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father's crime by giving him the devotion of my whole life？ The
last of those two faiths is my faith； and shall be my faith；
happen what may。 In the strength of that better conviction； I
have come here to trust you with my father's secret； and to
confess the wretched story of my own life。 In the strength of
that better conviction； I can face you resolutely with the one
plain question； which marks the one plain end of all that I have
come here to say。 Your pupil stands at the starting…point of his
new career； in a position singularly friendless； his one great
need is a companion of his own age on whom he can rely。 The time
has come； sir； to decide whether I am to be that companion or
not。 After all you have heard of Ozias Midwinter； tell me
plainly； will you trust him to be Allan Armadale's friend？〃
Mr。 Brock met that fearlessly frank question by a fearless
frankness on his side。
〃I believe you love Allan；〃 he said； 〃and I believe you have
spoken the truth。 A man who has produced that impression on me is
a man whom I am bound to trust。 I trust you。〃
Midwinter started to his feet； his dark face flushing deep； his
eyes fixed brightly and steadily； at last； on the rector's face。
〃A light！ 〃 he exclaimed； tearing the pages of his father's
letter； one by one； from the fastening that held them。 〃Let us
destroy the last link that holds us to the horrible past！ Let us
see this confession a heap of ashes before we part！〃
〃Wait！〃 said Mr。 Brock。 〃Before you burn it； there is a reason
for looking at it once more。〃
The parted leaves of the manuscript dropped from Midwinter's
hands。 Mr。 Brock took them up； and sorted them carefully until he
found the last page。
〃I view your father's superstition as you view it；〃 said the
rector。 〃But there is a warning given you here； which you will do
well （for Allan's sake and for your own sake） not to neglect。 The
last link with the past will not be destroyed when you have
burned these pages。 One of the actors in this story of treachery
and murder is not dead yet。 Read those words。〃
He pushed the page across the table； with his finger on one
sentence。 Midwinter's agitation misled him。 He mistook the
indication； and read； 〃Avoid the widow of the man I killed； if
the widow still lives。〃
〃Not that sentence；〃 said the rector。 〃The next。〃
Midwinter read it： 〃Avoid the maid whose wicked hand smoothed the
way to the marriage； if the maid is still in her service。〃
〃The maid and the mistress parted；〃 said Mr。 Brock； 〃at the time
of the mistress's marriage。 The maid and the mistress met again
at Mrs。 Armadale's residence in Somersetshire last year。 I myself
met the woman in the village； and I myself know that her visit
hastened Mrs。 Armadale's death。 Wait a little； and compose
yourself； I see I have startled you。〃
He waited as he was bid； his color fading away to a gray paleness
and the light in his clear brown eyes dying out slowly。 What the
rector had said had produced no transient impression on him；
there was more than doubt； there was alarm in his face； as he sat
lost in his own thought。 Was the struggle of the past night
renewing itself already？ Did he feel the horror of his hereditary
superstition creeping over him again？
〃Can you put me on my guard against her？〃 he asked； after a long
interval of silence。 〃Can you tell me her name？〃
〃I can only tell you what Mrs。 Armadale told me；〃 answered Mr。
Brock。 〃The woman acknowledged having been married in the long
interval since she and her mistress had last met。 But not a word
more escaped her about her past life。 She came to Mrs。 Armadale
to ask for money； under a plea of distress。 She got the money；
and she left the house； positively refusing； when the question
was put to her； to mention her married name。〃
〃You saw her yourself in the village。 What was she like？〃
〃She kept her veil down。 I can't tell you。〃
〃You can tell me what you _did_ see？〃
〃Certainly。 I saw； as she approached me； that she moved very
gracefully； that she had a beautiful figure； and that she was a
little over the middle height。 I noticed； when she asked me the
way to Mrs。 Armadale's house； that her manner was the manner of a
lady； and that the tone of her voice was remarkably soft and
winning。 Lastly； I remembered afterward that she wore a thick
black veil； a black bonnet； a black silk dress； and a red Paisley
shawl。 I feel all the importance of your possessing some better
means of identifying her than I can give you。 But unhappily〃
He stopped。 Midwinter was leaning eagerly across the table； and
Midwinter's hand was laid suddenly on his arm。
〃Is it possible that you know the woman？〃 asked Mr。 Brock；
surprised at the sudden change in his manner。
〃No。〃
〃What have I said； then； that has startled you so？〃
〃Do you remember the woman who threw herself from the river
steamer？〃 asked the other〃the woman who caused that succession
of deaths which opened Allan Armadale's way to the Thorpe Ambrose
estate？〃
〃I remember the description of her in the police report；〃
answered the rector。
〃_That_ woman；〃 pursued Midwinter； 〃moved gracefully； and had a
beautiful figure。 _That_ woman wore a black veil； a black bonnet；
a black silk gown； and a red Paisley shawl〃 He stopped；
released his hold of Mr。 Brock's arm； and abruptly resumed his
chair。 〃Can it be the same？〃 he said to himself in a whisper。
〃_Is_ there a fatality that follows men in the dark？ And is it
following _us_ in that woman's footsteps？〃
If the conjecture was right； the one event in the past which had
appeared to be entirely disconnected with the events that had
preceded it was； on the contrary； the one missing link which made
the chain complete。 Mr。 Brock's comfortable common sense
instinctively denied that startling conclusion。 He looked at
Midwinter with a compassionate smile。
〃My young friend；〃 he said； kindly； 〃have you cleared your mind
of all superstition as completely as you think？ Is what you have
just said worthy of the bet ter resolution at which you arrived
last night？〃
Midwinter's head drooped on his breast； the color rushed back
over his face； he sighed bitterly。
〃You are beginning to doubt my sincerity；〃 he said。 〃I can't
blame you。〃
〃I believe in your sincerity as firmly as ever；〃 answered Mr。
Brock。 〃I only doubt whether you have fortified the weak places
in your nature as strongly as you yourself suppose。 Many a man
has lost the battle against himself far oftener than you have
lost it yet； and has nevertheless won his victory in the end。 I
don't blame you； I don't distrust you。 I only notice what has
happened； to put you on your guard against yourself。 Come！ come！
Let your own better sense help you； and you will agree with me
that there is really no evidence to justify the suspicion that
the woman whom I met in Somersetshire； and the woman who
attempted suicide in London； are one and the same。 Need an old
man like me remind a young man like you that there are thousands
of women in England with beautiful figuresthousands of women
who are quietly dressed in black silk gowns and red Paisley
shawls？〃
Midwinter caught eagerly at the suggestion； too eagerly； as