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as I live； it will be the object of my hopes and prayers that
Allan may never see him； may never even hear of him。 My kind
friend； I see I surprise you： will you bear with me if I leave
these strange circumstances unexplained？ There is past misfortune
and misery in my early life too painful for me to speak of； even
to _you。_ Will you help me to bear the remembrance of it； by
never referring to this again？ Will you do even morewill you
promise not to speak of it to Allan； and not to let that
newspaper fall in his way？〃
Mr。 Brock gave the pledge required of him； and considerately left
her to herself。
The rector had been too long and too truly attached to Mrs。
Armadale to be capable of regarding her with any unworthy
distrust。 But it would be idle to deny that he felt disappointed
by her want of confidence in him； and that he looked
inquisitively at the advertisement more than once on his way back
to his own house。
It was clear enough； now； that Mrs。 Armadale's motives for
burying her son as well as herself in the seclusion of a remote
country village was not so much to keep him under her own eye as
to keep him from discovery by his namesake。 Why did she dread the
idea of their ever meeting？ Was it a dread for herself； or a
dread for her son？ Mr。 Brock's loyal belief in his friend
rejected any solution of the difficulty which pointed at some
past misconduct of Mrs。 Armadale's。 That night he destroyed the
advertisement with his own hand； that night he resolved that the
subject should never be suffered to enter his mind again。 There
was another Allan Armadale about the world； a stranger to his
pupil's blood； and a vagabond advertised in the public
newspapers。 So much accident had revealed to him。 More； for Mrs。
Armadale's sake； he had no wish to discoverand more he would
never seek to know。
This was the second in the series of events which dated from the
rector's connection with Mrs。 Armadale and her son。 Mr。 Brock's
memory； traveling on nearer and nearer to present circumstances；
reached the third stage of its journey through the by…gone time；
and stopped at the year eighteen hundred and fifty； next。
The five years that had passed had made little if any change in
Allan's character。 He had simply developed （to use his tutor's
own expression） from a boy of sixteen to a boy of twenty…one。 He
was just as easy and open in his disposition as ever； just as
quaintly and inveterately good…humored； just as heedless in
following his own impulses； lead him where they might。 His bias
toward the sea had strengthened with his advance to the years of
manhood。 From building a boat； he had now got onwith two
journeymen at work under himto building a decked vessel of
five…and…thirty tons。 Mr。 Brock had conscientiously tried to
divert him to higher aspirations； had taken him to Oxford； to see
what college life was like； had taken him to London； to expand
his mind by the spectacle of the great metropolis。 The change had
diverted Allan； but had not altered him in the least。 He was as
impenetrably superior to all worldly ambition as Diogenes
himself。 〃Which is best；〃 asked this unconscious philosopher； 〃to
find out the way to be happy for yourself； or to let other people
try if they can find it out for you？〃 From that moment Mr。 Brock
permitted his pupil's character to grow at its own rate of
development； and Allan went on uninterruptedly with the work of
his yacht。
Time； which had wrought so little change in the son； had not
passed harmless over the mother。
Mrs。 Armadale's health was breaking fast。 As her strength failed；
her temper altered for the worse： she grew more and more fretful；
more and more subject to morbid fears and fancies； more and more
reluctant to leave her own room。 Since the appearance of the
advertisement five years since； nothing had happened to force her
memory back to the painful associations connected with her early
life。 No word more on the forbidden topic had passed between the
rector and herself； no suspicion had ever been raised in Allan's
mind of the existence of his namesake； and yet； without the
shadow of a reason for any special anxiety； Mrs。 Armadale had
become； of late years； obstinately and fretfully uneasy on the
subject of her son。 More than once Mr。 Brock dreaded a serious
disagreement between them； but Allan's natural sweetness of
temper； fortified by his love for his mother； carried him
triumphantly through all trials。 Not a hard word or a harsh look
ever escaped him in her presence； he was unchangeably loving and
forbearing with her to the very last。
Such were the positions of the son； the mother； and the friend；
when the next notable event happened in the lives of the three。
On a dreary afternoon； early in the month of November； Mr。 Brock
was disturbed over the composition of his sermon by a visit from
the landlord of the village inn。
After making his introductory apologies； the landlord st ated the
urgent business on which he had come to the rectory clearly
enough。
A few hours since a young man had been brought to the inn by some
farm laborers in the neighborhood； who had found him wandering
about one of their master's fields in a disordered state of mind；
which looked to their eyes like downright madness。 The landlord
had given the poor creature shelter while he sent for medical
help； and the doctor； on seeing him； had pronounced that he was
suffering from fever on the brain； and that his removal to the
nearest town at which a hospital or a work…house infirmary could
be found to receive him would in all probability be fatal to his
chances of recovery。 After hearing this expression of opinion；
and after observing for himself that the stranger's only luggage
consisted of a small carpet…bag which had been found in the field
near him； the landlord had set off on the spot to consult the
rector； and to ask； in this serious emergency； what course he was
to take next。
Mr。 Brock was the magistrate as well as the clergyman of the
district； and the course to be taken； in the first instance； was
to his mind clear enough。 He put on his hat； and accompanied the
landlord back to the inn。
At the inn door they were joined by Allan； who had heard the news
through another channel； and who was waiting Mr。 Brock's arrival；
to follow in the magistrate's train； and to see what the stranger
was like。 The village surgeon joined them at the same moment； and
the four went into the inn together。
They found the landlord's son on one side； and the hostler on the
other； holding the man down in his chair。 Young； slim； and
undersized； he was strong enough at that moment to make it a
matter of difficulty for the two to master him。 His tawny
complexion； his large； bright brown eyes； and his black beard
gave him something of a foreign look。 His dress was a little
worn； but his linen was clean。 His dusky hands were wiry and
nervous； and were lividly discolored in more places than one by
the scars of old wounds。 The toes of one of his feet； off which
he had kicked the shoe； grasped at the chair rail through his
stocking； with the sensitive muscular action which is only seen
in those who have been accustomed to go barefoot。 In the frenzy
that now possessed him； it was impossible to notice； to any
useful purpose； more than this。 After a whispered consultation
with Mr。 Brock； the surgeon personally superintended the
patient's removal to a quiet bedroom at the back of the house。
Shortly afterward his clothes and his carpet…bag were sent
downstairs； and were searched； on the chance of finding a clew by
which to communicate with his friends； in the magistrate's
presence。
The carpet… bag contained nothing but a change of clothing； and
two booksthe Plays of Sophocles； in the original Greek； and the
〃Faust〃 of Goethe； in the original German。 Both volumes were much
worn by reading； and on the fly…leaf of each were inscribed the
initials O。 M。 So much the bag revealed； and no more。
The clothes which the man wore when he was discovered in the
field were tried next。 A purse （containing a sovereign and a few
shillings）； a pipe； a tobacco pouch； a handkerchief； and a little
drinking…cup of horn were produced in succession。 The next
object； and the last； was found crumpled up carelessly in the
breast…pocket of the coat。 It was a written testimonial to
character； dated and signed； but without any address。
So far as this document could tell it； the stranger's story was a
sad one indeed。 He had apparently been employed for a short time
as usher at a school； and had been turned adrift in the world； at
the outset of his illness； from the fear that the fever might be
infectious； and that the prosperity of the establishment might
suffer accordingly。 Not the slightest imputation of any
misbehavior in his employment rested on him。 On the contrary； the
schoolmaster had great pleasure in testifying to his capacity and
his character； and in expressing a fervent hope that he might
（under Providence） succeed in recovering his health in somebody
else's house。 The written testimonial which afforded this glimpse
at the man's story served one purpose more： it connected him with
the initials on the books； and id