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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 once more on
himself。 Again the blank future waited before him to be filled
up； and again his heart shrank from it to the refuge of the past。
This time other images than the image of his mother filled his
mind。 The one all…absorbing interest of his earlier days stirred
living and eager in him again。 He thought of the sea； he thought
of his yacht lying idle in the fishing h arbor at his
west…country home。 The old longing got possession of him to hear
the wash of the waves；； to see the filling of the sails； to feel
the vessel that his own hands had helped to build bounding under
him once more。 He rose in his impetuous way to call for the
time…table； and to start for Somersetshire by the first train；
when the dread of the questions which Mr。 Brock might ask； the
suspicion of the change which Mr。 Brock might see in him； drew
him back to his chair。 〃I'll write；〃 he thought； 〃to have the
yacht rigged and refitted； and I'll wait to go to Somersetshire
myself till Midwinter can go with me。〃 He sighed as his memory
reverted to his absent friend。 Never had he fell the void made in
his life by Midwinter's departure so painfully as he felt it now；
in the dreariest of all social solitudesthe solitude of a
stranger in London； left by himself at a hotel。
Before long； Pedgift Junior looked in； with an apology for his
intrusion。 Allan felt too lonely and too friendless not to
welcome his companion's re…appearance gratefully。 〃I'm not going
back to Thorpe Ambrose；〃 he said； 〃I'm going to stay a little
while in London。 I hope you will be able to stay with me？〃 To do
him justice； Pedgift was touched by the solitary position in
which the owner of the great Thorpe Ambrose estate now appeared
before him。 He had never； in his relations with Allan； so
entirely forgotten his business interests as he forgot them now。
〃You are quite right； sir； to stop here； London's the place to
divert your mind；〃 said Pedgift； cheerfully。 〃All business is
more or less elastic in its nature； Mr。 Armadale； I'll spin _my_
business out； and keep you company with the greatest pleasure。 We
are both of us on the right side of thirty； sir； let's enjoy
ourselves。 What do you say to dining early； and going to the
play； and trying the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park to…morrow
morning； after breakfast？ If we only live like fighting…cocks；
and go in perpetually for public amusements； we shall arrive in
no time at the _mens sana in corpore sano_ of the ancients。 Don't
be alarmed at the quotation； sir。 I dabble a little in Latin
after business hours； and enlarge my sympathies by occasional
perusal of the Pagan writers； assisted by a crib。 William； dinner
at five； and； as it's particularly important to…day； I'll see the
cook myself。〃
The evening passed； the next day passed； Thursday morning came；
and brought with it a letter for Allan。 The direction was in Mrs。
Milroy's handwriting； and the form of address adopted in the
letter warned Allan； the moment he opened it； that something had
gone wrong。