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them one by one from the floor。
〃Leave me；〃 he said； without looking up； 〃or we shall both repent
it。〃
Without a word； Midwinter moved back slowly。 He stood for the
second time with his hand on the door； and looked his last at the
room。 The horror of the night on the Wreck had got him once more；
and the flame of his passion was quenched in an instant。
〃The Dream！〃 he whispered； under his breath。 〃The Dream again！〃
The door was tried from the outside； and a servant appeared with
a trivial message about the breakfast。
Midwinter looked at the man with a blank； dreadful helplessness
in his face。 〃Show me the way out；〃 he said。 〃The place is dark；
and the room turns round with me。〃
The servant took him by the arm； and silently led him out。
As the door closed on them； Allan picked up the last fragment of
the broken figure。 He sat down alone at the table； and hid his
face in his hands。 The self…control which he had bravely
preserved under exasperation renewed again and again now failed
him at last in the friendless solitude of his room； and； in the
first bitterness of feeling that Midwinter had turned against him
like the rest； he burst into tears。
The moments followed each other； the slow time wore on。 Little by
little the signs of a new elemental disturbance began to show
themselves in the summer storm。 The shadow of a swiftly deepening
darkness swept over the sky。 The pattering of the rain lessened
with the lessening wind。 There was a momentary hush of stillness。
Then on a sudden the rain poured down again like a cataract； and
the low roll of thunder came up solemnly on the dying air。
CHAPTER IX。
SHE KNOWS THE TRUTH。
1。 _From Mr。 Bashwood to Miss Gwilt。_
〃Thorpe Ambrose； July 20th； 1851。
〃DEAR MADAMI received yesterday； by private messenger； your
obliging note； in which you di rect me to communicate with you
through the post only； as long as there is reason to believe that
any visitors who may come to you are likely to be observed。 May I
be permitted to say that I look forward with respectful anxiety
to the time when I shall again enjoy the only real happiness I
have ever experiencedthe happiness of personally addressing
you？
〃In compliance with your desire that I should not allow this day
（the Sunday） to pass without privately noticing what went on at
the great house； I took the keys； and went this morning to the
steward's office。 I accounted for my appearance to the servants
by informing them that I had work to do which it was important to
complete in the shortest possible time。 The same excuse would
have done for Mr。 Armadale if we had met； but no such meeting
happened。
〃Although I was at Thorpe Ambrose in what I thought good time； I
was too late to see or hear anything myself of a serious quarrel
which appeared to have taken place； just before I arrived；
between Mr。 Armadale and Mr。 Midwinter。
〃All the little information I can give you in this matter is
derived from one of the servants。 The man told me that he heard
the voices of the two gentlemen loud in Mr。 Armadale's
sitting…room。 He went in to announce breakfast shortly afterward；
and found Mr。 Midwinter in such a dreadful state of agitation
that he had to be helped out of the room。 The servant tried to
take him upstairs to lie down and compose himself。 He declined；
saying he would wait a little first in one of the lower rooms；
and begging that he might be left alone。 The man had hardly got
downstairs again when he heard the front door opened and closed。
He ran back； and found that Mr。 Midwinter was gone。 The rain was
pouring at the time； and thunder and lightning came soon
afterward。 Dreadful weather certainly to go out in。 The servant
thinks Mr。 Midwinter's mind was unsettled。 I sincerely hope not。
Mr。 Midwinter is one of the few people I have met with in the
course of my life who have treated me kindly。
〃Hearing that Mr。 Armadale still remained in the sitting…room； I
went into the steward's office （which； as you may remember； is on
the same side of the house）； and left the door ajar； and set the
window open； waiting and listening for anything that might
happen。 Dear madam； there was a time when I might have thought
such a position in the house of my employer not a very becoming
one。 Let me hasten to assure you that this is far from being my
feeling now。 I glory in any position which makes me serviceable
to you。
〃The state of the weather seemed hopelessly adverse to that
renewal of intercourse between Mr。 Armadale and Miss Milroy which
you so confidently anticipate； and of which you are so anxious to
be made aware。 Strangely enough； however； it is actually in
consequence of the state of the weather that I am now in a
position to give you the very information you require。 Mr。
Armadale and Miss Milroy met about an hour since。 The
circumstances were as follows：
〃Just at the beginning of the thunder…storm； I saw one of the
grooms run across from the stables； and heard him tap at his
master's window。 Mr。 Armadale opened the window and asked what
was the matter。 The groom said he came with a message from the
coachman's wife。 She had seen from her room over the stables
（which looks on to the park） Miss Milroy quite alone； standing
for shelter under one of the trees。 As that part of the park was
at some distance from the major's cottage； she had thought that
her master might wish to send and ask the young lady into the
houseespecially as she had placed herself； with a thunder…storm
coming on； in what might turn out to be a very dangerous
position。
〃The moment Mr。 Armadale understood the man's message； he called
for the water…proof things and the umbrellas； and ran out
himself； instead of leaving it to the servants。 In a little time
he and the groom came back with Miss Milroy between them； as well
protected as could be from the rain。
〃I ascertained from one of the women…servants； who had taken the
young lady into a bedroom； and had supplied her with such dry
things as she wanted； that Miss Milroy had been afterward shown
into the drawing…room； and that Mr。 Armadale was there with her。
The only way of following your instructions； and finding out what
passed between them； was to go round the house in the pelting
rain； and get into the conservatory （which opens into the
drawing…room） by the outer door。 I hesitate at nothing； dear
madam； in your service； I would cheerfully get wet every day； to
please you。 Besides； though I may at first sight be thought
rather an elderly man； a wetting is of no very serious
consequence to me。 I assure you I am not so old as I look； and I
am of a stronger constitution than appears。
〃It was impossible for me to get near enough in the conservatory
to see what went on in the drawing…room； without the risk of
being discovered。 But most of the conversation reached me； except
when they dropped their voices。 This is the substance of what I
heard：
〃I gathered that Miss Milroy had been prevailed on； against her
will； to take refuge from the thunder…storm in Mr。 Armadale's
house。 She said so； at least； and she gave two reasons。 The first
was that her father had forbidden all intercourse between the