armadale-第119章

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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。
He　stopped　close　at　the　window；　and　added　two　more　to　his　string
of　questions。

〃How　can　you　possibly　have　heard　about　me　and　Miss　Gwilt？〃　he
asked。　〃Who　told　you？〃

〃Miss　Gwilt　herself；〃　replied　Midwinter；　gravely。

Allan's　manner　changed　the　moment　the　governess's　name　passed　his
friend's　lips。

〃I　wish　you　had　heard　my　story　first；〃　he　said。　〃Where　did　you
meet　with　Miss　Gwilt？〃

There　was　a　momentary　pause。　They　both　stood　still　at　the　window；
absorbed　in　the　interest　of　the　moment。　They　both　forgot　that
their　contemplated　place　of　shelter　from　the　rain　had　been　the
breakfast…room　upstairs。

〃Before　I　answer　your　question；〃　said　Midwinter；　a　little
constrainedly；　〃I　want　to　ask　you　something；　Allan；　on　my　side。
Is　it　really　true　that　you　are　in　some　way　concerned　in　Miss
Gwilt's　leaving　Major　Milroy's　service？〃

There　was　another　pause。　The　disturbance　which　had　begun　to
appear　in　Allan's　manner　palpably　increased。

〃It's　rather　a　long　story；〃　he　began。　〃I　have　been　taken　in；
Midwinter。　I've　been　imposed　on　by　a　person；　whoI　can't　help
saying　itwho　cheated　me　into　promising　what　I　oughtn't　to　have
promised；　and　doing　what　I　had　better　not　have　done。　It　isn't
breaking　my　promise　to　tell　you。　I　can　trust　in　your　discretion；
can't　I？　You　will　never　say　a　word；　will　you？〃

〃Stop！〃　said　Midwinter。　〃Don't　trust　me　with　any　secrets　which
are　not　your　own。　If　you　have　given　a　promise；　don't　trifle　with
it；　even　in　speaking　to　such　an　intimate　friend　as　I　am。〃　He　laid
his　hand　gently　and　kindly　on　Allan's　shoulder。　〃I　can't　help
seeing　that　I　have　made　you　a　little　uncomfortable；〃　he　went　on。
〃I　can't　help　seeing　that　my　question　is　not　so　easy　a　one　to
answer　as　I　had　hoped　and　supposed。　Shall　we　wait　a　little？　Shall
we　go　upstairs　and　breakfast　first？〃

Allan　was　far　too　earnestly　bent　on　presenting　his　conduct　to　his
friend　in　the　right　aspect　to　heed　Midwinter's　suggestion。　He
spoke　eagerly　on　the　instant；　without　moving　from　the　window。

〃My　dear　fellow；　it's　a　perfectly　easy　question　to　answer。
Only〃he　hesitated〃only　it　requires　what　I'm　a　bad　hand　at：　it
requires　an　explanation。〃

〃Do　you　mean；〃　asked　Midwinter；　more　seriously；　but　not　less
gently　than　before；　〃that　you　must　first　justify　yourself；　and
then　answer　my　question？〃

〃That's　it！〃　said　Allan；　with　an　air　of　relief。　〃You're　hit　the
right　nail　on　the　head；　just　as　usual。〃

Midwinter's　face　darkened　for　the　first　time。　〃I　am　sorry　to　hear
it；〃　he　said；　his　voice　sinking　low；　and　his　eyes　dropping　to　the
ground　as　he　spoke。

The　rain　was　beginning　to　fall　thickly。　It　swept　across　the
garden；　straight　on　the　closed　windows；　and　pattered　heavily
against　the　glass。

〃Sorry！〃　repeated　Allan。　〃My　dear　fellow；　you　haven't　heard　the
particulars　yet。　Wait　till　I　explain　the　thing　first。〃

〃You　are　a　bad　hand　at　explanations；〃　said　Midwinter；　repeating
Allan's　own　words。　〃Don't　place　yourself　at　a　disadvantage。　Don't
explain　it。〃

Allan　looked　at　him；　in　silent　perplexity　and　surprise。

〃You　are　my　friendmy　best　and　dearest　friend；〃　Midwinter　went
on。　〃I　can't　bear　to　let　you　justify　yourself　to　me　as　if　I　was
your　judge；　or　as　if　I　doubted　you。〃　He　looked　up　again　at　Allan
frankly　and　kindly　as　he　said　those　words。　〃Besides；〃　he　resumed；
〃I　think；　if　I　look　into　my　memory；　I　can　anticipate　your
explanation。　We　had　a　moment's　talk；　before　I　went　away；　about
some　very　delicate　questions　which　you　proposed　putting　to　Major
Milroy。　I　remember　I　warned　you；　I　remember　I　had　my　misgivings。
Should　I　be　guessing　right　if　I　guessed　that　those　questions　have
been　in　some　way　the　means　of　leading　you　into　a　false　position？
If　it　is　true　that　you　have　been　concerned　in　Miss　Gwilt's
leaving　her　situation；　is　it　also　trueis　it　only　doing　you
justice　to　believethat　any　mischief　for　which　you　are
responsible　has　been　mischief　innocently　done？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Allan；　speaking；　for　the　first　time；　a　little
constrainedly　on　his　side。　〃It　is　only　doing　me　justice　to　say
that。〃　He　stopped　and　began　drawing　lines　absently　with　his
finger　on　the　blurred　surface　of　the　window…pane。　〃You're　not
like　other　people；　Midwinter；〃　he　resumed；　suddenly；　with　an
effort；　〃and　I　should　have　liked　you　to　have　heard　the
particulars　all　the　same。〃

〃I　will　hear　them　if　you　desire　it；〃　returned　Midwinter。　〃But　I
am　satisfied；　without　another　word；　that　you　have　not　willingly
been　the　means　of　depriving　Miss　Gwilt　of　her　situation。　If　that
is　understood　between　you　and　me；　I　think　we　need　say　no　more。
Besides；　I　have　another　question　to　ask；　of　much　greater
importancea　question　that　has　been　forced　on　me　by　what　I　saw
with　my　own　eyes；　and　heard　with　my　own　ears；　last　night。〃

He　stopped；　recoiling　in　spite　of　himself。　〃Shall　we　go　upstairs
first？〃　he　asked；　abruptly；　leading　the　way　to　the　door；　and
trying　to　gain　time。

It　was　useless。　Once　again；　the　room　which　they　were　both　free　to
leave；　the　room　which　one　of　them　had　twice　tried　to　leave
already；　held　them　as　if　they　were　prisoners。

Without　answering；　without　even　appearing　to　have　heard
Midwinter's　proposal　to　go　upstairs；　Allan　followed　him
mechanically　as　far　as　the　opposite　side　of　the　window。　There　he
stopped。　〃Midwinter！〃　he　burst　out；　in　a　sudden　panic　of
astonishment　and　alarm；　〃there　seems　to　be　something　strange
between　us！　You're　not　like　yourself。　What　is　it？〃

With　his　hand　on　the　lock　of　the　door；　Midwinter　turned；　and
looked　back　into　the　room。　The　moment　had　come。　His　haunting　fear
of　doing　his　friend　an　injustice　had　shown　itself　in　a　restraint
of　word；　look；　and　action　which　had　been　marked　enough　to　force
its　way　to　Allan's　notice。　The　one　course　left　now；　in　the
dearest　interests　of　the　friendship　that　united　them；　was　to
speak　at　once；　and　to　speak　boldly。

〃There's　something　strange　between　us；〃　reiterated　Allan。　〃For
God's　sake；　what　is　it？〃

Midwinter　took　his　hand　from　the　door；　and　came　down　again　to　the
window；　fronting　Allan。　He　occupied　the　place；　of　necessity；
which　Allan　had　just　left。　It　was　the　sid