It flattered me. For the
moment, I declare it flattered me!

"I pass over the wretched old creature's raptures and reproaches, and
groans and tears, and weary long prosings about the lonely months he
had passed at Thorpe Ambrose, brooding over my desertion of him. He
was quite eloquent at times; but I don't want his eloquence here. It
is needless to say that I put myself right with him, and consulted his
feelings before I asked him for his news. What a blessing a woman's
vanity is sometimes! I almost forgot my risks and responsibilities in
my anxieties to be charming. For a minute or two I felt a warm little
flutter of triumph. And it was a triumph--even with an old man! In
a quarter of an hour I had him smirking and smiling, hanging on my
lightest words in an ecstasy, and answering all the questions I put to
him like a good little child.

"Here is his account of affairs at Thorpe Ambrose, as I gently extracted
it from him bit by bit:

"In the first place, the news of Armadale's death has reached Miss
Milroy. It has so completely overwhelmed her that her father has been
compelled to remove her from the school. She is back at the cottage,
and the doctor is in daily attendance. Do I pity her? Yes! I pity her
exactly as much as she once pitied me!

"In the next place, the state of affairs at the great house, which I
expected to find some difficulty in comprehending, turns out to be quite
intelligible, and certainly not discouraging so far. Only yesterday, the
lawyers on both sides came to an understanding. Mr. Darch (the family
solicitor of the Blanchards, and Armadale's bitter enemy in past times)
represents the interests of Miss Blanchard, who (in the absence of any
male heir) is next heir to the estate, and who has, it appears, been in
London for some time past. Mr. Smart, of Norwich (originally employed to
overlook Bashwood), represents the deceased Armadale. And this is what
the two lawyers have settled between them.

"Mr. Darch, acting for Miss Blanchard, has claimed the possession of the
estate, and the right of receiving the rents at the Christmas audit,
in her name. Mr. Smart, on his side, has admitted that there is great
weight in the family solicitor's application. He cannot see his way, as
things are now, to contesting the question of Armadale's death, and he
will consent to offer no resistance to the application, if Mr. Darch
will consent, on his side, to assume the responsibility of taking
possession in