expression of a genuine feeling of any sort that had escaped him
yet。
〃Miss Gwilt's story begins；〃 said Bashwood the younger； 〃in the
market…place at Thorpe Ambrose。 One day； something like a quarter
of a century ago； a traveling quack doctor； who dealt in
perfumery as well as medicines； came to the town with his cart；
and exhibited； as a living example of the excellence of his
washes and hair…oils and so on； a pretty little girl； with a
beautiful complexion and wonderful hair。 His name was Oldershaw。
He had a wife； who helped him in the perfumery part of his
business； and who carried it on by herself after his death。 She
has risen in the world of late years； and she is identical with
that sly old lady who employed me professionally a short time
since。 As for the pretty little girl； you know who she was as
well as I do。 While the quack was haranguing the mob and showing
them the child's hair； a young lady； driving through the
marketplace； stopped her carriage to hear what it was all about；
saw the little girl； and took a violent fancy to her on the spot。
The young lady was the daughter of Mr。 Blanchard； of Thorpe
Ambrose。 She went home； and interested her father in the fate of
the innocent little victim of the quack doctor。 The same evening；
the Oldershaws were sent for to the great house and were
questioned。 They declared themselves to be her uncle and aunta
lie； of course！and they were quite willing to let her attend
the village school； while they stayed at Thorpe Ambrose； when the
proposal was made to them。 The new arrangement was carried out
the next day。 And the day after that； the Oldershaws had
disappeared； and had left the little girl on the squire's hands！
She evidently hadn't answered as they expected in the capacity of
an advertisement； and that was the way they took of providing
for her for life。 There is the first act of the play for you！
Clear enough； so far； isn't it？〃
〃Clear enough； Jemmy； to clever people。 But I'm old and slow。 I
don't understand one thing。 Whose child was she？〃
〃A very sensible question。 Sorry to inform you that nobody can
answer itMiss Gwilt herself included。 These Instructions that
I'm refering to are founded； of course； on her own statements；
sifted by her attorney。 All she could remember； on being
questioned； was that she was beaten and half starved； somewhere
in the country； by a woman who took in children at nurse。 The
woman had a card with her； stating that her name was Lydia Gwilt；
and got a yearly allowance for taking care of her （paid through a
lawyer） till she was eight years old。 At that time； the allowance
stopped； the lawyer had no explanation to offer； nobody came to
look after her； nobody wrote。 The Oldershaws saw her； and thought
she might answer to exhibit； and the woman parted with her for a
trifle to the Oldershaws； and the Oldershaws parted with her for
good and all to the Blanchards。 That's the story of her birth；
parentage； and education！ She may be the daughter of a duke； or
the daughter of a costermonger。 The circumstances may be highly
romantic； or utterly commonplace。 Fancy anything you
likethere's nothing to stop you。 When you've had your fancy
out； say the word； and I'll turn over the leaves and go on。〃
〃Please to go on； Jemmyplease to go on。〃
〃The next glimpse of Miss Gwilt；〃 resumed Bashwood the younger；
turning over the papers； 〃is a glimpse at a family mystery。 The
deserted child was in luck's way at last。 She had taken the fancy
of an amiable young lady with a rich father； and she was petted
and made much of at the great house； in the character of Miss
Blanchard's last new plaything。 Not long afterward Mr。 Blanchard
and his daughter went abroad； and took the girl with them in the
capacity of Miss Blanchard's little maid。 When they came back；
the daughter had married； and become a widow； in the interval；
and the pretty little maid； instead of returning with them to
Thorpe Ambrose； turns up suddenly； all alone； as a pupil at a
school in France。 There she was； at a first…rate establishment；
with her maintenance and education secured until she married and
settled in life； on this understandingthat she never returned
to England。 Those were all the particulars she could be prevailed
on to give the lawyer who drew up these instructions。 She
declined to say what had happened abroad； she declined even；
after all the years that had passed； to mention her mistress's
married name。 It's quite clear； of course； that she was in
possession of some family secret； and that the Blanchards paid
for her schooling on the Continent to keep her out of the way。
And it's equally plain that she would never have kept her secret
as she did if she had not seen her way to trading on it for her
own advantage at some future time。 A clever woman； as I've told
you already！ A devilish clever woman； who hasn't been knocked
about in the world； and seen the ups and downs of life abroad and
at home； for nothing。〃
〃Yes； yes； Jemmy； quite true。 How long did she stop； please； at
the school in France？〃
Bashwood the younger referred to the papers。 〃She stopped at the
French school；〃 he replied； 〃till she was seventeen。 At that time
something happened at the school which I find mildly described in
these papers as 'something unpleasant。' The plain fact was that
the music…master attached to the establishment fell in love with
Miss Gwilt。 He was a respectable middle…aged man； with a wife and
family； and； finding the circumstances entirely hopeless； he took
a pistol； and； rashly assuming that he had brains in his head；
tried to blow them out。 The doctor saved his life； but not his
reason； he ended； where he had better have begun； in an asylum。
Miss Gwilt's beauty having been at the bottom of the scandal； it
was； of course； impossiblethough she was proved to have been
otherwise quite blameless in the matterfor her to remain at the
school after what had happened。 Her 'friends' （the Blanchards）
were communicated with。 And her friends transferred her to
another school； at Brussels； this time。What are you sighing
about？ What's wrong now？〃
〃I can't help feeling a little for the poor music…master； Jemmy。
Go on。〃
〃According to her own account of it； dad； Miss Gwilt seems to
have felt for him too。 She took a serious turn； and was
'converted' （as they call it） by the lady who had charge of her
in the interval before she went to Brussels。 The priest at the
Belgium school appears to have been a man of some discretion； and
to have seen that the girl's sensibilities were getting into a
dangerously excited state。 Before he could quiet her down； he
fell ill； and was succeeded by another priest； who was a fanatic。
You will understand the sort of interest he took in the girl； and
the way in which he worked on her feelings； when I tell you that
she announced it as her decision； after having been nearly two
years at the school； to end her days in a convent！ You may well
stare！ Miss Gwilt； in the character of a Nun； is the sort of
female phenomenon you don't often set eyes on。〃
〃Did she go into the convent？〃 asked Mr。 Bashwood。 〃Did they let
her go in； so friendless and so young； with nobody to advise her
for the best？〃
〃The Blanchards were consulted； as a matter of form；〃 pursued
Bashwood the younger。 〃_They_ had no objection to her shutting
herself up in a convent； as you may well imagine。 The pleasantest
letter they ever had from her； I'll answer for it； was the letter
in which she solemnly took leave of them in this world forever。
The people at the convent were as careful as usual not to commit
themselves。 Their rules wouldn't allow her to take the veil till
she had tried the life for a year first； and then； if she had any
doubt； for another year after that。 She tried the life for the
first year； accordingly； and doubted。 She tried it for the second
year； and was wise enough； by that time； to give it up without
further hesitation。 Her position was rather an awkward one when
she found herself at liberty again。 The sisters at the convent
had lost their interest in her； the mistress at the school
declined to take her back as teacher； on the ground that she was
too nice…looking for the place； the priest considered her to be
possessed by the devil。 There was nothing for it but to write to
the Blanchards again； and ask them to start her in life as a
teacher of music on her own account。 She wrote to her former
mistress accordingly。 Her former mistress had evidently doubted
the genuineness of the girl's resolution to be a nun； and had
seized the opportunity offered by her entry into the convent to
cut off all further communication between her ex…waiting…maid and
herself。 Miss Gwilt's letter was returned by the post…office。 She
caused inquiries to be made； and found that Mr。 Blanchard was
dead； and that his daughter had left the great house for some
place of retirement unknown。 The next thing she did； upon this；
was to write to the heir in possession of the estate。 The letter
was answered by his solicitors； who were instructed to put the
law in force at the first attempt she made to extort money from
any member of the family at Thorpe Ambrose。 The last chance was
to get at the address of her mistress's place of retirement。 The
family bankers； to whom she wrote； wrote back to say that they
were instructed not to give the lady's address to any one
applying for it； without being previously empowered to do so by
the lady herself。 That last letter settled the questionMiss
Gwilt could do nothing more。 With money at her command； she might
have gone to England and made the Blanchards think twice before
they carried things with too high a hand。 Not having a half…penny
at command； she was helpless。 Without money and without friends；
you may wonder how she supported herself while the correspondence
was going on。 She supported herself by playing the piano…forte at
a low concert…room in Brussels。 The men laid siege to her； of
course； in all directions； but they found her insensible as
adamant。 One of these rejected gentlemen was a Russian； and he
was the means of making her acquainted with a countrywoman of
his； whose name is unpronounceable by English lips。 Let us give
her