thanked　me　in　a　most　gentlemanly　and　touching　manner　for　the
  pains　I　have　taken　to　set　his　mind　at　ease。　Perfectly　gratifying；
  perfectly　satisfactory；　so　far！　But　there　has　been　a　little
  hitchnow　happily　got　over…which　I　think　it　right　to　mention
  to　you　before　we　all　retire　for　the　night。〃
  Having　paved　the　way　in　those　words　（and　in　Mr。　Bashwood's
  hearing）　for　the　statement　which　he　had　previously　announced　his
  intention　of　making；　in　the　event　of　Allan's　dying　in　the
  Sanitarium；　the　doctor　was　about　to　proceed；　when　his　attention
  was　attracted　by　a　sound　below　like　the　trying　of　a　door。
  He　instantly　descended　the　stairs；　and　unlocked　the　door　of
  communication　between　the　first　and　second　floors；　which　he　had
  locked　behind　him　on　his　way　up。　But　the　person　who　had　tried　the
  doorif　such　a　person　there　really　had　beenwas　too　quick　for
  him。　He　looked　along　the　corridor；　and　over　the　staircase　into
  the　hall；　and；　discovering　nothing；　returned　to　Miss　Gwilt；　after
  securing　the　door　of　communication　behind　him　once　more。
  〃Pardon　me；〃　he　resumed；　〃I　thought　I　heard　something　downstairs。
  With　regard　to　the　little　hitch　that　I　adverted　to　just　now；
  permit　me　to　inform　you　that　Mr。　Armadale　has　brought　a　friend
  here　with　him；　who　bears　the　strange　name　of　Midwinter。　Do　you
  know　the　gentleman　at　all？〃　asked　the　doctor；　with　a　suspicious
  anxiety　in　his　eyes；　which　strangely　belied　the　elaborate
  indifference　of　his　tone。
  〃I　know　him　to　be　an　old　friend　of　Mr。　Armadale's；〃　she　said。
  〃Does　he？〃　Her　voice　failed　her；　and　her　eyes　fell　before　the
  doctor's　steady　scrutiny。　She　mastered　the　momentary　weakness；
  and　finished　her　question。　〃Does　he；　too；　stay　here　to…night？〃
  〃Mr。　Midwinter　is　a　person　of　coarse　manners　and　suspicious
  temper；〃　rejoined　the　doctor；　steadily　watching　her。　〃He　was　rude
  enough　to　insist　on　staying　here　as　soon　as　Mr。　Armadale　had
  accepted　my　invitation。〃
  He　paused　to　note　the　effect　of　those　words　on　her。　Left　utterly
  in　the　dark　by　the　caution　with　which　she　had　avoided　mentioning
  her　husband's　assumed　name　to　him　at　their　first　interview；　the
  doctor's　distrust　of　her　was　necessarily　of　the　vaguest　kind。　He
  had　heard　her　voice　fail　herhe　had　seen　her　color　change。　He
  suspected　her　of　a　mental　reservation　on　the　subject　of
  Midwinterand　of　nothing　more。
  〃Did　you　permit　him　to　have　his　way？〃　she　asked。　〃In　your　place；
  I　should　have　shown　him　the　door。〃
  The　impenetrable　composure　of　her　tone　warned　the　doctor　that　her
  self…command　was　not　to　be　further　shaken　that　night。　He　resumed
  the　character　of　Mrs。　Armadale's　medical　referee　on　the　subject
  of　Mr。　Armadale's　mental　health。
  〃If　I　had　only　had　my　own　feelings　to　consult；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't
  disguise　from　you　that　I　should　（as　you　say）　have　shown　Mr。
  Midwinter　the　door。　But　on　appealing　to　Mr。　Armadale；　I　found　he
  was　himself　anxious　not　to　be　parted　from　his　friend。　Under　those
  circumstances；　but　one　alternative　was　leftthe　alternative　of
  humoring　him　again。　The　responsibility　of　thwarting　himto　say
  nothing；〃　added　the　doctor；　drifting　for　a　moment　toward　the
  truth；　〃of　my　natural　apprehension；　with　such　a　temper　as　his
  friend's；　of　a　scandal　and　disturbance　in　the　housewas　not　to
  be　thought　of　for　a　moment。　Mr。　Midwinter　accordingly　remains
  here　for　the　night；　and　occupies　（I　ought　to　say；　insists　on
  occupying）　the　next　room　to　Mr。　Armadale。　Advise　me；　my　dear
  madam；　in　this　emergency；〃　concluded　the　doctor；　with　his　loudest
  emphasis。　〃What　rooms　shall　we　put　them　in；　on　the　first　floor？〃
  〃Put　Mr。　Armadale　in　Number　Four。〃
  〃And　his　friend　next　to　him；　in　Number　Three？〃　said　the　doctor。
  〃Well！　well！　well！　perhaps　they　_are_　the　most　comfortable　rooms。
  I'll　give　my　orders　immediately。　Don't　hurry　away；　Mr。　Bashwood；〃
  he　called　out；　cheerfully；　as　he　reached　the　top　of　the
  staircase。　〃I　have　left　the　assistant　physician's　key　on　the
  windowsill　yonder；　and　Mrs。　Armadale　can　let　you　out　at　the
  staircase　door　whenever　she　pleases。　Don't　sit　up　late；　Mrs。
  Armadale！　Yours　is　a　nervous　system　that　requires　plenty　of
  sleep。　'Tired　nature's　sweet　restorer；　balmy　sleep。'　Grand　line！
  God　bless　yougood…night！〃
  Mr。　Bashwood　came　back　from　the　far　end　of　the　corridorstill
  pondering；　in　unutterable　expectation；　on　what　was　to　come　with
  the　night。
  〃Am　I　to　go　now？〃　he　asked。
  〃No。　You　are　to　stay。　I　said　you　should　know　all　if　you　waited
  till　the　morning。　Wait　here。〃
  He　hesitated；　and　looked　about　him。　〃The　doctor；〃　he　faltered。　〃I
  thought　the　doctor　said〃
  〃The　doctor　will　interfere　with　nothing　that　I　do　in　this　house
  to…night。　I　tell　you　to　stay。　There　are　empty　rooms　on　the　floor
  above　this。　Take　one　of　them。〃
  Mr。　Bashwood　felt　the　trembling　fit　coming　on　him　again　as　he
  looked　at　her。　〃May　I　ask？〃　he　began。
  〃Ask　nothing。　I　want　you。〃
  〃Will　you　please　to　tell　me？〃
  〃I　will　tell　you　nothing　till　the　night　is　over　and　the　morning
  has　come。〃
  His　curiosity　conquered　his　fear。　He　persisted。
  〃Is　it　something　dreadful？〃　he　whispered。　〃Too　dreadful　to　tell
  me？〃
  She　stamped　her　foot　with　a　sudden　outbreak　of　impatience。　〃Go！〃
  she　said；　snatching　the　key　of　the　staircase　door　from　the
  window…sill。　〃You　do　quite　right　to　distrust　meyou　do　quite
  right　to　follow　me　no　further　in　the　dark。　Go　before　the　house　is
  shut　up。　I　can　do　without　you。〃　She　led　the　way　to　the　stairs；
  with　the　key　in　one　hand；　and　the　candle　in　the　other。
  Mr。　Bashwood　followed　her　in　silence。　No　one；　knowing　what　he
  knew　of　her　earlier　life；　could　have　failed　to　perceive　that　she
  was　a　woman　driven　to　the　last　extremity；　and　standing
  consciously　on　the　brink　of　a　Crime。　In　the　first　terror　of　the
  discovery；　he　broke　free　from　the　hold　she　had　on　him：　he　thought
  and　acted　like　a　man　who　had　a　will　of　his　own　again。
  She　put　the　key　in　the　door；　and　turned　to　him　before　she　opened
  it；　with　the　light　of　the　candle　on　her　face。　〃Forget　me；　and
  forgive　me；〃　she　said。　〃We　meet　no　more。〃
  She　opened　the　door；　and；　standing　inside　it；　after　he　had　passed
  her；　gave　him　her　hand。　He　had　resisted　her　look；　he　had　resisted
  her　words；　but　the　magnetic　fascination　of　her　touch　conquered
  him　at　the　final　moment。　〃I　can't　leave　you！〃　he　said；　holding
  helplessly　by　the　hand　she　had　given　him。　〃What　must　I　do？〃
  〃Come　and　see；〃　she　answered；　without　allowing　him　an　instant　to
  reflect。
  Closing　her　hand　firmly　on　his；　she　led　him　along　the　first　floor
  corridor　to　the　room　numbered　Four。　〃Notice　that　room；〃　she
  whispered。　After　a　look　over　the　stairs　to　see　that　they　were
  alone；　she　retraced　her　steps　with　him　to　the　opposite　extremity
  of　the　corridor。　Here；　facing　the　window　which　lit　the　place　at
  the　other　end；　was　one　little　room；　with　a　narrow　grating　in　the
  higher　part　of　the　door；　intended　for　the　sleeping　apartment　of
  the　doctor's　deputy。　From　the　position　of　this　room；　the　grating
  commanded　a　view　of　the　bed…chambers　down　each　side　of　the
  corridor；　and　so　enabled　the　deputy…physician　to　inform　himself
  of　any　irregular　proceedings　on　the　part　of　the　patients　under
  his　care；　with　little　or　no　chance　of　being　detected　in　watching
  them。　Miss　Gwilt　opened　the　door　and　led　the　way　into　the　empty
  room。
  〃Wait　here；〃　she　said；　〃while　I　go　back　upstairs；　and　lock
  yourself　in；　if　you　like。　You　will　be　in　the　dark；　but　the　gas
  will　be　burning　in　the　corridor。　Keep　at　the　grating；　and　make
  sure　that　Mr。　Armadale　goes　into　the　room　I　have　just　pointed　out
  to　you；　and　that　he　doesn't　leave　it　afterward。　If　you　lose　sight
  of　the　room　for　a　single　moment　before　I　come　back；　you　will
  repent　it　to　the　end　of　your　life。　If　you　do　as　I　tell　you；　you
  shall　see　me　to…morrow；　and　claim　your　own　reward。　Quick　with
  your　answer！　Is　it　Yes　or　No？〃
  He　could　make　no　reply　in　words。　He　raised　her　hand　to　his　lips；
  and　kissed　it　rapturously。　She　left　him　in　the　room。　From　his
  place　at　the　grating　he　saw　her　glide　down　the　corridor　to　the
  staircase　door。　She　passed　through　it；　and　locked　it。　Then　there
  was　silence。
  The　next　sound　was　the　sound　of　the　women…servants'　voices。　Two
  of　them　came　up　to　put　the　sheets　on　the　beds　in　Number　Three　and
  Number　Four。　The　women　were　in　high　good…humor；　laughing　and
  talking　to　each　other　through　the　open　doors　of　the　rooms。　The
  master's　customers　were　coming　in　at　last；　they　said；　with　a
  vengeance；　the　house　would　soon　begin　to　look　cheerful；　if　things
  went　on　like　this。
  After　a　little；　the　beds　were　got　ready　and　the　women　returned　to
  the　kitchen　floor；　on　which　the　sleeping…rooms　of　the　domestic
  servants　were　all　situated。　Then　there　was　silence　again。
  The　next　sound　was　the　sound　of　the　doctor's　voice。　He　appeared
  at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　showing　Allan　and　Midwinter　the　way
  to　their　rooms。　They　all　went　together　into　Number　Four。　After　a
  little；　the　doctor　came　out　first。　He　waited　till　Midwinter
  joined　him；　and　pointed　with　a　formal　bow　to　the　door　of　Number
  Three。　Midwinter　entered　the　room　without　speaking；　and　shut
  himself　in。　The　doctor；　left　alone；　withdrew　to　the　staircase
  door　and　unlocked　it；　then　waited　in　the　corridor；　whistling　to
  himself　softly；　under　his　breath。
  Voices　pitched　cautiously　low　became　audible　in