ront of
the house, he was fool enough to be too generous to let me defend my
character. When I had expressed my regret for having lost my temper and
threatened Miss Milroy, and when I had accepted his assurance that
my pupil had never done or meant to do me any injury, he was too
magnanimous to hear a word on the subject of my private affairs. Thus I
am quite unfettered by any former assertions of my own; and I may tell
any story I please--with the one drawback hinted at already in the shape
of a restraint. Whatever I may invent in the way of pure fiction, I must
preserve the character in which I have appeared at Thorpe Ambrose; for,
with the notoriety that is attached to _my other name_, I have no other
choice but to marry Midwinter in my maiden name as 'Miss Gwilt.'

"This was the consideration that took me into the lawyer's office. I
felt that I must inform myself, before I saw Midwinter later in the day,
of any awkward consequences that may follow the marriage of a widow if
she conceals her widow's name.

"Knowing of no other professional person whom I could trust, I went
boldly to the lawyer who had my interests in his charge, at that
terrible past time in my life, which I have more reason than ever to
shrink from thinking of now. He was astonished, and, as I could plainly
detect, by no means pleased to see me. I had hardly opened my lips
before he said he hoped I was not consulting him _again_ (with a strong
emphasis on the word) on my own account. I took the hint, and put the
question I had come to ask, in the interests of that accommodating
personage on such occasions--an absent friend. The lawyer evidently saw
through it at once; but he was sharp enough to turn my 'friend' to good
account on his side. He said he would answer the question as a matter
of courtesy toward a lady represented by myself; but he must make it a
condition that this consultation of him by deputy should go no further.

"I accepted his terms; for I really respected the clever manner in which
he contrived to keep me at arms-length without violating the laws of
good-breeding. In two minutes I heard what he had to say, mastered it in
my own mind, and went out.

"Short as it was, the consultation told me everything I wanted to know.
I risk nothing by marrying Midwinter in my maiden instead of my widow's
name. The marriage is a good marriage in this way: that it can only be
set aside if my husband finds out the imposture, and takes proceeding