ly reported better. 'Why not go to
Somersetshire,' said Midwinter, 'and see your good friend, and my good
friend, Mr. Brock?'

"Armadale caught at the proposal readily enough. He longed, in the first
place, to see 'dear old Brock,' and he longed, in the second place, to
see his yacht. After staying a few days more in London with Midwinter,
he would gladly go to Somersetshire. But what after that?

"Seeing my opportunity, _I_ came to the rescue this time. 'You have got
a yacht, Mr. Armadale,' I said; 'and you know that Midwinter is going to
Italy. When you are tired of Somersetshire, why not make a voyage to the
Mediterranean, and meet your friend, and your friend's wife, at Naples?'

"I made the allusion to 'his friend's wife' with the most becoming
modesty and confusion. Armadale was enchanted. I had hit on the best of
all ways of occupying the weary time. He started up, and wrung my hand
in quite an ecstasy of gratitude. How I do hate people who can only
express their feelings by hurting other people's hands!

"Midwinter was as pleased with my proposal as Armadale; but he saw
difficulties in the way of carrying it out. He considered the yacht too
small for a cruise to the Mediterranean, and he thought it desirable to
hire a larger vessel. His friend thought otherwise. I left them arguing
the question. It was quite enough for me to have made sure, in the first
place, that Armadale will not return to Thorpe Ambrose; and to have
decided him, in the second place, on going abroad. He may go how he
likes. I should prefer the small yacht myself; for there seems to be
a chance that the small yacht might do me the inestimable service of
drowning him...."

"Five o'clock.--The excitement of feeling that I had got Armadale's
future movements completely under my own control made me so restless,
when I returned to my lodgings, that I was obliged to go out again, and
do something. A new interest to occupy me being what I wanted, I went to
Pimlico to have it out with Mother Oldershaw.

"I walked; and made up my mind, on the way, that I would begin by
quarreling with her.

"One of my notes of hand being paid already, and Midwinter being willing
to pay the other two when they fall due, my present position with the
old wretch is as independent a one as I could desire. I always get the
better of her when it comes to a downright battle between us, and find
her wonderfully civil and obliging the moment I have made her feel that
m