armadale-第52节

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notice　in　a　very　delicate　way；　and　he　has　not　acknowledged　（what
is　quite　clear　to　my　mind）　that　he　knew　of　Mr。　Darch's　unfriendly
feeling　toward　you　when　he　wrote。　Wait　a　little　before　you　go　to
this　stranger；　wait　till　we　can　talk　it　over　together　to…night。〃

〃Wait！〃　replied　Allan。　〃Haven't　I　told　you　that　I　always　strike
while　the　iron's　hot？　Trust　my　eye　for　character；　old　boy；　I'll
look　Pedgift　through　and　through；　and　act　accordingly。　Don't　keep
me　any　longer；　for　Heaven's　sake。　I'm　in　a　fine　humor　for
tackling　the　resident　gentry；　and　if　I　don't　go　at　once；　I'm
afraid　it　may　wear　off。〃

With　that　excellent　reason　for　being　in　a　hurry；　Allan
boisterously　broke　away。　Before　it　was　possible　to　stop　him
again；　he　had　jumped　into　the　carriage　and　had　left　the　house。

CHAPTER　IV。

THE　MARCH　OF　EVENTS。

MIDWINTER'S　face　darkened　when　the　last　trace　of　the　carriage　had
disappeared　from　view。　〃I　have　done　my　best；〃　he　said；　as　he
turned　back　gloomily　into　the　house　〃If　Mr。　Brock　himself　were
here；　Mr。　Brock　could　do　no　more！〃

He　looked　at　the　bunch　of　keys　which　Allan　had　thrust　into　his
hand；　and　a　sudden　longing　to　put　himself　to　the　test　over　the
steward's　books　took　possession　of　his　sensitive　self…tormenting
nature。　Inquiring　his　way　to　the　room　in　which　the　various
movables　of　the　steward's　office　had　been　provisionally　placed
after　the　letting　of　the　cottage；　he　sat　down　at　the　desk；　and
tried　how　his　own　unaided　capacity　would　guide　him　through　the
business　records　of　the　Thorpe　Ambrose　estate。　The　result　exposed
his　own　ignorance　unanswerably　before　his　own　eyes。　The　ledgers
bewildered　him；　the　leases；　the　plans；　and　even　the
correspondence　itself；　might　have　been　written；　for　all　he　could
understand　of　them；　in　an　unknown　tongue。　His　memory　reverted
bitterly　as　he　left　the　room　again　to　his　two　years'　solitary
self…instruction　in　the　Shrewsbury　book…seller's　shop。　〃If　I
could　only　have　worked　at　a　business！〃　he　thought。　〃If　I　could
only　have　known　that　the　company　of　poets　and　philosophers　was
company　too　high　for　a　vagabond　like　me！〃

He　sat　down　alone　in　the　great　hall；　the　silence　of　it　fell
heavier　and　heavier　on　his　sinking　spirits；　the　beauty　of　it
exasperated　him；　like　an　insult　from　a　purse…proud　man。　〃Curse
the　place！〃　he　said；　snatching　up　his　hat　and　stick。　〃I　like　the
bleakest　hillside　I　ever　slept　on　better　than　I　like　this　house！〃

He　impatiently　descended　the　door…steps；　and　stopped　on　the
drive；　considering；　by　which　direction　he　should　leave　the　park
for　the　country　beyond。　If　he　followed　the　road　taken　by　the
carriage；　he　might　risk　unsettling　Allan　by　accidentally　meeting
him　in　the　town。　If　he　went　out　by　the　back　gate；　he　knew　his　own
nature　well　enough　to　doubt　his　ability　to　pass　the　room　of　the
dream　without　entering　it　again。　But　one　other　way　remained：　the
way　which　he　had　taken；　and　then　abandoned　again；　in　the　morning。
There　was　no　fear　of　disturbing　Allan　and　the　major's　daughter
now。　Without　further　hesitation；　Midwinter　set　forth　through　the
gardens　to　explore　the　open　country　on　that　side　of　the　estate。

Thrown　off　its　balance　by　the　events　of　the　day；　his　mind　was
full　of　that　sourly　savage　resistance　to　the　inevitable
self…assertion　of　wealth；　so　amiably　deplored　by　the　prosperous
and　the　rich；　so　bitterly　familiar　to　the　unfortunate　and　the
poor。　〃The　heather…bell　costs　nothing！〃　he　thought；　looking
contemptuously　at　the　masses　of　rare　and　beautiful　flowers　that
surrounded　him；　〃and　the　buttercups　and　daisies　are　as　bright　as
the　best　of　you！〃　He　followed　the　artfully　contrived　ovals　and
squares　of　the　Italian　garden　with　a　vagabond　indifference　to　the
symmetry　of　their　construction　and　the　ingenuity　of　their　design。
〃How　many　pounds　a　foot　did　_you_　cost？〃　he　said；　looking　back
with　scornful　eyes　at　the　last　path　as　he　left　it。　〃Wind　away
over　high　and　low　like　the　sheep…walk　on　the　mountain　side；　if
you　can！〃

He　entered　the　shrubbery　which　Allan　had　entered　before　him；
crossed　the　paddock　and　the　rustic　bridge　beyond；　and　reached　the
major's　cottage。　His　ready　mind　seized　the　right　conclusion　at
the　first　sight　of　it；　and　he　stopped　before　the　garden　gate；　to
look　at　the　trim　little　residence　which　would　never　have　been
empty；　and　would　never　have　been　let；　but　for　Allan's　ill…advised
resolution　to　force　the　steward's　situation　on　his　friend。

The　summer　afternoon　was　warm；　the　summer　air　was　faint　and
still。　On　the　upper　and　the　lower　floor　of　the　cottage　the
windows　were　all　open。　From　one　of　them；　on　the　upper　story；　the
sound　of　voices　was　startlingly　audible　in　the　quiet　of　the　park
as　Midwinter　paused　on　the　outer　side　of　the　garden　inclosure。
The　voice　of　a　woman；　harsh；　high；　and　angrily　complaininga
voice　with　all　the　freshness　and　the　melody　gone；　and　with
nothing　but　the　hard　power　of　it　leftwas　the　discordantly
predominant　sound。　With　it；　from　moment　to　moment；　there　mingled
the　deeper　and　quieter　tones；　soothing　and　compassionate；　of　the
voice　of　a　man。　Although　the　distance　was　too　great　to　allow
Midwinter　to　disti　nguish　the　words　that　were　spoken；　he　felt　the
impropriety　of　remaining　within　hearing　of　the　voices；　and　at
once　stepped　forward　to　continue　his　walk。

At　the　same　moment；　the　face　of　a　young　girl　（easily　recognizable
as　the　face　of　Miss　Milroy；　from　Allan's　description　of　her）
appeared　at　the　open　window　of　the　room。　In　spite　of　himself；
Midwinter　paused　to　look　at　her。　The　expression　of　the　bright
young　face；　which　had　smiled　so　prettily　on　Allan；　was　weary　and
disheartened。　After　looking　out　absently　over　the　park；　she
suddenly　turned　her　head　back　into　the　room；　her　attention　having
been　apparently　struck　by　something　that　had　just　been　said　in
it。　〃Oh；　mamma；　mamma；〃　she　exclaimed；　indignantly；　〃how　_can_
you　say　such　things！〃　The　words　were　spoken　close　to　the　window；
they　reached　Midwinter's　ears；　and　hurried　him　away　before　he
heard　more。　But　the　self…disclosure　of　Major　Milroy's　domestic
position　had　not　reached　its　end　yet。　As　Midwinter　turned　the
corner　of　the　garden　fence；　a　tradesman's　boy　was　handing　a
parcel　in　at　the　wicket　gate　to　the　woman　servant。　〃Well；〃　said
the　boy；　with　the　irrepressible　impudence　of　his　class；　〃how　is
the　missus？〃　The　woman　lifted　her　hand　to　box　his　ears。　〃How　is
the　missus？〃　she　repeated；　with　an　angry　toss　of　her　head；　as　the
boy　ran　off。　〃If　it　would　only　please　God　to　take　the　missus；　it
would　be　a　blessing　to　everybody　in　the　house。〃

No　such　ill…omened　shadow　as　this　had　passed　over　the　bright
domestic　picture　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　cottage；　which　Allan's
enthusiasm　had　painted　for　the　contemplation　of　his　friend。　It
was　plain　that　the　secret　of　the　tenants　had　been　kept　from　the
landlord　so　far。　Five　minutes　more　of　walking　brought　Midwinter
to　the　park　gates。　〃Am　I　fated　to　see　nothing　and　hear　nothing
to…day；　which　can　give　me　heart　and　hope　for　the　future？〃　he
thought；　as　he　angrily　swung　back　the　lodge　gate。　〃Even　the
people　Allan　has　let　the　cottage　to　are　people　whose　lives　are
imbittered　by　a　household　misery　which　it　is　_my_　misfortune　to
have　found　out！〃

He　took　the　first　road　that　lay　before　him；　and　walked　on；
noticing　little；　immersed　in　his　own　thoughts。

More　than　an　hour　passed　before　the　necessity　of　turning　back
entered　his　mind。　As　soon　as　the　idea　occurred　to　him；　he
consulted　his　watch；　and　determined　to　retrace　his　steps；　so　as
to　be　at　the　house　in　good　time　to　meet　Allan　on　his　return。　Ten
minutes　of　walking　brought　him　back　to　a　point　at　which　three
roads　met；　and　one　moment's　observation　of　the　place　satisfied
him　that　he　had　entirely　failed　to　notice　at　the　time　by　which　of
the　three　roads　he　had　advanced。　No　sign…post　was　to　be　seen；　the
country　on　either　side　was　lonely　and　flat；　intersected　by　broad
drains　and　ditches。　Cattle　were　grazing　here　and　there；　and　a
windmill　rose　in　the　distance　above　the　pollard　willows　that
fringed　the　low　horizon。　But　not　a　house　was　to　be　seen；　and　not
a　human　creature　appeared　on　the　visible　perspective　of　any　one
of　the　three　roads。　Midwinter　glanced　back　in　the　only　direction
left　to　look　atthe　direction　of　the　road　along　which　he　had
just　been　walking。　There；　to　his　relief；　was　the　figure　of　a　man；
rapidly　advancing　toward　him；　of　whom　he　could　ask　his　way。

The　figure　came　on；　clad　from　head　to　foot　in　dreary　blacka
moving　blot　on　the　brilliant　white　surface　of　the　sun…brightened
road。　He　was　a　lean；　elderly；　miserably　respectable　man。　He　wore
a　poor　old　black　dress…coat；　and　a　cheap　brown　wig；　which　made　no
pretense　of　being　his　own　natural　hair。　Short　black　trousers
clung　like　attached　old　servants　round　his　wizen　legs；　and　rusty
black　gaiters　hid　all　they　could　of　his　knobbed；　ungainly　feet。
Black　crape　added　its　mite　to　the　decayed　and　dingy　wretchedness
of　his　old　beaver　hat；　black　mohair　in　the　obsolete　form　of　a
stock　drearily　encircled　his　neck　and　rose　as　high　as　his　haggard
jaws。　The　one　morsel　of　color　he　carried　about　him　was　a　lawyer's
bag　of　blue　serge；　as　lean　and　limp　as　himself。　The　one
attractive　feature　in　his　clean…shaven；　weary　old　face　was　a　neat
set　of　teethteeth　（