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his shilling。 〃They went away on foot。〃
〃And that is all you know about it？〃
〃That； sir； is all I know about it。〃
Left by himself； even the Detective of the Private Inquiry Office
paused for a moment before he returned to his father at the gate。
He was roused from his hesitation by the sudden appearance；
within the church inclosure； of the driver of the cab。
〃I'm afraid the old gentleman is going to be taken ill； sir；〃
said the man。
Bashwood the younger frowned angrily； and walked back to the cab。
As he opened the door and looked in； his father leaned forward
and confronted him； with lips that moved speechlessly； and with a
white stillness over all the rest of his face。
〃She's done us；〃 said the spy。 〃They were married here this
morning。〃
The old man's body swayed for a moment from one side to the
other。 The instant after； his eyes closed and his head fell
forward toward the front seat of the cab。 〃Drive to the
hospital！〃 cried his son。 〃He's in a fit。 This is what comes of
putting myself out of my way to please my father；〃 he muttered；
sullenly raising Mr。 Bashwood's head； and loosening his cravat。
〃A nice morning's work。 Upon my soul； a nice morning's work！〃
The hospital was near； and the house surgeon was at his post。
〃Will he come out of it？〃 asked Bashwood the younger； roughly。
〃Who are _you？_〃 asked the surgeon； sharply； on his side。
〃I am his son。〃
〃I shouldn't have thought it；〃 rejoined the surgeon； taking the
restoratives that were handed to him by the nurse； and turning
from the son to the father with an air of relief which he was at
no pains to conceal。 〃Yes；〃 he added； after a minute or two； 〃
your father will come out of it this time。〃
〃When can he be moved away from here？〃
〃He can be moved from the hospital in an hour or two。〃
The spy laid a card on the table。 〃I'll come back for him or send
for him；〃 he said。 〃I suppose I can go now； if I leave my name
and address？〃 With those words； he put on his hat； and walked
out。
〃He's a brute！〃 said the nurse。
〃No；〃 said the surgeon； quietly。 〃He's a man。〃
* * * * * * *
Between nine and ten o'clock that night； Mr。 Bashwood awoke in
his bed at the inn in the Borough。 He had slept for some hours
since he had been brought back from the hospital； and his mind
and body were now slowly recovering together。
A light was burning on the bedside table； and a letter lay on it；
waiting for him till he was awake。 It was in his son's
handwriting； and it contained these words：
〃MY DEAR DADHaving seen you safe out of the hospital； and back
at your hotel； I think I may fairly claim to have done my duty by
you； and may consider myself free to look after my own affairs。
Business will prevent me from seeing you to…night； and I don't
think it at all likely I shall be in your neighborhood to…morrow
morning。 My advice to you is to go back to Thorpe Ambrose； and to
stick to your employment in the steward's office。 Wherever Mr。
Armadale may be； he must； sooner or later； write to you on
business。 I wash my hands of the whole matter； mind； so far as I
am concerned； from this time forth。 But if _you_ like to go on
with it； my professional opinion is （though you couldn't hinder
his marriage）； you may part him from his wife。
〃Pray take care of yourself。
〃Your affectionate son；
〃JAMES BASHWOOD。〃
The letter dropped from the old man's feeble hands。 〃I wish Jemmy
could have come to see me to…night；〃 he thought。 〃But it's very
kind of him to advise me； all the same。〃
He turned wearily on the pillow； and read the letter a second
time。 〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃there's nothing left for me but to go
back。 I'm too poor and too old to hunt after them all by myself。〃
He closed his eyes： the tears trickled slowly over his wrinkled
cheeks。 〃I've been a trouble to Jemmy；〃 he murmured； faintly；
〃I've been a sad trouble； I'm afraid； to poor Jemmy！〃 In a minute
more his weakness overpowered him； and he fell asleep again。
The clock of the neighboring church struck。 It was ten。 As the
bell tolled the hour； the tidal trainwith Midwinter and his
wife among the passengerswas speeding nearer and nearer to
Paris。 As the bell tolled the hour； the watch on board Allan's
outward…bound yacht had sighted the light…house off the Land's
End； and had set the course of the vessel for Ushant and
Finisterre。
THE END OF THE THIRD BOOK。
BOOK THE FOURTH。
CHAPTER I。
MISS GWILT'S DIARY。
〃NAPLES； October 10th。It is two months to…day since I declared
that I had closed my Diary； never to open it again。
〃Why have I broken my resolution？ Why have I gone back to this
secret friend of my wretchedest and wickedest hours？ Because I am
more friendless than ever； because I am more lonely than ever；
though my husband is sitting writing in the next room to me。 My
misery is a woman's misery； and it _will_ speakhere； rather
than nowhere； to my second self； in this book； if I have no one
else to hear me。
〃How happy I was in the first days that followed our marriage；
and how happy I made _him！_ Only two months have passed； and that
time is a by…gone time already！ I try to think of anything I
might have said or done wrongly； on my sideof anything he might
have said or done wrongly； on his； and I can remember nothing
unworthy of my husband； nothing unworthy of myself。 I cannot even
lay my finger on the day when the cloud first rose between us。
〃I could bear it； if I loved him less dearly than I do。 I could
conquer the misery of our estrangement； if he only showed the
change in him as brutally as other men would show it。
〃But this never has happenednever will happen。 It is not in his
nature to inflict suffering on others。 Not a hard word； not a
hard look； escapes him。 It is only at night； when I hear him
sighing in his sleep； and sometimes when I see him dreaming in
the morning hours； that I know how hopelessly I am losing the
love he once felt for me。 He hides； or tries to hide； it in the
day； for my sake。 He is all gentleness； all kindness； but his
heart is not on his lips when he kisses me now； his hand tells me
nothing when it touches mine。 Day after day the hours that he
gives to his hateful writing grow longer and longer； day after
day he becomes more and more silent in the hours that he gives to
Me。
〃And； with all this； there is nothing that I can complain
ofnothing marked enough to justify me in noticing it。 His
disappointment shrinks from all open confession； his resignation
collects itself by such fine degrees that even my watchfulness
fails to see the growth of it。 Fifty times a day I feel the
longing in me to throw my arms round his neck； and say： 'For
God's sake； do anything to me； rather than treat me like this！'
and fifty times a day the words are forced back into my heart by
the cruel considerateness of his conduct； which gives me no
excuse for speaking them。 I thought I had suffered the sharpest
pain that I could feel when my first husband laid his whip across
my face。 I thought I knew the worst that despair could do on the
day when I knew that the other villain； the meaner villain still；
had cast me off。 Live and learn。 There