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please excuse me； if I venture to say that I have saved a little
something； a few pounds； sir； and being quite lonely； with nobody
dependent on me； I'm sure I may spend my savings as I please？〃
Blind to every consideration but the one consideration of
propitiating Mr。 Pedgift； he took out a dingy； ragged old
pocket…book； and tried； with trembling fingers； to open it on the
lawyer's table。
〃Put your pocket…book back directly；〃 said Pedgift Senior。
〃Richer men than you have tried that argument with me； and have
found that there is such a thing （off the stage） as a lawyer who
is not to be bribed。 I will have nothing to do with the case；
under existing circumstances。 If you want to know why； I beg to
inform you that Miss Gwilt ceased to be professionally
interesting to me on the day when I ceased to be Mr。 Armadale's
lawyer。 I may have other reasons besides； which I don't think it
necessary to mention。 The reason already given is explicit
enough。 Go your own way； and take your responsibility on your own
shoulders。 You _may_ venture within reach of Miss Gwilt's claws
and come out again without being scratched。 Time will show。 In
the meanwhile； I wish you good…morningand I own； to my shame；
that I never knew till today what a hero you were。〃
This time； Mr。 Bashwood felt the sting。 Without another word of
expostulation or entreaty； without even saying 〃Good…morning〃 on
his side； he walked to the door； opened it； softly； and left the
room。
The parting look in his face； and the sudden silence that had
fallen on him； were not lost on Pedgift Senior。 〃Bashwood will
end badly；〃 said the lawyer； shuffling his papers； and returning
impenetrably to his interrupted work。
The change in Mr。 Bashwood's face and manner to something dogged
and self…contained was so startlingly uncharacteristic of him；
that it even forced itself on the notice of Pedgift Junior and
the clerks as he passed through the outer office。 Accustomed to
make the old man their butt； they took a boisterously comic view
of the marked alteration in him。 Deaf to the merciless raillery
with which he was assailed on all sides； he stopped opposite
young Pedgift； and； looking him attentively in the face； said； in
a quiet； absent manner； like a man thinking aloud； 〃I wonder
whether _you_ would help me？〃
〃Open an account instantly；〃 said Pedgift Junior to the clerks；
〃in the name of Mr。 Bashwood。 Place a chair for Mr。 Bashwood；
with a footstool close by； in case he wants it。 Supply me with a
quire of extra double…wove satin paper； and a gross of picked
quills； to take notes of Mr。 Bashwood's case； and inform my
father instantly that I am going to leave him and set up in
business for myself； on the strength of Mr。 Bashwood's patronage。
Take a seat； sir； pray take a seat； and express your feelings
freely。〃
Still impenetrably deaf to the raillery of which he was the
object； Mr。 Bashwood waited until Pedgift Junior had exhausted
himself； and then turned quietly away。
〃I ought to have known better；〃 he said； in the same absent
manner as before。 〃He is his father's son all overhe would make
game of me on my death…bed。〃 He paused a moment at the door；
mechanically brushing his hat with his hand； and went out into
the street。
The bright sunshine dazzled his eyes； the passing vehicles and
foot…passengers startled and bewildered him。 He shrank into a
by…street； and put his hand over his eyes。 〃I'd better go home；〃
he thought； 〃and shut myself up； and think about it in my own
room。〃
His lodging was in a small house； in the poor quarter of the
town。 He let himself in with his key； and stole softly upstairs
The one little room he possessed met him cruelly； look round it
where he might； with silent memorials of Miss Gwilt。 On the
chimney…piece were the flowers she had given him at various
times； all withered long since； and all preserved on a little
china pedestal； protected by a glass shade。 On the wall hung a
wretched colored print of a woman； which he had caused to be
nicely framed and glazed； because there was a look in it that
reminded him of her face。 In his clumsy old mahogany writing…desk
were the few letters； brief and peremptory； which she had written
to him at the time when he was watching and listening meanly at
Thorpe Ambrose to please _her。_ And when； turning his back on
these； he sat down wearily on his sofa…bedsteadthere； hanging
over one end of it； was the gaudy cravat of blue satin； which he
had bought because she had told him she liked bright colors； and
which he had never yet had the courage to wear； though he had
taken it out morning after morning with the resolution to put it
on！ Habitually quiet in his actions； habitually restrained in his
language； he now seized the cravat as if it was a living thing
that could feel； and flung it to the other end of the room with
an oath。
The time passed； and still； though his resolution to stand
between Miss Gwilt and her marriage remained unbroken； he was as
far as ever from discovering the means which might lead him to
his end。 The more he thought and thought of it； the darker and
the darker his course in the future looked to him。
He rose again； as wearily as he had sat down； and went to his
cupboard。 〃I'm feverish and thirsty；〃 he said； 〃a cup of tea may
help me。〃 He opened his canister； and measured out his small
allowance of tea； less carefully than usual。 〃Even my own hands
won't serve me to…day！〃 he thought； as he scraped together the
few grains of tea that he had spilled； and put them carefully
back in the canister。
In that fine summer weather； the one fire in the house was the
kitchen fire。 He went downstairs for the boiling water； with his
teapot in his hand。
Nobody but the landlady was in the kitchen。 She was one of the
many English matrons whose path through this world is a path of
thorns； and who take a dismal pleasure； whenever the opportunity
is afforded them； in inspecting the scratched and bleeding feet
of other people in a like condition with themselves。 Her one vice
was of the lighter sortthe vice of curiosity； and among the
many counterbalancing virtues she possessed was the virtue of
greatly respecting Mr。 Bashwood； as a lodger whose rent was
regularly paid； and whose ways were always quiet and civil from
one year's end to another。
〃What did you please to want； sir？〃 asked the landlady。 〃Boiling
water； is it？ Did you ever know the water boil； Mr。 Bashwood；
when you wanted it？ Did you ever see a sulkier fire than that？
I'll put a stick or two in； if you'll wait a little； and give me
the chance。 Dear； dear me； you'll excuse my mentioning it； sir；
but how poorly you do look to…day！〃
The strain on Mr。 Bashwood's mind was beginning to tell。
Something of the helplessness which he had shown at the station
appeared again in his face and manner as he put his teapot on the
kitchen table and sat down。
〃I'm in trouble； ma'am；〃 he said； quietly； 〃and I find trouble
gets harder to bear than it used to be。〃
〃Ah； you may well say that！〃 groaned the landlady。 〃_I'm_ ready
for the undertaker； Mr。 Bashwood； when _my_ time comes； whatever
you may be。 You're too lonely； sir。 When you're in tr