armadale-第41章

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pardon　the　liberty　I　take　in　sending　these　few　lines　to　wait　your
arrival　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。　In　the　event　of　circumstances　not
disposing　you　to　place　your　law　business　in　the　hands　of　Mr。
Darch〃　He　suddenly　stopped　at　that　point；　and　considered　a
little。

〃Darch　is　our　friend　the　lawyer；〃　said　Allan；　supposing　Midwinter
had　forgotten　the　name。　〃Don't　you　remember　our　spinning　the
half…crown　on　the　cabin　table；　when　I　got　the　two　offers　for　the
cottage？　Heads；　the　major；　tails；　the　lawyer。　This　is　the
lawyer。〃

Without　making　any　reply；　Midwinter　resumed　reading　the　letter。
〃In　the　event　of　circumstances　not　disposing　you　to　place　your
law　business　in　the　hands　of　Mr。　Darch；　I　beg　to　say　that　I　shall
be　happy　to　take　charge　of　your　interests；　if　you　feel　willing　to
honor　me　with　your　confidence。　Inclosing　a　reference　（should　you
desire　it）　to　my　agents　in　London；　and　again　apologizing　for　this
intrusion；　I　beg　to　remain；　sir；　respectfully　yours；　A。　PEDGIFT；
Sen。〃

〃Circumstances？〃　repeated　Midwinter；　as　he　laid　the　letter　down。
〃What　circumstances　can　possibly　indispose　you　to　give　your　law
business　to　Mr。　Darch？〃

〃Nothing　can　indispose　me；〃　said　Allan。　〃Besides　being　the　family
lawyer　here；　Darch　was　the　first　to　write　me　word　at　Paris　of　my
coming　in　for　my　fortune；　and；　if　I　have　got　any　business　to
give；　of　course　he　ought　to　have　it。〃

Midwinter　still　looked　distrustfully　at　the　open　letter　on　the
table。　〃I　am　sadly　afraid；　Allan；　there　is　something　wrong
already；〃　he　said。　〃This　man　would　never　have　ventured　on　the
application　he　has　made　to　you；　unless　he　had　some　good　reason
for　believing　he　would　succeed。　If　you　wish　to　put　yourself　right
at　starting；　you　will　send　to　Mr。　Darch　this　morning　to　tell　him
you　are　here；　and　you　will　take　no　notice　for　the　present　of　Mr。
Pedgift's　letter。〃

Before　more　could　be　said　on　either　side；　the　footman　made　his
appearance　with　the　breakfast　tray。　He　was　followed；　after　an
interval；　by　the　butler；　a　man　of　the　essentially　confidential
kind；　with　a　modulated　voice；　a　courtly　manner；　and　a　bulbous
nose。　Anybody　but　Allan　would　have　seen　in　his　face　that　he　had
come　into　the　room　having　a　special　communication　to　make　to　his
master。　Allan；　who　saw　nothing　under　the　surface；　and　whose　head
was　running　on　the　lawyer's　letter；　stopped　him　bluntly　with　the
point…blank　question：　〃Who's　Mr。　Pedgift？〃

The　butler's　sources　of　local　knowledge　opened　confidentially　on
the　instant。　Mr。　Pedgift　was　the　second　of　the　two　lawyers　in　the
town。　Not　so　long　established；　not　so　wealthy；　not　so　universally
looked　up　to　as　old　Mr。　Darch。　Not　doing　the　business　of　the
highest　people　in　the　county；　and　not　mixing　freely　with　the　best
society；　like　old　Mr。　Darch。　A　very　sufficient　man；　in　his　way；
nevertheless。　Known　as　a　perfectly　competent　and　respectable
practitioner　all　round　the　neighborhood。　In　short；　professionally
next　best　to　Mr。　Darch；　and　personally　superior　to　him　（if　the
expression　might　be　permitted）　in　this　respectthat　Darch　was　a
Crusty　One；　and　Pedgift　wasn't。

Having　imparted　this　information；　the　butler；　taking　a　wise
advantage　of　his　position；　glided；　without　a　moment's　stoppage；
from　Mr。　Pedgift's　character　to　the　business　that　had　brought　him
into　the　breakfast…room。　The　Midsummer　Audit　was　near　at　hand；
and　the　tenants　were　accustomed　to　have　a　week's　notice　of　the
rent…day　dinner。　With　this　necessity　pressing；　and　with　no　orders
given　as　yet；　and　no　steward　in　office　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　it
appeared　desirable　that　some　confidential　person　should　bring　the
matter　forward。　The　butler　was　that　confidential　person；　and　he
now　ventured　accordingly　to　trouble　his　master　on　the　subject。

At　this　point　Allan　opened　his　lips　to　interrupt；　and　was　himself
interrupted　before　he　could　utter　a　word。

〃Wait！〃　interposed　Midwinter；　seeing　in　Allan's　face　that　he　was
in　danger　of　being　publicly　announced　in　the　capacity　of　steward。
〃Wait！〃　he　repeated；　eagerly；　〃till　I　can　speak　to　you　first。〃

The　butler's　courtly　manner　remained　alike　unruffled　by
Midwinter's　sudden　interference　and　by　his　own　dismissal　from　the
scene。　Nothing　but　the　mounting　color　in　his　bulbous　nose
betrayed　the　sense　of　injury　that　animated　him　as　he　withdrew。
Mr。　Armadale's　chance　of　regaling　his　friend　and　himself　that　day
with　the　best　wine　in　the　cellar　trembled　in　the　balance；　as　the
butler　took　his　way　back　to　the　basement　story。

〃This　is　beyond　a　joke；　Allan；〃　said　Midwinter；　when　they　were
alone。　〃Somebody　must　meet　your　tenants　on　the　rent…day　who　is
really　fit　to　take　the　steward's　place。　With　the　best　will　in　the
world　to　learn；　it　is　impossible　for　_me_　to　master　the　business
at　a　week's　notice。　Don't；　pray　don't　let　your　anxiety　for　my
welfare　put　you　in　a　false　position　with　other　people！　I　should
never　forgive　myself　if　I　was　the　unlucky　cause〃

〃Gently　gently！'　cried　Allan；　amazed　at　his　friend's
extraordinary　earnestness。　〃If　I　write　to　London　by　to…night's
post　for　the　man　who　came　down　here　before；　will　that　satisfy
you？〃

Midwinter　shook　his　head。　〃Our　time　is　short；〃　he　said；　〃and　the
man　may　not　be　at　liberty。　Why　not　try　in　the　neighborhood　first？
You　were　going　to　write　to　Mr。　Darch。　Send　at　once；　and　see　if　he
can't　help　us　between　this　and　post…time。〃

Allan　withdrew　to　a　side…table　on　which　writing　materials　were
placed。　〃You　shall　breakfast　in　peace；　you　old　fidget；〃　he
replied；　and　addressed　himself　forthwith　to　Mr。　Darch；　with　his
usual　Spartan　brevity　of　epistolary　expression。　〃Dear　SirHere　I
am；　bag　and　baggage。　Will　you　kindly　oblige　me　by　being　my
lawyer？　I　ask　this；　because　I　want　to　consult　you　at　once。　Please
look　in　in　the　course　of　the　day；　and　stop　to　dinner　if　you
possibly　can。　Yours　truly。　ALLAN　ARMADALE。〃　Having　read　this
composition　aloud　with　unconcealed　admiration　of　his　own　rapidity
of　literary　execution；　Allan　addressed　the　letter　to　Mr。　Darch；
and　rang　the　bell。　〃Here；　Richard；　take　this　at　once；　and　wait
for　an　answer。　And；　I　say；　if　there's　any　news　stirring　in　the
town；　pick　it　up　and　bring　it　back　with　you。　See　how　I　manage　my
servants！〃　continued　Allan；　joining　his　friend　at　the
breakfast…table。　〃See　how　I　adapt　myself　to　my　new　duties！　I
haven't　been　down　here　one　clear　day　yet；　and　I'm　taking　an
interest　in　the　neighborhood　already。〃

Breakfast　over；　the　two　friends　went　out　to　idle　away　the　morning
under　the　shade　of　a　tree　in　the　park。　Noon　came；　and　Richard
never　appeared。　One　o'clock　struck；　and　still　there　were　no　signs
of　an　answer　from　Mr。　Darch。　Midwinter's　patience　was　not　proof
against　the　delay。　He　left　Allan　dozing　on　the　grass；　and　went　to
the　house　to　make　inquiries。　The　town　was　described　as　little
more　than　two　miles　distant；　but　the　day　of　the　week　happened　to
be　market　day；　and　Richard　was　being　detained　no　doubt　by　some　of
the　many　acquaintances　whom　he　would　be　sure　to　meet　with　on　that
occasion。

Half　an　hour　later　the　truant　messenger　returned；　and　was　sent
out　to　report　himself　to　his　master　under　the　tree　in　the　park。

〃Any　answer　from　Mr。　Darch？〃　asked　Midwinter；　seeing　that　Allan
was　too　lazy　to　put　the　question　for　himself。

〃Mr。　Darch　was　engaged；　sir。　I　was　desired　to　say　that　he　would
send　an　answer。〃

〃Any　news　in　the　town？〃　inquired　Allan；　drowsily；　without
troubling　himself　to　open　his　eyes。

〃No；　sir；　nothing　in　particular。〃

Observing　the　man　suspiciously　as　he　made　that　reply；　Midwinter
detected　in　his　face　that　he　was　not　speaking　the　truth。　He　was
plainly　embarrassed；　and　plainly　relieved　when　his　master's
silence　allowed　him　to　withdraw。　After　a　little　consideration；
Midwinter　followed；　and　overtook　the　retreating　servant　on　the
drive　before　the　house。

〃Richard；〃　he　said；　quietly；　〃if　I　was　to　guess　that　there　_is_
some　news　in　the　town；　and　that　you　don't　like　telling　it　to　your
master；　should　I　be　guessing　the　truth？〃

The　man　started　and　changed　color。　〃I　don't　know　how　you　have
found　it　out；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　can't　deny　you　have　guessed
right。〃

〃If　you　let　me　hear　what　the　news　is；　I　will　take　the
responsibility　on　myself　of　telling　Mr。　Armadale。〃

After　some　little　hesitation；　and　some　distrustful　consideration；
on　his　side；　of　Midwinter's　face；　Richard　at　last　prevailed　on
himself　to　repeat　what　he　had　heard　that　day　in　the　town。

The　news　of　Allan's　sudden　appearance　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　had
preceded　the　servant's　arrival　at　his　destination　by　some　hours。
Wherever　he　went；　he　found　his　master　the　subject　of　public
discussion。　The　opinion　of　Allan's　conduct　among　the　leading
townspeople；　the　resident　gentry　of　the　neighborhood；　and　the
principal　tenants　on　the　estate　was　unanimously　unfavorable。　Only
the　day　before；　the　committee　for　managing　the　pubic　reception　of
the　new　squire　had　sketched　the　progress　of　the　procession；　had
settled　the　serious　question　of　the　triumphal　arches；　and　had
appointed　a　competent　person　to　solicit　subscriptions　for　the
flags；　the　flowers；　the　feasting；　the　fireworks；　and　the　band。　In
less　than　a　week　more　the　money　could　have　been　collected；　and
the　rector　would　have　written　to　Mr。　Armadale　to　fix　the　day。　And
now；　by　Allan's　own　act；　the　public　welcome　waiting　to　honor　him
had　been　cast　back　contemptuously　in　the　public　teeth！　Everybody
took　for　granted　（what　was　unfortunately　true）　that　he　had
received　private　information　of　the　contemplated　proceedings。
Everybody　declared　that　he　had　purposely　stolen　into　his　own
house　like　a　thief　in　the　night　（so　the　phrase　ran）　to　escape
accepting　the　offered　civilities　of　his　neighbors。　In　brief；　the
sensitive　self…importance　of　the　little　town　was　wounded　to　the
quick；　and　of　Allan's　once　enviable　position　in　the　estimation　of
the　neighborhood　not　a　vestige　remained。

For　a　moment；　Midwinter　faced　the　messenger　of　evil　tidings　in
silent　distress。　That　moment　past；　the　sense　of　Allan's　critical
position　roused　him；　now　the　evil　was　known；　to　seek　the　remedy。

〃Has　the　little　you　have　seen　of　your　master；　Richard；　inclined
you　to　like　him？〃　he　asked。

This　time　the　man　answered　without　hesitation；　〃A　pleasanter　and
kinder　gentleman　than　Mr。　Armadale　no　one　could　wish　to　serve。〃

〃If　you　think　that；〃　pursued　Midwinter；　〃you　won't　object　to　give
me　some　information　which　will　help　your　master　to　set　himself
right　with　his　neighbors。　Come　into　the　house。〃

He　led　the　way　into　the　library；　and；　after　asking　the　necessary
questions；　took　down　in　writing　a　list　of　the　names　and　addresses
of　the　most　influential　persons　living　in　the　town　and　its
neighborhood。　This　done；　he　rang　the　bell　for　the　head　footman；
having　previously　sent　Richard　with　a　message　to　the　stables
directing　an　open　carriage　to　be　ready　in　an　hour's　time。

〃When　the　late　Mr。　Blanchard　went　out　to　make　calls　in　the
neighborhood；　it　was　your　place　to　go　with　him；　was　it　not？〃　he
asked；　when　the　upper　servant　appeared。　〃Very　well。　Be　ready　in
an　hour's　time；　if　you　please；　to　go　out　with　Mr。　Armadale。〃
Having　given　that　order；　he　left　the　house　again　on　his　way　back
to　Allan；　with　the　visiting　list　in　his　hand。　He　smiled　a　little
sadly　as　he　descended　the　steps。　〃Who　would　have　imagined；〃　he
thought；　〃