough　to　satisfy　me　that　he　and　his　servant　will　relieve　each
other　at　the　window；　so　as　never　to　lose　sight　of　your　house
here；　night　or　day。　That　the　parson　suspects　the　real　truth　is　of
course　impossible。　But　that　he　firmly　believes　I　mean　some
mischief　to　young　Armadale；　and　that　you　have　entirely　confirmed
him　in　that　conviction；　is　as　plain　as　that　two　and　two　make
four。　And　this　has　happened　（as　you　helplessly　remind　me）　just
when　we　have　answered　the　advertisement；　and　when　we　may　expect
the　major's　inquiries　to　be　made　in　a　few　days'　time。

〃Surely；　here　is　a　terrible　situation　for　two　women　to　find
themselves　in？　A　fiddlestick's　end　for　the　situation！　We　have　got
an　easy　way　out　of　itthanks；　Mother　Oldershaw；　to　what　I　myself
forced　you　to　do；　not　three　hours　before　the　Somersetshire
clergyman　met　with　us。

〃Has　that　venomous　little　quarrel　of　ours　this　morningafter　we
had　pounced　on　the　major's　advertisement　in　the　newspaperquite
slipped　out　of　your　memory？　Have　you　forgotten　how　I　persisted　in
my　opinion　that　you　were　a　great　deal　too　well　known　in　London　to
appear　safely　as　my　reference　in　your　own　name；　or　to　receive　an
inquiring　lady　or　gentleman　（as　you　were　rash　enough　to　propose）
in　your　own　house？　Don't　you　remember　what　a　passion　you　were　in
when　I　brought　our　dispute　to　an　end　by　declining　to　stir　a　step
in　the　matter；　unless　I　could　conclude　my　application　to　Major
Milroy　by　referring　him　to　an　address　at　which　you　were　totally
unknown；　and　to　a　name　which　might　be　anything　you　pleased；　as
long　as　it　was　not　yours？　What　a　look　you　gave　me　when　you　found
there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　drop　the　whole　speculation　or　to
let　me　have　my　own　way！　How　you　fumed　over　the　lodging　hunting　on
the　other　side　of　the　Park！　and　how　you　groaned　when　you　came
back；　possessed　of　furnished　apartments　in　respectable　Bayswater；
over　the　useless　expense　I　had　put　you　to！

〃What　do　you　think　of　those　furnished　apartments　_now；_　you
obstinate　old　woman？　Here　we　are；　with　discovery　threatening　us
at　our　very　door；　and　with　no　hope　of　escape　unless　we　can
contrive　to　disappear　from　the　parson　in　the　dark。　And　there　are
the　lodgings　in　Bayswater；　to　which　no　inquisitive　strangers　have
traced　either　you　or　me；　ready　and　waiting　to　swallow　us　upthe
lodgings　in　which　we　can　escape　all　further　molestation；　and
answer　the　major's　inquiries　at　our　ease。　Can　you　see；　at　last；　a
little　further　than　your　poor　old　nose？　Is　there　anything　in　the
world　to　prevent　your　safe　disappearance　from　Pimlico　to…night；
and　your　safe　establishment　at　the　new　lodgings；　in　the　character
of　my　respectable　reference；　half　an　hour　afterward？　Oh；　fie；
fie；　Mother　Oldershaw！　Go　down　on　your　wicked　old　knees；　and
thank　your　stars　that　you　had　a　she…devil　like　me　to　deal　with
this　morning！

〃Suppose　we　come　now　to　the　only　difficulty　worth　mentioning_
my_　difficulty。　Watched　as　I　am　in　this　house；　how　am　I　to　join
you　without　bringing　the　parson　or　the　parson's　servant　with　me
at　my　heels？

〃Being　to　all　intents　and　purposes　a　prisoner　here；　it　seems　to
me　that　I　have　no　choice　but　to　try　the　old　prison　plan　of
escapea　change　of　clothes。　I　have　been　looking　at　your
house…maid。　Excep　t　that　we　are　both　light；　her　face　and　hair　and
my　face　and　hair　are　as　unlike　each　other　as　possible。　But　she　is
as　nearly　as　can　be　my　height　and　size；　and　（if　she　only　knew　how
to　dress　herself；　and　had　smaller　feet）　her　figure　is　a　very　much
better　one　th