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is no need to tell you。 The thread of my story is all wound off；
my vagabond life stands stripped of its mystery； and you know the
worst of me at last。〃
A moment of silence followed those closing words。 Midwinter rose
from the window…seat； and came back to the table with the letter
from Wildbad in his hand。
〃My father's confession has told you who I am； and my own
confession has told you what my life has been；〃 he said；
addressing Mr。 Brock； without taking the chair to which the
rector pointed。 〃I promised to make a clean breast of it when I
first asked leave to enter this room。 Have I kept my word？〃
〃It is impossible to doubt it；〃 replied Mr。 Brock。 〃You have
established your claim on my confidence and my sympathy。 I should
be insensible； indeed； if I could know what I now know of your
childhood and your youth； and not feel something of Allan's
kindness for Allan's friend。〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said Midwinter； simply and gravely。
He sat down opposite Mr。 Brook at the table for the first time。
〃In a few hours you will have left this place；〃 he proceeded。 〃If
I can help you to leave it with your mind at ease； I will。 There
is more to be said between us than we have said up to this time。
My future relations with Mr。 Armadale are still left undecided；
and the serious question raised by my father's letter is a
question which we have neither of us faced yet。〃
He paused； and looked with a momentary impatience at the candle
still burning on the table； in the morning light。 The struggle to
speak with composure； and to keep his own feelings stoically out
of view； was evidently growing harder and harder to him。
〃It may possibly help your decision；〃 he went on； 〃if I tell you
how I determined to act toward Mr。 Armadalein the matter of the
similarity of our nameswhen I first read this letter； and when
I had composed myself sufficiently to be able to think at all。〃
He stopped； and cast a second impatient look at the lighted
candle。 〃Will you excuse the odd fancy of an odd man？〃 he asked；
with a faint smile。 〃I want to put out the candle： I want to
speak of the new subject； in the new light。〃
He extinguished the candle as he spoke； and let the first
tenderness of the daylight flow uninterruptedly into the room。
〃I must once more ask your patience；〃 he resumed； 〃if I return
for a moment to myself and my circumstances。 I have already told
you that my stepfather made an attempt to discover me some years
after I had turned my back on the Scotch school。 He took that
step out of no anxiety of his own； but simply as the agent of my
father's trustees。 In the exercise of their discretion； they had
sold the estates in Barbadoes （at the time of the emancipation of
the slaves； and the ruin of West Indian property） for what the
estates would fetch。 Having invested the proceeds； they were
bound to set aside a sum for my yearly education。 This
responsibility obliged them to make the attempt to trace mea
fruitless attempt； as you already know。 A little later （as I have
been since informed） I was publicly addressed by an advertisement
in the newspapers； which I never saw。 Later still； when I was
twenty…one； a second advertisement appeared （which I did see）
offering a reward for evidence of my death。 If I was alive； I had
a right to my half share of the proceeds of the estates on coming
of age； if dead； the money reverted to my mother。 I went to the
lawyers； and heard from them what I have just told you。 After
some difficulty in proving my identityand after an interview
with my stepfather； and a message from my mother； which has
hopelessly widened the old breach between usmy claim was
allowed； and my money is now invested for
me in the funds； under the name that is really my own。〃
Mr。 Brock drew eagerly nearer to the table。 He saw the end now to
which the speaker was tending
〃Twice a year；〃 Midwinter pursued； 〃I must sign my own name to
get my own income。 At all other times； and under all other
circumstances； I may hide my identity under any name I please。 As
Ozias Midwinter； Mr。 Armadale first knew me； as Ozias Midwinter
he shall know me to the end of my days。 Whatever may be the
result of this interviewwhether I win your confidence or
whether I lose itof one thing you may feel sure： your pupil
shall never know the horrible secret which I have trusted to your
keeping。 This is no extraordinary resolution； for； as you know
already； it costs me no sacrifice of feeling to keep my assumed
name。 There is nothing in my conduct to praise； it comes
naturally out of the gratitude of a thankful man。 Review the
circumstances for yourself； sir； and set my own horror of
revealing them to Mr。 Armadale out of the question。 If the story
of the names is ever told； there can be no limiting it to the
disclosure of my father's crime； it must go back to the story of
Mrs。 Armadale's marriage。 I have heard her son talk of her； I
know how he loves her memory。 As God is my witness； he shall
never love it less dearly through _me！_〃
Simply as the words were spoken； they touched the deepest
sympathies in the rector's nature： they took his thoughts back to
Mrs。 Armadale's deathbed。 There sat the man against whom she had
ignorantly warned him in her son's interests； and that man； of
his own free…will； had laid on himself the obligation of
respecting her secret for her son's sake！ The memory of his own
past efforts to destroy the very friendship out of which this
resolution had sprung rose and reproached Mr。 Brock。 He held out
his hand to Midwinter for the first time。 〃In her name； and in
her son's name；〃 he said； warmly； 〃I thank you。〃
Without replying； Midwinter spread the confession open before him
on the table。
〃I think I have said all that it was my duty to say；〃 he began；
〃before we could approach the consideration of this letter。
Whatever may have appeared strange in my conduct toward you and
toward Mr。 Armadale may be now trusted to explain itself。 You can
easily imagine the natural curiosity and surprise that I must
have felt （ignorant as I then was of the truth） when the sound of
Mr。 Armadale's name first startled me as the echo of my own。 You
will readily understand that I only hesitated to tell him I was
his namesake； because I hesitated to damage my positionin your
estimation； if not in hisby confessing that I had come among
you under an assumed name。 And； after all that you have just
heard of my vagabond life and my low associates； you will hardly
wonder at the obstinate silence I maintained about myself； at a
time when I did not feel the sense of responsibility which my
father's confession has laid on me。 We can return to these small
personal explanations； if you wish it； at another time； they
cannot be suffered to keep us from the greater interests which we
must settle before you leave this place。 We may come now〃 His
voice faltered； and he suddenly turned his face toward the
window； so as to hide it from the rector's view。 〃We may come
now；〃 he repeated； his hand trembling visibly as it held the
page； 〃to the murder on board the timber…ship； and to the warning
that has followed me from my father's grave。〃
Softlyas if he feared t