armadale-第69节

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who　guided　the　visitors　warned　them　to　keep　to　the　path；　and
pointed　through　gaps　in　the　reeds　and　pollards　to　grassy　places；
on　which　strangers　would　have　walked　confidently；　where　the　crust
of　earth　was　not　strong　enough　to　bear　the　weight　of　a　child　over
the　unfathomed　depths　of　slime　and　water　beneath。　The　solitary
cottage；　built　of　planks　pitched　black；　stood　on　ground　that　had
been　steadied　and　strengthened　by　resting　it　on　piles。　A　little
wooden　tower　rose　at　one　end　of　the　roof；　and　served　as　a　lookout
post　in　the　fowling　season。　From　this　elevation　the　eye　ranged
far　and　wide　over　a　wilderness　of　winding　water　and　lonesome
marsh。　If　the　reed…cutter　had　lost　his　boat；　he　would　have　been
as　completely　isolated　from　all　communication　with　town　or
village　as　if　his　place　of　abode　had　been　a　light…vessel　instead
of　a　cottage。　Neither　he　nor　his　family　complained　of　their
solitude；　or　looked　in　any　way　the　rougher　or　the　worse　for　it。
His　wife　received　the　visitors　hospitably；　in　a　snug　little　room；
with　a　raftered　ceiling；　and　windows　which　looked　like　windows　in
a　cabin　on　board　ship。　His　wife's　father　told　stories　of　the
famous　days　when　the　smugglers　came　up　from　the　sea　at　night；
rowing　through　the　net…work　of　rivers　with　muffled　oars　till　they
gained　the　lonely　Broads；　and　sank　their　spirit　casks　in　the
water；　far　from　the　coast…guard's　reach。　His　wild　little　children
played　at　hide…and…seek　with　the　visitors；　and　the　visitors
ranged　in　and　out　of　the　cottage；　and　round　and　round　the　morsel
of　firm　earth　on　which　it　stood；　surprised　and　delighted　by　the
novelty　of　all　they　saw。　The　one　person　who　noticed　the　advance
of　the　eveningthe　one　person　who　thought　of　the　flying　time　and
the　stationary　Pentecosts　in　the　boatwas　young　Pedgift。　That
experienced　pilot　of　the　Broads　looked　askance　at　his　watch；　and
drew　Allan　aside　at　the　first　opportunity。

〃I　don't　wish　to　hurry　you；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　Pedgift　Junior；
〃but　the　time　is　getting　on；　and　there's　a　lady　in　the　case。　〃

〃A　lady？〃　repeated　Allan。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　rejoined　young　Pedgift。　〃A　lady　from　London；
connected　（if　you'll　allow　me　to　jog　your　memory）　with　a
pony…chaise　and　white　harness。〃

〃Good　heavens；　the　governess！〃　cried　Allan。　〃Why；　we　have
forgotten　all　about　her！〃

〃Don't　be　alarmed；　sir；　there's　plenty　of　time；　if　we　only　get
into　the　boat　again。　This　is　how　it　stands；　Mr。　Armadale。　We
settled；　if　you　remember；　to　have　the　gypsy　tea…making　at　the
next　'Broad'　to　thisHurle　Mere？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Allan。　〃Hurle　Mere　is　the　place　where　my　friend
Midwinter　has　promised　to　come　and　meet　us。〃

〃Hurle　Mere　is　where　the　governess　will　be；　sir；　if　your　coachman
follows　my　directions；〃　pursued　young　Pedgift。　〃We　have　got
nearly　an　hour's　punting　to　do；　along　the　twists　and　turns　of　the
narrow　waters　（which　they　call　The　Sounds　here）　between　this　and
Hurle　Mere；　and　according　to　my　calculations　we　must　get　on　board
again　in　five　minutes；　if　we　are　to　be　in　time　to　meet　the
governess　and　to　meet　your　friend。〃

〃We　mustn't　miss　my　friend　on　any　account；〃　said　Allan；　〃or　the
governess；　either；　of　course。　I'll　tell　the　major。〃

Major　Milroy　was　at　that　moment　preparing　to　mount　the　wooden
watch…tower　of　the　cottage　to　see　the　view。　The　ever　useful
Pedgift　volunteered　to　go　up　with　him；　and　rattle　off　all　the
necessary　local　explanations　in　half　the　time　which　the
reed…cutter　would　occupy　in　describing　his　own　neighborhood　to　a
stranger。

Allan　remained　standing　in　front　of　the　cottage；　more　quiet　and
more　thoughtful　than　usual。　His　interview　with　young　Pedgift　had
brought　his　absent　friend　to　his　memory　for　the　first　time　since
the　picnic　party　had　started。　He　was　surprised　that　Midwinter；　so
much　in　his　thoughts　on　all　other　occasions；　should　have　been　so
long　out　of　his　thoughts　now。　Something　troubled　him；　like　a
sense　of　self…reproach；　as　his　mind　reverted　to　the　faithful
friend　at　home；　toiling　hard　over　the　steward's　books；　in　his
interests　and　for　his　sake。　〃Dear　old　fellow；〃　thought　Allan；　〃I
shall　be　so　glad　to　see　him　at　the　Mere；　the　day's　pleasure　won't
be　complete　till　he　joins　us！〃

〃Should　I　be　right　or　wrong；　Mr。　Armadale；　if　I　guessed　that　you
were　thinking　of　somebody？〃　asked　a　voice；　softly；　behind　him。

Allan　turned；　and　found　the　major誷　daughter　at　his　side。　Miss
Milroy　（not　unmindful　of　a　certain　tender　interview　which　had
taken　place　behind　a　carriage）　had　noticed　her　admirer　standing
thoughtfully　by　himself；　and　had　determined　on　giving　him　another
opportunity；　while　her　father　and　young　Pedgift　were　at　the　top
of　the　watch…tower。

〃You　know　everything；〃　said　Allan；　smiling。　〃I　_was_　thinking　of
somebody。〃

Miss　Milroy　stole　a　glance　at　hima　glance　of　gentle
encouragement。　There　could　be　but　one　human　creature　in　Mr。
Armadale's　mind　after　what　had　passed　between　them　that　morning！
It　would　be　only　an　act　of　mercy　to　take　him　back　again　at　once
to　the　interrupted　conversation　of　a　few　hours　since　on　the
subject　of　names。

〃I　have　bean　thinking　of　somebody；　too；〃　she　said；　half…inviting；
half…repelling　the　coming　avowal。　〃If　I　tell　you　the　first　letter
of　my　Somebody's　name；　will　you　tell　me　the　first　letter　of
yours？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　anything　you　like；〃　rejoined　Allan；　with　the
utmost　enthusiasm。

She　still　shrank　coquettishly　from　the　very　subject　that　she
wanted　to　approach。　〃Tell　me　your　letter　first；〃　she　said；　in　low
tones；　looking　away　from　him。

Allan　laughed。　〃M；〃　he　said；　〃is　my　first　letter。〃

She　started　a　little。　Strange　that　he　should　be　thinking　of　her
by　her　surname　instead　of　her　Christian　name；　but　it　mattered
little　as　long　as　he　_was_　thinking　of　her。

〃What　is　your　letter？〃　asked　Allan。

She　blushed　and　smiled。　〃Aif　you　will　have　it！〃　she　answered；
in　a　reluctant　little　whisper。　She　stole　another　look　at　him；　and
luxuriously　protracted　her　enjoyment　of　the　coming　avowal　once
more。　〃How　many　syllables　is　the　name　in？〃　she　asked；　drawing
patterns　shyly　on　the　ground　with　the　end　of　the　parasol。

No　man　with　the　slightest　knowledge　of　the　sex　would　have　been
rash　enough；　in　Allan's　position；　to　tell　her　the　truth。　Allan；
who　knew　nothing　whatever　of　woman's　natures；　and　who　told　the
truth　right　and　left　in　all　mortal　emergencies；　answered　as　if　he
had　been　under　examination　in　a　court　of　justice。

〃It's　a　name　in　three　syllables；〃　he　said。

Miss　Milroy's　downcast　eyes　flashed　up　at　him　like　lightning。
〃Three！〃　she　repeated　in　the　blankest　astonishment。

Allan　was　too　inveterately　straightforward　to　take　the　warning
even　now。　〃I'm　not　strong　at　my　spelling；　I　know；〃　he　said；　with
his　lighthearted　laugh。　〃But　I　don't　think　I'm　wrong；　in　calling
Midwinter　a　name　in　t　hree　syllables。　I　was　thinking　of　my
friend；　but　never　mind　my　thoughts。　Tell　me　who　A　istell　me
whom　_you_　were　thinking　of？〃

〃Of　the　first　letter　of　the　alphabet；　Mr。　Armadale；　and　I　beg
positively　to　inform　you　of　nothing　more！〃

With　that　annihilating　answer　the　major's　daughter　put　up　her
parasol　and　walked　back　by　herself　to　the　boat。

Allan　stood　petrified　with　amazement。　If　Miss　Milroy　had　actually
boxed　his　ears　（and　there　is　no　denying　that　she　had　privately
longed　to　devote　her　hand　to　that　purpose）；　he　could　hardly　have
felt　more　bewildered　than　he　felt　now。　〃What　on　earth　have　I
done？〃　he　asked　himself；　helplessly；　as　the　major　and　young
Pedgift　joined　him；　and　the　three　walked　down　together　to　the
water…side。　〃I　wonder　what　she'll　say　to　me　next？〃

She　said　absolutely　nothing；　she　never　so　much　as　looked　at　Allan
when　he　took　his　place　in　the　boat。　There　she　sat；　with　her　eyes
and　her　complexion　both　much　brighter　than　usual；　taking　the
deepest　interest　in　the　curate's　progress　toward　recovery；　in　the
state　of　Mrs。　Pentecost's　spirits；　in　Pedgift　Junior　（for　whom
she　ostentatiously　made　room　enough　to　let　him　sit　beside　her）；
in　the　scenery　and　the　reed…cutter's　cottage；　in　everybody　and
everything　but　Allanwhom　she　would　have　married　with　the
greatest　pleasure　five　minutes　since。　〃I'll　never　forgive　him；〃
thought　the　major's　daughter。　〃To　be　thinking　of　that　ill…bred
wretch　when　I　was　thinking　of　_him；_　and　to　make　me　all　but
confess　it　before　I　found　him　out！　Thank　Heaven；　Mr。　Pedgift　is
in　the　boat！〃

In　this　frame　of　mind　Miss　Neelie　applied　herself　forthwith　to
the　fascination　of　Pedgift　and　the　discomfiture　of　Allan。　〃Oh；
Mr。　Pedgift；　how　extremely　clever　and　kind　of　you　to　think　of
showing　us　that　sweet　cottage！　Lonely；　Mr。　Armadale？　I　don't
think　it's　lonely　at　all；　I　should　like　of　all　things　to　live
there。　What　would　this　picnic　have　been　without　you；　Mr。　Pedgift；
you　can't　think　how　I　have　enjoyed　it　since　we　got　into　the　boat。
Cool；　Mr。　Armadale？　What　can　you　possibly　mean　by　saying　it's
cool；　it's　the　warmest　evening　we've　had　this　summer。　And　the
music；　Mr。　Pedgift；　how　nice　it　was　of　you　to　bring　your
concertina！　I　wonder　if　I　could　accompany　you　on　the　piano？　I
would　so　like　to　try。　Oh；　yes；　Mr。　Armadale；　no　doubt　you　meant
to　do　something　musical；　too；　and　I　dare　say　you　sing　very　well
when　you　know　the　words；　but；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　always
did；　and　always　sh