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at the man's story served one purpose more： it connected him with
the initials on the books； and identified him to the magistrate
and the landlord under the strangely uncouth name of Ozias
Midwinter。
Mr。 Brock laid aside the testimonial； suspecting that the
schoolmaster had purposely abstained from writing his address on
it； with the view of escaping all responsibility in the event of
his usher's death。 In any case； it was manifestly useless； under
existing circumstances； to think of tracing the poor wretch's
friends； if friends he had。 To the inn he had been brought； and；
as a matter of common humanity； at the inn he must remain for the
present。 The difficulty about expenses； if it came to the worst；
might possibly be met by charitable contributions from the
neighbors； or by a collection after a sermon at church。 Assuring
the landlord that he would consider this part of the question and
would let him know the result； Mr。 Brock quitted the inn； without
noticing for the moment that he had left Allan there behind him。
Before he had got fifty yards from the house his pupil overtook
him。 Allan had been most uncharacteristically silent and serious
all through the search at the inn； but he had now recovered his
usual high spirits A stranger would have set him down as wanting
in common feeling。
〃This is a sad business；〃 said the rector。 〃I really don't know
what to do for the best about that unfortunate man。〃
〃You may make your mind quite easy； sir；〃 said young Armadale； in
his off…hand way。 〃I settled it all with the landlord a minute
ago。〃
〃You！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Brock； in the utmost astonishment。
〃I have merely given a few simple directions；〃 pursued Allan。
〃Our friend the usher is to have everything he requires； and is
to be treated like a prince； and when the doctor and the landlord
want their money they are to come to me。〃
〃My dear Allan；〃 Mr。 Brock gently remonstrated； 〃when will you
learn to think before you act on those generous impulses of
yours？ You are spending more money already on your yacht…building
than you can afford〃
〃Only think！ we laid the first planks of the deck the day before
yesterday；〃 said Allan； flying off to the new subject in his
usual bird…witted way。 〃There's just enough of it done to walk
on； if you don't feel giddy。 I'll help you up the ladder； Mr。
Brock； if you'll only come and try。〃
〃Listen to me；〃 persisted the rector。 〃I'm not talking about the
yacht now； that is to say； I am only referring to the yacht as
all illustration〃
〃And a very pretty illustration； too；〃 remarked the incorrigible
Allan。 〃Find me a smarter little vessel of her size in all
England； and I'll give up yacht…building to…morrow。 Whereabouts
were we in our conversation； sir？ I'm rather afraid we have lost
ourselves somehow。〃
〃I am rather afraid one of us is in the habit of losing himself
every time he opens his lips；〃 retorted Mr。 Brock。 〃Come； come；
Allan； this is serious。 You have been rendering yourself liable
for expenses which you may not be able to pay。 Mind； I am far
from blaming you for your kind feeling toward this poor
friendless man〃
〃Don't be low…spirited about him； sir。 He'll get over ithe'll
be all right again in a week or so。 A capital fellow； I have not
the least doubt！〃 continued Allan； whose habit it was to believe
in everybody and to despair of nothing。 〃Suppose you ask him to
dinner when he gets well； Mr。 Brock？ I should like to find out
（when we are all three snug and friendly together over our wine；
you know） how he came by that extraordinary name of his。 Ozias
Midwinter！ Upon my life； his father ought to be ashamed of
himself。〃
〃Will you answer me one question before I go in？〃 said the
rector； stopping in despair at his own gate。 〃This man's bill for
lodging and medical attendance may mount to twenty or thirty
pounds before he gets well again； if he ever does get well。 How
are you to pay for it？〃
〃What's that the Chancellor of the Exchequer says when he finds
himself in a mess with his accounts； and doesn't see his way out
again？〃 asked
Allan。 〃He always tells his honorable friend he is quite willing
to leave a something or other〃
〃A margin？〃 suggested Mr。 Brock。
〃That's it；〃 said Allan。 〃I'm like the Chancellor of the
Exchequer。 I'm quite willing to leave a margin。 The yacht （bless
her heart！） doesn't eat up everything。 If I'm short by a pound or
two； don't be afraid； sir。 There's no pride about me； I'll go
round with the hat； and get the balance in the neighborhood。
Deuce take the pounds； shillings； and pence！ I wish they could
all three get rid of themselves； like the Bedouin brothers at the
show。 Don't you remember the Bedouin brothers； Mr。 Brock？ 'Ali
will take a lighted torch； and jump down the throat of his
brother Muli； Muli will take a lighted torch； and jump down the
throat of his brother Hassan； and Hassan； taking a third lighted
torch； will conclude the performances by jumping down his own
throat； and leaving the spectators in total darkness。'
Wonderfully good； thatwhat I call real wit； with a fine strong
flavor about it。 Wait a minute！ Where are we？ We have lost
ourselves again。 Oh； I remembermoney。 What I can't beat into my
thick head；〃 concluded Allan； quite unconscious that he was
preaching socialist doctrines to a clergyman； 〃is the meaning of
the fuss that's made about giving money away。 Why can't the
people who have got money to spare give it to the people who
haven't got money to spare； and make things pleasant and
comfortable all the world over in that way？ You're always telling
me to cultivate ideas； Mr。 Brock There's an idea； and； upon my
life； I don't think it's a bad one。〃
Mr。 Brock gave his pupil a good…humored poke with the end of his
stick。 〃Go back to your yacht；〃 he said。 〃All the little
discretion you have got in that flighty head of yours is left on
board in your tool…chest。 How that lad will end；〃 pursued the
rector； when he was left by himself； 〃is more than any human
being can say。 I almost wish I had never taken the responsibility
of him on my shoulders。〃
Three weeks passed before the stranger with the uncouth name was
pronounced to be at last on the way to recovery。
During this period Allan had made regular inquiries at the inn；
and； as soon as the sick man was allowed to see visitors； Allan
was the first who appeared at his bedside。 So far Mr。 Brock's
pupil had shown no more than a natural interest in one of the few
romantic circumstances which had varied the monotony of the
village life： he had committed no imprudence； and he had exposed
himself to no blame。 But as the days passed； young Armadale's
visits to the inn began to lengthen considerably； and the surgeon
（a cautious elderly man） gave the rector a private hint to bestir
himself。 Mr。 Brock acted on the hint immediately； and discovered
that Allan had followed his usual impulses in his usual headlong
way。 He had taken a violent fancy to the castaway usher and had
invited Ozias Midwinter to reside permanently in the neighborhood
in the new and interesting character of his bosom friend。
Before Mr。 Brock could make up his mind how to act in this
emergency； he received a note from Allan's mother； begging him to
use his privilege as an old friend； and to pay her a visit in her
room。
He found Mrs。 Armadale suffering under violent nervous agitation；
caused entirely by a recent interview with her son。 Allan had
been sitting with her all the morning； and had talked of nothing
but his new friend。 The man with the horrible name （as poor Mrs。
Armadale described him） had questioned Allan； in a singularly
inquisitive manner； on the subject of himself and his family； but
had kept his own personal history entirely in the dark。 At some
former period of his life he had been accustomed to the sea and
to sailing。 Allan had； unfortunately； found this out； and a bond
of union between them was formed on the spot。 With a merciless
distrust of the strangersimply _because_ he was a
strangerwhich appeared rather unreasonable to Mr。 Brock； Mrs。
Armadale besought the rector to go to the inn without a moment's
loss of time； and never to rest until he had made the man give a
proper account of himself。 〃Find out everything about his father
and mother！〃 she said； in her vehement female way。 〃Make sure
before you leave him that he is not a vagabond roaming the
country under an assumed name。〃
〃My dear lady；〃 remonstrated the rector； obediently taking his
hat； 〃whatever else we may doubt； I really think we may feel sure
about the man's name！ It is so remarkably ugly that it must be
genuine。 No sane human being would _assume_ such a name as Ozias
Midwinter。〃
〃You may be quite right； and I may be quite wrong； but pray go
and see him；〃 persisted Mrs。 Armadale。 〃Go； and don't spare him；
Mr。 Brock。 How do we know that this illness of his may not have
been put on for a purpose？〃
It was useless to reason with her。 The whole College of
Physicians might have certified to the man's illness； and； in her
present frame of mind； Mrs。 Armadale would have disbelieved the
College； one and all； from the president downward。 Mr。 Brock took
the wise way out of the difficultyhe said n