ment Miss Gwilt might make to you, if you do
see her, would be a statement to be relied on, after what you and my son
discovered in London?"

"She might explain what we discovered in London," suggested Allan, still
looking at the writing, and thinking of the hand that had traced it.

"_Might_ explain it? My dear sir, she is quite certain to explain it!
I will do her justice: I believe she would make out a case without a
single flaw in it from beginning to end."

That last answer forced Allan's attention away from the letter. The
lawyer's pitiless common sense showed him no mercy.

"If you see that woman again, sir," proceeded Pedgift Senior, "you will
commit the rashest act of folly I ever heard of in all my experience.
She can have but one object in coming here--to practice on your weakness
for her. Nobody can say into what false step she may not lead you, if
you once give her the opportunity. You admit yourself that you have been
fond of her; your attentions to her have been the subject of general
remark; if you haven't actually offered her the chance of becoming Mrs.
Armadale, you have done the next thing to it; and knowing all this, you
propose to see her, and to let her work on you with her devilish beauty
and her devilish cleverness, in the character of your interesting
victim! You, who are one of the best matches in England! You, who are
the natural prey of all the hungry single women in the community! I
never heard the like of it; I never, in all my professional experience,
heard the like of it! If you must positively put yourself in a
dangerous position, Mr. Armadale," concluded Pedgift the elder, with
the everlasting pinch of snuff held in suspense between his box and his
nose, "there's a wild-beast show coming to our town next week. Let in
the tigress, sir; don't let in Miss Gwilt!"

For the third time Allan looked at his lawyer. And for the third time
his lawyer looked back at him quite unabashed.

"You seem to have a very bad opinion of Miss Gwilt," said Allan.

"The worst possible opinion, Mr. Armadale," retorted Pedgift Senior,
coolly. "We will return to that when we have sent the lady's messenger
about his business. Will you take my advice? Will you decline to see
her?"

"I would willingly decline--it would be so dreadfully distressing to
both of us," said Allan. "I would willingly decline, if I only knew
how."

"Bless my soul, Mr. Armadale, it's easy enough! Don't commit _you_
yourself in wri