customary smile； and； when the headwaiter came in for orders； his
dismissal was instantly pronounced in words never yet heard to
issue from the lips of Pedgift in that hotel： 〃Nothing at
present。〃
〃You seem to be in low spirits；〃 said Allan。 〃Can't we get our
information？ Can nobody tell you anything about the house in
Pimlico？〃
〃Three different people have told me about it； Mr。 Armadale； and
they have all three said the same thing。〃
Allan eagerly drew his chair nearer to the place occupied by his
traveling companion。 His reflections in the interval since they
had last seen each other had not tended to compose him。 That
strange connection； so easy to feel； so hard to trace； between
the difficulty of approaching Miss Gwilt's family circumstances
and the difficulty of approaching Miss Gwilt's reference； which
had already established itself in his thoughts； had by this time
stealthily taken a firmer and firmer hold on his mind。 Doubts
troubled him which he could neither understand nor express。
Curiosity filled him； which he half longed and half dreaded to
satisfy。
〃I am afraid I must trouble you with a question or two； sir；
before I can come to the point；〃 said Pedgift Junior。 〃I don't
want to force myself into your confidence。 I only want to see my
way； in what looks to me like a very awkward business。 Do you
mind telling me whether others besides yourself are interested in
this inquiry of ours？〃
〃Other people _are_ interested in it；〃 replied Allan。 〃There's no
objection to telling you that。〃
〃Is there any other person who is the object of the inquiry
besides Mrs。 Mandeville； herself？〃 pursued Pedgift； winding his
way a little deeper into the secret。
〃Yes； there is another person；〃 said Allan； answering rather
unwillingly。
〃Is the person a young woman； Mr。 Armadale？〃
Allan started。 〃How do you come to guess that？〃 he began； then
checked himself； when it was too late。 〃Don't ask me any more
questions；〃 he resumed。 〃I'm a bad hand at defending myself
against a sharp fellow like you； and I'm bound in honor toward
other people to keep the particulars of this business to myself。〃
Pedgift Junior had apparently heard enough for his purpose。 He
drew his chair； in his turn； nearer to Allan。 He was evidently
anxious and embarrassed； but his professional manner began to
show itself again from sheer fo rce of habit。
〃I've done with my questions； sir；〃 he said； 〃and I have
something to say now on my side。 In my father's absence； perhaps
you may be kindly disposed to consider me as your legal adviser。
If you will take my advice； you will not stir another step in
this inquiry。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 interposed Allan。
〃It is just possible； Mr。 Armadale； that the cabman； positive as
he is； may have been mistaken。 I strongly recommend you to take
it for granted that he _is_ mistaken； and to drop it there。〃
The caution was kindly intended； but it came too late。 Allan did
what ninety…nine men out of a hundred in his position would have
donehe declined to take his lawyer's advice。
〃Very well； sir；〃 said Pedgift Junior； 〃if you will have it； you
must have it。〃
He leaned forward close to Allan's ear； and whispered what he had
heard of the house in Pimlico； and of the people who occupied it。
〃Don't blame me； Mr。 Armadale；〃 he added； when the irrevocable
words had been spoken。 〃I tried to spare you。〃
Allan suffered the shock； as all great shocks are suffered； in
silence。 His first impulse would have driven him headlong for
refuge to that very view of the cabman's assertion which had just
been recommended to him； but for one damning circumstance which
placed itself inexorably in his way。 Miss Gwilt's marked
reluctance to approach the story of her past life rose
irrepressibly on his memory； in indirect but horrible
confirmation of the evidence which connected Miss Gwilt's
reference with the house in Pimlico。 One conclusion； and one
onlythe conclusion which any man must have drawn； hearing what
he had just heard； and knowing no more than he knewforced
itself into his mind。 A miserable； fallen woman； who had
abandoned herself in her extremity to the help of wretches
skilled in criminal concealment； who had stolen her way back to
decent society and a reputable employment by means of a false
character； and whose position now imposed on her the dreadful
necessity of perpetual secrecy and perpetual deceit in relation
to her past lifesuch was the aspect in which the beautiful
governess at Thorpe Ambrose now stood revealed to Allan's eyes！
Falsely revealed； or truly revealed？ Had she stolen her way back
to decent society and a reputable employment by means of a false
character？ She had。 Did her position impose on her the dreadful
necessity of perpetual secrecy and perpetual deceit in relation
to her past life？ It did。 Was she some such pitiable victim to
the treachery of a man unknown as Allan had supposed？ _She was no
such pitiable victim。_ The conclusion which Allan had drawnthe
conclusion literally forced into his mind by the facts before
himwas； nevertheless； the conclusion of all others that was
furthest even from touching on the truth。 The true story of Miss
Gwilt's connection with the house in Pimlico and the people who
inhabited ita house rightly described as filled with wicked
secrets； and people rightly represented as perpetually in danger
of feeling the grasp of the lawwas a story which coming events
were yet to disclose： a story infinitely less revolting； and yet
infinitely more terrible； than Allan or Allan's companion had
either of them supposed。
〃I tried to spare you； Mr。 Armadale；〃 repeated Pedgift。 〃I was
anxious； if I could possibly avoid it； not to distress you。〃
Allan looked up； and made an effort to control himself。 〃You have
distressed me dreadfully；〃 he said。 〃You have quite crushed me
down。 But it is not your fault。 I ought to feel you have done me
a service； and what I ought to do I will do； when I am my own man
again。 There is one thing；〃 Allan added； after a moment's painful
consideration； 〃which ought to be understood between us at once。
The advice you offered me just now was very kindly meant； and it
was the best advice that could be given。 I will take it
gratefully。 We will never talk of this again； if you please； and
I beg and entreat you will never speak about it to any other
person。 Will you promise me that？〃
Pedgift gave the promise with very evident sincerity； but without
his professional confidence of manner。 The distress in Allan's
face seemed to daunt him。 After a moment of very uncharacteristic
hesitation； he considerately quitted the room。
Left by himself； Allan rang for writing materials； and took out
of his pocket…book the fatal letter of introduction to 〃Mrs。
Mandeville〃 which he had received from the major's wife。
A man accustomed to consider consequences and to prepare himself
for action by previous thought would； in Allan's present
circumstances； have felt some difficulty as to the course which
it might now be least embarrassing and least dangerous to pursue。
Accustomed to let his impulses direct him on all other occasions；
Allan acted on impulse in the serious emergency that now
confronted him。 Though his attachment to Miss Gwilt was nothing
like the deeply rooted feeling which he had himself honestly
believed it to be； she had taken no common place in his
admiration； and she filled him with no common grief when he
thought of her now。 His one dominant desire； at that critical
moment in his life； was a man's merciful desire to protect from
exposure and ruin the unhappy woman who had lost her place in his
estimation； without losing her claim to the forbearance that
could spare； and to the compassion that could shield her。 〃I
can't go back to Thorpe Ambrose； I can't trust myself to speak to
her； or to see her again。 But I can keep her miserable secret；
and I will！〃 With that thought in his heart； Allan set himself to
perform the first and foremost duty which now claimed himthe
duty of communicating with Mrs。 Milroy。 If he had possessed a
higher mental capacity and a clearer mental view； he might have
found the letter no easy one to write。 As it was； he calculated
no consequences； and felt no difficulty。 His instinct warned him
to withdraw at once from the position in which he now stood
toward the major's wife； and he wrote what his instinct counseled
him to write under those circumstances； as rapidly as the pen
could travel over the paper：
〃Dunn's Hotel； Covent Garden； Tuesday。
〃DEAR MADAMPray excuse my not returning to Thorpe Ambrose
today； as I said I would。 Unforeseen circumstances oblige me to
stop in London。 I am sorry to say I have not succeeded in seeing
Mrs。 Mandeville； for which reason I cannot perform your errand；
and I beg； therefore； with many apologies； to return the letter
of introduction。 I hope you will allow me to conclude by saying
that I am very much obliged to you for your kindness； and that I
will not venture to trespass on it any further。
〃I remain； dear madam； yours truly；
〃ALLAN ARMADALE。〃
In those artless words； still entirely unsuspicious of the
character of the woman he had to deal with； Allan put the weapon
she wanted into Mrs。 Milroy's hands。
The letter and its inclosure once sealed up and addressed； he was
free to think of himself and his future。 As he sat idly drawing
lines with his pen on the blotting…paper； the tears came into his
eyes for the first timetears in which the woman who had
deceived him had no share。 His heart had gone back to his dead
mother。 〃If she had been alive；〃 he thought； 〃I might have
trusted _her；_ and she would have comforted me。〃 It was useless
to dwell on it； he dashed away the tears； and turned his
thoughts； with the heart…sick resignation that we all know； to
living and present things。
He wrote a line to Mr。 Bashwood； briefly informing the deputy
steward that his absence from Thorpe Ambrose was likely to be
prolonged for some little time； and that any further instructions
which might be necessary； under those circumstances； would reach
him through Mr。 Pedgift the elder。 This done； and the letters
sent to the post； his thoughts were forced back