Midwinter；　〃the　testimonial　would；　I　assure　you；　be　quite　enough
  to　satisfy　me。　But　while　I　am　learning　my　new　duties；　the　person
  who　teaches　me　will　be　really　and　truly　the　steward　of　my
  friend's　estate。　I　am　very　unwilling　to　ask　you　to　speak　on　what
  may　be　a　painful　subject；　and　I　am　sadly　inexperienced　in　putting
  such　questions　as　I　ought　to　put；　but；　perhaps；　in　Mr。　Armadale's
  interests；　I　ought　to　know　something　more；　either　from　yourself；
  or　from　Mr。　Pedgift；　if　you　prefer　it〃　He；　too；　stopped
  confusedly；　looked　at　the　testimonial；　and　said　no　more。
  There　was　another　moment　of　silence。　The　night　was　warm；　and　Mr。
  Bashwood；　among　his　other　misfortunes；　had　the　deplorable
  infirmity　of　perspiring　in　the　palms　of　the　hands。　He　took　out　a
  miserable　little　cotton　pocket…handkerchief；　rolled　it　up　into　a
  ball；　and　softly　dabbed　it　to　and　fro；　from　one　hand　to　the
  other；　with　the　regularity　of　a　pendulum。　Performed　by　other　men；
  under　other　circumstances；　the　action　might　have　been　ridiculous。
  Performed　by　this　man；　at　the　crisis　of　the　interview；　the　action
  was　horrible。
  〃Mr。　Pedgift's　time　is　too　valuable；　sir；　to　be　wasted　on　me；〃　he
  said。　〃I　will　mention　what　ought　to　be　mentioned　myselfif　you
  will　please　to　allow　me。　I　have　been　unfortunate　in　my　family。　It
  is　very　hard　to　bear；　though　it　seems　not　much　to　tell。　My
  wife〃　One　of　his　hands　closed　fast　on　the　pocket…handkerchief；
  he　moistened　his　dry　lips；　struggled　with　himself；　and　went　on。
  〃My　wife；　sir；〃　he　resumed；　〃stood　a　little　in　my　way；　she　did　me
  （I　am　afraid　I　must　confess）　some　injury　with　Sir　John。　Soon
  after　I　got　the　steward's　situation；　she　contractedshe
  tookshe　fell　into　habits　（I　hardly　know　how　to　say　it）　of
  drinking。　I　couldn't　break　her　of　it；　and　I　couldn't　always
  conceal　it　from　Sir　John's　knowledge。　She　broke　out；　andand
  tried　his　patience　once　or　twice；　when　he　came　to　my　office　on
  business。　Sir　John　excused　it；　not　very　kindly；　but　still　he
  excused　it。　I　don't　complain　of　Sir　John！　I　don't　complain　now　of
  my　wife。〃　He　pointed　a　trembling　finger　at　his　miserable
  crape…covered　beaver　hat　on　the　floor。　〃I'm　in　mourning　for　her；〃
  he　said；　faintly。　〃She　died　nearly　a　year　ago；　in　the　county
  asylum　here。〃
  His　mouth　began　to　work　convulsively。　He　took　up　the　glass　of
  wine　at　his　side；　and；　instead　of　sipping　it　this　time；　drained
  it　to　the　bottom。　〃I'm　not　much　used　to　wine；　sir；〃　he　said；
  conscious；　apparently；　of　the　flush　that　flew　into　his　face　as　he
  drank；　and　still　observant　of　the　obligations　of　politeness　amid
  all　the　misery　of　the　recollections　that　he　was　calling　up。
  〃I　beg；　Mr。　Bashwood；　you　will　not　distress　yourself　by　telling
  me　any　more；〃　said　Midwinter；　recoiling　from　any　further　sanction
  on　his　part　of　a　disclosure　which　had　already　bared　the　sorrows
  of　the　unhappy　man　before　him　to　the　quick。
  〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you；　sir；〃　replied　Mr。　Bashwood。　〃But　if　I
  don't　detain　you　too　long；　and　if　you　will　please　to　remember
  that　Mr。　Pedgift's　directions　to　me　were　very　particularand；
  besides；　I　only　mentioned　my　late　wife　because　if　she　hadn't
  tried　Sir　John's　patience　to　begin　with；　things　might　have　turned
  out　differently〃　He　paused；　gave　up　the　disjointed　sentence　in
  which　he　had　involved　himself；　and　tried　another。　〃I　had　only　two
  children；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　advancing　to　a　new　point　in　his
  narrative；　〃a　boy　and　a　girl。　The　girl　died　when　she　was　a　baby。
  My　son　lived　to　grow　up；　and　it　was　my　son　who　lost　me　my　place。
  I　did　my　best　for　him；　I　got　him　into　a　respectable　office　in
  London。　They　wouldn't　take　him　without　security。　I'm　afraid　it
  was　imprudent；　but　I　had　no　rich　friends　to　help　me；　and　I　became
  security。　My　boy　turned　out　badly；　sir。　He　perhaps　you　will
  kindly　understand　what　I　mean；　if　I　say　he　behaved　dishonestly。
  His　employers　consented；　at　my　entreaty；　to　let　him　off　without
  prosecuting。　I　begged　very　hardI　was　fond　of　my　son　Jamesand
  I　took　him　home；　and　did　my　best　to　reform　him。　He　wouldn't　stay
  with　me；　he　went　away　again　to　London；　heI　beg　your　pardon；
  sir！　I'm　afraid　I'm　confusing　things；　I'm　afraid　I'm　wandering
  from　the　point。〃
  〃No；　no；〃　said　Midwinter；　kindly。　〃If　you　think　it　right　to　tell
  me　this　sad　story；　tell　it　in　your　own　way。　Have　you　seen　your
  son　since　he　left　you　to　go　to　London？〃
  〃No；　sir。　He's　in　London　still；　for　all　I　know。　When　I　last　heard
  of　him；　he　was　getting　his　breadnot　very　creditably。　He　was
  employed；　under　the　inspector；　at　the　Private　Inquiry　Office　in
  Shadyside　Place。〃
  He　spoke　those　wordsapparently　（as　events　then　stood）　the　most
  irrelevant　to　the　matter　in　hand　that　had　yet　escaped　him；
  actually　（as　events　were　soon　to　be）　the　most　vitally　important
  that　he　had　uttered　yethe　spoke　those　words　absently；　looking
  about　him　in　confusion；　and　trying　vainly　to　recover　the　lost
  thread　of　his　narrative。
  Midwinter　compassionately　helped　him。　〃You　were　telling　me；〃　he
  said；　〃that　your　son　had　been　the　cause　of　your　losing　your
  place。　How　did　that　happen？〃
  〃In　this　way；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Bashwood；　getting　back　again
  excitedly　into　the　right　train　of　thought。　〃His　employers
  consented　to　let　him　off；　but　they　came　down　on　his　security；　and
  I　was　the　man。　I　suppose　they　were　not　to　blame；　the　security
  covered　their　loss。　I　couldn't　pay　it　all　out　of　my　savings；　I
  had　to　borrowon　the　word　of　a　man；　sir；　I　couldn't　help　itI
  had　to　borrow。　My　creditor　pressed　me；　it　seemed　cruel；　but；　if
  he　wanted　the　money；　I　suppose　it　was　only　just。　I　was　sold　out
  of　house　and　home。　I　dare　say　other　gentlemen　would　have　said
  what　Sir　John　said；　I　dare　say　most　people　would　have　refused　to
  keep　a　steward　who　had　had　the　bailiffs　after　him；　and　his
  furniture　sold　in　the　neighborhood。　That　was　how　it　ended；　Mr。
  Midwinter。　I　needn't　detain　you　any　longerhere　is　Sir　John's
  address；　if　you　wish　to　apply　to　him。〃　Midwinter　generously
  refused　to　receive　the　address。
  〃Thank　you　kindly；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Bashwood；　getting　tremulously
  on　his　legs。　〃There　is　nothing　more；　I　think；　exceptexcept　that
  Mr。　Pedgift　will　speak　for　me；　if　you　wish　to　inquire　into　my
  conduct　in　his　service。　I'm　very　much　indebted　to　Mr。　Pedgift；
  he's　a　little　rough　with　me　sometimes；　but；　if　he　hadn't　taken　me
  into　his　office；　I　think　I　should　have　gone　to　the　workhouse　when
  I　left　Sir　John；　I　was　so　broken　down。〃　He　picked　up　his　dingy
  old　hat　from　the　floor。　〃I　won't　intrude　any　longer；　sir。　I　shall
  be　happy　to　call　again　if　you　wish　to　have　time　to　consider
  before　you　decide…〃
  〃I　want　no　time　to　consider　after　what　you　have　told　me；〃　replied
  Midwinter；　warmly；　his　memory　busy；　while　he　spoke；　with　the　time
  when　_he_　had　told　_his_　story　to　Mr。　Brock；　and　was　waiting　for
  a　generous　word　in　return；　as　the　man　before　him　was　waiting　now。
  〃To…day　is　Saturday；〃　he　went　on。　〃Can　you　come　and　give　me　my
  first　lesson　on　Monday　morning？　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　added；
  interrupting　Mr。　Bashwood's　profuse　expressions　of
  acknowledgment；　and　stopping　him　on　his　way　out　of　the　room；
  〃there　is　one　thing　we　ought　to　settle；　ought　we　not？　We　haven't
  spoken　yet　about　your　own　interest　in　this　matter；　I　mean；　about
  the　terms。〃　He　referred；　a　little　confusedly；　to　the　pecuniary
  part　of　the　subject。　Mr。　Bashwood　（getting　nearer　and　nearer　to
  the　door）　answered　him　more　confusedly　still。
  〃Anything；　siranything　you　think　right。　I　won't　intrude　any
  longer；　I'll　leave　it　to　you　and　Mr。　Armadale。〃
  〃I　will　send　for　Mr。　Armadale；　if　you　like；〃　said　Midwinter；
  following　him　into　the　hall。　〃But　I　am　afraid　he　has　as　little
  experience　in　matters　of　this　kind　as　I　have。　Perhaps；　if　you　see
  no　objection；　we　might　be　guided　by　Mr。　Pedgift？〃
  Mr。　Bashwood　caught　eagerly　at　the　last　suggestion；　pushing　his
  retreat；　while　he　spoke；　as　far　as　the　front　door。　〃Yes；　siroh；
  yes；　yes！　nobody　better　than　Mr。　Pedgift。　Don'tpray　don't
  disturb　Mr。　Armadale！〃　His　watery　eyes　looked　quite　wild　with
  nervous　alarm　as　he　turned　round　for　a　moment　in　the　light　of　the
  hall　lamp　to　make　that　polite　request。　If　sending　for　Allan　had
  been　equivalent　to　unchaining　a　ferocious　watch…dog；　Mr。　Bashwood
  could　hardly　have　been　more　anxious　to　stop　the　proceeding。　〃I
  wish　you　kindly　good…evening；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　getting　out　to
  the　steps。　〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you。　I　will　be　scrupulously
  punctual　on　Monday　morningI　hopeI　thinkI'm　sure　you　will
  soon　learn　everything　I　can　teach　you。　It's　not　difficultoh
  dear；　nonot　difficult　at　all！　I　wish　you　kindly　good…evening；
  sir。　A　beautiful　night；　yes；　indeed；　a　beautiful　night　for　a　walk
  home。〃
  With　those　words；　all　dropping　out　of　his　lips　one　on　the　top　of
  the　other；　and　without　noticing；　in　his　agony　of　embarrassment　at
  effecting　his　departure；　Midwinter's　outstretched　hand；　he　went
  noiselessly　down　the　steps；　and　was　lost　in　the　darkness　of　the
  night。
  As　Midwinter　turned　to　re…enter　the　house；　the　dining…room　door
  opened　and　his　friend　met　him　in　the　hall。
  〃Has　Mr。　Bashwood　gone？〃　asked　Allan。
  〃He　has　gone；〃　replied　Midwinter；　〃after　telling　me　a　very　sad
  story；　and　leaving　me　a　little　ashamed　of　myself　for　having
  doubted　him　without　any　just　cause。　I　have　arranged　that　he　is　to
  give　me　my　first　lesson