armadale-第79章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


it？　Ah；　what　fools　we　all　were　to　leave　our　comfortable　homes！〃

Meanwhile　the　boat　floated　smoothly　along　the　windings　of　the
watery　labyrinth　which　lay　between　the　two　Broads。　The　view　on
either　side　was　now　limited　to　nothing　but　interminable　rows　of
reeds。　Not　a　sound　was　heard；　far　or　near；　not　so　much　as　a
glimpse　of　cultivated　or　inhabited　land　appeared　anywhere。　〃A
trifle　dreary　hereabouts；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　ever…cheerful
Pedgift。　〃But　we　are　just　out　of　it　now。　Look　ahead；　sir！　Here　we
are　at　Hurle　Mere。〃

The　reeds　opened　back　on　the　right　hand　and　the　left；　and　the
boat　glided　suddenly　into　the　wide　circle　of　a　pool。　Round　the
nearer　half　of　the　circle；　the　eternal　reeds　still　fringed　the
margin　of　the　water。　Round　the　further　half；　the　land　appeared
again；　here　rolling　back　from　the　pool　in　desolate　sand…hills；
there　rising　above　it　in　a　sweep　of　grassy　shore。　At　one　point
the　ground　was　occupied　by　a　plantation；　and　at　another　by　the
out…buildings　of　a　lonely　old　red　brick　house；　with　a　strip　of
by…road　near；　that　skirted　the　garden　wall　and　ended　at　the　pool。
The　sun　was　sinking　in　the　clear　heaven；　and　the　water；　where　the
sun's　reflection　failed　to　tinge　it；　was　beginning　to　look　black
and　cold。　The　solitude　that　had　been　soothing；　the　silence　that
had　felt　like　an　enchantment；　on　the　other　Broad；　in　the　day's
vigorous　prime；　was　a　solitude　that　saddened　herea　silence　that
struck　cold；　in　the　stillness　and　melancholy　of　the　day's
decline。

The　course　of　the　boat　was　directed　across　the　Mere　to　a　creek　in
the　grassy　shore。　One　or　two　of　the　little　flat…bottomed　punts
peculiar　to　the　Broads　lay　in　the　creek；　and　the　reed　cutters　to
whom　the　punts　belonged；　surprised　at　the　appearance　of
strangers；　came　out；　staring　silently；　from　behind　an　angle　of
the　old　garden　wall。　Not　another　sign　of　life　was　visible
anywhere。　No　pony…chaise　had　been　seen　by　the　reed　cutters；　no
stranger；　either　man　or　woman；　had　approached　the　shores　of　Hurle
Mere　that　day。

Young　Pedgift　took　another　look　at　his　watch；　and　addressed
himself　to　Miss　Milroy。　〃You　may；　or　may　not；　see　the　governess
when　you　get　back　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；〃　he　said；　〃but；　as　the　time
stands　now；　you　won't　see　her　here。　You　know　best；　Mr。　Armadale；〃
he　added；　turning　to　Allan；　〃whether　your　friend　is　to　be
depended　on　to　keep　his　appointment？〃

〃I　am　certain　he　is　to　be　depended　on；〃　replied　Allan；　looking
about　himin　unconcealed　disappointment　at　Midwinter's　absence。

〃Very　good；〃　pursued　Pedgift　Junior。　〃If　we　light　the　fire　for
our　gypsy　tea…making　on　the　open　ground　there；　your　friend　may
find　us　out；　sir；　by　the　smoke。　That's　the　Indian　dodge　for
picking　up　a　lost　man　on　the　prairie；　Miss　Milroy　and　it's　pretty
nearly　wild　enough　（isn't　it？）　to　be　a　prairie　here！〃

There　are　some　tem　ptationsprincipally　those　of　the　smaller
kindwhich　it　is　not　in　the　defensive　capacity　of　female　human
nature　to　resist。　The　temptation　to　direct　the　whole　force　of　her
influence；　as　the　one　young　lady　of　the　party；　toward　the　instant
overthrow　of　Allan's　arrangement　for　meeting　his　friend；　was　too
much　for　the　major's　daughter。　She　turned　on　the　smiling　Pedgift
with　a　look　which　ought　to　have　overwhelmed　him。　But　who　ever
overwhelmed　a　solicitor？

〃I　think　it's　the　most　lonely；　dreary；　hideous　place　I　ever　saw
in　my　life！〃　said　Miss　Neelie。　〃If　you　insist　on　making　tea　here；
Mr。　Pedgift；　don't　make　any　for　me。　No！　I　shall　stop　in　the　boat；
and；　though　I　am　absolutely　dying　with　thirst；　I　shall　touch
nothing　till　we　get　back　again　to　the　other　Broad！〃

The　major　opened　his　lips　to　remonstrate。　To　his　daughter's
infinite　delight；　Mrs。　Pentecost　rose　from　her　seat　before　he
could　say　a　word；　and；　after　surveying　the　whole　landward
prospect；　and　seeing　nothing　in　the　shape　of　a　vehicle　anywhere；
asked　indignantly　whether　they　were　going　all　the　way　back　again
to　the　place　where　they　had　left　the　carriages　in　the　middle　of
the　day。　On　ascertaining　that　this　was；　in　fact；　the　arrangement
proposed；　and　that；　from　the　nature　of　the　country；　the　carriages
could　not　have　been　ordered　round　to　Hurle　Mere　without；　in　the
first　instance；　sending　them　the　whole　of　the　way　back　to　Thorpe
Ambrose；　Mrs。　Pentecost　（speaking　in　her　son's　interests）
instantly　declared　that　no　earthly　power　should　induce　her　to　be
out　on　the　water　after　dark。　〃Call　me　a　boat！〃　cried　the　old
lady；　in　great　agitation。　〃Wherever　there's　water；　there's　a
night　mist；　and　wherever　there's　a　night　mist；　my　son　Samuel
catches　cold。　Don't　talk　to　_me_　about　your　moonlight　and　your
tea…makingyou're　all　mad！　Hi！　you　two　men　there！〃　cried　Mrs。
Pentecost；　hailing　the　silent　reed　cutters　on　shore。　〃Sixpence
apiece　for　you；　if　you'll　take　me　and　my　son　back　in　your　boat！〃

Before　young　Pedgift　could　interfere；　Allan　himself　settled　the
difficulty　this　time；　with　perfect　patience　and　good　temper。

〃I　can't　think；　Mrs。　Pentecost；　of　your　going　back　in　any　boat
but　the　boat　you　have　come　out　in；〃　he　said。　〃There　is　not　the
least　need　（as　you　and　Miss　Milroy　don't　like　the　place）　for
anybody　to　go　on　shore　here　but　me。　I　_must_　go　on　shore。　My
friend　Midwinter　never　broke　his　promise　to　me　yet；　and　I　can't
consent　to　leave　Hurle　Mere　as　long　as　there　is　a　chance　of　his
keeping　his　appointment。　But　there's　not　the　least　reason　in　the
world　why　I　should　stand　in　the　way　on　that　account。　You　have　the
major　and　Mr。　Pedgift　to　take　care　of　you；　and　you　can　get　back
to　the　carriages　before　dark；　if　you　go　at　once。　I　will　wait
here；　and　give　my　friend　half　an　hour　more；　and　then　I　can　follow
you　in　one　of　the　reed…cutters'　boats。〃

〃That's　the　most　sensible　thing；　Mr。　Armadale；　you've　said
to…day；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Pentecost；　seating　herself　again　in　a
violent　hurry

〃Tell　them　to　be　quick！　〃　cried　the　old　lady；　shaking　her　fist　at
the　boatmen。　〃Tell　them　to　be　quick！〃

Allan　gave　the　necessary　directions；　and　stepped　on　shore。　The
wary　Pedgift　（sticking　fast　to　his　client）　tried　to　follow。

〃We　can't　leave　you　here　alone；　sir；〃　he　said；　protesting　eagerly
in　a　whisper。　〃Let　the　major　take　care　of　the　ladies；　and　let　me
keep　you　company　at　the　Mere。〃

〃No；　no！〃　said　Allan；　pressing　him　back。　〃They're　all　in　low
spirits　on　board。　If　you　want　to　be　of　service　to　me；　stop　like　a
good　fellow　where　you　are；　and　do　your　best　to　keep　the　thing
going。〃

He　waved　his　hand；　and　the　men　pushed　the　boat　off　from　the
shore。　The　others　all　waved　their　hands　in　return　except　the
major's　daughter；　who　sat　apart　from　the　rest；　with　her　face
hidden　under　her　parasol。　The　tears　stood　thick　in　Neelie's　eyes。
Her　last　angry　feeling　against　Allan　died　out；　and　her　heart　went
back　to　him　penitently　the　moment　he　left　the　boat。　〃How　good　he
is　to　us　all！〃　she　thought；　〃and　what　a　wretch　I　am！〃　She　got　up
with　every　generous　impulse　in　her　nature　urging　her　to　make
atonement　to　him。　She　got　up；　reckless　of　appearances　and　looked
after　him　with　eager　eyes　and　flushed　checks；　as　he　stood　alone
on　the　shore。　〃Don't　be　long；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　she　said；　with　a
desperate　disregard　of　what　the　rest　of　the　company　thought　of
her。

The　boat　was　already　far　out　in　the　water；　and　with　all　Neelie's
resolution　the　words　were　spoken　in　a　faint　little　voice；　which
failed　to　reach　Allan's　ears。　The　one　sound　he　heard；　as　the　boat
gained　the　opposite　extremity　of　the　Mere；　and　disappeared　slowly
among　the　reeds；　was　the　sound　of　the　concertina。　The
indefatigable　Pedgift　was　keeping　things　goingevidently　under
the　auspices　of　Mrs。　Pentecostby　performing　a　sacred　melody。

Left　by　himself；　Allan　lit　a　cigar；　and　took　a　turn　backward　and
forward　on　the　shore。　〃She　might　have　said　a　word　to　me　at
parting！〃　he　thought。　〃I've　done　everything　for　the　best；　I've　as
good　as　told　her　how　fond　of　her　I　am；　and　this　is　the　way　she
treats　me！〃　He　stopped；　and　stood　looking　absently　at　the　sinking
sun；　and　the　fast…darkening　waters　of　the　Mere。　Some　inscrutable
influence　in　the　scene　forced　its　way　stealthily　into　his　mind；
and　diverted　his　thoughts　from　Miss　Milroy　to　his　absent　friend。
He　started；　and　looked　about　him。

The　reed…cutters　had　gone　back