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go straight to your own ruin？〃
〃Any questions you like；〃 said Allan； looking back at the
letterthe only letter he had ever received from Miss Gwilt。
〃You have had one trap set for you already； sir； and you have
fallen into it。 Do you want to fall into another？〃
〃You know the answer to that question； Mr。 Pedgift； as well as I
do。〃
〃I'll try again； Mr。 Armadale； we lawyers are not easily
discouraged。 Do you think that any statement Miss Gwilt might
make to you； if you do see her； would be a statement to be relied
on； after what you and my son discovered in London？〃
〃She might explain what we discovered in London；〃 suggested
Allan； still looking at the writing； and thinking of the hand
that had traced it。
〃_Might_ explain it？ My dear sir； she is quite certain to explain
it！ I will do her justice： I believe she would make out a case
without a single flaw in it from beginning to end。〃
That last answer forced Allan's attention away from the letter。
The lawyer's pitiless common sense showed him no mercy。
〃If you see that woman again； sir；〃 proceeded Pedgift Senior；
〃you will commit the rashest act of folly I ever heard of in all
my experience。 She can have but one object in coming hereto
practice on your weakness for her。 Nobody can say into what false
step she may not lead you； if you once give her the opportunity。
You admit yourself that you have been fond of her； your
attentions to her have been the subject of general remark； if you
haven't actually offered her the chance of becoming Mrs。
Armadale； you have done the next thing to it； and knowing all
this； you propose to see her； and to let her work on you with her
devilish beauty and her devilish cleverness； in the character of
your interesting victim！ You； who are one of the best matches in
England！ You； who are the natural prey of all the hungry single
women in the community！ I never heard the like of it； I never； in
all my professional experience； heard the like of it！ If you must
positively put yourself in a dangerous position； Mr。 Armadale；〃
concluded Pedgift the elder； with the everlasting pinch of snuff
held in suspense between his box and his nose； 〃there's a
wild…beast show coming to our town next week。 Let in the tigress；
sir； don't let in Miss Gwilt！〃
For the third time Allan looked at his lawyer。 And for the third
time his lawyer looked back at him quite unabashed。
〃You seem to have a very bad opinion of Miss Gwilt；〃 said Allan。
〃The worst possible opinion； Mr。 Armadale；〃 retorted Pedgift
Senior； coolly。 〃We will return to that when we have sent the
lady's messenger about his business。 Will you take my advice？
Will you decline to see her？〃
〃I would willingly declineit would be so dreadfully distressing
to both of us；〃 said Allan。 〃I would willingly decline； if I only
knew how。〃
〃Bless my soul； Mr。 Armadale； it's easy enough！ Don't commit
_you_ yourself in writing。 Send out to the messenger； and say
there's no answer。〃
The short course thus suggested was a course which Allan
positively declined to take。 〃It's treating her brutally；〃 he
said； 〃I can't and won't do it。〃
Once more the pertinacity of Pedgift the elder found its limits；
and once more that wise man yielded gracefully to a compromise。
On receiving his client's promise not to s ee Miss Gwilt； he
consented to Allan's committing himself in writing under his
lawyer's dictation。 The letter thus produced was modeled in
Allan's own style； it began and ended in one sentence。 〃Mr。
Armadale presents his compliments to Miss Gwilt； and regrets that
he cannot have the pleasure of seeing her at Thorpe Ambrose。〃
Allan had pleaded hard for a second sentence； explaining that he
only declined Miss Gwilt's request from a conviction that an
interview would be needlessly distressing on both sides。 But his
legal adviser firmly rejected the proposed addition to the
letter。 〃When you say No to a woman； sir；〃 remarked Pedgift
Senior； 〃always say it in one word。 If you give her your reasons；
she invariably believes that you mean Yes。〃
Producing that little gem of wisdom from the rich mine of his
professional experience； Mr。 Pedgift the elder sent out the
answer to Miss Gwilt's messenger； and recommended the servant to
〃see the fellow； whoever he was； well clear of the house。〃
〃Now； sir；〃 said the lawyer； 〃we will come back； if you like； to
my opinion of Miss Gwilt。 It doesn't it all agree with yours； I'm
afraid。 You think her an object of pityquite natural at your
age。 I think her an object for the inside of a prisonquite
natural at mine。 You shall hear the grounds on which I have
formed my opinion directly。 Let me show you that I am in earnest
by putting the opinion itself； in the first place； to a practical
test。 Do you think Miss Gwilt is likely to persist in paying you
a visit； Mr。 Armadale； after the answer you have just sent to
her？〃
〃Quite impossible！〃 cried Allan； warmly。 〃Miss Gwilt is a lady；
after the letter I have sent to her； she will never come near me
again。〃
〃There we join issue； sir；〃 cried Pedgift Senior。 〃I say she will
snap her fingers at your letter （which was one of the reasons why
I objected to your writing it）。 I say； she is in all probability
waiting her messenger's return； in or near your grounds at this
moment。 I say； she will try to force her way in here； before
four…and…twenty hours more are over your head。 Egad； sir！〃 cried
Mr。 Pedgift； looking at his watch； 〃it's only seven o'clock now。
She's bold enough and clever enough to catch you unawares this
very evening。 Permit me to ring for the servantpermit me to
request that you will give him orders immediately to say you are
not at home。 You needn't hesitate； Mr。 Armadale！ If you're right
about Miss Gwilt； it's a mere formality。 If I'm right； it's a
wise precaution。 Back your opinion； sir；〃 said Mr。 Pedgift；
ringing the bell； 〃I back mine！〃
Allan was sufficiently nettled when the bell rang to feel ready
to give the order。 But when the servant came in； past
remembrances got the better of him； and the words stuck in his
throat。 〃You give the order；〃 he said to Mr。 Pedgift； and walked
away abruptly to the window。 〃You're a good fellow！〃 thought the
old lawyer； looking after him； and penetrating his motive on the
instant。 〃The claws of that she…devil shan't scratch you if I can
help it。〃
The servant waited inexorably for his orders。
〃If Miss Gwilt calls here； either this evening； or at any other
time；〃 said Pedgift Senior； 〃Mr。 Armadale is not at home。 Wait！
If she asks when Mr。 Armadale will be back； you don't know。 Wait！
If she proposes coming in and sitting down； you have a general
order that nobody is to come in and sit down unless they have a
previous appointment with Mr。 Armadale。 Come！〃 cried old Pedgift；
rubbing his hands cheerfully when the servant had left the room；
〃I've stopped her out now； at any rate！ The orders are all given；
Mr。 Armadale。 We may go on with our conversation。〃
Allan came back from the window。 〃The conversation is not a very
pleasant one；〃 he said。 〃No offense to you； but I wish it was
over。〃
〃We will get it over as soon as possible； sir；〃 said Pedgift
Senior； still per