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！
here！ I tell you again； he's not satisfied with the mess he's got
into already。 I know it for certain； he's having the governess
watched。〃
At those words； Midwinter mechanically checked himself before he
turned the corner of the house。 His first doubt of the result of
his meditated appeal to Allan ran through him like a sudden
chill。 The influence exercised by the voic e of public scandal is
a force which acts。 in opposition to the ordinary law of
mechanics。 It is strongest； not by concentration； but by
distribution。 To the primary sound we may shut our ears； but the
reverberation of it in echoes is irresistible。 On his way back；
Midwinter's one desire had been to find Allan up； and to speak to
him immediately。 His one hope now was to gain time to contend
with the new doubts and to silence the new misgivings； his one
present anxiety was to hear that Allan had gone to bed。 He turned
the corner of the house； and presented himself before the men
smoking their pipes in the back garden。 As soon as their
astonishment allowed them to speak； they offered to rouse their
master。 Allan had given his friend up for that night； and had
gone to bed about half an hour since。
〃It was my master's' particular order； sir；〃 said the
head…footman； 〃that he was to be told of it if you came back。〃
〃It is _my_ particular request；〃 returned Midwinter； 〃that you
won't disturb him。〃
The men looked at each other wonderingly； as he took his candle
and left them。
CHAPTER VIII。
SHE COMES BETWEEN THEM。
APPOINTED hours for the various domestic events of the day were
things unknown at Thorpe Ambrose。 Irregular in all his habits；
Allan accommodated himself to no stated times （with the solitary
exception of dinner…time） at any hour of the day or night。 He
retired to rest early or late； and he rose early or late； exactly
as he felt inclined。 The servants were forbidden to call him； and
Mrs。 Gripper was accustomed to improvise the breakfast as she
best might； from the time when the kitchen fire was first lighted
to the time when the clock stood on the stroke of noon。
Toward nine o'clock on the morning after his return Midwinter
knocked at Allan's door； and on entering the room found it empty。
After inquiry among the servants； it appeared that Allan had
risen that morning before the man who usually attended on him was
up； and that his hot water had been brought to the door by one of
the house…maids； who was then still in ignorance of Midwinter's
return。 Nobody had chanced to see the master； either on the
stairs or in the hall； nobody had heard him ring the bell for
breakfast； as usual。 In brief； nobody knew anything about him；
except what was obviously clear to allthat he was not in the
house。
Midwinter went out under the great portico。 He stood at the head
of the flight of steps considering in which direction he should
set forth to look for his friend。 Allan's unexpected absence
added one more to the disquieting influences which still
perplexed his mind。 He was in the mood in which trifles irritate
a man； and fancies are all…powerful to exalt or depress his
spirits。
The sky was cloudy； and the wind blew in puffs from the south；
there was every prospect； to weather…wise eyes； of coming rain。
While Midwinter was still hesitating； one of the grooms passed
him on the drive below。 The man proved； on being questioned； to
be better informed about his master's movements than the servants
indoors。 He had seen Allan pass the stables more than an hour
since； going out by the back way into the park with a nosegay in
his hand。
A nosegay in his hand？ The nosegay hung incomprehensibly on
Midwinter's mind as he walked round； on the chance of meeting
Allan； to the back of the house。 〃What does the nosegay mean？〃 he
asked himself； with an unintelligible sense of irritation； and a
petulant kick at a stone that stood in his way。
It meant that Allan had been following his impulses as usual。 The
one pleasant impression left on his mind after his interview with
Pedgift Senior was the impression made by the lawyer's account of
his conversation with Neelie in the park。 The anxiety that he
should not misjudge her； which the major's daughter had so
earnestly expressed； placed her before Allan's eyes in an
irresistibly attractive characterthe character of the one
person among all his neighbors who had some respect still left
for his good opinion。 Acutely sensible of his social isolation；
now that there was no Midwinter to keep him company in the empty
house； hungering and thirsting in his solitude for a kind word
and a friendly look； he began to think more and more regretfully
and more and more longingly of the bright young face so
pleasantly associated with his first happiest days at Thorpe
Ambrose。 To be conscious of such a feeling as this was； with a
character like Allan's； to act on it headlong； lead him where it
might。 He had gone out on the previous morning to look for Neelie
with a peace…offering of flowers； but with no very distinct idea
of what he should say to her if they met； and failing to find her
on the scene of her customary walks； he had characteristically
persisted the next morning in making a second attempt with
another peace…offering on a larger scale。 Still ignorant of his
friend's return； he was now at some distance from the house；
searching the park in a direction which he had not tried yet。
After walking out a few hundred yards beyond the stables； and
failing to discover any signs of Allan； Midwinter retraced his
steps； and waited for his friend's return； pacing slowly to and
fro on the little strip of garden ground at the back of the
house。
From time to time； as he passed it； he looked in absently at the
room which had formerly been Mrs。 Armadale's； which was now
（through his interposition） habitually occupied by her sonthe
room with the Statuette on the bracket； and the French windows
opening to the ground； which had once recalled to him the Second
Vision of the Dream。 The Shadow of the Man； which Allan had seen
standing opposite to him at the long window； the view over a lawn
and flower…garden； the pattering of the rain against the glass；
the stretching out of the Shadow's arm； and the fall of the
statue in fragments on the floorthese objects and events of the
visionary scene； so vividly present to his memory once； were all
superseded by later remembrances now； were all left to fade as
they might in the dim background of time。 He could pass the room
again and again； alone and anxious； and never once think of the
boat drifting away in the moonlight； and the night's imprisonment
on the Wrecked Ship！
Toward ten o'clock the well…remembered sound of Allan's voice
became suddenly audible in the direction of the stables。 In a
moment more he was visible from the garden。 His second morning's
search for Neelie had ended to all appearance in a second defeat
of his object。 The nosegay was still in his hand； and he was
resignedly making a present of it to one of the coachman's
children。
Midwinter impulsively took a step forward toward the stables； and
abruptly checked his further progress。
Conscious that his position toward his friend was altered already
in relation to Miss Gwilt； the first sight of Allan filled his
mind with a sudden distrust of the governess's influence over
him； which was almost a distrust of himself。 He knew that he had
set forth from the moors on his return to Thorpe Ambrose with the
resolution of acknowledging the passion that had mastered him；
and of insisting； if necessary； on a second and a longer absence
in the interests of the sacrifice which he was bent on making to
the happiness of his friend。 What had become of that resolution
now？ The discovery of Miss Gwilt's altered position； and the
declaration that she had voluntarily made of her indifference to
Allan； had scattered it to the winds。 The first words with which
he would have met his friend； if nothing had happened to him on
the homeward way； were words already dismissed from his lips。 He
drew back as he felt it； and struggled； with an instinctive
loyalty toward Allan； to free himself at the last moment from the
influence of Miss Gwilt。
Having disposed of his useless nosegay； Allan passed on into the
garden； and the instant he entered it recognized Midwinter with a
loud cry of surprise and delight。
〃Am I awake or dreaming？〃 he exclaimed； seizing his friend
excitably by both hands。〃 You dear old Midwinter； have you sprung
up out of the ground； or have you dropped from the clouds？〃
It was not till Midwinter had explained the mystery of his
unexpec ted appearance in every particular that Allan could be
prevailed on to say a word about himself。 When he did speak； he
shook his head ruefully； and subdued the hearty loudness of his
voice； with a preliminary look round to see if the servants were
within hearing。
〃I've learned to be cautious since you went away and left me；〃
said Allan。 〃My dear fellow； you haven't the least notion what
things have happened； and what an awful scrape I'm in at this
very moment！〃
〃You are mistaken； Allan。 I have heard more of what has happened
than you suppose。〃
〃What！ the dreadful mess