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proposal had suggested to me； the moment he made it； that my
fictitious 'family circumstances' might be turned to good account
once more； as a reason for unexpectedly summoning me from Italy
to England。
〃On the ninth of the month we were installed at Turin。
〃On the thirteenth； Midwinterbeing then very busyasked if I
would save him a loss of time by applying for any letters which
might have followed us from Naples。 I had been waiting for the
opportunity he now offered me； and I determined to snatch at it
without allowing myself time to hesitate。 There were no letters
at the _poste restante_ for either of us。 But when he put the
question on my return； I told him that there had been a letter
for me； with alarming news from 'home。' My 'mother' was
dangerously ill； and I was entreated to lose no time in hurrying
back to England to see her。
〃It seems quite unaccountablenow that I am away from himbut
it is none the less true； that I could not； even yet； tell him a
downright premeditated falsehood； without a sense of shrinking
and shame； which other people would think； and which I think
myself； utterly inconsistent with such a character as mine。
Inconsistent or not； I felt it。 And what is strangerperhaps I
ought to say madderstill； if he had persisted in his first
resolution to accompany me himself to England rather than allow
me to travel alone； I firmly believe I should have turned my back
on temptation for the second time； and have lulled myself to rest
once more in the old dream of living out my life happy and
harmless in my husband's love。
〃Am I deceiving myself in this？ It doesn't matterI dare say I
am。 Never mind what _might_ have happened。 What _did_ happen is
the only thing of any importance now。
〃It ended in Midwinter's letting me persuade him that I was old
enough to take care of myself on the journey to England； and that
he owed it to the newspaper people； who had trusted their
interests in his hands； not to leave Turin just as he was
established there。 He didn't suffer at taking leave of me as he
suffered when he saw the last of his friend。 I saw that； and set
down the anxiety he expressed that I should write to him at its
proper value。 I have quite got over my weakness for him at last。
No man who really loved me would have put what he owed to a peck
of newspaper people before what he owed to his wife。 I hate him
for letting me convince him！ I believe he was glad to get rid of
me。 I believe he has seen some woman whom he likes at Turin。
Well； let him follow his new fancy； if he pleases！ I shall be the
widow of Mr。 Armadale of Thorpe Ambrose before long； and what
will his likes or dislikes matter to me then？
〃The events on the journey were not worth mentioning； and my
arrival in London stands recorded already on the top of the new
page。
〃As for to…day； the one thing of any importance that I have done
since I got to the cheap and quiet hotel at which I am now
staying； has been to send for the landlord； and ask him to help
me to a sight of the back numbers of _The Times_ newspaper。 He
has politely offered to accompany me himself to…morrow morning to
some place in the City where all the papers are kept； as he calls
it； in file。 Till to…morrow； then； I must control my impatience
for news of Armadale as well as I can。 And so good…night to the
pretty reflection of myself that appears in these pages！
〃November 20th。Not a word of news yet； either in the obituary
column or in any other part of the paper。 I looked carefully
through each number in succession； dating from the day when
Armadale's letter was written at Messina to this present 20th of
the month； and I am certain； whatever may have happened； that
nothing is known in England as yet。 Patience！ The newspaper is to
meet me at the breakfast…table every morning till further notice；
and any day now may show me what I most want to see。
〃November 21st。No news again。 I wrote to Midwinter to…day； to
keep up appearances。
〃When the letter was done； I fell into wretchedly low spiritsI
can't imagine whyand felt such a longing for a little company
that； in despair of knowing where else to go； I actually went to
Pimlico； on the chance that Mother Oldershaw might have returned
to her old quarters。
〃There were changes since I had seen the place during my former
stay in London。 Doctor Downward's side of the house was still
empty。 But the shop was being brightened up for the occupation of
a milliner and dress…maker。 The people； when I went in to make
inquiries； were all strangers to me。 They showed； however； no
hesitation in giving me Mrs。 Oldershaw's address when I asked for
itfrom which I infer that the little 'difficulty' which forced
her to be in hiding in August last is at an end； so far as she is
concerned。 As for the doctor； the people at the shop either were；
or pretended to be； quite unable to tell me what had become of
him。
〃I don't know whether it was the sight of the place at Pimlico
that sickened me； or whether it was my own perversity； or what。
But now that I had got Mrs。 Oldershaw's address； I felt as if she
was the very last person in the world that I wanted to see。 I
took a cab； and told the man to drive to the street she lived in；
and then told him to drive back to the hotel。 I hardly know what
is the matter with meunless it is that I am getting more
impatient every hour for information about Armadale。 When will
the future look a little less dark； I wonder？ To…morrow is
Saturday。 Will to…morrow's newspaper lift the veil？
〃November 22d。Saturday's newspaper _has_ lifted the veil！ Words
are vain to express the panic of astonishment in which I write。 I
never once anticipated it； I can't believe it or realize it； now
it has happened。 The winds and waves themselves have turned my
accomplices！ The yacht has foundered at sea； and every soul on
board has perished！
〃Here is the account cut out of this morning's newspaper：
〃 'DISASTER AT SEA。Intelligence has reached the Royal Yacht
Squadron and the insurers which leaves no reasonable doubt； we
regret to say； of the total loss； on the fifth of the present
month； of the yacht _Dorothea；_ with every soul on board。 The
particulars are as follows： At daylight； on the morning of the
sixth； the Italian brig _Speranza；_ bound from Venice to Marsala
for orders； encountered some floating objects off Cape
Spartivento （at the southernmost extremity of Italy） which
attracted the curiosity of the people of the brig。 The previous
day had been marked by one of the most severe of the sudden and
violent storms； peculiar to these southern seas； which has been
remembered for years。 The _Speranza_ herself having been in
danger while the gale lasted； the captain and crew concluded that
they were on the traces of a wreck； and a boat was lowered for
the purpose of examining the objects in the water。 A hen…coop；
some broken spars； and fragments of shattered plank were the
first evidences discovered of the terrible disaster that had
happened。 Some of the lighter articles of cabin furniture；
wrenched and shattered； were found next。 And； lastly； a memento
of melancholy interest turned up； in the shape of a lifebuoy；
with a corked bottle attached to it。 These latter objects； with
the relics of cabin furniture； were brought on board the
_Speranza。_ On the buoy the name of the vessel was painted； as
follows： 〃_Dorothea； R。 Y。 S。_〃 （meaning Royal Yacht Squadron）。
The bottle； on being uncorked； contained a sheet of note…paper；
on which the following lines were hurriedly traced in pencil：
〃Off Cape Spartivento； two days out from Messina。 Nov。 5th； 4
P。M。〃 （being the hour at which the log of the Italian brig showed
the storm to have been at its height）。 〃Both our boats are stove
in by the sea。 The rudder is gone； and we have sprung a leak
astern which is more than we can stop。 The Lord help us allwe
are sinking。 （Signed） John Mitchenden； Mate。〃 On reaching
Marsala； the captain of the brig made his report to the British
consul； and left the objects discovered in that gentleman's
charge。 Inquiry at Messina showed that the ill…fated vessel had
arrived there from Naples。 At the latter port it was ascertained
that the _Dorothea_ had been hired from the owner's agent by an
English gentleman； Mr。 Armadale； of Thorpe Ambrose； Norfolk。
Whether Mr。 Armadale had any friends on board with him has not
been clearly discovered。 But there is unhappily no doubt that the
ill…fated gentleman himself sailed in the yacht from Naples； and
that he was also on board of the vessel when she left Messina。'
〃Such is the story of the wreck； as the newspaper tells it in the
plainest and fewest words。 My head is in a whirl； my confusion is
so great that I think of fifty different things in trying to
think of one。 I must waita day more or less is of no
consequence nowI must wait till I can face my new position；
without feeling bewildered by it。
〃November 23d。Eight in the morning。I rose an hour ago； and
saw my way clearly to the first step that I must take under
present circumstances。
〃It is of the utmost importance to me to know what is doing at
Thorpe Ambrose； and it would be the height of rashness； while I
am qui