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straight through you and your letter？ You know that the major's
difficulty is our opportunity as well as I do； but you want me to
take the responsibility of making the first proposal； don't you？
Suppose I take it in your own roundabout way？ Suppose I say；
'Pray don't ask me how I propose inflaming Mr。 Armadale and
extinguishing Miss Milroy； the question is so shockingly abrupt I
really can't answer it。 Ask me； instead； if it is the modest
ambition of my life to become Miss Milroy's governess？' Yes； if
you please； Mrs。 Oldershaw； and if you will assist me by becoming
my reference。
〃There it is for you！ If some serious disaster happens （which is
quite possible）； what a comfort it will be to remember that it
was all my fault！
〃Now I have done this for you； will you do something for me。 I
want to dream away the little time I am likely to have left here
in my own way。 Be a merciful Mother Oldershaw； and spare me the
worry of looking at the Ins and Outs； and adding up the chances
For and Against； in this new venture of mine。 Think for me； in
short； until I am obliged to think for myself。
〃I had better not write any more； or I shall say something savage
that you won't like。 I am in one of my tempers to…night。 I want a
husband to vex； or a child to beat； or something of that sort。 Do
you ever like to see the summer insects kill themselves in the
candle？ I do； sometimes。 Good…night； Mrs。 Jezebel The longer you
can leave me here the better。 The air agrees with me； and I am
looking charmingly。
〃L。 G。〃
7。 _From Mrs。 Oldershaw to Miss Gwilt。_
〃Thursday。
〃MY DEAR LYDIASome persons in my situation might be a little
offended at the tone of your last letter。 But I am so fondly
attached to you！ And when I love a person； it is so very hard； my
dear； for that person to offend me！ Don't ride quite so far； and
only drink half a tumblerful of claret next time。 I say no more。
〃Shall we leave off our fencing…match and come to serious matters
now？ How curiously hard it always seems to be for women to
understand each other； especially when they have got their pens
in their hands！ But suppose we try。
〃Well； then； to begin with： I gather from your letter that you
have wisely decided to try the Thorpe Ambrose experiment； and to
secure； if you can； an excellent position at starting by becoming
a member of Major Milroy's household。 If the circumstances turn
against you； and some other woman gets the governess's place
（about which I shall have something more to say presently）； you
will then have no choice but to make Mr。 Armadale's acquaintance
in some other character。 In any case； you will want my
assistance； and the first question； therefore； to set at rest
between us is the question of what I am willing to do； and what I
can do； to help you。
〃A woman； my dear Lydia； with your appearance； your manners； your
abilities； and your education； can make almost any excursions
into society that she pleases if she only has money in her pocket
and a respectable reference to appeal to in cases of emergency。
As to the money； in the first place。 I will engage to find it； on
condition of your remembering my assistance with adequate
pecuniary gratitude if you win the Armadale prize。 Your promise
so to remember me； embodying the terms in plain figures； shall be
drawn out on paper by my own lawyer； so that we can sign and
settle at once when I see you in London。
〃Next； as to the reference。
〃Here； again； my services are at your disposal； on another
condition。 It is this： that you present yourself at Thorpe
Ambrose； under the name to which you have returned ever since
that dreadful business of your marriage； I mean your own maiden
name of Gwilt。 I have only one motive in insisting on this； I
wish to run no needless risks 。 My experience； as confidential
adviser of my customers； in various romantic cases of private
embarrassment； has shown me that an assumed name is； nine times
out of ten； a very unnecessary and a very dangerous form of
deception。 Nothing could justify your assuming a name but the
fear of young Armadale's detecting youa fear from which we are
fortunately relieved by his mother's own conduct in keeping your
early connection with her a profound secret from her son and from
everybody。
〃The next； and last； perplexity to settle relates； my dear； to
the chances for and against your finding your way； in the
capacity of governess； into Major Milroy's house。 Once inside the
door； with your knowledge of music and languages； if you can keep
your temper； you may be sure of keeping the place。 The only
doubt； as things are now； is whether you can get it。
〃In the major's present difficulty about his daughter's
education； the chances are； I think； in favor of his advertising
for a governess。 Say he does advertise； what address will he give
for applicants to write to？
〃If he gives an address in London； good…by to all chances in your
favor at once； for this plain reason； that we shall not be able
to pick out his advertisement from the advertisements of other
people who want governesses； and who will give them addresses in
London as well。 If； on the other hand； our luck helps us； and he
refers his correspondents to a shop； post…office； or what not _at
Thorpe Ambrose；_ there we have our advertiser as plainly picked
out for us as we can wish。 In this last case； I have little or no
doubtwith me for your referenceof your finding your way into
the major's family circle。 We have one great advantage over the
other women who will answer the advertisement。 Thanks to my
inquiries on the spot； I know Major Milroy to be a poor man； and
we will fix the salary you ask at a figure that is sure to tempt
him。 As for the style of the letter； if you and I together can't
write a modest and interesting application for the vacant place；
I should like to know who can？
〃All this； however； is still in the future。 For the present my
advice is； stay where you are； and dream to your heart's content；
till you hear from me again。 I take in _The Times_ regularly； and
you may trust my wary eye not to miss the right advertisement。 We
can luckily give the major time； without doing any injury to our
own interests； for there is no fear just yet of the girl's
getting the start of you。 The public reception； as we know； won't
be ready till near the end of the month； and we may safely trust
young Armadale's vanity to keep him out of his new house until
his flatterers are all assembled to welcome him。
〃It's odd； isn't it； to think how much depends on this half…pay
officer's decision？ For my part； I shall wake every morning now
with the same question in my mind： If the major's advertisment
appears； which will the major sayThorpe Ambrose； or London？
〃Ever； my dear Lydia； affectionately yours；
〃MARIA OLDERSHAW。〃
CHAPTER II。
ALLAN AS A LANDED GENTLEMAN。
EARLY on the morning after his first night's rest at Thorpe
Ambrose； Allan rose and surveyed the prospect from his bedroom
window； lost in the dense mental bewilderment of feeling himself
to be a stranger in his own house。
The bedroom looked out over the great front door； with its
portico； its terrace and flight of steps beyond； and； further
still； the broad sweep of the well…timbered park to close the
view。 The morning mist nestled lightly about the distant trees；
and the cows were feeding sociably； close to the iron fence which
railed off the park from the drive in front of the house。 〃All
mine！〃 thought Allan； staring in blank amazement at the prospect
of his own possessions。 〃Hang me if I can beat it into my head
yet。 All mine！〃
He dressed； left his room； and walked along the corridor which
led to the staircase and hall； opening the doors in succession as
he passed them。
The rooms in this part of the house were bedrooms and
dressing…rooms； light； spacious； perfectly furnished； and all
empty； except the one bed…chamber next to Allan's； which had been
appropriated to Midwinter。 He was still sleeping when his friend
looked in on him； having sat late into the night writing his
letter to Mr。 Brock。 Allan went on to the end of the first
corridor； turned at right angles into a second； and； that passed；
gained the head of the great staircase。 〃No romance here；〃 he
said to himself； looking down the handsomely carpeted stone
stairs into the bright modern hall。 〃Nothing to startle
Midwinter's fidgety nerves in this house。〃 There was nothing；
indeed； Allan's essentially superficial observation had not
misled him for once。 The mansion of Thorpe Ambrose （built after
the pulling down of the dilapidated old manor…house） was barely
fifty years old。 Nothing picturesque； nothing in the slightest
degree suggestive of mystery and romance； appeared in any part of
it。 It was a purely conventional country housethe product of
the classical idea filtered judiciously through the commercial
English mind。 Viewed on the outer side； it presented the
spectacle of a modern manufactory trying to look like an ancient
temple。 Viewed on the inner side； it was a marvel of luxurious
comfort in every part of it； from basement to roof。 〃And quite
right； too；〃 thought Allan； sauntering contentedly down the
broad； gentl