armadale-第54章

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reposing　on　snug　cushions；　and　fanned　by　a　fine　summer　air；　fell
peaceably　asleep。　Allan　made　love；　and　Miss　Milroy　sanctioned　the
manufacture　of　that　occasionally　precious　article　of　human
commerce；　sublimely　indifferent　on　both　sides　to　a　solemn　bass
accompaniment　on　two　notes；　played　by　the　curate's　mother's
unsuspecting　nose。　The　only　interruption　to　the　love…making　（the
snoring；　being　a　thing　more　grave　and　permanent　in　its　nature；
was　not　interrupted　at　all）　came　at　intervals　from　the　carriage
ahead。　Not　satisfied　with　having　the　major's　Roman　encampment　and
the　curate's　Infant　Schools　on　his　mind；　Pedgift　Junior　rose
erect　from　time　to　time　in　his　place；　and；　respectfully　hailing
the　hindmost　vehicle；　directed　Allan's　attention；　in　a　shrill
tenor　voice；　and　with　an　excellent　choice　of　language；　to　objects
of　interest　on　the　road。　The　only　way　to　quiet　him　was　to　answer；
which　Allan　invariably　did　by　shouting　back；　〃Yes；　beautiful；〃
upon　which　young　Pedgift　disappeared　again　in　the　recesses　of　the
leading　carriage；　and　took　up　the　Romans　and　the　Infants　where　he
had　left　them　last。

The　scene　through　which　the　picnic　party　was　now　passing　merited
far　more　attention　than　it　received　either　from　Allan　or　Allan's
friends。


An　hour's　steady　driving　from　the　major's　cottage　had　taken　young
Armadale　and　his　guests　beyond　the　limits　of　Midwinter's　solitary
walk；　and　was　now　bringing　them　nearer　and　nearer　to　one　of　the
strangest　and　loveliest　aspects　of　nature　which　the　inland
landscape；　not　of　Norfolk　only；　but　of　all　England；　can　show。
Little　by　little　the　face　of　the　country　began　to　change　as　the
carriages　approached　the　remote　and　lonely　district　of　the
Broads。　The　wheat　fields　and　turnip　fields　became　perceptibly
fewer；　and　the　fat　green　grazing　grounds　on　either　side　grew
wider　and　wider　in　their　smooth　and　sweeping　range。　Heaps　of　dry
rushes　and　reeds；　laid　up　for　the　basket…maker　and　the　thatcher；
began　to　appear　at　the　road…side。　The　old　gabled　cottages　of　the
early　part　of　the　drive　dwindled　and　disappeared；　and　huts　with
mud　walls　rose　in　their　place。　With　the　ancient　church　towers　and
the　wind　and　water　mills；　which　had　hitherto　been　the　only　lofty
objects　seen　over　the　low　marshy　flat；　there　now　rose　all　round
the　horizon；　gliding　slow　and　distant　behind　fringes　of　pollard
willows；　the　sails　of　invisible　boats　moving　on　invisible　waters。
All　the　strange　and　startling　anomalies　presented　by　an　inland
agricultural　district；　isolated　from　other　districts　by　its
intricate　surrounding　network　of　pools　and　streamsholding　its
communications　and　carrying　its　produce　by　water　instead　of　by
landbegan　to　present　themselves　in　closer　and　closer
succession。　Nets　appeared　on　cottage　pailings；　little
flat…bottomed　boats　lay　strangely　at　rest　among　the　flowers　in
cottage　gardens；　farmers'　men　passed　to　and　fro　clad　in　composite
costume　of　the　coast　and　the　field；　in　sailors'　hats；　and
fishermen's　boots；　and　plowmen's　smocks；　and　even　yet　the
low…lying　labyrinth　of　waters；　embosomed　in　its　mystery　of
solitude；　was　a　hidden　labyrinth　still。　A　m　inute　more；　and　the
carriages　took　a　sudden　turn　from　the　hard　high…road　into　a
little　weedy　lane。　The　wheels　ran　noiseless　on　the　damp　and
spongy　ground。　A　lonely　outlying　cottage　appeared　with　its　litter
of　nets　and　boats。　A　few　yards　further　on；　and　the　last　morsel　of
firm　earth　suddenly　ended　in　a　tiny　creek　and　quay。　One　turn　more
to　the　end　of　the　quayand　there；　spreading　its　great　sheet　of
water；　far　and　bright　and　smooth；　on　the　right　hand　and　the
leftthere；　as　pure　in　its　spotless　blue；　as　still　in　its
heavenly　peacefulness；　as　the　summer　sky　above　it；　was　the　first
of　the　Norfolk　Broads。

The　carriages　stopped；　the　love…making　broke　off；　and　the
venerable　Mrs。　Pentecost；　recovering　the　use　of　her　senses　at　a
moment's　notice；　fixed　her　eyes　sternly　on　Allan　the　instant　she
woke。

〃I　see　in　your　face；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　old　lady；　sharply；
〃that　you　think　I　have　been　asleep。〃

The　consciousness　of　guilt　acts　differently　on　the　two　sexes。　In
nine　cases　out　of　ten；　it　is　a　much　more　manageable　consciousness
with　a　woman　than　with　a　man。　All　the　confusion；　on　this
occasion；　was　on　the　man's　side。　While　Allan　reddened　and　looked
embarrassed；　the　quick…witted　Miss　Milroy　instantly　embraced　the
old　lady　with　a　burst　of　innocent　laughter。　〃He　is　quite
incapable；　dear　Mrs。　Pentecost；〃　said　the　little　hypocrite；　〃of
anything　so　ridiculous　as　thinking　you　have　been　asleep！〃

〃All　I　wish　Mr。　Armadale　to　know；〃　pursued　the　old　lady；　still
suspicious　of　Allan；　〃is；　that　my　head　being　giddy；　I　am　obliged
to　close　my　eyes　in　a　carriage。　Closing　the　eyes；　Mr。　Armadale；
is　one　thing；　and　going　to　sleep　is　another。　Where　is　my　son？〃

The　Reverend　Samuel　appeared　silently　at　the　carriage　door；　and
assisted　his　mother　to　get　out　（〃Did　you　enjoy　the　drive；　Sammy？〃
asked　the　old　lady。　〃Beautiful　scenery；　my　dear；　wasn't　it？〃）
Young　Pedgift；　on　whom　the　arrangements　for　exploring　the　Broads
devolved；　hustled　about；　giving　his　orders　to　the　boatman。　Major
Milroy；　placid　and　patient；　sat　apart　on　an　overturned　punt；　and
privately　looked　at　his　watch。　Was　it　past　noon　already？　More
than　an　hour　past。　For　the　first　time；　for　many　a　long　year；　the
famous　clock　at　home　had　struck　in　an　empty　workshop。　Time　had
lifted　his　wonderful　scythe；　and　the　corporal　and　his　men　had
relieved　guard；　with　no　master's　eye　to　watch　their　performances；
with　no　master's　hand　to　encourage　them　to　do　their　best。　The
major　sighed　as　he　put　his　watch　back　in　his　pocket。　〃I'm　afraid
I'm　too　old　for　this　sort　of　thing；〃　thought　the　good　man；
looking　about　him　dreamily。　〃I　don't　find　I　enjoy　it　as　much　as　I
thought　I　should。　When　are　we　going　on　the　water；　I　wonder？
Where's　Neelie？〃

Neeliemore　properly　Miss　Milroywas　behind　one　of　the
carriages　with　the　promoter　of　the　picnic。　They　were　immersed　in
the　interesting　subject　of　their　own　Christian　names；　and　Allan
was　as　near　a　pointblank　proposal　of　marriage　as　it　is　well
possible　for　a　thoughtless　young　gentleman　of　two…and…twenty　to
be。

〃Tell　me　the　truth；〃　said　Miss　Milroy；　with　her　eyes　modestly
riveted　on　the　ground。　〃When　you　first　knew　what　my　name　was；　you
didn't　like　it；　did　you？〃

〃I　like　everything　that　belongs　to　you；〃　rejoined　Allan；
vigorously。　〃I　think　Eleanor　is　a　beautiful　name；　and　yet；　I
don't　know　why；　I　think　the　major　made　an　improvement　when　he
changed　it　to　Neelie。〃

〃I　can　tell　you　why；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　major's　daughter；
with　great　gravity。　'There　are　some　unfortunate　people　in　this
world　whose　names　arehow　can　I　express　it？whose　names　are
misfits。　Mine　is　a　misfit。　I　don't　blame　my　parents；　for　of
course　it　was　impossible　to　know　when　I　was　a　baby　how　I　should
grow　up。　But　as　things　are；　I　and　my　name　don't　fit　each　other。
When　you　hear　a　young　lady　called　Eleanor；　you　think　of　a　tall；
beautiful；　interesting　creature　directlythe　very　opposite　of
_me！_　With　my　personal　appearance；　Eleanor　sounds　ridiculous；　and
Neelie；　as　you　yourself　remarked；　is　just　the　thing。　No！　no！
don't　say　any　more；　I'm　tired　of　the　subject。　I've　got　another
name　in　my　head；　if　we　must　speak　of　names；　which　is　much　better
worth　talking　about　than　mine。〃

She　stole　a　glance　at　her　companion　which　said　plainly　enough；
〃The　name　is　yours。〃　Allan　advanced　a　step　nearer　to　her；　and
lowered　his　voice；　without　the　slightest　necessity；　to　a
mysterious　whisper。　Miss　Milroy　instantly　resumed　her
investigation　of　the　ground。　She　looked　at　it　with　such
extraordinary　interest　that　a　geologist　might　have　suspected　her
of　scientific　flirtation　with　the　superficial　strata。

〃What　name　are　you　thinking　of？〃　asked　Allan。

Miss　Milroy　addressed　her　answer；　in　the　form　of　a　remark；　to　the
superficial　strataand　let　them　do　what　they　liked　with　it；　in
their　capacity　of　conductors　of　sound。　〃If　I　had　been　a　man；〃　she
said；　〃I　should　so　like　to　have　been　called　Allan！〃

She　felt　his　eyes　on　her　as　she　spoke；　and；　turning　her　head
aside；　became　absorbed　in　the　graining　of　the　panel　at　the　back
of　the　carriage。　〃How　beautiful　it　is！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a
sudden　outburst　of　interest　in　the　vast　subject　of　varnish。　〃I
wonder　how　they　do　it？〃

Man　persists；　and　woman　yields。　Allan　declined　to　shift　the
ground　from　love…making　to　coach…making。　Miss　Milroy　dropped　the
subject。

〃Call　me　by　my　name；　if　you　really　like　it；〃　he　whispered；
persuasively。　〃Call　me　'Allan'　for　once；　just　to　try。〃

She　hesitated　with　a　heightened　color　and　a　charming　smile；　and
shook　her　head。　〃I　couldn't　just　yet；〃　she　answered；　softly。

〃May　I　call　you　Neelie？　Is　it　too　soon？〃

She　looked　at　him　again；　with　a　sudden　disturbance　about　the
bosom　of　her　dress；　and　a　sudden　flash　of　tenderness　in　her
dark…gray　eyes。

〃You　know　best；〃　she　said；　faintly；　in　a　whisper。

The　inevitable　answer　was　on　the　tip　of　Allan's　tongue。　At　the
very　instant；　however；　when　he　opened　his　lips；　the　abhorrent
high　tenor　of　Pedgift　Junior；　shouting　for　〃Mr。　Armadale；〃　rang
cheerfully　through　the　quiet　air。　At　the　same　moment；　from　the
other　side　of　the　carriage；　the　lurid　spectacles　of　the　Reverend
Samuel　showed　themselves　officiously　on　the　search；　and　the　voice
of　the　Reverend　Samuel's　mother　（who　had；　with　great　dexterity；
put　the　two　ideas　of　the　presence　of　water　and　a　sudden　movement
among　the　company　together）　inquired　distractedly　if　anybody　was
drowned？　Sentiment　flies　and　Love　shudders　at　all　demonstrations
of　the　noisy　kind。　Allan　said：　〃Damn　it；〃　and　rejoined　young
Pedgift。　Miss　Milroy　sighed；　and　took　refuge　with　her　father。

〃I've　done　it；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　cried　young　Pedgift；　greeting　his
patron　gayly。　〃We　can　all　go　on　the　water　together；　I've　got　the
biggest　boat　on　the　Broads。　The　little　skiffs；〃　he　added；　in　a
lower　tone；　as　he　led　the　way　to　the　quay　steps；　〃besides　being
ticklish　and　easily　upset；　won't　hold　more　than　two；　with　the
boatman；　and　the　major　told　me　he　should　feel　it　his　duty　to　go
with　his　daughter；　if　we　all　separated　in　different　boats。　I
thought　_that_　would　hardly　do；　sir；〃　pursued　Pedgift　Junior；
with　a　respectfully　sly　emphasis　on　the　words。　〃And；　besides；　if
we　had　put　the　old　lady　into　a　skiff；　with　her　weight　（sixteen
stone　if　she's　a　pound）；　we　might　have　had　her　upside　down　in　the
water　half　her　time；　which　would　have　occasioned　delay；　and
thrown　what　you　call　a　damp　on　the　proceedings。　Here's　the　boat；
Mr。　Armadale。　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

The　boat　added　one　more　to　the　strangely　anomalous　objects　which
appeared　at　the　Broads。　It　was　nothing　less　than　a　stout　old
lifeboat；　passing　its　last　declining　years　on　the　smooth　fresh
water；　after　the　stormy　days　of　its　youth　time　on　the　wild　salt
sea。　A　comfortable　little　cabin　for　the　use　of　fowlers　in　the
winter　season　had　been　built　amidships；　and　a　mast　and　sail
adapted　for　inland　navigation　had　been　fitted　forward。　There　was
room　enough　and　to　spare　for　the　guests；　the　dinner；　and　the
three　men　in　charge。　Allan　clapped　his　faithful　lieutenant
approvingly　on　the　shoulder；　and　even　Mrs。　Pentecost；　when　the
whole　party　were　comfortably　established　on　board；　took　a
comparat