armadale-第32章

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Mr。　Brock　pointed　to　the　match…box。　In　another　moment　the
confession　was　in　flames。　When　the　fire　had　consumed　the　last
morsel　of　paper；　Midwinter　drew　a　deep　breath　of　relief。

〃I　may　say；　like　Macbeth：　'Why；　so；　being　gone；　I　am　a　man
again！'　〃　he　broke　out　with　a　feverish　gayety。　〃You　look
fatigued；　sir；　and　no　wonder；〃　he　added；　in　a　lower　tone。　〃I　have
kept　you　too　long　from　your　restI　will　keep　you　no　longer。
Depend　on　my　remembering　what　you　have　told　me；　depend　on　my
standing　between　Allan　and　any　enemy；　man　or　woman；　who　comes
near　him。　Thank　you；　Mr。　Brock；　a　thousand　thousand　times；　thank
you！　I　came　into　this　room　the　most　wretched　of　living　men；　I　can
leave　it　now　as　happy　as　the　birds　that　are　singing　outside！〃

As　he　turned　to　the　door；　the　rays　of　the　rising　sun　streamed
through　the　window；　and　touched　the　heap　of　ashes　lying　black　in
the　black　fireplace。　The　sensitive　imagination　of　Midwinter
kindled　instantly　at　the　sight。

〃Look！〃　he　said；　joyously。　〃The　promise　of　the　Future　shining
over　the　ashes　of　the　Past！〃

An　inexplicable　pity　for　the　man；　at　the　moment　of　his　life　when
he　needed　pity　least；　stole　over　the　rector's　heart　when　the　door
had　closed；　and　he　was　left　by　himself　again。

〃Poor　fellow！　〃　he　said；　with　an　uneasy　surprise　at　his　own
compassionate　impulse。　〃Poor　fellow！〃

CHAPTER　III。

DAY　AND　NIGHT

THE　morning　hours　had　passed；　the　noon　had　come　and　gone；　and　Mr。
Brock　had　started　on　the　first　stage　of　his　journey　home。

After　parting　from　the　rector　in　Douglas　Harbor；　the　two　young
men　had　returned　to　Castletown；　and　had　there　separated　at　the
hotel　door；　Allan　walking　down　to　the　waterside　to　look　after　his
yacht；　and　Midwinter　entering　the　house　to　get　the　rest　that　he
needed　after　a　sleepless　night。

He　darkened　his　room；　he　closed　his　eyes；　but　no　sleep　came　to
him。　On　this　first　day　of　the　rector's　absence；　his　sensitive
nature　extravagantly　exaggerated　the　responsibility　which　he　now
held　in　trust　for　Mr。　Brock。　A　nervous　dread　of　leaving　Allan　by
himself；　even　for　a　few　hours　only；　kept　him　waking　and　doubting；
until　it　became　a　relief　rather　than　a　hardship　to　rise　from　the
bed　again；　and；　following　in　Allan's　footsteps；　to　take　the　way
to　the　waterside　which　led　to　the　yacht。

The　repairs　of　the　little　vessel　were　nearly　completed。　It　was　a
breezy；　cheerful　day；　the　land　was　bright；　the　water　was　blue；
the　quick　waves　leaped　crisply　in　the　sunshine；　the　men　were
singing　at　their　work。　Descending　to　the　cabin；　Midwinter
discovered　his　friend　busily　occupied　in　attempting　to　set　the
place　to　rights。　Habitually　the　least　systematic　of　mortals；
Allan　now　and　then　awoke　to　an　overwhelming　sense　of　the
advantages　of　order；　and　on　such　occasions　a　perfect　frenzy　of
tidiness　possessed　him。　He　was　down　on　his　knees；　hotly　and
wildly　at　work；　when　Midwinter　looked　in　on　him；　and　was　fast
reducing　the　neat　little　world　of　the　cabin　to　its　original
elements　of　chaos；　with　a　misdirected　energy　wonderful　to　see。

〃Here's　a　mess！〃　said　Allan；　rising　composedly　on　the　horizon　of
his　own　accumulated　litter。　〃Do　you　know；　my　dear　fellow；　I　begin
to　wish　I　had　let　well　alone！〃

Midwinter　smiled；　and　came　to　his　friend's　assistance　with　the
natural　neat…handedness　of　a　sailor。

The　first　object　that　he　encountered　was　Allan's　dressing…case；
turned　upside　down；　with　half　the　contents　scattered　on　the
floor；　and　with　a　duster　and　a　hearth…broom　lying　among　them。
Replacing　the　various　objects　which　formed　the　furniture　of　the
dressing…case　one　by　one；　Midwinter　lighted　unexpectedly　on　a
miniature　portrait；　of　the　old…fashioned　oval　form；　primly　framed
in　a　setting　of　small　diamonds。

〃You　don't　seem　to　set　much　value　on　this；〃　he　said。　〃What　is
it？〃

Allan　bent　over　him；　and　looked　at　the　miniature。　〃It　belonged　to
my　mother；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I　set　the　greatest　value　on　it。　It
is　a　portrait　of　my　father。〃

Midwinter　put　the　miniature　abruptly；　into　Allan's　hands；　and
withdrew　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　cabin。

〃You　know　best　where　the　things　ought　to　be　put　in　your　own
dressing…case；〃　he　said；　keeping　his　back　turned　on　Allan。　〃I'll
m　ake　the　place　tidy　on　this　side　of　the　cabin；　and　you　shall
make　the　place　tidy　on　the　other。〃

He　began　setting　in　order　the　litter　scattered　about　him　on　the
cabin　table　and　on　the　floor。　But　it　seemed　as　if　fate　had
decided　that　his　friend's　personal　possessions　should　fall　into
his　hands　that　morning；　employ　them　where　he　might。　One　among　the
first　objects　which　he　took　up　was　Allan's　tobacco　jar；　with　the
stopper　missing；　and　with　a　letter　（which　appeared　by　the　bulk　of
it　to　contain　inclosures）　crumpled　into　the　mouth　of　the　jar　in
the　stopper's　place。

〃Did　you　know　that　you　had　put　this　here？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　the
letter　of　any　importance？〃

Allan　recognized　it　instantly。　It　was　the　first　of　the　little
series　of　letters　which　had　followed　the　cruising　party　to　the
Isle　of　Manthe　letter　which　young　Armadale　had　briefly　referred
to　as　bringing　him　〃more　worries　from　those　everlasting　lawyers；〃
and　had　then　dismissed　from　further　notice　as　recklessly　as
usual。

〃This　is　what　comes　of　being　particularly　careful；〃　said　Allan；
〃here　is　an　instance　of　my　extreme　thoughtfulness。　You　may　not
think　it　but　I　put　the　letter　there　on　purpose。　Every　time　I　went
to　the　jar；　you　know；　I　was　sure　to　see　the　letter；　and　every
time　I　saw　the　letter；　I　was　sure　to　say　to　myself；　'This　must　be
answered。'　There's　nothing　to　laugh　at；　it　was　a　perfectly
sensible　arrangement；　if　I　could　only　have　remembered　where　I　put
the　jar。　Suppose　I　tie　a　knot　in　my　pocket…handkerchief　this
time？　You　have　a　wonderful　memory；　my　dear　fellow。　Perhaps　you'll
remind　me　in　the　course　of　the　day；　in　case　I　forget　the　knot
next。〃

Midwinter　saw　his　first　chance；　since　Mr。　Brock's　departure；　of
usefully　filling　Mr。　Brock's　place。

〃Here　is　your　writing…case；〃　he　said；　〃why　not　answer　the　letter
at　once？　If　you　put　it　away　again；　you　may　forget　it　again。〃

〃Very　true；〃　returned　Allan。　〃But　the　worst　of　it　is；　I　can't
quite　make　up　my　mind　what　answer　to　write。　I　want　a　word　of
advice。　Come　and　sit　down　here；　and　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。〃

With　his　loud　boyish　laughechoed　by　Midwinter；　who　caught　the
infection　of　his　gayetyhe　swept　a　heap　of　miscellaneous
incumbrances　off　the　cabin　sofa；　and　made　room　for　his　friend　and
himself　to　take　their　places。　In　the　high　flow　of　youthful
spirits；　the　two　sat　down　to　their　trifling　consultation　over　a
letter　lost　in　a　tobacco　jar。　It　was　a　memorable　moment　to　both
of　them；　lightly　as　they　thought　of　it　at　the　time。　Before　they
had　risen　again　from　their　places；　they　had　taken　the　first
irrevocable　step　together　on　the　dark　and　tortuous　road　of　their
future　lives。

Reduced　to　plain　facts；　the　question　on　which　Allan　now　required
his　friend's　advice　may　be　stated　as　follows：

While　the　various　arrangements　connected　with　the　succession　to
Thorpe　Ambrose　were　in　progress　of　settlement；　and　while　the　new
possessor　of　the　estate　was　still　in　London；　a　question　had
necessarily　arisen　relating　to　the　person　who　should　be　appointed
to　manage　the　property。　The　steward　employed　by　the　Blanchard
family　had　written；　without　loss　of　time；　to　offer　his　services。
Although　a　perfectly　competent　and　trustworthy　man；　he　failed　to
find　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　new　proprietor。　Acting；　as　usual；
on　his　first　impulses；　and　resolved；　at　all　hazards；　to　install
Midwinter　as　a　permanent　inmate　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Allan　had
determined　that　the　steward's　place　was　the　place　exactly　fitted
for　his　friend；　for　the　simple　reason　that　it　would　necessarily
oblige　his　friend　to　live　with　him　on　the　estate。　He　had
accordingly　written　to　decline　the　proposal　made　to　him　without
consulting　Mr。　Brock；　whose　disapproval　he　had　good　reason　to
fear；　and　without　telling　Midwinter；　who　would　probably　（if　a
chance　were　allowed　him　of　choosing）　have　declined　taking　a
situation　which　his　previous　training　had　by　no　means　fitted　him
to　fill。

Further　correspondence　had　followed　this　decision；　and　had　raised
two　new　difficulties　which　looked　a　little　embarr