that　his　wife　was　concerned　in　it。
  〃Is　the　major　in　Norfolk？〃　he　asked；　〃or　is　he　near　his　daughter
  in　London？〃
  〃In　Norfolk；〃　said　Mr。　Bashwood。　Having　answered　Allan's　look　of
  inquiry；　instead　of　Midwinter's　spoken　question；　in　those　words；
  he　hesitated；　looked　Midwinter　in　the　face　for　the　first　time；
  and　added；　suddenly：　〃I　object；　if　you　please；　to　be
  cross…examined；　sir。　I　know　what　I　have　told　Mr。　Armadale；　and　I
  know　no　more。〃
  The　words；　and　the　voice　in　which　they　were　spoken；　were　alike　at
  variance　with　Mr。　Bashwood's　usual　language　and　Mr。　Bashwood's
  usual　tone。　There　was　a　sullen　depression　in　his　facethere　was
  a　furtive　distrust　and　dislike　in　his　eyes　when　they　looked　at
  Midwinter；　which　Midwinter　himself　now　noticed　for　the　first
  time。　Before　he　could　answer　the　steward's　extraordinary
  outbreak；　Allan　interfered。
  〃Don't　think　me　impatient；〃　he　said；　〃but　it's　getting　late；　it's
  a　long　way　to　Hampstead。　I'm　afraid　the　Sanitarium　will　be　shut
  up。〃
  Midwinter　started。　〃You　are　not　going　to　the　Sanitarium
  to…night！〃　he　exclaimed。
  Allan　took　his　friend's　hand　and　wrung　it　hard。　〃If　you　were　as
  fond　of　her　as　I　am；〃　he　whispered；　〃you　would　take　no　rest；　you
  could　get　no　sleep；　till　you　had　seen　the　doctor；　and　heard　the
  best　and　the　worst　he　had　to　tell　you。　Poor　dear　little　soul！　who
  knows；　if　she　could　only　see　me　alive　and　well〃　The　tears　came
  into　his　eyes；　and　he　turned　away　his　head　in　silence。
  Midwinter　looked　at　the　steward。　〃Stand　back；〃　he　said。　〃I　want
  to　speak　to　Mr。　Armadale。〃　There　was　something　in　his　eye　which
  it　was　not　safe　to　trifle　with。　Mr。　Bashwood　drew　back　out　of
  hearing；　but　not　out　of　sight。　Midwinter　laid　his　hand　fondly　on
  his　friend's　shoulder。
  〃Allan；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　reasons〃　He　stopped。　Could　the
  reasons　be　given　before　he　had　fairly　realized　them　himself；　at
  that　time；　too；　and　under　those　circumstances？　Impossible！　〃I
  have　reasons；〃　he　resumed；　〃for　advising　you　not　to　believe　too
  readily　what　Mr。　Bashwood　may　say。　Don't　tell　him　this；　but　take
  the　warning。〃
  Allan　looked　at　his　friend　in　astonishment。　〃It　was　you　who
  always　liked　Mr。　Bashwood！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃It　was　you　who　trusted
  him；　when　he　first　came　to　the　great　house！〃
  〃Perhaps　I　was　wrong；　Allan；　and　perhaps　you　were　right。　Will　you
  only　wait　till　we　can　telegraph　to　Major　Milroy　and　get　his
  answer？　Will　you　only　wait　over　the　night？〃
  〃I　shall　go　mad　if　I　wait　over　the　night；〃　said　Allan。　〃You　have
  made　me　more　anxious　than　I　was　before。　If　I　am　not　to　speak
  about　it　to　Bashwood；　I　must　and　will　go　to　the　Sanitarium；　and
  find　out　whether　she　is　or　is　not　there；　from　the　doctor
  himself。〃
  Midwinter　saw　that　it　was　useless。　In　Allan's　interests　there　was
  only　one　other　course　left　to　take。　〃Will　you　let　me　go　with
  you？〃　he　asked。
  Allan's　face　brightened　for　the　first　time。　〃You　dear；　good
  fellow！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃It　was　the　very　thing　I　was　going　to　beg
  of　you　myself。〃
  Midwinter　beckoned　to　the　steward。　〃Mr。　Armadale　is　going　to　the
  Sanitarium；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　mean　to　accompany　him。　Get　a　cab　and
  come　with　us。〃
  He　waited；　to　see　whether　Mr。　Bashwood　would　comply。　Having　been
  strictly　ordered；　when　Allan　did　arrive；　not　to　lose　sight　of
  him；　and　having；　in　his　own　interests；　Midwinter's　unexpected
  appearance　to　explain　to　Miss　Gwilt；　the　steward　had　no　choice
  but　to　comply。　In　sullen　submission　he　did　as　he　had　been　told。
  The　keys　of　Allan's　baggage　was　given　to　the　foreign　traveling
  servant　whom　he　had　brought　with　him；　and　the　man　was　instructed
  to　wait　his　master's　orders　at　the　terminus　hotel。　In　a　minute
  more　the　cab　was　on　its　way　out　of　the　stationwith　Midwinter
  and　Allan　inside；　and　Mr。　Bashwood　by　the　driver　on　the　box。
  *　*　*　*　*　*
  Between　eleven　and　twelve　o'clock　that　night；　Miss　Gwilt；
  standing　alone　at　the　window　which　lit　the　corridor　of　the
  Sanitarium　on　the　second　floor；　heard　the　roll　of　wheels　coming
  toward　her。　The　sound；　gathering　rapidly　in　volume　through　the
  silence　of　the　lonely　neighborhood；　stopped　at　the　iron　gates。　In
  another　minute　she　saw　the　cab　draw　up　beneath　her；　at　the　house
  door。
  The　earlier　night　had　been　cloudy；　but　the　sky　was　clearing　now
  and　the　moon　was　out。　She　opened　the　window　to　see　and　hear　more
  clearly。　By　the　light　of　the　moon　she　saw　Allan　get　out　of　the
  cab；　and　turn　round　to　speak　to　some　other　person　inside。　The
  answering　voice　told　her；　before　he　appeared　in　his　turn；　that
  Armadale's　companion　was　her　husband。
  The　same　petrifying　influence　that　had　fallen　on　her　at　the
  interview　with　him　of　the　previous　day　fell　on　her　now。　She　stood
  by　the　window；　white　and　still；　and　haggard　and　oldas　she　had
  stood　when　she　first　faced　him　in　her　widow's　weeds。
  Mr。　Bashwood；　stealing　up　alone　to　the　second　floor　to　make　his
  report；　knew；　the　instant　he　set　eyes　on　her；　that　the　report　was
  needless。　〃It's　not　my　fault；〃　was　all　he　said；　as　she　slowly
  turned　her　head　and　looked　at　him。　〃They　met　together；　and　there
  was　no　parting　them。〃
  She　drew　a　long　breath；　and　motioned　him　to　be　silent。　〃Wait　a
  little；〃　she　said；　〃I　know　all　about　it。〃
  Turning　from　him　at　those　words；　she　slowly　paced　the　corridor　to
  its　furthest　en　d；　turned；　and　slowly　came　back　to　him　with
  frowning　brow　and　drooping　headwith　all　the　grace　and　beauty
  gone　from　her；　but　the　inbred　grace　and　beauty　in　the　movement　of
  her　limbs。
  〃Do　you　wish　to　speak　to　me？〃　she　asked；　her　mind　far　away　from
  him；　and　her　eyes　looking　at　him　vacantly　as　she　put　the
  question。
  He　roused　his　courage　as　he　had　never　roused　it　in　her　presence
  yet。
  〃Don't　drive　me　to　despair！〃　he　cried；　with　a　startling
  abruptness。　〃Don't　look　at　me　in　that　way；　now　I　have　found　it
  out！〃
  〃What　have　you　found　out？〃　she　asked；　with　a　momentary　surprise
  on　her　face；　which　faded　from　it　again　before　he　could　gather
  breath　enough　to　go　on。
  〃Mr。　Armadale　is　not　the　man　who　took　you　away　from　me；〃　he
  answered。　〃Mr。　Midwinter　is　the　man。　I　found　it　out　in　your　face
  yesterday。　I　see　it　in　your　face　now。　Why　did　you　sign　your　name
  'Armadale'　when　you　wrote　to　me？　Why　do　you　call　yourself　'Mrs。
  Armadale'　still？〃
  He　spoke　those　bold　words　at　long　intervals；　with　an　effort　to
  resist　her　influence　over　him；　pitiable　and　terrible　to　see。
  She　looked　at　him　for　the　first　time　with　softened　eyes。　〃I　wish
  I　had　pitied　you　when　we　first　met；〃　she　said；　gently；　〃as　I　pity
  you　now。〃
  He　struggled　desperately　to　go　on　and　say　the　words　to　her　which
  he　had　strung　himself　to　the　pitch　of　saying　on　the　drive　from
  the　terminus。　They　were　words　which　hinted　darkly　at　his
  knowledge　of　her　past　life；　words　which　warned　herdo　what　else
  she　might；　commit　what　crimes　she　pleasedto　think　twice　before
  she　deceived　and　deserted　him　again。　In　those　terms　he　had　vowed
  to　himself　to　address　her。　He　had　the　phrases　picked　and　chosen；
  he　had　the　sentences　ranged　and　ordered　in　his　mind；　nothing　was
  wanting　but　to　make　the　one　crowning　effort　of　speaking
  themand；　even　now；　after　all　he　had　said　and　all　he　had　dared；
  the　effort　was　more　than　he　could　compass！　In　helpless　gratitude；
  even　for　so　little　as　her　pity；　he　stood　looking　at　her；　and　wept
  the　silent；　womanish　tears　that　fall　from　old　men's　eyes。
  She　took　his　hand　and　spoke　to　himwith　marked　forbearance；　but
  without　the　slightest　sign　of　emotion　on　her　side。
  〃You　have　waited　already　at　my　request；〃　she　said。　〃Wait　till
  to…morrow；　and　you　will　know　all。　If　you　trust　nothing　else　that
  I　have　told　you；　you　may　trust　what　I　tell　you　now。　_It　will　end
  to…night。_〃
  As　she　said　the　words；　the　doctor's　step　was　heard　on　the　stairs。
  Mr。　Bashwood　drew　back　from　her；　with　his　heart　beating　fast　in
  unutterable　expectation。　〃It　will　end　to…night！〃　he　repeated　to
  himself；　under　his　breath；　as　he　moved　away　toward　the　far　end　of
  the　corridor。
  〃Don't　let　me　disturb　you；　sir；〃　said　the　doctor；　cheerfully；　as
  they　met。　〃I　have　nothing　to　say　to　Mrs。　Armadale　but　what　you　or
  anybody　may　hear。〃
  Mr。　Bashwood　went　on；　without　answering；　to　the　far　end　of　the
  corridor；　still　repeating　to　himself：　〃It　will　end　to…night！〃　The
  doctor；　passing　him　in　the　opposite　direction；　joined　Miss　Gwilt。
  〃You　have　heard；　no　doubt；〃　he　began；　in　his　blandest　manner　and
  his　roundest　tones；　〃that　Mr。　Armadale　has　arrived。　Permit　me　to
  add；　my　dear　lady；　that　there　is　not　the　least　reason　for　any
  nervous　agitation　on　your　part。　He　has　been　carefully　humored；
  and　he　is　as　quiet　and　manageable　as　his　best　friends　could　wish。
  I　have　informed　him　that　it　is　impossible　to　allow　him　an
  interview　with　the　young　lady　to…night；　but　that　he　may　count　on
  seeing　her　（with　the　proper　precautions）　at　the　earliest
  propitious　hour；　after　she　is　awake　to…morrow　morning。　As　there
  is　no　hotel　near；　and　as　the　propitious　hour　may　occur　at　a
  moment's　notice；　it　was　clearly　incumbent　on　me；　under　the
  peculiar　circumstances；　to　offer　him　the　hospitality　of　the
  Sanitarium。　He　has　accepted　it　with　the　utmost　gratitude；　and　has
  thanked　me　in　a　most　gentlemanly　and　touching　manner　for　the
  pains　I　have　taken　to　set　his　mind　at　ease。　Perfectly　gratifying；
  perfectly　satisfact