Thorpe　AmbroseI　have　had　to　get　through　the　dreadful　long
  evening　and　the　dreadful　long　nightwith　your　letter　telling　me
  that　you　had　found　out　who　she　is；　and　telling　me　nothing　more。
  Suspense　is　very　hard　to　bear；　Jemmy；　when　you　come　to　my　age。
  What　was　it　prevented　you；　my　dear；　from　coming　to　me　when　I　got
  here　yesterday　evening？〃
  〃A　little　dinner　at　Richmond；〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger。　〃Give
  me　some　tea。〃
  Mr。　Bashwood　tried　to　comply　with　the　request；　but　the　hand　with
  which　he　lifted　the　teapot　trembled　so　unmanageably　that　the　tea
  missed　the　cup　and　streamed　out　on　the　cloth。　〃I'm　very　sorry；　I
  can't　help　trembling　when　I'm　anxious；〃　said　the　old　man；　as　his
  son　took　the　tea…pot　out　of　his　hand。　〃I'm　afraid　you　bear　me
  malice；　Jemmy；　for　what　happened　when　I　was　last　in　town。　I　own　I
  was　obstinate　and　unreasonable　about　going　back　to　Thorpe
  Ambrose。　I'm　more　sensible　now。　You　were　quite　right　in　taking　it
  all　on　yourself；　as　soon　as　I　showed　you　the　veiled　lady　when　we
  saw　her　come　out　of　the　hotel；　and　you　were　quite　right　to　send
  me　back　the　same　day　to　my　business　in　the　steward's　office　at
  the　Great　House。〃　He　watched　the　effect　of　these　concessions　on
  his　son；　and　ventured　doubtfully　on　another　entreaty。　〃If　you
  won't　tell　me　anything　else　just　yet；〃　he　said；　faintly；　〃will
  you　tell　me　how　you　found　her　out。　Do；　Jemmy；　do！〃
  Bashwood　the　younger　looked　up　from　his　plate。　〃I'll　tell　you
  that；〃　he　said。　〃The　reckoning　up　of　Miss　Gwilt　has　cost　more
  money　and　taken　more　time　than　I　expected；　and　the　sooner　we　come
  to　a　settlement　about　it；　the　sooner　we　shall　get　to　what　you
  want　to　know。〃
  Without　a　word　of　expostulation；　the　father　laid　his　dingy　old
  pocket…book　and　his　purse　on　the　table　before　the　son。　Bashwood
  the　younger　looked　into　the　purse；　observed；　with　a　contemptuous
  elevation　of　the　eyebrows；　that　it　held　no　more　than　a　sovereign
  and　some　silver；　and　returned　it　intact。　The　pocket…book；　on
  being　opened　next；　proved　to　contain　four　five…pound　notes。
  Bashwood　the　younger　transferred　three　of　the　notes　to　his　own
  keeping；　and　handed　the　pocket…book　back　to　his　father；　with　a
  bow　expressive　of　mock　gratitude　and　sarcastic　respect。
  〃A　thousand　thanks；〃　he　said。　〃Some　of　it　is　for　the　people　at
  our　office；　and　the　balance　is　for　myself。　One　of　the　few　stupid
  things；　my　dear　sir；　that　I　have　done　in　the　course　of　my　life
  was　to　write　you　word；　when　you　first　consulted　me；　that　you
  might　have　my　services　gratis。　As　you　see；　I　hasten　to　repair　the
  error。　An　hour　or　two　at　odd　times　I　was　ready　enough　to　give
  you。　But　this　business　has　taken　days；　and　has　got　in　the　way　of
  other　jobs。　I　told　you　I　couldn't　be　out　of　pocket　by　you　I　put
  it　in　my　letter；　as　plain　as　words　could　say　it。〃
  〃Yes；　yes；　Jemmy。　I　don't　complain；　my　dear；　I　don't　complain。
  Never　mind　the　moneytell　me　how　you　found　her　out。〃
  〃Besides；〃　pursued　Bashwood。　the　younger；　proceeding　impenetrably
  with　his　justification　of　himself；　〃I　have　given　you　the　benefit
  of　my　experience；　I've　done　it　cheap。　It　would　have　cost　double
  the　money　if　another　man　had　taken　this　in　hand。　Another　man
  would　have　kept　a　watch　on　Mr。　Armadale　as　well　as　Miss　Gwilt。　I
  have　saved　you　that　expense。　You　are　certain　that　Mr。　Armadale　is
  bent　on　marrying　her。　Very　good。　In　that　case；　while　we　have　our
  eye　on　_her；_　we　have；　for　all　useful　purposes；　got　our　eye　on
  _him。_　Know　where　the　lady　is；　and　you　know　that　the　gentleman
  can't　be　far　off。〃
  〃Quite　true；　Jemmy。　But　how　was　it　Miss　Gwilt　came　to　give　you　so
  much　trouble？〃
  〃She's　a　devilish　clever　woman；〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger；
  〃that's　how　it　was。　She　gave　us　the　slip　at　a　milliner's　shop。　We
  made　it　all　right　with　the　milliner；　and　speculated　on　the　chance
  of　her　coming　back　to　try　on　a　gown　she　had　ordered。　The
  cleverest　women　lose　the　use　of　their　wits　in　nine　cases　out　of
  ten　where　there's　a　new　dress　in　the　case；　and　even　Miss　Gwilt
  was　rash　enough　to　go　back。　That　was　all　we　wanted。　One　of　the
  women　from　our　office　helped　to　try　on　her　new　gown；　and　put　her
  in　the　right　position　to　be　seen　by　one　of　our　men　behind　the
  door。　He　instantly　suspected　who　she　was；　on　the　strength　of　what
  he　had　been　told　of　her；　for　she's　a　famous　woman　in　her　way。　Of
  course；　we　didn't　trust　to　that。　We　traced　her　to　her　new
  address；　and　we　got　a　man　from　Scotland　Yard；　who　was　certain　to
  know　her；　if　our　own　man's　idea　was　the　right　one。　The　man　from
  Scotland　Yard　turned　milliner's　lad　for　the　occasion；　and　took
  her　gown　home。　He　saw　her　in　the　passage；　and　identified　her　in
  an　instant。　You're　in　luck；　I　can　tell　you。　Miss　Gwilt's　a　public
  character。　If　we　had　had　a　less　notorious　woman　to　deal　with；　she
  might　have　cost　us　weeks　of　inquiry；　and　you　might　have　had　to
  pay　hundreds　of　pounds。　A　day　did　it　in　Miss　Gwilt's　case；　and
  another　day　put　the　whole　story　of　her　life；　in　black　and　white；
  into　my　hand。　There　it　is　at　the　present　moment；　old　gentleman；
  in　my　black　bag。〃
  Bashwood　the　father　made　straight　for　the　bag　with　eager　eyes　and
  outstretched　hand。　Bashwood　the　son　took　a　little　key　out　of　his
  waistcoat　pocket；　winked；　shook　his　head；　and　put　the　key　back
  again。
  〃I　haven't　done　breakfast　yet；〃　he　said。　〃Gently　does　it；　my　dear
  sirgently　does　it。〃
  〃I　can't　wait！〃　cried　the　old　man；　struggling　vainly　to　preserve
  his　self…control。　〃It's　past　nine！　It's　a　fortnight　to…day　since
  she　went　to　London　with　Mr。　Armadale！　She　may　be　married　to　him
  in　a　fortnight！　She　may　be　married　to　him　this　morning！　I　can't
  wait！　I　can't　wait！〃
  〃There's　no　knowing　what　you　can　do　till　you　try；〃　rejoined
  Bashwood　the　younger。　〃Try；　and　you'll　find　you　can　wait。　What
  has　become　of　your　curiosity？〃　he　went　on；　feeding　the　fire
  ingeniously　with　a　stick　at　a　time。　〃Why　don't　you　ask　me　what　I
  mean　by　calling　Miss　Gwilt　a　public　character？　Why　don't　you
  wonder　how　I　came　to　lay　my　hand　on　the　story　of　her　life；　in
  black　and　white？　If　you'll　sit　down　again；　I'll　tell　you。　If　you
  won't；　I　shall　confine　myself　to　my　breakfast。〃
  Mr。　Bashwood　sighed　heavily；　and　went　back　to　his　chair。
  〃I　wish　you　were　not　so　fond　of　your　joke；　Jemmy；〃　he　said。　〃I
  wish；　my　dear；　you　were　not　quite　so　fond　of　your　joke。〃
  〃Joke？〃　repeated　his　son。　〃It　would　be　serious　enough　in　some
  people's　eyes；　I　can　tell　you。　Miss　Gwilt　has　been　tried　for　her
  life；　and　the　papers　in　that　black　bag　are　the　lawyer's
  instructions　for　the　Defense。　Do　you　call　that　a　joke？〃
  The　father　started　to　his　feet；　and　looked　straight　across　the
  table　at　the　son　with　a　smile　of　exultation　that　was　terrible　to
  see。
  〃She's　been　tried　for　her　life！〃　he　burst　out；　with　a　deep　gasp
  of　satisfaction。　〃She's　been　tried　for　her　life！〃　He　broke　into　a
  low；　prolonged　laugh；　and　snapped　his　fingers　exultingly。
  〃Aha…ha…ha！　Something　to　frighten　Mr。　Armadale　in　_that！_〃
  Scoundrel　as　he　was；　the　son　was　daunted　by　the　explosion　of
  pent…up　passion　which　burst　on　him　in　those　words。
  〃Don't　excite　yourself；〃　he　said；　with　a　sullen　suppression　of
  the　mocking　manner　in　which　he　had　spoken　thus　far。
  Mr。　Bashwood　sat　down　again；　and　passed　his　handkerchief　over　his
  forehead。　〃No；〃　he　said；　nodding　and　smiling　at　his　son。　〃No；
  nono　excitement；　as　you　sayI　can　wait　now；　Jemmy；　I　can　wait
  now。〃
  He　waited　with　immovable　patience。　At　intervals；　he　nodded；　and
  smiled；　and　whispered　to　himself；　〃Something　to　frighten　Mr。
  Armadale　in　_that！_〃　But　he　made　no　further　attempt；　by　word；
  look；　or　action；　to　hurry　his　son。
  Bashwood　the　younger　finished　his　breakfast　slowly；　out　of　pure
  bravado；　lit　a　cigar　with　the　utmost　deliberation；　looked　at　his
  father；　and；　seeing　him　still　as　immovably　patient　as　ever；
  opened　the　black　bag　at　last；　and　spread　the　papers　on　the　table。
  〃How　will　you　have　it？〃　he　asked。　〃Long　or　short？　I　have　got　her
  whole　life　here。　The　counsel　who　defended　her　at　the　trial　was
  instructed　to　hammer　hard　at　the　sympathies　of　the　jury：　he　went
  head　over　ears　into　the　miseries　of　her　past　career；　and　shocked
  everybody　in　court　in　the　most　workman…like　manner。　Shall　I　take
  the　same　line？　Do　you　want　to　know　all　about　her；　from　the　time
  when　she　was　in　short　frocks　and　frilled　trousers？　or　do　you
  prefer　getting　on　at　once　to　her　first　appearance　as　a　prisoner
  in　the　dock？〃
  〃I　want　to　know　all　about　her；〃　said　his　father；　eagerly。　〃The
  worst；　and　the　bestthe　worst　particularly。　Don't　spare　my
  feelings；　Jemmywhatever　you　do；　don't　spare　my　feelings！　Can't
  I　look　at　the　papers　myself？〃
  〃No；　you　can't。　They　would　be　all　Greek　and　Hebrew　to　you。　Thank
  your　stars　that　you　have　got　a　sharp　son；　who　can　take　the　pith
  out　of　these　papers；　and　give　it　a　smack　of　the　right　flavor　in
  serving　it　up。　There　are　not　ten　men　in　England　who　could　tell
  you　this　woman's　story　as　I　can　tell　it。　It's　a　gift；　old
  gentleman；　of　the　sort　that　is　given　to　very　few　peopleand　it
  lodges　here。〃
  He　tapped　his　forehead　smartly；　and　turned　to　the　first　page　of
  the　manuscript　before　him；　with　an　unconcealed　triumph　at　the
  prospect　of　exhibiting　his　own　cleverness；　which　was　the　first
  expression　of　a　genuine　feeling　of　any　sort　that　had　escaped　him
  yet。
  〃Miss　Gwilt'