armadale-第84节

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cottage；　prior　to　the　engagement　of　the　new　governess；　is
necessary　to　the　due　appreciation　of　the　serious　consequences
that　followed　Miss　Gwilt's　appearance　on　the　scene。

On　the　marriage　of　the　governess　who　had　lived　in　his　service　for
many　years　（a　woman　of　an　age　and　an　appearance　to　set　even　Mrs。
Milroy's　jealousy　at　defiance）；　the　major　had　considered　the
question　of　sending　his　daughter　away　from　home　far　more
seriously　than　his　wife　supposed。　He　was　conscious　that　scenes
took　place　in　the　house　at　which　no　young　girl　should　be　present；
but　he　felt　an　invincible　reluctance　to　apply　the　one　efficient
remedythe　keeping　his　daughter　away　from　home　in　school　time
and　holiday　time　alike。　The　struggle　thus　raised　in　his　mind　once
set　at　rest；　by　the　resolution　to　advertise　for　a　new　governess；
Major　Milroy's　natural　tendency　to　avoid　trouble　rather　than　to
meet　it　had　declared　itself　in　its　customary　manner。　He　had
closed　his　eyes　again　on　his　home　anxieties　as　quietly　as　usual；
and　had　gone　back；　as　he　had　gone　back　on　hundreds　of　previous
occasions；　to　the　consoling　society　of　his　old　friend　the　clock。

It　was　far　otherwise　with　the　major's　wife。　The　chance　which　her
husband　had　entirely　overlooked；　that　the　new　governess　who　was
to　come　might　be　a　younger　and　a　more　attractive　woman　than　the
old　governess　who　had　gone；　was　the　first　chance　that　presented
itself　as　possible　to　Mrs。　Milroy's　mind。　She　had　said　nothing。
Secretly　waiting；　and　secretly　nursing　her　inveterate　distrust；
she　had　encouraged　her　husband　and　her　daughter　to　leave　her　on
the　occasion　of　the　picnic；　with　the　express　purpose　of　making　an
opportunity　for　seeing　the　new　governess　alone。　The　governess　had
shown　herself；　and　the　smoldering　fire　of　Mrs。　Milroy's　jealousy
had　burst　into　flame　in　the　moment　when　she　and　the　handsome
stranger　first　set　eyes　on　each　other。

The　interview　over；　Mrs。　Milroy's　suspicions　fastened　at　once　and
immovably　on　he　r　husband's　mother。

She　was　well　aware　that　there　was　no　one　else　in　London　on　whom
the　major　could　depend　to　make　the　necessary　inquiries；　she　was
well　aware　that　Miss　Gwilt　had　applied　for　the　situation；　in　the
first　instance；　as　a　stranger　answering　an　advertisement
published　in　a　newspaper。　Yet　knowing　this；　she　had　obstinately
closed　her　eyes；　with　the　blind　frenzy　of　the　blindest　of　all　the
passions；　to　the　facts　straight　before　her；　and；　looking　back　to
the　last　of　many　quarrels　between　them　which　had　ended　in
separating　the　elder　lady　and　herself；　had　seized　on　the
conclusion　that　Miss　Gwilt's　engagement　was　due　to　her
mother…in…law's　vindictive　enjoyment　of　making　mischief　in　her
household。　The　inference　which　the　very　servants　themselves；
witnesses　of　the　family　scandal；　had　correctly　drawnthat　the
major's　mother；　in　securing　the　services　of　a　well…recommended
governess　for　her　son；　had　thought　it　no　part　of　her　duty　to
consider　that　governess's　looks　in　the　purely　fanciful　interests
of　the　major's　wifewas　an　inference　which　it　was　simply
impossible　to　convey　into　Mrs。　Milroy's　mind。　Miss　Gwilt　had
barely　closed　the　sick…room　door　when　the　whispered　words　hissed
out　of　Mrs。　Milroy's　lips；　〃Before　another　week　is　over　your
head；　my　lady；　you　go！〃

From　that　moment；　through　the　wakeful　night　and　the　weary　day；
the　one　object　of　the　bedridden　woman's　life　was　to　procure　the
new　governess's　dismissal　from　the　house。

The　assistance　of　the　nurse；　in　the　capacity　of　spy；　was
securedas　Mrs。　Milroy　had　been　accustomed　to　secure　other　extra
services　which　her　attendant　was　not　bound　to　render　herby　a
present　of　a　dress　from　the　mistress's　wardrobe。　One　after
another　articles　of　wearing　apparel　which　were　now　useless　to
Mrs。　Milroy　had　ministered　in　this　way　to　feed　the　nurse's
greedthe　insatiable　greed　of　an　ugly　woman　for　fine　clothes。
Bribed　with　the　smartest　dress　she　had　secured　yet；　the　household
spy　took　her　secret　orders；　and　applied　herself　with　a　vile
enjoyment　of　it　to　her　secret　work。

The　days　passed；　the　work　went　on；　but　nothing　had　come　of　it。
Mistress　and　servant　had　a　woman　to　deal　with　who　was　a　match　for
both　of　them。

Repeated　intrusions　on　the　major；　when　the　governess　happened　to
be　in　the　same　room　with　him；　failed　to　discover　the　slightest
impropriety　of　word；　look；　or　action；　on　either　side。　Stealthy
watching　and　listening　at　the　governess's　bedroom　door　detected
that　she　kept　a　light　in　her　room　at　late　hours　of　the　night；　and
that　she　groaned　and　ground　her　teeth　in　her　sleepand　detected
nothing　more。　Careful　superintendence　in　the　day…time　proved　that
she　regularly　posted　her　own　letters；　instead　of　giving　them　to
the　servant；　and　that　on　certain　occasions；　when　the　occupation
of　her　hours　out　of　lesson　time　and　walking　time　was　left　at　her
own　disposal；　she　had　been　suddenly　missed　from　the　garden；　and
then　caught　coming　back　alone　to　it　from　the　park。　Once　and　once
only；　the　nurse　had　found　an　opportunity　of　following　her　out　of
the　garden；　had　been　detected　immediately　in　the　park；　and　had
been　asked　with　the　most　exasperating　politeness　if　she　wished　to
join　Miss　Gwilt　in　a　walk。　Small　circumstances　of　this　kind；
which　were　sufficiently　suspicious　to　the　mind　of　a　jealous
woman；　were　discovered　in　abundance。　But　circumstances；　on　which
to　found　a　valid　ground　of　complaint　that　might　be　laid　before
the　major；　proved　to　be　utterly　wanting。　Day　followed　day；　and
Miss　Gwilt　remained　persistently　correct　in　her　conduct；　and
persistently　irreproachable　in　her　relations　toward　her　employer
and　her　pupil。

Foiled　in　this　direction；　Mrs。　Milroy　tried　next　to　find　an
assailable　place　in　the　statement　which　the　governess's　reference
had　made　on　the　subject　of　the　governess's　character。

Obtaining　from　the　major　the　minutely　careful　report　which　his
mother　had　addressed　to　him　on　this　topic；　Mrs。　Milroy　read　and
reread　it；　and　failed　to　find　the　weak　point　of　which　she　was　in
search　in　any　part　of　the　letter。　All　the　customary　questions　on
such　occasions　had　been　asked；　and　all　had　been　scrupulously　and
plainly　answered。　The　one　sole　opening　for　an　attack　which　it　was
possible　to　discover　was　an　opening　which　showed　itself；　after
more　practical　matters　had　been　all　disposed　of；　in　the　closing
sentences　of　the　letter。

〃I　was　so　struck；〃　the　passage　ran；　〃by　the　grace　and　distinction
of　Miss　Gwilt's　manners　that　I　took　an　opportunity；　when　she　was
out　of　the　room；　of　asking　how　she　first　came　to　be　governess。
'In　the　usual　way；'　I　was　told。　'A　sad　family　misfortune；　in
which　she　behaved　nobly。　She　is　a　very　sensitive　person；　and
shrinks　from　speaking　of　it　among　strangersa　natural　reluctance
which　I　have　always　felt　it　a　matter　of　delicacy　to　respect。'
Hearing　this；　of　course；　I　felt　the　same　delicacy　on　my　side。　It
was　no　part　of　my　duty　to　intrude　on　the　poor　thing's　private
sorrows；　my　only　business　was　to　do　what　I　have　now　done；　to　make
sure　that　I　was　engaging　a　capable　and　respectable　governess　to
instruct　my　grandchild。〃

After　careful　consideration　of　these　lines；　Mrs。　Milroy；　having　a
strong　desire　to　find　circumstances　suspicious；　found　them
suspicious　accordingly。　She　determined　to　sift　the　mystery　of
Miss　Gwilt's　family　misfortunes　to　the　bottom；　on　the　chance　of
extracting　from　it　something　useful　to　her　purpose。　There　were
two　ways　of　doing　this。　She　might　begin　by　questioning　the
governess　herself；　or　she　might　begin　by　questioning　the
governess's　reference。　Experience　of　Miss　Gwilt's　quickness　of
resource　in　dealing　with　awkward　questions　at　their　introductory
interview　decided　her　on　taking　the　latter　course。　〃I'll　get　the
particulars　from　the　reference　first；〃　thought　Mrs。　Milroy；　〃and
then　question　the　creature　herself；　and　see　if　the　two　stories
agree。〃

The　letter　of　inquiry　was　short；　and　scrupuously　to　the　point。

Mrs。　Milroy　began　by　informing　her　correspondent　that　the　state
of　her　health　necessitated　leaving　her　daughter　entirely　under
the　governess's　influence　and　control。　On　that　account　she　was
more　anxious　than　most　mothers　to　be　thoroughly　informed　in　every
respect　about　the　person　to　whom　she　confided　the　entire　charge
of　an　only　child；　and　feeling　this　anxiety；　she　might　perhaps　be
excused　for　putting　what　might　be　thought；　after　the　excellent
character　Miss　Gwilt　had　received；　a　somewhat　unnecessary
question。　With　that　preface；　Mrs。　Milroy　came　to　the　point；　and
requested　to　be　informed　of　the　circumstances　which　had　obliged
Miss　Gwilt　to　go　out　as　a　governess。

The　letter；　expressed　in　these　terms；　was　posted　the　same　day。　On
the　morning　when　the　answer　was　due；　no　answer　appeared。　The　next
morning　arrived；　and　still　there　was　no　reply。　When　the　third
morning　came；　Mrs。　Milroy's　impatience　had　broken　loose　from　all
restraint。　She　had　rung　for　the　nurse　in　the　manner　which　has
been　already　recorded；　and　had　ordered　the　woman　to　be　in　waiting
to　receive　the　letters　of　the　morning　with　her　own　hands。　In　this
position　matters　now　stood；　and　in　these　domestic　circumstances
the　new　series　of　events　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　took　their　rise。


Mrs。　Milroy　had　just　looked　at　her　watch；　and　had　just　put　her
hand　once　m