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in less than an hour。〃 He nodded cordially to Allan； bowed
formally to Midwinter； and quitted the room。
As soon as the doctor's back was turned； Allan left his place at
the table； and appealed to his friend； with that irresistible
heartiness of manner which had always found its way to
Midwinter's sympathies； from the first day when they met at the
Somersetshire inn。
〃Now the sparring…match between you and the doctor is over；〃 said
Allan； 〃I have got two words to say on my side。 Will you do
something for my sake which you won't do for your own？〃
Midwinter's face brightened instantly。 〃I will do anything you
ask me；〃 he said。
〃Very well。 Will you let the subject of the dream drop out of our
talk altogether from this time forth？〃
〃Yes； if you wish it。〃
〃Will you go a step further？ Will you leave off thinking about
the dream？〃
〃It's hard to leave off thinking about it； Allan。 But I will
try。〃
〃That's a good fellow！ Now give me that trumpery bit of paper；
and let's tear it up； and have done with it。〃
He tried to snatch the manuscript out of his friend's hand； but
Midwinter was too quick for him； and kept it beyond his reach。
〃Come！ come！〃 pleaded Allan。 〃I've set my heart on lighting my
cigar with it。〃
Midwinter hesitated painfully。 It was hard to resist Allan； but
he did resist him。 〃I'll wait a little；〃 he said； 〃before you
light your cigar with it。〃
〃How long？ Till to…morrow？〃
〃Longer。〃
〃Till we leave the Isle of Man？〃
〃Longer。〃
〃Hang itgive me a plain answer to a plain question！ How long
_will_ you wait？〃
Midwinter carefully restored the paper to its place in his
pocketbook。
〃I'll wait；〃 he said； 〃till we get to Thorpe Ambrose。〃
THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK。
…
BOOK THE SECOND
CHAPTER I。
LURKING MISCHIEF。
1。 _From Ozias Midwinter to Mr。 Brock。_
〃Thorpe Ambrose； June 15； 1851。
〃DEAR MR。 BROCKOnly an hour since we reached this house； just
as the servants were locking up for the night。 Allan has gone to
bed； worn out by our long day's journey； and has left me in the
room they call the library； to tell you the story of our journey
to Norfolk。 Being better seasoned than he is to fatigues of all
kinds； my eyes are quite wakeful enough for writing a letter；
though the clock on the chimney…piece points to midnight； and we
have been traveling since ten in the morning。
〃The last news you had of us was news sent by Allan from the Isle
of Man。 If I am not mistaken； he wrote to tell you of the night
we passed on board the wrecked ship。 Forgive me； dear Mr。 Brock；
if I say nothing on that subject until time has helped me to
think of it with a quieter mind。 The hard fight against myself
must all be fought over again； but I will win it yet； please God；
I will； indeed。
〃There is no need to trouble you with any account of our
journeyings about the northern and western districts of the
island； or of the short cruises we took when the repairs of the
yacht were at last complete。 It will be better if I get on at
once to the morning of yesterday； the fourteenth。 We had come in
with the night…tide to Douglas Harbor； and； as soon as the
post…office was open； Allan； by my advice； sent on shore for
letters。 The messenger returned with one letter only； and the
writer of it proved to be the former mistress of Thorpe
AmbroseMrs。 Blanchard。
〃You ought to be informed； I think； of the contents of this
letter； for it has seriously influenced Allan's plans。 He loses
everything； sooner or later； as you know； and he has lost the
letter already。 So I must give you the substance of what Mrs。
Blanchard wrote to him； as plainly as I can。
〃The first page announced the departure of the ladies from Thorpe
Ambrose。 They left on the day before yesterday； the thirteenth；
having； after much hesitation； finally decided on going abroad；
to visit some old friends settled in Italy； in the neighborhood
of Florence。 It appears to be quite possible that Mrs。 Blanchard
and her niece may settle there； too； if they can find a suitable
house and grounds to let。 They both like the Italian country and
the Italian people； and they are well enough off to please
themselves。 The elder lady has her jointure； and the younger is
in possession of all her father's fortune。
〃The next page of the letter was； in Allan's opinion； far from a
pleasant page to read。
〃After referring； in the most grateful terms； to the kindness
which had left her niece and herself free to leave their old home
at their own time； Mrs。 Blanchard added that Allan's considerate
conduct had produced such a strongly favorable impression among
the friends and dependents of the family that they were desirous
of giving him a public reception on his arrival among them。 A
preliminary meeting of the tenants on the estate and the
principal persons in the neighboring town had already been held
to discuss the arrangements； and a letter might be expected
shortly from the clergyman inquiring when it would suit Mr。
Armadale's convenience to take possession personally and publicly
of his estates in Norfolk。
〃You will now be able to guess the cause of our sudden departure
from the Isle of Man。 The first and foremost idea in your old
pupil's mind； as soon as he had read Mrs。 Blanchard's account of
the proceedings at the meeting； was the idea of escaping the
public reception； and the one certain way he could see of
avoiding it was to start for Thorpe Ambrose before the
clergyman's letter could reach him。
〃I tried hard to make him think a little before he acted an his
first impulse in this matter； but he only went on packing his
portmanteau in his own impenetrably good…humored way。 In ten
minutes his luggage was ready； and in five minutes more he had
given the crew their directions for taking the yacht back to
Somersetshire。 The steamer to Liverpool was alongside of us in
the harbor； and I had really no choice but to go on board with
him or to let him go by himself。 I spare you the account of our
stormy voyage； of our detention at Liverpool； and of the trains
we missed on our journey across the country。 You know that we
have got here safely； and that is enough。 What the servants think
of the new squire's sudden appearance among them； without a word
of warning； is of no great consequence。 What the committee for
arranging the publi c reception may think of it when the news
flies abroad to…morrow is； I am afraid； a more serious matter。
〃Having already mentioned the servants； I may proceed to tell you
that the latter part of Mrs。 Blanchard誷 letter was entirely
devoted to instructing Allan on the subject of the domestic
establishment which she has left behind her。 It seems that all
the servants； indoors and out （with three exceptions）； are
waiting here； on the chance that Allan will continue them in
their places。 Two of these exceptions are readily accounted for：
Mrs。 Blanchard's maid and Miss Blanchard's maid go abroad with
their mistresses。 The third exceptional case is the case of the
upper housemaid； and here there is a little hitch。 In plain
words； the housemaid has been sent away at a moment's notice； for
what Mrs。 Blanchard rather mysteriously describes as 'levity of
conduct with a stranger。'
〃I am afraid you will laugh at me； but I must confess the truth。
I have been made so distrustful （after what happened to us in the
Isle of Man） of even the most trifling misadventures which
connect themselves in any way with Allan's introduction to his
new life and prospects； that I have already questioned one of the
men…servants here about this apparently unimportant matter of the
housemaid's going away in disgrace。
〃All I can learn is that a strange man had been noticed hanging
suspiciously about the grounds； that the housemaid was so ugly a
woman as to render it next to a certainty that he had some
underhand purpose to serve in making himself agreeable to her；
and that he has not as yet been seen again in the neighborhood
since the day of her dismissal。 So much for the one servant who
has been turned out at Thorpe Ambrose。 I can only hope there is
no trouble for Allan brewing in that quarter。 As for the other
servants who remain； Mrs。 Blanchard describes them； both men and
women； as perfectly trustworthy； and they will all； no doubt；
continue to occupy their present places。
〃Having now done with Mrs。 Blanchard's letter； my next duty is to
beg you； in Allan's name and with Allan's love； to come here and
stay with him at the earliest moment when you can leave
Somersetshire。 Although I cannot presume to think that my own
wishes will have any special influence in determining you to
accept this invitation； I must nevertheless acknowledge that I
have a reason of my own for earnestly desiring to see you here。
Allan has innocently caused me a new anxiety about my future
relations with him； and I sorely need your advice to show me the
right way of setting that anxiety at rest。
〃The difficulty which now perplexes me relates to the steward's
place at Thorpe Ambrose。 Before to…day I only knew that Allan had
hit on some plan of his own for dealing with this matter； rather
strangely involving； among other resu