information　while　I　am　making　up　my　mind。　You　have　got　twenty
  pounds　of　mine　still　left　out　of　those　things　you　sold　for　me；
  send　ten　pounds　here　for　my　expenses；　in　a　post…office　order；　and
  use　the　other　ten　for　making　private　inquiries　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。
  I　want　to　know　when　the　two　Blanchard　women　go　away；　and　when
  young　Armadale　stirs　up　the　dead　ashes　in　the　family　fire…place。
  Are　you　quite　sure　he　will　turn　out　as　easy　to　manage　as　you
  think？　If　he　takes　after　his　hypocrite　of　a　mother；　I　can　tell
  you　thisJudas　Iscariot　has　come　to　life　again。
  〃I　am　very　comfortable　in　this　lodging。　There　are　lovely　flowers
  in　the　garden；　and　the　birds　wake　me　in　the　morning　delightfully。
  I　have　hired　a　reasonably　good　piano。　The　only　man　I　care　two
  straws　aboutdon't　be　alarmed；　he　was　laid　in　his　grave　many　a
  long　year　ago；　under　the　name　of　BEETHOVENkeeps　me　company；　in
  my　lonely　hours。　The　landlady　would　keep　me　company；　too；　if　I
  would　only　let　her。　I　hate　women。　The　new　curate　paid　a　visit　to
  the　other　lodger　yesterday；　and　passed　me　on　the　lawn　as　he　came
  out。　My　eyes　have　lost　nothing　yet；　at　any　rate；　though　I　_am_
  five…and…thirty；　the　poor　man　actually　blushed　when　I　looked　at
  him！　What　sort　of　color　do　you　think　he　would　have　turned；　if　one
  of　the　little　birds　in　the　garden　had　whispered　in　his　ear；　and
  told　him　the　true　story　of　the　charming　Miss　Gwilt？
  〃Good…by；　Mother　Oldershaw。　I　rather　doubt　whether　I　am　yours；　or
  anybody's；　affectionately；　but　we　all　tell　lies　at　the　bottoms　of
  our　letters；　don't　we？　If　you　are　my　attached　old　friend；　I　must；
  of　course；　be　yours　affectionately。
  〃LYDIA　GWILT。
  〃P。S。Keep　your　odious　powders　and　paints　and　washes　for　the
  spotted　shoulders　of　your　customers；　not　one　of　them　shall　touch
  my　skin；　I　promise　you。　If　you　really　want　to　be　useful；　try　and
  find　out　some　quieting　draught　to　keep　me　from　grinding　my　teeth
  in　my　sleep。　I　shall　break　them　one　of　these　nights；　and　then
  what　will　become　of　my　beauty；　I　wonder？〃
  4。　_From　Mrs。　Oldershaw　to　Miss　Gwilt。_
  〃Ladies'　Toilet　Repository；　Tuesday。
  〃MY　DEAR　LYDIAIt　is　a　thousand　pities　your　letter　was　not
  addressed　to　Mr。　Armadale；　your　graceful　audacity　would　have
  charmed　him。　It　doesn't　affect　me；　I　am　so　well　used　to　audacity
  in　my　way　of　life；　you　know。　Why　waste　your　sparkling　wit；　my
  love；　on　your　own　impenetrable　Oldershaw？　It　only　splutters　and
  goes　out。　Will　you　try　and　be　serious　this　next　time？　I　have　news
  for　you　from　Thorpe　Ambrose；　which　is　beyond　a　joke；　and　which
  must　not　be　trifled　with。
  〃An　hour　after　I　got　your　letter　I　set　the　inquiries　on　foot。　Not
  knowing　what　consequences　they　might　lead　to；　I　thought　it　safest
  to　begin　in　the　dark。　Instead　of　employing　any　of　the　people　whom
  I　have　at　my　own　disposal　（who　know　you　and　know　me）；　I　went　to
  the　Private　Inquiry　Office　in　Shadyside　Place；　and　put　the　matter
  in　the　inspector's　hands；　in　the　character　of　a　perfect　stranger；
  and　without　mentioning　you　at　all。　This　was　not　the　cheapest　way
  of　going　to　work；　I　own；　but　it　was　the　safest　way；　which　is　of
  much　greater　consequence。
  〃The　inspector　and　I　understood　each　other　in　ten　minutes；　and
  the　right　person　for　the　purposethe　most　harmless　looking　young
  man　you　ever　saw　in　your　lifewas　produced　immediately。　He　left
  for　Thorpe　Ambrose　an　hour　after　I　saw　him。　I　arranged　to　call　at
  the　office　on　the　afternoons　of　Saturday；　Monday；　and　to…day　for
  news。　There　was　no　news　till　to…day；　and　there　I　found　our
  confidential　agent　just　returned　to　town；　and　waiting　to　favor　me
  with　a　full　account　of　his　trip　to　Norfolk。
  〃First　of　all；　let　me　quiet　your　mind　about　those　two　questions
  of　yours；　I　have　got　answers　to　both　the　one　and　the　other。　The
  Blanchard　women　go　away　to　foreign　parts　on　the　thirteenth；　and
  young　Armadale　is　at　this　moment　cruising　somewhere　at　sea　in　his
  yacht。　There　is　talk　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　of　giving　him　a　public
  reception；　and　of　calling　a　meeting　of　the　local　grandees　to
  settle　it　all。　The　speechifying　and　fuss　on　these　occasions
  generally　wastes　plenty　of　time；　and　the　public　reception　is　not
  thought　likely　to　meet　the　new　squire　much　before　the　end　of　the
  month。
  〃If　our　messenger　had　done　no　more　for　us　than　this；　I　think　he
  would　have　earned　his　money。　But　the　harmless　young　man　is　a
  regular　Jesuit　at　a　private　inquiry；　with　this　great　advantage
  over　all　the　Popish　priests　I　have　ever　seen；　that　he　has　not　got
  his　slyness　written　in　his　face。
  〃Having　to　get　his　information　through　the　female　servants　in　the
  usual　way；　he　addressed　himself；　with　admirable　discretion；　to
  the　ugliest　woma　n　in　the　house。　'When　they　are　nice…looking；　and
  can　pick　and　choose；'　as　he　neatly　expressed　it　to　me；　'they
  waste　a　great　deal　of　valuable　time　in　deciding　on　a　sweetheart。
  When　they　are　ugly；　and　haven't　got　the　ghost　of　a　chance　of
  choosing；　they　snap　at　a　sweetheart；　if　he　comes　their　way；　like
  a　starved　dog　at　a　bone。'　Acting　on　these　excellent　principles；
  our　confidential　agent　succeeded；　after　certain　unavoidable
  delays；　in　addressing　himself　to　the　upper　housemaid　at　Thorpe
  Ambrose；　and　took　full　possession　of　her　confidence　at　the　first
  interview。　Bearing　his　instructions　carefully　in　mind；　he
  encouraged　the　woman　to　chatter；　and　was　favored；　of　course；　with
  all　the　gossip　of　the　servants'　hall。　The　greater　part　of　it　（as
  repeated　to　me）　was　of　no　earthly　importance。　But　I　listened
  patiently；　and　was　rewarded　by　a　valuable　discovery　at　last。　Here
  it　is。
  〃It　seems　there　is　an　ornamental　cottage　in　the　grounds　at　Thorpe
  Ambrose。　For　some　reason　unknown；　young　Armadale　has　chosen　to
  let　it；　and　a　tenant　has　come　in　already。　He　is　a　poor　half…pay
  major　in　the　army；　named　Milroy；　a　meek　sort　of　man；　by　all
  accounts；　with　a　turn　for　occupying　himself　in　mechanical
  pursuits；　and　with　a　domestic　incumbrance　in　the　shape　of　a
  bedridden　wife；　who　has　not　been　seen　by　anybody。　Well；　and　what
  of　all　this？　you　will　ask；　with　that　sparkling　impatience　which
  becomes　you　so　well。　My　dear　Lydia；　don't　sparkle！　The　man's
  family　affairs　seriously　concern　us　both；　for；　as　ill　luck　will
  have　it；　the　man　has　got　a　daughter！
  〃You　may　imagine　how　I　questioned　our　agent；　and　how　our　agent
  ransacked　his　memory；　when　I　stumbled；　in　due　course；　on　such　a
  discovery　as　this。　If　Heaven　is　responsible　for　women's
  chattering　tongues；　Heaven　be　praised！　From　Miss　Blanchard　to
  Miss　Blanchard's　maid；　from　Miss　Blanchard's　maid　to　Miss
  Blanchard's　aunt's　maid；　from　Miss　Blanchard's　aunt's　maid；　to
  the　ugly　housemaid；　from　the　ugly　housemaid　to　the
  harmless…looking　young　manso　the　stream　of　gossip　trickled　into
  the　right　reservoir　at　last；　and　thirsty　Mother　Oldershaw　has
  drunk　it　all　up。
  〃In　plain　English；　my　dear；　this　is　how　it　stands。　The　major's
  daughter　is　a　minx　just　turned　sixteen；　lively　and　nice…looking
  （hateful　little　wretch！）；　dowdy　in　her　dress　（thank　Heaven！）　and
  deficient　in　her　manners　（thank　Heaven　again！）。　She　has　been
  brought　up　at　home。　The　governess　who　last　had　charge　of　her　left
  before　her　father　moved　to　Thorpe　Ambrose。　Her　education　stands
  woefully　in　want　of　a　finishing　touch；　and　the　major　doesn't
  quite　know　what　to　do　next。　None　of　his　friends　can　recommend　him
  a　new　governess　and　he　doesn't　like　the　notion　of　sending　the
  girl　to　school。　So　matters　rest　at　present；　on　the　major's　own
  showing；　for　so　the　major　expressed　himself　at　a　morning　call
  which　the　father　and　daughter　paid　to　the　ladies　at　the　great
  house。
  〃You　have　now　got　my　promised　news；　and　you　will　have　little
  difficulty；　I　think；　in　agreeing　with　me　that　the　Armadale
  business　must　be　settled　at　once；　one　way　or　the　other。　If；　with
  your　hopeless　prospects；　and　with　what　I　may　call　your　family
  claim　on　this　young　fellow；　you　decide　on　giving　him　up；　I　shall
  have　the　pleasure　of　sending　you　the　balance　of　your　account　with
  me　（seven…and…twenty　shillings）；　and　shall　then　be　free　to　devote
  myself　entirely　to　my　own　proper　business。　If；　on　the　contrary；
  you　decide　to　try　your　luck　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　then　（there　being
  no　kind　of　doubt　that　the　major's　minx　will　set　her　cap　at　the
  young　squire）　I　should　be　glad　to　hear　how　you　mean　to　meet　the
  double　difficulty　of　inflaming　Mr。　Armadale　and　extinguishing
  Miss　Milroy。
  〃Affectionately　yours；
  〃MARIA　OLDERSHAW。
  5。　_From　Miss　Gwilt　to　Mrs。　Oldershaw。
  （First　Answer。）_
  〃Richmond；　Wednesday　Morning。
  〃MRS。　OLDERSHAWSend　me　my　seven…and…twenty　shillings；　and
  devote　yourself　to　your　own　proper　business。　Yours；　L。　G。〃
  6。　_From　Miss　Gwilt　to　Mrs。　Oldershaw。
  （Second　Answer。）_
  〃Richmond；　Wednesday　Night。
  〃DEAR　OLD　LOVEKeep　the　seven…and…twenty　shillings；　and　burn　my
  other　letter。　I　have　changed　my　mind。
  〃I　wrote　the　first　time　after　a　horrible　night。　I　write　this　time
  after　a　ride　on　horseback；　a　tumbler　of　claret；　and　the　breast　of
  a　chicken。　Is　that　explanation　enough？　Please　say　Yes；　for　I　want
  to　go　back　to　my　piano。
  〃No；　I　can't　go　back　yet；　I　must　answer　your　question　first。　But
  are　you　really　so　very　simple　as　to　suppose　that　I　don't　see
  straight　through　you　and　your　letter？　You　know　that　the　major's
  difficulty　is　our　opportunity　as　well　as　I　do；