armadale-第98节

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snap　her　fingers　at　your　letter　（which　was　one　of　the　reasons　why
I　objected　to　your　writing　it）。　I　say；　she　is　in　all　probability
waiting　her　messenger's　return；　in　or　near　your　grounds　at　this
moment。　I　say；　she　will　try　to　force　her　way　in　here；　before
four…and…twenty　hours　more　are　over　your　head。　Egad；　sir！〃　cried
Mr。　Pedgift；　looking　at　his　watch；　〃it's　only　seven　o'clock　now。
She's　bold　enough　and　clever　enough　to　catch　you　unawares　this
very　evening。　Permit　me　to　ring　for　the　servantpermit　me　to
request　that　you　will　give　him　orders　immediately　to　say　you　are
not　at　home。　You　needn't　hesitate；　Mr。　Armadale！　If　you're　right
about　Miss　Gwilt；　it's　a　mere　formality。　If　I'm　right；　it's　a
wise　precaution。　Back　your　opinion；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Pedgift；
ringing　the　bell；　〃I　back　mine！〃

Allan　was　sufficiently　nettled　when　the　bell　rang　to　feel　ready
to　give　the　order。　But　when　the　servant　came　in；　past
remembrances　got　the　better　of　him；　and　the　words　stuck　in　his
throat。　〃You　give　the　order；〃　he　said　to　Mr。　Pedgift；　and　walked
away　abruptly　to　the　window。　〃You're　a　good　fellow！〃　thought　the
old　lawyer；　looking　after　him；　and　penetrating　his　motive　on　the
instant。　〃The　claws　of　that　she…devil　shan't　scratch　you　if　I　can
help　it。〃

The　servant　waited　inexorably　for　his　orders。

〃If　Miss　Gwilt　calls　here；　either　this　evening；　or　at　any　other
time；〃　said　Pedgift　Senior；　〃Mr。　Armadale　is　not　at　home。　Wait！
If　she　asks　when　Mr。　Armadale　will　be　back；　you　don't　know。　Wait！
If　she　proposes　coming　in　and　sitting　down；　you　have　a　general
order　that　nobody　is　to　come　in　and　sit　down　unless　they　have　a
previous　appointment　with　Mr。　Armadale。　Come！〃　cried　old　Pedgift；
rubbing　his　hands　cheerfully　when　the　servant　had　left　the　room；
〃I've　stopped　her　out　now；　at　any　rate！　The　orders　are　all　given；
Mr。　Armadale。　We　may　go　on　with　our　conversation。〃

Allan　came　back　from　the　window。　〃The　conversation　is　not　a　very
pleasant　one；〃　he　said。　〃No　offense　to　you；　but　I　wish　it　was
over。〃

〃We　will　get　it　over　as　soon　as　possible；　sir；〃　said　Pedgift
Senior；　still　persisting；　as　only　lawyers　and　women　_can_
persist；　in　forcing　his　way　little　by　little　nearer　and　nearer　to
his　own　object。　〃Let　us　go　back；　if　you　please；　to　the　practical
suggestion　which　I　offered　to　you　when　the　servant　came　in　with
Miss　Gwilt's　note。　There　is；　I　repeat；　only　one　way　left　for　you；
Mr。　Armadale；　out　of　your　present　awkward　position。　You　must
pursue　your　inquiries　about　this　woman　to　an　endon　the　chance
（which　I　consider　next　to　a　certainty）　that　the　end　will　justify
you　in　the　estimation　of　the　neighborhood。〃

〃I　wish　to　God　I　had　never　made　any　inquiries　at　all！〃　said
Allan。　〃Nothing　will　induce　me；　Mr。　Pedgift；　to　make　any　more。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　the　lawyer。

〃Can　you　ask　me　why；〃　retorted　Allan；　hotly；　〃after　your　son　has
told　you　what　we　found　out　in　London？　Even　if　I　had　less　cause　to
beto　be　sorry　for　Miss　Gwilt　than　I　have；　even　if　it　was　some
other　woman；　do　you　think　I　would　inquire　any　further　into　the
secret　of　a　poor　betrayed　creaturemuch　less　expose　it　to　the
neighborhood？　I　should　think　myself　as　great　a　scoundrel　as　the
man　who　has　cast　her　out　helpless　on　the　world；　if　I　did　anything
of　the　kind。　I　wonder　you　can　ask　me　the　questionupon　my　soul；
I　wonder　you　can　ask　me　the　question！〃

〃Give　me　your　hand；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　cried　Pedgift　Senior；　warmly；
〃I　honor　you　for　being　so　angry　with　me。　The　neighborhood　may　say
what　it　pleases；　you're　a　gentleman；　sir；　in　the　best　sense　of
the　word。　Now；〃　pursued　the　lawyer；　dropping　Allan's　hand；　and
lapsing　back　instantly　from　sentiment　to　business；　〃just　hear
what　I　have　got　to　say　in　my　own　defense。　Suppose　Miss　Gwilt's
real　position　happens　to　be　nothing　like　what　you　are　generously
determined　to　believe　it　to　be？〃

〃We　have　no　reason　to　suppose　that；〃　said　Allan；　resolutely。

〃Such　is　your　opinion；　sir；〃　persisted　Pedgift。　〃Mine；　founded　on
what　is　publicly　known　of　Miss　Gwilt's　proceedings　here；　and　on
what　I　have　seen　of　Miss　Gwilt　herself；　is　that　she　is　as　far　as
I　am　from　being　the　sentimental　victim　you　are　inclined　to　make
her　out。　Gently；　Mr。　Armadale！　remember　that　I　have　put　my
opinion　to　a　practical　test；　and　wait　to　condemn　it　off…hand
until　events　have　justified　you。　Let　me　put　my　points；　sirmake
allowances　for　me　as　a　lawyerand　let　me　put　my　points。　You　and
my　son　are　young　men；　and　I　don't　deny　that　the　circumstances；　on
the　surface；　appear　to　justify　the　interpretation　which；　as　young
men；　you　have　placed　on　them。　I　am　an　old　manI　know　that
circumstances　are　not　always　to　be　taken　as　they　appear　on　the
surfaceand　I　possess　the　great　advantage；　in　the　present　case；
of　having　had　years　of　professional　experience　among　some　of　the
wickedest　women　who　ever　walked　this　earth。〃

Allan　opened　his　lips　to　protest；　and　checked　himself；　in　despair
of　producing　the　slightest　effect。　Pedgift　Senior　bowed　in　polite
acknowledgment　of　his　client's　self…restraint；　and　took　instant
advantage　of　it　to　go　on。

〃All　Miss　Gwilt's　proceedings；〃　he　resumed；　〃since　your
unfortunate　correspondence　with　the　major　show　me　that　she　is　an
old　hand　at　deceit。　The　moment　she　is　threatened　with
exposureexposure　of　some　kind；　there　can　be　no　doubt；　after
what　you　discovered　in　Londonshe　turns　your　honorable　silence
to　the　best　possible　account；　and　leaves　the　major's　service　in
the　character　of　a　martyr。　Once　out　of　the　house；　what　does　she
do　next？　She　boldly　stops　in　the　neighborhood；　and　serves　three
excellent　purposes　by　doing　so。　In　the　first　place；　she　shows
everybody　that　she　is　not　afraid　of　facing　another　attack　on　her
reputation。　In　the　second　place；　she　is　close　at　hand　to　twist
you　round　her　little　finger；　and　to　become　Mrs。　Armadale　in　spite
of　circumstances；　if　you　（and　I）　allow　her　the　opportunity。　In
the　third　place；　if　you　（and　I）　are　wise　enough　to　distrust　her；
she　is　equally　wise　on　her　side；　and　doesn't　give　us　the　first
great　chance　of　following　her　to　London；　and　associating　her　with
her　accomplices。　Is　this　the　conduct　of　an　unhappy　woman　who　has
lost　her　character　in　a　moment　of　weakness；　and　who　has　been
driven　unwillingly　into　a　deception　to　get　it　back　again？〃

〃You　put　it　cleverly；〃　said　Allan；　answering　with　marked
reluctance；　〃I　can't　deny　that　you　put　it　cleverly。〃

〃Your　own　common　sense；　Mr。　Armadale；　is　beginning　to　tell　you
that　I　put　it　just　ly；〃　said　Pedgift　Senior。　〃I　don't　presume　to
say　yet　what　this　woman's　connection　may　be　with　those　people　at
Pimlico。　All　I　assert　is　that　it　is　not　the　connection　you
suppose。　Having　stated　the　facts　so　far；　I　have　only　to　add　my
own　personal　impression　of　Miss　Gwilt。　I　won't　shock　you；　if　I
can　help　it；　I'll　try　if　I　can't　put　it　cleverly　again。　She　came
to　my　office　（as　I　told　you　in　my　letter）；　no　doubt　to　make
friends　with　your　lawyer；　if　she　could；　she　came　to　tell　me；　in
the　most　forgiving　and　Christian　manner；　that　she　didn't　blame
_you。_〃

〃Do　you　ever　believe　in　anybody；　Mr。　Pedgift？〃　interposed　Allan。

〃Sometimes；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　returned　Pedgift　the　elder；　as
unabashed　as　ever。　〃I　believe　as　often　as　a　lawyer　can。　To
proceed；　sir。　When　I　was　in　the　criminal　branch　of　practice；　it
fell　to　my　lot　to　take　instructions　for　the　defense　of　women
committed　for　trial　from　the　women's　own　lips。　Whatever　other
difference　there　might　be　among　them；　I　got；　in　time；　to　notice；
among　those　who　were　particularly　wicked　and　unquestionably
guilty；　one　point　in　which　they　all　resembled　each　other。　Tall
and　short；　old　and　young；　handsome　and　ugly；　they　all　had　a
secret　self…possession　that　nothing　could　shake。　On　the　surface
they　were　as　different　as　possible。　Some　of　them　were　in　a　state
of　indignation；　some　of　them　were　drowned　in　tears；　some　of　them
were　full　of　pious　confidence；　and　some　of　them　were　resolved　to
commit　suicide　before　the　night　was　out。　But　only　put　your　finger
suddenly　on　the　weak　point　in　the　story　told　by　any　one　of　them；
and　there　was　an　end　of　her　rage；　or　her　tears；　or　her　piety；　or
her　despair；　and　out　came　the　genuine　woman；　in　full　possession
of　all　her　resources　with　a　neat　little　lie　that　exactly　suited
the　circumstances　of　the　case。　Miss　Gwilt　was　in　tears；
sirbecoming　tears　that　didn't　make　her　nose　redand　I　put　my
finger　suddenly　on　the　weak　point　in　_her_　story。　Down　dropped
her　pathetic　pocket…handkerchief　from　her　beautiful　blue　eyes；
and　out　came　the　genuine　woman　with　the　neat　little　lie　that
exactly　suited　the　circumstances！　I　felt　twenty　years　younger；
Mr。　Armadale；　on　the　spot。　I　declare　I　thought　I　was　in　Newgate
again；　with　my　note…book　in　my　hand；　taking　my　instructions　for
the　defense！〃

〃The　next　thing　you'll　say；　Mr。　Pedgift；〃　cried　Allan；　angrily；
〃is　that　Miss　Gwilt　has　been　in　prison！〃

Pedgift　Senior　calmly　rapped　his　snuff…box；　and　had　his　answer
ready　at　a　moment's　notice。

〃She　may　have　richly　deserved　to　see　the　inside　of　a　prison；　Mr。
Armadale；　but；　in　the　age　we　live　in；　that　is　one　excellent
reason　for　her　never　having　been　near　any　place　of　the　kind。　A
prison；　in　the　present　tender　state　of　public　feeling；　for　a
charming　woman　like　Miss　Gwilt！　My　dea