go…go…going to marry Mr。 Armadale； are you？ Jealousif ever I
saw it in a man's face yet； I saw it in hisactually jealous of
Armadale at his age！ If I had been in the humor for it； I should
have burst out laughing in his face。 As it was； I was angry； and
lost all patience with him。 I told him he was an old fool； and
ordered him to go on quietly with his usual business until I sent
him word that he was wanted again。 He submitted as usual； but
there was an indescribable something in his watery old eyes； when
he took leave of me； which I have never noticed in them before。
Love has the credit of working all sorts of strange
transformations。 Can it be really possible that Love has made Mr。
Bashwood man enough to be angry with me？
〃Wednesday。My experience of Miss Milroy's habits suggested a
suspicion to me last night which I thought it desirable to clear
up this morning。
〃It was always her way； when I was at the cottage； to take a walk
early in the morning before breakfast。 Considering that I used
often to choose that very time for _my_ private meetings with
Armadale； it struck me as likely that my former pupil might be
taking a leaf out of my book； and that I might make some
desirable discoveries if I turned my steps in the direction of
the major's garden at the right hour。 I deprived myself of my
Drops； to make sure of waking； passed a miserable night in
consequence； and was ready enough to get up at six o'clock； and
walk the distance from my lodgings to the cottage in the fresh
morning air。
〃I had not been five minutes on the park side of the garden
inclosure before I sat her come out。
〃She seemed to have had a bad night too； her eyes were heavy and
red； and her lips and cheeks looked swollen as if she had been
crying。 There was something on her mind； evidently； something； as
it soon appeared； to take her out of the garden into the park。
She walked （if one can call it walking； with such legs as hers！）
straight to the summer house； and opened the door； and crossed
the bridge； and went on quicker and quicker toward the low ground
in the park； where the trees are thickest。 I followed her over
the open space with perfect impunity in the preoccupied state she
was in； and； when she began to slacken her pace among the trees；
I was among the trees too； and was not afraid of her seeing me。
〃Before long； there was a crackling and trampling of heavy feet
coming up toward us through the under…wood in a deep dip of the
ground。 I knew that step as well as she knew it。 'Here I am；' she
said； in a faint little voice。 I kept behind the trees a few
yards off； in some doubt on which side Armadale would come out of
the under…wood to join her。 He came out up the side of the dell；
opposite to the tree behind which I was standing。 They sat down
together on the bank。 I sat down behind the tree； and looked at
them through the under…wood； and heard without the slightest
difficulty every word that they said。
〃The talk began by his noticing that she looked out of spirits；
and asking if anything had gone wrong at the cottage。 The artful
little minx lost no time in making the necessary impression on
him； she began to cry。 He took her hand； of course； and tried； in
his brutishly straightforward way； to comfort her。 No； she was
not to be comforted。 A miserable prospect was before her； she had
not slept the whole night for thinking of it。 Her father had
called her into his room the previous evening； had spoken about
the state of her education； and had told her in so many words
that she was to go to school。 The place had been found； and the
terms had been settled； and as soon as her clothes could he got
ready； miss was to go。
〃 'While that hateful Miss Gwilt was in the house；' says this
model young person； 'I would have gone to school willinglyI
wanted to go。 But it's all different now； I don't think of it in
the same way； I feel too old for school。 I'm quite heart…broken；
Mr。 Armadale。' There she stopped as if she had meant to say more；
and gave him a look which finished the sentence plainly： 'I'm
quite heart…broken； Mr。 Armadale； now we are friendly again； at
going away from you！' For d ownright brazen impudence； which a
grown woman would be ashamed of； give me the young girls whose
'modesty' is so pertinaciously insisted on by the nauseous
domestic sentimentalists of the present day！
〃Even Armadale； booby as he is； understood her。 After bewildering
himself in a labyrinth of words that led nowhere； he took
herone can hardly say round the waist； for she hasn't got
onehe took her round the last hook…and…eye of her dress； and；
by way of offering her a refuge from the indignity of being sent
to school at her age； made her a proposal of marriage in so many
words。
〃If I could have killed them both at that moment by lifting up my
little finger； I have not the least doubt I should have lifted
it。 As things were； I only waited to see what Miss Milroy would
do。
〃She appeared to think it necessaryfeeling； I suppose； that she
had met him without her father's knowledge； and not forgetting
that I had had the start of her as the favored object of Mr。
Armadale's good opinionto assert herself by an explosion of
virtuous indignation。 She wondered how he could think of such a
thing after his conduct with Miss Gwilt； and after her father had
forbidden him the house！ Did he want to make her feel how
inexcusably she had forgotten what was due to herself？ Was it
worthy of a gentleman to propose what he knew as well as she did
was impossible？ and so on； and so on。 Any man with brains in his
head would have known what all this rodomontade really meant。
Armadale took it so seriously that he actually attempted to
justify himself。
〃He declared； in his headlong； blundering way； that he was quite
in earnest； he and her father might make it up and be friends
again； and； if the major persisted in treating him as a stranger；
young ladies and gentlemen in their situation had made runaway
marriages before now； and fathers and mothers who wouldn't
forgive them before had forgiven them afterward。 Such
outrageously straightforward love…making as this left Miss
Milroy； of course； but two alternativesto confess that she had
been saying No when she meant Yes； or to take refuge in another
explosion。 She was hypocrite enough to prefer another explosion。
'How dare you； Mr。 Armadale？ Go away directly！ It's
inconsiderate； it's heartless； it's perfectly disgraceful to say
such things to me！' and so on； and so on。 It seems incredible；
but it is not the less true； that he was positively fool enough
to take her at her word。 He begged her pardon； and went away like
a child that is put in the cornerthe most contemptible object
in the form of man that eyes ever looked on！
〃She waited； after he had gone； to compose herself； and I waited
behind the trees to see how she would succeed。 Her eyes wandered
round slyly to the path by which he had left her。 She smiled
（grinned would be the truer way of putting it； with such a mouth
as hers）； took a few steps on tiptoe to look after him； turned
back again； and suddenly burst into a violent fit of crying。 I am
not quite so easily taken in as Armadale； and I saw what it all
meant plainly enough。
〃 'To…morrow；' I thought to myself； 'you will be in the park
again； miss； by pure accident。 The next day； you will lead him on
into proposing to you for the second time。 The day after； he will
venture back to the subject of runaway marriages； and you will
only be becomingly confused。 And the day after that； if he has
got a plan to propose； and if your clothes are ready to be packed
for school； you will listen to him。' Yes； yes； Time is always on
the man's side； where a woman is concerned； if the man is only
patient enough to let Time help him。
〃I let her leave the place and go back to the cottage； quite
unconscious that I had been looking at her。 I waited among the
trees； thinking。 The truth is； I was impressed by what I had
heard and seen； in a manner that it is not very easy to describe。
It put the whole thing before me in a new light。 It showed
mewhat I had never even suspected till this morningthat she
is really fond of him。
〃Heavy as my debt of obligation is to her； there is no fear _now_
of my failing to pay it to the last farthing。 It would have been
no small triumph for me to stand between Miss Milroy and her
ambition to be one of the leading ladies of the county。 But it is
infinitely more； where her first love is concerned； to stand
between Miss Milroy and her heart's desire。 Shall I remember my
own youth and spare her？ No！ She has deprived me of the one
chance I had of breaking the chain that binds me to a past life
too horrible to be thought of。 I am thrown back into a position；
compared to which the position of an outcast who walks the
streets is endurable and enviable。 No； Miss Milroyno； Mr。
Armadale； I will spare neither of you。
〃I have been back some hours。 I have been thinking； and nothing
has come of it。 Ever since I got that strange letter of
Midwinter's last Sunday； my usual readiness in emergencies has
deserted me。 When I am not thinking of him or of his story； my
mind feels quite stupefied。 I； who have always known what to do
on other occasions； don't know what to do now。 It would be easy
enough； of course； to warn Major Milroy of his daughter's
proceedings。 But the major is fond of his daughter； Armadale is
anxious to be reconciled with him； Armadale is rich and
prosperous； and ready to submit to the elder man； and sooner or
later they will be friends again； and the marriage will follow。
Warning Major Milroy is only the way to embarrass them for the
present； it is not the way to part them for good and all。
〃What _is_ the way？ I can't see it。 I could tear my own hair off
my head！ I could burn the house down！ If there was a train of
gunpowder under the whole world； I could light it； and blow the
whole world to destructionI am in such a rage； such a frenzy
with myself for not seeing it！
〃Poor dear Midwinter！ Yes； '_dear。_' I don't care。 I'm lonely and
helpless。 I want somebody who is gentle and loving to make much
of me； I wish I had his head on my bosom again； I have a good
mind