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writing to Ozias Midwinter with her own hand。 Remonstrance
irritated her to such a pitch that she astounded Mr。 Brock by
reverting to the forbidden subject of five years since； and
referring him to the conversation which had passed between them
when the advertisement had been discovered in the newspaper。 She
passionately declared that the vagabond Armadale of that
advertisement； and the vagabond Midwinter at the village inn；
might； for all she know to the contrary； be one and the same。
Foreboding a serious disagreement between the mother and son if
the mother interfered； Mr。 Brock undertook to see Midwinter
again； and to tell him plainly that he must give a proper account
of himself； or that his intimacy with Allan must cease。 The two
concessions which he exacted from Mrs。 Armadale in return were
that she should wait patiently until the doctor reported the man
fit to travel； and that she should be careful in the interval not
to mention the matter in any way to her son。
In a week's time Midwinter was able to drive out （with Allan for
his coachman） in the pony chaise belonging to the inn； and in ten
days the doctor privately reported him as fit to travel。 Toward
the close of that tenth day； Mr。 Brock met Allan and his new
friend enjoying the last gleams of wintry sunshine in one of the
inland lanes。 He waited until the two had separated； and then
followed the usher on his way back to the inn。
The rector's resolution to speak pitilessly to the purpose was in
some danger of failing him as he drew nearer and nearer to the
friendless man； and saw how feebly he still walked； how loosely
his worn coat hung about him； and how heavily he leaned on his
cheap； clumsy stick。 Humanely reluctant to say the decisive words
too precipitately； Mr。 Brock tried him first with a little
compliment on the range of his reading； as shown by the volume of
Sophocles and the volume of Goethe which had been found in his
bag； and asked how long he had been acquainted with German and
Greek。 The quick ear of Midwinter detected something wrong in the
tone of Mr。 Brock's voice。 He turned in the darkening twilight；
and looked suddenly and suspiciously in the rector's face。
〃You have something to say to me；〃 he answered； 〃and it is not
what you are saying now。〃
There was no help for it but to accept the challenge。 Very
delicately； with many preparatory words； to which the other
listened in unbroken silence； Mr。 Brock came little by little
nearer and nearer to the point。 Long before he had really reached
itlong before a man of no more than ordinary sensibility would
have felt what was comingOzias Midwinter stood still in the
lane； and told the rector that he need say no more。
〃I understand you； sir；〃 said the usher。 〃Mr。 Armadale has an
ascertained position in the world； Mr。 Armadale has nothing to
conceal； and nothing to be ashamed of。 I agree with you that I am
not a fit companion for him。 The best return I can make for his
kindness is to presume on it no longer。 You may depend on my
leaving this place to…morrow morning。〃
He spoke no word more； he would hear no word more。 With a
self…control which； at his years and with his temperament； was
nothing less than marvelous； he civilly took off his hat； bowed；
and returned to the inn by himself
Mr。 Brock slept badly that night。 The issue of the interview in
the lane had made the problem of Ozias Midwinter a harder problem
to solve than ever。
Early the next morning a letter was brought to the rector from
the inn； and the messenger announced that the strange gentleman
had taken his departure。 The letter inclosed an open note
addressed to Allan； and requested Allan's tutor （after first
reading it himself） to forward it or not at his own sole
discretion。 The note was a startlingly short one； it began and
ended in a dozen words： 〃Don't blame Mr。 Brock； Mr。 Brock is
right。 Thank you； and good…by。O。 M。〃
The rector forwarded the note to its proper destination； as a
matter of course； and sent a few lines to Mrs。 Armadale at the
same time to quiet her anxiety by the news of the usher's
departure。 This done； he waited the visit from his pupil； which
would probably follow the delivery of the note； in no very
tranquil frame of mind。 There might or might not be some deep
motive at the bottom of Midwinter's conduct； but thus far it was
impossible to deny that he had behaved in such a manner as to
rebuke the rector's distrust； and to justify Allan's good opinion
of him。
The morning wore on； and young Armadale never appeared。 After
looking for him vainly in the yard where the yacht was building；
Mr。 Brock went to Mrs。 Armadale's house； and there heard news
from the servant which turned his steps in the direction of the
inn。 The landlord at once acknowledged the truth： young Mr。
Armadale had come there with an open letter in his hand； and had
insisted on being informed of the road which his friend had
taken。 For the first time in the landlord's experience of him；
the young gentleman was out of temper； and the girl who waited on
the customers had stupidly mentioned a circumstance which had
added fuel to the fire。 She had acknowledged having heard Mr。
Midwinter lock himself into his room overnight； and burst into a
violent fit of crying。 That trifling particular had set Mr。
Armadale's face all of a flame； he had shouted and sworn； he had
rushed into the stables； and forced the hostler to saddle him a
horse； and had set off full gallop on the road that Ozias
Midwinter had taken before him。
After cautioning the landlord to keep Allan's conduct a secret if
any of Mrs。 Armadale's servants came that morning to the inn； Mr。
Brock went home again； and waited anxiously to see what the day
would bring forth。
To his infinite relief his pupil appeared at the rectory late in
the afternoon。
Allan looked and spoke with a dogged determination which was
quite new in his old friend's experience of him。 Without waiting
to be questioned； he told his story in his usual straightforward
way。 He had overtaken Midwinter on the road； andafter trying
vainly first to induce him to return； then to find out where he
was going tohad threatened to keep company with him for the
rest of the day； and had so extorted the confession that he was
going to try his luck in London。 Having gained this point； Allan
had asked next for his friend's address in London； had been
entreated by the other not to press his request； had pressed it；
nevertheless； with all his might； and had got the address at last
by making an appeal to Midwinter's gratitude； for which （feeling
heartily ashamed of himself） he had afterward asked Midwinter's
pardon。 〃I like the poor fellow； and I won't give him up；〃
concluded Allan； bringing his clinched fist down with a thump on
the rectory table。 〃Don't be afraid of my vexing my mother； I'll
leave you to speak to her； Mr。 Brock； at your own time and in
your own way； and I'll just say this much more by way of bringing
the thing to an end。 Here is the address safe in my pocket…book；
and here am I； standing firm for once on a resolution of my own。
I'll give you and my mother time to reconsider this； and； when
the time is up； if my friend Midwinter doesn't come to _me；_ I'll
go to my friend Midwinter。〃
So the matter rested for the present； and such was the result of
turning the castaway usher adrift in the world again。
…
A month passed； and brought in the new year'51。 Overleaping
that short lapse of time； Mr。 Brock paused； with a heavy heart；
at the next event； to his mind the one mournful； the one
memorable event of the seriesMrs。 Armadale's death。
The first warning of the affliction that was near at hand had
followed close on the usher's departure in December； and had
arisen out of a circumstance which dwelt painfully on the
rector's memory from that time forth。
But three days after Midwinter had left for London； Mr。 Brock was
accosted in the village by a neatly dressed woman； wearing a gown
and bonnet of black silk and a red Paisley shawl； who was a total
stranger to him； and who inquired the way to Mrs。 Armadale's
house。 She put the question without raising the thick black veil
that hung over her face。 Mr。 Brock； in giving her the necessary
directions； observed that she was a remarkably elegant and
graceful woman； and looked after her as she bowed and left him；
wondering who Mrs。 Armadale's visitor could possibly be。
A quarter of an hour later the lady； still veiled as before；
passed Mr。 Brock again close to the inn。 She entered the house；
and spoke to the landlady。 Seeing the landlord shortly afterward
hurrying round to the stables； Mr。 Brock asked him if the lady
was going away。 Yes； she had come from the railway in the
omnibus； but she was going back again more creditably in a
carriage of her own hiring； supplied by the inn。
The rector proceeded on his walk； rather surprised to find his
thoughts running inquisitively on a woman who was a stranger to
him。 When he got home again； he found the village surgeon waiting
his return with an urgent message from Allan's mother。 About an
hour since； the surgeon had been sent for in great haste to see
Mrs。 Ar