letter when the postman comes。〃 Saying those words； with the tone
and manner of a woman who is quieting a fractious child； the
nurse； without waiting to be dismissed； left the room。
Mrs。 Milroy turned slowly and wearily on her bed； when she was
left by herself again； and let the light from the window fall on
her face。 It was the face of a woman who had once been handsome；
and who was still； so far as years went； in the prime of her
life。 Long…continued suffering of body and long…continued
irritation of mind had worn her awayin the roughly expressive
popular phraseto skin and bone。 The utter wreck of her beauty
was made a wreck horrible to behold； by her desperate efforts to
conceal the sight of it from her own eyes； from the eyes of her
husband and her child； from the eyes even of the doctor who
attended her； and whose business it was to penetrate to the
truth。 Her head； from which the greater part of the hair had
fallen off； would have been less shocking to see than the
hideously youthful wig by which she tried to hide the loss。 No
deterioration of her complexion； no wrinkling of her skin； could
have been so dreadful to look at as the rouge that lay thick on
her cheeks； and the white enamel plastered on her forehead。 The
delicate lace； and the bright trimming on her dressing…gown； the
ribbons in her cap； and the rings on her bony fingers； all
intended to draw the eye away from the change that had passed
over her； directed the eye to it； on the contrary； emphasized it；
made it by sheer force of contrast more hopeless and more
horrible than it really was。 An illustrated book of the fashions；
in which women were represented exhibiting their finery by means
of the free use of their limbs； lay on the bed； from which she
had not moved for years without being lifted by her nurse。 A
hand…glass was placed with the book so that she could reach it
easily。 She took up the glass after her attendant had left the
room； and looked at her face with an unblushing interest and
attention which she would have been ashamed of herself at the age
of eighteen。
〃Older and older； and thinner and thinner！〃 she said。 〃The major
will soon be a free man； but I'll have that red…haired hussy out
of the house first！〃
She dropped the looking…glass on the counterpane； and clinched
the hand that held it。 Her eyes suddenly riveted themselves on a
little crayon portrait of her husband hanging on the opposite
wall； they looked at the likeness with the hard and cruel
brightness of the eyes of a bird of prey。 〃Red is your taste in
your old age is it？〃 she said to the portrait。 〃Red hair； and a
scrofulous complexion； and a padded figure； a ballet…girl's walk；
and a pickpocket's light fingers。 _Miss_ Gwilt！ _Miss；_ with
those eyes； and that walk！〃 She turned her head suddenly on the
pillow； and burst into a harsh； jeering laugh。 〃_Miss！_〃 she
repeated over and over again； with the venomously pointed
emphasis of the most merciless of all human forms of
contemptthe contempt of one woman for another。
The age we live in is an age which finds no human creature
inexcusable。 Is there an excuse for Mrs。 Milroy？ Let the story of
her life answer the question。
She had married the major at an unusually early age； and； in
marrying him； had taken a man for her husband who was old enough
to be her fathera man who； at that time； had the reputation；
and not unjustly； of having made the freest use of his social
gifts and his advantages of personal appearance in the society of
women。 Indifferently educated； and below her husband in station；
she had begun by accepting his addresses under the influence of
her own flattered vanity； and had ended by feeling the
fascination which Major Milroy had exercised over women
infinitely her mental superiors in his earlier life。 He had been
touched； on his side； by her devotion； and had felt； in his turn；
the attraction of her beauty； her freshness； and her youth。 Up to
the time when their little daughter and only child had reached
the age of eight years； their married life had been an unusually
happy one。 At that period the double misfortune fell on the
household； of the failure of the wife's health； and the almost
total loss of the husband's fortune； and from that moment the
domestic happiness of the married pair was virtually at an end。
Having reached the age when men in general are readier； under the
pressure of calamity； to resign themselves than to resist； the
major had secured the little relics of his property； had retired
into the country； and had patiently taken refuge in his
mechanical pursuits。 A woman nearer to him in age； or a woman
with a better training and more patience of disposition than his
wife possessed； would have understood the major's conduct； and
have found consolation in the major's submission。 Mrs。 Milroy
found consolation in nothing。 Neither nature nor training helped
her to meet resignedly the cruel calamity which had struck at her
in the bloom of womanhood and the prime of beauty。 The curse of
incurable sickness blighted her at once and for life。
Suffering can； and does； develop the latent evil that there is in
humanity； as well as the latent good。 The good that was in Mrs。
Milroy's nature shrank up； under that subtly deteriorating
influence in which the evil grew and flourished。 Month by month；
as she became the weaker woman physically； she became the worse
woman morally。 All that was mean； cruel； and false in her
expanded in steady proportion to the contraction of all that had
once been generous； gentle； and true。 Old suspicions of her
husband's readiness to relapse into the irregularities of his
bachelor life； which； in her healthier days of mind and body； she
had openly confessed to himwhich she had always sooner or later
seen to be suspicions that he had not deservedcame back； now
that sickness had divorced her from him； in the form of that
baser conjugal distrust which keeps itself cunningly secret；
which gathers together its inflammatory particles atom by atom
into a heap； and sets the slowly burning frenzy of jealousy
alight in the mind。 No proof of her husband's blameless and
patient life that could now be shown to Mrs。 Milroy； no appeal
that could be made to her respect for herself； or for her child
growing up to womanhood； availed to dissipate the terrible
delusion born of her hopeless illness； and growing steadily with
its growth。 Like all other madness； it had its ebb and flow； its
time of spasmodic outburst； and its time of deceitful repose；
but； active or passive； it was always in her。 It had injured
innocent servants； and insulted blameless strangers。 It had
brought the first tears of shame and sorrow into her daughter's
eyes； and had set the deepest lines that scored it in her
husband's face。 It had made the secret misery of the little
household for years； and it was now to pass beyond the family
limits； and to influence coming events at Thorpe Ambrose； in
which the future interests of Allan and Allan's friend were
vitally concerned。
A moment's glance at the posture of domestic affairs in the
cottage； prior to the engagement of the new governess； is
necessary to the due appreciation of the serious consequences
that followed Miss Gwilt's appearance on the scene。
On the marriage of the governess who had lived in his service for
many years （a woman of an age and an appearance to set even Mrs。
Milroy's jealousy at defiance）； the major had considered the
question of sending his daughter away from home far more
seriously than his wife supposed。 He was conscious that scenes
took place in the house at which no young girl should be present；
but he felt an invincible reluctance to apply the one efficient
remedythe keeping his daughter away from home in school time
and holiday time alike。 The struggle thus raised in his mind once
set at rest； by the resolution to advertise for a new governess；
Major Milroy's natural tendency to avoid trouble rather than to
meet it had declared itself in its customary manner。 He had
closed his eyes again on his home anxieties as quietly as usual；
and had gone back； as he had gone back on hundreds of previous
occasions； to the consoling society of his old friend the clock。
It was far otherwise with the major's wife。 The chance which her
husband had entirely overlooked； that the new governess who was
to come might be a younger and a more attractive woman than the
old governess who had gone； was the first chance that presented
itself as possible to Mrs。 Milroy's mind。 She had said nothing。
Secretly waiting； and secretly nursing her inveterate distrust；
she had encouraged her husband and her daughter to leave her on
the occasion of the picnic； with the express purpose of making an
opportunity for seeing the new governess alone。 The governess had
shown herself； and the smoldering fire of Mrs。 Milroy's jealousy
had burst into flame in the moment when she and the handsome
stranger first set eyes on each other。
The interview over； Mrs。 Milroy's suspicions fastened at once and
immovably on he r husband's mother。
She was well aware that there was no one else in London on whom
the major could depend to make the necessary inquiries； she was
well aware that Miss Gwilt had applied for the situation； in the
first instance； as a stranger answering an advertisement
published in a newspaper。 Yet knowing this； she had obstinately
closed her eyes； with the blind frenzy of the blindest of all the
passions； to the facts straight before her； and； looking back to
the last of many quarrels between them which had ended in
separating the elder lady and herself； had seized on the
conclusion that Miss Gwilt's engagement was due to her
mother…in…law's vindictive enjoyment of making mischief in her
household。 The inference which the very servants themselves；
witnesses of the family scandal； had correctly drawnthat the
major's mother； in securing the services of a well…recommended
governess for her son； had thought it no part of her duty to
consider that governess's looks in the purely fanciful interests
of the major's wifewas an inference which it was simply
impossible to convey into Mrs。 Milroy's mind。 Miss Gwilt had
barely closed the sick…roo