按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
you forfeited your security； and I had to pay。 I am willing and
anxious to let by…gones be by…gones； and to forget the past。
〃It is in your power （if you are still at the Private Inquiry
Office） to do me a great service。 I am in sore anxiety and
trouble on the subject of a person in whom I am interested。 The
person is a lady。 Please don't make game of me for confessing
this； if you can help it。 If you knew what I am now suffering； I
think you would be more inclined to pity than to make game of me。
〃I would enter into particulars； only I know your quick temper；
and I fear exhausting your patience。 Perhaps it may be enough to
say that I have reason to believe the lady's past life has not
been a very creditable one； and that I am interestedmore
interested than words can tellin finding out what her life has
really been； and in making the discovery within a fortnight from
the present time。
〃Though I know very little about the ways of business in an
office like yours； I can understand that； without first having
the lady's present address； nothing can be done to help me。
Unfortunately； I am not yet acquainted with her present address。
I only know that she went to town to…day； accompanied by a
gentleman； in whose employment I now am； and who （as I believe）
will be likely to write to me for money before many days more are
over his head。
〃Is this circumstance of a nature to help us？ I venture to say
'us；' because I count already； my dear boy； on your kind
assistance and advice。 Don't let money stand between us； I have
saved a little something； and it is all freely at your disposal。
Pray； pray write to me by return of post！ If you will only try
your best to end the dreadful suspense under which I am now
suffering； you will atone for all the grief and disappointment
you caused me in times that are past； and you will confer an
obligation that he will never forget on
〃Your affectionate father；
〃FELIX BASHWOOD。〃
After waiting a little； to dry his eyes； Mr。 Bashwood added the
date and address； and directed the letter to his son； at 〃The
Private Inquiry Office； Shadyside Place； London。〃 That done； he
went out at once； and posted his letter with his own hands。 It
was then Monday； and； if the answer was sent by return of post；
the answer would be received on Wednesday morning。
The interval day； the Tuesday； was passed by Mr。 Bashwood in the
steward's office at the great house。 He had a double motive for
absorbing himself as deeply as might be in the various
occupations connected with the management of the estate。 In the
first place； employment helped him to control the devouring
impatience with which he looked for the coming of the next day。
In the second place； the more forward he was with the business of
the office； the more free he would be to join his son in London；
without attracting suspicion to himself by openly neglecting the
interests placed under his charge。
Toward the Tuesday afternoon； vague rumors of something wrong at
the cottage found their way （through Major Milroy's servants） to
the servants at the great house； and attempted ineffectually
through this latter channel to engage the attention of Mr。
Bashwood； impenetrably fixed on other things。 The major and Miss
Neelie had been shut up together in mysterious conference； and
Miss Neelie's appearance after the close of the interview plainly
showed that she had been crying。 This had happened on the Monday
afternoon； and on the next day （that present Tuesday） the major
had startled the household by announcing briefly that his
daughter wanted a change to the air of the seaside； and that he
proposed taking her himself； by the next train； to Lowestoft。 The
two had gone away together； both very serious and silent； but
both； apparently； very good friends； for all that。 Opinions at
the great house attributed this domestic revolution to the
reports current on the subject of Allan and Miss Gwilt。 Opinions
at the cottage rejected that solution of the difficulty； on
practical grounds。 Miss Neelie had remained inaccessibly shut up
in her own room； from the Monday afternoon to the Tuesday morning
when her father took her away。 The major； during the same
interval； had not been outside the door； and had spoken to nobody
And Mrs。 Milroy； at the first attempt of her new attendant to
inform her of the prevailing scandal in the town； had sealed the
servant's lips by flying into one of her terrible passions the
instant Miss Gwilt's name was mentioned。 Something must have
happened； of course； to take Major Milroy and his daughter so
suddenly from home； but that something was certainly not Mr。
Armadale's scandalous elopement； in broad daylight； with Miss
Gwilt。
The afternoon passed； and the evening passed； and no other event
happened but the purely private and personal event which had
taken place at the cottage。 Nothing occurred （for nothing in the
nature of things _could_ occur） to dissipate the delusion on
which Miss Gwilt had countedthe delusion which all Thorpe
Ambrose now shared with Mr。 Bashwood； that she had gone privately
to London with Allan in the character of Allan's future wife。
On the Wednesday morning； the postman； entering the street in
which Mr。 Bashwood lived； was encountered by Mr。 Bashwood
himself； so eager to know if there was a letter for him that he
had come out without his hat。 There _was_ a letter for himthe
letter that he longed for from his vagabond son。
These were the terms in which Bashwood the younger answered his
father's supplication for helpafter having previously ruined
his father's prospects for life：
〃Shadyside Place。 Tuesday； July 29th。
〃MY DEAR DADWe have some little practice in dealing with
mysteries at this office； but the mystery of your letter beats me
altogether。 Are you speculating on the interesting hidden
frailties of some charming woman？ Or； after _your_ experience of
matrimony； are you actually going to give me a stepmother at this
time of day？ Whichever it is； upon my life your letter interests
me。
〃I am not joking； mindthough the temptation is not an easy one
to resist。 On the contrary； I have given you a quarter of an hour
of my valuable time already。 The place you date from sounded
somehow familiar to me。 I referred back to the memorandum book；
and found that I was sent down to Thorpe Ambrose to make private
inquiries not very long since。 My employer was a lively old lady；
who was too sly to give us her right name and address。 As a
matter of course； we set to work at once； and found out who she
was。 Her name is Mrs。 Oldershaw； and； if you think of _her_ for
my stepmother； I strongly recommend you to think again before you
make her Mrs。 Bashwood。
〃If it is not Mrs。 Oldershaw； then all I can do； so far； is to
tell you how you may find out the unknown lady's address。 Come to
town yourself as soon as you get the letter you expect from the
gentleman who has gone away with her （I hope he is not a handsome
young man； for your sake） and call here。 I will send somebody to
help you in watching his hotel or lodgings； and if he
communicates with the lady； or the lady with him； you may
consider her address discovered from that moment。 Once let me
identify her； and know where she is； and you shall see all her
charming little secrets as plainly as you see the paper on which
your affectionate son is now writing to you。
〃A word more about the terms。 I am as willing as you are to be
friends again； but； though I own you were out of pocket by me
once； I can't afford to be out of pocket by you。 It must be
understood that you are answerable for all the expenses of the
inquiry。 We may have to employ some of the women attached to this
office； if your lady is too wideawake or too nice…looking to be
dealt with by a man。 There will be cab hire； and
postage…stampsadmissions to public amusements； if she is
inclined that wayshillings for pew…openers； if she is serious；
and takes our people into churches to hear popular preachers； and
so on。 My own professional services you shall have gratis； but I
can't lose by you as well。 Only remember that； and you shall have
your way。 By…gones shall be by…gones； and we will forget the
past。
〃Your affectionate son；
〃JAMES BASHWOOD。〃
In the ecstasy of seeing help placed at last within his reach；
the father put his son's atrocious letter to his lips。 〃My good
boy！〃 he murmured； tenderly〃my dear； good boy！〃
He put the letter down； and fell into a new train of thought。 The
next question to face was the serious question of time。 Mr。
Pedgift had told him Miss Gwilt might be married in a fortnight。
One day of the fourteen had passed already； and another was
passing。 He beat his hand impatiently on the table at his side；
wondering how soon the want of money would force Allan to write
to him from London。 〃To…morrow？〃 he asked himself。 〃Or next day？〃
The morrow passed； and nothing happened。 The next day came； and
the letter arrived！ It was on business； as he had anticipated； it
asked for money； as he had anticipated； and there； at the end of
it； in a postscript； was the address added； concluding with the
words； 〃You may count on my staying here till further notice。〃