armadale-第57章

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responsibility　on　myself　of　telling　Mr。　Armadale。〃

After　some　little　hesitation；　and　some　distrustful　consideration；
on　his　side；　of　Midwinter's　face；　Richard　at　last　prevailed　on
himself　to　repeat　what　he　had　heard　that　day　in　the　town。

The　news　of　Allan's　sudden　appearance　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　had
preceded　the　servant's　arrival　at　his　destination　by　some　hours。
Wherever　he　went；　he　found　his　master　the　subject　of　public
discussion。　The　opinion　of　Allan's　conduct　among　the　leading
townspeople；　the　resident　gentry　of　the　neighborhood；　and　the
principal　tenants　on　the　estate　was　unanimously　unfavorable。　Only
the　day　before；　the　committee　for　managing　the　pubic　reception　of
the　new　squire　had　sketched　the　progress　of　the　procession；　had
settled　the　serious　question　of　the　triumphal　arches；　and　had
appointed　a　competent　person　to　solicit　subscriptions　for　the
flags；　the　flowers；　the　feasting；　the　fireworks；　and　the　band。　In
less　than　a　week　more　the　money　could　have　been　collected；　and
the　rector　would　have　written　to　Mr。　Armadale　to　fix　the　day。　And
now；　by　Allan's　own　act；　the　public　welcome　waiting　to　honor　him
had　been　cast　back　contemptuously　in　the　public　teeth！　Everybody
took　for　granted　（what　was　unfortunately　true）　that　he　had
received　private　information　of　the　contemplated　proceedings。
Everybody　declared　that　he　had　purposely　stolen　into　his　own
house　like　a　thief　in　the　night　（so　the　phrase　ran）　to　escape
accepting　the　offered　civilities　of　his　neighbors。　In　brief；　the
sensitive　self…importance　of　the　little　town　was　wounded　to　the
quick；　and　of　Allan's　once　enviable　position　in　the　estimation　of
the　neighborhood　not　a　vestige　remained。

For　a　moment；　Midwinter　faced　the　messenger　of　evil　tidings　in
silent　distress。　That　moment　past；　the　sense　of　Allan's　critical
position　roused　him；　now　the　evil　was　known；　to　seek　the　remedy。

〃Has　the　little　you　have　seen　of　your　master；　Richard；　inclined
you　to　like　him？〃　he　asked。

This　time　the　man　answered　without　hesitation；　〃A　pleasanter　and
kinder　gentleman　than　Mr。　Armadale　no　one　could　wish　to　serve。〃

〃If　you　think　that；〃　pursued　Midwinter；　〃you　won't　object　to　give
me　some　information　which　will　help　your　master　to　set　himself
right　with　his　neighbors。　Come　into　the　house。〃

He　led　the　way　into　the　library；　and；　after　asking　the　necessary
questions；　took　down　in　writing　a　list　of　the　names　and　addresses
of　the　most　influential　persons　living　in　the　town　and　its
neighborhood。　This　done；　he　rang　the　bell　for　the　head　footman；
having　previously　sent　Richard　with　a　message　to　the　stables
directing　an　open　carriage　to　be　ready　in　an　hour's　time。

〃When　the　late　Mr。　Blanchard　went　out　to　make　calls　in　the
neighborhood；　it　was　your　place　to　go　with　him；　was　it　not？〃　he
asked；　when　the　upper　servant　appeared。　〃Very　well。　Be　ready　in
an　hour's　time；　if　you　please；　to　go　out　with　Mr。　Armadale。〃
Having　given　that　order；　he　left　the　house　again　on　his　way　back
to　Allan；　with　the　visiting　list　in　his　hand。　He　smiled　a　little
sadly　as　he　descended　the　steps。　〃Who　would　have　imagined；〃　he
thought；　〃that　my　foot…boy's　experience　of　the　ways　of
gentlefolks　would　be　worth　looking　back　at　one　day　for　Allan's
sake？〃

The　object　of　the　popular　odium　lay　innocently　slumbering　on　the
grass；　with　his　garden　hat　over　his　nose；　his　waistcoat
unbuttoned；　and　his　trousers　wrinkled　half　way　up　his
outstretched　legs。　Midwinter　roused　him　without　hesitation；　and
remorselessly　repeated　the　servant's　news。

Allan　accepted　the　disclosure　thus　forced　on　him　without　the
slightest　disturbance　of　temper。　〃Oh；　hang　'em！〃　was　all　he　said。
〃Let's　have　another　cigar。〃　Midwinter　took　the　cigar　out　of　his
hand；　and；　insisting　on　his　treating　the　matter　seriously；　told
him　in　plain　words　that　he　must　set　himself　right　with　his
offended　neighbors　by　calling　on　them　personally　to　make　his
apologies。　Allan　sat　up　on　the　grass　in　astonishment；　his　eyes
opened　wide　in　incredulous　dismay。　Did　Midwinter　positively
meditate　forcing　him　into　a　〃chimney…pot　hat；〃　a　nicely　brushed
frock…coat；　and　a　clean　pair　of　gloves？　Was　it　actually　in
contemplation　to　shut　him　up　in　a　carriage；　with　his　footman　on
the　box　and　his　card…case　in　his　hand；　and　send　him　round　from
house　to　house；　to　tell　a　pack　of　fools　that　he　begged　their
pardon　for　not　letting　them　make　a　public　show　of　him？　If
anything　so　outrageously　absurd　as　this　was　really　to　be　done；　it
could　not　be　done　that　day；　at　any　rate。　He　had　promised　to　go
back　to　the　charming　Milroy　at　the　cottage　and　to　take　Midwinter
with　him。　What　earthly　need　had　he　of　the　good　opinion　of　the
resident　gentry？　The　only　friends　he　wanted　were　the　friends　he
had　got　already。　Let　the　whole　neighborhood　turn　its　back　on　him
if　it　liked；　back　or　face；　the　Squire　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　didn't
care　two　straws　about　it。

After　allowing　him　to　run　on　in　this　way　until　his　whole　stock　of
objections　was　exhausted；　Midwinter　wisely　tried　his　personal
influence　next。　He　took　Allan　affectionately　by　the　hand。　〃I　am
going　to　ask　a　great　favor；〃　he　said。　〃If　you　won't　call　on　these
people　for　your　own　sake；　will　you　call　on　them　to　please　_me？_〃

Allan　delivered　himself　of　a　groan　of　despair；　stared　in　mute
surprise　at　the　anxious　face　of　his　friend；　and　good…humoredly
gave　way。　As　Midwinter　took　his　arm；　and　led　him　back　to　the
house；　he　looked　round　with　rueful　eyes　at　the　cattle　hard　by；
placidly　whisking　their　tails　in　the　pleasant　shade。　〃Don't
mention　it　in　the　neighborhood；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　like　to
change　places　with　one　of　my　own　cows。〃

Midwinter　left　him　to　dress；　engaging　to　return　when　the　carriage
was　at　the　door。　Allan's　toilet　did　not　promise　to　be　a　speedy
one。　He　began　it　by　reading　his　own　visiting　cards；　and　he
advanced　it　a　second　stage　by　looking　into　his　wardrobe；　and
devoting　the　resident　gentry　to　the　infernal　regions。　Before　he
could　discover　any　third　means　of　delaying　his　own　proceedings；
the　necessary　pretext　was　unexpectedly　supplied　by　Richard's
appearance　with　a　note　in　his　hand。　The　messenger　had　just　called
with　Mr。　Darch's　answer。　Allan　briskly　shut　up　the　wardrobe；　and
gave　his　whole　attention　to　the　lawyer's　letter。　The　lawyer's
letter　rewarded　him　by　the　following　lines：


〃SIRI　beg　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　your　favor　of　to…day's
date；　honoring　me　with　two　proposals；　namely；　ONE　inviting　me　to
act　as　your　legal　adviser；　and　ONE　inviting　me　to　pay　you　a　visit
at　your　house。　In　reference　to　the　first　proposal；　I　beg
permission　to　decline　it　with　thanks。　With　regard　to　the　second
proposal；　I　have　to　inform　you　that　circumstances　have　come　to　my
knowledge　relating　to　the　letting　of　the　cottage　at　Thorpe
Ambrose　which　render　it　impossible　for　me　（in　justice　to　myself）
to　accept　your　invitation。　I　have　ascertained；　sir；　that　my　offer
reached　you　at　the　same　time　as　Major　Milroy's；　and　that；　with
both　proposals　thus　before　you；　you　gave　the　preference　to　a
total　stranger；　who　addressed　you　through　a　house　agent；　over　a
man　who　had　faithfully　served　your　relatives　for　two　generations；
and　who　had　been　the　first　person　to　inform　you　of　the　most
important　event　in　your　life。　After　this　specimen　of　your
estimate　of　what　is　due　to　the　claims　of　common　courtesy　and
common　justice；　I　cannot　flatter　myself　that　I　possess　any　of　the
qualities　which　would　fit　me　to　take　my　place　on　the　list　of　your
friends。

〃I　remain；　sir；　your　obedient　servant；

〃JAMES　DARCH。〃


〃Stop　the　messenger！〃　cried　Allan；　leaping　to　his　feet；　his　ruddy
face　aflame　with　indignation。　〃Give　me　pen；　ink；　and　paper！　By
the　Lord　Harry；　they're　a　nice　set　of　people　in　these　parts；　the
whole　neighborhood　is　in　a　conspiracy　to　bully　me！〃　He　snatched
up　the　pen　in　a　fine　frenzy　of　epistolary　inspiration。　〃SirI
despise　you　and　your　letter。〃　At　that　point　the　pen　made　a
blot；　and　the　writer　was　seized　　with　a　momentary　hesitation。　〃Too
strong；〃　h　e　thought；　〃I'll　give　it　to　the　lawyer　in　his　own　cool
and　cutting　style。〃　He　began　again　on　a　clean　sheet　of　paper。
〃SirYou　remind　me　of　an　Irish　bull。　I　mean　that　story　in　'Joe
Miller'　where　Pat　remarked；　in　the　hearing　of　a　wag　ha