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your way。 By…gones shall be by…gones； and we will forget the
past。
〃Your affectionate son；
〃JAMES BASHWOOD。〃
In the ecstasy of seeing help placed at last within his reach；
the father put his son's atrocious letter to his lips。 〃My good
boy！〃 he murmured； tenderly〃my dear； good boy！〃
He put the letter down； and fell into a new train of thought。 The
next question to face was the serious question of time。 Mr。
Pedgift had told him Miss Gwilt might be married in a fortnight。
One day of the fourteen had passed already； and another was
passing。 He beat his hand impatiently on the table at his side；
wondering how soon the want of money would force Allan to write
to him from London。 〃To…morrow？〃 he asked himself。 〃Or next day？〃
The morrow passed； and nothing happened。 The next day came； and
the letter arrived！ It was on business； as he had anticipated； it
asked for money； as he had anticipated； and there； at the end of
it； in a postscript； was the address added； concluding with the
words； 〃You may count on my staying here till further notice。〃
He gave one deep gasp of relief； and instantly busied
himselfthough there were nearly two hours to spare before the
train started for Londonin packing his bag。 The last thing he
put in was his blue satin cravat。 〃She likes bright colors；〃 he
said； 〃and she may see me in it yet！〃
CHAPTER XIV。
MISS GWILT'S DIARY。
〃All Saints' Terrace； New Road； London； July 28th； Monday
night。I can hardly hold my head up； I am so tired。 But in my
situation； I dare not trust anything to memory。 Before I go to
bed； I must write my customary record of the events of the day。
〃So far； the turn of luck in my favor （it was long enough before
it took the turn！） seems likely to continue。 I succeeded in
forcing Armadalethe brute required nothing short of
forcing！to leave Thorpe Ambrose for London； alone in the same
carriage with me； before all the people in the station。 There was
a full attendance of dealers in small scandal； all staring hard
at us； and all evidently drawing their own conclusions。 Either I
knew nothing of Thorpe Ambroseor the town gossip is busy enough
by this time with Mr。 Armadale and Miss Gwilt。
〃I had some difficulty with him for the first half…hour after we
left the station。 The guard （delightful man！ I felt so grateful
to him！） had shut us up together； in expectation of half a crown
at the end of the journey。 Armadale was suspicious of me； and he
showed it plainly。 Little by little I tamed my wild beastpartly
by taking care to display no curiosity about his journey to town；
and partly by interesting him on the subject of his friend
Midwinter； dwelling especially on the opportunity that now
offered itself for a reconciliation between them。 I kept harping
on this string till I set his tongue going； and made him amuse me
as a gentleman is bound to do when he has the honor of escorting
a lady on a long railway journey。
〃What little mind he has was full； of course； of his own affairs
and Miss Milroy's。 No words can express the clumsiness he showed
in trying to talk about himself； without taking me into his
confidence or mentioning Miss Milroy's name。
〃He was going to London； he gravely informed me； on a matter of
indescribable interest to him。 It was a secret for the present；
but he hoped to tell it me soon； it had made a great difference
already in the way in which he looked at the sl anders spoken of
him in Thorpe Ambrose； he was too happy to care what the
scandal…mongers said of him now； and he should soon stop their
mouths by appearing in a new character that would surprise them
all。 So he blundered on； with the firm persuasion that he was
keeping me quite in the dark。 It was hard not to laugh； when I
thought of my anonymous letter on its way to the major； but I
managed to control myselfthough； I must own； with some
difficulty。 As the time wore on； I began to feel a terrible
excitement； the position was； I think； a little too much for me。
There I was； alone with him； talking in the most innocent； easy；
familiar manner； and having it in my mind all the time to brush
his life out of my way； when the moment comes； as I might brush a
stain off my gown。 It made my blood leap； and my checks flush。 I
caught myself laughing once or twice much louder than I ought；
and long before we got to London I thought it desirable to put my
face in hiding by pulling down my veil。
〃There was no difficulty； on reaching the terminus； in getting
him to come in the cab with me to the hotel where Midwinter is
staying。 He was all eagerness to be reconciled with his dear
friendprincipally； I have no doubt； because he wants the dear
friend to lend a helping hand to the elopement。 The real
difficulty lay； of course； with Midwinter。 My sudden journey to
London had allowed me no opportunity of writing to combat his
superstitious conviction that he and his former friend are better
apart。 I thought it wise to leave Armadale in the cab at the
door； and to go into the hotel by myself to pave the way for him。
〃Fortunately； Midwinter had not gone out。 His delight at seeing
me some days sooner than he had hoped had something infectious in
it； I suppose。 Pooh！ I may own the truth to my own diary！ There
was a moment when _I_ forgot everything in the world but our two
selves as completely as he did。 I felt as if I was back in my
teensuntil I remembered the lout in the cab at the door。 And
then I was five…and…thirty again in an instant。
〃His face altered when he heard who was below； and what it was I
wanted of him； he looked not angry； but distressed。 He yielded；
however； before long； not to my reasons； for I gave him none； but
to my entreaties。 His old fondness for his friend might possibly
have had some share in persuading him against his will； but my
own opinion is that he acted entirely under the influence of his
fondness for Me。
〃I waited in the sitting…room while he went down to the door； so
I knew nothing of what passed between them when they first saw
each other again。 But oh； the difference between the two men when
the interval had passed； and they came upstairs together and
joined me。
〃They were both agitated； but in such different ways！ The hateful
Armadale； so loud and red and clumsy； the dear； lovable
Midwinter； so pale and quiet； with such a gentleness in his voice
when he spoke； and such tenderness in his eyes every time they
turned my way。 Armadale overlooked me as completely as if I had
not been in the room。 _He_ referred to me over and over again in
the conversation； _he_ constantly looked at me to see what I
thought； while I sat in my corner silently watching them； _he_
wanted to go with me and see me safe to my lodgings； and spare me
all trouble with the cabman and the luggage。 When I thanked him
and declined； Armadale looked unaffectedly relieved at the
prospect of seeing my back turned； and of having his friend all
to himself。 I left him； with his awkward elbows half over the
table； scrawling a letter （no doubt to Miss Milroy）； and shouting
to the waiter that he wanted a bed at the hotel。 I had calculated
on his staying； as a matter of course； where he found his friend
stay