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go back and get a second cab； which he is to wait in himself；
round the corner； in the square。 Let the house…maid （still in
your dress） drive off； with the necessary boxes； in the first cab
to the North…western Railway。 When she is gone； slip out yourself
to the cab waiting round the corner； and come to me at Bayswater。
They may be prepared to follow the house…maid's cab； because they
have seen it at the door； but they won't be prepared to follow
your cab； because it has been hidden round the corner。 When the
house…maid has got to the station； and has done her best to
disappear in the crowd （I have chosen the mixed train at 2：10； so
as to give her every chance）； you will be safe with me； and
whether they do or do not find out that she does not really start
for Liverpool won't matter by that time。 They will have lost all
trace of you； and they may follow the house…maid half over
London； if they like。 She has my instructions （inclosed） to leave
the empty boxes to find their way to the lost luggage office and
to go to her friends in the City； and stay there till I write
word that I want her again。
〃And what is the object of all this？
〃My dear Lydia； the object is your future security （and mine）。 We
may succeed or we may fail； in persuading the parson that you
have actually gone to the Brazils。 If we succeed； we are relieved
of all fear of him。 If we fail； he will warn young Armadale to be
careful _of a woman like my house…maid； and not of a woman like
you。_ This last gain is a very important one； for we don't know
that Mrs。 Armadale may not have told him your maiden name。 In
that event； the 'Miss Gwilt' whom he will describe as having
slipped through his fingers here will be so entirely unlike the
'Miss Gwilt' established at Thorpe Ambrose； as to satisfy
everybody that it is not a case of similarity of persons； but
only a case of similarity of names。
〃What do you say now to my improvement on your idea？ Are my
brains not quite so addled as you thought them when you wrote？
Don't suppose I'm at all overboastful about my own ingenuity。
Cleverer tricks than this trick of mine are played off on the
public by swindlers； and are recorded in the newspapers every
week。 I only want to show you that my assistance is not less
necessary to the success of the Armadale speculation now than it
was when I made our first important discoveries； by means of the
harmless…looking young man and the private inquiry office in
Shadyside Place。
〃There is nothing more to say that I know of； except that I am
just going to start for the new lodging； with a box directed in
my new name。 The last expiring moments of Mother Oldershaw； of
the Toilet Repository； are close at hand； and the birth of Miss
Gwilt's respectable reference； Mrs。 Mandeville； will take place
in a cab in five minutes' time。 I fancy I must be still young at
heart； for I am quite in love already with my romantic name； it
sounds almost as pretty as Mrs。 Armadale of Thorpe Ambrose；
doesn't it？
〃Good…night； my dear； and pleasant
dreams。 If any accident happens between this and Monday； write
to me instantly by post。 If no accident happens you will be with
me in excellent time for the earliest inquiries that the major
can possibly make。 My last words are； don't go out； and don't
venture near the front windows till Monday comes。
〃Affectionately yours；
M。 O。〃
CHAPTER VI。
MIDWINTER IN DISGUISE。
TOWARD noon on the day of the twenty…first； Miss Milroy was
loitering in the cottage gardenreleased from duty in the
sick…room by an improvement in her mother's healthwhen her
attention was attracted by the sound of voices in the park。 One
of the voices she instantly recognized as Allan's； the other was
strange to her。 She put aside the branches of a shrub near the
garden palings； and； peeping through； saw Allan approaching the
cottage gate； in company with a slim； dark； undersized man； who
was talking and laughing excitably at the top of his voice。 Miss
Milroy ran indoors to warn her father of Mr。 Armadale's arrival；
and to add that he was bringing with him a noisy stranger； who
was； in all probability； the friend generally reported to be
staying with the squire at the great house。
Had the major's daughter guessed right？ Was the squire's
loud…talking； loud…laughing companion the shy； sensitive
Midwinter of other times？ It was even so。 In Allan's presence；
that morning； an extraordinary change had passed over the
ordinarily quiet demeanor of Allan's friend。
When Midwinter had first appeared in the breakfast…room； after
putting aside Mr。 Brock's startling letter； Allan had been too
much occupied to pay any special attention to him。 The undecided
difficulty of choosing the day for the audit dinner had pressed
for a settlement once more； and had been fixed at last （under the
butler's advice） for Saturday； the twenty…eighth of the month。 It
was only on turning round to remind Midwinter of the ample space
of time which the new arrangement allowed for mastering the
steward's books； that even Allan's flighty attention had been
arrested by a marked change in the face that confronted him。 He
had openly noticed the change in his usual blunt manner； and had
been instantly silenced by a fretful； almost an angry； reply。 The
two had sat down together to breakfast without the usual
cordiality； and the meal had proceeded gloomily； till Midwinter
himself broke the silence by bursting into the strange outbreak
of gayety which had revealed in Allan's eyes a new side to the
character of his friend。
As usual with most of Allan's judgments； here again the
conclusion was wrong。 It was no new side to Midwinter's character
that now presented itselfit was only a new aspect of the one
ever…recurring struggle of Midwinter's life。
Irritated by Allan's discovery of the change in him； and dreading
the next questions that Allan's curiosity might put； Midwinter
had roused himself to efface； by main force； the impression which
his own altered appearance had produced。 It was one of those
efforts which no men compass so resolutely as the men of his
quick temper and his sensitive feminine organization。 With his
whole mind still possessed by the firm belief that the Fatality
had taken one great step nearer to Allan and himself since the
rector's adventure in Kensington Gardenswith his face still
betraying what he had suffered； under the renewed conviction that
his father's death…bed warning was now； in event after event；
asserting its terrible claim to part him； at any sacrifice； from
the one human creature whom he lovedwith the fear still busy at
his heart that the first mysterious vision of Allan's Dream might
be a vision realized； before the new day that now saw the two
Armadales together was a day that had passed over their
headswith these triple bonds； wrought by his own superstition；
fettering him at that moment as they had never fettered him yet；
he mercilessly spurred his resolution to the desperate effort of
rivaling； in Allan's presence； the gayety and good spirits of
Allan himself。
He talked and laughed； and heaped his plate indiscriminately from
every dish on the breakfast…table。 He made noisi