armadale-第75章

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cheerfully　through　the　quiet　air。　At　the　same　moment；　from　the
other　side　of　the　carriage；　the　lurid　spectacles　of　the　Reverend
Samuel　showed　themselves　officiously　on　the　search；　and　the　voice
of　the　Reverend　Samuel's　mother　（who　had；　with　great　dexterity；
put　the　two　ideas　of　the　presence　of　water　and　a　sudden　movement
among　the　company　together）　inquired　distractedly　if　anybody　was
drowned？　Sentiment　flies　and　Love　shudders　at　all　demonstrations
of　the　noisy　kind。　Allan　said：　〃Damn　it；〃　and　rejoined　young
Pedgift。　Miss　Milroy　sighed；　and　took　refuge　with　her　father。

〃I've　done　it；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　cried　young　Pedgift；　greeting　his
patron　gayly。　〃We　can　all　go　on　the　water　together；　I've　got　the
biggest　boat　on　the　Broads。　The　little　skiffs；〃　he　added；　in　a
lower　tone；　as　he　led　the　way　to　the　quay　steps；　〃besides　being
ticklish　and　easily　upset；　won't　hold　more　than　two；　with　the
boatman；　and　the　major　told　me　he　should　feel　it　his　duty　to　go
with　his　daughter；　if　we　all　separated　in　different　boats。　I
thought　_that_　would　hardly　do；　sir；〃　pursued　Pedgift　Junior；
with　a　respectfully　sly　emphasis　on　the　words。　〃And；　besides；　if
we　had　put　the　old　lady　into　a　skiff；　with　her　weight　（sixteen
stone　if　she's　a　pound）；　we　might　have　had　her　upside　down　in　the
water　half　her　time；　which　would　have　occasioned　delay；　and
thrown　what　you　call　a　damp　on　the　proceedings。　Here's　the　boat；
Mr。　Armadale。　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

The　boat　added　one　more　to　the　strangely　anomalous　objects　which
appeared　at　the　Broads。　It　was　nothing　less　than　a　stout　old
lifeboat；　passing　its　last　declining　years　on　the　smooth　fresh
water；　after　the　stormy　days　of　its　youth　time　on　the　wild　salt
sea。　A　comfortable　little　cabin　for　the　use　of　fowlers　in　the
winter　season　had　been　built　amidships；　and　a　mast　and　sail
adapted　for　inland　navigation　had　been　fitted　forward。　There　was
room　enough　and　to　spare　for　the　guests；　the　dinner；　and　the
three　men　in　charge。　Allan　clapped　his　faithful　lieutenant
approvingly　on　the　shoulder；　and　even　Mrs。　Pentecost；　when　the
whole　party　were　comfortably　established　on　board；　took　a
comparatively　cheerful　view　of　the　prospects　of　the　picnic。　〃If
anything　happens；〃　said　the　old　lady；　addressing　the　company
gener　ally；　〃there's　one　comfort　for　all　of　us。　My　son　can　swim。〃

The　boat　floated　out　from　the　creek　into　the　placid　waters　of　the
Broad；　and　the　full　beauty　of　the　scene　opened　on　the　view。

On　the　northward　and　westward；　as　the　boat　reached　the　middle　of
the　lake；　the　shore　lay　clear　and　low　in　the　sunshine；　fringed
darkly　at　certain　points　by　rows　of　dwarf　trees；　and　dotted　here
and　there；　in　the　opener　spaces；　with　windmills　and　reed…thatched
cottages；　of　puddled　mud。　Southward；　the　great　sheet　of　water
narrowed　gradually　to　a　little　group　of　close…nestling　islands
which　closed　the　prospect；　while　to　the　east　a　long；　gently
undulating　line　of　reeds　followed　the　windings　of　the　Broad；　and
shut　out　all　view　of　the　watery　wastes　beyond。　So　clear　and　so
light　was　the　summer　air　that　the　one　cloud　in　the　eastern
quarter　of　the　heaven　was　the　smoke　cloud　left　by　a　passing
steamer　three　miles　distant　and　more　on　the　invisible　sea。　When
the　voices　of　the　pleasure　party　were　still；　not　a　sound　rose；
far　or　near；　but　the　faint　ripple　at　the　bows；　as　the　men；　with
slow；　deliberate　strokes　of　their　long　poles；　pressed　the　boat
forward　softly　over　the　shallow　water。　The　world　and　the　world's
turmoil　seemed　left　behind　forever　on　the　land；　the　silence　was
the　silence　of　enchantmentthe　delicious　interflow　of　the　soft
purity　of　the　sky　and　the　bright　tranquillity　of　the　lake。

Established　in　perfect　comfort　in　the　boatthe　major　and　his
daughter　on　one　side；　the　curate　and　his　mother　on　the　other；　and
Allan　and　young　Pedgift　between　the　twothe　water　party　floated
smoothly　toward　the　little　nest　of　islands　at　the　end　of　the
Broad。　Miss　Milroy　was　in　raptures；　Allan　was　delighted；　and　the
major　for　once　forgot　his　clock。　Every　one　felt　pleasurably；　in
their　different　ways；　the　quiet　and　beauty　of　the　scene。　Mrs。
Pentecost；　in　her　way；　felt　it　like　a　clairvoyantwith　closed
eyes。

〃Look　behind　you；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　whispered　young　Pedgift。　〃I
think　the　parson's　beginning　to　enjoy　himself。〃

An　unwonted　brisknessportentous　apparently　of　coming
speechdid　certainly　at　that　moment　enliven　the　curate's　manner。
He　jerked　his　head　from　side　to　side　like　a　bird；　he　cleared　his
throat；　and　clasped　his　hands；　and　looked　with　a　gentle　interest
at　the　company。　Getting　into　spirits　seemed；　in　the　case　of　this
excellent　person；　to　be　alarmingly　like　getting　into　the　pulpit。

〃Even　in　this　scene　of　tranquillity；〃　said　the　Reverend　Samuel；
coming　out　softly　with　his　first　contribution　to　the　society　in
the　shape　of　a　remark；　〃the　Christian　mindled；　so　to　speak；
from　one　extreme　to　anotheris　forcibly　recalled　to　the　unstable
nature　of　all　earthly　enjoyments。　How　if　this　calm　should　not
last？　How　if　the　winds　rose　and　the　waters　became　agitated？〃

〃You　needn't　alarm　yourself　about　that；　sir；〃　said　young　Pedgift；
〃June's　the　fine　season　hereand　you　can　swim。〃

Mrs。　Pentecost　（mesmerically　affected；　in　all　probability；　by　the
near　neighborhood　of　her　son）　opened　her　eyes　suddenly　and　asked；
with　her　customary　eagerness。　〃What　does　my　boy　say？〃

The　Reverend　Samuel　repeated　his　words　in　the　key　that　suited　his
mother's　infirmity。　The　old　lady　nodded　in　high　approval；　and
pursued　her　son's　train　of　thought　through　the　medium　of　a
quotation。

〃Ah！〃　sighed　Mrs。　Pentecost；　with　infinite　relish；　〃He　rides　the
whirlwind；　Sammy；　and　directs　the　storm！〃

〃Noble　words！〃　said　the　Reverend　Samuel。　〃Noble　and　consoling
words！〃

〃I　say；〃　whispered　Allan；　〃if　he　goes　on　much　longer　in　that　way；
what's　to　be　done？〃

〃I　told　you；　papa；　it　was　a　risk　to　ask　them；〃　added　Miss　Milroy；
in　another　whisper。

〃My　dear！〃　remonstrated　the　major。　〃We　knew　nobody　else　in　the
neighborhood；　and；　as　Mr。　Armadale　kindly　suggested　our　bringing
our　friends；　what　could　we　do？〃

〃We　can't　upset　the　boat；〃　remarked　young　Pedgift；　with　sardonic
gravity。　〃It's　a　lifeboat；　unfortunately。　May　I　venture　to
suggest　putting　something　into　the　reverend　gentleman's　mouth；
Mr。　Armadale？　It's　close　on　three　o'clock。　What　do　you　say　to
ringing　the　dinner…bell；　sir？〃

Never　was　the　right　man　more　entirely　in　the　right　place　than
Pedgift　Junior　at　the　picnic。　In　ten　minutes　more　the　boat　was
brought　to　a　stand…still　among　the　reeds；　the　Thorpe　Ambrose
hampers　were　unpacked　on　the　roof　of　the　cabin；　and　the　current
of　the　curate's　eloquence　was　checked　for　the　day。

How　inestimably　important　in　its　moral　resultsand　therefore　how
praiseworthy　in　itselfis　the　act　of　eating　and　drinking！　The
social　virtues　center　in　the　stomach。　A　man　who　is　not　a　better
husband；　father；　and　brother　after　dinner　than　before　is；
digestively　speaking；　an　incurably　vicious　man。　What　hidden
charms　of　character　disclose　themselves；　what　dormant
amiabilities　awaken；　when　our　common　humanity　gathers　together　to
pour　out　the　gastric　juice！　At　the　opening　of　the　hampers　from
Thorpe　Ambrose；　sweet　Sociability　（offspring　of　the　happy　union
of　Civilization　and　Mrs。　Gripper）　exhaled　among　the　boating
party；　and　melted　in　one　friendly　fusion　the　discordant　elements
of　which　that　party　had　hitherto　been　composed。　Now　did　the
Reverend　Samuel　Pentecost；　whose　light　had　hitherto　been　hidden
under　a　bushel；　prove　at　last　that　he　could　do　something　by
proving　that　he　could　eat。　Now　did　Pedgift　Junior　shine　brighter
than　ever　he　had　shone　yet　in　gems　of　caustic　humor　and　exquisite
fertilities　of　resource。　Now　did　the　squire；　and　the　squire's
charming　guest；　prove　the　triple　connection　between　Champagne
that　sparkles；　Love　that　grows　bolder；　and　Eyes　whose　vocabulary
is　without　the　word　No。　Now　did　cheerful　old　times　come　back　to
the　major's　memory；　and　cheerful　old　stories　not　told　for　years
find　their　way　to　the　major's　lips。　And　now　did　Mrs。　Pentecost；
coming　out　wakefully　in　the　whole　force　of　her　estimable　maternal
character；　seize　on　a　supplementary　fork；　and　ply　that　useful
instrument　incessantly　betw