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law in force at the first attempt she made to extort money from
any member of the family at Thorpe Ambrose。 The last chance was
to get at the address of her mistress's place of retirement。 The
family bankers； to whom she wrote； wrote back to say that they
were instructed not to give the lady's address to any one
applying for it； without being previously empowered to do so by
the lady herself。 That last letter settled the questionMiss
Gwilt could do nothing more。 With money at her command； she might
have gone to England and made the Blanchards think twice before
they carried things with too high a hand。 Not having a half…penny
at command； she was helpless。 Without money and without friends；
you may wonder how she supported herself while the correspondence
was going on。 She supported herself by playing the piano…forte at
a low concert…room in Brussels。 The men laid siege to her； of
course； in all directions； but they found her insensible as
adamant。 One of these rejected gentlemen was a Russian； and he
was the means of making her acquainted with a countrywoman of
his； whose name is unpronounceable by English lips。 Let us give
her her title； and call her the baroness。 The two women liked
each other at their first introduction； and a new scene opened in
Miss Gwilt's life。 She became reader and companion to the
baroness。 Everything was right； everything was smooth on the
surface。 Everything was rotten and everything was wrong under
it。〃
〃In what way； Jemmy？ Please to wait a little； and tell me in what
way。〃
〃In this way。 The baroness was fond of traveling； and she had a
select set of friends about her who were quite of her way of
thinking。 They went from one city on the Continent to another；
and were such charming people that they picked up acquaintances
everywhere。 The acquaintances were invited to the baroness's
receptions； and card…tables were invariably a part of the
baroness's furniture。 Do you see it now？ or must I tell you； in
the strictest confidence； that cards were not considered sinful
on these festive occasions； and that the luck； at the end of the
evening； turned out to be almost invariably on the side of the
baroness and her friends？ Swindlers； all of them； and there isn't
a doubt on my mind； whatever there may be on yours； that Miss
Gwilt's manners and appearance made her a valuable member of the
society in the capacity of a decoy。 Her own statement is that she
was innocent of all knowledge of what really went on； that she
was quite ignorant of card…playing； that she hadn't such a thing
as a respectable friend to turn to in the world； and that she
honestly liked the baroness； for the simple reason that the
baroness was a hearty good friend to her from first to last。
Believe that or not； as you please。 For five years she traveled
about all over the Continent with these card…sharpers in high
life； and she might have been among them at this moment； for
anything I know to the contrary； if the baroness had not caught a
Tartar at Naples； in the shape of a rich traveling Englishman；
named Waldron。 Aha！ that name startles you； does it？ You've read
the Trial of the famous Mrs。 Waldron； like the rest of the world？
And you know who Miss Gwilt is now； without my telling you？〃
He paused； and looked at his father in sudden perplexity。 Far
from being overwhelmed by the discovery which had just burst on
him； Mr。 Bashwood； after the first natural movement of surprise；
faced his son with a self…possession which was nothing short of
extraordinary under the circumstances。 There was a new brightness
in his eyes； and a new color in his face。 If it had been possible
to conceive such a thing of a man in his position； he seemed to
be absolutely encouraged instead of depressed by what he had just
heard。 〃Go on； Jemmy；〃 he said； quietly； 〃I am one of the few
people who didn't read the trial； I only heard of it。〃
Still wondering inwardly； Bashwood the younger recovered himself；
and went on。
〃You always were； and you always will be； behind the age；〃 he
said。 〃When we come to the trial； I can tell you as much about it
as you need know。 In the meantime； we must go back to the
baroness and Mr。 Waldron。 For a certain number of nights the
Englishman let the card…sharpers have it all their own way； in
other words； he paid for the privilege of making himself
agreeable to Miss Gwilt。 When he thought he had produced the
necessary impression on her； he exposed the whole confederacy
without mercy。 The police interfered； the baroness found herself
in prison； and Miss Gwilt was put between the two alternatives of
accepting Mr。 Waldron's protection or being thrown on the world
again。 She was amazingly virtuous； or amazingly clever； which you
please。 To Mr。 Waldron's astonishment； she told him that she
could face the prospect of being thrown on the world； and that he
must address her honorably or leave her forever。 The end of it
was what the end always is； where the man is infatuated and the
woman is determined。 To the disgust of his family and friends；
Mr。 Waldron made a virtue of necessity； and married her。〃
〃How old was he？〃 asked Bashwood the elder； eagerly。
Bashwood the younger burst out laughing。 〃He was about old
enough； daddy； to be your son； and rich enough to have burst that
precious pocket…book of yours with thousand…pound notes！ Don't
hang your head。 It wasn't a happy marriage； though he _was_ so
young and so rich。 They lived abroad； and got on well enough at
first。 He made a new will； of course； as soon as he was married；
and provided handsomely for his wife； under the tender pressure
of the honey…moon。 But women wear out； like other things； with
time； and one fine morning Mr。 Waldron woke up with a doubt in
his mind whether he had not acted like a fool。 He was an
ill…tempered man； he was discontented with himself； and of course
he made his wife feel it。 Having begun by quarreling with her； he
got on to suspecting her； and became savagely jealous of every
male creature who entered the house。 They had no incumbrances in
the shape of children； and they moved from one place to another；
just as his jealousy inclined him； till they moved back to
England at last； after having been married close on four years。
He had a lonely old house of his own among the Yorkshire moors；
and there he shut his wife and himself up from every living
creature； except his servants and his dogs。 Only one result could
come； of course； of treating a high…spirited young woman in that
way。 It may be her fate； or it may be chance； but； whenever a
woman is desperate； there is sure to be a man handy to take
advantage of it。 The man in this case was rather a 'dark horse；'
as they say on the turf。 He was a certain Captain Manuel； a
native of Cuba； and （according to his own account） an ex…officer
in the Spanish navy。 He had met Mr。 Waldron's beautiful wife on
the journey back to England； had contrived to speak to her in
spite of her husband's jealousy； and had followed her to her
place of imprisonment in Mr。 Waldron's house on the moors。 The
captain is described as a clever； determined fellowof the
daring piratical sortwith the dash of mystery about him that
women like〃
〃She's not the same as other women！〃 interposed Mr。 Bashwood；
suddenly interrupting his son。 〃Did she？〃 His voice failed him；
and he stopped without bringing the question to an end。
〃Did she like the captain？〃 suggested Bashwood the younger； with
another laugh。 〃According to her own account of it； she adored
him。 At the same time her conduct （as represented by herself） was
perfectly innocent。 Considering how carefully her husband watched
her； the statement （incredible as it appears） is probably true。
For six weeks or so they confined themselves to corresponding
privately； the Cuban captain （who spoke and wrote English
perfectly） having contrived to make a go…between of one of the
female servants in the Yorkshire house。 How it might have ended
we needn't trouble ourselves to inquireMr。 Waldron himself
brought matters to a crisis。 Whether he got wind of the
clandestine correspondence or not； doesn't appear。 But this is
certain； that he came home from a ride one day in a fiercer
temper than usual； that his wife showed him a sample of that high
spirit of hers which he had never yet been able to break； and
that it ended in his striking her across the face with his
riding…whip。 Ungentlemanly conduct； I am afraid we must admit；
but； to all outward appearance； the riding…whip produced the most
astonishing results。 From that moment the lady submitted as she
had never submitted before。 For a fortnight afterward he did what
he liked； and she never thwarted him； he said what he liked； and
she never uttered a word of protest。 Some men might have
suspected this sudden reformation of hiding something dangerous
under the surface。 Whether Mr。 Waldron looked at it in that
light； I can't tell you。 All that is known is that； before the
mark of the whip was off his wife's face； he fell ill； and that
in two days afterward he was a dead man。 What do you say to
that？〃
〃I say he deserved it！〃 answered Mr。 Bashwood； striking his hand
excitedly on the table； as his son paused and looked at h