armadale-第114部分

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unintelligible　than　usual。　I　can　make　nothing　out　of　him；　except
that　he　persists　in　wanting　to　see　you。　My　own　idea；〃　pursued
Pedgift　Junior；　with　his　usual；　sardonic　gravity；　〃is　that　he　is
going　to　have　a　fit；　and　that　he　wishes　to　acknowledge　your
uniform　kindness　to　him　by　obliging　you　with　a　private　view　of
the　whole　proceeding。〃

Pedgift　Senior　habitually　matched　everybodyhis　son
includedwith　their　own　weapons。　〃Be　good　enough　to　remember；
Augustus；〃　he　rejoined；　〃that　my　Room　is　not　a　Court　of　Law。　A
bad　joke　is　not　invariably　followed　by　'roars　of　laughter'
_here。_　Let　Mr。　Bashwood　come　in。〃

Mr。　Bashwood　was　introduced；　and　Pedgift　Junior　withdrew。　〃You
mustn't　bleed　him；　sir；〃　whispered　the　incorrigible　joker；　as　he
passed　the　back　of　his　father's　chair。　〃Hot…water　bottles　to　the
soles　of　his　feet；　and　a　mustard　plaster　on　the　pit　of　his
stomachthat's　the　modern　treatment。〃

〃Sit　down；　Bashwood；〃　said　Pedgift　Senior　when　they　were　alone。
〃And　don't　forget　that　time's　money。　Out　with　it；　whatever　it　is；
at　the　quickest　possible　rate；　and　in　the　fewest　possible　words。〃

These　preliminary　directions；　bluntly　but　not　at　all　unkindly
spoken；　rather　increased　than　diminished　the　painful　agitation
under　which　Mr。　Bashwood　was　suffering。　He　stammered　more
helplessly；　he　trembled　more　continuously　than　usual；　as　he　made
his　little　speech　of　thanks；　and　added　his　apologies　at　the　end
for　intruding　on　his　patron　in　business　hours。

〃Everybody　in　the　place；　Mr。　Pedgift；　sir；　knows　your　time　is
valuable。　Oh；　dear；　yes！　oh；　dear；　yes！　most　valuable；　most
valuable！　Excuse　me；　sir；　I'm　coming　out　with　it。　Your
goodnessor　rather　your　businessno；　your　goodness　gave　me　half
an　hour　to　waitand　I　ha　ve　thought　of　what　I　had　to　say；　and
prepared　it；　and　put　it　short。〃　Having　got　as　far　as　that；　he
stopped　with　a　pained；　bewildered　look。　He　had　put　it　away　in　his
memory；　and　now；　when　the　time　came；　he　was　too　confused　to　find
it。　And　there　was　Mr。　Pedgift　mutely　waiting；　his　face　and　manner
expressive　alike　of　that　silent　sense　of　the　value　of　his　own
time　which　every　patient　who　has　visited　a　great　doctor；　every
client　who　has　consulted　a　lawyer　in　large　practice；　knows　so
well。　〃Have　you　heard　the　news；　sir？〃　stammered　Mr。　Bashwood；
shifting　his　ground　in　despair；　and　letting　the　uppermost　idea　in
his　mind　escape　him；　simply　because　it　was　the　one　idea　in　him
that　was　ready　to　come　out。

〃Does　it　concern　_me？_〃　asked　Pedgift　Senior；　mercilessly　brief；
and　mercilessly　straight　in　coming　to　the　point。

〃It　concerns　a　lady；　sirno；　not　a　ladya　young　man；　I　ought　to
say；　in　whom　you　used　to　feel　some　interest。　Oh；　Mr。　Pedgift；
sir；　what　do　you　think！　Mr。　Armadale　and　Miss　Gwilt　have　gone　up
to　London　together　to…dayalone；　siralone　in　a　carriage
reserved　for　their　two　selves。　Do　you　think　he's　going　to　marry
her？　Do　you　really　think；　like　the　rest　of　them；　he's　going　to
marry　her？〃

He　put　the　question　with　a　sudden　flush　in　his　face　and　a　sudden
energy　in　his　manner。　His　sense　of　the　value　of　the　lawyer's
time；　his　conviction　of　the　greatness　of　the　lawyer's
condescension；　his　constitutional　shyness　and　timidityall
yielded　together　to　his　one　overwhelming　interest　in　hearing　Mr。
Pedgift's　answer。　He　was　loud　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　in
putting　the　question。

〃After　my　experience　of　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　lawyer；　instantly
hardening　in　look　and　manner；　〃I　believe　him　to　be　infatuated
enough　to　marry　Miss　Gwilt　a　dozen　times　over；　if　Miss　Gwilt
chose　to　ask　him。　Your　news　doesn't　surprise　me　in　the　least；
Bashwood。　I'm　sorry　for　him。　I　can　honestly　say　that；　though　he
_has_　set　my　advice　at　defiance。　And　I'm　more　sorry　still；〃　he
continued；　softening　again　as　his　mind　reverted　to　his　interview
with　Neelie　under　the　trees　of　the　park〃I'm　more　sorry　still
for　another　person　who　shall　be　nameless。　But　what　have　I　to　do
with　all　this？　And　what　on　earth　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　he
resumed；　noticing　for　the　first　time　the　abject　misery　in　Mr。
Bashwood's　manner；　the　blank　despair　in　Mr。　Bashwood's　face；
which　his　answer　had　produced。　〃Are　you　ill？　Is　there　something
behind　the　curtain　that　you're　afraid　to　bring　out？　I　don't
understand　it。　Have　you　come　herehere　in　my　private　room；　in
business　hourswith　nothing　to　tell　me　but　that　young　Armadale
has　been　fool　enough　to　ruin　his　prospects　for　life？　Why；　I
foresaw　it　all　weeks　since；　and　what　is　more；　I　as　good　as　told
him　so　at　the　last　conversation　I　had　with　him　in　the　great
house。〃

At　those　last　words；　Mr。　Bashwood　suddenly　rallied。　The　lawyer's
passing　reference　to　the　great　house　had　led　him　back　in　a　moment
to　the　purpose　that　he　had　in　view。

〃That's　it；　sir！〃　he　said；　eagerly；　〃that's　what　I　wanted　to
speak　to　you　about；　that's　what　I've　been　preparing　in　my　mind。
Mr。　Pedgift；　sir；　the　last　time　you　were　at　the　great　house；　when
you　came　away　in　your　gig；　youyou　overtook　me　on　the　drive。〃

〃I　dare　say　I　did；〃　remarked　Pedgift；　resignedly。　〃My　mare
happens　to　be　a　trifle　quicker　on　her　legs　than　you　are　on　yours；
Bashwood。　Go　on；　go　on。　We　shall　come　in　time；　I　suppose；　to　what
you　are　driving　at。〃

〃You　stopped；　and　spoke　to　me；　sir；〃　proceeded　Mr。　Bashwood；
advancing　more　and　more　eagerly　to　his　end。　〃You　said　you
suspected　me　of　feeling　some　curiosity　about　Miss　Gwilt；　and　you
told　me　（I　remember　the　exact　words；　sir）you　told　me　to　gratify
my　curiosity　by　all　means；　for　you　didn't　object　to　it。〃

Pedgift　Senior　began　for　the　first　time　to　look　interested　in
hearing　more。

〃I　remember　something　of　the　sort；〃　he　replied；　〃and　I　also
remember　thinking　it　rather　remarkable　that　you　should
_happen_we　won't　put　it　in　any　more　offensive　wayto　be
exactly　under　Mr。　Armadale's　open　window　while　I　was　talking　to
him。　It　might　have　been　accident；　of　course；　but　it　looked　rather
more　like　curiosity。　I　could　only　judge　by　appearances；〃
concluded　Pedgift；　pointing　his　sarcasm　with　a　pinch　of　snuff；
〃and　appearances；　Bashwood；　were　decidedly　against　you。〃

〃I　don't　deny　it；　sir。　I　only　mentioned　the　circumstance　because
I　wished　to　acknowledge　that　I　_was_　curious；　and　_am_　curious
about　Miss　Gwilt。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Pedgift　Senior；　seeing　something　under　the　surface
in　Mr。　Bashwood's　face　and　manner；　but　utterly　in　the　dark　thus
far　as　to　what　that　something　might　be。

There　was　silence　for　a　moment。　The　moment　passed；　Mr。　Bashwood
took　the　refuge　usually　taken　by　nervous；　unready　men；　placed　in
his　circumstances；　when　they　are　at　a　loss　for　an　answer。　He
simply　reiterated　the　assertion　that　he　had　just　made。　〃I　feel
some　curiosity　sir；〃　he　said；　with　a　strange　mixture　of
doggedness　and　timidity；　〃about　Miss　Gwilt。〃

There　was　another　moment　of　silence。　In　spite　of　his　practiced
acuteness　and　knowledge　of　the　world；　the　lawyer　was　more　puzzled
than　ever。　The　case　of　Mr。　Bashwood　presented　the　one　human
riddle　of　all　others　which　he　was　least　qualified　to　solve。
Though　year　after　year　witnesses　in　thousands　and　thousands　of
cases；　the　remorseless　disinheriting　of　nearest　and　dearest
relations；　the　unnatural　breaking…up　of　sacred　family　ties；　the
deplorable　severance　of　old　and　firm　friendships；　due　entirely　to
the　intense　self…absorption　which　the　sexual　passion　can　produce
when　it　enters　the　heart　of　an　old　man；　the　association　of　love
with　infirmity　and　gray　hairs　arouses；　nevertheless；　all　the
world　over；　no　other　idea　than　the　idea　of　extravagant
improbability　or　extravagant　absurdity　in　the　general　mind。　If
the　interview　now　taking　place　in　Mr。　Pedgift's　consulting…room
had　taken　place　at　his　dinner…table　instead；　when　wine　had　opened
his　mind　to　humorous　influences；　it　is　possible　that　he　might；　by
this　time；　have　suspected　the　truth。　But；　in　his　business　hours；
Pedgift　Senior　was　in　the　habit　of　investigating　men's　motives
seriously　from　the　business　point　of　view；　and　he　was　on　that
very　account　simply　incapable　of　conceiving　any　improbability　so
startling；　any　absurdity　so　enormous；　as　the　absurdity　and
improbability　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　being　in　love。

Some　men　in　the　lawyer's　position　would　have　tried　to　force　their
way　to　enlightenment　by　obstinately　repeating　the　unanswered
question。　Pedgift　Senior　wisely　postponed　the　question　until　he
had　moved　the　conversation　on　another　step。　〃Well；〃　he　resumed；
〃let　us　say　you　feel　a　curiosity　about　Miss　Gwilt。　What　next？〃

The　palms　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　hands　began　to　moisten　under　the
influence　of　his　agitation；　as　they　had　moistened　in　the　past
days　when　he　had　told　the　story　of　his　domestic　sorrows　to
Midwinter　at　the　great　house。　Once　more　he　rolled　his
handkerchief　into　a　ball；　and　dabbed　it　softly　to　and　fro　from
one　hand　to　the　other。

〃May　I　ask　if　I　am　right；　sir；〃　he　began；　〃in　believing　that　you
have　a　very　unfavorable　opinion　of　Miss　Gwilt？　You　are　quite
convinced；　I　think〃

〃My　good　fellow；〃　interrupted　Pedgift　Senior；　〃why　need　you　be　in
any　doubt　about　it？　You　were　under　Mr。　Armadale's　open　window　all
the　while　I　was　talking　to　him；　and　your　ears；　I　presume；　were
not　absolutely　shut。〃

Mr。　Bashwood　showed　no　sense　of　the　interruption。　The　little
sting　of　the　lawyer's　sarcasm　was　lost　in　the　nobler　pain　that
wrung　him　from　the　wound　inflicted　by　Miss　Gwilt。

〃You　are　quite　convinced；　I　think；　sir；〃　he　resumed；　〃that　there
are　circumstances　in　this　lady's　past　life　which　would　be　highly
discreditable　to　her　if　they　were　discovered　at　the　present
time？〃

〃The　window　was　open　at　the　great　house；　Bashwood；　and　your　ears；
I　presume；　were　not　absolutely　shut。〃

Still　impenetrable　to　the　sting；　Mr。　Bashwood　persisted　more
obstinately　than　ever。

〃Unless　I　am　greatly　mistaken；〃　he　said；　〃your　long　experience　in
such　things　has　even　suggested　to　you；　sir；　that　Miss　Gwilt　might
turn　out　to　be　known　to　the　police？〃

Pedgift　Senior's　patience　gave　way。　〃You　have　been　over　ten
minutes　in　this　room；〃　he　broke　out。　〃Can　you；　or　can　you　not；
tell　me　in　plain　English　what　you　want？〃

In　plain　Englishwith　the　passion　that　had　transformed　him；　the
passion　which　（in　Miss　Gwilt's　own　words）　had　made　a　man　of　him；
burning　in　his　haggard　cheeksMr。　Bashwood　met　the　challenge；
and