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nonsense have you been talking！〃 he said。 〃And what nonsense have
I been listening to！ It's the governess at last。〃
Midwinter made no reply。 Allan took him by the arm； and tried to
lead him on。 He released himself suddenly； and seized Allan with
both hands； holding him back from the figure at the pool； as he
had held him back from the cabin door on the deck of the timber
ship。 Once again the effort was in vain。 Once again Allan broke
away as easily as he had broken away in the past time。
〃One of us must speak to her；〃 he said。 〃And if you won't； I
will。〃
He had only advanced a few steps toward the Mere； when he heard；
or thought he heard； a voice faintly calling after him； once and
once only； the word Farewell。 He stopped； with a feeling of
uneasy surprise； and looked round。
〃Was that you； Midwinter？〃 he asked。
There was no answer。 After hesitating a moment more； Allan
returned to the plantation。 Midwinter was gone。
He looked back at the pool； doubtful in the new emergency what to
do next。 The lonely figure had altered its course in the
interval； it had turned； and was advancing toward the trees。
Allan had been evidently either heard or seen。 It was impossible
to leave a woman unbefriended； in that helpless position and in
that solitary place。 For the second time Allan went out from the
trees to meet her。
As he came within sight of her face； he stopped in ungovernable
astonishment。 The sudden revelation of her beauty； as she smiled
and looked at him inquiringly； suspended the movement in his
limbs and the words on his lips。 A vague doubt beset him whether
it was the governess； after all。
He roused himself； and； advancing a few paces； mentioned his
name。 〃May I ask；〃 he added； 〃if I have the pleasure？〃
The lady met him easily and gracefully half…way。 〃Major Milroy's
governess；〃 she said。 〃Miss Gwilt。〃
CHAPTER X
THE HOUSE…MAID'S FACE。
ALL was quiet at Thorpe Ambrose。 The hall was solitary； the rooms
were dark。 The servants； waiting for the supper hour in the
garden at the back of the house； looked up at the clear heaven
and the rising moon； and agreed that there was little prospect of
the return of the picnic party until later in the night。 The
general opinion； led by the high authority of the cook； predicted
that they might all sit down to supper without the least fear of
being disturbed by the bell。 Having arrived at this conclusion；
the servants assembled round the table； and exactly at the moment
when they sat down the bell rang。
The footman； wondering； went up stairs to open the door； and
found to his astonishment Midwinter waiting alone on the
threshold； and looking （in the servant's opinion） miserably ill。
He asked for a light； and； saying he wanted nothing else；
withdrew at once to his room。 The footman went back to his
fellow…servants； and reported that something had certainly
happened to his master's friend。
On entering his room； Midwinter closed the door； and hurriedly
filled a bag with the necessaries for traveling。 This done； he
took from a locked drawer； and placed in the breast pocket of his
coat； some little presents which Allan had given hima cigar
case； a purse； and a set of studs in plain gold。 Having possessed
himself of these memorials； he snatched up the bag and laid his
hand on the door。 There； for the first time； he paused。 There；
the headlong haste of all his actions thus far suddenly ceased；
and the hard despair in his face began to soften： he waited； with
the door in his hand。
Up to that moment he had been conscious of but one motive that
animated him； but one purpose that he was resolute to achieve。
〃For Allan's sake！〃 he had said to himself； when he looked back
toward the fatal landscape and saw his friend leaving him to meet
the woman at the pool。 〃For Allan's sake！〃 he had said again；
when he crossed the open country beyond the wood； and saw afar；
in the gray twilight； the long line of embankment and the distant
glimmer of the railway lamps beckoning him away already to the
iron road。
It was only when he now paused before he closed the door behind
himit was only when his own impetuous rapidity of action came
for the first time to a check； that the nobler nature of the man
rose in protest against the superstitious despair which was
hurrying him from all that he held dear。 His conviction of the
terrible necessity of leaving Allan for Allan's good had not been
shaken for an instant since he had seen the first Vision of the
Dream realized on the shores of the Mere。 But now； for the first
time； his own heart rose against him in unanswerable rebuke。 〃Go；
if you must and will！ but remember the time when you were ill；
and he sat by your bedside； friendless； and he opened his heart
to youand write； if you fear to speak； write and ask him to
forgive you； before you leave him forever！〃
The half…opened door closed again softly。 Midwinter sat down at
the writing…table and took up the pen。
He tried again and again； and yet again； to write the farewell
words； he tried； till the floor all round him was littered with
torn sheets of paper。 Turn from them which way he would； the old
times still came back and faced him reproachfully。 The spacious
bed…chamber in which he sat； narrowed； in spite of him； to the
sick usher誷 garret at the west…country inn。 The kind hand that
had once patted him on the shoulder touched him again； the kind
voice that had cheered him spoke unchangeably in the old friendly
tones。 He flung his arms on the table and dropped his head on
them in tearless despair。 The parting words that his tongue was
powerless to utter his pen was powerless to write。 Mercilessly in
earnest； his superstition pointed to him to go while the time was
his own。 Mercilessly in earnest； his love for Allan held him back
till the farewell plea for pardon and pity was written。
He rose with a sudden resolution； and rang for the servant； 〃When
Mr。 Armadale returns；〃 he said； 〃ask him to excuse my coming
downstairs； and say that I am trying to get to sleep。〃 He locked
the door and put out the light； and sat down alone in the
darkness。 〃The night will keep us apart；〃 he said； 〃and time may
help me to write。 I may go in the early morning； I may go
while〃 The thought died in him uncompleted； and the sharp agony
of the struggle forced to his lips the first cry of suffering
that had escaped him yet。
He waited in the darkness。
As the time stole on； his senses remained mechanically awake； but
his mind began to sink slowly under the heavy strain that had now
been laid on it for some hours past。 A dull vacancy possessed
him； he made no attempt to kindle the light and write once more。
He never started； he never moved to the open window； when the
first sound of approaching wheels broke in on the silence of the
night。 He heard the carriages draw up at the door； he heard the
horses champing their bits； he heard the voices of Allan and
young Pedgift on the steps； and still he sat quiet in the
darkness； and still no interest was aroused in him by the sounds
that reached his ear from outside。
The voices remained audible after the carriages had been driven
away； the two young men were evidently lingering on the steps
before they took leave of each other。 Every word they said
reached Midwinter through the open window。 Their one subject of
conversation was the new governess。 Allan's voice was loud in her
praise。 He had never passed such an hour of delight in his life
as the hour he had spent with Miss Gwilt in the boat； on the way
from Hurle Mere to the picnic party waiting at the other Broad。
Agreeing； on his side； with all that his client said in praise of
the charming stranger； young Pedgift appeared to treat the
subject； when it fell into his hands； from a different point of
view。 Miss Gwilt's attractions had not so entirely absorbed his
attention as to prevent him from noticing the impression which
the new governess had produced on her employer and her pupil。
〃There's a screw loose somewhere； sir； in Major Milroy's family；〃
said the voice of young Pedgift。 〃Did you notice how the major
and his daughter looked when Miss Gwilt made her excuses for
being late at the Mere？ You don't remember？ Do you remember what
Miss Gwilt said？〃
〃Something about Mrs。 Milroy； wasn't it？〃 Allan rejoined。
Young Pedgift's voice dropped mysteriously a note lower。
〃Miss Gwilt reached the cottage this afternoon； sir； at the time
when I told you she would reach it； and she would have joined us
at the time I told you she would come； but for Mrs。 Milroy。 Mrs。
Milroy sent for her upstairs as soon as she entered the house；
and kept her upstairs a good half…hour and more。 That was Miss
Gwilt's excuse； Mr。 Armadale； for being late at the Mere。〃
〃Well； and what then？〃
〃You seem to forget； sir； what the whole neighborhood has heard
about Mrs。 Milroy ever since the major first settled among us。 We
have all been told； on the doctor's own authority； that she is
too great a sufferer to see strangers。 Isn't it a little odd that
she should have suddenly turned out well enough to see Miss Gwilt
（in her husband's absence） the moment Miss Gwilt entered the
house？〃
〃Not a bit of it！ Of