armadale-第50章

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people　who　want　governesses；　and　who　will　give　them　addresses　in
London　as　well。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　our　luck　helps　us；　and　he
refers　his　correspondents　to　a　shop；　post…office；　or　what　not　_at
Thorpe　Ambrose；_　there　we　have　our　advertiser　as　plainly　picked
out　for　us　as　we　can　wish。　In　this　last　case；　I　have　little　or　no
doubtwith　me　for　your　referenceof　your　finding　your　way　into
the　major's　family　circle。　We　have　one　great　advantage　over　the
other　women　who　will　answer　the　advertisement。　Thanks　to　my
inquiries　on　the　spot；　I　know　Major　Milroy　to　be　a　poor　man；　and
we　will　fix　the　salary　you　ask　at　a　figure　that　is　sure　to　tempt
him。　As　for　the　style　of　the　letter；　if　you　and　I　together　can't
write　a　modest　and　interesting　application　for　the　vacant　place；
I　should　like　to　know　who　can？

〃All　this；　however；　is　still　in　the　future。　For　the　present　my
advice　is；　stay　where　you　are；　and　dream　to　your　heart's　content；
till　you　hear　from　me　again。　I　take　in　_The　Times_　regularly；　and
you　may　trust　my　wary　eye　not　to　miss　the　right　advertisement。　We
can　luckily　give　the　major　time；　without　doing　any　injury　to　our
own　interests；　for　there　is　no　fear　just　yet　of　the　girl's
getting　the　start　of　you。　The　public　reception；　as　we　know；　won't
be　ready　till　near　the　end　of　the　month；　and　we　may　safely　trust
young　Armadale's　vanity　to　keep　him　out　of　his　new　house　until
his　flatterers　are　all　assembled　to　welcome　him。

〃It's　odd；　isn't　it；　to　think　how　much　depends　on　this　half…pay
officer's　decision？　For　my　part；　I　shall　wake　every　morning　now
with　the　same　question　in　my　mind：　If　the　major's　advertisment
appears；　which　will　the　major　sayThorpe　Ambrose；　or　London？

〃Ever；　my　dear　Lydia；　affectionately　yours；

〃MARIA　OLDERSHAW。〃


CHAPTER　II。

ALLAN　AS　A　LANDED　GENTLEMAN。

EARLY　on　the　morning　after　his　first　night's　rest　at　Thorpe
Ambrose；　Allan　rose　and　surveyed　the　prospect　from　his　bedroom
window；　lost　in　the　dense　mental　bewilderment　of　feeling　himself
to　be　a　stranger　in　his　own　house。

The　bedroom　looked　out　over　the　great　front　door；　with　its
portico；　its　terrace　and　flight　of　steps　beyond；　and；　further
still；　the　broad　sweep　of　the　well…timbered　park　to　close　the
view。　The　morning　mist　nestled　lightly　about　the　distant　trees；
and　the　cows　were　feeding　sociably；　close　to　the　iron　fence　which
railed　off　the　park　from　the　drive　in　front　of　the　house。　〃All
mine！〃　thought　Allan；　staring　in　blank　amazement　at　the　prospect
of　his　own　possessions。　〃Hang　me　if　I　can　beat　it　into　my　head
yet。　All　mine！〃

He　dressed；　left　his　room；　and　walked　along　the　corridor　which
led　to　the　staircase　and　hall；　opening　the　doors　in　succession　as
he　passed　them。

The　rooms　in　this　part　of　the　house　were　bedrooms　and
dressing…rooms；　light；　spacious；　perfectly　furnished；　and　all
empty；　except　the　one　bed…chamber　next　to　Allan's；　which　had　been
appropriated　to　Midwinter。　He　was　still　sleeping　when　his　friend
looked　in　on　him；　having　sat　late　into　the　night　writing　his
letter　to　Mr。　Brock。　Allan　went　on　to　the　end　of　the　first
corridor；　turned　at　right　angles　into　a　second；　and；　that　passed；
gained　the　head　of　the　great　staircase。　〃No　romance　here；〃　he
said　to　himself；　looking　down　the　handsomely　carpeted　stone
stairs　into　the　bright　modern　hall。　〃Nothing　to　startle
Midwinter's　fidgety　nerves　in　this　house。〃　There　was　nothing；
indeed；　Allan's　essentially　superficial　observation　had　not
misled　him　for　once。　The　mansion　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　（built　after
the　pulling　down　of　the　dilapidated　old　manor…house）　was　barely
fifty　years　old。　Nothing　picturesque；　nothing　in　the　slightest
degree　suggestive　of　mystery　and　romance；　appeared　in　any　part　of
it。　It　was　a　purely　conventional　country　housethe　product　of
the　classical　idea　filtered　judiciously　through　the　commercial
English　mind。　Viewed　on　the　outer　side；　it　presented　the
spectacle　of　a　modern　manufactory　trying　to　look　like　an　ancient
temple。　Viewed　on　the　inner　side；　it　was　a　marvel　of　luxurious
comfort　in　every　part　of　it；　from　basement　to　roof。　〃And　quite
right；　too；〃　thought　Allan；　sauntering　contentedly　down　the
broad；　gently　graduated　stairs。　〃Deuce　take　all　mystery　and
romance！　Let's　be　clean　and　comfortable；　that's　what　I　say。〃

Arrived　in　the　hall；　the　new　master　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　hesitated；
and　looked　about　him；　uncertain　which　way　to　turn　next。

The　four　reception…rooms　on　the　ground…floor　opened　into　the
hall；　two　on　either　side。　Allan　tried　the　nearest　door　on　his
right　hand　at　a　venture；　and　found　himself　in　the　drawing…room。
Here　the　first　sign　of　life　appeared；　under　life's　most
attractive　form。　A　young　girl　was　in　solitary　possession　of　the
drawing…room。　The　duster　in　her　hand　appeared　to　associate　her
with　the　domestic　duties　of　the　house；　but　at　that　particular
moment　she　was　occupied　in　asserting　the　rights　of　nature　over
the　obligations　of　service。　In　other　words；　she　was　attentively
contemplating　her　own　face　in　the　glass　over　the　mantelpiece。

〃There！　there！　don't　let　me　frighten　you；〃　said　Allan；　as　the
girl　started　away　from　the　glass；　and　stared　at　him　in
unutterable　confusion。　〃I　quite　agree　with　you；　my　dear；　your
face　is　well　worth　looking　at。　Who　are　you？　Oh；　the　housemaid。
And　what's　your　name？　Susan；　eh？　Come！　I　like　your　name；　to　begin
with。　Do　you　know　who　I　am；　Susan？　I'm　your　master；　though　you
may　not　think　it。　Your　character？　Oh；　yes！　Mrs。　Blanchard　gave
you　a　capital　character。　You　shall　stop　here；　don't　be　afraid。
And　you'll　be　a　good　girl；　Susan；　and　wear　smart　little　caps　and
aprons　and　bright　ribbons；　and　you'll　look　nice　and　pretty；　and
dust　the　furniture；　won't　you？〃　With　this　summary　of　a
housemaid's　duties；　Allan　sauntered　back　into　the　hall；　and　found
more　signs　of　life　in　that　quarter。　A　man…servant　appeared　on
this　occasion；　and　bowed；　as　became　a　vassal　in　a　linen　jacket；
before　his　liege　lord　in　a　wide…awake　hat。

〃And　who　may　you　be？〃　asked　Allan。　〃Not　the　man　who　let　us　in
last　night？　Ah；　I　thought　not。　The　second　footman；　eh？　Character？
Oh；　yes；　capital　character。　Stop　here；　of　course。　You　can　valet
me；　can　you？　Bother　valeting　me！　I　like　to　put　on　my　own　clothes；
and　brush　them；　too；　when　they　_are_　on；　and；　if　I　only　knew　how
to　black　my　own　boots；　by　George；　I　should　like　to　do　it！　What
room's　this？　Morning…room；　eh？　And　here's　the　dining…room；　of
course。　Good　heavens；　what　a　table！　it's　as　long　as　my　yacht；　and
longer。　I　say；　by…the…by；　what's　your　name？　Richard；　is　it？　Well；
Richard；　the　vessel　I　sail　in　is　a　vessel　of　my　own　building？
What　do　you　think　of　that？　You　look　to　me　just　the　right　sort　of
man　to　be　my　steward　on　board。　If　you're　not　sick　at　seaoh；　you
_are_　sick　at　sea？　Well；　then；　we'll　say　nothing　more　about　it。
And　what　room　is　this？　Ah；　yes；　the　library；　of　coursemore　in
Mr。　Midwinter's　way　than　mine。　Mr。　Midwinter　is　the　gentleman　who
came　here　with　me　last　night；　and　mind　this；　Richard；　you're　al　l
to　show　him　as　much　attention　as　you　show　me。　Where　are　we　now？
What's　this　door　at　the　back？　Billiard…room　and　smoking…room；　eh？
Jolly。　Another　door！　and　more　stairs！　Where　do　they　go　to？　and
who's　this　coming　up？　Take　your　time；　ma'am；　you're　not　quite　so
young　as　you　were　oncetake　your　time。〃

The　object　of　Allan's　humane　caution　was　a　corpulent　elderly
woman　of　the　type　called　〃motherly。〃　Fourteen　stairs　were　all
that　separated　her　from　the　master　of　the　house；　she　ascended
them　with　fourteen　stoppages　and　fourteen　sighs。　Nature；　various
in　all　things；　is　infinitely　various　in　the　female　sex。　There　are
some　women　whose　personal　qualities　reveal　the　Loves　and　the
Graces；　and　there　are　other　women　whose　personal　qualities
suggest　the　Perquisites　and　the　Grease　Pot。　This　was　one　of　the
other　women。

〃Glad　to　see　you　looking　so　well；　ma'am；〃　said　Allan；　when　the
cook；　in　the　majesty　of　her　office；　stood　proclaimed　before　him。
〃Your　name　is　Gripper；　is　it？　I　consider　you；　Mrs。　Gripper；　the
most　valuable　person　in　the　house。　For　this　reason；　that　nobody
in　the　house　eats　a　heartier　dinner　every　day　than　I　do。
Directions？　Oh；　no；　I've　no　directions　to　give。　I　leave　all　that
to　you。　Lots　of　strong　soup；　and