Ambrose。
  Nothing　had　been　taken　away；　but　much　had　been　added　to　the　room；
  since　Midwinter　had　first　seen　it。　The　books　which　Mrs。　Armadale
  had　left　behind　her；　the　furniture；　the　old　matting　on　the　floor；
  the　old　paper　on　the　walls；　were　all　undisturbed。　The　statuette
  of　Niobe　still　stood　on　its　bracket；　and　the　French　window　still
  opened　on　the　garden。　But　now；　to　the　relics　left　by　the　mother；
  were　added　the　personal　possessions　belonging　to　the　son。　The
  wall；　bare　hitherto；　was　decorated　with　water…color
  drawingswith　a　portrait　of　Mrs。　Armadale　supported　on　one　side
  by　a　view　of　the　old　house　in　Somersetshire；　and　on　the　other　by
  a　picture　of　the　yacht。　Among　the　books　which　bore　in　faded　ink
  Mrs。　Armadale's　inscriptions；　〃From　my　father；〃　were　other　books
  inscribed　in　the　same　handwriting；　in　brighter　ink；　〃To　my　son。〃
  Hanging　to　the　wall；　ranged　on　the　chimney…piece；　scattered　over
  the　table；　were　a　host　of　little　objects；　some　associated　with
  Allan's　past　life；　others　necessary　to　his　daily　pleasures　and
  pursuits；　and　all　plainly　testifying　that　the　room　which　he
  habitually　occupied　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　was　the　very　room　which　had
  once　recalled　to　Midwinter　the　second　vision　of　the　dream。　Here；
  strangely　unmoved　by　the　scene　around　him；　so　lately　the　object
  of　his　superstitious　distrust；　Allan's　friend　now　waited
  composedly　for　Allan's　return；　and　here；　more　strangely　still；　he
  looked　on　a　change　in　the　household　arrangements；　due　in　the
  first　instance　entirely　to　himself。　His　own　lips　had　revealed　the
  discovery　which　he　had　made　on　the　first　morning　in　the　new
  house；　his　own　voluntary　act　had　induced　the　son　to　establish
  himself　in　the　mother's　room。
  Under　what　motives　had　he　spoken　the　words？　Under　no　motives
  which　were　not　the　natural　growth　of　the　new　interests　and　the
  new　hopes　that　now　animated　him。
  The　entire　change　wrought　in　his　convictions　by　the　memorable
  event　that　had　brought　him　face　to　face　with　Miss　Gwilt　was　a
  change　which　it　was　not　in　his　nature　to　hide　from　Allan's
  knowledge。　He　had　spoken　openly；　and　had　spoken　as　it　was　in　his
  character　to　speak。　The　merit　of　conquering　his　superstition　was
  a　merit　which　he　shrank　from　claiming；　until　he　had　first
  unsparingly　exposed　that　superstition　in　its　worst　and　weakest
  aspects　to　view。
  It　was　only　after　he　had　unreservedly　acknowledged　the　impulse
  under　which　he　had　left　Allan　at　the　Mere；　that　he　had　taken
  credit　to　himself　for　the　new　point　of　view　from　which　he　could
  now　look　at　the　Dream。　Then；　and　not　till　then；　he　had　spoken　of
  the　fulfillment　of　the　first　Vision　as　the　doctor　at　the　Isle　of
  Man　might　have　spoken　of　it。　He　had　asked；　as　the　doctor　might
  have　asked；　Where　was　the　wonder　of　their　seeing　a　pool　at
  sunset；　when　they　had　a　whole　network　of　pools　within　a　few
  hours'　drive　of　them？　and　what　was　there　extraordinary　in
  discovering　a　woman　at　the　Mere；　when　there　were　roads　that　led
  to　it；　and　villages　in　its　neighborhood；　and　boats　employed　on
  it；　and　pleasure　parties　visiting　it？　So　again；　he　had　waited　to
  vindicate　the　firmer　resolution　with　which　he　looked　to　the
  future；　until　he　had　first　revealed　all　that　he　now　saw　himself
  of　the　errors　of　the　past。　The　abandonment　of　his　friend's
  interests；　the　unworthiness　of　the　confidence　that　had　given　him
  the　steward's　place；　the　forgetfulness　of　the　trust　that　Mr。
  Brock　had　reposed　in　him　all　implied　in　the　one　idea　of　leaving
  Allanwere　all　pointed　out。　The　glaring　self…contradictions
  betrayed　in　accepting　the　Dream　as　the　revelation　of　a　fatality；
  and　in　attempting　to　escape　that　fatality　by　an　exertion　of
  free…willin　toiling　to　store　up　knowledge　of　the　steward's
  duties　for　the　future；　and　in　shrinking　from　letting　the　future
  find　him　in　Allan's　housewere；　in　their　turn；　unsparingly
  exposed。　To　every　error；　to　every　inconsistency；　he　resolutely
  confessed；　before　he　ventured　on　the　last　simple　appeal　which
  closed　all；　〃Will　you　trust　me　in　the　future？　Will　you　forgive
  and　forget　the　past？〃
  A　man　who　could　thus　open　his　whole　heart；　without　one　lurking
  reserve　inspired　by　consideration　for　himself；　was　not　a　man　to
  forget　any　minor　act　of　concealment　of　which　his　weakness　might
  have　led　him　to　be　guilty　toward　his　friend。　It　lay　heavy　on
  Midwinter's　conscience　that　he　had　kept　secret　from　Allan　a
  discovery　which　he　ought　in　Allan's　dearest　interests　to　have
  revealedthe　discovery　of　his　mother's　room。
  But　one　doubt　still　closed　his　lipsthe　doubt　whether　Mrs。
  Armadale's　conduct　in　Madeira　had　been　kept　secret　on　her　return
  to　England。
  Careful　inquiry；　first　among　the　servants；　then　among　the
  tenantry；　careful　consideration　of　the　few　reports　current　at　the
  time；　as　repeated　to　him　by　the　few　persons　left　who　remembered
  them；　convinced　him　at　last　that　the　family　secret　had　been
  successfully　kept　within　the　family　limits。　Once　satisfied　that
  whatever　inquiries　the　son　might　make　would　lead　to　no　disclosure
  which　could　shake　his　respect　for　his　mother's　memory；　Midwinter
  had　hesitated　no　longer。　He　had　taken　Allan　into　the　room；　and
  had　shown　him　the　books　on　the　shelves；　and　all　that　the　writing
  in　the　books　disclosed。　He　had　said　plainly；　〃My　one　motive　for
  not　telling　you　this　before　sprang　from　my　dread　of　interesting
  you　in　the　room　which　I　looked　at　with　horror　as　the　second　of
  the　scenes　pointed　at　in　the　Dream。　Forgive　me　this　also；　and　you
  will　have　forgiven　me　all。〃
  With　Allan's　love　for　his　mother's　memory；　but　one　result　could
  follow　such　an　avowal　as　this。　He　had　liked　the　little　room　from
  the　first；　as　a　pleasant　contrast　to　the　oppressive　grandeur　of
  the　other　rooms　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and；　now　that　he　knew　what
  associations　were　connected　with　it；　his　resolution　was　at　once
  taken　to　make　it　especially　his　own。　The　same　day；　all　his
  personal　possessions　were　collected　and　arranged　in　his　mother's
  roomin　Midwinter's　presence；　and　with　Midwinter's　assistance
  given　to　the　work。
  Under　those　circumstances　had　the　change　now　wrought　in　the
  household　arrangements　been　produced；　and　in　this　way　had
  Midwinter's　victory　over　his　own　fatalismby　making　Allan　the
  daily　occupant　of　a　room　which　he　might　otherwise　hardly　ever
  have　enteredactually　favored　the　fulfillment　of　the　Second
  Vision　of　th　e　Dream。
  The　hour　wore　on　quietly　as　Allan's　friend　sat　waiting　for
  Allan's　return。　Sometimes　reading；　sometimes　thinking　placidly；
  he　whiled　away　the　time。　No　vexing　cares；　no　boding　doubts；
  troubled　him　now。　The　rent…day；　which　he　had　once　dreaded；　had
  come　and　gone　harmlessly。　A　friendlier　understanding　had　been
  established　between　Allan　and　his　tenants；　Mr。　Bashwood　had
  proved　himself　to　be　worthy　of　the　confidence　reposed　in　him；　the
  Pedgifts；　father　and　son；　had　amply　justified　their　client's　good
  opinion　of　them。　Wherever　Midwinter　looked；　the　prospect　was
  bright；　the　future　was　without　a　cloud。
  He　trimmed　the　lamp　on　the　table　beside　him　and　looked　out　at　the
  night。　The　stable　clock　was　chiming　the　half…hour　past　eleven　as
  he　walked　to　the　window；　and　the　first　rain…drops　were　beginning
  to　fall。　He　had　his　hand　on　the　bell　to　summon　the　servant；　and
  send　him　over　to　the　cottage　with　an　umbrella；　when　he　was
  stopped　by　hearing　the　familiar　footstep　on　the　walk　outside。
  〃How　late　you　are！〃　said　Midwinter；　as　Allan　entered　through　the
  open　French　window。　〃Was　there　a　party　at　the　cottage？〃
  〃No！　only　ourselves。　The　time　slipped　away　somehow。〃　He　answered
  in　lower　tones　than　usual；　and　sighed　as　he　took　his　chair。
  〃You　seem　to　be　out　of　spirits？〃　pursued　Midwinter。　〃What's　the
  matter？〃
  Allan　hesitated。　〃I　may　as　well　tell　you；〃　he　said；　after　a
  moment。　〃It's　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of；　I　only　wonder　you　haven't
  noticed　it　before！　There's　a　woman　in　it；　as　usualI'm　in　love。〃
  Midwinter　laughed。　〃Has　Miss　Milroy　been　more　charming　to…night
  than　ever？〃　he　asked；　gayly。
  〃Miss　Milroy！〃　repeated　Allan。　〃What　are　you　thinking　of！　I'm　not
  in　love　with　Miss　Milroy。〃
  〃Who　is　it；　then？〃
  〃Who　is　it！　What　a　question　to　ask！　Who　can　it　be　but　Miss
  Gwilt？〃
  There　was　a　sudden　silence。　Allan　sat　listlessly；　with　his　hands
  in　his　pockets；　looking　out　through　the　open　window　at　the
  falling　rain。　If　he　had　turned　toward　his　friend　when　he
  mentioned　Miss　Gwilt's　name　he　might　possibly　have　been　a　little
  startled　by　the　change　he　would　have　seen　in　Midwinter's　face。
  〃I　suppose　you　don't　approve　of　it？〃　he　said；　after　waiting　a
  little。
  There　was　no　answer。
  〃It's　too　late　to　make　objections；〃　proceeded　Allan。　〃I　really
  mean　it　when　I　tell　you　I'm　in　love　with　her。〃
  〃A　fortnight　since　you　were　in　love　with　Miss　Milroy；〃　said　the
  other；　in　quiet；　measured　tones。
  〃Pooh！　a　mere　flirtation。　It's　different　this　time。　I'm　in
  earnest　about　Miss　Gwilt。〃
  He　looked　round　as　he　spoke。　Midwinter　turned　his　face　aside　on
  the　instant；　and　bent　it　over　a　book。
  〃I　see　you　don't　approve　of　the　thing；〃　Allan　went　on。　〃Do　you
  object　to　her　being　only　a　governess？　You　can't　do　that；　I'm
  sure。　If　you　were　in　my　place；　her　being　only　a　governess
  wouldn't　stand　in　the　way　with　_you？_〃
  〃No；〃　said　Midwinter；　〃I　can't　honestly　say　it　would　stand　in　the
  way　with　m