having me watched。 Oh； Mr。 Midwinter； don't hate me for telling
you what you _must_ know！ The man you found persecuting me and
frightening me tonight was only earning his money； after all； as
Mr。 Armadale's spy。〃
Once more Midwinter started to his feet； and this time the
thoughts that were in him found their way into words。
〃I can't believe it； I won't believe it！〃 he exclaimed；
indignantly。 〃If the man told you that； the man lied。 I beg your
pardon； Miss Gwilt； I beg your pardon from the bottom of my
heart。 Don't； pray don't think I doubt _you；_ I only say there is
some dreadful mistake。 I am not sure that I understand as I ought
all that you have told me。 But this last infamous meanness of
which you think Allan guilty； I _do_ understand。 I swear to you；
he is incapable of it！ Some scoundrel has been taking advantage
of him； some scoundrel has been using his name。 I'll prove it to
you； if you will only give me time。 Let me go and clear it up at
once。 I can't rest； I can't bear to think of it； I can't even
enjoy the pleasure of being here。 Oh；〃 he burst out desperately；
〃I'm sure you feel for me； after what you have saidI feel so
for _you！_〃
He stopped in confusion。 Miss Gwilt's eyes were looking at him
again； and Miss Gwilt's hand had found its way once more into his
own。
〃You are the most generous of living men；〃 she said； softly。 〃I
will believe what you tell me to believe。 Go；〃 she added； in a
whisper； suddenly releasing his hand； and turning away from him。
〃For both our sakes； go！〃
His heart beat fast； he looked at her as she dropped into a chair
and put her handkerchief to her eyes。 For one moment he
hesitated； the next； he snatched up his knapsack from the floor；
and left her precipitately； without a backward look or a parting
word。
She rose when the door closed on him。 A change came over her the
instant she was alone。 The color faded out of her cheeks； the
beauty died out of her eyes； her face hardened horribly with a
silent despair。 〃It's even baser work than I bargained for；〃 she
said； 〃to deceive _him。_〃 After pacing to and fro in the room for
some minutes； she stopped wearily before the glass over the
fire…place。 〃You strange creature！〃 she murmured； leaning her
elbows on the mantelpiece； and languidly addressing the
reflection of herself in the glass。 〃Have you got any conscience
left？ And has that man roused it？〃
The reflection of her face changed slowly。 The color returned to
her cheeks； the delicious languor began to suffuse her eyes
again。 Her lips parted gently； and her quickening breath began to
dim the surface of the glass。 She drew back from it； after a
moment's absorption in her own thoughts； with a start of terror。
〃What am I doing？〃 she asked herself； in a sudden panic of
astonishment。 〃Am I mad enough to be thinking of him in _that_
way？〃
She burst into a mocking laugh； and opened her desk on the table
recklessly with a bang。 〃It's high time I had some talk with
Mother Jezebel；〃 she said； and sat down to write to Mrs。
Oldershaw。
〃I have met with Mr。 Midwinter；〃 she began； 〃under very lucky
circumstances； and I have made the most of my opportunity。 He has
just left me for his friend Armadale； and one of two good things
will happen to…morrow。 If they don't quarrel； the doors of Thorpe
Ambrose will be opened to me again at Mr。 Midwinter's
intercession。 If they do quarrel； I shall be the unhappy cause of
it； and I shall find my way in for myself； on the purely
Christian errand of reconciling them。〃
She hesitated at the next sentence； wrote the first few words of
it； scratched them out again； and petulantly tore the letter into
fragments； and threw the pen to the other end of the room。
Turning quickly on her chair； she looked at the seat which
Midwinter had occupied； her foot restlessly tapping the floor；
and her handkerchief thrust like a gag between her clinched
teeth。 〃Young as you are；〃 she thought； with her mind reviving
the image of him in the empty chair； 〃there has been something
out of the common in _your_ life； and I must and will know it！〃
The house clock struck the hour； and roused her。 She sighed； and；
walking back to the glass； wearily loosened the fastenings of her
dress； wearily removed the studs from the chemisette beneath it；
and put them on the chimney…piece。 She looked indolently at the
reflected beauties of her neck and bosom； as she unplaited her
hair and threw it back in one great mass over her shoulders。
〃Fancy；〃 she thought； 〃if he saw me now！〃 She turned back to the
table； and sighed again as she extinguished one of the candles
and took the other in her hand。 〃Midwinter？〃 she said； as she
passed through the folding…doors of the room to her bed…chamber。
〃I don't believe in his name； to begin with！〃
The night had advanced by more than an hour before Midwinter was
back again at the great house。
Twice； well as the homeward way was known to him； he had strayed
out of the right road。 The events of the eveningthe interview
with Miss Gwilt herself； after his fortnight's solitary thinking
of her； the extraordinary change that had taken place in her
position since he had seen her last； and the startling assertion
of Allan's connection with ithad all conspired to throw his
mind into a state of ungovernable confusion。 The darkness of the
cloudy night added to his bewilderment。 Even the familiar gates
of Thorpe Ambrose seemed strange to him。 When he tried to think
of it； it was a mystery to him how he had reached the place。
The front of the house was dark； and closed for the night。
Midwinter went round to the back。 The sound of men's voices； as
he advanced； caught his ear。 They were soon distinguishable as
the voices of the first and second footman； and the subject of
conversation between them was their master。
〃I'll bet you an even half…crown he's driven out of the
neighborhood before another week is over his head；〃 said the
first footman。
〃Done！〃 said the second。 〃He isn't as easy driven as you think。〃
〃Isn't he！〃 retorted the other。 〃He'll be mobbed if he stops
here！ I tell you again； he's not satisfied with the mess he's got
into already。 I know it for certain； he's having the governess
watched。〃
At those words； Midwinter mechanically checked himself before he
turned the corner of the house。 His first doubt of the result of
his meditated appeal to Allan ran through him like a sudden
chill。 The influence exercised by the voic e of public scandal is
a force which acts。 in opposition to the ordinary law of
mechanics。 It is strongest； not by concentration； but by
distribution。 To the primary sound we may shut our ears； but the
reverberation of it in echoes is irresistible。 On his way back；
Midwinter's one desire had been to find Allan up； and to speak to
him immediately。 His one hope now was to gain time to contend
with the new doubts and to silence the new misgivings； his one
present anxiety was to hear that Allan had gone to bed。 He turned
the corner of the house； and presented himself before the men
smoking their pipes in the back garden。 As soon as their
astonishment allowed them to speak； they offered to rouse their
master。 Allan had given his friend up for that night； and had
gone to bed about half an hour since。
〃It was my master's' particular order； sir；〃 said the
head…footman； 〃that he was to be told of it if you came back。〃
〃It is _my_ particular request；〃 returned Midwinter； 〃that you
won't disturb him。〃
The men looked at each other wonderingly； as he took his candle
and left them。
CHAPTER VIII。
SHE COMES BETWEEN THEM。
APPOINTED hours for the various domestic events of the day were
things unknown at Thorpe Ambrose。 Irregular in all his habits；
Allan accommodated himself to no stated times （with the solitary
exception of dinner…time） at any hour of the day or night。 He
retired to rest early or late； and he rose early or late； exactly
as he felt inclined。 The servants were forbidden to call him； and
Mrs。 Gripper was accustomed to improvise the breakfast as she
best might； from the time when the kitchen fire was first lighted
to the time when the clock stood on the stroke of noon。
Toward nine o'clock on the morning after his return Midwinter
knocked at Allan's door； and on entering the room found it empty。
After inquiry among the servants； it appeared that Allan had
risen that morning before the man who usually attended on him was
up； and that his hot water had been brought to the door by one of
the house…maids； who was then still in ignorance of Midwinter's
return。 Nobody had chanced to see the master； either on the
stairs or in the hall； nobody had heard him ring the bell for
breakfast； as usual。 In brief； nobody knew anything about him；
except what was obviously clear to allthat he was not in the
house。
Midwinter went out under the great portico。 He stood at the head
of the flight of steps considering in which direction he should
set forth to look for his friend。 Allan's unexpected absence
added one more to the disquieting influences which still
perplexed his mind。 He was in the mood in which trifles irritate
a man； and fancies are all…powerful to exalt or depress his
spirits。
The sky was cloudy； and the wind blew in puffs from the south；
there was every prospect； to weather…wise eyes； of coming rain。
While Midwinter was still hesitating； one of the grooms passed
him on the drive below。 The man proved； on being questioned； to
be better informed about his master's movements than the servants
indoors。 He had seen Allan pass the stables more than an hour
since； going out by the back way into the park with a nosegay in
his hand。
A nosegay in his hand？ The nosegay hung incomprehensibly on
Midwinter's mind as he walked round； on the chance of meeting
Allan； to the back of the house。 〃What does the nosegay mean？〃 he
asked himself； with an unintelligible sense of irritation； and a
petulant kick at a stone that stood in his way。
It meant that Allan had been following his impulses as usual。 The
one pleasant impression left on his mind after his interview with
Pedgift Senior was the impression made by the lawyer's account of
his conversation with Neelie in the park。 The anxiety t