armadale-第40章

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beauties　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　on　the　other　side　of　the　house。

Passing　the　angle　of　the　front　wall　of　the　building；　he　descended
some　steps；　advanced　along　a　paved　walk；　turned　another　angle；
and　found　himself　in　a　strip　of　garden　ground　at　the　back　of　the
house。

Behind　him　was　a　row　of　small　rooms　situated　on　the　level　of　the
servants'　offices。　In　front　of　him；　on　the　further　side　of　the
little　garden；　rose　a　wall；　screened　by　a　laurel　hedge；　and
having　a　door　at　one　end　of　it；　leading　past　the　stables　to　a
gate　that　opened　on　the　high…road。　Perceiving　that　he　had　only
discovered　thus　far　the　shorter　way　to　the　house；　used　by　the
servants　and　trades…people；　Midwinter　turned　back　again；　and
looked　in　at　the　window　of　one　of　the　rooms　on　the　basement　story
as　he　passed　it。　Were　these　the　servants'　offices？　No；　the
offices　were　apparently　in　some　other　part　of　the　ground…floor；
the　window　he　had　looked　in　at　was　the　window　of　a　lumber…room。
The　next　two　rooms　in　the　row　were　both　empty。　The　fourth　window；
when　he　approached　it；　presented　a　little　variety。　It　served　also
as　a　door；　and　it　stood　open　to　the　garden　at　that　moment。

Attracted　by　the　book…shelves　which　he　noticed　on　one　of　the
walls；　Midwinter　stepped　into　the　room。

The　books；　few　in　number；　did　not　detain　him　long；　a　glance　at
their　backs　was　enough　without　taking　them　down。　The　Waverley
Novels；　Tales　by　Miss　Edgeworth；　and　by　Miss　Edgeworth's　many
followers；　the　Poems　of　Mrs。　Hemans；　with　a　few　odd　volumes　of
the　illustrated　gift…books　of　the　period；　composed　the　bulk　of
the　little　library。　Midwinter　turned　to　leave　the　room；　when　an
object　on　one　side　of　the　window；　which　he　had　not　previously
noticed；　caught　his　attention　and　stopped　him。　It　was　a　statuette
standing　on　a　bracketa　reduced　copy　of　the　famous　Niobe　of　the
Florence　Museum。　He　glanced　from　the　statuette　to　the　window；
with　a　sudden　doubt　which　set　his　heart　throbbing　fast。　It　was　a
French　window。　He　looked　out　with　a　suspicion　which　he　had　not
felt　yet。　The　view　before　him　was　the　view　of　a　lawn　and　garden。
For　a　moment　his　mind　struggled　blindly　to　escape　the　conclusion
which　had　seized　it；　and　struggled　in　vain。　Here；　close　round　him
and　close　before　himhere；　forcing　him　mercilessly　back　from　the
happy　present　to　the　horrible　past；　was　the　room　that　Allan　had
seen　in　the　Second　Vision　of　the　Dream。

He　waited；　thinking　and　looking　round　him　　while　he　thought。　There
was　wonderfully　li　ttle　disturbance　in　his　face　and　manner；　he
looked　steadily　from　one　to　the　other　of　the　few　objects　in　the
room；　as　if　the　discovery　of　it　had　saddened　rather　than
surprised　him。　Matting　of　some　foreign　sort　covered　the　floor。
Two　cane　chairs　and　a　plain　table　comprised　the　whole　of　the
furniture。　The　walls　were　plainly　papered；　and　barebroken　to
the　eye　in　one　place　by　a　door　leading　into　the　interior　of　the
house；　in　another；　by　a　small　stove；　in　a　third；　by　the
book…shelves　which　Midwinter　had　already　noticed。　He　returned　to
the　books；　and　this　time　he　took　some　of　them　down　from　the
shelves。

The　first　that　he　opened　contained　lines　in　a　woman's
handwriting；　traced　in　ink　that　had　faded　with　time。　He　read　the
inscription〃Jane　Armadale；　from　her　beloved　father。　Thorpe
Ambrose；　October；　1828。〃　In　the　second；　third；　and　fourth　volumes
that　he　opened；　the　same　inscription　re…appeared。　His　previous
knowledge　of　dates　and　persons　helped　him　to　draw　the　true
inference　from　what　he　saw。　The　books　must　have　belonged　to
Allan's　mother；　and　she　must　have　inscribed　them　with　her　name；
in　the　interval　of　time　between　her　return　to　Thorpe　Ambrose　from
Madeira　and　the　birth　of　her　son。　Midwinter　passed　on　to　a　volume
on　another　shelfone　of　a　series　containing　the　writings　of　Mrs。
Hemans。　In　this　case；　the　blank　leaf　at　the　beginning　of　the　book
was　filled　on　both　sides　with　a　copy　of　verses；　the　writing　being
still　in　Mrs。　Armadale's　hand。　The　verses　were　headed　〃Farewell
to　Thorpe　Ambrose；〃　and　were　dated　〃March；　1829〃two　months　only
after　Allan　had　been　born。

Entirely　without　merit　in　itself；　the　only　interest　of　the　little
poem　was　in　the　domestic　story　that　it　told。

The　very　room　in　which　Midwinter　then　stood　was　describedwith
the　view　on　the　garden；　the　window　made　to　open　on　it；　the
bookshelves；　the　Niobe；　and　other　more　perishable　ornaments　which
Time　had　destroyed。　Here；　at　variance　with　her　brothers；
shrinking　from　her　friends；　the　widow　of　the　murdered　man　had；　on
her　own　acknowledgment；　secluded　herself；　without　other　comfort
than　the　love　and　forgiveness　of　her　father；　until　her　child　was
born。　The　father's　mercy　and　the　father's　recent　death　filled
many　verses；　happily　too　vague　in　their　commonplace　expression　of
penitence　and　despair　to　give　any　hint　of　the　marriage　story　in
Madeira　to　any　reader　who　looked　at　them　ignorant　of　the　truth。　A
passing　reference　to　the　writer's　estrangement　from　her　surviving
relatives；　and　to　her　approaching　departure　from　Thorpe　Ambrose；
followed。　Last　came　the　assertion　of　the　mother's　resolution　to
separate　herself　from　all　her　old　associations；　to　leave　behind
her　every　possession；　even　to　the　most　trifling　thing　she　had；
that　could　remind　her　of　the　miserable　past；　and　to　date　her　new
life　in　the　future　from　the　birthday　of　the　child　who　had　been
spared　to　console　herwho　was　now　the　one　earthly　object　that
could　still　speak　to　her　of　love　and　hope。　So　the　old　story　of
passionate　feeling　that　finds　comfort　in　phrases　rather　than　not
find　comfort　at　all　was　told　once　again。　So　the　poem　in　the　faded
ink　faded　away　to　its　end。

Midwinter　put　the　book　back　with　a　heavy　sigh；　and　opened　no
other　volume　on　the　shelves。　〃Here　in　the　country　house；　or　there
on　board　the　wreck；〃　he　said；　bitterly；　〃the　traces　of　my
father's　crime　follow　me；　go　where　I　may。〃　He　advanced　toward　the
window；　stopped；　and　looked　back　into　the　lonely；　neglected
little　room。　〃Is　_this_　chance？〃　he　asked　himself。　〃The　place
where　his　mother　suffered　is　the　place　he　sees　in　the　Dream；　and
the　first　morning　in　the　new　house　is　the　morning　that　reveals
it；　not　to　_him；_　but　to　me。　Oh；　Allan！　Allan！　how　will　it　end？〃


The　thought　had　barely　passed　through　his　mind　before　he　heard
Allan's　voice；　from　the　paved　walk　at　the　side　of　the　house；
calling　to　him　by　his　name。　He　hastily　stepped　out　into　the
garden。　At　the　same　moment　Allan　came　running　round　the　corner；
full　of　voluble　apologies　for　having　forgotten；　in　the　society　of
his　new　neighbors；　what　was　due　to　the　laws　of　hospitality　and
the　claims　of　his　friend。

〃I　really　haven't　missed　you；〃　said　Midwinter；　〃and　I　am　very；
very　glad　to　hear　that　the　new　neighbors　have　produced　such　a
pleasant　impression　on　you　already。〃

He　tried；　as　he　spoke；　to　lead　the　way　back　by　the　outside　of　the
house；　but　Allan's　flighty　attention　had　been　caught　by　the　open
window　and　the　lonely　little　room。　He　stepped　in　immediately。
Midwinter　followed；　and　watched　him　in　breathless　anxiety　as　he
looked　round。　Not　the　slightest　recollection　of　the　Dream
troubled　Allan's　easy　mind。　Not　the　slightest　reference　to　it
fell　from　the　silent　lips　of　his　friend。

〃Exactly　the　sort　of　place　I　should　have　expected　you　to　hit　on！〃
exclaimed　Allan；　gayly。　〃Small　and　snug　and　unpretending。　I　know
you；　Master　Midwinter！　You'll　be　slipping　off　here　when　the
county　families　come　visiting；　and　I　rather　think　on　those
dreadful　occasions　you　won't　find　me　far　behind　you。　What's　the
matter？　You　look　ill　and　out　of　spirits。　Hungry？　Of　course　you
are！　unpardonable　of　me　to　have　kept　you　waiting。　This　door　leads
somewhere；　I　suppose；　let's　try　a　short　cut　into　the　house。　Don't
be　afraid　of　my　not　keeping　you　company　at　breakfast。　I　didn't
eat　much　at　the　cottage；　I　feasted　my　eyes　on　Miss　Milroy；　as　the
poets　say。　Oh；　the　darling！　the　darling！　she　turns　you
topsy…turvy　the　moment　you　look　at　her。　As　for　her　father；　wait
till　you　see　his　wonderful　clock！　It's　twice　the　size　of　the
famous　clock　at　Strasbourg；　and　the　most　tremendous　striker　ever
heard　yet　in　the　memory　of　man！〃

Singing　the　praises　of　his　new　friends　in　this　strain　at　the　top
of　his　voice；　Allan　hurried　Midwinter　along　the　stone　passages　on
the　basement　floor；　which　led；　as　he　had　rightly　guessed；　to　a
staircase　communicating　with　the　hall。　They　passed　the　servants'
offices　on　the　way。　At　the　sight　of　the　cook　and　the　roaring
fire；　disclosed　through　the　open　kitchen　door；　Allan's　mind　went
off　at　a　tangent；　and　Allan's　dignity　scattered　itself　to　the
four　winds　of　heaven；　as　usual。

〃Aha；　Mrs。　Gripper；　there　you　are　with　your　pots　and　pans；　and
your　burning　fiery　furnace！　One　had　need　be　Shadrach；　Meshach；
and　the　other　fellow　to　stand　over　that。　Breakfast　as　soon　as
ever　you　like。　Eggs；　sausages；　bacon；　kidneys；　marmalade；
water…cresses；　coffee；　and　so　forth。　My　friend　and　I　belong　to
the　select　few　whom　it's　a　perfect　privilege　to　cook　for。
Voluptuaries；　Mrs。　Gripper；　voluptuaries；　both　of　us。　You'll
see；〃　continued　Allan；　as　they　went　on　toward　the　stairs；　〃I
shall　make　that　worthy　creature　young　again；　I'm　better　than　a
doctor　for　Mrs。　Gripper。　When　she　laughs；　she　shakes　her　fat
sides；　and　when　she　shakes　her　fat　sides；　she　exerts　her　muscular
system；　and　when　she　exerts　her　muscular　system　Ha！　here's
Susan　again。　Don't　squeeze　yourself　flat　against　the　banisters；
my　dear；　if　you　don't　mind　hustling　_me_　on　the　stairs；　I　rather
like　hustling　_you。_　She　looks　like　a　full…blown　rose　when　she
blushes；　doesn't　she？　Stop；　Susan！　I've　orders　to　give。　Be　very
particular　with　Mr。　Midwinter's　room：　shake　up　his　bed　like　mad；
and　dust　his　furniture　till　those　nice　round　arms　of　yours　ache
again。　Nonsense；　my　dear　fellow！　I'm　not　too　familiar　with　them；
I'm　only　keeping　them　up　to　their　work。　Now；　then；　Richard！　where
do　we　breakfast？　Oh；　here。　Between　ourselves；　Midwinter；　these
splendid　rooms　of　mine　are　a　size　too　large　for　me；　I　don't　feel
as　if　I　should　ever　be　on　intimate　terms　with　my　own　furniture。
My　views　in　life　are　of　the　snug　and　slovenly　sorta　kitchen
chair；　you　know；　and　a　low　ceiling。　Man　wants　but　little　here
below；　and　wants　that　little　long。　That's　not　exactly　the　right
quotation；　but　it　expresses　my　meaning；　and　we'll　let　alone
correcting　it　till　the　next　opportunity。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　interposed　Midwinter；　〃here　is　something
waiting　for　you　which　you　have　not　noticed　yet。〃

As　he　spoke；　he　pointed　a　little　impatiently　to　a　letter　lying　on
the　breakfast…table。　He　could　conceal　the　ominous　discovery　which
he　had　made　that　morning；　from　Allan's　knowledge；　but　he　could
not　conquer　the　latent　distrust　of　circumstances　which　was　now
　raised　again　in　his　superstitious　naturethe　instinctive
suspicion　of　everything　that　happened；　no　matter　how　common　or
how　trifling　the　event；　on　the　first　memorable　day　when　the　new
life　began　in　the　new　house。

Allan　ran　his　eye　over　the　letter；　and　tossed　it　across　the　table
to　his　friend。　〃I　can't　make　head　or　tail　of　it；〃　he　said；　〃can
you？〃

Midwinter　read　the　letter；　slowly；　aloud。　〃SirI　trust　you　will
pardon　the　liberty　I　take　in　sending　these　few　lines　to　wait　your
arrival　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。　In　the　event　of　circum