armadale-第48章

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look　out。　Let　her　go　away　again　after　a　minute　or　two；　take　off
her　bonnet　and　shawl；　and　then　appear　once　more　at　the　window；
or；　better　still；　in　the　balcony　outside。　She　may　show　herself
again　occasionally　（not　too　often）　later　in　the　day。　And
to…morrowas　we　have　a　professional　gentleman　to　deal　withby
all　means　send　her　to　church。　If　these　proceedings　don't　persuade
the　parson　that　the　house…maid's　face　is　your　face；　and　if　they
don't　make　him　readier　to　believe　in　your　reformed　character　than
he　was　when　I　spoke　to　him；　I　have　lived　sixty　years；　my　love；　in
this　vale　of　tears　to　mighty　little　purpose。

〃The　next　day　is　Monday。　I　have　looked　at　the　shipping
advertisements；　and　I　find　that　a　steamer　leaves　Liverpool　for
the　Brazils　on　Tuesday。　Nothing　could　be　more　convenient；　we　will
start　you　on　your　voyage　under　the　parson's　own　eyes。　You　may
manage　it　in　this　way：

〃At　one　o'clock　send　out　the　man　who　cleans　the　knives　and　forks
to　get　a　cab；　and　when　he　has　brought　it　up　to　the　door；　let　him
go　back　and　get　a　second　cab；　which　he　is　to　wait　in　himself；
round　the　corner；　in　the　square。　Let　the　house…maid　（still　in
your　dress）　drive　off；　with　the　necessary　boxes；　in　the　first　cab
to　the　North…western　Railway。　When　she　is　gone；　slip　out　yourself
to　the　cab　waiting　round　the　corner；　and　come　to　me　at　Bayswater。
They　may　be　prepared　to　follow　the　house…maid's　cab；　because　they
have　seen　it　at　the　door；　but　they　won't　be　prepared　to　follow
your　cab；　because　it　has　been　hidden　round　the　corner。　When　the
house…maid　has　got　to　the　station；　and　has　done　her　best　to
disappear　in　the　crowd　（I　have　chosen　the　mixed　train　at　2：10；　so
as　to　give　her　every　chance）；　you　will　be　safe　with　me；　and
whether　they　do　or　do　not　find　out　that　she　does　not　really　start
for　Liverpool　won't　matter　by　that　time。　They　will　have　lost　all
trace　of　you；　and　they　may　follow　the　house…maid　half　over
London；　if　they　like。　She　has　my　instructions　（inclosed）　to　leave
the　empty　boxes　to　find　their　way　to　the　lost　luggage　office　and
to　go　to　her　friends　in　the　City；　and　stay　there　till　I　write
word　that　I　want　her　again。

〃And　what　is　the　object　of　all　this？

〃My　dear　Lydia；　the　object　is　your　future　security　（and　mine）。　We
may　succeed　or　we　may　fail；　in　persuading　the　parson　that　you
have　actually　gone　to　the　Brazils。　If　we　succeed；　we　are　relieved
of　all　fear　of　him。　If　we　fail；　he　will　warn　young　Armadale　to　be
careful　_of　a　woman　like　my　house…maid；　and　not　of　a　woman　like
you。_　This　last　gain　is　a　very　important　one；　for　we　don't　know
that　Mrs。　Armadale　may　not　have　told　him　your　maiden　name。　In
that　event；　the　'Miss　Gwilt'　whom　he　will　describe　as　having
slipped　through　his　fingers　here　will　be　so　entirely　unlike　the
'Miss　Gwilt'　established　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　as　to　satisfy
everybody　that　it　is　not　a　case　of　similarity　of　persons；　but
only　a　case　of　similarity　of　names。

〃What　do　you　say　now　to　my　improvement　on　your　idea？　Are　my
brains　not　quite　so　addled　as　you　thought　them　when　you　wrote？
Don't　suppose　I'm　at　all　overboastful　about　my　own　ingenuity。
Cleverer　tricks　than　this　trick　of　mine　are　played　off　on　the
public　by　swindlers；　and　are　recorded　in　the　newspapers　every
week。　I　only　want　to　show　you　that　my　assistance　is　not　less
necessary　to　the　success　of　the　Armadale　speculation　now　than　it
was　when　I　made　our　first　important　discoveries；　by　means　of　the
harmless…looking　young　man　and　the　private　inquiry　office　in
Shadyside　Place。

〃There　is　nothing　more　to　say　that　I　know　of；　except　that　I　am
just　going　to　start　for　the　new　lodging；　with　a　box　directed　in
my　new　name。　The　last　expiring　moments　of　Mother　Oldershaw；　of
the　Toilet　Repository；　are　close　at　hand；　and　the　birth　of　Miss
Gwilt's　respectable　reference；　Mrs。　Mandeville；　will　take　place
in　a　cab　in　five　minutes'　time。　I　fancy　I　must　be　still　young　at
heart；　for　I　am　quite　in　love　already　with　my　romantic　name；　it
sounds　almost　as　pretty　as　Mrs。　Armadale　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；
doesn't　it？

〃Good…night；　my　dear；　and　pleasant
　dreams。　If　any　accident　happens　between　this　and　Monday；　write
to　me　instantly　by　post。　If　no　accident　happens　you　will　be　with
me　in　excellent　time　for　the　earliest　inquiries　that　the　major
can　possibly　make。　My　last　words　are；　don't　go　out；　and　don't
venture　near　the　front　windows　till　Monday　comes。

〃Affectionately　yours；

M。　O。〃

CHAPTER　VI。

MIDWINTER　IN　DISGUISE。

TOWARD　noon　on　the　day　of　the　twenty…first；　Miss　Milroy　was
loitering　in　the　cottage　gardenreleased　from　duty　in　the
sick…room　by　an　improvement　in　her　mother's　healthwhen　her
attention　was　attracted　by　the　sound　of　voices　in　the　park。　One
of　the　voices　she　instantly　recognized　as　Allan's；　the　other　was
strange　to　her。　She　put　aside　the　branches　of　a　shrub　near　the
garden　palings；　and；　peeping　through；　saw　Allan　approaching　the
cottage　gate；　in　company　with　a　slim；　dark；　undersized　man；　who
was　talking　and　laughing　excitably　at　the　top　of　his　voice。　Miss
Milroy　ran　indoors　to　warn　her　father　of　Mr。　Armadale's　arrival；
and　to　add　that　he　was　bringing　with　him　a　noisy　stranger；　who
was；　in　all　probability；　the　friend　generally　reported　to　be
staying　with　the　squire　at　the　great　house。

Had　the　major's　daughter　guessed　right？　Was　the　squire's
loud…talking；　loud…laughing　companion　the　shy；　sensitive
Midwinter　of　other　times？　It　was　even　so。　In　Allan's　presence；
that　morning；　an　extraordinary　change　had　passed　over　the
ordinarily　quiet　demeanor　of　Allan's　friend。

When　Midwinter　had　first　appeared　in　the　breakfast…room；　after
putting　aside　Mr。　Brock's　startling　letter；　Allan　had　been　too
much　occupied　to　pay　any　special　attention　to　him。　The　undecided
difficulty　of　choosing　the　day　for　the　audit　dinner　had　pressed
for　a　settlement　once　more；　and　had　been　fixed　at　last　（under　the
butler's　advice）　for　Saturday；　the　twenty…eighth　of　the　month。　It
was　only　on　turning　round　to　remind　Midwinter　of　the　ample　space
of　time　which　the　new　arrangement　allowed　for　mastering　the
steward's　books；　that　even　Allan's　flighty　attention　had　been
arrested　by　a　marked　change　in　the　face　that　confronted　him。　He
had　openly　noticed　the　change　in　his　usual　blunt　manner；　and　had
been　instantly　silenced　by　a　fretful；　almost　an　angry；　reply。　The
two　had　sat　down　together　to　breakfast　without　the　usual
cordiality；　and　the　meal　had　proceeded　gloomily；　till　Midwinter
himself　broke　the　silence　by　bursting　into　the　strange　outbreak
of　gayety　which　had　revealed　in　Allan's　eyes　a　new　side　to　the
character　of　his　friend。

As　usual　with　most　of　Allan's　judgments；　here　again　the
conclusion　was　wrong。　It　was　no　new　side　to　Midwinter's　character
that　now　presented　itselfit　was　only　a　new　aspect　of　the　one
ever…recurring　struggle　of　Midwinter's　life。

Irritated　by　Allan's　discovery　of　the　change　in　him；　and　dreading
the　next　questions　that　Allan's　curiosity　might　put；　Midwinter
had　roused　himself　to　efface；　by　main　force；　the　impression　which
his　own　altered　appearance　had　produced。　It　was　one　of　those
efforts　which　no　men　compass　so　resolutely　as　the　men　of　his
quick　temper　and　his　sensitive　feminine　organization。　With　his
whole　mind　still　possessed　by　the　firm　belief　that　the　Fatality
had　taken　one　great　step　nearer　to　Allan　and　himself　since　the
rector's　adventure　in　Kensington　Gardenswith　his　face　still
betraying　what　he　had　suffered；　under　the　renewed　conviction　that
his　father's　death…bed　warning　was　now；　in　event　after　event；
asserting　its　terrible　claim　to　part　him；　at　any　sacrifice；　from
the　one　human　creature　whom　he　lovedwith　the　fear　still　busy　at
his　heart　that　the　first　mysterious　vision　of　Allan's　Dream　might
be　a　vision　realized；　before　the　new　day　that　now　saw　the　two
Armadales　together　was　a　day　that　had　passed　over　their
headswith　these　triple　bonds；　wrought　by　his　own　superstition；
fettering　him　at　that　moment　as　they　had　never　fettered　him　yet；
he　mercilessly　spurred　his　resolution　to　the　desperate　effort　of
rivaling；　in　Allan's　presence；　the　gayety　and　good　spirits　of
Allan　himself。

He　talked　and　laughed；　and　heaped　his　plate　indiscriminately　from
every　dish　on　the　breakfast…table。　He　made　noisily　merry　with
jests　that　had　no　humor；　and　stories　that　had　no　point。　He　first
astonished　Allan；　then　amused　him；　then　won　his　easily　encouraged
confidence　on　the　subject　of　Miss　Milroy。　He　shouted　with
laughter　over　the　sudden　development　of　Allan's　views　on
marriage；　until　the　servants　downstairs　began　to　think　that　their
master's　strange　friend　had　gone　mad。　Lastly；　he　had　accepted
Allan's　proposal　that　he　should　be　presented　to　the　major's
daughter；　and　judge　of　her　for　himself；　as　readily；　nay；　more
readily　than　it　would　have　been　accepted　by　the　least　diffident
man　living。　There　the　two　now　stood　at　the　cottage
gateMidwinter's　voice　rising　louder　and　louder　over
Allan'sMidwinter's　natural　manner　disguised　（how　madly　and
miserably　none　but　he　knew！）　in　a　coarse　masquerade　of
boldnessthe　outrageous；　the　unendurable　boldness　of　a　shy　man。

They　were　received　in　the　parlor　by　the　major's　daughter；　pending
the　arrival　of　the　major　himself。

Allan　attempted　to　present　his　friend　in　the　usual　form。　To　his
astonishment；　Midwinter　took　the　words　flippantly　out　of　his
lips；　and　introduced　himself　to　Miss　Milroy　with　a　confident
look；　a　hard　laugh；　and　a　clumsy　assumption　of　ease　which
presented　him　at　his　worst。　His　artificial　spirits；　lashed
continuously　into　higher　and　higher　effervescence　since　the
morning；　were　now　mounting　hysterically　beyond　his　own　control。
He　looked　and　spoke　with　that　terrible　freedom　of　license　which
is　the　necessary　consequence；　when　a　diffident　man　has　thrown　off
his　reserve；　of　the　very　effort　by　which　he　has　broken　loose　from
his　own　restraints。　He　involved　himself　in　a　confused　medley　of
apologies　that　were　not　wanted；　and　of　compliments　that　might
have　overflattered　the　vanity　of　a　savage。　He　looked　backward　and
forward　from　Miss　Milroy　to　Allan；　and　declared　jocosely　that　he
understood　now　why　his　friend's　morning　walks　were　always　taken
in　the　same　direction。　He　asked　her　questions　about　her　mother；
and　cut　short　the　answers　she　gave　him　by　remarks　on　the　weather。
In　one　breath；　he　said　she　must　feel　the　day　insufferably　hot；
and　in　another　he　protested　that　he　quite　envied　her　in　her　cool
muslin　dress。

The　major　came　in。

Before　he　could　say　two　words；　Midwinter　overwhelmed　him　with　the
same　frenzy　of　familiarity；　and　the　same　feverish　fluency　of
speech。　He　expressed　his　interest　in　Mrs。　Milroy's　health　in
terms　which　would　have　been　exaggerated　on　the　lips　of　a　friend
of　the　family。　He　overflowed　into　a　perfect　flood　of　apologies
for　disturbing　the　major　at　his　mechanical　pursuits。　He　quoted
Allan's　extravagant　account　of　the　clock；　and　expressed　his　own
anxiety　to　see　it　in　terms　more　extravagant　still。　He　paraded　his
superficial　book　knowledge　of　the　great　clock　at　Strasbourg；　with
far…fetched　jests　on　the　extraordinary　automaton　figures　which
that　clock　puts　in　motionon　the　procession　of　the　Twelve
Apostles；　which　walks　out　under　the　dial　at　noon；　and　on　the　toy
cock；　which　crows　at　St。　Peter's　appearanceand　this　befo