armadale-第42节

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hit　on　some　plan　of　his　own　for　dealing　with　this　matter；　rather
strangely　involving；　among　other　results；　the　letting　of　the
cottage　which　was　the　old　steward's　place　of　abode；　in
consequence　of　the　new　steward's　contemplated　residence　in　the
great　house。　A　chance　word　in　our　conversation　on　the　journey
here　led　Allan　into　speaking　out　more　plainly　than　he　had　spoken
yet；　and　I　heard　to　my　unutterable　astonishment　that　the　person
who　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　whole　arrangement　about　the　steward
was　no　other　than　myself！

〃It　is　needless　to　tell　you　how　I　felt　this　new　instance　of
Allan's　kindness。　The　first　pleasure　of　hearing　from　his　own　lips
that　I　had　deserved　the　strongest　proof　he　could　give　of　his
confidence　in　me　was　soon　dashed　by　the　pain　which　mixes　itself
with　all　pleasureat　least；　with　all　that　I　have　ever　known。
Never　has　my　past　life　seemed　so　dreary　to　look　back　on　as　it
seems　now；　when　I　feel　how　entirely　it　has　unfitted　me　to　take
the　place　of　all　others　that　I　should　have　liked　to　occupy　in　my
friend's　service。　I　mustered　courage　to　tell　him　that　I　had　none
of　the　business　knowledge　and　business　experience　which　his
steward　ought　to　possess。　He　generously　met　the　objection　by
telling　me　that　I　could　learn；　and　he　has　promised　to　send　to
London　for　the　person　who　has　already　been　employed　for　the　time
being　in　the　steward's　office；　and　who　will；　therefore；　be
perfectly　competent　to　teach　me。

〃Do　you；　too；　think　I　can　learn？　If　you　do；　I　will　work　day　and
night　to　instruct　myself。　But　if　（as　I　am　afraid）　the　steward's
duties　are　of　far　too　serious　a　kind　to　be　learned　off…hand　by　a
man　so　young　and　so　inexperienced　as　I　am；　then　pray　hasten　your
journey　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　exert　your　influence　over　Allan
personally。　Nothing　less　will　induce　him　to　pass　me　over；　and　to
employ　a　steward　who　is　really　fit　to　take　the　place。　Pray；　pray
act　in　this　matter　as　you　think　best　for　Allan's　interests。
Whatever　disappointment　I　may　feel；　_he_　shall　not　see　it。

〃Believe　me；　dear　Mr。　Brock；

〃Gratefuly　yours；

〃OZIAS　MIDWINTER。

〃P。S。I　open　the　envelope　again　to　add　one　word　more。　If　you
have　heard　or　seen　anything　since　your　return　to　Somersetshire　of
the　woman　in　the　black　dress　and　the　red　shawl；　I　hope　you　will
not　forget；　when　you　write；　to　let　me　know　it。

O。　M。〃

2。　_From　Mrs。　Oldershaw　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Ladies'　Toilet　Repository；　Diana　Street；　Pimlico；

Wednesday。

〃MY　DEAR　LYDIATo　save　the　post；　I　write　to　you；　after　a　long
day's　worry　at　my　place　of　business；　on　the　business
letter…paper；　having　news　since　we　last　met　which　it　seems
advisable　to　send　you　at　the　earliest　opportunity。

〃To　begin　at　the　beginning。　After　carefully　considering　the
thing；　I　am　quite　sure　you　will　do　wisely　with　young　Armadale　if
you　hold　your　tongue　about　Madeira　and　all　that　happened　there。
Your　position　was；　no　doubt；　a　very　strong　one　with　his　mother。
You　had　privately　helped　her　in　playing　a　trick　on　her　own
father；　you　had　been　ungratefully　dismissed；　at　a　pitiably　tender
age；　as　soon　as　you　had　served　her　purpose；　and；　when　you　came
upon　her　suddenly；　after　a　separation　of　more　than　twenty　years；
you　found　her　in　failing　health；　with　a　grown…up　son；　whom　she
had　kept　in　total　ignorance　of　the　true　story　of　her　marriage。

〃Have　you　any　such　advantages　as　these　with　the　young　gentleman
who　has　survived　her？　If　he　is　not　a　born　idiot　he　will　decline
to　believe　your　shocking　aspersions　on　the　memory　of　his　mother；
andseeing　that　you　have　no　proofs　at　this　distance　of　time　to
meet　him　withthere　is　an　end　of　your　money…grubbing　in　the
golden　Armadale　diggings。　Mind；　I　don't　dispute　that　the　old
lady's　heavy　debt　of　obligation；　after　what　you　did　for　her　in
Madeira；　is　not　paid　yet；　and　that　the　son　is　the　next　person　to
settle　with　you；　now　the　mother　has　slipped　through　your　fingers。
Only　squeeze　him　the　right　way；　my　dear；　that's　what　I　venture　to
suggestsqueeze　him　the　right　way。

〃And　which　is　the　right　way？　That　question　brings　me　to　my　news。

〃Have　you　thought　again　of　that　other　notion　of　yours　of　trying
your　hand　on　this　lucky　young　gentleman；　with　nothing　but　your
own　good　looks　and　your　own　quick　wits　to　help　you？　The　idea　hung
on　my　mind　so　strangely　after　you　were　gone　that　it　ended　in　my
sending　a　little　note　to　my　lawyer；　to　have　the　will　under　which
young　Armadale　has　got　his　fortune　examined　at　Doctor's　Commons。
The　result　turns　out　to　be　something　infinitely　more　encouraging
than　either　you　or　I　could　possibly　have　hoped　for。　After　the
lawyer's　report　to　me；　there　cannot　be　a　moment's　doubt　of　what
you　ought　to　do。　In　two　words；　Lydia；　take　the　bull　by　the
hornsand　marry　him！

〃I　am　quite　serious。　He　is　much　better　worth　the　venture　than　you
suppose。　Only　persuade　him　to　make　you　Mrs。　Armadale；　and　you　may
set　all　after…discoveries　at　flat　defiance。　As　long　as　he　lives；
you　can　make　your　own　terms　with　him；　and；　if　he　dies；　the　will
entitles　you；　in　spite　of　anything　he　can　say　or　dowith
children　or　without　themto　an　income　chargeable　on　his　estate
of　_twelve　hundred　a　year　for　life。_　There　is　no　doubt　about
this；　the　lawyer　himself　has　looked　at　the　will。　Of　course；　Mr。
Blanchard　had　his　son　and　his　son's　widow　in　his　eye　when　he　made
the　provision。　But；　as　it　is　not　limited　to　any　one　heir　by　name；
and　not　revoked　anywhere；　it　now　holds　as　good　with　young
Armadale　as　it　would　have　held　under　other　circumstances　with　Mr。
Blanchard's　son。　W　hat　a　chance　for　you；　after　all　the　miseries
and　the　dangers　you　have　gone　through；　to　be　mistress　of　Thorpe
Ambrose；　if　he　lives；　to　have　an　income　for　life；　if　he　dies！
Hook　him；　my　poor　dear；　hook　him　at　any　sacrifice。

〃I　dare　say　you　will　make　the　same　objection　when　you　read　this
which　you　made　when　we　were　talking　about　it　the　other　day；　I
mean　the　objection　of　your　age。

〃Now；　my　good　creature；　just　listen　to　me。　The　question　isnot
whether　you　were　five…and…thirty　last　birthday；　we　will　own　the
dreadful　truth；　and　say　you　werebut　whether　you　do　look；　or
don't　look；　your　real　age。　My　opinion　on　this　matter　ought　to　be；
and　is；　one　of　the　best　opinions　in　London。　I　have　had　twenty
years　experience　among　our　charming　sex　in　making　up　battered　old
faces　and　wornout　old　figures　to　look　like　new；　and　I　say
positively　you　don't　look　a　day　over　thirty；　if　as　much。　If　you
will　follow　my　advice　about　dressing；　and　use　one　or　two　of　my
applications　privately；　I　guarantee　to　put　you　back　three　years
more。　I　will　forfeit　all　the　money　I　shall　have　to　advance　for
you　in　this　matter；　if；　when　I　have　ground　you　young　again　in　my
wonderful　mill；　you　look　more　than　seven…and…twenty　in　any　man's
eyes　livingexcept；　of　course；　when　you　wake　anxious　in　the
small　hours　of　the　morning；　and　then；　my　dear；　you　will　be　old
and　ugly　in　the　retirement　of　your　own　room；　and　it　won't　matter。

〃　'But；'　you　may　say；　'supposing　all　this；　here　I　am；　even　with
your　art　to　help　me；　looking　a　good　six　years　older　than　he　is；
and　that　is　against　me　at　starting。'　Is　it？　Just　think　again。
Surely；　your　own　experience　must　have　shown　you　that　the
commonest　of　all　common　weaknesses；　in　young　fellows　of　this
Armadale's　age；　is　to　fall　in　love　with　women　older　than
themselves。　Who　are　the　men　who　really　appreciate　us　in　the　bloom
of　our　youth　（I'm　sure　I　have　cause　to　speak　well　of　the　bloom　of
youth；　I　made　fifty　guineas　to…day　by　putting　it　on　the　spotted
shoulders　of　a　woman　old　enough　to　be　your　mother）who　are　the
men；　I　say；　who　are　ready　to　worship　us　when　we　are　mere　babies
of　seventeen？　The　gay　young　gentlemen　in　the　bloom　of　their　own
youth？　No！　The　cunning　old　wretches　who　are　on　the　wrong　side　of
forty。

〃And　what　is　the　moral　of　this；　as　the　story…books　say？

〃The　moral　is　that　the　chances；　with　such　a　head　as　you　have　got
on　your　shoulders；　are　all　in　your　favor。　If　you　feel　your
present　forlorn　position；　as　I　believe　you　do；　if　you　know　what　a
charming　woman　（in　the　men's　eyes）　you　can　still　be　when　you
please；　and　if　all　your　resolution　has　really　come　back；　after
that　shocking　outbreak　of　desperation　on　board　the　steamer
（natural　enough；　I　own；　under　the　dreadful　provocation　laid　on
you）；　you　will　want　no　further　persuasion　from　me　to　try　this
experiment。　Only　to　think　of　how　things　turn　out！　If　the　other
young　booby　had　not　jumped　into　the　river　after　you；　_this_　young
booby　would　never　have　had　the　estate。　It　really　looks　as　if　fate
had　determined　that　you　were　to　be　Mrs。　Armadale；　of　Thorpe
Ambrose；　and　who　can　control　his　fate；　as　the　poet　says？

〃Send　me　one　line　to　say　Yes　or　No；　and　believe　me　your　attached
old　friend；

〃MARIA　OLDERSHAW。〃

3。　_From　Miss　Gwilt　to　Mrs。　Oldershaw。_

Richmond；　Thursday。

'YOU　OLD　WRETCHI　won't　say　Yes　or　No　till　I　have　had　a　long；
long　look　at　my　glass　first。　If　you　had　any　real　regard　for
anybody　but　your　wicked　old　self；　you　would　know　that　the　bare
idea　of　marrying　again　（after　what　I　have　gone　through）　is　an
idea　that　makes　my　flesh　creep。

〃But　there　can　be　no　harm　in　your　sending　me　a　little　more
information　while　I　am　making　up　my　mind。　You　have　got　twenty
pounds　of　mine　still　left　out　of