ventured　herself　near　the　great　house　since　the　thunder…storm
  forced　her　into　it　for　shelter；　will　be　less　likely　than　ever　to
  venture　there　now。　I　can　part　them　when　I　please；　with　an
  anonymous　line　to　the　major；　I　can　part　them　when　I　please！
  〃After　having　discussed　the　letter；　the　talk　between　them　turned
  on　what　they　were　to　do　next。　Major　Milroy's　severity；　as　it　soon
  appeared；　produced　the　usual　results。　Armadale　returned　to　the
  subject　of　the　elopement；　and　this　time　she　listened　to　him。
  There　is　everything　to　drive　her　to　it。　Her　outfit　of　clothes　is
  nearly　ready；　and　the　summer　holidays；　at　the　school　which　has
  been　chosen　for　her；　end　at　the　end　of　next　week。　When　I　left
  them；　they　had　decided　to　meet　again　and　settle　something　on
  Monday。
  〃The　last　words　I　heard　him　address　to　her；　before　I　went　away；
  shook　me　a　little。　He　said：　'There　is　one　difficulty；　Neelie；
  that　needn't　trouble　us；　at　any　rate。　I　have　got　plenty　of
  money。'　And　then　he　kissed　her。　The　way　to　his　life　began　to　look
  an　easier　way　to　me　when　he　talked　of　his　money；　and　kissed　her。
  〃Some　hours　have　passed；　and　the　more　I　think　of　it；　the　more　I
  fear　the　blank　interval　between　this　time　and　the　time　when　Mrs。
  Oldershaw　calls　in　the　law；　and　protects　me　against　myself。　It
  might　have　been　better　if　I　had　stopped　at　home　this　morning。　But
  how　could　I？　After　the　insult　she　offered　me　yesterday；　I　tingled
  all　over　to　go　and　look　at　her。
  〃To…day；　Sunday；　Monday；　Tuesday。　They　can't　arrest　me　for　the
  money　before　Wednesday。　And　my　miserable　five　pounds　are
  dwindling　to　four！　And　he　told　her　he　had　plenty　of　money！　And
  she　blushed　and　trembled　when　he　kissed　her。　It　might　have　been
  better　for　him；　better　for　her；　and　better　for　me；　if　my　debt　had
  fallen　due　yesterday；　and　if　the　bailiffs　had　their　hands　on　me
  at　this　moment。
  〃Suppose　I　had　the　means　of　leaving　Thorpe　Ambrose　by　the　next
  train；　and　going　somewhere　abroad；　and　absorbing　myself　in　some
  new　interest；　among　new　people。　Could　I　do　it；　rather　than　look
  again　at　that　easy　way　to　his　life　which　would　smooth　the　way　to
  everything　else？
  〃Perhaps　I　might。　But　where　is　the　money　to　come　from？　Surely
  some　way　of　getting　it　struck　me　a　day　or　two　since？　Yes；　that
  mean　idea　of　asking　Armadale　to　help　me！　Well；　I　_will_　be　mean
  for　once。　I'll　give　him　the　chance　of　making　a　generous　use　of
  that　well…filled　purse　which　it　is　such　a　comfort　to　him　to
  reflect　on　in　his　present　circumstances。　It　would　soften　my　heart
  toward　any　man　if　he　lent　me　money　in　my　present　extremity；　and；
  if　Armadale　lends　me　money；　it　might　soften　my　heart　toward　him。
  When　shall　I　go？　At　once！　I　won't　give　myself　time　to　feel　the
  degradation　of　it；　and　to　change　my　mind。
  〃Three　'clock。I　mark　the　hour。　He　has　sealed　his　own　doom。　He
  has　insulted　me。
  〃Yes！　I　have　suffered　it　once　from　Miss　Milroy。　And　I　have　now
  suffered　it　a　second　time　from　Arm　adale　himself。　An　insulta
  marked；　merciless；　deliberate　insult　in　the　open　day！
  〃I　had　got　through　the　town；　and　had　advanced　a　few　hundred　yards
  along　the　road　that　leads　to　the　great　house；　when　I　saw　Armadale
  at　a　little　distance；　coming　toward　me。　He　was　walking
  fastevidently　with　some　errand　of　his　own　to　take　him　to　the
  town。　The　instant　he　caught　sight　of　me　he　stopped；　colored　up；
  took　off　his　hat；　hesitated；　and　turned　aside　down　a　lane　behind
  him；　which　I　happen　to　know　would　take　him　exactly　in　the
  contrary　direction　to　the　direction　in　which　he　was　walking　when
  he　first　saw　me。　His　conduct　said　in　so　many　words；　'Miss　Milroy
  may　hear　of　it；　I　daren't　run　the　risk　of　being　seen　speaking　to
  you。'　Men　have　used　me　heartlessly；　men　have　done　and　said　hard
  things　to　me；　but　no　man　living　ever　yet　treated　me　as　if　I　was
  plague…struck；　and　as　if　the　very　air　about　me　was　infected　by　my
  presence！
  〃I　say　no　more。　When　he　walked　away　from　me　down　that　lane；　he
  walked　to　his　death。　I　have　written　to　Midwinter　to　expect　me　in
  London　nest　week；　and　to　be　ready　for　our　marriage　soon
  afterward。
  〃Four　o'clock。Half　an　hour　since；　I　put　on　my　bonnet　to　go　out
  and　post　the　letter　to　Midwinter　myself。　And　here　I　am；　still　in
  my　room；　with　my　mind　torn　by　doubts；　and　my　letter　on　the　table。
  〃Armadale　counts　for　nothing　in　the　perplexities　that　are　now
  torturing　me。　It　is　Midwinter　who　makes　me　hesitate。　Can　I　take
  the　first　of　those　three　steps　that　lead　me　to　the　end；　without
  the　common　caution　of　looking　at　consequences？　Can　I　marry
  Midwinter；　without　knowing　beforehand　how　to　meet　the　obstacle　of
  my　husband；　when　the　time　comes　which　transforms　me　from　the
  living　Armadale's　wife　to　the　dead　Armadale's　widow？
  〃Why　can't　I　think　of　it；　when　I　know　I　_must_　think　of　it？　Why
  can't　I　look　at　it　as　steadily　as　I　have　looked　at　all　the　rest？
  I　feel　his　kisses　on　my　lips；　I　feel　his　tears　on　my　bosom；　I
  feel　his　arms　round　me　again。　He　is　far　away　in　London；　and　yet；
  he　is　here　and　won't　let　me　think　of　it！
  〃Why　can't　I　wait　a　little？　Why　can't　I　let　Time　help　me？　Time？
  It's　Saturday！　What　need　is　there　to　think　of　it；　unless　I　like？
  There　is　no　post　to　London　to…day。　I　_must_　wait。　If　I　posted　the
  letter；　it　wouldn't　go。　Besides；　to…　morrow　I　may　hear　from　Mrs。
  Oldershaw。　I　ought　to　wait　to　hear　from　Mrs。　Oldershaw。　I　can't
  consider　myself　a　free　woman　till　I　know　what　Mrs。　Oldershaw
  means　to　do。　There　is　a　necessity　for　waiting　till　to…morrow。　I
  shall　take　my　bonnet　off；　and　lock　the　letter　up　in　my　desk。
  〃Sunday　morning。There　is　no　resisting　it！　One　after　another　the
  circumstances　crowd　on　me。　They　come　thicker　and　thicker；　and
  they　all　force　me　one　way。
  〃I　have　got　Mother　Oldershaw's　answer。　The　wretch　fawns　on　me；
  and　cringes　to　me。　I　can　see；　as　plainly　as　if　she　had
  acknowledged　it；　that　she　suspects　me　of　seeing　my　own　way　to
  success　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　without　her　assistance　。　Having　found
  threatening　me　useless；　she　tries　coaxing　me　now。　I　am　her
  darling　Lydia　again！　She　is　quite　shocked　that　I　could　imagine
  she　ever　really　intended　to　arrest　her　bosom　friend；　and　she　has
  only　to　entreat　me；　as　a　favor　to　herself；　to　renew　the　bill！
  〃I　say　once　more；　no　mortal　creature　could　resist　it！　Time　after
  time　I　have　tried　to　escape　the　temptation；　and　time　after　time
  the　circumstances　drive　me　back　again。　I　can　struggle　no　longer。
  The　post　that　takes　the　letters　to…night　shall　take　my　letter　to
  Midwinter　among　the　rest。
  〃To…night！　If　I　give　myself　till　to…night；　something　else　may
  happen。　If　I　give　myself　till　to…night；　I　may　hesitate　again。　I'm
  weary　of　the　torture　of　hesitating。　I　must　and　will　have　relief
  in　the　present；　cost　what　it　may　in　the　future。　My　letter　to
  Midwinter　will　drive　me　mad　if　I　see　it　staring　and　staring　at　me
  in　my　desk　any　longer。　I　can　post　it　in　ten　minutes'　timeand　I
  will！
  〃It　is　done。　The　first　of　the　three　steps　that　lead　me　to　the　end
  is　a　step　taken。　My　mind　is　quieterthe　letter　is　in　the　post。
  〃By　to…morrow　Midwinter　will　receive　it。　Before　the　end　of　the
  week　Armadale　must　be　publicly　seen　to　leave　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and
  I　must　be　publicly　seen　to　leave　with　him。
  〃Have　I　looked　at　the　consequences　of　my　marriage　to　Midwinter？
  No！　Do　I　know　how　to　meet　the　obstacle　of　my　husband；　when　the
  time　comes　which　transforms　me　from　the　living　Armadale's　wife　to
  the　dead　Armadale's　widow？
  〃No！　When　the　time　comes；　I　must　meet　the　obstacle　as　I　best　may。
  I　am　going　blindfold；　thenso　far　as　Midwinter　is
  concernedinto　this　frightful　risk？　Yes；　blindfold。　Am　I　out　of
  my　senses？　Very　likely。　Or　am　I　a　little　too　fond　of　him　to　look
  the　thing　in　the　face？　I　dare　say。　Who　cares？
  〃I　won't；　I　won't；　I　won't　think　of　it！　Haven't　I　a　will　of　my
  own？　And　can't　I　think；　if　I　like；　of　something　else？
  〃Here　is　Mother　Jezebel's　cringing　letter。　_That_　is　something
  else　to　think　of。　I'll　answer　it。　I　am　in　a　fine　humor　for
  writing　to　Mother　Jezebel。
  *　*　*　*　*　*　*
  _Conclusion　of　Miss　Gwilt's　Letter　to　Mrs。　Oldershaw。_
  〃。。。。　I　told　you；　when　I　broke　off；　that　I　would　wait　before　I
  finished　this；　and　ask　my　Diary　if　I　could　safely　tell　you　what　I
  have　now　got　it　in　my　mind　to　do。　Well；　I　have　asked；　and　my
  Diary　says；　'Don't　tell　her！'　Under　these　circumstances　I　close
  my　letterwith　my　best　excuses　for　leaving　you　in　the　dark。
  〃I　shall　probably　be　in　London　before　longand　I　may　tell　you　by
  word　of　mouth　what　I　don't　think　it　safe　to　write　here。　Mind；　I
  make　no　promise！　It　all　depends　on　how　I　feel　toward　you　at　the
  time。　I　don't　doubt　your　discretion；　but　（under　certain
  circumstances）　I　am　not　so　sure　of　your　courage。　L。　G。〃
  〃P。　S。My　best　thanks　for　your　permission　to　renew　the　bill。　I
  decline　profiting　by　the　proposal。　The　money　will　be　ready　when
  the　money　is　due。　I　have　a　friend　now　in　London　who　will　pay　it
  if　I　ask　him。　Do　you　wonder　who　the　friend　is？　You　will　wonder　at
  one　or　two　other　things；　Mrs。　Oldershaw；　before　many　weeks　more
  are　over　your　head　and　mine。〃
  CHAPTER　XI。
  LOVE　AND　LAW。
  ON　the　morning　of　Monday；　the　28th　of　July；　Miss　Gwiltonce　more
  on　the　watch　for　Allan　and　Neeliereached　her　customary　post　of
  observation　in　the　park；　by　the　usual　roundabout　way