armadale-第68章

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The　fantastic　absurdity　of　the　exhibition；　heightened　by　Major
Milroy's　grave　inquiry　at　the　end　of　it；　was　so　irresistibly
ludicrous　that　the　visitors　shouted　with　laughter；　and　even　Miss
Milroy；　with　all　her　consideration　for　her　father's　sensitive
pride　in　his　clock；　could　not　restrain　herself　from　joining　in
the　merriment　which　the　catastrophe　of　the　puppets　had　provoked。
But　there　are　limits　even　to　the　license　of　laughter；　and　these
limits　were　ere　long　so　outrageously　overstepped　by　one　of　the
little　party　as　to　have　the　effect　of　almost　instantly　silencing
the　other　two。　The　fever　of　Midwinter's　false　spirits　flamed　out
into　sheer　delirium　as　the　performance　of　the　puppets　came　to　an
end。　His　paroxysms　of　laughter　followed　each　other　with　such
convulsive　violence　that　Miss　Milroy　started　back　from　him　in
alarm；　and　even　the　patient　major　turned　on　him　with　a　look　which
said　plainly；　Leave　the　room！　Allan；　wisely　impulsive　for　once　in
his　life；　seized　Midwinter　by　the　arm；　and　dragged　him　out　by
main　force　into　the　garden；　and　thence　into　the　park　beyond。

〃Good　heavens！　what　has　come　to　you！〃　he　exclaimed；　shrinking
back　from　the　tortured　face　before　him；　as　he　stopped　and　looked
close　at　it　for　the　first　time。

For　the　moment；　Midwinter　was　inca　pable　of　answering。　The
hysterical　paroxysm　was　passing　from　one　extreme　to　the　other。　He
leaned　against　a　tree；　sobbing　and　gasping　for　breath；　and
stretched　out　his　hand　in　mute　entreaty　to　Allan　to　give　him
time。

〃You　had　better　not　have　nursed　me　through　my　fever；〃　he　said；
faintly；　as　soon　as　he　could　speak。　〃I'm　mad　and　miserable；
Allan；　I　have　never　recovered　it。　Go　back　and　ask　them　to　forgive
me；　I　am　ashamed　to　go　and　ask　them　myself。　I　can't　tell　how　it
happened；　I　can　only　ask　your　pardon　and　theirs。〃　He　turned　aside
his　head　quickly　so　as　to　conceal　his　face。　〃Don't　stop　here；〃　he
said；　〃don't　look　at　me；　I　shall　soon　get　over　it。〃　Allan　still
hesitated；　and　begged　hard　to　be　allowed　to　take　him　back　to　the
house。　It　was　useless。　〃You　break　my　heart　with　your　kindness；〃
he　burst　out；　passionately。　〃For　God's　sake；　leave　me　by　my
self！〃

Allan　went　back　to　she　cottage；　and　pleaded　there　for　indulgence
to　Midwinter；　with　an　earnestness　and　simplicity　which　raised　him
immensely　in　the　major's　estimation；　but　which　totally　failed　to
produce　the　same　favorable　impression　on　Miss　Milroy。　Little　as
she　herself　suspected　it；　she　was　fond　enough　of　Allan　already　to
be　jealous　of　Allan's　friend。

〃How　excessively　absurd！〃　she　thought；　pettishly。　〃As　if　either
papa　or　I　considered　such　a　person　of　the　slightest　consequence！〃

〃You　will　kindly　suspend　your　opinion；　won't　you；　Major　Milroy？〃
said　Allan；　in　his　hearty　way；　at　parting。

〃With　the　greatest　pleasure！　〃　replied　the　major；　cordially
shaking　hands。

〃And　you；　too；　Miss　Milroy？〃　added　Allan。

Miss　Milroy　made　a　mercilessly　formal　bow。　〃_My_　opinion；　Mr。
Armadale；　is　not　of　the　slightest　consequence。〃

Allan　left　the　cottage；　sorely　puzzled　to　account　for　Miss
Milroy's　sudden　coolness　toward　him。　His　grand　idea　of
conciliating　the　whole　neighborhood　by　becoming　a　married　man
underwent　some　modification　as　he　closed　the　garden　gate　behind
him。　The　virtue　called　Prudence　and　the　Squire　of　Thorpe　Ambrose
became　personally　acquainted　with　each　other；　on　this　occasion；
for　the　first　time；　and　Allan；　entering　headlong　as　usual　on　the
high…road　to　moral　improvement；　actually　decided　on　doing　nothing
in　a　hurry！

A　man　who　is　entering　on　a　course　of　reformation　ought；　if　virtue
is　its　own　reward；　to　be　a　man　engaged　in　an　essentially
inspiriting　pursuit。　But　virtue　is　not　always　its　own　reward；　and
the　way　that　leads　to　reformation　is　remarkably　ill…lighted　for
so　respectable　a　thoroughfare。　Allan　seemed　to　have　caught　the
infection　of　his　friend's　despondency。　As　he　walked　home；　he；
too；　began　to　doubtin　his　widely　different　way；　and　for　his
widely　different　reasonswhether　the　life　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　was
promising　quite　as　fairly　for　the　future　as　it　had　promised　at
first。

CHAPTER　VII。

THE　PLOT　THICKENS。

Two　messages　were　waiting　for　Allan　when　he　returned　to　the
house。　One　had　been　left　by　Midwinter。　〃He　had　gone　out　for　a
long　walk；　and　Mr。　Armadale　was　not　to　be　alarmed　if　he　did　not
get　back　till　late　in　the　day。〃　The　other　message　had　been　left
by　〃a　person　from　Mr。　Pedgift's　office；〃　who　had　called；
according　to　appointment；　while　the　two　gentlemen　were　away　at
the　major's。　〃Mr。　Bashwood's　respects；　and　he　would　have　the
honor　of　waiting　on　Mr。　Armadale　again　in　the　course　of　the
evening。〃

Toward　five　o'clock；　Midwinter　returned；　pale　and　silent。　Allan
hastened　to　assure　him　that　his　peace　was　made　at　the　cottage；
and　then；　to　change　the　subject；　mentioned　Mr。　Bashwood's
message。　Midwinter's　mind　was　so　preoccupied　or　so　languid　that
he　hardly　seemed　to　remember　the　name。　Allan　was　obliged　to
remind　him　that　Bashwood　was　the　elderly　clerk；　whom　Mr。　Pedgift
had　sent　to　be　his　instructor　in　the　duties　of　the　steward's
office。　He　listened　without　making　any　remark；　and　withdrew　to
his　room；　to　rest　till　dinner…time。

Left　by　himself；　Allan　went　into　the　library；　to　try　if　he　could
while　away　the　time　over　a　book。

He　took　many　volumes　off　the　shelves；　and　put　a　few　of　them　back
again；　and　there　he　ended。　Miss　Milroy　contrived　in　some
mysterious　manner　to　get；　in　this　case；　between　the　reader　and
the　books。　Her　formal　bow　and　her　merciless　parting　speech　dwelt；
try　how　he　might　to　forget　them；　on　Allan's　mind；　he　began　to
grow　more　and　more　anxious　as　the　idle　hour　wore　on；　to　recover
his　lost　place　in　her　favor。　To　call　again　that　day　at　the
cottage；　and　ask　if　he　had　been　so　unfortunate　as　to　offend　her；
was　impossible。　To　put　the　question　in　writing　with　the　needful
nicety　of　expression　proved；　on　trying　the　experiment；　to　be　a
task　beyond　his　literary　reach。　After　a　turn　or　two　up　and　down
the　room；　with　his　pen　in　his　mouth；　he　decided　on　the　more
diplomatic　course　（which　happened；　in　this　case；　to　be　the
easiest　course；　too）；　of　writing　to　Miss　Milroy　as　cordially　as
if　nothing　had　happened；　and　of　testing　his　position　in　her　good
graces　by　the　answer　that　she　sent　him　back。　An　invitation　of
some　kind　（including　her　father；　of　course；　but　addressed
directly　to　herself）　was　plainly　the　right　thing　to　oblige　her　to
send　a　written　reply；　but　here　the　difficulty　occurred　of　what
the　invitation　was　to　be。　A　ball　was　not　to　be　thought　of；　in　his
present　position　with　the　resident　gentry。　A　dinner…party；　with
no　indispensable　elderly　lady　on　the　premises　to　receive　Miss
Milroyexcept　Mrs。　Gripper；　who　could　only　receive　her　in　the
kitchenwas　equally　out　of　the　question。　What　was　the　invitation
to　be？　Never　backward；　when　he　wanted　help；　in　asking　for　it
right　and　left　in　every　available　direction；　Allan；　feeling
himself　at　the　end　of　his　own　resources；　coolly　rang　the　bell；
and　astonished　the　servant　who　answered　it　by　inquiring　how　the
late　family　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　used　to　amuse　themselves；　and　what
sort　of　invitations　they　were　in　the　habit　of　sending　to　their
friends。

〃The　family　did　what　the　rest　of　the　gentry　did；　sir；〃　said　the
man；　staring　at　his　master　in　utter　bewilderment。　〃They　gave
dinner…parties　and　balls。　And　in　fine　summer　weather；　sir；　like
this；　they　sometimes　had　lawn…parties　and　picnics〃

〃That'll　do！〃　shouted　Allan。　〃A　picnic's　just　the　thing　to　please
her。　Richard；　you're　an　invaluable　man；　you　may　go　downstairs
again。〃

Richard　retired　wondering；　and　Richard's　master　seized　his　ready
pen。


〃DEAR　MISS　MILROYSince　I　left　you　it　has　suddenly　struck　me
that　we　might　have　a　picnic。　A　little　change　and　amusement　（what
I　should　call　a　good　shaking…up；　if　I　wasn't　writing　to　a　young
lady）　is　just　the　thing　for　you；　after　being　so　long　indoors
lately　in　Mrs。　Milroy's　room。　A　picnic　is　a　change；　and　（when　the
wine　is　good）　amusement；　too。　Will　you　ask　the　major　if　he　will
consent　to　the　picnic；　and　come？　And　if　you　have　got　any　friends
in　the　neighborhood　who　like　a　picnic；　pray　ask　them　too；　for　I
have　got　none。　It　shall　be　your　picnic；　but　I　will　provid