armadale-第53章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


with　your　cottage。　There's　my　meaning；　all　in　the　wrong　words。　Do
go　on；　Miss　Milroy；　pray　go　on！〃

She　smiled　and　hesitated。　〃I　don't　exactly　remember　where　I　was；〃
she　replied；　〃I　only　remember　I　had　something　I　wanted　to　tell
you。　This　comes；　Mr。　Armadale；　of　my　taking　your　arm。　I　should
get　on　so　much　better；　if　you　would　only　consent　to　walk
separately。　You　won't？　Well；　then；　will　you　tell　me　what　it　was　I
wanted　to　say？　Where　was　I　before　I　went　wandering　off　to　papa's
troubles　and　papa's　clock？〃

〃At　school！〃　replied　Allan；　with　a　prodigious　effort　of　memory。

〃_Not_　at　school；　you　mean；〃　said　Miss　Milroy；　〃and　all　through
_you。_　Now　I　can　go　on　again；　which　is　a　great　comfort。　I　am
quite　serious；　Mr。　Armadale；　in　saying　that　I　should　have　been
sent　to　school；　if　you　had　said　No　when　papa　proposed　for　the
cottage。　This　is　how　it　happened。　When　we　began　moving　in；　Mrs。
Blanchard　sent　us　a　most　kind　message　from　the　great　house　to　say
that　her　servants　were　at　our　disposal；　if　we　wanted　any
assistance。　The　least　papa　and　I　could　do；　after　that；　was　to
call　and　thank　her。　We　saw　Mrs。　Blanchard　and　Miss　Blanchard。
Mistress　was　charming；　and　miss　looked　perfectly　lovely　in　her
mourning。　I'm　sure　you　admire　her？　She's　tall　and　pale　and
gracefulquite　your　idea　of　beauty；　I　should　think？〃

〃Nothing　like　it；〃　began　Allan。　〃My　idea　of　beauty　at　the　present
moment〃

Miss　Milroy　felt　it　coming；　and　instantly　took　her　hand　off　his
arm。

〃I　mean　I　have　never　seen　either　Mrs。　Blanchard　or　her　niece；〃
added　Allan；　precipitately　correcting　himself。

Miss　Milroy　tempered　justice　with　mercy；　and　put　her　hand　back
again。

〃How　extraordinary　that　you　should　never　have　seen　them！〃　she
went　on。　〃Why；　you　are　a　perfect　stranger　to　everything　and
everybody　at　Thorpe　Ambrose！　Well；　after　Miss　Blanchard　and　I　had
sat　and　talked　a　little　while；　I　heard　my　name　on　Mrs。
Blanchard's　lips　and　instantly　held　my　breath。　She　was　asking
papa　if　I　had　finished　my　education。　Out　came　papa's　great
grievance　directly。　My　old　governess；　you　must　know；　left　us　to
be　married　just　before　we　came　here；　and　none　of　our　friends
could　produce　a　new　one　whose　terms　were　reasonable。　'I'm　told；
Mrs。　Blanchard；　by　people　who　understand　it　better　than　I　do；'
says　papa；　'that　advertising　is　a　risk。　It　all　falls　on　me；　in
Mrs。　Milroy's　state　of　health；　and　I　suppose　I　must　end　in
sending　my　little　girl　to　school。　Do　you　happen　to　know　of　a
school　within　the　means　of　a　poor　man？'　Mrs。　Blanchard　shook　her
head；　I　could　have　kissed　her　on　the　spot　for　doing　it。　'All　my
experience；　Major　Milroy；'　says　this　perfect　angel　of　a　woman；
'is　in　favor　of　advertising。　My　niece's　governess　was　originally
obtained　by　an　advertisement；　and　you　may　imagine　her　value　to　us
when　I　tell　you　she　lived　in　our　family　for　more　than　ten　years。'
I　could　have　gone　down　on　both　my　knees　and　worshipped　Mrs。
Blanchard　then　and　there；　and　I　only　wonder　I　didn't！　Papa　was
struck　at　the　timeI　could　see　thatand　he　referred　to　it　again
on　the　way　home。　'Though　I　have　been　long　out　of　the　world；　my
dear；'　says　papa；　'I　know　a　highly…bred　woman　and　a　sensible
woman　when　I　see　her。　Mrs。　Blanchard's　experience　puts
advertising　in　a　new　light；　I　must　think　about　it。'　He　has
thought　about　it；　and　（though　he　hasn't　openly　confessed　it　to
me）　I　know　that　he　decided　to　advertise；　no　later　than　last
night。　So；　if　papa　thanks　you　for　letting　the　cottage；　Mr。
Armadale；　I　thank　you；　too。　But　for　you；　we　should　never　have
known　darling　Mrs。　Blanchard；　and　but　for　darling　Mrs。　Blanchard；
I　should　have　been　sent　to　school。〃

Before　Allan　could　reply；　they　turned　the　corner　of　the
plantation；　and　came　in　sight　of　the　cottage。　Description　of　it
is　needless；　the　civilized　universe　knows　it　already。　It　was　the
typical　cottage　of　the　drawing…master's　early　lessons　in　neat
shading　and　the　broad　pencil　touchwith　the　trim　thatch；　the
luxuriant　creepers；　the　modest　lattice…windows；　the　rustic　porch；
and　the　wicker　bird…cage；　all　complete。

〃Isn't　it　lovely？〃　said　Miss　Milroy。　〃Do　come　in！〃

〃May　I？〃　asked　Allan。　〃Won't　the　major　think　it　too　early？〃

〃Early　or　late；　I　am　sure　papa　will　be　only　too　glad　to　see　you。〃

She　led　the　way　briskly　up　the　garden　path；　and　opened　the　parlor
door。　As　Allan　followed　her　into　the　little　room；　he　saw；　at　the
further　end　of　it；　a　gentleman　sitting　alone　at　an　old…fashioned
writing…table；　with　his　back　turned　to　his　visitor。

〃Papa！　a　surprise　for　you！〃　said　Miss　Milroy；　rousing　him　from
his　occupation。　〃Mr。　Armadale　has　come　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　I
have　brought　him　here　to　see　you。〃

The　major　started；　rose；　bewildered　for　the　moment；　recovered
himself　immediately；　and　advanced　to　welcome　his　young　landlord；
with　hospitable；　outstretched　hand。

A　man　with　a　larger　experience　of　the　world　and　a　finer
observation　of　humanity　than　Allan　possessed　would　have　seen　the
story　of　Major　Milroy's　life　written　in　Major　Milroy's　face。　The
home　troubles　that　had　struck　him　were　plainly　betrayed　in　his
stooping　figure　and　his　wan；　deeply　wrinkled　cheeks；　when　he
first　showed　himself　on　rising　from　his　chair。　The　changeless
influence　of　one　monotonous　pursuit　and　one　monotonous　habit　of
thought　was　next　expressed　in　the　dull；　dreamy　self…absorption　of
his　manner　and　his　look　while　his　daughter　was　speaking　to　him。
The　moment　after；　when　he　had　roused　himself　to　welcome　his
guest；　was　the　moment　which　made　the　self…revelation　complete。
Then　there　flickered　in　the　major's　weary　eyes　a　faint　reflection
of　the　spirit　of　his　happier　youth。　Then　there　passed　over　the
major's　dull　and　dreamy　manner　a　change　which　told　unmistakably
of　social　graces　and　accomplishments；　learned　at　some　past　time
in　no　ignoble　social　school；　a　man　who　had　long　since　taken　his
patient　refuge　from　trouble　in　his　own　mechanical　pursuit；　a　man
only　roused　at　intervals　to　know　himself　again　for　what　he　once
had　been。　So　revealed　to　all　eyes　that　could　read　him　aright；
Major　Milroy　now　stood　before　Allan；　on　the　first　morning　of　an
acquaintance　which　was　destined　to　be　an　event　in　Allan's　life。

〃I　am　heartily　glad　to　see　you；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　he　said；　speaking
in　the　changeless　quiet；　subdued　tone　peculiar　to　most　men　whose
occupations　are　of　the　solitary　and　monotonous　kind。　〃You　have
done　me　one　favor　already　by　taking　me　as　your　tenant；　and　you
now　do　me　another　by　paying　this　friendly　visit。　If　you　have　not
breakfasted　already；　let　me　waive　all　ceremony　on　my　side；　and
ask　you　to　take　your　place　at　our　little　table。〃

〃With　the　greatest　pleasure；　Major　Milroy；　if　I　am　not　in　the
way；〃　replied　Allan；　delighted　at　his　reception。　〃I　was　sorry　to
hear　from　Miss　Milroy　that　Mrs。　Milroy　is　an　invalid。　Perhaps　my
being　here　unexpectedly；　perhaps　the　sight　of　a　strange　face〃

〃I　understand　your　hesitation；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　major；
〃but　it　is　quite　unnecessary。　Mrs。　Milroy's　illness　keeps　her
entirely　confined　to　her　own　room。Have　we　got　everything　we
want　on　the　table；　my　love？〃　he　went　on；　changing　the　subject　so
abruptly　that　a　closer　observer　than　Allan　might　have　suspected
it　was　distasteful　to　him。　〃Will　you　come　and　make　tea？〃

Miss　Milroy's　attention　appeared　to　be　already　pre…engaged；　she
made　no　reply。　While　her　father　and　Allan　had　been　exchanging
civilities；　she　had　been　putting　the　writing…table
　in　order；　and　examining　the　various　objects　scattered　on　it　with
the　unrestrained　curiosity　of　a　spoiled　child。　The　moment　after
the　major　had　spoken　to　her；　she　discovered　a　morsel　of　paper
hidden　between　the　leaves　of　the　blotting…book；　snatched　it　up；
looked　at　it；　and　turned　round　instantly；　with　an　exclamation　of
surprise。

〃Do　my　eyes　deceive　me；　papa？〃　she　asked。　〃Or　were　you　really　and
truly　writing　the　advertisement　when　I　came　in？〃

〃I　had　just　finished　it；〃　replied　her　father。　〃But；　my　dear；　Mr。
Armadale　is　herewe　are　waiting　for　breakfast。〃

〃Mr。　Armadale　knows　all　about　it；〃　rejoined　Miss　Milroy。　〃I　told
him　in　the　garden。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Allan。　〃Pray；　don't　make　a　stranger　of　me；　major！
If　it's　about　the　governess；　I've　got　something　（in　an　indirect
sort　of　way）　to　do　wit