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waiting at a house door。 As soon as he had satisfied himself that
the driver was the man whom Mr。 Bashwood had hired； he paid the
promised reward； and dismissed his own cab。
He took a turn backward and forward before the door。 The vaguely
terrible suspicion which had risen in his mind at the terminus
had forced itself by this time into a definite form which was
abhorrent to him。 Without the shadow of an assignable reason for
it； he found himself blindly distrusting his wife's fidelity； and
blindly suspecting Mr。 Bashwood of serving her in the capacity of
go…between。 In sheer horror of his own morbid fancy； he
determined to take down the number of the house； and the name of
the street in which it stood； and then； in justice to his wife；
to return at once to the address which she had given him as the
address at which her mother lived。 He had taken out his
pocket…book； and was on his way to the corner of the street； when
he observed the man who had driven Mr。 Bashwood looking at him
with an express ion of inquisitive surprise。 The idea of
questioning the cab…driver； while he had the opportunity；
instantly occurred to him。 He took a half…crown from his pocket
and put it into the man's ready hand。
〃Has the gentleman whom you drove from the station gone into that
house？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Did you hear him inquire for anybody when the door was opened？〃
〃He asked for a lady； sir。 Mrs。〃 The man hesitated。 〃It wasn't
a common name； sir； I should know it again if I heard it。〃
〃Was it 'Midwinter'？〃
〃No； sir。
〃Armadale？〃
〃That's it； sir。 Mrs。 Armadale。〃
〃Are you sure it was 'Mrs。' and not 'Mr。'？〃
〃I'm as sure as a man can be who hasn't taken any particular
notice； sir。
The doubt implied in that last answer decided Midwinter to
investigate the matter on the spot。 He ascended the house steps。
As he raised his hand to the bell at the side of the door； the
violence of his agitation mastered him physically for the moment。
A strange sensation； as of something leaping up from his heart to
his brain； turned his head wildly giddy。 He held by the house
railings and kept his face to the air； and resolutely waited till
he was steady again。 Then he rang the bell。
〃Is？〃he tried to ask for 〃Mrs。 Armadale；〃 when the maid…servant
had opened the door； but not even his resolution could force the
name to pass his lips〃is your mistress at home？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； sir。〃
The girl showed him into a back parlor； and presented him to a
little old lady； with an obliging manner and a bright pair of
eyes。
〃There is some mistake；〃 said Midwinter。 〃I wished to see〃 Once
more he tried to utter the name； and once more he failed to force
it to his lips。
〃Mrs。 Armadale？〃 suggested the little old lady； with a smile。
〃Yes。〃
〃Show the gentleman upstairs； Jenny。〃
The girl led the way to the drawing…room floor。
〃Any name。 sir？〃
〃No name。〃
Mr。 Bashwood had barely completed his report of what had happened
at the terminus； Mr。 Bashwood's imperious mistress was still
sitting speechless under the shock of the discovery that had
burst on herwhen the door of the room opened； and； without a
word of warning to proceed him； Midwinter appeared on the
threshold。 He took one step into the room； and mechanically
pushed the door to behind him。 He stood in dead silence； and
confronted his wife； with a scrutiny that was terrible in its
unnatural self…possession； and that enveloped her steadily in one
comprehensive look from head to foot。
In dead silence on her side； she rose from her chair； In dead
silence she stood erect on the hearth…rug； and faced her husband
in widow's weeds。 He took one step nearer to her； and stopped
again。 He lifted his hand； and pointed with his lean brown finger
at her dress。
〃What does that mean？〃 he asked； without losing his terrible
self…possession； and without moving his outstretched hand。
At the sound of his voice； the quick rise and fall of her
bosomwhich had been the one outward betrayal thus far of the
inner agony that tortured hersuddenly stopped。 She stood
impenetrably silent； breathlessly stillas if his question had
struck her dead； and his pointing hand had petrified her。
He advanced one step nearer； and reiterated his words in a voice
even lower and quieter than the voice in which he had spoken
first。
One moment more of silence； one moment more of inaction； might
have been the salvation of her。 But the fatal force of her
character triumphed at the crisis of her destiny； and his。 White
and still； and haggard and old； she met the dreadful emergency
with a dreadful courage； and spoke the irrevocable words which
renounced him to his face。
〃Mr。 Midwinter；〃 she said； in tones unnaturally hard and
unnaturally clear； 〃our acquaintance hardly entitles you to speak
to me in that manner。〃 Those were her words。 She never lifted her
eyes from the ground while she spoke them。 When she had done； the
last faint vestige of color in her cheeks faded out。
There was a pause。 Still steadily looking at her； he set himself
to fix the language she had used to him in his mind。 〃She calls
me 'Mr。 Midwinter；' 〃 he said； slowly； in a whisper。 〃She speaks
of 'our acquaintance。' 〃 He waited a little and looked round the
room。 His wandering eyes encountered Mr。 Bashwood for the first
time。 He saw the steward standing near the fireplace； trembling；
and watching him。
〃I once did you a service；〃 he said； 〃and you once told me you
were not an ungrateful man。 Are you grateful enough to answer me
if I ask you something？〃
He waited a little again。 Mr。 Bashwood still stood trembling at
the fireplace； silently watching him。
〃I see you looking at me；〃 he went on。 〃Is there some change in
me that I am not conscious of myself？ Am I seeing things that you
don't see？ Am I hearing words that you don't hear？ Am I looking
or speaking like a man out of his senses？〃
Again he waited； and again the silence was unbroken。 His eyes
began to glitter； and the savage blood that he had inherited from
his mother rose dark and slow in his ashy cheeks。
〃Is that woman；〃 he asked； 〃the woman whom you once knew； whose
name was Miss Gwilt？〃
Once more his wife collected her fatal courage。 Once more his
wife spoke her fatal words。
〃You compel me to repeat；〃 she said； 〃that you are presuming on
our acquaintance； and that you are forgetting what is due to me。〃
He turned upon her； with a savage suddenness which forced a cry
of alarm from Mr。 Bashwood's lips。
〃Are you； or are you not； My Wife？〃 he asked； through his set
teeth。
She raised her eyes to his for the first time。 Her lost spirit
looked at him； steadily defiant； out of the hell of its own
despair。
〃I am _not_ your wife；〃 she said。
He staggered back； with his hands groping for something to hold
by； like the hands of a man in the dark。 He leaned heavily
against the wall of the room； and looked at the woman who had
slept on his bosom； and who had denied him to his face。
Mr。 Bashwood stole panic…stricken to her side。 〃Go in there！〃 he
whispered； trying to draw her toward the folding…doors which led
into the next room。 〃For God's sake； be quick！ He'll kill y