armadale-第54节

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preserved。　I　let　them　go　on　condoling　with　me；　and　then　what　do
you　think　I　did？　I　put　my　foot　in　it　again。　'Oh；　don't　take　that
to　heart！'　I　said；　'I　don't　care　two　straws　about　hunting　or
shooting；　either。　When　I　meet　with　a　bird　in　my　walk；　I　can't　for
the　life　of　me　feel　eager　to　kill　it；　I　rather　like　to　see　the
bird　flying　about　and　enjoying　itself。'　You　should　have　seen
their　faces！　They　had　thought　me　a　sort　of　outlaw　before；　now
they　evidently　thought　me　mad。　Dead　silence　fell　upon　them　all；
and　down　I　tumbled　the　third　step　in　the　general　estimation。　It
was　just　the　same　at　the　next　house；　and　the　next　and　the　next。
The　devil　possessed　us　all；　I　think。　It　_would_　come　out；　now　in
one　way；　and　now　in　another；　that　I　couldn't　make　speechesthat
I　had　been　brought　up　without　a　university　educationand　that　I
could　enjoy　a　ride　on　horseback　without　galloping　after　a
wretched　stinking　fox　or　a　poor　distracted　little　hare。　These
three　unlucky　defects　of　mine　are　not　excused；　it　seems；　in　a
country　gentleman　（especially　when　he　has　dodged　a　public
reception　to　begin　with）。　I　think　I　got　on　best；　upon　the　whole；
with　the　wives　and　daughters。　The　women　and　I　always　fell；　sooner
or　later；　on　the　subject　of　Mrs。　Blanchard　and　her　niece。　We
invariably　agreed　that　they　had　done　wisely　in　going　to　Florence；
and　the　only　reason　we　had　to　give　for　our　opinion　was　that　we
thought　their　minds　would　be　benefited　after　their　sad
bereavement；　by　the　contemplation　of　the　masterpieces　of　Italian
art。　Every　one　of　the　ladiesI　solemnly　declare　itat　every
house　I　went　to；　came　sooner　or　later　to　Mrs。　and　Miss
Blanchard's　bereavement　and　the　masterpieces　of　Italian　art。　What
we　should　have　done　without　that　bright　idea　to　help　us；　I　really
don't　know。　The　one　pleasant　thing　at　any　of　the　visits　was　when
we　all　shook　our　heads　together；　and　declared　that　the
masterpieces　would　console　them。　As　for　the　rest　of　it；　there's
only　one　thing　more　to　be　said。　What　I　might　be　in　other　places　I
don't　know：　I'm　the　wrong　man　in　the　wrong　place　here。　Let　me
muddle　on　for　the　future　in　my　own　way；　with　my　own　few　friends；
and　ask　me　anything　else　in　the　world；　as　long　as　you　don't　ask
me　to　make　any　more　calls　on　my　neighbors。〃

With　that　characteristic　request；　Allan's　report　of　his　exploring
expedition　among　the　resident　gentry　came　to　a　close。　For　a
moment　Midwinter　remained　silent。　He　had　allowed　Allan　to　run　on
from　first　to　last　without　uttering　a　word　on　his　side。　The
disastrous　result　of　the　visitscoming　after　what　had　happened
earlier　in　the　day；　and　threatening　Allan；　as　it　did；　with
exclusion　from　all　local　sympathies　at　the　very　outset　of　his
local　careerhad　broken　down　Midwinter's　power　of　resisting　the
stealthily　depressing　influence　of　his　own　superstition。　It　was
with　an　effort　that　he　now　looked　up　at　Allan；　it　was　with　an
effort　that　he　roused　himself　to　answer。

〃It　shall　be　as　you　wish；〃　he　said；　quietly。　〃I　am　sorry　for　what
has　happened；　but　I　am　not　the　less　obliged　to　you；　Allan；　for
having　done　what　I　asked　you。〃

His　head　sank　on　his　breast；　and　the　fatalist　resignation　which
had　once　already　quieted　him　on　board　the　wreck　now　quieted　him
again。　〃What　_must_　be；　_will_　be；〃　he　thought　once　more。　〃What
have　I　to　do　with　the　future；　and　what
　has　he？〃

〃Cheer　up！〃　said　Allan。　〃_Your_　affairs　are　in　a　thriving
condition；　at　any　rate。　I　paid　one　pleasant　visit　in　the　town；
which　I　haven't　told　you　of　yet。　I've　seen　Pedgift；　and　Pedgift's
son；　who　helps　him　in　the　office。　They're　the　two　jolliest
lawyers　I　ever　met　with　in　my　life；　and；　what's　more；　they　can
produce　the　very　man　you　want　to　teach　you　the　steward's
business。〃

Midwinter　looked　up　quickly。　Distrust　of　Allan's　discovery　was
plainly　written　in　his　face　already；　but　he　said　nothing。

〃I　thought　of　you；〃　Allan　proceeded；　〃as　soon　as　the　two　Pedgifts
and　I　had　had　a　glass　of　wine　all　round　to　drink　to　our　friendly
connection。　The　finest　sherry　I　ever　tasted　in　my　life；　I've
ordered　some　of　the　samebut　that's　not　the　question　just　now。
In　two　words　I　told　these　worthy　fellows　your　difficulty；　and　in
two　seconds　old　Pedgift　understood　all　about　it。　'I　have　got　the
man　in　my　office；'　he　said；　'and　before　the　audit…day　comes；　I'll
place　him　with　the　greatest　pleasure　at　your　friend's　disposal。'
〃

At　this　last　announcement；　Midwinter's　distrust　found　its
expression　in　words。　He　questioned　Allan　unsparingly。

The　man's　name；　it　appeared　was　Bashwood。　He　had　been　some　time
（how　long；　Allan　could　not　remember）　in　Mr。　Pedgift's　service。　He
had　been　previously　steward　to　a　Norfolk　gentleman　（name
forgotten）　in　the　westward　district　of　the　county。　He　had　lost
the　steward's　place；　through　some　domestic　trouble；　in　connection
with　his　son；　the　precise　nature　of　which　Allan　was　not　able　to
specify。　Pedgift　vouched　for　him；　and　Pedgift　would　send　him　to
Thorpe　Ambrose　two　or　three　days　before　the　rent…day　dinner。　He
could　not　be　spared；　for　office　reasons；　before　that　time。　There
was　no　need　to　fidget　about　it；　Pedgift　laughed　at　the　idea　of
there　being　any　difficulty　with　the　tenants。　Two　or　three　day's
work　over　the　steward's　books　with　a　man　to　help　Midwinter　who
practically　understood　that　sort　of　thing　would　put　him　all　right
for　the　audit；　and　the　other　business　would　keep　till　afterward。

〃Have　you　seen　this　Mr。　Bashwood　yourself；　Allan？〃　asked
Midwinter；　still　obstinately　on　his　guard。

〃No；〃　replied　Allan　〃he　was　outout　with　the　bag；　as　young
Pedgift　called　it。　They　tell　me　he's　a　decent　elderly　man。　A
little　broken　by　his　troubles；　and　a　little　apt　to　be　nervous　and
confused　in　his　manner　with　strangers；　but　thoroughly　competent
and　thoroughly　to　be　depended　onthose　are　Pedgift's　own　words。〃

Midwinter　paused　and　considered　a　little；　with　a　new　interest　in
the　subject。　The　strange　man　whom　he　had　just　heard　described；
and　the　strange　man　of　whom　he　had　asked　his　way　where　the　three
roads　met；　were　remarkably　like　each　other。　Was　this　another　link
in　the　fast…lengthening　chain　of　events？　Midwinter　grew　doubly
determined　to　be　careful；　as　the　bare　doubt　that　it　might　be　so
passed　through　his　mind。

〃When　Mr。　Bashwood　comes；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　let　me　see　him；　and
speak　to　him；　before　anything　definite　is　done？〃

〃Of　course　I　will！〃　rejoined　Allan。　He　stopped　and　looked　at　his
watch。　〃And　I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do　for　you；　old　boy；　in　the
meantime；〃　he　added；　〃I'll　introduce　you　to　the　prettiest　girl　in
Norfolk！　There's　just　time　to　run　over　to　the　cottage　before
dinner。　Come　along；　and　be　introduced　to　Miss　Milroy。〃

〃You　can't　introduce　me　to　Miss　Milroy　today；〃　replied　Midwinter；
and　he　repeated　the　message　of　apology　which　had　been　brought
from　the　major　that　afternoon。　Allan　was　surprised　and
disappointed；　but　he　was　not　to　be　foiled　in　his　resolution　to
advance　himself　in　the　good　graces　of　the　inhabitants　of　the
cottage。　After　a　little　consideration　he　hit　on　a　means　of
turning　the　present　adverse　circumstances　to　good　account。　〃I'll
show　a　proper　anxiety　for　Mrs。　Milroy's　recovery；〃　he　said；
gravely。　〃I'll　send　her　a　basket　of　strawberries；　with　my　best
respects；　to…morrow　morning。〃

Nothing　more　happened　to　mark　the　end　of　that　first　day　in　the
new　house。


The　one　noticeable　event　of　the　next　day　was　another　disclosure
of　Mrs。　Milroy's　infirmity　of　temper。　Half　an　hour　after　Allan's
basket　of　strawberries　had　been　delivered　at　the　cottage；　it　was
returned　to　him　intact　（by　the　hands　of　the　invalid　lady's
nurse）；　with　a　short　and　sharp　message；　shortly　and　sharply
delivered。　〃Mrs。　Milroy's　compliments　and　thanks。　Strawberries
invariably　disagreed　with　her。〃　If　this　curiously　petulant
acknowledgment　of　an　act　of　politeness　was　intended　to　irritate
Allan；　it　failed　entirely　in　accomplishing　its　object。　Instead　of
being　offended　with　the　mother；　he　sympathized　with　the　daughter。
〃Poor　little　thing；〃　was　all　he　said；　〃she　must　have　a　hard　life
of　it　with　such　a　mother　as　that！〃

He　called　at　the　cottage　himself　later　in　the　day；　but　Miss
Milroy　was　not　to　be　seen；　she　was　engaged　upstairs。　The　major
received　his　visitor　in　his　working　apronfar　more　deeply
immersed　in　his　wonderful　clock；　and　far　less　readily　accessible
to　outer　influences；　than　Allan　had　seen　him　at　their　first
interview。　His　manner　was　as　kind　as　before；　but　not　a　word　more
could　be　extracted　from　him　on　the　subject　of　his　wife　than　that
Mrs。　Milroy　〃had　not　improved　since　yesterday。〃

The　two　next　days　passed　quietly　and　uneventfully。　Allan
persisted　in　making　his　inquiries　at　the　cottage；　but　all　he　saw
of　the　major's　daughter　was　a　glimpse　of　her　on　one　occasion　at　a
window　on　the　bedroom　floor。　Nothing　more　was　heard　from　Mr。
Pedgift；　and　Mr。　Bashwood's　appearance　was　still　delayed。
Midwinter　declined　to　move　in　the　matter　until　time　enough　had
passed　to　allow　of　his　first　hearing　from　Mr。　Brock；　in　answer　to
the　letter　which　he　had　addressed　to　the　rector　on　the　night　of
his　arrival　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。　He　was　unusually　silent　and　quiet；
and　passed　most　of　his　hours　in　the　library　among　the　books。　The
time　wore　on　wearily。　The　resident　gentry　acknowled