keep a lady waitingand I've got business to…night with one of
your own sex！〃
CHAPTER VII。
THE MARTYRDOM OF MISS GWILT。
THE outskirts of the little town of Thorpe Ambrose； on the side
nearest to 〃the great house；〃 have earned some local celebrity as
exhibiting the prettiest suburb of the kind to be found in East
Norfolk。 Here the villas and gardens are for the most part built
and laid out in excellent taste； the trees are in the prime of
their growth； and the healthy common beyond the houses rises and
falls in picturesque and delightful variety of broken ground。 The
rank； fashion； and beauty of the town make this place their
evening promenade； and when a stranger goes out for a drive； if
he leaves it to the coachman； the coachman starts by way of the
common as a matter of course。
On the opposite side； that is to say； on the side furthest from
〃the great house；〃 the suburbs （in the year 1851） were
universally regarded as a sore subject by all persons zealous for
the reputation of the town。
Here nature was uninviting； man was poor； and social progress； as
exhibited under the form of building； halted miserably。 The
streets dwindled feebly； as they receded from the center of the
town； into smaller and smaller houses； and died away on the
barren open ground into an atrophy of skeleton cottages。 Builders
hereabouts appeared to have universally abandoned their work in
the first stage of its creation。 Land…holders set up poles on
lost patches of ground； and； plaintively advertising that they
were to let for building； raised sickly little crops meanwhile；
in despair of finding a purchaser to deal with them。 All the
waste paper of the town seemed to float congenially to this
neglected spot； and all the fretful children came and cried here；
in charge of all the slatternly nurses who disgraced the place。
If there was any intention in Thorpe Ambrose of sending a
worn…out horse to the knacker's； that horse was sure to be found
waiting his doom in a field on this side of the town。 No growth
flourished in these desert regions but the arid growth of
rubbish； and no creatures rejoiced but the creatures of the
nightthe vermin here and there in the beds； and the cats
everywhere on the tiles。
The sun had set； and the summer twilight was darkening。 The
fretful children were crying in their cradles； the horse destined
for the knacker dozed forlorn in the field of his imprisonment；
the cats waited stealthily in corners for the coming night。 But
one living figure appeared in the lonely suburbthe figure of
Mr。 Bashwood。 But one faint sound disturbed the dreadful
silencethe sound of Mr。 Bashwood's softly stepping feet。
Moving slowly past the heaps of bricks rising at intervals along
the road； coasting carefully round the old iron and the broken
tiles scattered here and there in his path； Mr。 Bashwood advanced
from the direction of the country toward one of the unfinished
streets of the suburb。 His personal appearance had been
apparently made the object of some special attention。 His false
teeth were brilliantly white； his wig was carefully brushed； his
mourning garments； renewed throughout； gleamed with the hideous
and slimy gloss of cheap black cloth。 He moved with a nervous
jauntiness； and looked about him with a vacant smile。 Having
reached the first of the skeleton cottages； his watery eyes
settled steadily for the first time on the view of the street
before him。 The next instant he started； his breath quickened； he
leaned； trembling and flushing； against the unfinished wall at
his side。 A lady； still at some distance； was advancing toward
him down the length of the street。 〃She's coming！〃 he whispered；
with a strange mixture of rapture and fear； of alternating color
and paleness； showing itself in his haggard face。 〃I wish I was
the ground she treads on！ I wish I was the glove she's got on her
hand！〃 He bur st ecstatically into those extravagant words； with
a concentrated intensity of delight in uttering them that
actually shook his feeble figure from head to foot。
Smoothly and gracefully the lady glided nearer and nearer； until
she revealed to Mr。 Bashwood's eyes； what Mr。 Bashwood's
instincts had recognized in the first instancethe face of Miss
Gwilt。
She was dressed with an exquisitely expressive economy of outlay。
The plainest straw bonnet procurable； trimmed sparingly with the
cheapest white ribbon； was on her head。 Modest and tasteful
poverty expressed itself in the speckless cleanliness and the
modestly proportioned skirts of her light 〃print〃 gown； and in
the scanty little mantilla of cheap black silk which she wore
over it； edged with a simple frilling of the same material。 The
luster of her terrible red hair showed itself unshrinkingly in a
plaited coronet above her forehead； and escaped in one vagrant
love…lock； perfectly curled； that dropped over her left shoulder。
Her gloves； fitting her like a second skin； were of the sober
brown hue which is slowest to show signs of use。 One hand lifted
her dress daintily above the impurities of the road； the other
held a little nosegay of the commonest garden flowers。
Noiselessly and smoothly she came on； with a gentle and regular
undulation of the print gown； with the love…lock softly lifted
from moment to moment in the evening breeze； with her head a
little drooped； and her eyes on the groundin walk； and look；
and manner； in every casual movement that escaped her； expressing
that subtle mixture of the voluptuous and the modest which； of
the many attractive extremes that meet in women； is in a man's
eyes the most irresistible of all。
〃Mr。 Bashwood！〃 she exclaimed； in loud； clear tones indicative of
the utmost astonishment； 〃what a surprise to find you here！ I
thought none but the wretched inhabitants ever ventured near this
side of the town。 Hush！〃 she added quickly； in a whisper。 〃You
heard right when you heard that Mr。 Armadale was going to have me
followed and watched。 There's a man behind one of the houses。 We
must talk out loud of indifferent things； and look as if we had
met by accident。 Ask me what I am doing。 Out loud！ Directly！ You
shall never see me again； if you don't instantly leave off
trembling and do what I tell you！〃
She spoke with a merciless tyranny of eye and voicewith a
merciless use of her power over the feeble creature whom she
addressed。 Mr。 Bashwood obeyed her in tones that quavered with
agitation； and with eyes that devoured her beauty in a strange
fascination of terror and delight。
〃I am trying to earn a little money by teaching music；〃 she said；
in the voice intended to reach the spy's ears。 〃If you are able
to recommend me any pupils； Mr。 Bashwood； your good word will
oblige me。 Have you been in the grounds to…day？〃 she went on；
dropping her voice again in a whisper。 〃Has Mr。 Armadale been
near the cottage？ Has Miss Milroy been out of the garden？ No？ Are
you sure？ Look out for them to…morrow； and next day； and next
day。 They are certain to meet and make it up again； and I must
and will know of it。 Hush！ Ask me my terms for teaching music。
What are you frightened about？ It's me the man's afternot you。
Louder than when you asked me what I was doing； just now； louder；
or I won't trust you any more； I'll go to somebody else！〃
Once more Mr。 Bashwood obeyed。 〃Don't be angry with me；〃 he
murmured； faintly； when he had spoken the necessary words。 〃My
heart beats so you'll kill me！〃
〃You poor old dear！〃 she whispered back； with a sudden change in
her manner； with an easy satirical tenderness。 〃What business
have you with a heart at your age？ Be here to…morrow at the same
time； and tell me what you have seen in the grounds。 My terms are
only five shillings a lesson；〃 she went on； in her louder tone。
〃I'm sure that's not much； Mr。 Bashwood； I give such long
lessons； and I get all my pupils' music half…price。〃 She suddenly
dropped her voice again； and looked him brightly into instant
subjection。 〃Don't let Mr。 Armadale out of your sight to…morrow！
If that girl manages to speak to him； and if I don't hear of it；
I'll frighten you to death。 If I _do_ hear of it； I'll kiss you！
Hush！ Wish me good…night； and go on to the town； and leave me to
go the other way。 I don't want youI'm not afraid of the man
behind the houses； I can deal with him by myself。 Say goodnight；
and I'll let you shake hands。 Say it louder； and I'll give you
one of my flowers； if you'll promise not to fall in love with
it。〃 She raised her voice again。 〃Goodnight； Mr。 Bashwood！ Don't
forget my terms。 Five shillings a lesson； and the lessons last an
hour at a time； and I get all my pupils' music half…price； which
is an immense advantage； isn't it？〃 She slipped a flower into his
handfrowned him into obedience； and smiled to reward him for
obeying； at the same momentlifted her dress again above the
impurities of the roadand went on her way with a dainty and
indolent deliberation； as a cat goes on her way when she has
exhausted the enjoyment of frightening a mouse。
Left alone； Mr。 Bashwood turned to the low cottage wall near
which he had been standing； and； resting himself on it wearily；
looked at the flower in his hand。
His past existence had disciplined him to bear disaster and
insult； as few happier men could have borne them； but it had not
prepared him to feel the master…passion of humanity； for the
first time； at the dreary end of his life； in the hopeless decay
of a manhood that had withered under the double blight of
conjugal disappointment and parental sorrow。 〃Oh； if I was only
young again！〃 murmured the poor wretch； resting his arms on the
wall and touching the flower with his dry； fevered lips in a
stealthy rapture of tenderness。 〃She might have liked me when I
was twenty！〃 He suddenly started back into an erect position； and
stared about him in vacant bewilderment and terror。 〃She told me
to go home；〃 he said； with a startled look。 〃Why am I stopping
here？〃 He turned； and hurried on to the townin such dread of
her anger； if she looked round and saw him； that he never so much
as ventured on a backward glance at the road by which she had
retired； and never detected the spy dogging her footsteps； under
cover of the empty houses and th