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reach Miss Milroy's ears。 With her temper （if she did hear it）
she might do something desperate in the way of claiming her
lover； and might compromise me seriously。 As for my own course
with Armadale； it is easy enough。 I shall quiet him by promising
to write to Major Milroy； and I shall take the liberty； in my own
private interests； of not keeping my word。
〃Nothing in the least suspicious has happened to…day。 Whoever my
enemies are； they have lost me； and between this and the time
when I leave England they shall not find me again。 I have been to
the post…office； and have got the ticket for my luggage； inclosed
to me in a letter from All Saints' Terrace； as I directed。 The
luggage itself I shall still leave at the cloak…room； until I see
the way before me more clearly than I see it now。
〃August 5th。Two letters again from the hotel。 Midwinter writes
to remind me； in the prettiest possible manner； that he will have
lived long enough in the parish by to…morrow to be able to get
our marriage…license； and that he proposes applying for it in the
usual way at Doctors' Commons。 Now； if I am ever to say it； is
the time to say No。 I can't say No。 There is the plain truthand
there is an end of it！
〃Armadale's letter is a letter of farewell。 He thanks me for my
kindness in consenting to write to the major； and bids me
good…by； till we meet again at Naples。 He has learned from his
friend that there are private reasons which will oblige him to
forbid himself the pleasure of being present at our marriage。
Under these circumstances； there is nothing to keep him in
London。 He has made all his business arrangements； he goes to
Somersetshire by to…night's train； and； after staying some time
with Mr。 Brock； he will sail for the Mediterranean from the
Bristol Channel （in spite of Midwinter's objections） in his own
yacht。
〃The letter incloses a jeweler's box； with a ring in
itArmadale's present to me on my marriage。 It is a rubybut
rather a small one； and set in the worst possible taste。 He would
have given Miss Milroy a ring worth ten times the money； if it
had been _her_ marriage present。 There is no more hateful
creature； in my opinion； than a miserly young man。 I wonder
whether his trumpery little yacht will drown him？
〃I am so excited and fluttered； I hardly know what I am writing。
Not that I shrink from what is comingI only feel as if I was
being hurried on faster than I quite like to go。 At this rate； if
nothing happens； Midwinter will have married me by the end of the
week。 And then！
〃August 6th。If anything could startle me now； I should feel
startled by the news that has reached me to…day。
〃On his return to the hotel this morning； after getting the
marriage…license； Midwinter found a telegram waiting for him。 It
contained an urgent message from Armadale； announcing that Mr。
Brock had had a relapse； and that all hope of his recovery was
pronounced by the doctors to be at an end。 By the dying man's own
desire； Midwinter was summoned to take leave of him； and was
entreated by Armadale not to lose a moment in starting for the
rectory by the first train。
〃The hurried letter which tells me this tells me also that； by
the time I recei ve it； Midwinter will be on his way to the West。
He promises to write at greater length； after he has seen Mr。
Brock； by to…night's post。
〃This news has an interest for me； which Midwinter little
suspects。 There is but one human creature； besides myself； who
knows the secret of his birth and his name； and that one is the
old man who now lies waiting for him at the point of death。 What
will they say to each other at the last moment？ Will some chance
word take them back to the time when I was in Mrs。 Armadale's
service at Madeira？ Will they speak of Me？
〃August 7th。The promised letter has just reached me。 No parting
words have been exchanged between them： it was all over before
Midwinter reached Somersetshire。 Armadale met him at the rectory
gate with the news that Mr。 Brock was dead。
〃I try to struggle against it； but； coming after the strange
complication of circumstances that has been closing round me for
weeks past； there is something in this latest event of all that
shakes my nerves。 But one last chance of detection stood in my
way when I opened my diary yesterday。 When I open it to…day； that
chance is removed by Mr。 Brock's death。 It means something； I
wish I knew what。
〃The funeral is to be on Saturday morning。 Midwinter will attend
it as well as Armadale。 But he proposes returning to London
first； and he writes word that he will call to…night； in the hope
of seeing me； on his way from the station to the hotel。 Even if
there was any risk in it； I should see him； as things are now。
But there is no risk if he comes here from the station instead of
coming from the hotel。
〃Five o'clock。I was not mistaken in believing that my nerves
were all unstrung。 Trifles that would not have cost me a second
thought at other times weigh heavily on my mind now。
〃Two hours since； in despair of knowing how to get through the
day； I bethought myself of the milliner who is making my summer
dress。 I had intended to go and try it on yesterday； but it
slipped out of my memory in the excitement of hearing about Mr。
Brock。 So I went this afternoon； eager to do anything that might
help me to get rid of myself。 I have returned； feeling more
uneasy and more depressed than I felt when I went out； for I have
come back fearing that I may yet have reason to repent not having
left my unfinished dress on the milliner's hands。
〃Nothing happened to me； this time； in the street。 It was only in
the trying…on room that my suspicions were roused； and there it
certainly did cross my mind that the attempt to discover me；
which I defeated at All Saints' Terrace； was not given up yet；
and that some of the shop…women had been tampered with； if not
the mistress herself。
〃Can I give myself anything in the shape of a reason for this
impression？ Let me think a little。
〃I certainly noticed two things which were out of the ordinary
routine； under the circumstances。 In the first place； there were
twice as many women as were needed in the trying…on room。 This
looked suspicious； and yet I might have accounted for it in more
ways than one。 Is it not the slack time now？ and don't I know by
experience that I am the sort of woman about whom other women are
always spitefully curious？ I thought again； in the second place；
that one of the assistants persisted rather oddly in keeping me
turned in a particular direction； with my face toward the glazed
and curtained door that led into the work…room。 But； after all；
she gave a reason when I asked for it。 She said the light fell
better on me that way； and； when I looked round； there was the
window to prove her right。 Still； these trifles produced such an
effect on me； at the time； that I purposely found fault with the
dress； so as to have an excuse for trying it on again； before I
told them where I lived； and had it sent home。 Pure fancy； I dare
say。 Pure fancy； perhaps； at the present moment。 I don't care； I
shall act on instinct （as they say）； and give up the dress。 In
pl