despair　led　you　in　past　times；　and　I　think　I　may　trust　it　to　lead
  you　the　same　way　now。〃
  At　a　quarter　to　eight　o'clock　that　night　Mr。　Bashwood　took　up　his
  post　of　observation；　as　usual；　on　the　platform　of　the　terminus　at
  London　Bridge。　He　was　in　the　highest　good　spirits；　he　smiled　and
  smirked　in　irrepressible　exultation。　The　sense　that　he　held　in
  reserve　a　means　of　influence　over　Miss　Gwilt；　in　virtue　of　his
  knowledge　of　her　past　career；　had　had　no　share　in　effecting　the
  transformation　that　now　appeared　in　him。　It　had　upheld　his
  courage　in　his　forlorn　life　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　it　had　given
  him　that　increased　confidence　of　manner　which　Miss　Gwilt　herself
  had　noticed；　but；　from　the　moment　when　he　had　regained　his　old
  place　in　her　favor；　it　had　vanished　as　a　motive　power　in　him；
  annihilated　by　the　electric　shock　of　her　touch　and　her　look。　His
  vanitythe　vanity　which　in　men　at　his　age　is　only　despair　in
  disguisehad　now　lifted　him　to　the　seventh　heaven　of　fatuous
  happiness　once　more。　He　believed　in　her　again　as　he　believed　in
  the　smart　new　winter　overcoat　that　he　woreas　he　believed　in　the
  dainty　little　cane　（appropriate　to　the　dawning　dandyism　of　lads
  in　their　teens）　that　he　flourished　in　his　hand。　He　hummed！　The
  worn…out　old　creature；　who　had　not　sung　since　his　childhood；
  hummed；　as　he　paced　the　platform；　the　few　fragments　he　could
  remember　of　a　worn…out　old　song。
  The　train　was　due　as　early　as　eight　o'clock　that　night。　At　five
  minutes　past　the　hour　the　whistle　sounded。　In　less　than　five
  minutes　more　the　passengers　were　getting　out　on　the　platform。
  Following　the　instructions　that　had　been　given　to　him；　Mr。
  Bashwood　made　his　way；　as　well　as　the　crowd　would　let　him；　along
  the　line　of　carriages；　and；　discovering　no　familiar　face　on　that
  first　investigation；　joined　the　passengers　for　a　second　search
  among　them　in　the　custom…house　waiting…room　next。
  He　had　looked　round　the　room；　and　had　satisfied　himself　that　the
  persons　occupying　it　were　all　strangers；　when　he　heard　a　voice
  behind　him；　exclaiming：　〃Can　that　be　Mr。　Bashwood！〃　He　turned　in
  eager　expectation；　and　found　himself　face　to　face　with　the　last
  man　under　heaven　whom　he　had　expected　to　see。
  The　man　was　MIDWINTER。
  CHAPTER　II。
  IN　THE　HOUSE。
  NOTICING　Mr。　Bashwood's　confusion　（after　a　moment's　glance　at　the
  change　in　his　personal　appearance）；　Midwinter　spoke　first。
  〃I　see　I　have　surprised　you；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　looking；　I
  suppose；　for　somebody　else？　Have　you　heard　from　Allan？　Is　he　on
  his　way　home　again　already？〃
  The　inquiry　about　Allan；　though　it　would　naturally　have　suggested
  itself　to　any　one　in　Midwinter's　position　at　that　moment；　added
  to　Mr。　Bashwood's　confusion。　Not　knowing　how　else　to　extricate
  himself　from　the　critical　position　in　which　he　was　placed；　he
  took　refuge　in　simple　denial。
  〃I　know　nothing　about　Mr。　Armadaleoh　dear；　no；　sir；　I　know
  nothing　about　Mr。　Armadale；〃　he　answered；　with　needless　eagerness
  and　hurry。　〃Welcome　back　to　England；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　changing
  the　subject　in　his　nervously　talkative　manner。　〃I　didn't　know　you
  had　been　abroad。　It's　so　long　since　we　have　had　the
  pleasuresince　I　have　had　the　pleasure。　Have　you　enjoyed
  yourself；　sir；　in　foreign　parts？　Such　different　manners　from
  oursyes；　yes；　yessuch　different　manners　from　ours！　Do　you
  make　a　long　stay　in　England；　now　you　have　come　back？〃
  〃I　hardly　know；〃　said　Midwinter。　〃I　have　been　obliged　to　alter　my
  plans；　and　to　come　to　England　unexpectedly。〃　He　hesitated　a
  little；　his　manner　changed；　and　he　added；　in　lower　tones：　〃A
  serious　anxiety　has　brought　me　back。　I　can't　say　what　my　plans
  will　be　until　that　anxiety　is　set　at　rest。〃
  The　light　of　a　lamp　fell　on　his　face　while　he　spoke；　and　Mr。
  Bashwood　observed；　for　the　first　time；　that　he　looked　sadly　worn
  and　changed。
  〃I'm　sorry；　sirI'm　sure　I'm　very　sorry。　If　I　could　be　of　any
  use〃　suggested　Mr。　Bashwood；　speaking　under　the　influence　in
  some　degr　ee　of　his　nervous　politeness；　and　in　some　degree　of　his
  remembrance　of　what　Midwinter　had　done　for　him　at　Thorpe　Ambrose
  in　the　by…gone　time。
  Midwinter　thanked　him　and　turned　away　sadly。　〃I　am　afraid　you　can
  be　of　no　use；　Mr。　Bashwoodbut　I　am　obliged　to　you　for　your
  offer；　all　the　same。〃　He　stopped；　and　considered　a　little；
  〃Suppose　she　should　_not_　be　ill？　Suppose　some　misfortune　should
  have　happened？〃　he　resumed；　speaking　to　himself；　and　turning
  again　toward　the　steward。　〃If　she　has　left　her　mother；　some　trace
  of　her　_might_　be　found　by　inquiring　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。〃
  Mr。　Bashwood's　curiosity　was　instantly　aroused。　The　whole　sex　was
  interesting　to　him　now；　for　the　sake　of　Miss　Gwilt。
  〃A　lady；　sir？〃　he　inquired。　〃Are　you　looking　for　a　lady？〃
  〃I　am　looking；〃　said　Midwinter；　simply；　〃for　my　wife。〃
  〃Married；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Bashwood。　〃Married　since　I　last　had
  the　pleasure　of　seeing　you！　Might　I　take　the　liberty　of
  asking？〃
  Midwinter's　eyes　dropped　uneasily　to　the　ground。
  〃You　knew　the　lady　in　former　times；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　married
  Miss　Gwilt。〃
  The　steward　started　back　as　he　might　have　started　back　from　a
  loaded　pistol　leveled　at　his　head。　His　eyes　glared　as　if　he　had
  suddenly　lost　his　senses；　and　the　nervous　trembling　to　which　he
  was　subject　shook　him　from　head　to　foot。
  〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　Midwinter。　There　was　no　answer。　〃What
  is　there　so　very　startling；〃　he　went　on；　a　little　impatiently；
  〃in　Miss　Gwilt's　being　my　wife？〃
  〃_Your_　wife？〃　repeated　Mr。　Bashwood；　helplessly。　〃Mrs。
  Armadale！〃　He　checked　himself　by　a　desperate　effort；　and　said
  no　more。
  The　stupor　of　astonishment　which　possessed　the　steward　was
  instantly　reflected　in　Midwinter's　face。　The　name　in　which　he　had
  secretly　married　his　wife　had　passed　the　lips　of　the　last　man　in
  the　world　whom　he　would　have　dreamed　of　admitting　into　his
  confidence！　He　took　Mr。　Bashwood　by　the　arm；　and　led　him　away　to
  a　quieter　part　of　the　terminus　than　the　part　of　it　in　which　they
  had　hitherto　spoken　to　each　other。
  〃You　referred　to　my　wife　just　now；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　spoke　of
  _Mrs。　Armadale_　in　the　same　breath。　What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃
  Again　there　was　no　answer。　Utterly　incapable　of　understanding
  more　than　that　he　had　involved　himself　in　some　serious
  complication　which　was　a　complete　mystery　to　him；　Mr。　Bashwood
  struggled　to　extricate　himself　from　the　grasp　that　was　laid　on
  him；　and　struggled　in　vain。
  Midwinter　sternly　repeated　the　question。　〃I　ask　you　again；〃　he
  said；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　it？〃
  〃Nothing；　sir！　I　give　you　my　word　of　honor；　I　meant　nothing！〃　He
  felt　the　hand　on　his　arm　tightening　its　grasp；　he　saw；　even　in
  the　obscurity　of　the　remote　corner　in　which　they　stood；　that
  Midwinter's　fiery　temper　was　rising；　and　was　not　to　be　trifled
  with。　The　extremity　of　his　danger　inspired　him　with　the　one　ready
  capacity　that　a　timid　man　possesses　when　he　is　compelled　by　main
  force　to　face　an　emergencythe　capacity　to　lie。　〃I　only　meant　to
  say；　sir；〃　he　burst　out；　with　a　desperate　effort　to　look　and
  speak　confidently；　〃that　Mr。　Armadale　would　be　surprised〃
  〃You　said　_Mrs。_　Armadale！〃
  〃No；　siron　my　word　of　honor；　on　my　sacred　word　of　honor；　you
  are　mistakenyou　are；　indeed！　I　said　_Mr。_　Armadalehow　could　I
  say　anything　else？　Please　to　let　me　go；　sirI'm　pressed　for
  time。　I　do　assure　you　I'm　dreadfully　pressed　for　time！〃
  For　a　moment　longer　Midwinter　maintained　his　hold；　and　in　that
  moment　he　decided　what　to　do。
  He　had　accurately　stated　his　motive　for　returning　to　England　as
  proceeding　from　anxiety　about　his　wifeanxiety　naturally　caused
  （after　the　regular　receipt　of　a　letter　from　her　every　other；　or
  every　third　day）　by　the　sudden　cessation　of　the　correspondence
  between　them　on　her　side　for　a　whole　week。　The　first　vaguely
  terrible　suspicion　of　some　other　reason　for　her　silence　than　the
  reason　of　accident　or　of　illness；　to　which　he　had　hitherto
  attributed　it；　had　struck　through　him　like　a　sudden　chill　the
  instant　he　heard　the　steward　associate　the　name　of　〃Mrs。
  Armadale〃　with　the　idea　of　his　wife。　Little　irregularities　in　her
  correspondence　with　him；　which　he　had　thus　far　only　thought
  strange；　now　came　back　on　his　mind；　and　proclaimed　themselves　to
  be　suspicions　as　well。　He　had　hitherto　believed　the　reasons　she
  had　given　for　referring　him；　when　he　answered　her　letters；　to　no
  more　definite　address　than　an　address　at　a　post…office。　_Now_　he
  suspected　her　reasons　of　being　excuses；　for　the　first　time。　He
  had　hitherto　resolved；　on　reaching　London；　to　inquire　at　the　only
  place　he　knew　of　at　which　a　clew　to　her　could　be　foundthe
  address　she　had　given　him　as　the　address　at　which　〃her　mother〃
  lived。　_Now_　（with　a　motive　which　he　was　afraid　to　define　even　to
  himself；　but　which　was　strong　enough　to　overbear　every　other
  consideration　in　his　mind）　he　determined；　before　all　things；　to
  solve　the　mystery　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　familiarity　with　a　secret；
  which　was　a　marriage　secret　between　himself　and　his　wife。　Any
  direct　appeal　to　a　man　of　the　steward's　disposition；　in　the
  steward's　present　state　of　mind；　would　be　evidently　useless。　The
  weapon　of　deception　was；　in　this　case；　a　weapon　literally　forced
  into　Midwinter's　hands。　He　let　go　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　arm；　and
  accepted　Mr。　Bashwood's　expl