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deceived us by a false reference。 On my expressing the surprise
which such an extraordinary statement caused me； and requesting
that it might be instantly substantiated； I was still further
astonished by being told to apply for all particulars to no less
a person than Mr。 Armadale。 I have vainly requested some further
explanation from Mrs。 Milroy； she persists in maintaining
silence； and in referring me to yourself。
〃Under these extraordinary circumstances； I am compelled； in
justice to all parties； to ask you certain questions which I will
endeavor to put as plainly as possible； and which I am quite
ready to believe （from my previous experience of you） that you
will answer frankly on your side。
〃I beg to inquire； in the first place； whether you admit or deny
Mrs。 Milroy's assertion that you have made yourself acquainted
with particulars relating either to Miss Gwilt or to Miss Gwilt's
reference； of which I am entirely ignorant？ In the second place；
if you admit the truth of Mrs。 Milroy's statement； I request to
know how you became acquainted with those particulars？ Thirdly；
and lastly； I beg to ask you what the particulars are？
〃If any special justification for putting these questions be
neededwhich； purely as a matter of courtesy toward yourself； I
am willing to admitI beg to remind you that the most precious
charge in my house； the charge of my daughter； is confided to
Miss Gwilt； and that Mrs。 Milroy's statement places you； to all
appearance； in the position of being competent to tell me whether
that charge is properly bestowed or not。
〃I have only to add that； as nothing has thus far occurred to
justify me in entertaining the slightest suspicion either of my
governess or her reference； I shall wait before I make any appeal
to Miss Gwilt until I have received your answerwhich I shall
expect by return of post。 Believe me； dear sir； faithfully yours；
〃DAVID MILROY。〃
This transparently straightforward letter at once dissipated the
confusion which had thus far existed in Allan's mind。 He saw the
snare in which he had been caught （though he was still
necessarily at a loss to understand why it had been set for him）
as he had not seen it yet。 Mrs。 Milroy had clearly placed him
between two alternativesthe alternative of putting himself in
the wrong； by declining to answer her husband's questions； or the
alternative of meanly sheltering his responsibility behind the
responsibility of a woman； by acknowledging to the major's own
face that the major's wife had deceived him。
In this difficulty Allan acted as usual； without hesitation。 His
pledge to Mrs。 Milroy to consider their correspondence private
still bound him； disgracefully as she had abused it。 And his
resolution was as immovable as ever to let no earthly
consideration tempt him into betraying Miss Gwilt。 〃I may have
behaved like a fool；〃 he thought； 〃but I won't break my word； and
I won't be the means of turning that miserable woman adrift in
the world again。〃
He wrote to the major as artlessly and briefly as he had written
to the major's wife。 He declared his unwillingness to cause a
friend and neighbor any disappointment； if he could possibly help
it。 On this occasion he had no other choice。 The questions the
major asked him were questions which he could not consent to
answer。 He was not very clever at explaining himself； and he
hoped he might be excused for putting it in that way； and saying
no more。
Monday's post brought with it Major Milroy's rejoinder； and
closed the correspondence。
〃The Cottage； Thorpe Ambrose； Sunday。
〃SIRYour refusal to answer my questions； unaccompanied as it is
by even the shadow of an excuse for such a proceeding； can be
interpreted but in one way。 Besides being an implied
acknowledgment of the correctness of Mrs。 Milroy's statement； it
is also an implied reflection on my governess's character。 As an
act of justice toward a lady who lives under the protection of my
roof； and who has given me no reason whatever to distrust her； I
shall now show our correspondence to Miss Gwilt； and I shall
repeat to her the conversation which I had with Mrs。 Milroy on
the subject； in Mrs。 Milroy's presence。
〃One word more respecting the future relations between us； and I
have done。 My ideas on certain subjects are； I dare say； the
ideas of an old…fashioned man。 In my time； we had a code of honor
by which we regulated our actions。 According to that code； if a
man made private inquiries into a lady's affairs； without being
either her husband； her father； or her brother； he subjected
himself to the responsibility of justifying his conduct in the
estimation of others； and； if he evaded that responsibility； he
abdicated the position of a gentleman。 It is quite possible that
this antiquated way of thinking exists no longer； but it is too
late for me； at my time of life； to adopt more modern views。 I am
scrupulously anxious； seeing that we live in a country and a time
in which the only court of honor is a police…court； to express
myself with the utmost moderation of language upon this the last
occasion that I shall have to communicate with you。 Allow me；
therefore； merely to remark that our ideas of the conduct which
is becoming in a gentleman differ seriously； and permit me on
this account to request that you will consider yourself for the
future as a stranger to my family and to myself。
〃Your obedient servant；
〃DAVID MILROY。〃
The Monday morning on which his client received the major's
letter was the blackest Monday that had yet been marked in
Pedgift's calendar。 When Allan's first angry sense of the tone of
contempt in which his friend and neighbor pronounced sentence on
him had subsided； it left him sunk in a state of depression from
which no efforts made by his traveling companion could rouse him
for the rest of the day。 Reverting naturally； now that his
sentence of banishment had been pronounced； to his early
intercourse with the cottage； his memory went back to Neelie；
more regretfully and more penitently than it had gone back to her
yet。〃 If _she_ had shut the door on me； instead of her father；〃
was the bitter reflection with which Allan now reviewed the past；
〃I shouldn't have had a word to say against it； I should have
felt it served me right。〃
The next day brought another lettera welcome letter this time；
from Mr。 Brock。 Allan had written to Somersetshire on the subject
of refitting the yacht some days since。 The letter had found the
rector engaged； as he innocently supposed； in protecting his old
pupil against the woman whom he had watched in London； and whom
he now believed to have followed him back to his own home。 Acting
under the directions sent to her； Mrs。 Oldershaw's house…maid had
completed the mystification of Mr。 Brock。 She had tranquilized
all further anxiety on the rector's part by giving him a written
undertaking （in the character of Miss Gwilt）； engaging never to
approach Mr。 Armadale； either personally or by letter！ Firmly
persuaded that he had won the victory at last； poor Mr。 Brock
answered Allan's note in the highest spirits； expressing some
natural surprise at his leaving Thorpe Ambrose； but readily
promising that the yacht should be refitted； and offering the
hospitality of the rectory in the heartiest manner。
This letter did wonders in raising Allan's spirits。 It gave him a
new interest to look to； entirely disassociated from his past
life in Norfolk。 He began to count the days that were still to
pass before the return of his absent friend。 It was then Tuesday。
If Midwinter came back from his walking trip； as he had engaged
to come back； in a fortnight； Saturday would find him at Thorpe
Ambrose。 A note sent to meet the traveler might bring him to
London the same night； and； if all went well； before another week
was over they might be afloat together in the yacht。
The next day passed； to Allan's relief； without bringing any
letters。 The spirits of Pedgift rose sympathetically with the
spirits of his client。 Toward dinner time he reverted to the
_mens sana in corpore sano_ of the ancients； and issued his
orders to the head…waiter more royally than ever。
Thursday came； and brought the fatal postman with more news from
Norfolk。 A letter…writer now stepped on the scene who had not
appeared there yet； and the total overthrow of all Allan's plans
for a visit to Somersetshire was accomplished on the spot。
Pedgift Junior happened that morning to be the first at the
breakfast table。 When Allan came in； he relapsed into his
professional manner； and offered a letter to his patron with a
bow performed in dreary silence。
〃For me？〃 inquired Allan； shrinking instinctively from a new
correspondent。
〃For you； sirfrom my father；〃 replied Pedgift； 〃inclosed in one
to myself。 Perhaps you will allow me to suggest； by way of
preparing you forfor something a little unpleasantthat we
shall want a particularly good dinner to…day； and （if they're not
performing any modern German music to…night） I think we should do
well to finish the evening melodiously at the Opera。〃
〃Something wrong at Thorpe Ambrose？〃 asked Allen。
〃Yes； Mr。 Armadale； something wrong at Thorpe Ambrose。〃