armadale-第69章

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in　the　neighborhood　who　like　a　picnic；　pray　ask　them　too；　for　I
have　got　none。　It　shall　be　your　picnic；　but　I　will　provide
everything　and　take　everybody。　You　shall　choose　the　day；　and　we
will　picnic　where　you　like。　I　have　set　my　heart　on　this　picnic。

〃Believe　me；　ever　yours；

〃ALLAN　ARMADALE。〃


On　reading　over　his　composition　before　sealing　it　up；　Allan
frankly　acknowledged　to　himself；　this　time；　that　it　was　not　quite
faultless。　〃　'Picnic'　comes　in　a　little　too　often；〃　he　said。
〃Never　mind；　if　she　likes　the　idea；　she　won't　quarrel　with　that。〃
He　sent　off　the　letter　on　the　spot；　with　strict　instructions　to
the　messenger　to　wait　for　a　reply。

In　half　an　hour　the　answer　came　back　on　scented　paper；　without　an
erasure　anywhere；　fragrant　to　smell；　and　beautiful　to　see。

The　presentation　of　the　naked　truth　is　one　of　those　exhibitions
from　which　the　native　delicacy　of　the　female　mind　seems
instinctively　to　revolt。　Never　were　the　tables　turned　more
completely　than　they　were　now　turned　on　Allan　by　his　fair
correspondent。　Machiavelli　himself　would　never　have　suspected；
from　Miss　Milroy's　letter；　how　heartily　she　had　repented　her
petulance　to　the　young　squire　as　soon　as　his　back　was　turned；　and
how　extravagantly　delighted　she　was　when　his　invitation　was
placed　in　her　hands。　Her　letter　was　the　composition　of　a　model
young　lady　whose　emotions　are　all　kept　under　parental　lock　and
key；　and　served　out　for　her　judiciously　as　occasion　may　re　quire。
〃Papa；〃　appeared　quite　as　frequently　in　Miss　Milroy's　reply　as
〃picnic〃　had　appeared　in　Allan's　invitation。　〃Papa〃　had　been　as
considerately　kind　as　Mr。　Armadale　in　wishing　to　procure　her　a
little　change　and　amusement；　and　had　offered　to　forego　his　usual
quiet　habits　and　join　the　picnic。　With　〃papa's〃　sanction；
therefore；　she　accepted；　with　much　pleasure；　Mr。　Armadale's
proposal；　and；　at　〃papa's〃　suggestion；　she　would　presume　on　Mr。
Armadale's　kindness　to　add　two　friends　of　theirs　recently　settled
at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　to　the　picnic　partya　widow　lady　and　her　son；
the　latter　in　holy　orders　and　in　delicate　health。　If　Tuesday　next
would　suit　Mr。　Armadale；　Tuesday　next　would　suit　〃papa〃being
the　first　day　he　could　spare　from　repairs　which　were　required　by
his　clock。　The　rest；　by　〃papa's〃　advice；　she　would　beg　to　leave
entirely　in　Mr。　Armadale's　hands；　and；　in　the　meantime；　she　would
remain；　with　〃papa's〃　compliments；　Mr。　Armadale's　trulyELEANOR
MILROY。〃

Who　would　ever　have　supposed　that　the　writer　of　that　letter　had
jumped　for　joy　when　Allan's　invitation　arrived？　Who　would　ever
have　suspected　that　there　was　an　entry　already　in　Miss　Milroy's
diary；　under　that　day's　date；　to　this　effect：　〃The　sweetest；
dearest　letter　from　_I…know…who；_　I'll　never　behave　unkindly　to
him　again　as　long　as　I　live？〃　As　for　Allan；　he　was　charmed　with
the　sweet　success　of　his　maneuver。　Miss　Milroy　had　accepted　his
invitation；　consequently；　Miss　Milroy　was　not　offended　with　him。
It　was　on　the　tip　of　his　tongue　to　mention　the　correspondence　to
his　friend　when　they　met　at　dinner。　But　there　was　something　in
Midwinter's　face　and　manner　（even　plain　enough　for　Allan　to　see）
which　warned　him　to　wait　a　little　before　he　said　anything　to
revive　the　painful　subject　of　their　visit　to　the　cottage。　By
common　consent　they　both　avoided　all　topics　connected　with　Thorpe
Ambrose；　not　even　the　visit　from　Mr。　Bashwood；　which　was　to　come
with　the　evening；　being　referred　to　by　either　of　them。　All
through　the　dinner　they　drifted　further　and　further　back　into　the
old　endless　talk　of　past　times　about　ships　and　sailing。　When　the
butler　withdrew　from　his　attendance　at　table；　he　came　downstairs
with　a　nautical　problem　on　his　mind；　and　asked　his
fellow…servants　if　they　any　of　them　knew　the　relative　merits　〃on
a　wind〃　and　〃off　a　wind〃　of　a　schooner　and　a　brig。

The　two　young　men　had　sat　longer　at　table　than　usual　that　day。
When　they　went　out　into　the　garden　with　their　cigars；　the　summer
twilight　fell　gray　and　dim　on　lawn　and　flower　bed；　and　narrowed
round　them　by　slow　degrees　the　softly　fading　circle　of　the
distant　view。　The　dew　was　heavy；　and；　after　a　few　minutes　in　the
garden；　they　agreed　to　go　back　to　the　drier　ground　on　the　drive
in　front　of　the　house。

They　were　close　to　the　turning　which　led　into　the　shrubbery；　when
there　suddenly　glided　out　on　them；　from　behind　the　foliage；　a
softly　stepping　black　figurea　shadow；　moving　darkly　through　the
dim　evening　light。　Midwinter　started　back　at　the　sight　of　it；　and
even　the　less　finely　strung　nerves　of　his　friend　were　shaken　for
the　moment。

〃Who　the　devil　are　you？〃　cried　Allan。

The　figure　bared　its　head　in　the　gray　light；　and　came　slowly　a
step　nearer。　Midwinter　advanced　a　step　on　his　side；　and　looked
closer。　It　was　the　man　of　the　timid　manners　and　the　mourning
garments；　of　whom　he　had　asked　the　way　to　Thorpe　Ambrose　where
the　three　roads　met。

〃Who　are　you？〃　repeated　Allan。

〃I　humbly　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　faltered　the　stranger；　stepping
back　again；　confusedly。　〃The　servants　told　me　I　should　find　Mr。
Armadale〃

〃What；　are　you　Mr。　Bashwood？〃

〃Yes；　if　you　please；　sir。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　speaking　to　you　so　roughly；〃　said　Allan；
〃but　the　fact　is；　you　rather　startled　me。　My　name　is　Armadale
（put　on　your　hat；　pray）；　and　this　is　my　friend；　Mr。　Midwinter；
who　wants　your　help　in　the　steward's　office。〃

〃We　hardly　stand　in　need　of　an　introduction；〃　said　Midwinter。　〃I
met　Mr。　Bashwood　out　walking　a　few　days　since；　and　he　was　kind
enough　to　direct　me　when　I　had　lost　my　way。〃

〃Put　on　your　hat；〃　reiterated　Allan；　as　Mr。　Bashwood；　still
bareheaded；　stood　bowing　speechlessly；　now　to　one　of　the　young
men；　and　now　to　the　other。　〃My　good　sir；　put　on　your　hat；　and　let
me　show　you　the　way　back　to　the　house。　Excuse　me　for　noticing
it；〃　added　Allan；　as　the　man；　in　sheer　nervous　helplessness；　let
his　hat　fall；　instead　of　putting　it　back　on　his　head；　〃but　you
seem　a　little　out　of　sorts；　a　glass　of　good　wine　will　do　you　no
harm　before　you　and　my　friend　come　to　business。　Whereabouts　did
you　meet　with　Mr。　Bashwood；　Midwinter；　when　you　lost　your　way？〃

〃I　am　too　ignorant　of　the　neighborhood　to　know。　I　must　refer　you
to　Mr。　Bashwood。〃

〃Come；　tell　us　where　it　was；〃　said　Allan；　trying；　a　little　too
abruptly；　to　set　the　man　at　his　ease；　as　they　all　three　walked
back　to　the　house。

The　measure　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　constitutional　timidity　seemed　to
be　filled　to　the　brim　by　the　loudness　of　Allan's　voice　and　the
bluntness　of　Allan's　request。　He　ran　over　in　the　same　feeble　flow
of　words　with　which　he　had　deluged　Midwinter　on　the　occasion　when
they　first　met。

〃It　was　on　the　road；　sir；〃　he　began；　addressing　himself
alternately　to　Allan；　whom　he　called；　〃sir；〃　and　to　Midwinter；
whom　he　called　by　his　name；　〃I　mean；　if　you　please；　on　the　road
to　Little　Gill　Beck。　A　singular　name；　Mr。　Midwinter；　and　a
singular　place；　I　don't　mean　the　village；　I　mean　the
neighborhoodI　mean　the　'Broads'　beyond　the　neighborhood。
Perhaps　you　may　have　heard　of　the　Norfolk　Broads；　sir？　What　they
call　lakes　in　other　parts　of　England；　they　call　Broads　here。　The
Broads　are　quite　numerous；　I　think　they　would　repay　a　visit。　You
would　have　seen　the　first　of　them；　Mr。　Midwinter；　if　you　had
walked　on　a　few　miles　from　where　I　had　the　honor　of　meeting　you。
Remarkably　numerous；　the　Broads；　sirsituated　between　this　and
the　sea。　About　three　miles　from　the　sea；　Mr。　Midwinterabout
three　miles。　Mostly　shallow；　sir；　with　rivers　running　between
them。　Beautiful；　solitary。　Quite　a　watery　country；　Mr。　Midwinter；
quite　separate；　as　it　were；　in　itself。　Parties　sometimes　visit
them；　sirpleasure　parties　in　boats。　It's　quite　a　little　network
of　lakes；　or；　perhapsyes；　perhaps；　more　correctly；　pools。　There
is　good　sport　in　the　cold　weather。　The　wild　fowl　are　quite
numerous。　Yes；　the　Broads　would　repay　a　visit；　Mr。　Midwinter。　the
next　time　you　are　walking　that　way。　The　distance　from　here　to
Little　Gill　Beck；　and　then　from　Little　Gill　Beck　to　Girdler
Broad；　which　is　the　first　you　come　to；　is　altogether　not　more〃
In　sheer　nervous　inability　to　leave　off；　he　would　apparently　have
gone　on　talking　of　the　Norfolk　Broads　for　the　rest　of　the
evening；　if　one　o