armadale-第59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！


Midwinter　to　disti　nguish　the　words　that　were　spoken；　he　felt　the
impropriety　of　remaining　within　hearing　of　the　voices；　and　at
once　stepped　forward　to　continue　his　walk。

At　the　same　moment；　the　face　of　a　young　girl　（easily　recognizable
as　the　face　of　Miss　Milroy；　from　Allan's　description　of　her）
appeared　at　the　open　window　of　the　room。　In　spite　of　himself；
Midwinter　paused　to　look　at　her。　The　expression　of　the　bright
young　face；　which　had　smiled　so　prettily　on　Allan；　was　weary　and
disheartened。　After　looking　out　absently　over　the　park；　she
suddenly　turned　her　head　back　into　the　room；　her　attention　having
been　apparently　struck　by　something　that　had　just　been　said　in
it。　〃Oh；　mamma；　mamma；〃　she　exclaimed；　indignantly；　〃how　_can_
you　say　such　things！〃　The　words　were　spoken　close　to　the　window；
they　reached　Midwinter's　ears；　and　hurried　him　away　before　he
heard　more。　But　the　self…disclosure　of　Major　Milroy's　domestic
position　had　not　reached　its　end　yet。　As　Midwinter　turned　the
corner　of　the　garden　fence；　a　tradesman's　boy　was　handing　a
parcel　in　at　the　wicket　gate　to　the　woman　servant。　〃Well；〃　said
the　boy；　with　the　irrepressible　impudence　of　his　class；　〃how　is
the　missus？〃　The　woman　lifted　her　hand　to　box　his　ears。　〃How　is
the　missus？〃　she　repeated；　with　an　angry　toss　of　her　head；　as　the
boy　ran　off。　〃If　it　would　only　please　God　to　take　the　missus；　it
would　be　a　blessing　to　everybody　in　the　house。〃

No　such　ill…omened　shadow　as　this　had　passed　over　the　bright
domestic　picture　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　cottage；　which　Allan's
enthusiasm　had　painted　for　the　contemplation　of　his　friend。　It
was　plain　that　the　secret　of　the　tenants　had　been　kept　from　the
landlord　so　far。　Five　minutes　more　of　walking　brought　Midwinter
to　the　park　gates。　〃Am　I　fated　to　see　nothing　and　hear　nothing
to…day；　which　can　give　me　heart　and　hope　for　the　future？〃　he
thought；　as　he　angrily　swung　back　the　lodge　gate。　〃Even　the
people　Allan　has　let　the　cottage　to　are　people　whose　lives　are
imbittered　by　a　household　misery　which　it　is　_my_　misfortune　to
have　found　out！〃

He　took　the　first　road　that　lay　before　him；　and　walked　on；
noticing　little；　immersed　in　his　own　thoughts。

More　than　an　hour　passed　before　the　necessity　of　turning　back
entered　his　mind。　As　soon　as　the　idea　occurred　to　him；　he
consulted　his　watch；　and　determined　to　retrace　his　steps；　so　as
to　be　at　the　house　in　good　time　to　meet　Allan　on　his　return。　Ten
minutes　of　walking　brought　him　back　to　a　point　at　which　three
roads　met；　and　one　moment's　observation　of　the　place　satisfied
him　that　he　had　entirely　failed　to　notice　at　the　time　by　which　of
the　three　roads　he　had　advanced。　No　sign…post　was　to　be　seen；　the
country　on　either　side　was　lonely　and　flat；　intersected　by　broad
drains　and　ditches。　Cattle　were　grazing　here　and　there；　and　a
windmill　rose　in　the　distance　above　the　pollard　willows　that
fringed　the　low　horizon。　But　not　a　house　was　to　be　seen；　and　not
a　human　creature　appeared　on　the　visible　perspective　of　any　one
of　the　three　roads。　Midwinter　glanced　back　in　the　only　direction
left　to　look　atthe　direction　of　the　road　along　which　he　had
just　been　walking。　There；　to　his　relief；　was　the　figure　of　a　man；
rapidly　advancing　toward　him；　of　whom　he　could　ask　his　way。

The　figure　came　on；　clad　from　head　to　foot　in　dreary　blacka
moving　blot　on　the　brilliant　white　surface　of　the　sun…brightened
road。　He　was　a　lean；　elderly；　miserably　respectable　man。　He　wore
a　poor　old　black　dress…coat；　and　a　cheap　brown　wig；　which　made　no
pretense　of　being　his　own　natural　hair。　Short　black　trousers
clung　like　attached　old　servants　round　his　wizen　legs；　and　rusty
black　gaiters　hid　all　they　could　of　his　knobbed；　ungainly　feet。
Black　crape　added　its　mite　to　the　decayed　and　dingy　wretchedness
of　his　old　beaver　hat；　black　mohair　in　the　obsolete　form　of　a
stock　drearily　encircled　his　neck　and　rose　as　high　as　his　haggard
jaws。　The　one　morsel　of　color　he　carried　about　him　was　a　lawyer's
bag　of　blue　serge；　as　lean　and　limp　as　himself。　The　one
attractive　feature　in　his　clean…shaven；　weary　old　face　was　a　neat
set　of　teethteeth　（as　honest　as　his　wig）　which　said　plainly　to
all　inquiring　eyes；　〃We　pass　our　nights　on　his　looking…glass；　and
our　days　in　his　mouth。〃

All　the　little　blood　in　the　man's　body　faintly　reddened　his
fleshless　cheeks　as　Midwinter　advanced　to　meet　him；　and　asked　the
way　to　Thorpe　Ambrose。　His　weak；　watery　eyes　looked　hither　and
thither　in　a　bewilderment　painful　to　see。　If　he　had　met　with　a
lion　instead　of　a　man；　and　if　the　few　words　addressed　to　him　had
been　words　expressing　a　threat　instead　of　a　question；　he　could
hardly　have　looked　more　confused　and　alarmed　than　he　looked　now。
For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Midwinter　saw　his　own　shy
uneasiness　in　the　presence　of　strangers　reflected；　with　tenfold
intensity　of　nervous　suffering；　in　the　face　of　another　manand
that　man　old　enough　to　be　his　father。

〃Which　do　you　please　to　mean；　sirthe　town　or　the　house？　I　beg
your　pardon　for　asking；　but　they　both　go　by　the　same　name　in
these　parts。〃

He　spoke　with　a　timid　gentleness　of　tone；　an　ingratiatory　smile；
and　an　anxious　courtesy　of　manner；　all　distressingly　suggestive
of　his　being　accustomed　to　receive　rough　answers　in　exchange　for
his　own　politeness　from　the　persons　whom　he　habitually　addressed。

〃I　was　not　aware　that　both　the　house　and　the　town　went　by　the
same　name；〃　said　Midwinter；　〃I　meant　the　house。〃　He　instinctively
conquered　his　own　shyness　as　he　answered　in　those　words；　speaking
with　a　cordiality　of　manner　which　was　very　rare　with　him　in　his
intercourse　with　strangers。

The　man　of　miserable　respectability　seemed　to　feel　the　warm
return　of　his　own　politeness　gratefully；　he　brightened　and　took　a
little　courage。　His　lean　forefinger　pointed　eagerly　to　the　right
road。　〃That　way；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃and　when　you　come　to　two　roads
next；　please　take　the　left　one　of　the　two。　I　am　sorry　I　have
business　the　other　way；　I　mean　in　the　town。　I　should　have　been
happy　to　go　with　you　and　show　you。　Fine　summer　weather；　sir；　for
walking？　You　can't　miss　your　way　if　you　keep　to　the　left。　Oh；
don't　mention　it！　I'm　afraid　I　have　detained　you；　sir。　I　wish　you
a　pleasant　walk　back；　andgood…morning。〃

By　the　time　he　had　made　an　end　of　speaking　（under　an　impression
apparently　that　the　more　he　talked　the　more　polite　he　would　be）
he　had　lost　his　courage　again。　He　darted　away　down　his　own　road；
as　if　Midwinter's　attempt　to　thank　him　involved　a　series　of
trials　too　terrible　to　confront。　In　two　minutes　more；　his　black
retreating　figure　had　lessened　in　the　distance　till　it　looked
again；　what　it　had　once　looked　already；　a　moving　blot　on　the
brilliant　white　surface　of　the　sun…brightened　road。

The　man　ran　strangely　in　Midwinter's　thoughts　while　he　took　his
way　back　to　the　house。　He　was　at　a　loss　to　account　for　it。　It
never　occurred　to　him　that　he　might　have　been　insensibly　reminded
of　himself；　when　he　saw　the　plain　traces　of　past　misfortune　and
present　nervous　suffering　in　the　poor　wretch's　face。　He　blindly
resented　his　own　perverse　interest　in　this　chance　foot　passenger
on　the　high…road；　as　he　had　resented　all　else　that　had　happened
to　him　since　the　beginning　of　the　day。　〃Have　I　made　another
unlucky　discovery？〃　he　asked　himself；　impatiently。　〃Shall　I　see
this　man　again；　I　wonder？　Who　can　he　be？〃

Time　was　to　answer　both　those　questions　before　many　days　more　had
passed　over　the　inquirer's　head。


Allan　had　not　returned　when　Midwinter　reached　the　house。　Nothing
had　happened　but　the　arrival　of　a　message　of　apology　from　the
cottage。　〃Major　Milroy's　compliments；　and　he　was　sorry　that　Mrs。
Milroy's　illness　would　prevent　his　receiving　Mr。　Armadale　that
day。〃　It　was　plain　that　Mrs。　Milroy's　occasional　fits　of
suffering　（or　of　ill　temper）　created　no　mere　transitory
disturbance　of　the　tranquillity　of　the　household。　Drawing　this
natural　inference；　after　what　he　had　himself　heard　at　the　cottage
nearly　three　hours　since；　Midwinter　withdrew　into　the　library　to
wait　patiently　among　the　books　until　his　friend　came　back。

It　was　past　six　o'clock　when　the　well…known　hearty　voice　was
heard　again　in　the　hall。　Allan　burst　into　the　lib