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or； if you won't do that； to be careful how you express it in
public。 I warn you that our turn is to come； and that you are not
at the end yet of this scandal about Miss Gwilt。' It struck me as
likely that he would lose his temper when he found himself
tackled in that way； and he amply fulfilled my expectations。 He
was quite violent in his languagethe poor weak
creatureactually violent with _me！_ I behaved like a Christian
again； I nodded kindly； and wished him good…morning。 When I
looked round to wish Miss Neelie good…morning； too； she was gone。
You seem restless； Mr。 Armadale；〃 remarked Pedgift Senior； as
Allan； feeling the sting of old recollections； suddenly started
out of his chair； and began pacing up and down the room。 〃I won't
try your patience much longer； sir； I am coming to the point。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Mr。 Pedgift；〃 said Allan； returning to his
seat； and trying to look composedly at the lawyer through the
intervening image of Neelie which the lawyer had called up。
〃Well； sir； I left the cottage；〃 resumed Pedgift Senior。 〃Just as
I turned the corner from the garden into the park； whom should I
stumble on but Miss Neelie herself； evidently on the lookout for
me。 'I want to speak to you for one moment； Mr。 Pedgift！' says
she。 'Does Mr。 Armadale think _me_ mixed up in this matter？' She
was violently agitatedtears in her eyes； sir； of the sort which
my legal experience has _not_ accustomed me to see。 I quite
forgot myself； I actually gave her my arm； and led her away
gently among the trees。 （A nice position to find me in； if any of
the scandal…mongers of the town had happened to be walking in
that direction！） 'My dear Miss Milroy；' says I； 'why should Mr。
Armadale think _you_ mixed up in it？' 〃
〃You ought to have told her at once that I thought nothing of the
kind！〃 exclaimed Allan； indignantly。 〃Why did you leave her a
moment in doubt about it？〃
〃Because I am a lawyer； Mr。 Armadale；〃 rejoined Pedgift Senior；
dryly。 〃Even in moments of sentiment； under convenient trees；
with a pretty girl on my arm； I can't entirely divest myself of
my professional caution。 Don't look distressed； sir； pray！ I set
things right in due course of time。 Before I left Miss Milroy； I
told her； in the plainest terms； no such idea had ever entered
your head。〃
〃Did she seem relieved？〃 asked Allan。
〃She was able to dispense with the use of my arm； sir；〃 replied
old Pedgift； as dryly as ever； 〃and to pledge me to inviolable
secrecy on the subject of our interview。 She was particularly
desirous that _you_ should hear nothing about it。 If you are at
all anxious on your side to know why I am now betraying her
confidence； I beg to inform you that her confidence related to no
less a person than the lady who favored you with a call just
nowMiss Gwilt。〃
Allan； who had been once more restlessly pacing the room；
stopped； and returned to his chair。
〃Is this serious？〃 he asked。
〃Most serious； sir；〃 returned Pedgift Senior。 〃I am betraying
Miss Neelie's secret； in Miss Neelie's own interest。 Let us go
back to that cautious question I put to her。 She found some
little difficulty in answering it； for the reply involved her in
a narrative of the parting interview between her governess and
herself。 This is the substance of it。 The two were alone when
Miss Gwilt took leave of her pupil； and the words she used （as
reported to me by Miss Neelie） were these。 She said； 'Your mother
has declined to allow me to take leave of her。 Do you decline
too？' Miss Neelie's answer was a remarkably sensible one for a
girl of her age。 'We have not been good friends；' she said； 'and
I believe we are equally glad to part with each other。 But I have
no wish to decline taking leave of you。' Saying that； she held
out her hand。 Miss Gwilt stood looking at her steadily； without
taking it； and addressed her in these words： '_You are not Mrs。
Armadale yet。_' Gently； sir！ Keep your temper。 It's not at all
wonderful that a woman； conscious of having her own mercenary
designs on you； should attribute similar designs to a young lady
who happens to be your near neighbor。 Let me go on。 Miss Neelie；
by her own confession （and quite naturally； I think）； was
excessively indignant。 She owns to having answered； 'You
shameless creature； how dare you say that to me！' Miss Gwilt's
rejoinder was rather a remarkable onethe anger； on her side；
appears to have been of the cool； still； venomous kind。 'Nobody
ever yet injured me； Miss Milroy；' she said； 'without sooner or
later bitterly repenting it。 _You_ will bitterly repent it。' She
stood looking at her pupil for a moment in dead silence； and then
left the room。 Miss Neelie appears to have felt the imputation
fastened on her； in connection with you； far more sensitively
than she felt the threat。 She had previously known； as everybody
had known in the house； that some unacknowledged proceedings of
yours in London had led to Miss Gwilt's voluntary withdrawal from
her situation。 And she now inferred； from the language addressed
to her； that she was actually believed by Miss Gwilt to have set
those proceedings on foot； to advance herself； and to injure her
governess； in your estimation。 Gently； sir； gently！ I haven't
quite done yet。 As soon as Miss Neelie had recovered herself； she
went upstairs to speak to Mrs。 Milroy。 Miss Gwilt's abominable
imputation had taken her by surprise； and she went to her mother
first for enlightenment and advice。 She got neither the one nor
the other。 Mrs。 Milroy declared she was too ill to enter on the
subject； and she has remained too ill to enter on it ever since。
Miss Neelie applied next to her father。 The major stopped her the
moment your name passed her lips： he declared he would never hear
you mentioned again by any member of his family。 She has been
left in the dark from that time to this； not knowing how she
might have been misrepresented by Miss Gwilt； or what falsehoods
you might have been led to believe of her。 At my age and in my
profession； I don't profess to have any extraordinary softness of
heart。 But I do think； Mr。 Armadale； that Miss Neelie's position
deserves our sympathy。〃
〃I'll do anything to help her！〃 cried Allan； impulsively。 〃You
don't know； Mr。 Pedgift； what reason I have〃 He checked
himself； and confusedly repeated his first words。 〃I'll do
anything；〃 he reiterated earnestly〃anything in the world to
help her！〃
〃Do you really mean that； Mr。 Armadale？ Excuse my asking； but you
can very materially help Miss Neelie； if you choose！ 〃
〃How？〃 asked Allan。 〃Only tell me how！〃
〃By giving me your authority； sir； to protect her from Miss
Gwilt。〃
Having fired that shot pointblank at his client； the wise lawyer
waited a little to let it take its effect before he said any
more。
Allan's face clouded； and he shifted uneasily from side to side
of his chair。
〃Your son is hard enough to deal with； Mr。 Pedgift；〃 he said；
〃and you are harder than your son。〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 rejoined the ready Pedgift； 〃in my son's name
and my own； for a handsome compliment to the firm。 If you really
wish to be of assistance to Miss Neelie；〃 he went on； more
seriously； 〃I have shown you the