armadale-第62章

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fourth　attempt　at　improving　his　acquaintance　with　Miss　Milroy。
The　day　had　begun　encouragingly；　and　encouragingly　it　seemed
destined　to　go　on。　When　Allan　turned　the　corner　of　the　second
shrubbery；　and　entered　the　little　paddock　where　he　and　the
major's　daughter　had　first　met；　there　was　Miss　Milroy　herself
loitering　to　and　fro　on　the　grass；　to　all　appearance　on　the　watch
for　somebody。

She　gave　a　little　start　when　Allan　appeared；　an　d　came　forward
without　hesitation　to　meet　him。　She　was　not　in　her　best　looks。
Her　rosy　complexion　had　suffered　under　confinement　to　the　house；
and　a　marked　expression　of　embarrassment　clouded　her　pretty　face。

〃I　hardly　know　how　to　confess　it；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　she　said；
speaking　eagerly；　before　Allan　could　utter　a　word；　〃but　I
certainly　ventured　here　this　morning　in　the　hope　of　meeting　with
you。　I　have　been　very　much　distressed；　I　have　only　just　heard；　by
accident；　of　the　manner　in　which　mamma　received　the　present　of
fruit　you　so　kindly　sent　to　her。　Will　you　try　to　excuse　her？　She
has　been　miserably　ill　for　years；　and　she　is　not　always　quite
herself。　After　your　being　so　very；　very　kind　to　me　（and　to　papa）；
I　really　could　not　help　stealing　out　here　in　the　hope　of　seeing
you；　and　telling　you　how　sorry　I　was。　Pray　forgive　and　forget；
Mr。　Armadalepray　do！〃　her　voice　faltered　over　the　last　words；
and；　in　her　eagerness　to　make　her　mother's　peace　with　him；　she
laid　her　hand　on　his　arm。

Allan　was　himself　a　little　confused。　Her　earnestness　took　him　by
surprise；　and　her　evident　conviction　that　he　had　been　offended
honestly　distressed　him。　Not　knowing　what　else　to　do；　he　followed
his　instincts；　and　possessed　himself　of　her　hand　to　begin　with。

〃My　dear　Miss　Milroy；　if　you　say　a　word　more　you　will　distress
_me_　next；〃　he　rejoined；　unconsciously　pressing　her　hand　closer
and　closer；　in　the　embarrassment　of　the　moment。　〃I　never　was　in
the　least　offended；　I　made　allowancesupon　my　honor　I　didfor
poor　Mrs。　Milroy's　illness。　Offended！〃　cried　Allan；　reverting
energetically　to　the　old　complimentary　strain。　〃I　should　like　to
have　my　basket　of　fruit　sent　back　every　dayif　I　could　only　be
sure　of　its　bringing　you　out　into　the　paddock　the　first　thing　in
the　morning。〃

Some　of　Miss　Milroy's　missing　color　began　to　appear　again　in　her
cheeks。　〃Oh；　Mr。　Armadale；　there　is　really　no　end　to　your
kindness；〃　she　said；　〃you　don't　know　how　you　relieve　me！　She
paused；　her　spirits　rallied　with　as　happy　a　readiness　of　recovery
as　if　they　had　been　the　spirits　of　a　child；　and　her　native
brightness　of　temper　sparkled　again　in　her　eyes；　as　she　looked
up；　shyly　smiling　in　Allan's　face。　〃Don't　you　think；〃　she　asked；
demurely；　〃that　it　is　almost　time　now　to　let　go　of　my　hand？〃

Their　eyes　met。　Allan　followed　his　instincts　for　the　second　time。
Instead　of　releasing　her　hand；　he　lifted　it　to　his　lips　and
kissed　it。　All　the　missing　tints　of　the　rosier　sort　returned　to
Miss　Milroy's　complexion　on　the　instant。　She　snatched　away　her
hand　as　if　Allan　had　burned　it。

〃I'm　sure　_that's_　wrong；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　she　said；　and　turned　her
head　aside　quickly；　for　she　was　smiling　in　spite　of　herself。

〃I　meant　it　as　an　apology　forfor　holding　your　hand　too　long；〃
stammered　Allan。　〃An　apology　can't　be　wrongcan　it？〃

There　are　occasions；　though　not　many；　when　the　female　mind
accurately　appreciates　an　appeal　to　the　force　of　pure　reason。
This　was　one　of　the　occasions。　An　abstract　proposition　had　been
presented　to　Miss　Milroy；　and　Miss　Milroy　was　convinced。　If　it
was　meant　as　an　apology；　that；　she　admitted；　made　all　the
difference。　〃I　only　hope；〃　said　the　little　coquet；　looking　at　him
slyly；　〃you're　not　misleading　me。　Not　that　it　matters　much　now；〃
she　added；　with　a　serious　shake　of　her　head。　〃If　we　have
committed　any　improprieties；　Mr。　Armadale；　we　are　not　likely　to
have　the　opportunity　of　committing　many　more。〃

〃You're　not　going　away？〃　exclaimed　Allan；　in　great　alarm。

〃Worse　than　that；　Mr。　Armadale。　My　new　governess　is　coming。〃

〃Coming？〃　repeated　Allan。　〃Coming　already？〃

〃As　good　as　coming；　I　ought　to　have　saidonly　I　didn't　know　you
wished　me　to　be　so　very　particular。　We　got　the　answers　to　the
advertisements　this　morning。　Papa　and　I　opened　them　and　read　them
together　half　an　hour　ago；　and　we　both　picked　out　the　same　letter
from　all　the　rest。　I　picked　it　out；　because　it　was　so　prettily
expressed；　and　papa　picked　it　out　because　the　terms　were　so
reasonable。　He　is　going　to　send　the　letter　up　to　grandmamma　in
London　by　today's　post；　and；　if　she　finds　everything　satisfactory
on　inquiry；　the　governess　is　to　be　engaged　You　don't　know　how
dreadfully　nervous　I　am　getting　about　it　already；　a　strange
governess　is　such　an　awful　prospect。　But　it　is　not　quite　so　bad
as　going　to　school；　and　I　have　great　hopes　of　this　new　lady；
because　she　writes　such　a　nice　letter！　As　I　said　to　papa；　it
almost　reconciles　me　to　her　horrid；　unromantic　name。〃

〃What　is　her　name？〃　asked　Allan。　〃Brown？　Grubb？　Scraggs？　Anything
of　that　sort？〃

〃Hush！　hush！　Nothing　quite　so　horrible　as　that。　Her　name　is
Gwilt。　Dreadfully　unpoetical；　isn't　it？　Her　reference　must　be　a
respectable　person；　though；　for　she　lives　in　the　same　part　of
London　as　grandmamma。　Stop；　Mr。　Armadale！　we　are　going　the　wrong
way。　No；　I　can't　wait　to　look　at　those　lovely　flowers　of　yours
this　morning；　and；　many　thanks；　I　can't　accept　your　arm。　I　have
stayed　here　too　long　already。　Papa　is　waiting　for　his　breakfast；
and　I　must　run　back　every　step　of　the　way。　Thank　you　for　making
those　kind　allowances　for　mamma；　thank　you　again　and　again；　and
good…by！　〃

〃Won't　you　shake　hands？〃　asked　Allan。

She　gave　him　her　hand。　〃No　more　apologies；　if　you　please；　Mr。
Armadale；〃　she　said；　saucily。　Once　more　their　eyes　met；　and　once
more　the　plump；　dimpled　little　hand　found　its　way　to　Allan's
lips。　〃It　isn't　an　apology　this　time！〃　cried　Allan；　precipitately
defending　himself。　〃It'sit's　a　mark　of　respect。〃

She　started　back　a　few　steps；　and　burst　out　laughing。　〃You　won't
find　me　in　our　grounds　again；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　she　said；　merrily；
〃till　I　have　got　Miss　Gwilt　to　take　care　of　me！〃　With　that
farewell；　she　gathered　up　her　skirts；　and　ran　back　across　the
paddock　at　the　top　of　her　speed。

Allan　stood　watching　her　in　speechless　admiration　till　she　was
out　of　sight。　His　second　interview　with　Miss　Milroy　had　produced
an　extraordinary　effect　on　him。　For　the　first　time　since　he　had
become　the　master　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　he　was　absorbed　in　serious
consideration　of　what　he　owed　to　his　new　position　in　life。　〃The
question　is；〃　pondered　Allan；　〃whether　I　hadn't　better　set　myself
right　with　my　neighbors　by　becoming　a　married　man？　I'll　take　the
day　to　consider；　and　if　I　keep　in　the　same　mind　about　it；　I'll
consult　Midwinter　to…morrow　morning。〃


When　the　morning　came；　and　when　Allan　descended　to　the
breakfast…room；　resolute　to　consult　his　friend　on　the　obligations
that　he　owed　to　his　neighbors　in　general；　and　to　Miss　Milroy　in
particular；　no　Midwinter　was　to　he　seen。　On　making　inquiry；　it
appeared　that　he　had　been　observed　in　the　hall；　that　he　had　taken
from　the　table　a　letter　which　the　morning's　post　had　brought　to
him；　and　that　he　had　gone　back　immediately　to　his　own　room。　Allan
at　once　ascended　the　stairs　again；　and　knocked　at　his　friend's
door。

〃May　I　come　in？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　just　now；〃　was　the　answer。

〃You　have　got　a　letter；　haven't　you？〃　persisted　Allan。　〃Any　bad
news？　Anything　wrong？〃

〃Nothing。　I'm　not　very　well　this　morning。　Don't　wait　breakfast
for　me；　I'll　come　down　as　soon　as　I　can。〃

No　more　was　said　on　either　side。　Allan　returned　to　the
breakfast…room　a　little　disappointed。　He　had　set　his　heart　on
rushing　headlong　into　his　consultation　with　Midwinter；　and　here
was　the　consultation　indefinitely　delayed。　〃What　an　odd　fellow　he
is！〃　thought　Allan。　〃What　on　earth　can　he　be　doing；　locked　in
there　by　himself？〃

He　was　doing　nothing。　He　was　sitting　by　the　window；　with　the
letter　which　had　reached　him　that　morning　open　in　his　hand。　The
handwriting　was　Mr。　Brock's；　and　the　words　written　were　these：


〃MY　DEAR　MIDWINTERI　have　literally　only　two　minutes　before　post
time　to　tell　you　that　I　have　just　met　（in　Kensi