armadale-第51章

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〃I　am　too　ignorant　of　the　neighborhood　to　know。　I　must　refer　you
to　Mr。　Bashwood。〃

〃Come；　tell　us　where　it　was；〃　said　Allan；　trying；　a　little　too
abruptly；　to　set　the　man　at　his　ease；　as　they　all　three　walked
back　to　the　house。

The　measure　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　constitutional　timidity　seemed　to
be　filled　to　the　brim　by　the　loudness　of　Allan's　voice　and　the
bluntness　of　Allan's　request。　He　ran　over　in　the　same　feeble　flow
of　words　with　which　he　had　deluged　Midwinter　on　the　occasion　when
they　first　met。

〃It　was　on　the　road；　sir；〃　he　began；　addressing　himself
alternately　to　Allan；　whom　he　called；　〃sir；〃　and　to　Midwinter；
whom　he　called　by　his　name；　〃I　mean；　if　you　please；　on　the　road
to　Little　Gill　Beck。　A　singular　name；　Mr。　Midwinter；　and　a
singular　place；　I　don't　mean　the　village；　I　mean　the
neighborhoodI　mean　the　'Broads'　beyond　the　neighborhood。
Perhaps　you　may　have　heard　of　the　Norfolk　Broads；　sir？　What　they
call　lakes　in　other　parts　of　England；　they　call　Broads　here。　The
Broads　are　quite　numerous；　I　think　they　would　repay　a　visit。　You
would　have　seen　the　first　of　them；　Mr。　Midwinter；　if　you　had
walked　on　a　few　miles　from　where　I　had　the　honor　of　meeting　you。
Remarkably　numerous；　the　Broads；　sirsituated　between　this　and
the　sea。　About　three　miles　from　the　sea；　Mr。　Midwinterabout
three　miles。　Mostly　shallow；　sir；　with　rivers　running　between
them。　Beautiful；　solitary。　Quite　a　watery　country；　Mr。　Midwinter；
quite　separate；　as　it　were；　in　itself。　Parties　sometimes　visit
them；　sirpleasure　parties　in　boats。　It's　quite　a　little　network
of　lakes；　or；　perhapsyes；　perhaps；　more　correctly；　pools。　There
is　good　sport　in　the　cold　weather。　The　wild　fowl　are　quite
numerous。　Yes；　the　Broads　would　repay　a　visit；　Mr。　Midwinter。　the
next　time　you　are　walking　that　way。　The　distance　from　here　to
Little　Gill　Beck；　and　then　from　Little　Gill　Beck　to　Girdler
Broad；　which　is　the　first　you　come　to；　is　altogether　not　more〃
In　sheer　nervous　inability　to　leave　off；　he　would　apparently　have
gone　on　talking　of　the　Norfolk　Broads　for　the　rest　of　the
evening；　if　one　of　his　two　listeners　had　not　unceremoniously　cut
him　short　before　he　could　find　his　way　into　a　new　sentence。

〃Are　the　Broads　within　an　easy　day's　drive　there　and　back　from
this　house？〃　asked　Allan；　feeling；　if　they　were；　that　the　place
for　the　picnic　was　discovered　already。

〃Oh；　yes；　sir；　a　nice　drivequite　a　nice　easy　drive　from　this
beautiful　place！〃

They　were　by　this　time　ascending　the　portico　steps；　Allan　leading
the　way　up；　and　calling　to　Midwinter　and　Mr。　Bashwood　to　follow
him　into　the　library；　where　there　was　a　lighted　lamp。

In　the　interval　which　elapsed　before　the　wine　made　its
appearance；　Midwinter　looked　at　his　chance　acquaintance　of　the
high…road　with　strangely　mingled　feelings　of　compassion　and
distrustof　compassion　that　strengthened　in　spite　of　him；　of
distrust　that　persisted　in　diminishing；　try　as　he　might　to
encourage　it　to　grow。　There；　perched　comfortless　on　the　edge　of
his　chair；　sat　the　poor　broken…down；　nervous　wretch；　in　his　worn
black　garments；　with　his　watery　eyes；　his　honest　old　outspoken
wig；　his　miserable　mohair　stock；　and　his　false　teeth　that　were
incapable　of　deceiving　anybodythere　he　sat；　politely　ill　at
ease；　now　shrinking　in　the　glare　of　the　lamp；　now　wincing　under
the　shock　of　Allan's　sturdy　voice；　a　man　with　the　wrinkles　of
sixty　years　in　his　face；　and　the　manners　of　a　child　in　the
presence　of　strangers；　an　object　of　pity　surely；　if　ever　there
was　a　pitiable　object　yet！

〃Whatever　else　you're　afraid　of；　Mr。　Bashwood；〃　cried
　Allan；　pouring　out　a　glass　of　wine；　〃don't　be　afraid　of　that！
There　isn't　a　headache　in　a　hogshead　of　it！　Make　yourself
comfortable；　I'll　leave　you　and　Mr。　Midwinter　to　talk　your
business　over　by　yourselves。　It's　all　in　Mr。　Midwinter's　hands；
he　acts　for　me；　and　settles　everything　at　his　own　discretion。〃

He　said　those　words　with　a　cautious　choice　of　expression　very
uncharacteristic　of　him；　and；　without　further　explanation；　made
abruptly　for　the　door。　Midwinter；　sitting　near　it；　noticed　his
face　as　he　went　out。　Easy　as　the　way　was　into　Allan's　favor；　Mr。
Bashwood；　beyond　all　kind　of　doubt；　had　in　some　unaccountable
manner　failed　to　find　it！

The　two　strangely　assorted　companions　were　left　togetherparted
widely；　as　it　seemed　on　the　surface；　from　any　possible
interchange　of　sympathy；　drawn　invisibly　one　to　the　other；
nevertheless；　by　those　magnetic　similarities　of　temperament　which
overleap　all　difference　of　age　or　station；　and　defy　all　apparent
incongruities　of　mind　and　character。　From　the　moment　when　Allan
left　the　room；　the　hidden　Influence　that　works　in　darkness　began
slowly　to　draw　the　two　men　together；　across　the　great　social
desert　which　had　lain　between　them　up　to　this　day。

Midwinter　was　the　first　to　approach　the　subject　of　the　interview。

〃May　I　ask；〃　he　began；　〃if　you　have　been　made　acquainted　with　my
position　here；　and　if　you　know　why　it　is　that　I　require　your
assistance？〃

Mr。　Bashwoodstill　hesitating　and　still　timid；　but　manifestly
relieved　by　Allan's　departuresat　further　back　in　his　chair；　and
ventured　on　fortifying　himself　with　a　modest　little　sip　of　wine。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　replied；　〃Mr。　Pedgift　informed　me　of　allat　least
I　think　I　may　say　soof　all　the　circumstances。　I　am　to　instruct；
or　perhaps；　I　ought　to　say　to　advise〃

〃No；　Mr。　Bashwood；　the　first　word　was　the　best　word　of　the　two。　I
am　quite　ignorant　of　the　duties　which　Mr。　Armadale's　kindness　has
induced　him　to　intrust　to　me。　If　I　understand　right；　there　can　be
no　question　of　your　capacity　to　instruct　me；　for　you　once　filled
a　steward's　situation　yourself。　May　I　inquire　where　it　was？〃

〃At　Sir　John　Mellowship's；　sir；　in　West　Norfolk。　Perhaps　you
would　likeI　have　got　it　with　meto　see　my　testimonial？　Sir
John　might　have　dealt　more　kindly　with　me；　but　I　have　no
complaint　to　make；　it's　all　done　and　over　now！〃　His　watery　eyes
looked　more　watery　still；　and　the　trembling　in　his　hands　spread
to　his　lips　as　he　produced　an　old　dingy　letter　from　his
pocket…book　and　laid　it　open　on　the　table。

The　testimonial　was　very　briefly　and　very　coldly　expressed；　but
it　was　conclusive　as　far　as　it　went。　Sir　John　considered　it　only
right　to　say　that　he　had　no　complaint　to　make　of　any　want　of
capacity　or　integrity　in　his　steward。　If　Mr。　Bashwood's　domestic
position　had　been　compatible　with　the　continued　performance　of
his　duties　on　the　estate；　Sir　John　would　have　been　glad　to　keep
him。　As　it　was；　embarrassments　caused　by　the　state　of　Mr。
Bashwood's　personal　affairs　had　rendered　it　undesirable　that　he
should　continue　in　Sir　John's　service；　and　on　that　ground；　and
that　only；　his　employer　and　he　had　parted。　Such　was　Sir　John's
testimony　to　Mr。　Bashwood's　character。　As　Midwinter　read　the　last
lines；　he　thought　of　another　testimonial；　still　in　his　own
possessionof　the　written　character　which　they　had　given　him　at
the　school；　when　they　turned　their　sick　usher　adrift　in　the
world。　His　superstition　（distrusting　all　new　events　and　all　new
faces　at　Thorpe　Ambrose）　still　doubted　the　man　before　him　as
obstinately　as　ever。　But　when　he　now　tried　to　put　those　doubts
into　words；　his　heart　upbraided　him；　and　he　laid　the　letter　on
the　table　in　silence。

The　sudden　pause　in　the　conversation　appeared　to　startle　Mr。
Bashwood。　He　comforted　himself　with　another　little　sip　of　wine；
and；　leaving　the　letter　untouched；　burst　irrepressibly　into
words；　as　if　the　silence　was　quite　unendurable　to　him。

〃I　am　ready　to　answer　any　question；　sir；〃　he　began。　〃Mr。　Pedgift
told　me　that　I　must　answer　questions；　because　I　was　applying　for
a　place　of　trust。　Mr。　Pedgift　said　neither　you　nor　Mr。　Armadale
was　likely　to　think　the　testimonial　sufficient　of　itself。　Sir
John　doesn't　sayhe　might　have　put　it　more　kindly；　but　I　don't
complainSir　John　doesn't　say　what　the　troubles　were　that　lost
me　my　place。　Perhaps　you　might　wish　to　know〃　He　stopped
confusedly；　looked　at　the　testimonial；　and　said　no　more。

〃If　no　interests　but　mine　were　concerned　in　the　matter；〃　rejoined
Midwinter；　〃the　testimonial　would；　I　assure　you；　be　quite　enough
to　satisfy　me。　But　while　I　am　learning　my　new　duties；　the　person
who　teaches　me　will　be　really　and　truly　the　steward　of　my
friend's　estate。　I　am　very　unwilling　to　ask　you　to　speak　on　what
may　be　a　painful　subject；　and　I　am　sadly　inexperienced　in　putting
such　questions　as　I　ought　to　put；　but；　perhaps；　in　Mr。　Armadale's
interests；　I　ought　to　know　something　more；　either　from　yourself；
or　from　Mr。　Pedgift；　if　you　prefer　it〃　He；　too；　stopped
confusedly；　looked　at　the　testimonial；　and　said　no　more。

There　was　another　moment　of　silence。　The　night　was　warm；　and　Mr。
Bashwood；　among　his　other　misfortunes；　had　the　deplorable
infirmity　of　perspiring　in　the　palms　of　the　hands。　He　took　out　a
miserable　little　cotton　pocket…handkerchief；　rolled　it　up　into　a
ball；　and　softly　dabbed　it　to　and　fro；　from　one　hand　to　the
other；　with　the　regularity　of　a　pendulum。　Performed　by　other　men；
under　other　circumstances；　the　action　might　have　been　ridiculous。
Performed　by　this　man；　at　the　crisis　of　the　interview；　the　action
was　horrible。

〃Mr。　Pedgift's　time　is　too　valuable；　sir；　to　be　wasted　on　me；〃　he
said。　〃I　will　mention　what　ought　to　be　mentioned　myselfif　you
will　please　to　allow　me。　I　have　been　unfortunate　in　my　family。　It
is　very　hard　to　bear；　though　it　seems　not　much　to　tell。　My
wife〃　One　of　his　hands　closed　fast　on　the　pocket…handkerchief；
he　moistened　his　dry　lips；　struggled　with　himself；　and　went　on。

〃My　wife；　sir；〃　he　resumed；　〃stood　a　little　in　my　way；　she　did　me
（I　am　afraid　I　must　confess）　some　injury　with　Sir　John。　Soon
after　I　got　the　steward's　situation；　she　contractedshe
tookshe　fell　into　habits　（I　hardly　know　how　to　say　it）　of
drinking。　I　couldn't　break　her　of　it；　and　I　couldn't　always
conceal　it　from　Sir　John's　knowledge。　She　broke　out；　andand
tried　his　patience　once　or　twice；　when　he　came　to　my　office　on
business。　Sir　John　excused　it；　not　very　kindly；　but　still　he
excused　it。　I　don't　complain　of　Sir　John！　I　don't　complain　now　of
my　wife。〃　He　pointed　a　trembling　finger　at　his　miserable
crape…covered　beaver　hat　on　the　floor。　〃I'm　in　mourning　for　her；〃
he　said；　faintly。　〃She　died　nearly　a　year　ago；　in　the　county
asylum　here。〃

His　mouth　began　to　work　convulsively。　He　took　up　the　glass　of
wine　at　his　side；　and；　instead　of　sipping　it　this　time；　drained
it　to　the　bottom。　〃I'm　not　much　used　to　wine；　sir；〃　he　said；
conscious；　apparently；　of　the　flush　that　flew　into　his　face　as　he
drank；　and　still　observant　of　the　obligations　of　politeness　amid
all　the　misery　of　the　recollections　that　he　was　calling　up。

〃I　beg；　Mr。　Bashwood；　you　will　not　distress　yourself　by　telling
me　any　more；〃　said　Midwinter；　recoiling　from　any　further　sanction
on　his　part　of　a　disclosure　which　had　already　bared　the　sorrows
of　the　unhappy　man　before　him　to　the　quick。

〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you；　sir；〃　replied　Mr。　Bashwood。　〃But　if　I
don't　detain　you　too　long；　and　if　you　will　please　to　remember
that　Mr。　Pedgift's　directions　to　me　were　very　particularand；
besides；　I　only　mentioned　my　late　wife　because　if　she　hadn't
tried　Sir　John's　patience　to　begin　with；　things　might　have　tur