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College； one and all； from the president downward。 Mr。 Brock took
the wise way out of the difficultyhe said no more； and he set
off for the inn immediately。
Ozias Midwinter； recovering from brain…fever； was a startling
object to contemplate on a first view of him。 His shaven head；
tied up in an old yellow silk handkerchief； his tawny； haggard
cheeks； his bright brown eyes； preternaturally large and wild；
his rough black beard； his long； supple； sinewy fingers； wasted
by suffering till they looked like clawsall tended to
discompose the rector at the outset of the interview。 When the
first feeling of surprise had worn off； the impression that
followed it was not an agreeable one。 Mr。 Brock could not conceal
from himself that the stranger's manner was against him。 The
general opinion has settled that； if a man is honest； he is bound
to assert it by looking straight at his fellow…creatures when he
speaks to them。 If this man was honest； his eyes showed a
singular perversity in looking away and denying it。 Possibly they
were affected in some degree by a nervous restlessness in his
organization； which appeared to pervade every fiber in his lean；
lithe body。 The rector's healthy Anglo…Saxon flesh crept
responsively at every casual movement of the usher's supple brown
fingers； and every passing distortion of the usher's haggard
yellow face。 〃God forgive me！〃 thought Mr。 Brock； with his mind
running on Allan and Allan's mother； 〃I wish I could see my way
to turning Ozias Midwinter adrift in the world again！〃
The conversation which ensued between the two was a very guarded
one。 Mr。 Brock felt his way gently； and found himself； try where
he might； always kept politely； more or less； in the dark。
From first to last； the man's real character shrank back with a
savage shyness from the rector's touch。 He started by an
assertion which it was impossible to look at him and believehe
declared that he was only twenty years of age。 All he could be
persuaded to say on the subject of the school was that the bare
recollection of it was horrible to him。 He had only filled the
usher's situation for ten days when the first appearance of his
illness caused his dismissal。 How he had reached the field in
which he had been found was more than he could say。 He remembered
traveling a long distance by railway； with a purpose （if he had a
purpose） which it was now impossible to recall； and then
wandering coastward； on foot； all through the day； or all through
the nighthe was not sure which。 The sea kept running in his
mind when his mind began to give way。 He had been employed on the
sea as a lad。 He had left it； and had filled a situation at a
bookseller's in a country town。 He had left the bookseller's； and
had tried the school。 Now the school had turned him out； he must
try something else。 It mattered little what he tried…failure
（for which nobody was ever to blame but himself） was sure to be
the end of it； sooner or later。 Friends to assist him； he had
none to apply to； and as for relations； he wished to be excused
from speaking of them。 For all he knew they might be dead； and
for all _they_ knew _he_ might be dead。 That was a melancholy
acknowledgment to ma ke at his time of life； there was no denying
it。 It might tell against him in the opinions of others； and it
did tell against him； no doubt； in the opinion of the gentleman
who was talking to him at that moment。
These strange answers were given in a tone and manner far removed
from bitterness on the one side； or from indifference on the
other。 Ozias Midwinter at twenty spoke of his life as Ozias
Midwinter at seventy might have spoken with a long weariness of
years on him which he had learned to bear patiently。
Two circumstances pleaded strongly against the distrust with
which； in sheer perplexity of mind； Mr。 Brock blindly regarded
him。 He had written to a savings…bank in a distant part of
England； had drawn his money； and had paid the doctor and the
landlord。 A man of vulgar mind； after acting in this manner；
would have treated his obligations lightly when he had settled
his bills。 Ozias Midwinter spoke of his obligationsand
especially of his obligation to Allanwith a fervor of
thankfulness which it was not surprising only； but absolutely
painful to witness。 He showed a horrible sincerity of
astonishment at having been treated with common Christian
kindness in a Christian land。 He spoke of Allan's having become
answerable for all the expenses of sheltering； nursing； and
curing him； with a savage rapture of gratitude and surprise which
burst out of him like a flash of lightning。 〃So help me God！〃
cried the castaway usher； 〃I never met with the like of him： I
never heard of the like of him before！〃 In the next instant； the
one glimpse of light which the man had let in on his own
passionate nature was quenched again in darkness。 His wandering
eyes； returning to their old trick； looked uneasily away from Mr。
Brock； and his voice dropped back once more into its unnatural
steadiness and quietness of tone。 〃I beg your pardon； sir；〃 he
said。 〃I have been used to be hunted； and cheated； and starved。
Everything else comes strange to me。 〃 Half attracted by the man；
half repelled by him； Mr。 Brock； on rising to take leave；
impulsively offered his hand； and then； with a sudden misgiving；
confusedly drew it back again。 〃You meant that kindly； sir；〃 said
Ozias Midwinter； with his own hands crossed resolutely behind
him。 〃I don't complain of your thinking better of it。 A man who
can't give a proper account of himself is not a man for a
gentleman in your position to take by the hand。〃
Mr。 Brock left the inn thoroughly puzzled。 Before returning to
Mrs。 Armadale he sent for her son。 The chances were that the
guard had been off the stranger's tongue when he spoke to Allan；
and with Allan's frankness there was no fear of his concealing
anything that had passed between them from the rector s
knowledge。
Here again Mr。 Brock's diplomacy achieved no useful results。
Once started on the subject of Ozias Midwinter； Allan rattled on
about his new friend in his usual easy； light…hearted way。 But he
had really nothing of importance to tell； for nothing of
importance had been revealed to him。 They had talked about
boat…building and sailing by the hour together； and Allan had got
some valuable hints。 They had discussed （with diagrams to assist
them； and with more valuable hints for Allan） the serious
impending question of the launch of the yacht。 On other occasions
they had diverged to other subjectsto more of them than Allan
could remember； on the spur of the moment。 Had Midwinter said
nothing about his relations in the flow of all this friendly
talk？ Nothing； except that they had not behaved well to himhang
his relations！ Was he at all sensitive on the subject of his own
odd name？ Not the least in the world； he had set the example；
like a sensible fellow； of laughing at it himself。
Mr。 Brock still persisted。 He inquired next what Allan had seen
in the stranger to take such a fancy to？ Allan had seen in
himwhat he didn't see in people in general。 He wasn't like all
the other fellows in the neighborhood。 All the other fellows were
cut out on the same pattern。 Every man of them was equally
healthy； muscular； loud； hard…hearted； clean…skinned； and rough；
every man of them drank the same draughts of beer； smoked the
same short pipes all day long； rode the best horse； shot over the
best dog； and put the best bottle of wine in England on his table
at night； every man of them sponged himself every morning in the
same sort of tub of cold water and bragged about it in frosty
weather in the same sort of way； every man of them thought
getting into debt a capital joke and betting on horse…races one
of the most meritorious actions that a human being can perform。
They were； no doubt； excellent fellows in their way； but the
worst of them was； they were all exactly alike。 It was a perfect
godsend to meet with a man like Midwintera man who was not cut
out on the regular local pattern； and whose way in the world had
the one great merit （in those parts） of being a way of his own。
Leaving all remonstrances for a fitter opportunity； the rector
went back to Mrs。 Armadale。 He could not disguise from himself
that Allan's mother was the person really answerable for Allan's
present indiscretion。 If the lad had seen a little less of the
small gentry in the neighborhood； and a little more of the great
outside world at home and abroad； the pleasure of cultivating
Ozias Midwinter's society might have had fewer attractions for
him。
Conscious of the unsatisfactory result of his visit to the inn；
Mr。 Brock felt some anxiety about the reception of his report
when he found himself once more in Mrs。 Armadale's presence。 His
forebodings were soon realized。 Try as he might to make the best
of it； Mrs。 Armadale seized on the one suspicious fact of the
usher's silence about himself as justifying the strongest
measures that could be taken to separate him from her son。 If the
rector refused to interfere； she declared her intention of
writing to Ozias Midwinter with her own hand。 Remonstrance
irritated her to such a pit