her father had
forbidden all intercourse between the cottage and the great house. Mr.
Armadale met this objection by declaring that her father had issued his
orders under a total misconception of the truth, and by entreating her
not to treat him as cruelly as the major had treated him. He entered,
I suspect, into some explanations at this point, but as he dropped his
voice I am unable to say what they were. His language, when I did hear
it, was confused and ungrammatical. It seemed, however, to be quite
intelligible enough to persuade Miss Milroy that her father had been
acting under a mistaken impression of the circumstances. At least, I
infer this; for, when I next heard the conversation, the young lady was
driven back to her second objection to being in the house--which was,
that Mr. Armadale had behaved very badly to her, and that he richly
deserved that she should never speak to him again.

"In this latter case, Mr. Armadale attempted no defense of any kind. He
agreed with her that he had behaved badly; he agreed with her that he
richly deserved she should never speak to him again. At the same time he
implored her to remember that he had suffered his punishment already.
He was disgraced in the neighborhood; and his dearest friend, his one
intimate friend in the world, had that very morning turned against him
like the rest. Far or near, there was not a living creature whom he was
fond of to comfort him, or to say a friendly word to him. He was lonely
and miserable, and his heart ached for a little kindness--and that was
his only excuse for asking Miss Milroy to forget and forgive the past.

"I must leave you, I fear, to judge for yourself of the effect of this
on the young lady; for, though I tried hard, I failed to catch what
she said. I am almost certain I heard her crying, and Mr. Armadale
entreating her not to break his heart. They whispered a great deal,
which aggravated me. I was afterward alarmed by Mr. Armadale coming
out into the conservatory to pick some flowers. He did not come as far,
fortunately, as the place where I was hidden; and he went in again
into the drawing-room, and there was more talking (I suspect at close
quarters), which to my great regret I again failed to catch. Pray
forgive me for having so little to tell you. I can only add that, when
the storm cleared off, Miss Milroy went away with the flowers in her
hand, and with Mr. Armadale escorting her from the house. My own humble
opinion is