armadale-第61章

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having　done　what　I　asked　you。〃

His　head　sank　on　his　breast；　and　the　fatalist　resignation　which
had　once　already　quieted　him　on　board　the　wreck　now　quieted　him
again。　〃What　_must_　be；　_will_　be；〃　he　thought　once　more。　〃What
have　I　to　do　with　the　future；　and　what
　has　he？〃

〃Cheer　up！〃　said　Allan。　〃_Your_　affairs　are　in　a　thriving
condition；　at　any　rate。　I　paid　one　pleasant　visit　in　the　town；
which　I　haven't　told　you　of　yet。　I've　seen　Pedgift；　and　Pedgift's
son；　who　helps　him　in　the　office。　They're　the　two　jolliest
lawyers　I　ever　met　with　in　my　life；　and；　what's　more；　they　can
produce　the　very　man　you　want　to　teach　you　the　steward's
business。〃

Midwinter　looked　up　quickly。　Distrust　of　Allan's　discovery　was
plainly　written　in　his　face　already；　but　he　said　nothing。

〃I　thought　of　you；〃　Allan　proceeded；　〃as　soon　as　the　two　Pedgifts
and　I　had　had　a　glass　of　wine　all　round　to　drink　to　our　friendly
connection。　The　finest　sherry　I　ever　tasted　in　my　life；　I've
ordered　some　of　the　samebut　that's　not　the　question　just　now。
In　two　words　I　told　these　worthy　fellows　your　difficulty；　and　in
two　seconds　old　Pedgift　understood　all　about　it。　'I　have　got　the
man　in　my　office；'　he　said；　'and　before　the　audit…day　comes；　I'll
place　him　with　the　greatest　pleasure　at　your　friend's　disposal。'
〃

At　this　last　announcement；　Midwinter's　distrust　found　its
expression　in　words。　He　questioned　Allan　unsparingly。

The　man's　name；　it　appeared　was　Bashwood。　He　had　been　some　time
（how　long；　Allan　could　not　remember）　in　Mr。　Pedgift's　service。　He
had　been　previously　steward　to　a　Norfolk　gentleman　（name
forgotten）　in　the　westward　district　of　the　county。　He　had　lost
the　steward's　place；　through　some　domestic　trouble；　in　connection
with　his　son；　the　precise　nature　of　which　Allan　was　not　able　to
specify。　Pedgift　vouched　for　him；　and　Pedgift　would　send　him　to
Thorpe　Ambrose　two　or　three　days　before　the　rent…day　dinner。　He
could　not　be　spared；　for　office　reasons；　before　that　time。　There
was　no　need　to　fidget　about　it；　Pedgift　laughed　at　the　idea　of
there　being　any　difficulty　with　the　tenants。　Two　or　three　day's
work　over　the　steward's　books　with　a　man　to　help　Midwinter　who
practically　understood　that　sort　of　thing　would　put　him　all　right
for　the　audit；　and　the　other　business　would　keep　till　afterward。

〃Have　you　seen　this　Mr。　Bashwood　yourself；　Allan？〃　asked
Midwinter；　still　obstinately　on　his　guard。

〃No；〃　replied　Allan　〃he　was　outout　with　the　bag；　as　young
Pedgift　called　it。　They　tell　me　he's　a　decent　elderly　man。　A
little　broken　by　his　troubles；　and　a　little　apt　to　be　nervous　and
confused　in　his　manner　with　strangers；　but　thoroughly　competent
and　thoroughly　to　be　depended　onthose　are　Pedgift's　own　words。〃

Midwinter　paused　and　considered　a　little；　with　a　new　interest　in
the　subject。　The　strange　man　whom　he　had　just　heard　described；
and　the　strange　man　of　whom　he　had　asked　his　way　where　the　three
roads　met；　were　remarkably　like　each　other。　Was　this　another　link
in　the　fast…lengthening　chain　of　events？　Midwinter　grew　doubly
determined　to　be　careful；　as　the　bare　doubt　that　it　might　be　so
passed　through　his　mind。

〃When　Mr。　Bashwood　comes；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　let　me　see　him；　and
speak　to　him；　before　anything　definite　is　done？〃

〃Of　course　I　will！〃　rejoined　Allan。　He　stopped　and　looked　at　his
watch。　〃And　I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do　for　you；　old　boy；　in　the
meantime；〃　he　added；　〃I'll　introduce　you　to　the　prettiest　girl　in
Norfolk！　There's　just　time　to　run　over　to　the　cottage　before
dinner。　Come　along；　and　be　introduced　to　Miss　Milroy。〃

〃You　can't　introduce　me　to　Miss　Milroy　today；〃　replied　Midwinter；
and　he　repeated　the　message　of　apology　which　had　been　brought
from　the　major　that　afternoon。　Allan　was　surprised　and
disappointed；　but　he　was　not　to　be　foiled　in　his　resolution　to
advance　himself　in　the　good　graces　of　the　inhabitants　of　the
cottage。　After　a　little　consideration　he　hit　on　a　means　of
turning　the　present　adverse　circumstances　to　good　account。　〃I'll
show　a　proper　anxiety　for　Mrs。　Milroy's　recovery；〃　he　said；
gravely。　〃I'll　send　her　a　basket　of　strawberries；　with　my　best
respects；　to…morrow　morning。〃

Nothing　more　happened　to　mark　the　end　of　that　first　day　in　the
new　house。


The　one　noticeable　event　of　the　next　day　was　another　disclosure
of　Mrs。　Milroy's　infirmity　of　temper。　Half　an　hour　after　Allan's
basket　of　strawberries　had　been　delivered　at　the　cottage；　it　was
returned　to　him　intact　（by　the　hands　of　the　invalid　lady's
nurse）；　with　a　short　and　sharp　message；　shortly　and　sharply
delivered。　〃Mrs。　Milroy's　compliments　and　thanks。　Strawberries
invariably　disagreed　with　her。〃　If　this　curiously　petulant
acknowledgment　of　an　act　of　politeness　was　intended　to　irritate
Allan；　it　failed　entirely　in　accomplishing　its　object。　Instead　of
being　offended　with　the　mother；　he　sympathized　with　the　daughter。
〃Poor　little　thing；〃　was　all　he　said；　〃she　must　have　a　hard　life
of　it　with　such　a　mother　as　that！〃

He　called　at　the　cottage　himself　later　in　the　day；　but　Miss
Milroy　was　not　to　be　seen；　she　was　engaged　upstairs。　The　major
received　his　visitor　in　his　working　apronfar　more　deeply
immersed　in　his　wonderful　clock；　and　far　less　readily　accessible
to　outer　influences；　than　Allan　had　seen　him　at　their　first
interview。　His　manner　was　as　kind　as　before；　but　not　a　word　more
could　be　extracted　from　him　on　the　subject　of　his　wife　than　that
Mrs。　Milroy　〃had　not　improved　since　yesterday。〃

The　two　next　days　passed　quietly　and　uneventfully。　Allan
persisted　in　making　his　inquiries　at　the　cottage；　but　all　he　saw
of　the　major's　daughter　was　a　glimpse　of　her　on　one　occasion　at　a
window　on　the　bedroom　floor。　Nothing　more　was　heard　from　Mr。
Pedgift；　and　Mr。　Bashwood's　appearance　was　still　delayed。
Midwinter　declined　to　move　in　the　matter　until　time　enough　had
passed　to　allow　of　his　first　hearing　from　Mr。　Brock；　in　answer　to
the　letter　which　he　had　addressed　to　the　rector　on　the　night　of
his　arrival　at　Thorpe　Ambrose。　He　was　unusually　silent　and　quiet；
and　passed　most　of　his　hours　in　the　library　among　the　books。　The
time　wore　on　wearily。　The　resident　gentry　acknowledged　Allan's
visit　by　formally　leaving　their　cards。　Nobody　came　near　the　house
afterward；　the　weather　was　monotonously　fine。　Allan　grew　a　little
restless　and　dissatisfied。　He　began　to　resent　Mrs。　Milroy's
illness；　he　began　to　think　regretfully　of　his　deserted　yacht。

The　next　daythe　twentiethbrought　some　news　with　it　from　the
outer　world。　A　message　was　delivered　from　Mr。　Pedgift；　announcing
that　his　clerk；　Mr。　Bashwood；　would　personally　present　himself　at
Thorpe　Ambrose　on　the　following　day；　and　a　letter　in　answer　to
Midwinter　was　received　from　Mr。　Brock。

The　letter　was　dated　the　18th；　and　the　news　which　it　contained
raised　not　Allan's　spirits　only；　but　Midwinter's　as　well。

On　the　day　on　which　he　wrote；　Mr。　Brock　announced　that　he　was
about　to　journey　to　London；　having　been　summoned　thither　on
business　connected　with　the　interests　of　a　sick　relative；　to　whom
he　stood　in　the　position　of　trustee。　The　business　completed；　he
had　good　hope　of　finding　one　or　other　of　his　clerical　friends　in
the　metropolis　who　would　be　able　and　willing　to　do　duty　for　him
at　the　rectory；　and；　in　that　case；　he　trusted　to　travel　on　from
London　to　Thorpe　Ambrose　in　a　week's'　time　or　less。　Under　these
circumstances；　he　would　leave　the　majority　of　the　subjects　on
which　Midwinter　had　written　to　him　to　be　discussed　when　they　met。
But　as　time　might　be　of　importance；　in　relation　to　the
stewardship　of　the　Thorpe　Ambrose　estate；　he　would　say　at　once
that　he　saw　no　reason　why　Midwinter　should　not　apply　his　mind　to
learning　the　steward's　duties；　and　should　not　succeed　in
rendering　himself　invaluably　serviceable　in　that　way　to　the
interests　of　his　friend。

Leaving　Midwinter　reading　and　re…reading　the　rector's　cheering
letter；　as　if　he　was　bent　on　getting　every　sentence　in　it　by
heart；　Allan　went　out　rather　earlier　than　usual；　to　make　his
daily　inquiry　at　the　cottageor；　in　plainer　words；　to　make　a
fourth　attempt　at　improving　his　acquaintance　with　Miss　Milroy。
The　day　had　begun　encouragingly；　and　encouragingly　it　seemed
dest