armadale-第54章

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If　it's　about　the　governess；　I've　got　something　（in　an　indirect
sort　of　way）　to　do　with　it　too。〃

Major　Milroy　smiled。　Before　he　could　answer；　his　daughter；　who
had　been　reading　the　advertisement；　appealed　to　him　eagerly；　for
the　second　time。

〃Oh；　papa；〃　she　said；　〃there's　one　thing　here　I　don't　like　at
all！　Why　do　you　put　grandmamma's　initials　at　the　end？　Why　do　you
tell　them　to　write　to　grandmamma's　house　in　London？〃

〃My　dear！　your　mother　can　do　nothing　in　this　matter；　as　you　know。
And　as　for　me　（even　if　I　went　to　London）；　questioning　strange
ladies　about　their　characters　and　accomplishments　is　the　last
thing　in　the　world　that　I　am　fit　to　do。　Your　grandmamma　is　on　the
spot；　and　your　grandmamma　is　the　proper　person　to　receive　the
letters；　and　to　make　all　the　necessary　inquires。〃

〃But　I　want　to　see　the　letters　myself；〃　persisted　the　spoiled
child。　〃Some　of　them　are　sure　to　be　amusing〃

〃I　don't　apologize　for　this　very　unceremonious　reception　of　you；
Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　major；　turning　to　Allan；　with　a　quaint
and　quiet　humor。　〃It　may　be　useful　as　a　warning；　if　you　ever
chance　to　marry　and　have　a　daughter；　not　to　begin；　as　I　have
done；　by　letting　her　have　her　own　way。〃

Allan　laughed；　and　Miss　Milroy　persisted。

〃Besides；〃　she　went　on；　〃I　should　like　to　help　in　choosing　which
letters　we　answer；　and　which　we　don't。　I　think　I　ought　to　have
some　voice　in　the　selection　of　my　own　governess。　Why　not　tell
them；　papa；　to　send　their　letters　down　hereto　the　post…office
or　the　stationer's；　or　anywhere　you　like？　When　you　and　I　have
read　them；　we　can　send　up　the　letters　we　prefer　to　grandmamma；
and　she　can　ask　all　the　questions；　and　pick　out　the　best
governess；　just　as　you　have　arranged　already；　without　leaving　ME
entirely　in　the　dark；　which　I　consider　（don't　you；　Mr。　Armadale？）
to　be　quite　inhuman。　Let　me　alter　the　address；　papa；　do；　there's
a　darling！〃

〃We　shall　get　no　breakfast；　Mr。　Armadale；　if　I　don't　say　Yes；〃
said　the　major　good…humoredly。　〃Do　as　you　like；　my　dear；〃　he
added；　turning　to　his　daughter。　〃As　long　as　it　ends　in　your
grandmamma's　managing　the　matter　for　us；　the　rest　is　of　very
little　consequence。〃

Miss　Milroy　took　up　her　father's　pen；　drew　it　through　the　last
line　of　the　advertisement；　and　wrote　the　altered　address　with　her
own　hand　as　follows：

〃_Apply；　by　letter；　to　M。；　Post…office；　Thorpe　Ambrose；
Norfolk。_〃

〃There！〃　she　said；　bustling　to　her　place　at　the　breakfast…table。
〃The　advertisement　may　go　to　London　now；　and；　if　a　governess
_does_　come　of　it；　oh；　papa；　who　in　the　name　of　wonder　will　she
be？Tea　or　coffee；　Mr。　Armadale？　I'm　really　ashamed　of　having
kept　you　waiting。　But　it　is　such　a　comfort；〃　she　added；　saucily；
〃to　get　all　one's　business　off　one's　mind　before　breakfast！〃

Father；　daughter；　and　guest　sat　down　together　sociably　at　the
little　round　table；　the　best　of　good　neighbors　and　good　friends
already。


Three　days　later；　one　of　the　London　newsboys　got　_his_　business
off　his　mind　before　breakfast。　His　district　was　Diana　Street；
Pimlico；　and　the　last　of　the　morning's　newspapers　which　he
disposed　of　was　the　newspaper　he　left　at　Mrs。　Oldershaw's　door。

CHAPTER　III。

THE　CLAIMS　OF　SOCIETY。

MORE　than　an　hour　after　Allan　had　set　forth　on　his　exploring
expedition　through　his　own　grounds；　Midwinter　rose；　and　enjoyed；
in　his　turn；　a　full　view　by　daylight　of　the　magnificence　of　the
new　house。

Refreshed　by　his　long　night's　rest；　he　descended　the　great
staircase　as　cheerfully　as　Allan　himself　One　after　another；　he；
too；　looked　into　the　spacious　rooms　on　the　ground　floor　in
breathless　astonishment　at　the　beauty　and　the　luxury　which
surrounded　him。　〃The　house　where　I　lived　in　service　when　I　was　a
boy；　was　a　fine　one；〃　he　thought；　gayly；　〃but　it　was　nothing　to
this！　I　wonder　if　Allan　is　as　surprised　and　delighted　as　I　am？〃
The　beauty　of　the　summer　morning　drew　him　out　through　the　open
hall　door；　as　it　had　drawn　his　friend　out　before　him。　He　ran
briskly　down　the　steps；　humming　the　burden　of　one　of　the　old
vagabond　tunes　which　he　had　danced　to　long　since　in　the　old
vagabond　time。　Even　the　memories　of　his　wretched　childhood　took
their　color；　on　that　happy　morning。　from　the　bright　medium
through　which　he　looked　back　at　them。　〃If　I　was　not　out　of
practice；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　as　he　leaned　on　the　fence　and
looked　over　at　the　park；　〃I　could　try　some　of　my　old　tumbling
tricks　on　that　delicious　grass。〃　He　turned；　noticed　two　of　the
servants　talking　together　near　the　shrubbery；　and　asked　for　news
of　the　master　of　the　house。

The　men　pointed　with　a　smile　in　the　direction　of　the　gardens；　Mr。
Armadale　had　gone　that　way　more　than　an　hour　since；　and　had　met
（as　had　been　reported）　with　Miss　Milroy　in　the　grounds。　Midwinter
followed　the　path　through　the　shrubbery；　but；　on　reaching　the
flower　garden；　stopped；　considered　a　little；　and　retraced　his
steps。　〃If　Allan　has　met　with　the　young　lady；〃　he　said　to
himself；　〃Allan　doesn't　want　me。〃　He　laughed　as　he　drew　that
inevitable　inference；　and　turned　considerately　to　explore　the
beauties　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　on　the　other　side　of　the　house。

Passing　the　angle　of　the　front　wall　of　the　building；　he　descended
some　steps；　advanced　along　a　paved　walk；　turned　another　angle；
and　found　himself　in　a　strip　of　garden　ground　at　the　back　of　the
house。

Behind　him　was　a　row　of　small　rooms　situated　on　the　level　of　the
servants'　offices。　In　front　of　him；　on　the　further　side　of　the
little　garden；　rose　a　wall；　screened　by　a　laurel　hedge；　and
having　a　door　at　one　end　of　it；　leading　past　the　stables　to　a
gate　that　opened　on　the　high…road。　Perceiving　that　he　had　only
discovered　thus　far　the　shorter　way　to　the　house；　used　by　the
servants　and　trades…people；　Midwinter　turned　back　again；　and
looked　in　at　the　window　of　one　of　the　rooms　on　the　basement　story
as　he　passed　it。　Were　these　the　servants'　offices？　No；　the
offices　were　apparently　in　some　other　part　of　the　ground…floor；
the　window　he　had　looked　in　at　was　the　window　of　a　lumber…room。
The　next　two　rooms　in　the　row　were　both　empty。　The　fourth　window；
when　he　approached　it；　presented　a　little　variety。　It　served　also
as　a　door；　and　it　stood　open　to　the　garden　at　that　moment。

Attracted　by　the　book…shelves　which　he　noticed　on　one　of　the
walls；　Midwinter　stepped　into　the　room。

The　books；　few　in　number；　did　not　detain　him　long；　a　glance　at
their　backs　was　enough　without　taking　them　down。　The　Waverley
Novels；　Tales　by　Miss　Edgeworth；　and　by　Miss　Edgeworth's　many
followers；　the　Poems　of　Mrs。　Hemans；　with　a　few　odd　volumes　of
the　illustrated　gift…books　of　the　period；　composed　the　bulk　of
the　little　library。　Midwinter　turned　to　leave　the　room；　when　an
object　on　one　side　of　the　window；　which　he　had　not　previously
noticed；　caught　his　attention　and　stopped　him。　It　was　a　statuette
standing　on　a　bracketa　reduced　copy　of　the　famous　Niobe　of　the
Florence　Museum。　He　glanced　from　the　statuette　to　the　window；
with　a　sudden　doubt　which　set　his　heart　throbbing　fast。　It　was　a
French　window。　He　looked　out　with　a　suspicion　which　he　had　not
felt　yet。　The　view　before　him　was　the　view　of　a　lawn　and　garden。
For　a　moment　his　mind　struggled　blindly　to　escape　the　conclusion
which　had　seized　it；　and　struggled　in　vain。　Here；　close　round　him
and　close　before　himhere；　forcing　him　mercilessly　back　from　the
happy　present　to　the　horrible　past；　was　the　room　that　Allan　had
seen　in　the　Second　Vision　of　the　Dream。

He　waited；　thinking　and　looking　round　him　　while　he　thought。　There
was　wonderfully　li　ttle　disturbance　in　his　face　and　manner；　he
looked　steadily　from　one　to　the　other　of　the　few　objects　in　the
room；　as　if　the　discovery　of　it　had　saddened　rather　than
surprised　him。　Matting　of　some　foreign　sort　covered　the　floor。
Two　cane　chairs　and　a　plain　table　comprised　the　whole　of　the
furniture。　The　walls　were　plainly　papered；　and　barebroken　to
the　eye　in　one　place　by　a　door　leading　into　the　interior　of　the
house；　in　another；　by　a　small　stove；　in　a　third；　by　the
book…shelves　which　Midwinter　had　already　noticed。　He　returned　to
the　books；　and　this　time　he　took　some　of　them　down　from　the
shelves。

The　first　that　he　opened　contained　lines　in　a　woman's