armadale-第94部分

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having　me　watched。　Oh；　Mr。　Midwinter；　don't　hate　me　for　telling
you　what　you　_must_　know！　The　man　you　found　persecuting　me　and
frightening　me　tonight　was　only　earning　his　money；　after　all；　as
Mr。　Armadale's　spy。〃

Once　more　Midwinter　started　to　his　feet；　and　this　time　the
thoughts　that　were　in　him　found　their　way　into　words。

〃I　can't　believe　it；　I　won't　believe　it！〃　he　exclaimed；
indignantly。　〃If　the　man　told　you　that；　the　man　lied。　I　beg　your
pardon；　Miss　Gwilt；　I　beg　your　pardon　from　the　bottom　of　my
heart。　Don't；　pray　don't　think　I　doubt　_you；_　I　only　say　there　is
some　dreadful　mistake。　I　am　not　sure　that　I　understand　as　I　ought
all　that　you　have　told　me。　But　this　last　infamous　meanness　of
which　you　think　Allan　guilty；　I　_do_　understand。　I　swear　to　you；
he　is　incapable　of　it！　Some　scoundrel　has　been　taking　advantage
of　him；　some　scoundrel　has　been　using　his　name。　I'll　prove　it　to
you；　if　you　will　only　give　me　time。　Let　me　go　and　clear　it　up　at
once。　I　can't　rest；　I　can't　bear　to　think　of　it；　I　can't　even
enjoy　the　pleasure　of　being　here。　Oh；〃　he　burst　out　desperately；
〃I'm　sure　you　feel　for　me；　after　what　you　have　saidI　feel　so
for　_you！_〃

He　stopped　in　confusion。　Miss　Gwilt's　eyes　were　looking　at　him
again；　and　Miss　Gwilt's　hand　had　found　its　way　once　more　into　his
own。

〃You　are　the　most　generous　of　living　men；〃　she　said；　softly。　〃I
will　believe　what　you　tell　me　to　believe。　Go；〃　she　added；　in　a
whisper；　suddenly　releasing　his　hand；　and　turning　away　from　him。
〃For　both　our　sakes；　go！〃

His　heart　beat　fast；　he　looked　at　her　as　she　dropped　into　a　chair
and　put　her　handkerchief　to　her　eyes。　For　one　moment　he
hesitated；　the　next；　he　snatched　up　his　knapsack　from　the　floor；
and　left　her　precipitately；　without　a　backward　look　or　a　parting
word。

She　rose　when　the　door　closed　on　him。　A　change　came　over　her　the
instant　she　was　alone。　The　color　faded　out　of　her　cheeks；　the
beauty　died　out　of　her　eyes；　her　face　hardened　horribly　with　a
silent　despair。　〃It's　even　baser　work　than　I　bargained　for；〃　she
said；　〃to　deceive　_him。_〃　After　pacing　to　and　fro　in　the　room　for
some　minutes；　she　stopped　wearily　before　the　glass　over　the
fire…place。　〃You　strange　creature！〃　she　murmured；　leaning　her
elbows　on　the　mantelpiece；　and　languidly　addressing　the
reflection　of　herself　in　the　glass。　〃Have　you　got　any　conscience
left？　And　has　that　man　roused　it？〃

The　reflection　of　her　face　changed　slowly。　The　color　returned　to
her　cheeks；　the　delicious　languor　began　to　suffuse　her　eyes
again。　Her　lips　parted　gently；　and　her　quickening　breath　began　to
dim　the　surface　of　the　glass。　She　drew　back　from　it；　after　a
moment's　absorption　in　her　own　thoughts；　with　a　start　of　terror。
〃What　am　I　doing？〃　she　asked　herself；　in　a　sudden　panic　of
astonishment。　〃Am　I　mad　enough　to　be　thinking　of　him　in　_that_
way？〃

She　burst　into　a　mocking　laugh；　and　opened　her　desk　on　the　table
recklessly　with　a　bang。　〃It's　high　time　I　had　some　talk　with
Mother　Jezebel；〃　she　said；　and　sat　down　to　write　to　Mrs。
Oldershaw。

〃I　have　met　with　Mr。　Midwinter；〃　she　began；　〃under　very　lucky
circumstances；　and　I　have　made　the　most　of　my　opportunity。　He　has
just　left　me　for　his　friend　Armadale；　and　one　of　two　good　things
will　happen　to…morrow。　If　they　don't　quarrel；　the　doors　of　Thorpe
Ambrose　will　be　opened　to　me　again　at　Mr。　Midwinter's
intercession。　If　they　do　quarrel；　I　shall　be　the　unhappy　cause　of
it；　and　I　shall　find　my　way　in　for　myself；　on　the　purely
Christian　errand　of　reconciling　them。〃

She　hesitated　at　the　next　sentence；　wrote　the　first　few　words　of
it；　scratched　them　out　again；　and　petulantly　tore　the　letter　into
fragments；　and　threw　the　pen　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。
Turning　quickly　on　her　chair；　she　looked　at　the　seat　which
Midwinter　had　occupied；　her　foot　restlessly　tapping　the　floor；
and　her　handkerchief　thrust　like　a　gag　between　her　clinched
teeth。　〃Young　as　you　are；〃　she　thought；　with　her　mind　reviving
the　image　of　him　in　the　empty　chair；　〃there　has　been　something
out　of　the　common　in　_your_　life；　and　I　must　and　will　know　it！〃

The　house　clock　struck　the　hour；　and　roused　her。　She　sighed；　and；
walking　back　to　the　glass；　wearily　loosened　the　fastenings　of　her
dress；　wearily　removed　the　studs　from　the　chemisette　beneath　it；
and　put　them　on　the　chimney…piece。　She　looked　indolently　at　the
reflected　beauties　of　her　neck　and　bosom；　as　she　unplaited　her
hair　and　threw　it　back　in　one　great　mass　over　her　shoulders。
〃Fancy；〃　she　thought；　〃if　he　saw　me　now！〃　She　turned　back　to　the
table；　and　sighed　again　as　she　extinguished　one　of　the　candles
and　took　the　other　in　her　hand。　〃Midwinter？〃　she　said；　as　she
passed　through　the　folding…doors　of　the　room　to　her　bed…chamber。
〃I　don't　believe　in　his　name；　to　begin　with！〃


The　night　had　advanced　by　more　than　an　hour　before　Midwinter　was
back　again　at　the　great　house。

Twice；　well　as　the　homeward　way　was　known　to　him；　he　had　strayed
out　of　the　right　road。　The　events　of　the　eveningthe　interview
with　Miss　Gwilt　herself；　after　his　fortnight's　solitary　thinking
of　her；　the　extraordinary　change　that　had　taken　place　in　her
position　since　he　had　seen　her　last；　and　the　startling　assertion
of　Allan's　connection　with　ithad　all　conspired　to　throw　his
mind　into　a　state　of　ungovernable　confusion。　The　darkness　of　the
cloudy　night　added　to　his　bewilderment。　Even　the　familiar　gates
of　Thorpe　Ambrose　seemed　strange　to　him。　When　he　tried　to　think
of　it；　it　was　a　mystery　to　him　how　he　had　reached　the　place。

The　front　of　the　house　was　dark；　and　closed　for　the　night。
Midwinter　went　round　to　the　back。　The　sound　of　men's　voices；　as
he　advanced；　caught　his　ear。　They　were　soon　distinguishable　as
the　voices　of　the　first　and　second　footman；　and　the　subject　of
conversation　between　them　was　their　master。

〃I'll　bet　you　an　even　half…crown　he's　driven　out　of　the
neighborhood　before　another　week　is　over　his　head；〃　said　the
first　footman。

〃Done！〃　said　the　second。　〃He　isn't　as　easy　driven　as　you　think。〃

〃Isn't　he！〃　retorted　the　other。　〃He'll　be　mobbed　if　he　stops
here！　I　tell　you　again；　he's　not　satisfied　with　the　mess　he's　got
into　already。　I　know　it　for　certain；　he's　having　the　governess
watched。〃

At　those　words；　Midwinter　mechanically　checked　himself　before　he
turned　the　corner　of　the　house。　His　first　doubt　of　the　result　of
his　meditated　appeal　to　Allan　ran　through　him　like　a　sudden
chill。　The　influence　exercised　by　the　voic　e　of　public　scandal　is
a　force　which　acts。　in　opposition　to　the　ordinary　law　of
mechanics。　It　is　strongest；　not　by　concentration；　but　by
distribution。　To　the　primary　sound　we　may　shut　our　ears；　but　the
reverberation　of　it　in　echoes　is　irresistible。　On　his　way　back；
Midwinter's　one　desire　had　been　to　find　Allan　up；　and　to　speak　to
him　immediately。　His　one　hope　now　was　to　gain　time　to　contend
with　the　new　doubts　and　to　silence　the　new　misgivings；　his　one
present　anxiety　was　to　hear　that　Allan　had　gone　to　bed。　He　turned
the　corner　of　the　house；　and　presented　himself　before　the　men
smoking　their　pipes　in　the　back　garden。　As　soon　as　their
astonishment　allowed　them　to　speak；　they　offered　to　rouse　their
master。　Allan　had　given　his　friend　up　for　that　night；　and　had
gone　to　bed　about　half　an　hour　since。

〃It　was　my　master's'　particular　order；　sir；〃　said　the
head…footman；　〃that　he　was　to　be　told　of　it　if　you　came　back。〃

〃It　is　_my_　particular　request；〃　returned　Midwinter；　〃that　you
won't　disturb　him。〃

The　men　looked　at　each　other　wonderingly；　as　he　took　his　candle
and　left　them。

CHAPTER　VIII。

SHE　COMES　BETWEEN　THEM。

APPOINTED　hours　for　the　various　domestic　events　of　the　day　were
things　unknown　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。　Irregular　in　all　his　habits；
Allan　accommodated　himself　to　no　stated　times　（with　the　solitary
exception　of　dinner…time）　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night。　He
retired　to　rest　early　or　late；　and　he　rose　early　or　late；　exactly
as　he　felt　inclined。　The　servants　were　forbidden　to　call　him；　and
Mrs。　Gripper　was　accustomed　to　improvise　the　breakfast　as　she
best　might；　from　the　time　when　the　kitchen　fire　was　first　lighted
to　the　time　when　the　clock　stood　on　the　stroke　of　noon。

Toward　nine　o'clock　on　the　morning　after　his　return　Midwinter
knocked　at　Allan's　door；　and　on　entering　the　room　found　it　empty。
After　inquiry　among　the　servants；　it　appeared　that　Allan　had
risen　that　morning　before　the　man　who　usually　attended　on　him　was
up；　and　that　his　hot　water　had　been　brought　to　the　door　by　one　of
the　house…maids；　who　was　then　still　in　ignorance　of　Midwinter's
return。　Nobody　had　chanced　to　see　the　master；　either　on　the
stairs　or　in　the　hall；　nobody　had　heard　him　ring　the　bell　for
breakfast；　as　usual。　In　brief；　nobody　knew　anything　about　him；
except　what　was　obviously　clear　to　allthat　he　was　not　in　the
house。

Midwinter　went　out　under　the　great　portico。　He　stood　at　the　head
of　the　flight　of　steps　considering　in　which　direction　he　should
set　forth　to　look　for　his　friend。　Allan's　unexpected　absence
added　one　more　to　the　disquieting　influences　which　still
perplexed　his　mind。　He　was　in　the　mood　in　which　trifles　irritate
a　man；　and　fancies　are　all…powerful　to　exalt　or　depress　his
spirits。

The　sky　was　cloudy；　and　the　wind　blew　in　puffs　from　the　south；
there　was　every　prospect；　to　weather…wise　eyes；　of　coming　rain。
While　Midwinter　was　still　hesitating；　one　of　the　grooms　passed
him　on　the　drive　below。　The　man　proved；　on　being　questioned；　to
be　better　informed　about　his　master's　movements　than　the　servants
indoors。　He　had　seen　Allan　pass　the　stables　more　than　an　hour
since；　going　out　by　the　back　way　into　the　park　with　a　nosegay　in
his　hand。

A　nosegay　in　his　hand？　The　nosegay　hung　incomprehensibly　on
Midwinter's　mind　as　he　walked　round；　on　the　chance　of　meeting
Allan；　to　the　back　of　the　house。　〃What　does　the　nosegay　mean？〃　he
asked　himself；　with　an　unintelligible　sense　of　irritation；　and　a
petulant　kick　at　a　stone　that　stood　in　his　way。

It　meant　that　Allan　had　been　following　his　impulses　as　usual。　The
one　pleasant　impression　left　on　his　mind　after　his　interview　with
Pedgift　Senior　was　the　impression　made　by　the　lawyer's　account　of
his　conversation　with　Neelie　in　the　park。　The　anxiety　t