armadale-第24章

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and　had　then　dismissed　from　further　notice　as　recklessly　as
usual。

〃This　is　what　comes　of　being　particularly　careful；〃　said　Allan；
〃here　is　an　instance　of　my　extreme　thoughtfulness。　You　may　not
think　it　but　I　put　the　letter　there　on　purpose。　Every　time　I　went
to　the　jar；　you　know；　I　was　sure　to　see　the　letter；　and　every
time　I　saw　the　letter；　I　was　sure　to　say　to　myself；　'This　must　be
answered。'　There's　nothing　to　laugh　at；　it　was　a　perfectly
sensible　arrangement；　if　I　could　only　have　remembered　where　I　put
the　jar。　Suppose　I　tie　a　knot　in　my　pocket…handkerchief　this
time？　You　have　a　wonderful　memory；　my　dear　fellow。　Perhaps　you'll
remind　me　in　the　course　of　the　day；　in　case　I　forget　the　knot
next。〃

Midwinter　saw　his　first　chance；　since　Mr。　Brock's　departure；　of
usefully　filling　Mr。　Brock's　place。

〃Here　is　your　writing…case；〃　he　said；　〃why　not　answer　the　letter
at　once？　If　you　put　it　away　again；　you　may　forget　it　again。〃

〃Very　true；〃　returned　Allan。　〃But　the　worst　of　it　is；　I　can't
quite　make　up　my　mind　what　answer　to　write。　I　want　a　word　of
advice。　Come　and　sit　down　here；　and　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。〃

With　his　loud　boyish　laughechoed　by　Midwinter；　who　caught　the
infection　of　his　gayetyhe　swept　a　heap　of　miscellaneous
incumbrances　off　the　cabin　sofa；　and　made　room　for　his　friend　and
himself　to　take　their　places。　In　the　high　flow　of　youthful
spirits；　the　two　sat　down　to　their　trifling　consultation　over　a
letter　lost　in　a　tobacco　jar。　It　was　a　memorable　moment　to　both
of　them；　lightly　as　they　thought　of　it　at　the　time。　Before　they
had　risen　again　from　their　places；　they　had　taken　the　first
irrevocable　step　together　on　the　dark　and　tortuous　road　of　their
future　lives。

Reduced　to　plain　facts；　the　question　on　which　Allan　now　required
his　friend's　advice　may　be　stated　as　follows：

While　the　various　arrangements　connected　with　the　succession　to
Thorpe　Ambrose　were　in　progress　of　settlement；　and　while　the　new
possessor　of　the　estate　was　still　in　London；　a　question　had
necessarily　arisen　relating　to　the　person　who　should　be　appointed
to　manage　the　property。　The　steward　employed　by　the　Blanchard
family　had　written；　without　loss　of　time；　to　offer　his　services。
Although　a　perfectly　competent　and　trustworthy　man；　he　failed　to
find　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　new　proprietor。　Acting；　as　usual；
on　his　first　impulses；　and　resolved；　at　all　hazards；　to　install
Midwinter　as　a　permanent　inmate　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Allan　had
determined　that　the　steward's　place　was　the　place　exactly　fitted
for　his　friend；　for　the　simple　reason　that　it　would　necessarily
oblige　his　friend　to　live　with　him　on　the　estate。　He　had
accordingly　written　to　decline　the　proposal　made　to　him　without
consulting　Mr。　Brock；　whose　disapproval　he　had　good　reason　to
fear；　and　without　telling　Midwinter；　who　would　probably　（if　a
chance　were　allowed　him　of　choosing）　have　declined　taking　a
situation　which　his　previous　training　had　by　no　means　fitted　him
to　fill。

Further　correspondence　had　followed　this　decision；　and　had　raised
two　new　difficulties　which　looked　a　little　embarrassing　on　the
face　of　them；　but　which　Allan；　with　the　assistance　of　his　lawyer；
easily　contrived　to　solve。　The　first　difficulty；　of　examining　the
outgoing　steward's　books；　was　settled　by　sending　a　professional
accountant　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　the　second　difficulty；　of
putting　the　steward's　empty　cottage　to　some　profitable　use
（Allan's　plans　for　his　friend　comprehending　Midwinter's　residence
under　his　own　roof）；　was　met　by　placing　the　cottage　on　the　list
of　an　active　house　agent　in　the　neighboring　county　town。　In　this
state　the　arrangements　had　been　left　when　Allan　quitted　London。
He　had　heard　and　thought　nothing　more　of　the　matter；　until　a
letter　from　his　lawyers　had　followed　him　to　the　Isle　of　Man；
inclosing　two　proposals　to　occupy　the　cottage；　both　received　on
the　same　day；　and　requesting　to　hear；　at　his　earliest
convenience；　which　of　the　two　he　was　prepared　to　accept。

Finding　himself；　after　having　conveniently　forgotten　the　subject
for　some　days　past；　placed　face　to　face　once　more　with　the
necessity　for　decision；　Allan　now　put　the　two　proposals　into　his
friend's　hands；　and；　after　a　rambling　explanation　of　the
circumstances　of　the　case；　requested　to　be　favored　with　a　word　of
advice。　Instead　of　examining　the　proposals；　Midwinter
unceremoniously　put　them　aside；　and　asked　the　two　very　natural
and　very　awkward　questions　of　who　the　new　steward　was　to　be；　and
why　he　was　to　live　in　Allan's　house？

〃I'll　tell　you　who；　and　I'll　tell　you　why；　when　we　get　to　Thorpe
Ambrose；〃　said　Allan。　〃In　the　meantime　we'll　call　the　steward　X。
Y。　Z。；　and　we'll　say　he　lives　with　me；　because　I'm　devilish
sharp；　and　I　mean　to　keep　him　under　my　own　eye。　You　needn't　look
surprised。　I　know　the　man　thoroughly　well；　he　requires　a　good
deal　of　management。　If　I　offered　him　the　steward's　place
beforehand；　his　modesty　would　get　in　his　way；　and　he　would　say
'No。'　If　I　pitch　him　into　it　neck　and　crop；　without　a　word　of
warning　and　with　nobody　at　hand　to　relieve　him　of　the　situation；
he'll　have　nothing　for　it　but　to　consult　my　interests；　and　say
'Yes。'　X。　Y。　Z。　is　not　at　all　a　bad　fellow；　I　can　tell　you。
You'll　see　him　when　we　go　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　I　rather　think
you　and　he　will　get　on　uncommonly　well　together。〃

The　humorous　twinkle　in　Allan's　eye；　the　sly　significance　in
Allan's　voice；　would　have　betrayed　his　secret　to　a　prosperous
man。　Midwinter　was　as　far　from　suspecting　it　as　the　carpenters
who　were　at　work　above　them　on　the　deck　of　the　yacht。

〃Is　there　no　steward　now　on　the　estate？〃　he　asked；　his　face
showing　plainly　that　he　was　far　from　feeling　satisfied　with
Allan's　answer。　〃Is　the　business　neglected　all　this　time？〃

〃Nothing　of　the　sort！〃　returned　Allan。　〃The　business　is　going
with　'a　wet　sheet　and　a　flowing　sea；　and　a　wind　that　follows
free。'　I'm　not　joking；　I'm　only　metaphorical。　A　regular
accountant　has　poked　his　nose　into　the　books；　and　a　steady…going
lawyer's　clerk　attends　at　the　office　once　a　week。　That　doesn't
look　like　neglect；　does　it？　Leave　the　new　steward　alone　for　the
present；　and　just　tell　me　which　of　those　two　tenants　you　would
take；　if　you　were　in　my　place。〃

Midwinter　opened　the　proposals；　and　read　them　attentively。

The　first　proposal　was　from　no　less　a　person　than　the　solicitor
at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　who　had　first　informed　Allan　at　Paris　of　the
large　fortune　that　had　fallen　into　his　hands。　This　gentleman
wrote　personally　to　say　that　he　had　long　admired　the　cottage；
which　was　charmingly　situated　within　the　limits　of　the　Thorpe
Ambrose　grounds。　He　was　a　bachelor；　of　studious　habits；　desirous
of　retiring　to　a　country　seclusion　after　the　wear　and　tear　of　his
business　hours；　and　he　ventured　to　say　that　Mr。　Armadale；　in
accepting　him　as　a　tenant；　might　count　on　securing　an　unobtrusive
neighbor；　and　on　putting　the　cottage　into　responsible　and　careful
hands。

The　second　proposal　came　through　the　house　agent；　and　proceeded
from　a　total　stranger。　The　tenant　who　offered　for　the　cottage；　in
this　case；　was　a　retired　officer　in　the　armyone　Major　Milroy。
His　family　merely　consisted　of　an　invalid　wife　and　an　only
childa　young　lady。　His　references　were　unexceptionable；　and　he；
too；　was　especially　anxious　to　secure　the　　cottage；　as　the　perfect
qui　et　of　the　situation　was　exactly　what　was　required　by　Mrs。
Milroy　in　her　feeble　state　of　health。

〃Well；　which　profession　shall　I　favor？〃　asked　Allan。　〃The　army　or
the　law？〃

〃There　seems　to　me　to　be　no　doubt　about　it；〃　said　Midwinter。　〃The
lawyer　has　been　already　in　correspondence　with　you；　and　the
lawyer's　claim　is；　therefore；　the　claim　to　be　preferred。〃　〃I　knew
you　would　say　that。　In　all　the　thousands　of　times　I　have　asked
other　people　for　advice；　I　never　yet　got　the　advice　I　wanted。
Here's　this　business　of　letting　the　cottage　as　an　instance。　I'm
all　on　the　other　side　myself。　I　want　to　have　the　major。〃

〃Why？〃

Young　Armadale　laid　his　forefinger　on　that　part　of　the　agent's
letter　which　enumerated　Major　Milroy's　family；　and　which
contained　the　three　words〃a　young　lady。〃

〃A　bachelor　of　studious　habits　walking　about　my　grounds；〃　said
Allan；　〃is　not　an　interesting　object；　a　young　lady　is。　I　have　not
the　least　doubt　Miss　Milroy　is　a　charming　girl。　Ozias　Midwinter
of　the　serious　countenance！　think　of　her　pretty　muslin　dress
flitting　about　among　your　trees　and　committing　trespasses　on　your
property；　think　of　her　adorable　feet　trotting　into　your
fruit…garden；　and　her　delicious　fresh　lips　kissing　your　ripe
peaches；　think　of　her　dimpled　hands　among　your　early　violets；　and
her　little　cream…colored　nose　buried　in　your　blush…roses。　What
does　the　studious　bachelor　offer　me　in　exchange　for　the　loss　of
all　this？　He　offers　me　a　rheumatic　brown　object　in　gaiters　and　a
wig。　No！　no！　Justice　is　good；　my　dear　friend；　but；　believe　me；
Miss　Milroy　is　better。〃

〃Can　you　be　serious　about　any　mortal　thing；　Allan？〃

〃I'll　try　to　be；　if　you　like。　I　know　I　ought　to　take　the　lawyer；
but　what　can　I　do　if　the　major's　daughter　keeps　running　in　my
head？〃

Midwinter　returned　resolutely　to　the　just　and　sensible　view　of
the　matter；　and　pressed　it　on　his　friend's　attention　with　all　the
persuasion　of　which　he　was　master。　After　listening　with　exemplary
patience　until　he　had　done；　Allan　swept　a　supplementary
accumulation　of　litter　off　the　cabin　table；　and　produced　from　his
waistcoat　pocket　a　half…crown　coin。

〃I've　got　an　entirely　new　idea；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　leave　it　to
chance。〃

The　absurdity　of　the　proposalas　coming　from　a　landlordwas
irresistible。　Midwinter's　gravity　deserted　him。

〃I'll　spin；〃　continued　Allan；　〃and　you　shall　call。　We　must　give
precedence　to　the　army；　of　course；　so　we'll　say　Heads；　the　major；
Tails；　the　lawyer。　One　spin　to　decide。　Now；　then；　look　out！〃

He　spun　the　half…crown　on　the　cabin　table。

〃Tails！〃　cried　Midwinter；　humoring　what　he　believed　to　be　one　of
Allan's　boyish　jokes。

The　coin　fell　on　the　table　with　the　Head　uppermost。

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　you　are　really　in　earnest！〃　said
Midwinter；　as　the　other　opened　his　writing…case　and　dipped　his
pen　in　the　ink。

〃Oh；　but　I　am；　though！〃　replied　Allan。　〃Chance　is　on　my　side；　and
Miss　Milroy's；　and　you're　outvoted；　two　to　one。　It's　no　use
arguing。　The　major　has　fallen　uppermost；　and　the　major　shall　have
the　cottage。　I　won't　leave　it　to　the　lawyers；　they'll　only　be
worrying　me　with　more　letters。　I'll　write　myself。〃

He　wrote　his　answers　to　the　two　proposals；　literally　in　two
minutes。　One　to　the　house　agent：　〃Dear　sir；　I　accept　Major
Milroy's　offer；　let　him　come　in　when　he　pleases。　Yours　truly；
Allan　Armadale。〃　And　one　to　the　lawyer：　〃Dear　sir；　I　regret　that
circumstances　prevent　me　from　accepting　your　proposal。　Yours
truly；〃　etc。　〃People　make　a　fuss　about　letter…writing；〃　Allan
remarked；　when　he　had　done。　〃_I_　find　it　easy　enough。〃

He　wrote　the　addresses　on　his　two　notes；　and　stamped　them　for　the
post；　whistling　gayly。　While　he　had　been　writing；　he　had　not
noticed　how　his　friend　was　occupied。　When　he　had　done；　it　struck
him　that　a　sudden　silence　had　fallen　on　the　cabin；　and；　looking
up；　he　observed　that　Midwinter's　whole　attention　was　strangely
concentrated　on