armadale-第86章

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of　her；　the　extraordinary　change　that　had　taken　place　in　her
position　since　he　had　seen　her　last；　and　the　startling　assertion
of　Allan's　connection　with　ithad　all　conspired　to　throw　his
mind　into　a　state　of　ungovernable　confusion。　The　darkness　of　the
cloudy　night　added　to　his　bewilderment。　Even　the　familiar　gates
of　Thorpe　Ambrose　seemed　strange　to　him。　When　he　tried　to　think
of　it；　it　was　a　mystery　to　him　how　he　had　reached　the　place。

The　front　of　the　house　was　dark；　and　closed　for　the　night。
Midwinter　went　round　to　the　back。　The　sound　of　men's　voices；　as
he　advanced；　caught　his　ear。　They　were　soon　distinguishable　as
the　voices　of　the　first　and　second　footman；　and　the　subject　of
conversation　between　them　was　their　master。

〃I'll　bet　you　an　even　half…crown　he's　driven　out　of　the
neighborhood　before　another　week　is　over　his　head；〃　said　the
first　footman。

〃Done！〃　said　the　second。　〃He　isn't　as　easy　driven　as　you　think。〃

〃Isn't　he！〃　retorted　the　other。　〃He'll　be　mobbed　if　he　stops
here！　I　tell　you　again；　he's　not　satisfied　with　the　mess　he's　got
into　already。　I　know　it　for　certain；　he's　having　the　governess
watched。〃

At　those　words；　Midwinter　mechanically　checked　himself　before　he
turned　the　corner　of　the　house。　His　first　doubt　of　the　result　of
his　meditated　appeal　to　Allan　ran　through　him　like　a　sudden
chill。　The　influence　exercised　by　the　voic　e　of　public　scandal　is
a　force　which　acts。　in　opposition　to　the　ordinary　law　of
mechanics。　It　is　strongest；　not　by　concentration；　but　by
distribution。　To　the　primary　sound　we　may　shut　our　ears；　but　the
reverberation　of　it　in　echoes　is　irresistible。　On　his　way　back；
Midwinter's　one　desire　had　been　to　find　Allan　up；　and　to　speak　to
him　immediately。　His　one　hope　now　was　to　gain　time　to　contend
with　the　new　doubts　and　to　silence　the　new　misgivings；　his　one
present　anxiety　was　to　hear　that　Allan　had　gone　to　bed。　He　turned
the　corner　of　the　house；　and　presented　himself　before　the　men
smoking　their　pipes　in　the　back　garden。　As　soon　as　their
astonishment　allowed　them　to　speak；　they　offered　to　rouse　their
master。　Allan　had　given　his　friend　up　for　that　night；　and　had
gone　to　bed　about　half　an　hour　since。

〃It　was　my　master's'　particular　order；　sir；〃　said　the
head…footman；　〃that　he　was　to　be　told　of　it　if　you　came　back。〃

〃It　is　_my_　particular　request；〃　returned　Midwinter；　〃that　you
won't　disturb　him。〃

The　men　looked　at　each　other　wonderingly；　as　he　took　his　candle
and　left　them。

CHAPTER　VIII。

SHE　COMES　BETWEEN　THEM。

APPOINTED　hours　for　the　various　domestic　events　of　the　day　were
things　unknown　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。　Irregular　in　all　his　habits；
Allan　accommodated　himself　to　no　stated　times　（with　the　solitary
exception　of　dinner…time）　at　any　hour　of　the　day　or　night。　He
retired　to　rest　early　or　late；　and　he　rose　early　or　late；　exactly
as　he　felt　inclined。　The　servants　were　forbidden　to　call　him；　and
Mrs。　Gripper　was　accustomed　to　improvise　the　breakfast　as　she
best　might；　from　the　time　when　the　kitchen　fire　was　first　lighted
to　the　time　when　the　clock　stood　on　the　stroke　of　noon。

Toward　nine　o'clock　on　the　morning　after　his　return　Midwinter
knocked　at　Allan's　door；　and　on　entering　the　room　found　it　empty。
After　inquiry　among　the　servants；　it　appeared　that　Allan　had
risen　that　morning　before　the　man　who　usually　attended　on　him　was
up；　and　that　his　hot　water　had　been　brought　to　the　door　by　one　of
the　house…maids；　who　was　then　still　in　ignorance　of　Midwinter's
return。　Nobody　had　chanced　to　see　the　master；　either　on　the
stairs　or　in　the　hall；　nobody　had　heard　him　ring　the　bell　for
breakfast；　as　usual。　In　brief；　nobody　knew　anything　about　him；
except　what　was　obviously　clear　to　allthat　he　was　not　in　the
house。

Midwinter　went　out　under　the　great　portico。　He　stood　at　the　head
of　the　flight　of　steps　considering　in　which　direction　he　should
set　forth　to　look　for　his　friend。　Allan's　unexpected　absence
added　one　more　to　the　disquieting　influences　which　still
perplexed　his　mind。　He　was　in　the　mood　in　which　trifles　irritate
a　man；　and　fancies　are　all…powerful　to　exalt　or　depress　his
spirits。

The　sky　was　cloudy；　and　the　wind　blew　in　puffs　from　the　south；
there　was　every　prospect；　to　weather…wise　eyes；　of　coming　rain。
While　Midwinter　was　still　hesitating；　one　of　the　grooms　passed
him　on　the　drive　below。　The　man　proved；　on　being　questioned；　to
be　better　informed　about　his　master's　movements　than　the　servants
indoors。　He　had　seen　Allan　pass　the　stables　more　than　an　hour
since；　going　out　by　the　back　way　into　the　park　with　a　nosegay　in
his　hand。

A　nosegay　in　his　hand？　The　nosegay　hung　incomprehensibly　on
Midwinter's　mind　as　he　walked　round；　on　the　chance　of　meeting
Allan；　to　the　back　of　the　house。　〃What　does　the　nosegay　mean？〃　he
asked　himself；　with　an　unintelligible　sense　of　irritation；　and　a
petulant　kick　at　a　stone　that　stood　in　his　way。

It　meant　that　Allan　had　been　following　his　impulses　as　usual。　The
one　pleasant　impression　left　on　his　mind　after　his　interview　with
Pedgift　Senior　was　the　impression　made　by　the　lawyer's　account　of
his　conversation　with　Neelie　in　the　park。　The　anxiety　that　he
should　not　misjudge　her；　which　the　major's　daughter　had　so
earnestly　expressed；　placed　her　before　Allan's　eyes　in　an
irresistibly　attractive　characterthe　character　of　the　one
person　among　all　his　neighbors　who　had　some　respect　still　left
for　his　good　opinion。　Acutely　sensible　of　his　social　isolation；
now　that　there　was　no　Midwinter　to　keep　him　company　in　the　empty
house；　hungering　and　thirsting　in　his　solitude　for　a　kind　word
and　a　friendly　look；　he　began　to　think　more　and　more　regretfully
and　more　and　more　longingly　of　the　bright　young　face　so
pleasantly　associated　with　his　first　happiest　days　at　Thorpe
Ambrose。　To　be　conscious　of　such　a　feeling　as　this　was；　with　a
character　like　Allan's；　to　act　on　it　headlong；　lead　him　where　it
might。　He　had　gone　out　on　the　previous　morning　to　look　for　Neelie
with　a　peace…offering　of　flowers；　but　with　no　very　distinct　idea
of　what　he　should　say　to　her　if　they　met；　and　failing　to　find　her
on　the　scene　of　her　customary　walks；　he　had　characteristically
persisted　the　next　morning　in　making　a　second　attempt　with
another　peace…offering　on　a　larger　scale。　Still　ignorant　of　his
friend's　return；　he　was　now　at　some　distance　from　the　house；
searching　the　park　in　a　direction　which　he　had　not　tried　yet。

After　walking　out　a　few　hundred　yards　beyond　the　stables；　and
failing　to　discover　any　signs　of　Allan；　Midwinter　retraced　his
steps；　and　waited　for　his　friend's　return；　pacing　slowly　to　and
fro　on　the　little　strip　of　garden　ground　at　the　back　of　the
house。

From　time　to　time；　as　he　passed　it；　he　looked　in　absently　at　the
room　which　had　formerly　been　Mrs。　Armadale's；　which　was　now
（through　his　interposition）　habitually　occupied　by　her　sonthe
room　with　the　Statuette　on　the　bracket；　and　the　French　windows
opening　to　the　ground；　which　had　once　recalled　to　him　the　Second
Vision　of　the　Dream。　The　Shadow　of　the　Man；　which　Allan　had　seen
standing　opposite　to　him　at　the　long　window；　the　view　over　a　lawn
and　flower…garden；　the　pattering　of　the　rain　against　the　glass；
the　stretching　out　of　the　Shadow's　arm；　and　the　fall　of　the
statue　in　fragments　on　the　floorthese　objects　and　events　of　the
visionary　scene；　so　vividly　present　to　his　memory　once；　were　all
superseded　by　later　remembrances　now；　were　all　left　to　fade　as
they　might　in　the　dim　background　of　time。　He　could　pass　the　room
again　and　again；　alone　and　anxious；　and　never　once　think　of　the
boat　drifting　away　in　the　moonlight；　and　the　night's　imprisonment
on　the　Wrecked　Ship！

Toward　ten　o'clock　the　well…remembered　sound　of　Allan's　voice
became　suddenly　audible　in　the　direction　of　the　stables。　In　a
moment　more　he　was　visible　from　the　garden。　His　second　morning's
search　for　Neelie　had　ended　to　all　appearance　in　a　second　defeat
of　his　object。　The　nosegay　was　still　in　his　hand；　and　he　was
resignedly　making　a　present　of　it　to　one　of　the　coachman's
children。

Midwinter　impulsively　took　a　step　forward　toward　the　stables；　and
abruptly　checked　his　further　progress。

Conscious　that　his　position　toward　his　friend　was　altered　already
in　relation　to　Miss　Gwilt；　the　first　sight　of　Allan　filled　his
mind　with　a　sudden　distrust　of　the　governess's　influence　over
him；　which　was　almost　a　distrust　of　himself。　He　knew　that　he　had
set　forth　from　the　moors　on　his　return　to　Thorpe　Ambrose　with　the
resolution　of　acknowledging　the　passion　that　had　mastered　him；
and　of　insisting；　if　necessary；　on　a　second　and　a　longer　absence
in　the　interests　of　the　sacrifice　which　he　was　bent　on　making　to
the　happiness　of　his　friend。　What　had　become　of　that　resolution
now？　The　discovery　of　Miss　Gwilt's　altered　position；　and　the
declaration　that　she　had　voluntarily　made　of　her　indifference　to
Allan；　had　scattered　it　to　the　winds。　The　first　words　with　which
he　would　have　met　his　friend；　if　nothing　had　happened　to　him　on
the　homeward　way；　were　words　already　dismissed　from　his　lips。　He
drew　back　as　he　felt　it；　and　struggled；　with　an　instinctive
loyalty　toward　Allan；　to　free　himself　at　the　last　moment　from　the
influence　of　Miss　Gwilt。

Having　disposed　of　his　useless　nosegay；　Allan　passed　on　into　the
garden；　and　the　instant　he　entered　it　recognized　Midwinter　with　a
loud　cry　of　surprise　and　delight。

〃Am　I　awake　or　dreaming？〃　he　exclaimed；　seizing　his　friend
excitably　by　both　hands。〃　You　dear　old　Midwinter；　have　you　sprung
up　out　of　the　ground；　or　have　you　　dropped　from　the　clouds？〃

It　was　not　till　Midwinter　had　explained　the　mystery　of　his
unexpec　ted　appearance　in　every　particular　that　Allan　could　be
prevailed　on　to　say　a　word　about　himself。　When　he　did　speak；　he
shook　his　head　ruefully；　and　subdued　the　hearty　loudness　of　his
voice；　with　a　preliminary　look　round　to　see　if　the　servants　were
within　hearing。

〃I've　learned　to　be　cautious　since　you　went　away　and　left　me；〃
said　Allan。　〃My　dear　fellow；　you　haven't　the　least　notion　what
things　have　happened；　and　what　an　awful　scrape　I'm　in　at　this
very　moment！〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　Allan。　I　have　heard　more　of　what　has　happened
than　you　suppose。〃

〃What！　the　dreadful　mess　I'm　in　with　Miss　Gwilt？　the　row　with　the
major？　the　infernal　scandal…mongering　in　the　neighborhood？　You
don't　mean　to　say？〃

〃Yes；〃　interposed　Midwinter；　quietly；　〃I　have　heard　of　it　all。〃

〃Good　heavens！　how？　Did　you　stop　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　on　your　way
back？　Have　you　been　in　the　coffee…room　at　the　hotel？　Have　you　met
Pedgift？　Have　you　dropped　into　the　Reading　Rooms；　and　seen　what
they　call　the　freedom　of　the　press　in　the　town　newspaper？〃

Midwinter　paused　before　he　answered；　and　looked　up　at　the　sky。
The　clouds　had　been　gathering　unnoticed　over　their　heads；　and　the
first　rain…drops　were　beginning　to　fall。

〃Come　in　here；〃　said　Allan。　〃We'll　go　up　to　breakfast　this　way。　〃
He　led　Midwinter　through　the　open　French　window　into　his　own
sitting…room。　The　wind　blew　toward　that　side　of　the　house；　and
the　rain　followed　them　in。　Midwinter；　who　was　last；　turned　and
closed　the　window。

Allan　was　too　eager　for　the　answer　which　the　weather　had
interrupted　to　wait　for　it　till　they　reached　the　breakfast…room。