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altered woman since he had seen you last。 I revived that dead
wretch； your husband （without mentioning names； of course）；
established him （the first place I thought of） in business at the
Brazils； and described a letter which he had written； offering to
forgive his erring wife； if she would repent and go back to him。
I assured the parson that your husband's noble conduct had
softened your obdurate nature； and then； thinking I had produced
the right impression； I came boldly to close quarters with him。 I
said； 'At the very time when you met us； sir； my unhappy friend
was speaking in terms of touching； self…reproach of her conduct
to the late Mrs。 Armadale。 She confided to me her anxiety
to make some atonement； if possible； to Mrs。 Armadale's son； and
it is at her entreaty （for she cannot prevail on herself to face
you） that I now beg to inquire whether Mr。 Armadale is still in
Somersetshire； and whether he would consent to take back in small
installments the sum of money which my friend acknowledges that
she received by practicing on Mrs。 Armadale's fears。' Those were
my very words。 A neater story （accounting so nicely for
everything） was never told； it was a story to melt a stone。 But
this Somersetshire parson is harder than stone itself。 I blush
for _him；_ my dear； when I assure you that he was evidently
insensible enough to disbelieve every word I said about your
reformed character； your husband in the Brazils； and your
penitent anxiety to pay the money back。 It is really a disgrace
that such a man should be in the Church； such cunning as his is
in the last degree unbecoming in a member of a sacred profession。
〃 'Does your friend propose to join her husband by the next
steamer？' was all he condescended to say； when I had done。
〃I acknowledge I was angry。 I snapped at him。 I said； 'Yes； she
does。'
〃 'How am I to communicate with her？' he asked。
〃I snapped at him again。 'By letterthrough me。'
〃 'At what address； ma'am？'
〃There； I had him once more。 'You have found my address out for
yourself； sir；' I said。 'The directory will tell you my name； if
you wish to find that out for yourself also； otherwise； you are
welcome to my card。'
〃 'Many thanks； ma'am。 If your friend wishes to communicate with
Mr。 Armadale； I will give you _my_ card in return。'
〃 'Thank you； sir。'
〃 'Thank you； ma'am。'
〃 'Good…afternoon； sir。'
〃 'Good…afternoon； ma'am。'
〃So we parted。 I went my way to an appointment at my place of
business； and he went his in a hurry； which is of itself
suspicious。 What I can't get over is his heartlessness。 Heaven
help the people who send for _him_ to comfort them on their
death…beds！
〃The next consideration is； What are we to do？ If we don't find
out the right way to keep this old wretch in the dark； he may be
the ruin of us at Thorpe Ambrose just as we are within easy reach
of our end in view。 Wait up till I come to you； with my mind
free； I hope； from the other difficulty which is worrying me
here。 Was there ever such ill luck as ours？ Only think of that
man deserting his congregation； and coming to London just at the
very time when we have answered Major Milroy's advertisement； and
may expect the inquiries to be made next week！ I have no patience
with him； his bishop ought to interfere。
〃Affectionately yours；
〃MARIA OLDERSHAW。〃
2。 _From Miss Gwilt to Mrs。 Oldershaw。_
〃West Place； June 20th。
〃MY POOR OLD DEARHow very little you know of my sensitive
nature； as you call it！ Instead of feeling offended when you left
me； I went to your piano； and forgot all about you till your
messenger came。 Your letter is irresistible； I have been laughing
over it till I am quite out of breath。 Of all the absurd stories
I ever read； the story you addressed to the Somersetshire
clergyman is the most ridiculous。 And as for your interview with
him in the street； it is a perfect sin to keep it to ourselves。
The public ought really to enjoy it in the form of a farce at one
of the theaters。
〃Luckily for both of us （to come to serious matters）； your
messenger is a prudent person。 He sent upstairs to know if there
was an answer。 In the midst of my merriment I had presence of
mind enough to send downstairs and say 'Yes。'
〃Some brute of a man says； in some book which I once read； that
no woman can keep two separate trains of ideas in her mind at the
same time。 I declare you have almost satisfied me that the man is
right。 What！ when you have escaped unnoticed to your place of
business； and when you suspect this house to be watched； you
propose to come back here； and to put it in the parson's power to
recover the lost trace of you！ What madness！ Stop where you are；
and when you have got over your difficulty at Pimlico （it is some
woman's business； of course； what worries women are！）； be so good
as to read what I have got to say about our difficulty at
Brompton。
〃In the first place； the house （as you supposed） is watched。
〃Half an hour after you left me； loud voices in the street
interrupted me at the piano； and I went to the window。 There was
a cab at the house opposite； where they let lodgings； and an old
man； who looked like a respectable servant； was wrangling with
the driver about his fare。 An elderly gentleman came out of the
house； and stopped them。 An elderly gentleman returned into the
house； and appeared cautiously at the front drawing…room window。
You know him； you worthy creature； he had the bad taste； some few
hours since； to doubt whether you were telling him the truth。
Don't be afraid； he didn't see me。 When he looked up； after
settling with the cab driver； I was behind the curtain。 I have
been behind the curtain once or twice since； and I have seen
enough to satisfy me that he and his servant will relieve each
other at the window； so as never to lose sight of your house
here； night or day。 That the parson suspects the real truth is of
course impossible。 But that he firmly believes I mean some
mischief to young Armadale； and that you have entirely confirmed
him in that conviction； is as plain as that two and two make
four。 And this has happened （as you helplessly remind me） just
when we have answered the advertisement； and when we may expect
the major's inquiries to be made in a few days' time。
〃Surely； here is a terrible situation for two women to find
themselves in？ A fiddlestick's end for the situation！ We have got
an easy way out of itthanks； Mother Oldershaw； to what I myself
forced you to do； not three hours before the Somersetshire
clergyman met with us。
〃Has that venomous little quarrel of ours this morningafter we
had pounced on the major's advertisement in the newspaperquite
slipped out of your memory？ Have you forgotten how I persisted in
my opinion that you were a great deal too well known in London to
appear safely as my reference in your own name； or to receive an
inquiring lady or gentleman （as you were rash enough to propose）
in your own house？ Don't you remember what a passion you were in
when I brought our dispute to an end by declining to stir a step
in the matter； unless I could conclude my application to Major
Milroy by referring him to an address at which you were totally
unknown； and to a name which might be anything you pleased； as
long as it was not yours？ What a look you gave me when you found
there was nothing for it but to drop the whole speculation or to
let me have my own way！ How you fumed over the lodging hunting on
the other side of the Park！ and how you groaned when you came
back； possessed of furnished apartments in respectable Bayswater；
over the useless expense I had put you to！
〃What do you think of those furnished apartments _now；_ you
obstinate old woman？ Here we are； with discovery threatening us
at our very door； and with no hope of escape unless we can
contrive to disappear from the parson in the dark。 And there are
the lodgings in Bayswater； to which no inquisitive strangers have
traced either you or me； ready and waiting to swallow us upthe
lodgings in which we can escape all further molestation； and
answer the major's inquiries at our ease。 Can you see； at last； a
little further than your poor old nose？ Is there anything in the
world to prevent your safe disappearance from Pimlico to…night；
and your safe establishment at the new lodgings； in the character
of my respectable reference； half an hour afterward？ Oh； fie；
fie； Mother Oldershaw！ Go down on your wicked old knees； and
thank your stars that you had a she…devil like me to deal with
this morning！
〃Suppose we come now to the only difficulty worth mentioning_
my_ difficulty。 Watched as I am in this house； how am I to join
you without bringing the parson or the parson's servant with me
at my heels？
〃Being to all intents and purposes a prisoner here； it seems to
me that I have no choice but to try the old prison plan of
escapea change of clothes。 I have been looking at your
house…maid。 Excep t that we are both light； her face and hair and
my face and hair are as unlike each other as possible。 But she is
as nearly as can be my height and size； and （if she only knew how
to dress herself； and had smaller feet） her figure is a very much
better one th