the　mouth　of　any　man　who　has　the　courage　to　repeat　it　often
  enough；　and　Allan　had　the　courage　to　repeat　it　often　enough　on
  this　occasion。
  〃Very　good；　sir；〃　said　the　lawyer；　accepting　his　defeat　without
  the　slightest　loss　of　temper。　〃The　choice　rests　with　you；　and　you
  have　chosen。　We　will　go　the　long　way。　It　starts　（allow　me　to
  inform　you）　from　my　office；　and　it　leads　（as　I　strongly　suspect）
  through　a　very　miry　road　toMiss　Gwilt。〃
  Allan　looked　at　his　legal　adviser　in　speechless　astonishment。
  〃If　you　won't　expose　the　person　who　is　responsible　in　the　first
  instance；　sir；　for　the　inquiries　to　which　you　unfortunately　lent
  yourself；〃　proceeded　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder；　〃the　only　other
  alternative；　in　your　present　position；　is　to　justify　the
  inquiries　themselves。〃
  〃And　how　is　that　to　be　done？〃　inquired　Allan。
  〃By　proving　to　the　whole　neighborhood；　Mr。　Armadale；　what　I
  firmly　believe　to　be　the　truththat　the　pet　object　of　the　public
  protection　is　an　adventuress　of　the　worst　class；　an　undeniably
  worthless　and　dangerous　woman。　In　plainer　English　still；　sir；　by
  employing　time　enough　and　money　enough　to　discover　the　truth
  about　Miss　Gwilt。〃
  Before　Allan　could　say　a　word　in　answer；　there　was　an
  interruption　at　the　door。　After　the　usual　preliminary　knock；　one
  of　the　servants　came　in。
  〃I　told　you　I　was　not　to　be　interrupted；〃　said　Allan；　irritably。
  〃Good　heavens！　am　I　never　to　have　done　with　them？　Another
  letter！〃
  〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　holding　it　out。　〃And；〃　he　added；
  speaking　words　of　evil　omen　in　his　master's　ears；　〃the　person
  waits　for　an　answer。〃
  Allan　looked　at　the　address　of　the　letter　with　a　natural
  expectation　of　encountering　the　handwriting　of　the　major's　wife。
  The　anticipation　was　not　realized。　His　correspondent　was　plainly
  a　lady；　but　the　lady　was　not　Mrs。　Milroy。
  〃Who　can　it　be？〃　he　said；　looking　mechanically　at　Pedgift　Senior
  as　he　opened　the　envelope。
  Pedgift　Senior　gently　tapped　his　snuff…box；　and　said；　without　a
  moment's　hesitation；　〃Miss　Gwilt。〃
  Allan　opened　the　letter。　The　first　two　words　in　it　were　the　echo
  of　the　two　words　the　lawyer　had　just　pronounced。　It　_was_　Miss
  Gwilt！
  Once　more；　Allan　looked　at　his　legal　adviser　in　speechless
  astonishment。
  〃I　have　known　a　good　many　of　them　in　my　time；　sir；〃　explained
  Pedgift　Senior；　with　a　modesty　equally　rare　and　becoming　in　a　man
  of　his　age。　〃Not　as　handsome　as　Miss　Gwilt；　I　admit。　But　quite　as
  bad；　I　dare　say。　Read　your　letter；　Mr。　Armadaleread　your
  letter。〃
  Allan　read　these　lines：
  〃Miss　Gwilt　presents　her　compliments　to　Mr。　Armadale　and　begs　to
  know　if　it　will　be　convenient　to　him　to　favor　her　with　an
  interview；　either　this　evening　or　to…morrow　morning。　Miss　Gwilt
  offers　no　apology　for　making　her　present　request。　She　believes
  Mr。　Armadale　will　grant　it　as　an　act　of　justice　toward　a
  friendless　woman　whom　he　has　been　innocently　the　means　of
  injuring；　and　who　is　earnestly　desirous　to　set　herself　right　in
  his　estimation。〃
  Allan　handed　the　letter　to　his　lawyer　in　silent　perplexity　and
  distress。
  The　face　of　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　expressed　but　one　feeling　when
  he　had　read　the　letter　in　his　turn　and　had　handed　it　backa
  feeling　of　profound　admiration。　〃What　a　lawyer　she　would　have
  made；〃　he　exclaimed；　fervently；　〃if　she　had　only　been　a　man！〃
  〃I　can't　treat　this　as　lightly　as　you　do；　Mr。　Pedgift；〃　said
  Allan。　〃It's　dreadfully　distressing　to　me。　I　was　so　fond　of　her；〃
  he　added；　in　a　lower　tone〃I　was　so　fond　of　her　once。〃
  Mr。　Pedgift　Senior　suddenly　became　serious　on　his　side。
  〃Do　you　mean　to　say；　sir；　that　you　actually　contemplate　seeing
  Miss　Gwilt？〃　he　asked；　with　an　expression　of　genuine　dismay。
  〃I　can't　treat　her　cruelly；〃　returned　Allan。　〃I　have　been　the
  means　of　injuring　herwithout　intending　it；　God　knows！　I　can't
  treat　her　cruelly　after　that！　〃
  〃Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃you　did　me　the　honor；　a　little
  while　since；　to　say　that　you　considered　me　your　friend。　May　I
  presume　on　that　position　to　ask　you　a　question　or　two；　before　you
  go　straight　to　your　own　ruin？〃
  〃Any　questions　you　like；〃　said　Allan；　looking　back　at　the
  letterthe　only　letter　he　had　ever　received　from　Miss　Gwilt。
  〃You　have　had　one　trap　set　for　you　already；　sir；　and　you　have
  fallen　into　it。　Do　you　want　to　fall　into　another？〃
  〃You　know　the　answer　to　that　question；　Mr。　Pedgift；　as　well　as　I
  do。〃
  〃I'll　try　again；　Mr。　Armadale；　we　lawyers　are　not　easily
  discouraged。　Do　you　think　that　any　statement　Miss　Gwilt　might
  make　to　you；　if　you　do　see　her；　would　be　a　statement　to　be　relied
  on；　after　what　you　and　my　son　discovered　in　London？〃
  〃She　might　explain　what　we　discovered　in　London；〃　suggested
  Allan；　still　looking　at　the　writing；　and　thinking　of　the　hand
  that　had　traced　it。
  〃_Might_　explain　it？　My　dear　sir；　she　is　quite　certain　to　explain
  it！　I　will　do　her　justice：　I　believe　she　would　make　out　a　case
  without　a　single　flaw　in　it　from　beginning　to　end。〃
  That　last　answer　forced　Allan's　attention　away　from　the　letter。
  The　lawyer's　pitiless　common　sense　showed　him　no　mercy。
  〃If　you　see　that　woman　again；　sir；〃　proceeded　Pedgift　Senior；
  〃you　will　commit　the　rashest　act　of　folly　I　ever　heard　of　in　all
  my　experience。　She　can　have　but　one　object　in　coming　hereto
  practice　on　your　weakness　for　her。　Nobody　can　say　into　what　false
  step　she　may　not　lead　you；　if　you　once　give　her　the　opportunity。
  You　admit　yourself　that　you　have　been　fond　of　her；　your
  attentions　to　her　have　been　the　subject　of　general　remark；　if　you
  haven't　actually　offered　her　the　chance　of　becoming　Mrs。
  Armadale；　you　have　done　the　next　thing　to　it；　and　knowing　all
  this；　you　propose　to　see　her；　and　to　let　her　work　on　you　with　her
  devilish　beauty　and　her　devilish　cleverness；　in　the　character　of
  your　interesting　victim！　You；　who　are　one　of　the　best　matches　in
  England！　You；　who　are　the　natural　prey　of　all　the　hungry　single
  women　in　the　community！　I　never　heard　the　like　of　it；　I　never；　in
  all　my　professional　experience；　heard　the　like　of　it！　If　you　must
  positively　put　yourself　in　a　dangerous　position；　Mr。　Armadale；〃
  concluded　Pedgift　the　elder；　with　the　everlasting　pinch　of　snuff
  held　in　suspense　between　his　box　and　his　nose；　〃there's　a
  wild…beast　show　coming　to　our　town　next　week。　Let　in　the　tigress；
  sir；　don't　let　in　Miss　Gwilt！〃
  For　the　third　time　Allan　looked　at　his　lawyer。　And　for　the　third
  time　his　lawyer　looked　back　at　him　quite　unabashed。
  〃You　seem　to　have　a　very　bad　opinion　of　Miss　Gwilt；〃　said　Allan。
  〃The　worst　possible　opinion；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　retorted　Pedgift
  Senior；　coolly。　〃We　will　return　to　that　when　we　have　sent　the
  lady's　messenger　about　his　business。　Will　you　take　my　advice？
  Will　you　decline　to　see　her？〃
  〃I　would　willingly　declineit　would　be　so　dreadfully　distressing
  to　both　of　us；〃　said　Allan。　〃I　would　willingly　decline；　if　I　only
  knew　how。〃
  〃Bless　my　soul；　Mr。　Armadale；　it's　easy　enough！　Don't　commit
  _you_　yourself　in　writing。　Send　out　to　the　messenger；　and　say
  there's　no　answer。〃
  The　short　course　thus　suggested　was　a　course　which　Allan
  positively　declined　to　take。　〃It's　treating　her　brutally；〃　he
  said；　〃I　can't　and　won't　do　it。〃
  Once　more　the　pertinacity　of　Pedgift　the　elder　found　its　limits；
  and　once　more　that　wise　man　yielded　gracefully　to　a　compromise。
  On　receiving　his　client's　promise　not　to　s　ee　Miss　Gwilt；　he
  consented　to　Allan's　committing　himself　in　writing　under　his
  lawyer's　dictation。　The　letter　thus　produced　was　modeled　in
  Allan's　own　style；　it　began　and　ended　in　one　sentence。　〃Mr。
  Armadale　presents　his　compliments　to　Miss　Gwilt；　and　regrets　that
  he　cannot　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　her　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。〃
  Allan　had　pleaded　hard　for　a　second　sentence；　explaining　that　he
  only　declined　Miss　Gwilt's　request　from　a　conviction　that　an
  interview　would　be　needlessly　distressing　on　both　sides。　But　his
  legal　adviser　firmly　rejected　the　proposed　addition　to　the
  letter。　〃When　you　say　No　to　a　woman；　sir；〃　remarked　Pedgift
  Senior；　〃always　say　it　in　one　word。　If　you　give　her　your　reasons；
  she　invariably　believes　that　you　mean　Yes。〃
  Producing　that　little　gem　of　wisdom　from　the　rich　mine　of　his
  professional　experience；　Mr。　Pedgift　the　elder　sent　out　the
  answer　to　Miss　Gwilt's　messenger；　and　recommended　the　servant　to
  〃see　the　fellow；　whoever　he　was；　well　clear　of　the　house。〃
  〃Now；　sir；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃we　will　come　back；　if　you　like；　to
  my　opinion　of　Miss　Gwilt。　It　doesn't　it　all　agree　with　yours；　I'm
  afraid。　You　think　her　an　object　of　pityquite　natural　at　your
  age。　I　think　her　an　object　for　the　inside　of　a　prisonquite
  natural　at　mine。　You　shall　hear　the　grounds　on　which　I　have
  formed　my　opinion　directly。　Let　me　show　you　that　I　am　in　earnest
  by　putting　the　opinion　itself；　in　the　first　place；　to　a　practical
  test。　Do　you　think　Miss　Gwilt　is　likely　to　persist　in　paying　you
  a　visit；　Mr。　Armadale；　after　the　answer　you　have　just　sent　to
  her？〃
  〃Quite　impossible！〃　cried　Allan；　warmly。　〃Miss　Gwilt　is　a　lady；
  after　the　letter　I　have　sent　to　her；　she　will　never　come　near　me
  again。〃
  〃There　we　join　issue；　sir；〃　cried　Pedgift　Senior。　〃I　say　she　will
  snap　her　fingers　at　your　letter　（which　was　one　of　the　reasons　why
  I　objected　to　your　wr