armadale-第21节

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Allan's　side；　unlimited　offers　of　everything　he　had　to　give　（in　a
house　which　he　had　not　yet　seen）；　and；　on　the　ladies'　side；　a
discreetly　reluctant　readiness　to　profit　by　the　young　gentleman's
generosity　in　the　matter　of　time。　To　the　astonishment　of　his
legal　advisers；　Allan　entered　their　office　one　morning；
accompanied　by　Mr。　Brock；　and　announced；　with　perfect　composure；
that　the　ladies　had　been　good　enough　to　take　his　own　arrangements
off　his　hands；　and　that；　in　deference　to　their　convenience；　he
meant　to　defer　establishing　himself　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　till　that
day　two　months。　The　lawyers　stared　at　Allan；　and　Allan；　returning
the　compliment；　stared　at　the　lawyers。

〃What　on　earth　are　you　wondering　at；　gentlemen？〃　he　inquired；
with　a　boyish　bewilderment　in　his　good…humored　blue　eyes。　〃Why
shouldn't　I　give　the　ladies　their　two　months；　if　the　ladies　want
them？　Let　the　poor　things　take　their　own　time；　and　welcome。　My
rights？　and　my　position？　Oh；　pooh！　pooh！　I'm　in　no　hurry　to　be
squire　of　the　parish；　it's　not　in　my　way。　What　do　I　mean　to　do
for　the　two　months？　What　I　should　have　done　anyhow；　whether　the
ladies　had　stayed　or　not；　I　mean　to　go　cruising　at　sea。　That's
what　_I_　like！　I've　got　a　new　yacht　at　home　in　Somersetshirea
yacht　of　my　own　building。　And　I'll　tell　you　what；　sir；〃　continued
Allan；　seizing　the　head　partner　by　the　arm　in　the　fervor　of　his
friendly　intentions；　〃you　look　sadly　in　want　of　a　holiday　in　the
fresh　air；　and　you　shall　come　along　with　me　on　the　trial　trip　of
my　new　vessel。　And　your　partners；　too；　if　they　like。　And　the　head
clerk；　who　is　the　best　fellow　I　ever　met　with　in　my　life。　Plenty
of　roomwe'll　all　shake　down　together　on　the　floor；　and　we'll
give　Mr。　Brock　a　rug　on　the　cabin　table。　Thorpe　Ambrose　be
hanged！　Do　you　mean　to　say；　if　you　had　built　a　vessel　yourself
（as　I　have）；　you　would　go　to　any　estate　in　the　three　kingdoms；
while　your　own　little　beauty　was　sitting　like　a　duck　on　the　water
at　home；　and　waiting　for　you　to　try　her？　You　legal　gentlemen　are
great　hands　at　argument。　What　do　you　think　of　that　argument？　I
think　it's　unanswerableand　I'm　off　to　Somersetshire　to…morrow。〃

With　those　words；　the　new　possessor　of　eight　thousand　a　year
dashed　into　the　head　clerk's　office；　and　invited　that　functionary
to　a　cruise　on　the　high　seas；　with　a　smack　on　the　shoulder　which
was　heard　distinctly　by　his　masters　in　the　next　room。　The　firm
looked　in　interrogative　wonder　at　Mr。　Brock。　A　client　who　could
see　a　position　among　the　landed　gentry　of　England　waiting　for
him；　without　being　in　a　hurry　to　occupy　it　at　the　earliest
possible　opportunity；　was　a　client　of　whom　they　possessed　no
previous　experience。

〃He　must　have　been　very　oddly　brought　up；〃　said　the　lawyers　to
the　rector。

〃Very　oddly；〃　said　the　rector　to　the　lawyers。

A　last　leap　over　one　month　more　brought　Mr。　Brock　to　the　present
timeto　the　bedroom　at　Castletown；　in　which　he　was　sitting
thinking；　and　to　the　anxiety　which　was　obstinately　intruding
itself　between　him　and　his　night's　rest。　That　anxiety　was　no
unfamiliar　enemy　to　the　rector's　peace　of　mind。　It　had　first
found　him　out　in　Somersetshire　six　months　since；　and　it　had　now
followed　him　to　the　Isle　of　Man　under　the　inveterately　obtrusive
form　of　Ozias　Midwinter。

The　change　in　Allan's　future　prospects　had　worked　no
corresponding　alteration　in　his　perverse　fancy　for　the　castaway
at　the　village　inn。　In　the　midst　of　the　consultations　with　the
lawyers　he　had　found　time　to　visit　Midwinter；　and　on　the　journey
back　with　the　rector　there　was　Allan's　friend　in　the　carriage；
returning　with　them　to　Somersetshire　by　Allan's　own　invitation。

The　ex…usher's　hair　had　grown　again　on　his　shaven　skull；　and　his
dress　showed　the　renovating　influence　of　an　accession　of
pecuniary　means；　but　in　all　other　respects　the　man　was　unchanged。
He　met　Mr。　Brock's　distrust　with　the　old　uncomplaining
resignation　to　it；　he　maintained　the　same　suspicious　silence　on
the　subject　of　his　relatives　and　his　early　life；　he　spoke　of
Allan's　kindness　to　him　with　the　same　undisciplined　fervor　of
gratitude　and　surprise。　〃I　have　done　what　I　could；　sir；〃　he　said
to　Mr。　Brock；　while　Allan　was　asleep　in　the　railway　carriage。　〃I
have　kept　out　of　Mr。　Armadale's　way；　and　I　have　not　even　answered
his　last　letter　to　me。　More　than　that　is　more　than　I　can　do。　I
don't　ask　you　to　consider　my　own　feeling　toward　the　only　human
creature　who　has　never　suspected　and　never　ill…treated　me。　I　can
resist　my　own　feeling；　but　I　can't　resist　the　young　gentleman
himself。　There's　not　another　like　him　in　the　world。　If　we　are　to
be　parted　again；　it　must　be　his　doing　or　yoursnot　mine。　The
dog's　master　has　whistled；〃　said　this　strange　man；　with　a
momentary　outburst　of　the　hidden　passion　in　him；　and　a　sudden
springing　of　angry　tears　in　his　wild　brown　eyes；　〃and　it　is　hard；
sir；　to　blame　the　dog　when　the　dog　comes。〃

Once　more　Mr。　Brock's　humanity　got　the　better　of　Mr。　Brock's
caution。　He　determined　to　wait；　and　see　what　the　coming　days　of
social　intercourse　might　bring　forth。

The　days　passed；　the　yacht　was　rigged　and　fitted　for　sea；　a
cruise　was　arranged　to　the　Welsh　coastand　Midwinter　the　Secret
was　the　same　Midwinter　still。　Confinement　on　board　a　little
vessel　of　five…and…thirty　tons　offered　no　great　attraction　to　a
man　of　Mr。　Brock's　time　of　life。　But　he　sailed　on　the　trial　trip
of　the　yacht　nevertheless；　rather　than　trust　Allan　alone　with　his
new　friend。

Would　the　close　companionship　of　the　three　on　their　cruise　tempt
the　man　into　talking　of　his　own　affairs？　No；　he　was　ready　enough
on　other　subjects；　especially　if　Allan　led　the　way　to　them。　But
not　a　word　escaped　him　about　himself。　Mr。　Brock　tried　him　with
questions　about　his　recent　inheritance；　and　was　answered　as　he
had　been　answered　once　already　at　the　Somersetshire　inn。　It　was　a
curious　coincidence；　Midwinter　admitted；　that　Mr。　Armadale's
prospects　and　his　own　prospects　should　both　have　unexpectedly
changed　for　the　better　about　the　same　time。　But　there　the
resemblance　ended。　It　was　no　large　fortune　that　had　fallen　into
his　lap；　though　it　was　enough　for　his　wants。　It　had　not
reconciled　him　with　his　relations；　for　the　money　had　not　come　to
him　as　a　matter　of　kindness；　but　as　a　matter　of　right。　As　for　the
circumstance　which　had　led　to　his　communicating　with　his　family；
it　was　not　worth　mentioning；　seeing　that　the　temporary　renewal　of
intercourse　which　had　followed　had　produced　no　friendly　results。
Nothing　had　come　of　it　but　the　moneyand；　with　the　money；　an
anxiety　which　troubled　him　sometimes；　when　he　woke　in　the　small
hours　of　the　morning。

At　those　last　words　he　became　suddenly　silent；　as　if　for　once　his
well…guarded　tongue　had　betrayed　him。

Mr。　Brock　seized　the　opportunity；　and　bluntly　asked　him　what　the
nature　of　the　anxiety　might　be。　Did　it　relate　to　money？　No；　it
related　to　a　Letter　which　had　been　waiting　for　him　for　many
years。　Had　he　received　the　letter？　Not　yet；　it　had　been　left
under　charge　of　one　of　the　partners　in　the　firm　which　had　man
aged　the　business　of　his　inheritance　for　him；　the　partner　had
been　absent　from　England；　and　the　letter；　locked　up　among　his　own
private　papers；　could　not　be　got　at　till　he　returned。　He　was
expected　back　toward　the　latter　part　of　that　present　May；　and；　if
Midwinter　could　be　sure　where　the　cruise　would　take　them　to　at
the　close　of　the　month；　he　thought　he　would　write　and　have　the
letter　forwarded。　Had　he　any　family　reasons　to　be　anxious　about
it？　None　that　he　knew　of；　he　was　curious　to　see　what　had　been
waiting　for　him　for　many　years；　and　that　was　all。　So　he　answered
the　rector's　questions；　with　his　tawny　face　turned　away　over　the
low　bulwark　of　the　yacht；　and　his　fishing…line　dragging　in　his
supple　brown　hands。

Favored　by　wind　and　weather；　the　little　vessel　had　done　wonders
on　her　trial　trip。　Before　the　period　fixed　for　the　duration　of
the　cruise　had　half　expired；　the　yacht　was　as　high　up　on　the
Welsh　coast　as　Holyhead；　and　Allan；　eager　for　adventure　in
unknown　regions；　had　declared　boldly　for　an　extension　of　the
voyage　northward　to　the　Isle　of　Man。　Having　ascertained　from
reliable　authority　that　the　weather　really　promised　well　for　a
cruise　in　that　quarter；　and　that；　in　the　event　of　any　unforeseen
necessity　for　return；　the　railway　was　accessible　by　the　steamer
from　Douglas　to　Liverpool；　Mr。　Brock　agreed　to　his　pupil's
proposal。　By　that　night's　post　he　wrote　to　Allan's　lawyers　and　to
his　own　rectory；　indicating　Douglas　in　the　Isle　of　Man　as　the
next　address　to　which　letters　might　be　forwarded。　At　the
post…office　he　met　Midwinter；　who　had　just　dropped　a　letter　into
the　box。　Remembering　what　he　had　said　on　board　the　yacht；　Mr。
Brock　concluded　that　they　had　both　taken　the　same　precaution；　and
had　ordered　their　correspondence　to　be　forwarded　to　the　same
place。

Late　the　next　day　they　set　sail　for　the　Isle　of　Man。

For　a　few　hours　all　went　well；　but　sunset　brought　with　it　the
signs　of　a　coming　change。　With　the　darkness　the　wind　rose　to　a
gale；　and　the　question　whether　Allan　and　his　journeymen　had　or
had　not　built　a　stout　sea…boat　was　seriously　tested　for　the　first
time。　All　that　night；　after　trying　vainly　to　bear　up　for
Holyhead；　t