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wish to be of assistance to Miss Neelie；〃 he went on； more
seriously； 〃I have shown you the way。 You can do nothing to quiet
her anxiety which I have not done already。 As soon as I had
assured her that no misconception of her conduct existed in your
mind； she went away satisfied。 Her governess's parting threat
doesn't seem to have dwelt on her memory。 I can tell you； Mr。
Armadale； it dwells on mine！ You know my opinion of Miss Gwilt；
and you know what Miss Gwilt herself has done this very evening
to justify that opinion even in your eyes。 May I ask； after all
that has passed； whether you think she is the sort of woman who
can be trusted to confine herself to empty threats？〃
The question was a formidable one to answer。 Forced steadily back
from the position which he had occupied at the outset of the
interview； by the irresistible pressure of plain facts； Allan
began for the first time to show symptoms of yielding on the
subject of Miss Gwilt。 〃Is there no other way of protecting Miss
Milroy but the way you have mentioned？〃 he asked； uneasily。
〃Do you think the major would listen to you； sir； if you spoke to
him？〃 asked Pedgift Senior； sarcastically。 〃I'm rather afraid he
wouldn't honor _me_ with his attention。 Or perhaps you would
prefer alarming Miss Neelie by telling her in plain words that we
both think her in danger？ Or； suppose you send me to Miss Gwilt；
with instructions to inform her that she has done her pupil a
cruel injustice？ Women are so proverbially ready to listen to
reason； and they are so universally disposed to alter their
opinions of each other on applicationespecially when one woman
thinks that another woman has destroyed her prospect of making a
good marriage。 Don't mind _me；_ Mr。 Armadale； I'm only a lawyer；
and I can sit waterproof under another shower of Miss Gwilt's
tears！〃
〃Damn it； Mr。 Pedgift； tell me in plain words what you want to
do！〃 cried Allan； losing his temper at last。
〃In plain words； Mr。 Armadale； I want to keep Miss Gwilt's
proceedings privately under view； as long as she stops in this
neighborhood。 I answer for finding a person who will look after
her delicately and discreetly。 And I agree to discontinue even
this harmless superintendence of her actions； if there isn't good
reasons shown for continuing it； to your entire satisfaction； in
a week's time。 I make that moderate proposal； sir； in what I
sincerely believe to be Miss Milroy's interest； and I wait your
answer； Yes or No。〃
〃Can't I have time to consider？〃 asked Allan； driven to the last
helpless expedient of taking refuge in delay。
〃Certainly； Mr。 Armadale。 But don't forget； while you are
considering； that Miss Milroy is in the habit of walking out
alone in your park； innocent of all apprehension of danger； and
that Miss Gwilt is perfectly free to take any advantage of that
circumstance that Miss Gwilt pleases。〃
〃Do as you like！〃 exclaimed Allan； in despair。 〃And； for God's
sake； don't torment me any longer！〃
Popular prejudice may deny it； but the profession of the law is a
practically Christian profession in one respect at least。 Of all
the large collection of ready answers lying in wait for mankind
on a lawyer's lips； none is kept in better working order than
〃the soft answer which turneth away wrath。〃 Pedgift Senior rose
with the alacrity of youth in his legs； and the wise moderation
of age on his tongue。 〃Many thanks； sir；〃 he said； 〃for the
attention you have bestowed on me。 I congratulate you on your
decision； and I wish you good…evening。〃 This time his indicative
snuff…box was not in his hand when he opened the door； and he
actually disappeared without coming back for a second postscript。
Allan's head sank on his breast when he was left alone。 〃If it
was only the end of the week！〃 he thought； longingly。 〃If I only
had Midwinter back again！〃
As that aspiration escaped the client's lips； the lawyer got
gayly into his gig。 〃Hie away； old girl！〃 cried Pedgift Senior；
patting the fast…trotting mare with the end of his whip。 〃I never
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 thr