armadale-第73节

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（in　her　husband's　absence）　the　moment　Miss　Gwilt　entered　the
house？〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it！　Of　course　she　was　anxious　to　make　acquaintance
with　her　daughter's　governess。〃

〃Likely　enough；　Mr。　Armadale。　But　the　major　and　Miss　Neelie　don't
see　it　in　that　light；　at　any　rate。　I　had　my　eye　on　them　both　when
the　governess　told　them　that　Mrs。　Milroy　had　sent　for　her。　If
ever　I　saw　a　girl　look　thoroughly　frightened；　Miss　Milroy　was
that　girl；　and　（if　I　may　be　allowed；　in　the　strictest　confidence；
to　libel　a　gallant　soldier）　I　should　say　that　the　major　himself
was　much　in　the　same　condition。　Take　my　word　for　it；　sir；　there's
something　wrong　upstairs　in　that　pretty　cottage　of　yours；　and
Miss　Gwilt　is　mixed　up　in　it　already！〃

There　was　a　minute　of　silence。　When　the　voices　were　next　heard　by
Midwinter；　they　were　further　away　from　the　houseAllan　was
probably　accompanying　young　Pedgift　a　few　steps　on　his　way　back。

After　a　while；　Allan's　voice　was　audible　once　more　under　the
portico；　making　inquiries　after　his　friend；　answered　by　the
servant's　voice　giving　Midwinter's　message。　This　brief
interruption　over；　the　silence　was　not　broken　again　till　the　time
came　for　shutting　up　the　house。　The　servants'　footsteps　passing
to　and　fro；　the　clang　of　closing　doors；　the　barking　of　a
disturbed　dog　in　the　stable…yardthese　sounds　warned　Midwinter
it　was　getting　late。　He　rose　mechanically　to　kindle　a　light。　But
his　head　was　giddy；　his　hand　trembled；　he　laid　aside　the
match…box；　and　returned　to　his　chair。　The　conversation　between
Allan　and　young　Pedgift　had　ceased　to　occupy　his　attention　the
instant　he　ceased　to　hear　it；　and　now　again；　the　sense　that　the
precious　time　was　failing　him　became　a　lost　sense　as　soon　as　the
house　noises　which　had　awakened　it　had　passed　away。　His　energies
of　body　and　mind　were　both　alike　worn　out；　he　waited　with　a
stolid　resignation　for　the　trouble　that　was　to　come　to　him　with
the　coming　day。

An　interval　passed；　and　the　silence　was　once　more　disturbed　by
voices　outside；　the　voices　of　a　man　and　a　woman　this　time。　The
first　few　words　exchanged　between　them　indicated　plainly　enough　a
meeting　of　the　clandestine　kind；　and　revealed　the　man　as　one　of
the　servants　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　the　woman　as　one　of　the
servants　at　the　cottage。

Here　again；　after　the　first　greetings　were　over；　the　subject　of
the　new　governess　became　the　all…absorbing　subject　of
conversation。

The　major's　servant　was　brimful　of　forebodings　（inspired　solely
by　Miss　Gwilt's　good　looks）　which　she　poured　out　irrepressibly　on
her　〃sweetheart；〃　try　as　he　might　to　divert　her　to　other　topics。
Sooner　or　later；　let　him　mark　her　words；　there　would　be　an　awful
〃upset〃　at　the　cottage。　Her　master；　it　might　be　mentioned　in
confidence；　led　a　dreadful　life　with　her　mistress。　The　major　was
the　best　of　men；　he　hadn't　a　thought　in　his　heart　beyond　his
daughter　and　his　everlasting　clock。　But　only　let　a　nice…looking
woman　come　near　the　place；　and　Mrs。　Milroy　was　jealous　of
herraging　jealous；　like　a　woman　possessed；　on　that　miserable
sick…bed　of　hers。　If　Miss　Gwilt　（who　was　certainly　good…looking；
in　spite　of　her　hideous　hair）　didn't　blow　the　fire　into　a　flame
before　many　days　more　were　over　their　heads；　the　mistress　was　the
mistress　no　longer；　but　somebody　else。　Whatever　happened；　the　fau
lt；　this　time；　would　lie　at　the　door　of　the　major's　mother。　The
old　lady　and　the　mistress　had　had　a　dreadful　quarrel　two　years
since；　and　the　old　lady　had　gone　away　in　a　fury；　telling　her　son；
before　all　the　servants；　that；　if　he　had　a　spark　of　spirit　in
him；　he　would　never　submit　to　his　wife's　temper　as　he　did。　It
would　be　too　much；　perhaps；　to　accuse　the　major's　mother　of
purposely　picking　out　a　handsome　governess　to　spite　the　major's
wife。　But　it　might　be　safely　said　that　the　old　lady　was　the　last
person　in　the　world　to　humor　the　mistress's　jealousy；　by
declining　to　engage　a　capable　and　respectable　governess　for　her
granddaughter　because　that　governess　happened　to　be　blessed　with
good　looks。　How　it　was　all　to　end　（except　that　it　was　certain　to
end　badly）　no　human　creature　could　say。　Things　were　looking　as
black　already　as　things　well　could。　Miss　Neelie　was　crying；　after
the　day's　pleasure　（which　was　one　bad　sign）；　the　mistress　had
found　fault　with　nobody　（which　was　another）；　the　master　had
wished　her　good…night　through　the　door　（which　was　a　third）；　and
the　governess　had　locked　herself　up　in　her　room　（which　was　the
worst　sign　of　all；　for　it　looked　as　if　she　distrusted　the
servants）。　Thus　the　stream　of　the　woman's　gossip　ran　on；　and　thus
it　reached　Midwinter's　ears　through　the　window；　till　the　clock　in
the　stable…yard　struck；　and　stopped　the　talking。　When　the　last
vibrations　of　the　bell　had　died　away；　the　voices　were　not　audible
again；　and　the　silence　was　broken　no　more。

Another　interval　passed；　and　Midwinter　made　a　new　effort　to　rouse
himself。　This　time　he　kindled　the　light　without　hesitation；　and
took　the　pen　in　hand。

He　wrote　at　the　first　trial　with　a　sudden　facility　of　expression；
which；　surprising　him　as　he　went　on；　ended　in　rousing　in　him　some
vague　suspicion　of　himself。　He　left　the　table；　and　bathed　his
head　and　face　in　water；　and　came　back　to　read　what　he　had
written。　The　language　was　barely　intelligible；　sentences　were
left　unfinished；　words　were　misplaced　one　for　the　other。　every
line　recorded　the　protest　of　the　weary　brain　against　the
merciless　will　that　had　forced　it　into　action。　Midwinter　tore　up
the　sheet　of　paper　as　he　had　torn　up　the　other　sheets　before　it；
and；　sinking　under　the　struggle　at　last；　laid　his　weary　head　on
the　pillow。　Almost　on　the　instant；　exhaustion　overcame　him；　and
before　he　could　put　the　light　out　he　fell　asleep。

He　was　roused　by　a　noise　at　the　door。　The　sunlight　was　pouring
into　the　room；　the　candle　had　burned　down　into　the　socket；　and
the　servant　was　waiting　outside　with　a　letter　which　had　come　for
him　by　the　morning's　post。

〃I　ventured　to　disturb　you；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　when　Midwinter
opened　the　door；　〃because　the　letter　is　marked　'Immediate；'　and　I
didn't　know　but　it　might　be　of　some　consequence。〃

Midwinter　thanked　him；　and　looked　at　the　letter。　It　_was_　of　some
consequencethe　handwriting　was　Mr。　Brock's。

He　paused　to　collect　his　faculties。　The　torn　sheets　of　paper　on
the　floor　recalled　to　him　in　a　moment　the　position　in　which　he
stood。　He　locked　the　door　again；　in　the　fear　that　Allan　might
rise　earlier　than　usual　and　come　in　to　make　inquiries。
Thenfeeling　strangely　little　interest　in　anything　that　the
rector　could　write　to　him　nowhe　opened　Mr。　Brock's　letter；　and
read　these　lines：

〃Tuesday。

〃MY　DEAR　MIDWINTERIt　is　sometimes　best　to　tell　bad　news
plainly；　in　few　words。　Let　me　tell　mine　at　once；　in　one　sentence。
My　precautions　have　all　been　defeated：　the　woman　has　escaped　me。

〃This　misfortunefor　it　is　nothing　lesshappened　yesterday
（Monday）。　Between　eleven　and　twelve　in　the　forenoon　of　that　day；
the　business　which　originally　brought　me　to　London　obliged　me　to
go　to　Doctors'　Commons；　and　to　leave　my　servant　Robert　to　watch
the　house　opposite　our　lodging　until　my　return。　About　an　hour　and
a　half　after　my　departure　he　observed　an　empty　cab　drawn　up　at
the　door　of　the　house。　Boxes　and　bags　made　their　appearance
first；　they　were　followed　by　the　woman　herself；　in　the　dress　I
had　first　seen　her　in。　Having　previously　secured　a　cab；　Robert
traced　her　to　the　terminus　of　the　North…Western　Railway；　saw　her
pass　through　the　ticket　office；　kept　her　in　view　till　she　reached
the　platform；　and　there；　in　the　crowd　and　confusion　caused　by　the
starting　of　a　large　mixed　train；　lost　her。　I　must　do　him　the
justice　to　say　that　he　at　once　took　the　right　course　in　this
emergency。　Instead　of　wasting　time　in　searching　for　her　on　the
platform；　he　looked　along　the　line　of　carriages；　and　he
positively　declares　that　he　failed　to　see　her　in　any　one　of　them。
He　admits；　at　the　same　time；　that　his　search　（conducted　between
two　o'clock；　when　he　lost　sight　of　her；　and　ten　minutes　past；
when　the　train　started）　was；　in　the　confusion　of　the　moment；
necessarily　an　imperfect　one。　But　this　latter　circumstance；　in　my
opinion；　matters　little。　I　as　firmly　disbelieve　in　the　woman's
actual　departure　by　that　train　as　if　I　had　searched　every　one　of
the　carriages　myself；　and　you；　I　have　no　doubt；　will　entirely
agree　with　me。

〃You　now　know　how　the　disaster　happened。　Let　us　not　waste　time
and　words　in　lamenting　it。　The　evil　is　done；　and　you　and　I
together　must　find　the　way　to　remedy　it。

〃What　I　have　accomplished　already；　on　my　side；　may　be　told　in　two
words。　Any　hesitation　I　might　have　previously　felt　at　trusting
this　delicate　business　in　strangers'　hands　was　at　an　end　the
moment　I　heard　Robert's　news。　I　went　back　at　once　to　the　city；
and　placed　the　whole　matter　confidentially　before　my　lawyers。　The
conference　was　a　long　one；　and　when　I　left　the　office　it　was　past
the　post　hour；　or　I　should　have　written　to　you　on　Monday　instead
of　writing　today。　My　interview　with　the　lawyers　was　not　very
encouraging。　They　warn　me　plainly　that　serious　difficulties　stand
in　the　way　of　our　recovering　the　lost　trace。　But　they　have
promised　to　do　their　best；　and　we　have　dec