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from the table a letter which the morning's post had brought to
him； and that he had gone back immediately to his own room。 Allan
at once ascended the stairs again； and knocked at his friend's
door。
〃May I come in？〃 he asked。
〃Not just now；〃 was the answer。
〃You have got a letter； haven't you？〃 persisted Allan。 〃Any bad
news？ Anything wrong？〃
〃Nothing。 I'm not very well this morning。 Don't wait breakfast
for me； I'll come down as soon as I can。〃
No more was said on either side。 Allan returned to the
breakfast…room a little disappointed。 He had set his heart on
rushing headlong into his consultation with Midwinter； and here
was the consultation indefinitely delayed。 〃What an odd fellow he
is！〃 thought Allan。 〃What on earth can he be doing； locked in
there by himself？〃
He was doing nothing。 He was sitting by the window； with the
letter which had reached him that morning open in his hand。 The
handwriting was Mr。 Brock's； and the words written were these：
〃MY DEAR MIDWINTERI have literally only two minutes before post
time to tell you that I have just met （in Kensington Gardens）
with the woman whom we both only know； thus far； as the woman
with the red Paisley shawl。 I have traced her and her companion
（a respectable…looking elderly lady） to their residenceafter
having distinctly heard Allan's name mentioned between them。
Depend on my not losing sight of the woman until I am satisfied
that she means no mischief at Thorpe Ambrose； and expect to hear
from me again as soon as I know how this strange discovery is to
end。
〃Very truly yours； D ECIMUS BROCK。〃
After reading the letter for the second time； Midwinter folded it
up thoughtfully； and placed it in his pocket…book； side by side
with the manuscript narrative of Allan's dream。
〃Your discovery will not end with _you；_ Mr。 Brock；〃 he said。 〃Do
what you will with the woman； when the time comes the woman will
be here。〃
CHAPTER V。
MOTHER OLDERSHAW ON HER GUARD。
1。 _From Mrs。 Oldershaw （Diana Street； Pimlico） to Miss Gwilt
（West Place； Old Brompton）。_
〃Ladies' Toilet Repository； June 20th；
Eight in the Evening。
〃MY DEAR LYDIAAbout three hours have passed； as well as I can
remember； since I pushed you unceremoniously inside my house in
West Place； and； merely telling you to wait till you saw me
again； banged the door to between us； and left you alone in the
hall。 I know your sensitive nature； my dear； and I am afraid you
have made up your mind by this time that never yet was a guest
treated so abominably by her hostess as I have treated you。
〃The delay that has prevented me from explaining my strange
conduct is； believe me； a delay for which I am not to blame。 One
of the many delicate little difficulties which beset so
essentially confidential a business as mine occurred here （as I
have since discovered） while we were taking the air this
afternoon in Kensington Gardens。 I see no chance of being able to
get back to you for some hours to come； and I have a word of very
urgent caution for your private ear； which has been too long
delayed already。 So I must use the spare minutes as they come；
and write。
〃Here is caution the first。 On no account venture outside the
door again this evening； and be very careful； while the daylight
lasts； not to show yourself at any of the front windows。 I have
reason to fear that a certain charming person now staying with me
may possibly be watched。 Don't be alarmed； and don't be
impatient； you shall know why。
〃I can only explain myself by going back to our unlucky meeting
in the Gardens with that reverend gentleman who was so obliging
as to follow us both back to my house。
〃It crossed my mind； just as we were close to the door； that
there might be a motive for the parson's anxiety to trace us
home； far less creditable to his taste； and far more dangerous to
both of us； than the motive you supposed him to have。 In plainer
words； Lydia； I rather doubted whether you had met with another
admirer； and I strongly suspected that you had encountered
another enemy instead 。 There was no time to tell you this。 There
was only time to see you safe into the house； and to make sure of
the parson （in case my suspicions were right） by treating him as
he had treated us； I mean； by following him in his turn。
〃I kept some little distance behind him at first； to turn the
thing over in my mind； and to be satisfied that my doubts were
not misleading me。 We have no concealments from each other； and
you shall know what my doubts were。
〃I was not surprised at _your_ recognizing _him；_ he is not at
all a common…looking old man； and you had seen him twice in
Somersetshireonce when you asked your way of him to Mrs。
Armadale's house； and once when you saw him again on your way
back to the railroad。 But I was a little puzzled （considering
that you had your veil down on both those occasions； and your
veil down also when we were in the Gardens） at his recognizing
_you。_ I doubted his remembering your figure in a summer dress
after he had only seen it in a winter dress； and though we were
talking when he met us； and your voice is one among your many
charms； I doubted his remembering your voice； either。 And yet I
felt persuaded that he knew you。 'How？' you will ask。 My dear； as
ill…luck would have it； we were speaking at the time of young
Armadale。 I firmly believe that the name was the first thing that
struck him； and when he heard _that；_； your voice certainly and
your figure perhaps； came back to his memory。 'And what if it
did？' you may say。 Think again； Lydia； and tell me whether the
parson of the place where Mrs。 Armadale lived was not likely to
be Mrs。 Armadale's friend？ If he _was_ her friend； the very first
person to whom she would apply for advice after the manner in
which you frightened her； and after what you most injudiciously
said on the subject of appealing to her son； would be the
clergyman of the parishand the magistrate； too； as the landlord
at the inn himself told you。
〃You will now understand why I left you in that extremely uncivil
manner； and I may go on to what happened next。
〃I followed the old gentleman till he turned into a quiet street；
and then accosted him； with respect for the Church written （I
flatter myself） in every line of my face。
〃 'Will you excuse me；' I said； 'if I venture to inquire； sir；
whether you recognized the lady who was walking with me when you
happened to pass us in the Gardens？'
〃 'Will you excuse my asking； ma'am； why you put that question？'
was all the answer I got。
〃 'I will endeavor to tell you； sir；' I said。 'If my friend is
not an absolute stranger to you； I should wish to request your
attention to a very delicate subject； connected with a lady
deceased； and with her son who survives her。'
〃He was staggered； I could see that。 But he was sly enough at the
same time to hold his tongue and wait till I said something more。
〃 'If I am wrong； sir； in thinking that you recognized my
friend；' I went on； 'I beg to apologize。 But I could hardly
suppose it possible that a gentleman in your profession would
follow a lady home who was a total stranger to him。'
〃There I had him。 He colored up （fancy that； at his age！）； and
owned the truth； in defense of his own precious character。
〃 'I have met with the lady once before； and I acknowledge that I
recognized her in the Gardens；' he said。 'You will excuse me if I
decline entering into the question of whether I did or did not
purposely follow her home。 If you wish to be assured that your
friend is not an absolute stranger to me； you now have that
assurance； and if you have anything particular to say to me； I
leave you to decide whether the time has come to say it。'
〃He waited； and looked about。 I waited； and looked about。 He said
the street was hardly a fit place to speak of a delicate subject
in。 I said the street was hardly a fit place to speak of a
delicate subject in。 He didn't offer to take me to where he
lived。 I didn't offer to take him to where I lived。 Have you ever
seen two strange cats； my dear； nose to nose on the tiles？ If you
have； you have seen the parson and me done to the life。
〃 'Well； ma'am；' he said； at last； 'shall we go on with our
conversation in spite of circumstances？'
〃 'Yes； sir；' I said； 'we are both of us； fortunately； of an age
to set circumstances at defiance' （I had seen the old wretch
looking at my gray hair； and satisfying himself that his
character was safe if he _was_ seen with me）。
〃After all this snapping and snarling； we came to the point at
last。 I began by telling him that I feared his interest in you
was not of the friendly sort。 He admitted that muchof course；
in defense of his own character once more。 I next repeated to him
everything you had told me about your proceedings in
Somersetshire； when we first found that he was following us home。
Don't be alarmed my dearI was acting on principle。 If you want
to make a dish of lies digestible； always give it a garnish of
truth。 Well； having appealed to the reverend gentleman's
confidence in this matter； I next declared that you had become an
altered woman since he had seen you last。 I revived that dead
w