armadale-第49章

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Apostles；　which　walks　out　under　the　dial　at　noon；　and　on　the　toy
cock；　which　crows　at　St。　Peter's　appearanceand　this　before　a
man　who　had　studied　every　wheel　in　that　complex　machinery；　and
who　had　passed　whole　years　of　his　life　in　trying　to　imitate　it。
〃I　hear　you　have　outnumbered　the　Strasbourg　apostles；　and
outcrowed　the　Strasbourg　cock；〃　he　exclaimed；　with　the　tone　and
manner　of　a　friend　habitually　privileged　to　waive　all　ceremony；
〃and　I　am　dying；　absolutely　dying；　major；　to　see　your　wonderful
clock！〃

Major　Milroy　had　entered　the　room　with　his　mind　absorbed　in　his
own　mechanical　contrivances　as　usual。　But　the　sudden　shock　of
Midwinter's　familiarity　was　violent　enough　to　recall　him
instantly　to　himself；　and　to　make　him　master　again；　for　the　time；
of　his　social　resources　as　a　man　of　the　world。

〃Excuse　me　for　interrupting　you；〃　he　said；　stopping　Midwinter　for
the　moment；　by　a　look　of　steady　surprise。　〃I　happen　to　have　seen
the　clock　at　Strasbourg；　and　it　sounds　almost　absurd　in　my　ears
（if　you　will　pardon　me　for　saying　so）　to　put　my　little　experiment
in　any　light　of　comparison　with　that　wonderful　achievement。　There
is　nothing　else　of　the　kind　like
　it　in　the　world！〃　He　paused；　to　control　his　own　mounting
enthusiasm；　the　clock　at　Strasbourg　was　to　Major　Milroy　what　the
name　of　Michael　Angelo　was　to　Sir　Joshua　Reynolds。　〃Mr。
Armadale's　kindness　has　led　him　to　exaggerate　a　little；〃　pursued
the　major；　smiling　at　Allan；　and　passing　over　another　attempt　of
Midwinter's　to　seize　on　the　talk；　as　if　no　such　attempt　had　been
made。　〃But　as　there　does　happen　to　be　this　one　point　of
resemblance　between　the　great　clock　abroad　and　the　little　clock
at　home；　that　they　both　show　what　they　can　do　on　the　stroke　of
noon；　and　as　it　is　close　on　twelve　now；　if　you　still　wish　to
visit　my　workshop；　Mr。　Midwinter；　the　sooner　I　show　you　the　way
to　it　the　better。〃　He　opened　the　door；　and　apologized　to
Midwinter；　with　marked　ceremony；　for　preceding　him　out　of　the
room。

〃What　do　you　think　of　my　friend？〃　whispered　Allan；　as　he　and　Miss
Milroy　followed。

〃Must　I　tell　you　the　truth；　Mr。　Armadale？〃　she　whispered　back。

〃Of　course！〃

〃Then　I　don't　like　him　at　all！〃

〃He's　the　best　and　dearest　fellow　in　the　world；　〃　rejoined　the
outspoken　Allan。　〃You'll　like　him　better　when　you　know　him
betterI'm　sure　you　will！〃

Miss　Milroy　made　a　little　grimace；　implying　supreme　indifference
to　Midwinter；　and　saucy　surprise　at　Allan's　earnest　advocacy　of
the　merits　of　his　friend。　〃Has　he　got　nothing　more　interesting　to
say　to　me　than　_that；_〃　she　wondered；　privately；　〃after　kissing
my　hand　twice　yesterday　morning？〃

They　were　all　in　the　major's　workroom　before　Allan　had　the　chance
of　trying　a　more　attractive　subject。　There；　on　the　top　of　a　rough
wooden　case；　which　evidently　contained　the　machinery；　was　the
wonderful　clock。　The　dial　was　crowned　by　a　glass　pedestal　placed
on　rock…work　in　carved　ebony；　and　on　the　top　of　the　pedestal　sat
the　inevitable　figure　of　Time；　with　his　everlasting　scythe　in　his
hand。　Below　the　dial　was　a　little　platform；　and　at　either　end　of
it　rose　two　miniature　sentry…boxes；　with　closed　doors。
Externally；　this　was　all　that　appeared；　until　the　magic　moment
came　when　the　clock　struck　twelve　noon。

It　wanted　then　about　three　minutes　to　twelve；　and　Major　Milroy
seized　the　opportunity　of　explaining　what　the　exhibition　was　to
be；　before　the　exhibition　began。

〃At　the　first　words；　his　mind　fell　back　again　into　its　old
absorption　over　the　one　employment　of　his　life。　He　turned　to
Midwinter　（who　had　persisted　in　talking　all　the　way　from　the
parlor；　and　who　was　talking　still）　without　a　trace　left　in　his
manner　of　the　cool　and　cutting　composure　with　which　he　had　spoken
but　a　few　minutes　before。　The　noisy；　familiar　man；　who　had　been
an　ill…bred　intruder　in　the　parlor；　became　a　privileged　guest　in
the　workshop；　for　_there_　he　possessed　the　all…atoning　social
advantage　of　being　new　to　the　performances　of　the　wonderful
clock。

〃At　the　first　stroke　of　twelve；　Mr。　Midwinter；〃　said　the　major；
quite　eagerly；　〃keep　your　eye　on　the　figure　of　Time：　he　will　move
his　scythe；　and　point　it　downward　to　the　glass　pedestal。　You　will
next　see　a　little　printed　card　appear　behind　the　glass；　which
will　tell　you　the　day　of　the　month　and　the　day　of　the　week。　At
the　last　stroke　of　the　clock；　Time　will　lift　his　scythe　again
into　its　former　position；　and　the　chimes　will　ring　a　peal。　The
peal　will　be　succeeded　by　the　playing　of　a　tunethe　favorite
march　of　my　old　regimentand　then　the　final　performance　of　the
clock　will　follow。　The　sentry…boxes；　which　you　may　observe　at
each　side；　will　both　open　at　the　same　moment。　In　one　of　them　you
will　see　the　sentinel　appear；　and　from　the　other　a　corporal　and
two　privates　will　march　across　the　platform　to　relieve　the　guard；
and　will　then　disappear；　leaving　the　new　sentinel　at　his　post。　I
must　ask　your　kind　allowances　for　this　last　part　of　the
performance。　The　machinery　is　a　little　complicated；　and　there　are
defects　in　it　which　I　am　ashamed　to　say　I　have　not　yet　succeeded
in　remedying　as　I　could　wish。　Sometimes　the　figures　go　all　wrong；
and　sometimes　they　go　all　right。　I　hope　they　may　do　their　best　on
the　occasion　of　your　seeing　them　for　the　first　time。〃

As　the　major；　posted　near　his　clock；　said　the　last　words；　his
little　audience　of　three；　assembled　at　the　opposite　end　of　the
room；　saw　the　hour…hand　and　the　minute…hand　on　the　dial　point
together　to　twelve。　The　first　stroke　sounded；　and　Time；　true　to
the　signal；　moved　his　scythe。　The　day　of　the　month　and　the　day　of
the　week　announced　themselves　in　print　through　the　glass　pedestal
next；　Midwinter　applauding　their　appearance　with　a　noisy
exaggeration　of　surprise；　which　Miss　Milroy　mistook　for　coarse
sarcasm　directed　at　her　father's　pursuits；　and　which　Allan
（seeing　that　she　was　offended）　attempted　to　moderate　by　touching
the　elbow　of　his　friend。　Meanwhile；　the　performances　of　the　clock
went　on。　At　the　last　stroke　of　twelve；　Time　lifted　his　scythe
again；　the　chimes　rang；　the　march　tune　of　the　major's　old
regiment　followed；　and　the　crowning　exhibition　of　the　relief　of
the　guard　announced　itself　in　a　preliminary　trembling　of　the
sentry…boxes；　and　a　sudden　disappearance　of　the　major　at　the　back
of　the　clock。

The　performance　began　with　the　opening　of　the　sentry…box　on　the
right…hand　side　of　the　platform；　as　punctually　as　could　be
desired；　the　door　on　the　other　side；　however；　was　less
tractableit　remained　obstinately　closed。　Unaware　of　this　hitch
in　the　proceedings；　the　corporal　and　his　two　privates　appeared　in
their　places　in　a　state　of　perfect　discipline；　tottered　out
across　the　platform；　all　three　trembling　in　every　limb；　dashed
themselves　headlong　against　the　closed　door　on　the　other　side；
and　failed　in　producing　the　smallest　impression　on　the　immovable
sentry　presumed　to　be　within。　An　intermittent　clicking；　as　of　the
major's　keys　and　tools　at　work；　was　heard　in　the　machinery。　The
corporal　and　his　two　privates　suddenly　returned；　backward；　across
the　platform；　and　shut　themselves　up　with　a　bang　inside　their　own
door。　Exactly　at　the　same　moment；　the　other　door　opened　for　the
first　time；　and　the　provoking　sentry　appeared　with　the　utmost
deliberation　at　his　post；　waiting　to　be　relieved。　He　was　allowed
to　wait。　Nothing　happened　in　the　other　box　but　an　occasional
knocking　inside　the　door；　as　if　the　corporal　and　his　privates
were　impatient　to　be　let　out。　The　clicking　of　the　major's　tools
was　heard　again　among　the　machinery；　the　corporal　and　his　party；
suddenly　restored　to　liberty；　appeared　in　a　violent　hurry；　and
spun　furiously　across　the　platform。　Quick　as　they　were；　however；
the　hitherto　deliberate　sentry　on　the　other　side　now　perversely
showed　himself　to　be　quicker　still。　He　disappeared　like　lightning
into　his　own　premises；　the　door　closed　smartly　after　him；　the
corporal　and　his　privates　dashed　themselves　headlong　against　it
for　the　second　time；　and　the　major；　appearing　again　round　the
corner　of　the　clock；　asked　his　audience　innocently　〃if　they　would
be　good　enough　to　tell　him　whether　anything　had　gone　wrong？〃

The　fantastic　absurdity　of　the　exhibition；　heightened　by　Major
Milroy's　grave　inquiry　at　the　end　of　it；　was　so　irresistibly
ludicrous　that　the　visitors　shouted　with　laughter；　and　even　Miss
Milroy；　with　all　her　consideration　for　her　father's　sensitive
pride　in　his　clock；　could　not　restrain　herself　from　joining　in
the　merriment　which　the　catastrophe　of　the　puppets　had　provoked。
But　there　are　limits　even　to　the　license　of　laughter；　and　these
limits　were　ere　long　so　outrageously　overstepped　by　one　of　the
little　party　as　to　have　the　effect　of　almost　instantly　silencing
the　other　two。　The　fever　of　Midwinter's　false　spirits　flamed　out
into　sheer　delirium　as　the　performance　of　the　puppets　came　to　an
end。　His　paroxysms　of　laughter　followed　each　other　with　such
convulsive　violence　that　Miss　Milroy　started　back　from　him　in
alarm；　and　even　the　patient　major　turned　on　him　with　a　look　which
said　plainly；　Leave　the　room！　Allan；　wisely　impulsive　for　once　in
his　life；　seized　Midwinter　by　the　arm；　and　dragged　him　out　by
main　force　into　the　garden；　and　thence　into　the　park　beyond。

〃Good　heavens！　what　has　come　to　you！〃　he　exclaimed；　shrinking
back　from　the　tortured　face　before　him；　as　he　stopped　and　looked
close　at　it　for　the　first　time。

For　the　moment；　Midwinter　was　inca　pable　of　answering。　The
hysterical　paroxysm　was　passing　from　one　extreme　to　the　other。　He
leaned　against　a　tree；　sobbing　and　gasping　for　breath；　and
stretched　out　his　hand　in　mute　entreaty　to　Allan　to　give　him
time。

〃You　had　better　not　have　nursed　me　through　my　fever；〃　he　said；
faintly；　as　soon　as　he　could　speak。　〃I'm　mad　and　miserable；
Allan；　I　have　never　recovered　it。　Go　back　and　ask　them　to　forgive
me；　I　am　ashamed　to　go　and　ask　them　myself。　I　can't　tell　how　it
happened；　I　can　only　ask　your　pardon　and　theirs。〃　He　turned　aside
his　head　quickly　so　as　to　conceal　his　face。　〃Don't　stop　here；〃　he
said；　〃don't　look　at　me；　I　shall　soon　get　over　it。〃　Allan　still
hesitated；　and　begged　hard　to　be　allowed　to　take　him　back　to　the
house。　It　was　useless。　〃You　break　my　heart　with　your　kindness；〃
he　burst　out；　passionately。　〃For　God's　sake；　leave　me　by　my
self！〃

Allan　went　back　to　she　cottage；　and　pleaded　there　for　indulgence
to　Midwinter；　with　an　earnestness　and　simplicity　which　raised　him
immensely　in　the　major's　estimation；　but　which　totally　failed　to
produce　the　same　favorable　impression　on　Miss　Milroy。　Little　as
she　herself　suspected　it；　she　was　fond　enough　of　Allan　already　to
be　jealous　of　Allan's　friend。

〃How　excessively　absurd！〃　she　thought；　pettishly。　〃As　if　either
papa　or　I　considered　such　a　person　of　the　slightest　consequence！〃

〃You　will　kindly　suspend　your　opinion；　won't　you；　Major　Milroy？〃
said　Allan；　in　his　hearty　way；　at　parting。

〃With　the　greatest　pleasure！　〃　replied　the　major；　cordially
shaking　hands。

〃And　you；　too；　Miss　Milroy？〃　added　Allan。

Miss　Milroy　made　a　mercilessly　formal　bow。　〃_My_　opinion；　Mr。
Armadale；　is　not　of　the　slightest　consequence。〃

Allan　left　the　cottage；　sorely　puzzled　to　account　for　Miss
Milroy's　sudden　coolness　toward　him。　His　grand　i