I expect to have my curiosity satisfied；' I added； 'for Mr。
Armadale and I are little better than mere acquaintances； after
all。'
〃 'You are far more than a mere acquaintance in Allan's eyes；'
said Midwinter。 'Having your permission to trust him； I have
already told him how near and dear you are to me。'
〃Hearing this； I thought it desirable； before I put any questions
about Miss Milroy； to attend to my own interests first； and to
find out what effect the announcement of my coming marriage had
produced on Armadale。 It was possible that he might be still
suspicious of me； and that the inquiries he made in London； at
Mrs。 Milroy's instigation； might be still hanging on his mind。
〃 'Did Mr。 Armadale seem surprised；' I asked； 'when you told him
of our engagement； and when you said it was to be kept a secret
from everybody？'
〃 'He seemed greatly surprised；' said Midwinter； 'to hear that we
were going to be married。 All he said when I told him it must be
kept a secret was that he supposed there were reasons on your
side for making the marriage a private one。'
〃 'What did you say；' I inquired； 'when he made that remark？'
〃 'I said the reasons were on my side；' answered Midwinter。 'And
I thought it right to addconsidering that Allan had allowed
himself to be misled by the ignorant distrust of you at Thorpe
Ambrosethat you had confided to me the whole of your sad family
story； and that you had amply justified your unwillingness； under
any ordinary circumstances； to speak of your private affairs。'
（〃I breathed freely again。 He had said just what was wanted； just
in the right way。）
〃 'Thank you；' I said； 'for putting me right in your friend's
estimation。 Does he wish to see me？' I added； by way of getting
back to the other subject of Miss Milroy and the elopement。
〃 'He is longing to see you；' returned Midwinter。 'He is in great
distress； poor fellowdistress which I have done my best to
soothe； but which； I believe； would yield far more readily to a
woman's sympathy than to mine。'
〃 'Where is he now？' I asked。
〃He was at the hotel； and to the hotel I instantly proposed that
we should go。 It is a busy； crowded place； and （with my veil
down） I have less fear of compromising myself there than at my
quiet lodgings。 Besides； it is vitally important to me to know
what Armadale does next； under this total change of
circumstancesfor I must so control his proceedings as to get
him away from England if I can。 We took a cab： such was my
eagerness to sympathize with the heart…broken lover； that we took
a cab！
〃Anything so ridiculous as Armadale's behavior under the double
shock of discovering that his young lady has been taken away from
him； and that I am to be married to Midwinter； I never before
witnessed in all my experience。 To say that he was like a child
is a libel on all children who are not born idiots。 He
congratulated me on my coming marriage； and execrated the unknown
wretch who had written the anonymous letter； little thinking that
he was speaking of one and the same person in one and the same
breath。 Now he submissively acknowledged that Major Milroy had
his rights as a father； and now he reviled the major as having no
feeling for anything but his mechanics and his clock。 At one
moment he started up； with the tears in his eyes； and declared
that his 'darling Neelie' was an angel on earth。 At another he
sat down sulkily； and thought that a girl of her spirit might
have run away on the spot and joined him in London。 After a good
half…hour of this absurd exhibition； I succeeded in quieting him；
and then a few words of tender inquiry produced what I had
expressly come to the hotel to seeMiss Milroy's letter。
〃It was outrageously long； and rambling； and confused； in short；
the letter of a fool。 I had to wade through plenty of vulgar
sentiment and lamentation； and to lose time and patience over
maudlin outbursts of affection； and nauseous kisses inclosed in
circles of ink。 However； I contrived to extract the information I
wanted at last； and here it is：
〃The major； on receipt of my anonymous warning； appears to have
sent at once for his daughter； and to have shown her the letter。
'You know what a hard life I lead with your mother； don't make it
harder still； Neelie； by deceiving me。' That was all the poor old
gentleman said。 I always did like the major； and； though he was
afraid to show it； I know he always liked me。 His appeal to his
daughter （if _her_ account of it is to be believed） cut her to
the heart。 She burst out crying （let her alone for crying at the
right moment！） and confessed everything。
〃After giving her time to recover herself （if he had given her a
good box on the ears it would have been more to the purpose！）；
the major seems to have put certain questions； and to have become
convinced （as I was convinced myself） that his daughter's heart；
or fancy； or whatever she calls it； was really and truly set on
Armadale。 The discovery evidently distressed as well as surprised
him。 He appears to have hesitated； and to have maintained his own
unfavorable opinion of Miss Neelie's lover for some little time。
But his daughter's tears and entreaties （so like the weakness of
the dear old gentleman！） shook him at last。 Though he firmly
refused to allow of any marriage engagement at present； he
consented to overlook the clandestine meetings in the park； and
to put Armadale's fitness to become his son…in…law to the test；
on certain conditions。
〃These conditions are； that for the next six months to come all
communication is to be broken off； both personally and by
writing； between Armadale and Miss Milroy。 That space of time is
to be occupied by the young gentleman as he himself thinks best；
and by the young lady in completing her education at school。 If；
when the six months have passed； they are both still of the same
mind； and if Armadale's conduct in the interval has been such as
to improve the major's opinion of him； he will be allowed to
present himself in the character of Miss Milroy's suitor； and； in
six months more； if all goes well； the marriage may take place。
〃I declare I could kiss the dear old major； if I was only within
reach of him！ If I had been at his elbow； and had dictated the
conditions myself； I could have asked for nothing better than
this。 Six months of total separation between Armadale and Miss
Milroy！ In half that timewith all communication cut off between
the twoit must go hard with me； indeed； if I don't find myself
dressed in the necessary mourning； and publicly recognized as
Armadale's widow。
〃But I am forgetting the girl's letter。 She gives her father's
reasons for making his conditions； in her father's own words。 The
major seems to have spoken so sensibly and so feelingly that he
left his daughter no decent alternativeand he leaves Armadale
no decent alternativebut to submit。 As well as I can remember；
he seems to have expressed himself to Miss Neelie in these； or
nearly in these terms：
〃 'Don't think I am behaving cruelly to you； my dear： I am merely
asking you to put Mr。 Armadale to the proof。 It is not only
right； it is absolutely necessary； that you should hold no
communication with him for some time to come； and I will show you
why。 In the first place； if you go to school； the necessary rules
in such placesnecessary for the sake of the other girlswould
not permit you to see Mr。 Armadale or to receive letters from
him； and； if you are to become mistress of Thorpe Ambrose； to
school you must go； for you would be ashamed； and I should be
ashamed； if you occupied the position of a lady of station
without having the accomplishments which all ladies of station
are expected to possess。 In the second place； I want to see
whether Mr。 Armadale will continue to think of you as he thinks
now； without being encouraged in his attachment by seeing you； or
reminded of it by hearing from you。 If I am wrong in thinking him
flighty and unreliable； and if your opinion of him is the right
one； this is not putting the young man to an unfair testtrue
love survives much longer separations than a separation of six
months。 And when that time is over； and well over； and when I
have had him under my own eye for another six months； and have
learned to think as highly of him as you doeven then； my dear；
after all that terrible delay； you will still be a married woman
before you are eighteen。 Think of this； Neelie； and show that you
love me and trust me； by accepting my proposal。 I will hold no
communication with Mr。 Armadale myself。 I will leave it to you to
write and tell him what has been decided on。 He may write back
one letter； and one only； to acquaint you with his decision。
After that； for the sake of your reputation； nothing more is to
be said； and nothing more is to be done； and the matter is to be
kept strictly private until the six months' interval is at an
end。'
〃To this effect the major spoke。 His behavior to that little slut
of a girl has produced a stronger impression on me than anything
else in the letter。 It has set me thinking （me； of all the people
in the world！） of what they call 'a moral difficulty。' We are
perpetually told that there can be no possible connection between
virtue and vice。 Can there not？ Here is Major Milroy doing
exactly what an excellent father； at once kind and prudent；
affectionate and firm； would do under the circumstances； and by
that very course of conduct he has now smoothed the way for _me；_
as completely as if he had been the chosen accomplice of that
abominable creature； Miss Gwilt。 Only think of my reasoning in
this way！ But I am in such good spirits； I can do anything
to…day。 I have not looked so bright and so young as I look now
for months past！
〃To return to the letter； for the last timeit is so excessively
dull and stupid that I really can't help wandering away from it
into reflections of my own； as a mere relief。
〃After solemnly announcing that she meant to sacrifice herself to
her beloved father's wishes （the brazen assurance of her setting
up for a martyr after what has happened exceeds anything I ever
heard or read of！）； Miss Neelie next mentioned that the major
proposed taking her to the sea