armadale-第96节

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letter；　and　then　handed　it　to　Mr。　Pedgift's　son。

〃Can　you　guess　your　father's　plan　for　setting　me　right　in　the
neighborhood？〃　he　asked。

Pedgift　the　younger　shook　his　wise　head。　〃His　plan　appears　to　be
connected　in　some　way；　sir；　with　his　opinion　of　Miss　Gwilt。〃

〃I　wonder　what　he　thinks　of　her？〃　said　Allan。

〃I　shouldn't　be　surprised；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　returned　Pedgift
Junior；　〃if　his　opinion　staggers　you　a　little；　when　you　come　to
hear　it。　My　father　has　had　a　large　legal　experience　of　the　shady
side　of　the　sex；　and　he　learned　his　profession　at　the　Old
Bailey。〃

Allan　made　no　further　inquiries。　He　seemed　to　shrink　from
pursuing　the　subject；　after　having　started　it　himself。　〃Let's　be
doing　something　to　kill　the　time；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　pack　up　and
pay　the　bill。〃

They　packed　up　and　paid　the　bill。　The　hour　came；　and　the　train
left　for　Norfolk　at　last。

While　the　travelers　were　on　their　way　back；　a　somewhat　longer
telegraphic　message　than　Allan's　was　flashing　its　way　past　them
along　the　wires；　in　the　reverse　directionfrom　Thorpe　Ambrose　to
London。　The　message　was　in　cipher；　and；　the　signs　being
interpreted；　it　ran　thus：　〃From　Lydia　Gwilt　to　Maria
Oldershaw。Good　news！　He　is　coming　back。　I　mean　to　have　an
interview　with　him。　Everything　looks　well。　Now　I　have　left　the
cottage；　I　have　no　women's　prying　eyes　to　dread；　and　I　can　come
and　go　as　I　please。　Mr。　Midwinter　is　luckily　out　of　the　way。　I
don't　despair　of　becoming　Mrs。　Armadale　yet。　Whatever　happens；
depend　on　my　keeping　away　from　London　until　I　am　certain　of　not
taking　any　spies　after　me　to　your　place。　I　am　in　no　hurry　to
leave　Thorpe　Ambrose。　I　mean　to　be　even　with　Miss　Milroy　first。〃

Shortly　after　that　message　was　received　in　London；　Allan　was　back
again　in　his　own　house。

It　was　eveningPedgift　Junior　had　just　left　himand　Pedgift
Senior　was　expected　to　call　on　business　in　half　an　hour's　time。

CHAPTER　V。

PEDGIFT'S　REMEDY。

AFTER　waiting　to　hold　a　preliminary　consultation　with　his　son；
Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　set　forth　alone　for　his　interview　with
Allan　at　the　great　house。

Allowing　for　the　difference　in　their　ages；　the　son　was；　in　this
instance；　so　accurately　the　reflection　of　the　father；　that　an
acquaintance　with　either　of　the　two　Pedgifts　was　almost
equivalent　to　an　acquaintance　with　both。　Add　some　little　height
and　size　to　the　figure　of　Pedgift　Junior；　give　more　breadth　and
boldness　to　his　humor；　and　some　additional　solidity　and　composure
to　his　confidence　in　himself；　and　the　presence　and　character　of
Pedgift　Senior　stood；　for　all　general　purposes；　revealed　before
you。

The　lawyer's　conveyance　to　Thorpe　Ambrose　was　his　own　smart　gig；
drawn　by　his　famous　fast…trotting　mare。　It　was　his　habit　to　drive
himself；　and　it　was　one　among　the　trifling　external　peculiarities
in　which　he　and　his　son　differed　a　little；　to　affect　something　of
the　sporting　character　in　his　dress。　The　drab　trousers　of　Pedgift
the　elder　fitted　close　to　his　legs；　his　boots；　in　dry　weather　and
wet　alike；　were　equally　thick　in　the　sole；　his　coat　pockets
overlapped　his　hips；　and　his　favorite　summer　cravat　was　of　light
spotted　muslin；　tied　in　the　neatest　and　smallest　of　bows。　He　used
tobacco　like　his　son；　but　in　a　different　form。　While　the　younger
man　smoked；　the　elder　took　snuff　copiously；　and　it　was　noticed
among　his　intimates　that　he　always　held　his　〃pinch〃　in　a　state　of
suspense　between　his　box　and　his　nose　when　he　was　going　to　clinch
a　good　bargain　or　to　say　a　good　thing。　The　art　of　diplomacy
enters　largely　into　the　practice　of　all　successful　men　in　the
lower　branch　of　the　law。　Mr。　Pedgift's　form　of　diplomatic
practice　had　been　the　same　throughout　his　life；　on　every　occasion
when　he　found　his　arts　of　persuasion　required　at　an　interview
with　another　man。　He　invariably　kept　his　strongest　argument；　or
his　boldest　proposal；　to　the　last；　and　invariably　remembered　it
at　the　door　（after　previously　taking　his　leave）；　as　if　it　was　a
purely　accidental　consideration　which　had　that　instant　occurred
to　him。　Jocular　friends；　acquainted　by　previous　experience　with
this　form　of　proceeding；　had　given　it　the　name　of　〃Pedgift's
postscript。〃　There　were　few　people　in　Thorpe　Ambrose　who　did　not
know　what　it　meant　when　the　lawyer　suddenly　checked　his　exit　at
the　opened　door；　came　back　softly　to　his　chair；　with　his　pinch　of
snuff　suspended　between　his　box　and　his　nose；　said；　〃By…the…by；
there's　a　point　occurs　to　me；〃　and　settled　the　question　off…hand；
after　having　given　it　up　in　despair　not　a　minute　before。

This　was　the　man　whom　the　march　of　events　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　had
now　thrust　capriciously　into　a　foremost　place。　This　was　the　one
friend　at　hand　to　whom　Allan　in　his　social　isolation　could　turn
for　counsel　in　the　hour　of　need。


〃Good…evening；　Mr。　Armadale。　Many　thanks　for　your　prompt
attention　to　my　very　disagreeable　letter；〃　said　Pedgift　Senior；
opening　the　conversation　cheerfully　the　moment　he　entered　his
client's　house。　〃I　hope　you　understand；　sir；　that　I　had　really　no
choice　under　the　circumstances　but　to　write　as　I　did？〃

〃I　have　very　few　friends；　Mr。　Pedgift；〃　returned　Allan；　simply。
〃And　I　am　sure　you　are　one　of　the　few。〃

〃Much　obliged；　Mr。　Armadale。　I　have　always　tried　to　deserve　your
good　opinion；　and　I　mean；　if　I　can；　to　deserve　it　now。　You　found
yourself　comfortable；　I　hope；　sir；　at　the　hotel　in　London？　We
call　it　Our　hotel。　Some　rare　old　wine　in　the　cellar；　which　I
should　have　introduced　to　your　notice　if　I　had　had　the　honor　of
being　with　you。　My　son　unfortunately　knows　nothing　about　wine。〃

Allan　felt　his　false　position　in　the　neighborhood　far　too　acutely
to　be　capable　of　talking　of　anything　but　the　main　business　of　the
evening　His　lawyer's　politely　roundabout　method　of　approaching
the　painful　subject　to　be　discussed　between　them　rather　irritated
than　composed　him。　He　came　at　once　to　the　point；　in　his　own
bluntly　straightforward　way。

〃The　hotel　was　very　comfortable；　Mr。　Pedgift；　and　your　son　was
very　kind　to　me。　But　we　are　not　in　London　now；　and　I　want　to　talk
to　you　about　how　I　am　to　meet　the　lies　that　are　being　told　of　me
in　this　place。　Only　point　me　out　any　one　man；〃　cried　Allan；　with
a　rising　voice　and　a　mounting　color〃any　one　man　who　says　I　am
afraid　to　show　my　face　in　the　neighborhood；　and　I'll　horsewhip
him　publicly　before　another　day　is　over　his　head！〃

Pedgift　Senior　helped　himself　to　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and　held　it
calmly　in　suspense　midway　between　his　box　and　his　nose。

〃You　can　horsewhip　a　man；　sir；　but　you　can't　horsewhip　a
neighborhood；〃　said　the　lawyer；　in　his　politely　epigrammatic
manner。　〃We　will　fight　our　battle；　if　you　please；　without
borrowing　our　weapons　of　the　coachman　yet　a　while；　at　any　rate。〃

〃But　how　are　we　to　begin？〃　asked　Allan；　impatiently。　〃How　am　I　to
contradict　the　infamous　things　they　say　of　me？〃

〃There　are　two　ways　of　stepping　out　of　your　present　awkward
position；　sira　short　way；　and　a　long　way；〃　replied　Pedgift
Senior。　〃The　short　way　（which　is　always　the　best）　has　occurred　to
me　since　I　have　heard　of　your　proceedings　in　London　from　my　son。
I　understand　that　you　permitted　him；　after　you　received　my
letter；　to　take　me　into　your　confidence。　I　have　drawn　various
conclusions　from　what　he　has　told　me；　which　I　may　find　it
necessary　to　trouble　you　with　presently。　In　the　meantime　I　should
be　glad　to　know　under　what　circumstances　you　went　to　London　to
make　these　unfortunate　inquiries　about　Miss　Gwilt？　Was　it　your
own　notion　to　pay　that　visit　to　Mrs。　Mandeville？　or　were　you
acting　under　the　influence　of　some　other　person？〃

Allan　hesitated。　〃I　can't　honestly　tell　you　it　was　my　own
notion；〃　he　replied；　and　said　no　more。

〃I　thought　as　much！〃　remarked　Pedgift　Senior；　in　high　triumph。
〃The　short　way　out　of　our　present　difficulty；　Mr。　Armadale；　lies
straight　through　that　other　person；　under　whose　influence　you
acted。　That　other　person　must　be　presented　forthwith　to　public
notice；　and　must　stand　in　that　other　person's　proper　place。　The
name；　if　you　please；　sir；　to　begin　withwe'll　come　to　the
circumstances　directly。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　say；　Mr。　Pedgift；　that　we　must　try　the　longest
way；　if　you　have　no　objection；〃　replied　Allan；　quietly。　〃The
short　way　happens　to　b　e　a　way　I　can't　take　on　this　occasion。〃

The　men　who　rise　in　the　law　are　the　men　who　decline　to　take　No
for　an　answer。　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　had　risen　in　the　law；　and
Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　now　declined　to　take　No　for　an　answer。　But
all　pertinacityeven　professional　pertinacity　includedsooner
or　later　finds　its　limits；　and　the　lawyer；　doubly　fortified　as　he
was　by　long　experience　and　copious　pinches　of　snuff；　found　his
limits　at　the　very　outset　of　the　interview。　It　was　impossible
that　Allan　could　respect　the　confidence　which　Mrs。　Milroy　had
treacherously　affected　to　place　in　him。　But　he　had　an　honest
man's　regard　for　his　own　pledged　wordthe　regard　which　looks
straightforward　at　the　fact；　and　which　never　glances　sidelong　at
the　circumstancesand　the　utmost　persistency　of　Pedgift　Senior
failed　to　move　him　a　hairbreadth　from　the　position　which　he　had
taken　up。　〃No〃　is　the　strongest　word　in　the　English　language；　in
the　mouth　of　any　man　who　has　the　courage　to　repeat　it　often
enoug