passion which （in Miss Gwilt's own words） had made a man of him；
burning in his haggard cheeksMr。 Bashwood met the challenge；
and faced the lawyer （as； the worried sheep faces the dog） on his
own ground。
〃I wish to say； sir；〃 he answered； 〃that your opinion in this
matter is my opinion too。 I believe there is something wrong in
Miss Gwilt's past life which she keeps concealed from everybody；
and I want to be the man who knows it。〃
Pedgift Senior saw his chance； and instantly reverted to the
question that he had postponed。 〃Why？〃 he asked for the second
time。
For the second time Mr。 Bashwood hesitated。
Could he acknowledge that he had been mad enough to love her； and
mean enough to be a spy for her？ Could he say； She has deceived
me from the first； and she has deserted me； now her object is
served。 After robbing me of my happiness； robbing me of my honor；
robbing me of my last hope left in life； she has gone from me
forever； and left me nothing but my old man's longing； slow and
sly； and strong and changeless； for revenge。 Revenge that I may
have； if I can poison her success by dragging her frailties into
the public view。 Revenge that I will buy （for what is gold or
what is life to me？） with the last farthing of my hoarded money
and the last drop of my stagnant blood。 Could he say that to the
man who sat waiting for his answer？ No； he could only crush it
down and be silent。
The lawyer's expression began to harden once more。
〃One of us must speak out；〃 he said； 〃and as you evidently won't；
I will。 I can only account for this extraordinary anxiety of
yours to make yourself acquainted with Miss Gwilt's secrets； in
one of two ways。 Your motive is either an excessively mean one
（no offense； Bashwood； I am only putting the case）； or an
excessively generous one。 After my experience of your honest
character and your creditable conduct； it is only your due that I
should absolve you at once of the mean motive。 I believe you are
as incapable as I amI can say no moreof turning to mercenary
account any discoveries you might make to Miss Gwilt's prejudice
in Miss Gwilt's past life。 Shall I go on any further？ or would
you prefer； on second thoughts； opening your mind frankly to me
of your own accord？〃
〃I should prefer not interrupting you； sir；〃 said Mr。 Bashwood。
〃As you please； 〃 pursued Pedgift Senior。 〃Having absolved you of
the mean motive； I come to the generous motive next。 It is
possible that you are an unusually grateful man； and it is
certain that Mr。 Armadale has been remarkably kind to you。 After
employing you under Mr。 Midwinter； in the steward's office； he
has had confidence enough in your honesty and your capacity； now
his friend has left him； to put his business entirely and
unreservedly in your hands。 It's not in my experience of human
naturebut it may be possible； nevertheless…that you are so
gratefully sensible of that confidence； and so gratefully
interested in your employer's welfare； that you can't see him； in
his friendless position； going straight to his own disgrace and
ruin； without making an effort to save him。 To put it in two
words。 Is it your idea that Mr。 Armadale might be prevented from
marrying Miss Gwilt； if he could be informed in time of her real
character？ And do you wish to be the man who opens his eyes to
the truth？ If that is the case〃
He stopped in astonishment。 Acting under some uncontrollable
impulse； Mr。 Bashwood had started to his feet。 He stood； with his
withered face lit up by a sudden irradiation from within； which
made him look younger than his age by a good twenty yearshe
stood； gasping for breath enough to speak； and gesticulated
entreatingly at the lawyer with both hands。
〃Say it again； sir！〃 he burst out； eagerly； recovering his breath
before Pedgift Senior had recovered his surprise。 〃The question
about Mr。 Armadale； sir！only once more！only once more； Mr。
Pedgift； please！〃
With his practiced observation closely and distrustfully at work
on Mr。 Bashwood' s face； Pedgift Senior motioned to him to sit
down again； and put the question for the second time。
〃Do I think；〃 said Mr。 Bashwood； repeating the sense； but not the
words of the question； 〃that Mr。 Armadale might be parted from
Miss Gwilt； if she could be shown to him as she really is？ Yes；
sir ！ And do I wish to be the man who does it？ Yes； sir！ yes；
sir！ ！ yes； sir！ ！ ！〃
〃It's rather strange；〃 remarked the lawyer； looking at him more
and more distrustfully； 〃that you should be so violently
agitated； simply because my question happens to have hit the
mark。〃
The question happened to have hit a mark which Pedgift little
dreamed of。 It had released Mr。 Bashwood's mind in an instant
from the dead pressure of his one dominant idea of revenge； and
had shown him a purpose to be achieved by the discovery of Miss
Gwilt's secrets which had never occurred to him till that moment。
The marriage which he had blindly regarded as inevitable was a
marriage that might be stoppednot in Allan's interests； but in
his ownand the woman whom he believed that he had lost might
yet； in spite of circumstances； be a woman won！ His brain whirled
as he thought of it。 His own roused resolution almost daunted
him； by its terrible incongruity with all the familiar habits of
his mind； and all the customary proceedings of his life。
Finding his last remark unanswered； Pedgift Senior considered a
little before he said anything more。
〃One thing is clear；〃 reasoned the lawyer with himself。 〃His true
motive in this matter is a motive which he is afraid to avow。 My
question evidently offered him a chance of misleading me； and he
has accepted it on the spot。 That's enough for _me。_ If I was Mr。
Armadale's lawyer； the mystery might be worth investigating。 As
things are； it's no interest of mine to hunt Mr。 Bashwood from
one lie to another till I run him to earth at last。 I have
nothing whatever to do with it； and I shall leave him free to
follow his own roundabout courses； in his own roundabout way。〃
Having arrived at that conclusion； Pedgift Senior pushed back his
chair； and rose briskly to terminate the interview。
〃Don't be alarmed； Bashwood；〃 he began。 〃The subject of our
conversation is a subject exhausted； so far as I am concerned。 I
have only a few last words to say； and it's a habit of mine； as
you know； to say my last words on my legs。 Whatever else I may be
in the dark about； I have made one discovery； at any rate。 I have
found out what you really want with meat last！ You want me to
help you。〃
〃If you would be so very； very kind； sir！〃 stammered Mr。
Bashwood。 〃If you would only give me the great advantage of your
opinion and advice。〃
〃Wait a bit； Bashwood We will separate those two things； if you
please。 A lawyer may offer an opinion like any other man； but
when a lawyer gives his adviceby the Lord Harry； sir； it's
Professional！ You're welcome to my opinion in this matter； I have
disguised it from nobody。 I believe there have been events in
Miss Gwilt's career which （if they could be discovered） would
even make Mr。 Armadale； infatuated as he is； afraid to marry
hersupposing； of course； that he really _is_ going to marry
her； for； though the appearances are in favor of it so far； it is
only an assumption； after all。 As to the mode of proceeding by
which the blots on this woman's character might or might not be
brought to light in timeshe may be married by license in a
fortnight if she likes_that_ is a branch of the question on
which I positively decline to enter。 It implies speaking in my
character as a lawyer； and giving you； what I decline positively
to give you； my professional advice。〃
〃Oh； sir； don't say that！〃 pleaded Mr。 Bashwood。 〃Don't deny me
the great favor； the inestimable advantage of your advice！ I have
such a poor head； Mr。 Pedgift！ I am so old and so slow； sir； and
I get so sadly startled and worried when I'm thrown out of my
ordinary ways。 It's quite natural you should be a little
impatient with me for taking up your timeI know that time is
money； to a clever man like you。 Would you excuse me would you
please excuse me； if I venture to say that I have saved a little
something； a few pounds； sir； and being quite lonely； with nobody
dependent on me； I'm sure I may spend my savings as I please？〃
Blind to every consideration but the one consideration of
propitiating Mr。 Pedgift； he took out a dingy； ragged old
pocket…book； and tried； with trembling fingers； to open it on the
lawyer's table。
〃Put your pocket…book back directly；〃 said Pedgift Senior。
〃Richer men than you have tried that argument with me； and have
found that there is such a thing （off the stage） as a lawyer who
is not to be bribed。 I will have nothing to do with the case；
under existing circumstances。 If you want to know why； I beg to
inform you that Miss Gwilt ceased to be professionally
interesting to me on the day when I ceased to be Mr。 Armadale's
lawyer。 I may have other reasons besides； which I don't think it
necessary to mention。 The reason already given is explicit
enough。 Go your own way； and take your responsibility on your own
shoulders。 You _may_ venture within reach of Miss Gwilt's claws
and come out again without being scratched。 Time will show。 In
the meanwhile； I wish you good…morningand I own； to my shame；
that I never knew till today what a hero you were。〃
This time； Mr。 Bashwood felt the sting。 Without another word of
expostulation or entreaty； without even saying 〃Good…morning〃 on
his side； he walked to the door； opened it； softly； and left the
room。
The parting look in his face； and the sudden silence that had
fallen on him； were not lost on Pedgift Senior。 〃Bashwood will
end badly；〃 said the lawyer； shuffling his papers； and returning
impenetrably to his interrupted work。
The change in Mr。 Bashwood's face and manner to something dogged
and self…contained was so startlingly uncharacteristic of him；
that it even forced itself on the notice of Pedgift Junior and
the clerks as he passed through the outer office。 Accustomed to
make the old man their butt； they took a boisterously comic view
of the marked alteration in him。 Deaf to the merciless raillery
with which he was assailed