armadale-第16章

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impenetrably　superior　to　all　worldly　ambition　as　Diogenes
himself。　〃Which　is　best；〃　asked　this　unconscious　philosopher；　〃to
find　out　the　way　to　be　happy　for　yourself；　or　to　let　other　people
try　if　they　can　find　it　out　for　you？〃　From　that　moment　Mr。　Brock
permitted　his　pupil's　character　to　grow　at　its　own　rate　of
development；　and　Allan　went　on　uninterruptedly　with　the　work　of
his　yacht。

Time；　which　had　wrought　so　little　change　in　the　son；　had　not
passed　harmless　over　the　mother。

Mrs。　Armadale's　health　was　breaking　fast。　As　her　strength　failed；
her　temper　altered　for　the　worse：　she　grew　more　and　more　fretful；
more　and　more　subject　to　morbid　fears　and　fancies；　more　and　more
reluctant　to　leave　her　own　room。　Since　the　appearance　of　the
advertisement　five　years　since；　nothing　had　happened　to　force　her
memory　back　to　the　painful　associations　connected　with　her　early
life。　No　word　more　on　the　forbidden　topic　had　passed　between　the
rector　and　herself；　no　suspicion　had　ever　been　raised　in　Allan's
mind　of　the　existence　of　his　namesake；　and　yet；　without　the
shadow　of　a　reason　for　any　special　anxiety；　Mrs。　Armadale　had
become；　of　late　years；　obstinately　and　fretfully　uneasy　on　the
subject　of　her　son。　More　than　once　Mr。　Brock　dreaded　a　serious
disagreement　between　them；　but　Allan's　natural　sweetness　of
temper；　fortified　by　his　love　for　his　mother；　carried　him
triumphantly　through　all　trials。　Not　a　hard　word　or　a　harsh　look
ever　escaped　him　in　her　presence；　he　was　unchangeably　loving　and
forbearing　with　her　to　the　very　last。

Such　were　the　positions　of　the　son；　the　mother；　and　the　friend；
when　the　next　notable　event　happened　in　the　lives　of　the　three。
On　a　dreary　afternoon；　early　in　the　month　of　November；　Mr。　Brock
was　disturbed　over　the　composition　of　his　sermon　by　a　visit　from
the　landlord　of　the　village　inn。

After　making　his　introductory　apologies；　the　landlord　st　ated　the
urgent　business　on　which　he　had　come　to　the　rectory　clearly
enough。

A　few　hours　since　a　young　man　had　been　brought　to　the　inn　by　some
farm　laborers　in　the　neighborhood；　who　had　found　him　wandering
about　one　of　their　master's　fields　in　a　disordered　state　of　mind；
which　looked　to　their　eyes　like　downright　madness。　The　landlord
had　given　the　poor　creature　shelter　while　he　sent　for　medical
help；　and　the　doctor；　on　seeing　him；　had　pronounced　that　he　was
suffering　from　fever　on　the　brain；　and　that　his　removal　to　the
nearest　town　at　which　a　hospital　or　a　work…house　infirmary　could
be　found　to　receive　him　would　in　all　probability　be　fatal　to　his
chances　of　recovery。　After　hearing　this　expression　of　opinion；
and　after　observing　for　himself　that　the　stranger's　only　luggage
consisted　of　a　small　carpet…bag　which　had　been　found　in　the　field
near　him；　the　landlord　had　set　off　on　the　spot　to　consult　the
rector；　and　to　ask；　in　this　serious　emergency；　what　course　he　was
to　take　next。

Mr。　Brock　was　the　magistrate　as　well　as　the　clergyman　of　the
district；　and　the　course　to　be　taken；　in　the　first　instance；　was
to　his　mind　clear　enough。　He　put　on　his　hat；　and　accompanied　the
landlord　back　to　the　inn。

At　the　inn　door　they　were　joined　by　Allan；　who　had　heard　the　news
through　another　channel；　and　who　was　waiting　Mr。　Brock's　arrival；
to　follow　in　the　magistrate's　train；　and　to　see　what　the　stranger
was　like。　The　village　surgeon　joined　them　at　the　same　moment；　and
the　four　went　into　the　inn　together。

They　found　the　landlord's　son　on　one　side；　and　the　hostler　on　the
other；　holding　the　man　down　in　his　chair。　Young；　slim；　and
undersized；　he　was　strong　enough　at　that　moment　to　make　it　a
matter　of　difficulty　for　the　two　to　master　him。　His　tawny
complexion；　his　large；　bright　brown　eyes；　and　his　black　beard
gave　him　something　of　a　foreign　look。　His　dress　was　a　little
worn；　but　his　linen　was　clean。　His　dusky　hands　were　wiry　and
nervous；　and　were　lividly　discolored　in　more　places　than　one　by
the　scars　of　old　wounds。　The　toes　of　one　of　his　feet；　off　which
he　had　kicked　the　shoe；　grasped　at　the　chair　rail　through　his
stocking；　with　the　sensitive　muscular　action　which　is　only　seen
in　those　who　have　been　accustomed　to　go　barefoot。　In　the　frenzy
that　now　possessed　him；　it　was　impossible　to　notice；　to　any
useful　purpose；　more　than　this。　After　a　whispered　consultation
with　Mr。　Brock；　the　surgeon　personally　superintended　the
patient's　removal　to　a　quiet　bedroom　at　the　back　of　the　house。
Shortly　afterward　his　clothes　and　his　carpet…bag　were　sent
downstairs；　and　were　searched；　on　the　chance　of　finding　a　clew　by
which　to　communicate　with　his　friends；　in　the　magistrate's
presence。

The　carpet…　bag　contained　nothing　but　a　change　of　clothing；　and
two　booksthe　Plays　of　Sophocles；　in　the　original　Greek；　and　the
〃Faust〃　of　Goethe；　in　the　original　German。　Both　volumes　were　much
worn　by　reading；　and　on　the　fly…leaf　of　each　were　inscribed　the
initials　O。　M。　So　much　the　bag　revealed；　and　no　more。

The　clothes　which　the　man　wore　when　he　was　discovered　in　the
field　were　tried　next。　A　purse　（containing　a　sovereign　and　a　few
shillings）；　a　pipe；　a　tobacco　pouch；　a　handkerchief；　and　a　little
drinking…cup　of　horn　were　produced　in　succession。　The　next
object；　and　the　last；　was　found　crumpled　up　carelessly　in　the
breast…pocket　of　the　coat。　It　was　a　written　testimonial　to
character；　dated　and　signed；　but　without　any　address。

So　far　as　this　document　could　tell　it；　the　stranger's　story　was　a
sad　one　indeed。　He　had　apparently　been　employed　for　a　short　time
as　usher　at　a　school；　and　had　been　turned　adrift　in　the　world；　at
the　outset　of　his　illness；　from　the　fear　that　the　fever　might　be
infectious；　and　that　the　prosperity　of　the　establishment　might
suffer　accordingly。　Not　the　slightest　imputation　of　any
misbehavior　in　his　employment　rested　on　him。　On　the　contrary；　the
schoolmaster　had　great　pleasure　in　testifying　to　his　capacity　and
his　character；　and　in　expressing　a　fervent　hope　that　he　might
（under　Providence）　succeed　in　recovering　his　health　in　somebody
else's　house。　The　written　testimonial　which　afforded　this　glimpse
at　the　man's　story　served　one　purpose　more：　it　connected　him　with
the　initials　on　the　books；　and　identified　him　to　the　magistrate
and　the　landlord　under　the　strangely　uncouth　name　of　Ozias
Midwinter。

Mr。　Brock　laid　aside　the　testimonial；　suspecting　that　the
schoolmaster　had　purposely　abstained　from　writing　his　address　on
it；　with　the　view　of　escaping　all　responsibility　in　the　event　of
his　usher's　death。　In　any　case；　it　was　manifestly　useless；　under
existing　circumstances；　to　think　of　tracing　the　poor　wretch's
friends；　if　friends　he　had。　To　the　inn　he　had　been　brought；　and；
as　a　matter　of　common　humanity；　at　the　inn　he　must　remain　for　the
present。　The　difficulty　about　expenses；　if　it　came　to　the　worst；
might　possibly　be　met　by　charitable　contributions　from　the
neighbors；　or　by　a　collection　after　a　sermon　at　church。　Assuring
the　landlord　that　he　would　consider　this　part　of　the　question　and
would　let　him　know　the　result；　Mr。　Brock　quitted　the　inn；　without
noticing　for　the　moment　that　he　had　left　Allan　there　behind　him。

Before　he　had　got　fifty　yards　from　the　house　his　pupil　overtook
him。　Allan　had　been　most　uncharacteristically　silent　and　serious
all　through　the　search　at　the　inn；　but　he　had　now　recovered　his
usual　high　spirits　A　stranger　would　have　set　him　down　as　wanting
in　common　feeling。

〃This　is　a　sad　business；〃　said　the　rector。　〃I　really　don't　know
what　to　do　for　the　best　about　that　unfortunate　man。〃

〃You　may　make　your　mind　quite　easy；　sir；〃　said　young　Armadale；　in
his　off…hand　way。　〃I　settled　it　all　with　the　landlord　a　minute
ago。〃

〃You！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Brock；　in　the　utmost　astonishment。

〃I　have　merely　given　a　few　simple　directions；〃　pursued　Allan。
〃Our　friend　the　usher　is　to　have　everything　he　requires；　and　is
to　be　treated　like　a　prince；　and　when　the　doctor　and　the　landlord
want　their　money　they　are　to　come　to　me。〃

〃My　dear　Allan；〃　Mr。　Brock　gently　remonstrated；　〃when　will　you
learn　to　think　before　you　act　on　those　generous　impulses　of
yours？　You　are　spending　more　money　already　on　your　yacht…building
than　you　can　afford〃

〃Only　think！　we　laid　the　first　planks