vainly first to induce him to return； then to find out where he
was going tohad threatened to keep company with him for the
rest of the day； and had so extorted the confession that he was
going to try his luck in London。 Having gained this point； Allan
had asked next for his friend's address in London； had been
entreated by the other not to press his request； had pressed it；
nevertheless； with all his might； and had got the address at last
by making an appeal to Midwinter's gratitude； for which （feeling
heartily ashamed of himself） he had afterward asked Midwinter's
pardon。 〃I like the poor fellow； and I won't give him up；〃
concluded Allan； bringing his clinched fist down with a thump on
the rectory table。 〃Don't be afraid of my vexing my mother； I'll
leave you to speak to her； Mr。 Brock； at your own time and in
your own way； and I'll just say this much more by way of bringing
the thing to an end。 Here is the address safe in my pocket…book；
and here am I； standing firm for once on a resolution of my own。
I'll give you and my mother time to reconsider this； and； when
the time is up； if my friend Midwinter doesn't come to _me；_ I'll
go to my friend Midwinter。〃
So the matter rested for the present； and such was the result of
turning the castaway usher adrift in the world again。
…
A month passed； and brought in the new year'51。 Overleaping
that short lapse of time； Mr。 Brock paused； with a heavy heart；
at the next event； to his mind the one mournful； the one
memorable event of the seriesMrs。 Armadale's death。
The first warning of the affliction that was near at hand had
followed close on the usher's departure in December； and had
arisen out of a circumstance which dwelt painfully on the
rector's memory from that time forth。
But three days after Midwinter had left for London； Mr。 Brock was
accosted in the village by a neatly dressed woman； wearing a gown
and bonnet of black silk and a red Paisley shawl； who was a total
stranger to him； and who inquired the way to Mrs。 Armadale's
house。 She put the question without raising the thick black veil
that hung over her face。 Mr。 Brock； in giving her the necessary
directions； observed that she was a remarkably elegant and
graceful woman； and looked after her as she bowed and left him；
wondering who Mrs。 Armadale's visitor could possibly be。
A quarter of an hour later the lady； still veiled as before；
passed Mr。 Brock again close to the inn。 She entered the house；
and spoke to the landlady。 Seeing the landlord shortly afterward
hurrying round to the stables； Mr。 Brock asked him if the lady
was going away。 Yes； she had come from the railway in the
omnibus； but she was going back again more creditably in a
carriage of her own hiring； supplied by the inn。
The rector proceeded on his walk； rather surprised to find his
thoughts running inquisitively on a woman who was a stranger to
him。 When he got home again； he found the village surgeon waiting
his return with an urgent message from Allan's mother。 About an
hour since； the surgeon had been sent for in great haste to see
Mrs。 Armadale。 He had found her suffering from an alarming
nervous attack； brought on （as the servants suspected） by an
unexpected； and； possibly； an unwelcome visitor； who had called
that morning。 The surgeon had done all that was needful； and had
no apprehension of any dangerous results。 Finding his patient
eagerly desirous； on recovering herself； to see Mr。 Brock
immediately； he had thought it important to humor her； and had
readily undertaken to call at the rectory with a message to that
effect。
Looking at Mrs。 Armadale with a far deeper interest in her than
the surgeon's interest； Mr。 Brock saw enough in her face； when it
turned toward him on his entering the room； to justify instant
and serious alarm。 She allowed him no opportunity of soothing
her； she heeded none of his inquiries。 Answers to certain
questions of her own were what she wanted； and what she was
determined to have： Had Mr。 Brock seen the woman who had presumed
to visit her that morning？ Yes。 Had Allan seen her？ No； Allan had
been at work since breakfast； and was at work still； in his yard
by the water…side。
This latter reply appeared to quiet Mrs。 Armadale for the moment；
she put her next questionthe most extraordinary question of the
threemore composedly： Did the rector think Allan would object
to leaving his vessel for the presen t； and to accompanying his
mother on a journey to look out for a new house in some other
part of England？ In the greatest amazement Mr。 Brock asked what
reason there could possibly be for leaving her present residence？
Mrs。 Armadale's reason； when she gave it； only added to his
surprise。 The woman's first visit might be followed by a second；
and rather than see her again； rather than run the risk of
Allan's seeing her and speaking to her； Mrs。 Armadale would leave
England if necessary； and end her days in a foreign land。 Taking
counsel of his experience as a magistrate； Mr。 Brock inquired if
the woman had come to ask for money。 Yes； respectably as she was
dressed； she had described herself as being 〃in distress〃； had
asked for money； and had got it。 But the money was of no
importance； the one thing needful was to get away before the
woman came again。 More and more surprised； Mr。 Brock ventured on
another question： Was it long since Mrs。 Armadale and her visitor
had last met？ Yes； longer than all Allan's lifetimeas long ago
as the year before Allan was born。
At that reply； the rector shifted his ground； and took counsel
next of his experience as a friend。
〃Is this person；〃 he asked； 〃connected in any way with the
painful remembrances of your early life？〃
〃Yes； with the painful remembrance of the time when I was
married；〃 said Mrs。 Armadale。 〃She was associated； as a mere
child； with a circumstance which I must think of with shame and
sorrow to my dying day。〃
Mr。 Brock noticed the altered tone in which his old friend spoke；
and the unwillingness with which she gave her answer。
〃Can you tell me more about her without referring to yourself？〃
he went on。 〃I am sure I can protect you； if you will only help
me a little。 Her name； for instanceyou can tell me her name？〃
Mrs。 Armadale shook her head； 〃The name I knew her by；〃 she said；
〃would be of no use to you。 She has been married since then； she
told me so herself。〃
〃And without telling you her married name？〃
〃She refused to tell it。〃
〃Do you know anything of her friends？〃
〃Only of her friends when she was a child。 They called themselves
her uncle and aunt。 They were low people； and they deserted her
at the school on my father's estate。 We never heard any more of
them。〃
〃Did she remain under your father's care？〃
〃She remained under my care； that is to say； she traveled with
us。 We were leaving England； just as that time； for Madeira。 I
had my father's leave to take her with me； and to train the
wretch to be my maid〃
At those words Mrs。 Armadale stopped confusedly。 Mr。 Brock tried
gently to lead her on。 It was useless； she started up in violent
agitation； and walked excitedly backward and forward in the room。
〃Don't ask me any more！〃 she cried out； in loud； angry tones。 〃I
parted with her when she was a girl of twelve years old。 I never
saw her again； I never heard of her again； from that time to
this。 I don't know how she has discovered me； after all the years
that have passed； I only know that she _has_ discovered me。 She
will find her way to Allan next； she will poison my son's mind
against me。 Help me to get away from her！ help me to take Allan
away before she comes back！〃
The rector asked no more questions； it would have been cruel to
press her further。 The first necessity was to compose her by
promising compliance with all that she desired。 The second was to
induce her to see another medical man。 Mr。 Brock contrived to
reach his end harmlessly in this latter case by reminding her
that she wanted strength to travel； and that her own medical
attendant might restore her （all the more speedily to herself if
he were assisted by the best professional advice。 Having overcome
her habitual reluctance to seeing strangers by this means； the
rector at once went to Allan； and； delicately concealing what
Mrs。 Armadale had said at the interview； broke the news to him
that his mother was seriously ill。 Allan would hear of no
messengers being sent for assistance： he drove off on the spot to
the railway； and telegraphed himself to Bristol for medical help。
On the next morning the help came； and Mr。 Brock's worst fears
were confirmed。 The village surgeon had fatally misunderstood the
case from the first； and the time was past now at which his
errors of treatment might have been set right。 The shock of the
previous morning had completed the mischief。 Mrs。 Armadale's days
were numbered。
The son who dearly loved her； the old friend to whom her life was
precious； hoped vainly to the last。 In a month from the
physician's visit all hope was over； and Allan shed the first
bitter tears of his life at his mother's grave。
She had died more peacefully than Mr。 Brock had dared to hope；
leaving all her little fortune to her son； and committing him
solemnly to the care of her one friend on earth。 The rector had
entreated her to let him write and try to reconcile her brothers
with her before it was too late。 She had only answered sadly that
it was too late already。 But one reference escaped her in her
last illness to those early sorrows which had weighed heavily on
all her after…life； and which had passed thrice already； like
shadows of evil； between the rector and herself。 Even on her
deathbed she had shrunk from letting the light fall clearly on
the story of the past。 She had looked at Allan kneeling by the
bedside； and had whispered to Mr。 Brock： 〃_Never let his Namesake
come near him！ Never let that Woman find him out！_〃 No word more
fell from her that touched on the misfortunes which had tried her
in the past； or on the dangers which she dreaded in the future。
The secret which she had kept from her son and from her friend
was a secret which she carried with her to the grave。