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times。 Nothing remained of the man I once knew but the
comfortable plumpness of his figure； and the confidential
courtesy and smoothness of his manner and his voice。
〃 'Charmed to see you again；' said the doctor； looking about him
a little anxiously； and producing his card…case in a very
precipitate manner。 'But； my dear Miss Gwilt； permit me to
rectify a slight mistake on your part。 Doctor Downward of Pimlico
is dead and buried； and you will infinitely oblige me if you will
never； on any consideration； mention him again！'
〃I took the card he offered me； and discovered that I was now
supposed to be speaking to 'Doctor Le Doux； of the Sanitarium；
Fairweather Vale； Hampstead！'
〃 'You seem to have found it necessary；' I said； 'to change a
great many things since I last saw you？ Your name； your
residence； your personal appearance？'
〃 'And my branch of practice；' interposed the doctor。 'I have
purchased of the original possessor （a person of feeble
enterprise and no resources） a name； a diploma； and a partially
completed sanitarium for the reception of nervous invalids。 We
are open already to the inspection of a few privileged
friendscome and see us。 Are you walking my way？ Pray take my
arm； and tell me to what happy chance I am indebted for the
pleasure of seeing you again？'
〃I told him the circumstances exactly as they had happened； and I
added （with a view to making sure of his relations with his
former ally at Pimlico） that I had been greatly surprised to hear
Mrs。 Oldershaw's door shut on such an old friend as himself。
Cautious as he was； the doctor's manner of receiving my remark
satisfied me at once that my suspicions of an estrangement were
well founded。 His smile vanished； and he settled his hideous
spectacles irritably on the bridge of his nose。
〃 'Pardon me if I leave you to draw your own conclusions；' he
said。 'The subject of Mrs。 Oldershaw is； I regret to say； far
from agreeable to me under existing circumstancesa business
difficulty connected with our late partnership at Pimlico；
entirely without interest for a young and brilliant woman like
yourself。 Tell me your news！ Have you left your situation at
Thorpe Ambrose？ Are you residing in London？ Is there anything；
professional or otherwise； that I can do for you？'
〃That last question was a more important one than he supposed。
Before I answered it； I felt the necessity of parting company
with him and of getting a little time to think。
〃 'You have kindl y asked me； doctor； to pay you a visit；' I
said。 'In your quiet house at Hampstead； I may possibly have
something to say to you which I can't say in this noisy street。
When are you at home at the Sanitarium？ Should I find you there
later in the day？'
〃The doctor assured me that he was then on his way back； and
begged that I would name my own hour。 I said； 'Toward the
afternoon；' and； pleading an engagement； hailed the first omnibus
that passed us。 'Don't forget the address；' said the doctor； as
he handed me in。 'I have got your card；' I answered； and so we
parted。
〃I returned to the hotel； and went up into my room； and thought
over it very anxiously。
〃The serious obstacle of the signature on the marriage register
still stood in my way as unmanageably as ever。 All hope of
getting assistance from Mrs。 Oldershaw was at an end。 I could
only regard her henceforth as an enemy hidden in the darkthe
enemy； beyond all doubt now； who had had me followed and watched
when I was last in London。 To what other counselor could I turn
for the advice which my unlucky ignorance of law and business
obliged me to seek from some one more experienced than myself？
Could I go to the lawyer whom I consulted when I was about to
marry Midwinter in my maiden name？ Impossible！ To say nothing of
his cold reception of me when I had last seen him； the advice I
wanted this time related （disguise the facts as I might） to the
commission of a Frauda fraud of the sort that no prosperous
lawyer would consent to assist if he had a character to lose。 Was
there any other competent person I could think of？ There was one；
and one onlythe doctor who had died at Pimlico； and had revived
again at Hampstead。
〃I knew him to be entirely without scruples； to have the business
experience that I wanted myself； and to be as cunning； as clever；
and as far…seeing a man as could be found in all London。 Beyond
this； I had made two important discoveries in connection with him
that morning。 In the first place； he was on bad terms with Mrs。
Oldershaw； which would protect me from all danger of the two
leaguing together against me if I trusted him。 In the second
place； circumstances still obliged him to keep his identity
carefully disguised； which gave me a hold over him in no respect
inferior to any hold that _I_ might give him over _me。_ In every
way he was the right man； the only man； for my purpose； and yet I
hesitated at going to himhesitated for a full hour and more；
without knowing why！
〃It was two o'clock before I finally decided on paying the doctor
a visit。 Having； after this； occupied nearly another hour in
determining to a hair…breadth how far I should take him into my
confidence； I sent for a cab at last； and set off toward three in
the afternoon for Hampstead。
〃I found the Sanitarium with some little difficulty。
〃Fairweather Vale proved to be a new neighborhood； situated below
the high ground of Hampstead； on the southern side。 The day was
overcast； and the place looked very dreary。 We approached it by a
new road running between trees； which might once have been the
park avenue of a country house。 At the end we came upon a
wilderness of open ground； with half…finished villas dotted
about； and a hideous litter of boards； wheelbarrows； and building
materials of all sorts scattered in every direction。 At one
corner of this scene of desolation； stood a great overgrown
dismal house； plastered with drab…colored stucco； and surrounded
by a naked； unfinished garden； without a shrub or a flower in it；
frightful to behold。 On the open iron gate that led into this
inclosure was a new brass plate； with 'Sanitarium' inscribed on
it in great black letters。 The bell； when the cabman rang it；
pealed through the empty house like a knell； and the pallid；
withered old man…servant in black who answered the door looked as
if he had stepped up out of his grave to perform that service。 He
let out on me a smell of damp plaster and new varnish； and he let
in with me a chilling draft of the damp November air。 I didn't
notice it at the time； but； writing of it now； I remember that I
shivered as I crossed the threshold。
〃I gave my name to the servant as 'Mrs。 Armadale；' and was shown
into the waiting…room。 The very fire itself was dying of damp in
the grate。 The only books on the table were the doctor's Works；
in sober drab covers； and the only object that ornamented the
walls was the foreign Diploma （handsomely framed and glazed）； of
which the doctor had possessed himself by purchase； along with
the foreign name。
〃After a moment or two； the proprietor of the Sanitarium came in；
and held up his hands in cheerful astonishment at the sight of
me。