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word for her master's private ear。
〃The lady has ordered me to call her to…morrow at seven o'clock；
sir；〃 she said。 〃She means to fetch her luggage herself； and she
wants to have a cab at the door as soon as she is dressed。 What
am I to do？〃
〃Do what the lady tells you；〃 said the doctor。
〃She may be safely trusted to return to the Sanitarium。〃
The breakfast hour at the Sanitarium was half…past eight o'clock。
By that time Miss Gwilt had settled everything at her lodgings；
and had returned with her luggage in her own possession。 The
doctor was quite amazed at the promptitude of his patient。
〃Why waste so much energy？〃 he asked； when they met at the
breakfast…table。 〃Why be in such a hurry； my dear lady； when you
had all the morning before you？〃
〃Mere restlessness！〃 she said； briefly。 〃The longer I live； the
more impatient I get。〃
The doctor； who had noticed before she spoke that her face looked
strangely pale and old that morning； observed； when she answered
him； that her expressionnaturally mobile in no ordinary
degreeremained quite unaltered by the effort of speaking。 There
was none of the usual animation on her lips； none of the usual
temper in her eyes。 He had never seen her so impenetrably and
coldly composed as he saw her now。 〃She has made up her mind at
last；〃 he thought。 〃I may say to her this morning what I couldn't
say to her last night。〃
He prefaced the coming remarks by a warning look at her widow's
dress。
〃Now you have got your luggage；〃 he began； gravely； 〃permit me to
suggest putting that cap away； and wearing another gown。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Do you remember what you told me a day or two since？〃 asked the
doctor。 〃You said there was a chance of Mr。 Armadale's dying in
my Sanitarium？〃
〃I will say it again； if you like。〃
〃A more unlikely chance；〃 pursued the doctor； deaf as ever to all
awkward interruptions； 〃it is hardly possible to imagine！ But as
long as it is a chance at all； it is worth considering。 Say；
then； that he diesdies suddenly and unexpectedly； and makes a
Coroner's Inquest necessary in the house。 What is our course in
that case？ Our course is to preserve the characters to which we
have committed ourselvesyou as his widow； and I as the witness
of your marriageand； _in_ those characters； to court the
fullest inquiry。 In the entirely improbable event of his dying
just when we want him to die； my ideaI might even say； my
resolutionis to admit that we knew of his resurrection from the
sea； and to acknowledge that we instructed Mr。 Bashwood to entrap
him into this house； by means of a false statement about Miss
Milroy。 When the inevitable questions follow； I propose to assert
that he exhibited symptoms of mental alienation shortly after
your marriage； that his delusion consisted in denying that you
were his wife； and in declaring that he was engaged to be married
to Miss Milroy； that you were in such terror of him on this
account； when you heard he was alive and coming back； as to be in
a state of nervous agitation that required my care； that at your
request； and to calm that nervous agitation； I saw him
professionally； and got him quietly into the house by a humoring
of his delusion； perfectly justifiable in such a case； and；
lastly； that I can certify his brain to have been affected by one
of those mysterious disorders； eminently incurable； eminently
fatal； in relation to which medical science is still in the dark。
Such a course as this （in the remotely possible event which we
are now supposing） would be； in your interests and mine；
unquestionably the right course to take； and such a dress as
_that_ is； just as certainly； under existing circumstances； the
wrong dress to wear。〃
〃Shall I take it off at once？〃 she asked； rising from the
breakfast…table； without a word of remark on what had just been
said to her。
〃Anytime before two o'clock to…day will do；〃 said the doctor。
She looked at him with a languid curiositynothing more。 〃Why
before two？〃 she inquired。
〃Because this is one of my 'Visitors' Days；' And the visitors'
time is from two to four。〃
〃What have I to do with your visitors？〃
〃Simply this。 I think it important that perfectly respectable and
perfectly disinterested witnesses should see you； in my house； in
the character of a lady who has come to consult me。〃
〃Your motive seems rather far…fetched； Is it the only motive you
have in the matter？〃
〃My dear； dear lady！〃 remonstrated the doctor； 〃have I any
concealments from _you？_ Surely； you ought to know me better than
that？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； with a we ary contempt。 〃It's dull enough of me
not to understand you by this time。 Send word upstairs when I am
wanted。〃 She left him； and went back to her room。
Two o'clock came； and in a quarter of an hour afterward the
visitors had arrived。 Short as the notice had been； cheerless as
the Sanitarium looked to spectators from without； the doctor's
invitation had been largely accepted； nevertheless； by the female
members of the families whom he had addressed。 In the miserable
monotony of the lives led by a large section of the middle
classes of England； anything is welcome to the women which offers
them any sort of harmless refuge from the established tyranny of
the principle that all human happiness begins and ends at home。
While the imperious needs of a commercial country limited the
representatives of the male sex； among the doctor's visitors； to
one feeble old man and one sleepy little boy； the women； poor
souls； to the number of no less than sixteenold and young；
married and singlehad seized the golden opportunity of a plunge
into public life。 Harmoniously united by the two common objects
which they all had in viewin the first place； to look at each
other； and； in the second place； to look at the Sanitariumthey
streamed in neatly dressed procession through the doctor's dreary
iron gates； with a thin varnish over them of assumed superiority
to all unladylike excitement； most significant and most pitiable
to see！
The proprietor of the Sanitarium received his visitors in the
hall with Miss Gwilt on his arm。 The hungry eyes of every woman
in the company overlooked the doctor as if no such person had
existed； and； fixing on the strange lady； devoured her from head
to foot in an instant。
〃My First Inmate；〃 said the doctor； presenting Miss Gwilt。 〃This
lady only arrived late last night； and she takes the present
opportunity （the only one my morning's engagements have allowed
me to give her） of going over the Sanitarium。Allow me； ma'am；〃
he went on； releasing Miss Gwilt； and giving his arm to the
eldest lady among the visitors。 〃Shattered nervesdomestic
anxiety；〃 he whispered； confidentially。 〃Sweet woman！ sad case！〃
He sighed softly； and led the old lady across the hall。
The flock of visitors followed； Miss Gwilt accompanying them in
silence； and walking aloneamong them； but not of themthe last
of all。
〃The grounds； ladies and gentlemen；〃 said the doctor； wheeling
round； and addressing his audience from the foot of the stairs；
〃are； as you have seen； in a partially unfinished condition。
Under any circumstances； I should lay little stress on the
grou