armadale-第17章

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yours？　You　are　spending　more　money　already　on　your　yacht…building
than　you　can　afford〃

〃Only　think！　we　laid　the　first　planks　of　the　deck　the　day　before
yesterday；〃　said　Allan；　flying　off　to　the　new　subject　in　his
usual　bird…witted　way。　〃There's　just　enough　of　it　done　to　walk
on；　if　you　don't　feel　giddy。　I'll　help　you　up　the　ladder；　Mr。
Brock；　if　you'll　only　come　and　try。〃

〃Listen　to　me；〃　persisted　the　rector。　〃I'm　not　talking　about　the
yacht　now；　that　is　to　say；　I　am　only　referring　to　the　yacht　as
all　illustration〃

〃And　a　very　pretty　illustration；　too；〃　remarked　the　incorrigible
Allan。　〃Find　me　a　smarter　little　vessel　of　her　size　in　all
England；　and　I'll　give　up　yacht…building　to…morrow。　Whereabouts
were　we　in　our　conversation；　sir？　I'm　rather　afraid　we　have　lost
ourselves　somehow。〃

〃I　am　rather　afraid　one　of　us　is　in　the　habit　of　losing　himself
every　time　he　opens　his　lips；〃　retorted　Mr。　Brock。　〃Come；　come；
Allan；　this　is　serious。　You　have　been　rendering　yourself　liable
for　expenses　which　you　may　not　be　able　to　pay。　Mind；　I　am　far
from　blaming　you　for　your　kind　feeling　toward　this　poor
friendless　man〃

〃Don't　be　low…spirited　about　him；　sir。　He'll　get　over　ithe'll
be　all　right　again　in　a　week　or　so。　A　capital　fellow；　I　have　not
the　least　doubt！〃　continued　Allan；　whose　habit　it　was　to　believe
in　everybody　and　to　despair　of　nothing。　〃Suppose　you　ask　him　to
dinner　when　he　gets　well；　Mr。　Brock？　I　should　like　to　find　out
（when　we　are　all　three　snug　and　friendly　together　over　our　wine；
you　know）　how　he　came　by　that　extraordinary　name　of　his。　Ozias
Midwinter！　Upon　my　life；　his　father　ought　to　be　ashamed　of
himself。〃

〃Will　you　answer　me　one　question　before　I　go　in？〃　said　the
rector；　stopping　in　despair　at　his　own　gate。　〃This　man's　bill　for
lodging　and　medical　attendance　may　mount　to　twenty　or　thirty
pounds　before　he　gets　well　again；　if　he　ever　does　get　well。　How
are　you　to　pay　for　it？〃

〃What's　that　the　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer　says　when　he　finds
himself　in　a　mess　with　his　accounts；　and　doesn't　see　his　way　out
again？〃　asked
　Allan。　〃He　always　tells　his　honorable　friend　he　is　quite　willing
to　leave　a　something　or　other〃

〃A　margin？〃　suggested　Mr。　Brock。

〃That's　it；〃　said　Allan。　〃I'm　like　the　Chancellor　of　the
Exchequer。　I'm　quite　willing　to　leave　a　margin。　The　yacht　（bless
her　heart！）　doesn't　eat　up　everything。　If　I'm　short　by　a　pound　or
two；　don't　be　afraid；　sir。　There's　no　pride　about　me；　I'll　go
round　with　the　hat；　and　get　the　balance　in　the　neighborhood。
Deuce　take　the　pounds；　shillings；　and　pence！　I　wish　they　could
all　three　get　rid　of　themselves；　like　the　Bedouin　brothers　at　the
show。　Don't　you　remember　the　Bedouin　brothers；　Mr。　Brock？　'Ali
will　take　a　lighted　torch；　and　jump　down　the　throat　of　his
brother　Muli；　Muli　will　take　a　lighted　torch；　and　jump　down　the
throat　of　his　brother　Hassan；　and　Hassan；　taking　a　third　lighted
torch；　will　conclude　the　performances　by　jumping　down　his　own
throat；　and　leaving　the　spectators　in　total　darkness。'
Wonderfully　good；　thatwhat　I　call　real　wit；　with　a　fine　strong
flavor　about　it。　Wait　a　minute！　Where　are　we？　We　have　lost
ourselves　again。　Oh；　I　remembermoney。　What　I　can't　beat　into　my
thick　head；〃　concluded　Allan；　quite　unconscious　that　he　was
preaching　socialist　doctrines　to　a　clergyman；　〃is　the　meaning　of
the　fuss　that's　made　about　giving　money　away。　Why　can't　the
people　who　have　got　money　to　spare　give　it　to　the　people　who
haven't　got　money　to　spare；　and　make　things　pleasant　and
comfortable　all　the　world　over　in　that　way？　You're　always　telling
me　to　cultivate　ideas；　Mr。　Brock　There's　an　idea；　and；　upon　my
life；　I　don't　think　it's　a　bad　one。〃

Mr。　Brock　gave　his　pupil　a　good…humored　poke　with　the　end　of　his
stick。　〃Go　back　to　your　yacht；〃　he　said。　〃All　the　little
discretion　you　have　got　in　that　flighty　head　of　yours　is　left　on
board　in　your　tool…chest。　How　that　lad　will　end；〃　pursued　the
rector；　when　he　was　left　by　himself；　〃is　more　than　any　human
being　can　say。　I　almost　wish　I　had　never　taken　the　responsibility
of　him　on　my　shoulders。〃

Three　weeks　passed　before　the　stranger　with　the　uncouth　name　was
pronounced　to　be　at　last　on　the　way　to　recovery。

During　this　period　Allan　had　made　regular　inquiries　at　the　inn；
and；　as　soon　as　the　sick　man　was　allowed　to　see　visitors；　Allan
was　the　first　who　appeared　at　his　bedside。　So　far　Mr。　Brock's
pupil　had　shown　no　more　than　a　natural　interest　in　one　of　the　few
romantic　circumstances　which　had　varied　the　monotony　of　the
village　life：　he　had　committed　no　imprudence；　and　he　had　exposed
himself　to　no　blame。　But　as　the　days　passed；　young　Armadale's
visits　to　the　inn　began　to　lengthen　considerably；　and　the　surgeon
（a　cautious　elderly　man）　gave　the　rector　a　private　hint　to　bestir
himself。　Mr。　Brock　acted　on　the　hint　immediately；　and　discovered
that　Allan　had　followed　his　usual　impulses　in　his　usual　headlong
way。　He　had　taken　a　violent　fancy　to　the　castaway　usher　and　had
invited　Ozias　Midwinter　to　reside　permanently　in　the　neighborhood
in　the　new　and　interesting　character　of　his　bosom　friend。

Before　Mr。　Brock　could　make　up　his　mind　how　to　act　in　this
emergency；　he　received　a　note　from　Allan's　mother；　begging　him　to
use　his　privilege　as　an　old　friend；　and　to　pay　her　a　visit　in　her
room。

He　found　Mrs。　Armadale　suffering　under　violent　nervous　agitation；
caused　entirely　by　a　recent　interview　with　her　son。　Allan　had
been　sitting　with　her　all　the　morning；　and　had　talked　of　nothing
but　his　new　friend。　The　man　with　the　horrible　name　（as　poor　Mrs。
Armadale　described　him）　had　questioned　Allan；　in　a　singularly
inquisitive　manner；　on　the　subject　of　himself　and　his　family；　but
had　kept　his　own　personal　history　entirely　in　the　dark。　At　some
former　period　of　his　life　he　had　been　accustomed　to　the　sea　and
to　sailing。　Allan　had；　unfortunately；　found　this　out；　and　a　bond
of　union　between　them　was　formed　on　the　spot。　With　a　merciless
distrust　of　the　strangersimply　_because_　he　was　a
strangerwhich　appeared　rather　unreasonable　to　Mr。　Brock；　Mrs。
Armadale　besought　the　rector　to　go　to　the　inn　without　a　moment's
loss　of　time；　and　never　to　rest　until　he　had　made　the　man　give　a
proper　account　of　himself。　〃Find　out　everything　about　his　father
and　mother！〃　she　said；　in　her　vehement　female　way。　〃Make　sure
before　you　leave　him　that　he　is　not　a　vagabond　roaming　the
country　under　an　assumed　name。〃

〃My　dear　lady；〃　remonstrated　the　rector；　obediently　taking　his
hat；　〃whatever　else　we　may　doubt；　I　really　think　we　may　feel　sure
about　the　man's　name！　It　is　so　remarkably　ugly　that　it　must　be
genuine。　No　sane　human　being　would　_assume_　such　a　name　as　Ozias
Midwinter。〃

〃You　may　be　quite　right；　and　I　may　be　quite　wrong；　but　pray　go
and　see　him；〃　persisted　Mrs。　Armadale。　〃Go；　and　don't　spare　him；
Mr。　Brock。　How　do　we　know　that　this　illness　of　his　may　not　have
been　put　on　for　a　purpose？〃

It　was　useless　to　reason　with　her。　The　whole　College　of
Physicians　might　have　certified　to　the　man's　illness；　and；　in　her
present　frame　of　mind；　Mrs。　Armadale　would　have　disbelieved　the
College；　one　and　all；　from　the　president　downward。　Mr。　Brock　took
the　wise　way　out　of　the　difficultyhe　said　no　more；　and　he　set
off　for　the　inn　immediately。

Ozias　Midwinter；　recovering　from　brain…fever；　was　a　startling
object　to　contemplate　on　a　first　view　of　him。　His　shaven　head；
tied　up　in　an　old　yellow　silk　handkerchief；　his　tawny；　haggard
cheeks；　his　bright　brown　eyes；　preternaturally　large　and　wild；
his　rough　black　beard；　his　long；　supple；　sinewy　fingers；　wasted
by　suffering　till　they　looked　like　clawsall　tended　to
discompose　the　rector　at　the　outset　of　the　interview。　When　the
first　feeling　of　surprise　had　worn　off；　the　impression　that
followed　it　was　not　an　agreeable　one。　Mr。　Brock　could　not　conceal
from　himself　that　the　stranger's　manner　was　against　him。　The
general　opinion　has　settled　that；　if　a　man　is　honest；　he　is　bound
to　assert　it　by　looking　straight　at　his　fellow…creatures　when　he
speaks　to　them。　If　this　man　was　honest；　his　eyes　showed　a
singular　perversity　in　looking　away　and　denying　it。　Possibly　they
were　affected　in　some　degree　by　a　nervous　restlessness　in