按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
hard to see how red they were with the blessed exuberance of
youth and health。 Her feet apologized gracefully for her old and
ill fitting shoes； and her shoulders made ample amends for the
misdemeanor in muslin which covered them in the shape of a dress。
Her dark…gray eyes were lovely in their clear softness of color；
in their spirit； tenderness； and sweet good humor of expression；
and her hair （where a shabby old garden hat allowed it to be
seen） was of just that lighter shade of brown which gave value by
contrast to the darker beauty of her eyes。 But these attractions
passed； the little attendant blemishes and imperfections of this
self…contradictory girl began again。 Her nose was too short； her
mouth was too large； her face was too round and too rosy。 The
dreadful justice of photography would have had no mercy on her；
and the sculptors of classical Greece would have bowed her
regretfully out of their studios。 Admitting all this； and more；
the girdle round Miss Milroy's waist was the girdle of Venus
nevertheless； and the passkey that opens the general heart was
the key she carried； if ever a girl possessed it yet。 Before
Allan had picked up his second handful of flowers； Allan was in
love with her。
〃Don't！ pray don't； Mr。 Armadale！〃 she said； receiving the
flowers under protest； as Allan vigorously showered them back
into the lap of her dress。 〃I am so ashamed！ I didn't mean to
invite myself in that bold way into your garden； my tongue ran
away with meit did； indeed！ What can I say to excuse myself？
Oh； Mr。 Armadale； what must you think of me？〃
Allan suddenly saw his way to a compliment； and tossed it up to
her forthwith； with the third handful of flowers。
〃I'll tell you what I think； Miss Milroy；〃 he said； in his blunt；
boyish way。 〃I think the luckiest walk I ever took in my life was
the walk this morning that brought me here。〃
He looked eager and handsome。 He was not addressing a woman worn
out with admiration； but a girl just beginning a woman's life；
and it did him no harm； at any rate； to speak in the character of
master of Thorpe Ambrose。 The penitential expression on Miss
Milroy's face gently melted away； she looked down； demure and
smiling； at the flowers in her lap。
〃I deserve a good scolding；〃 she said。 〃I don't deserve
compliments； Mr。 Armadaleleast of all from _you。_〃
〃Oh； yes； you do！〃 cried the headlong Allan； getting briskly on
his legs。 〃Besides； it isn't a compliment； it's true。 You are the
prettiestI beg your pardon； Miss Milroy！ _my_ tongue ran away
with me that time。〃
Among the heavy burdens that are laid on female human nature；
perhaps the heaviest； at the age of sixteen； is the burden of
gravity。 Miss Milroy struggled； tittered； struggled again； and
composed herself for the time being。
The gardener； who still stood where he had stood from the first；
immovably waiting for his next opportunity； saw it now； and
gently pushed his personal interests into the first gap of
silence that had opened within his reach since Allan's appearance
on the scene。
〃I humbly bid you welcome to Thorpe Ambrose； sir；〃 said Abraham
Sage； beginning obstinately with his little introductory speech
for the second time。 〃My name〃
Before he could deliver himself of his name； Miss Milroy looked
accidentally in the horticulturist's pertinacious face； and
instantly lost her hold on her gravity beyond recall。 Allan；
never backward in following a boisterous example of any sort；
joined in her laughter with right goodwill。 The wise man of the
gardens showed no surprise； and took no offense。 He waited for
another gap of silence； and walked in again gently with his
personal interests the moment the two young people stopped to
take breath。
〃I have been employed in the grounds；〃 proceeded Abraham Sage；
irrepressibly； 〃for more than forty years〃
〃You shall be employed in the grounds for forty more； if you'll
only hold your tongue and take yourself off！〃 cried Allan； as
soon as he could speak。
〃Thank you kindly； sir；〃 said the gardener； with the utmost
politeness； but with no present signs either of holding his
tongue or of taking himself off。
〃Well？〃 said Allan。
Abraham Sage carefully cleared his throat； and shifted his rake
from one hand to the other。 He looked down the length of his own
invaluable implement； with a grave interest and attention；
seeing； apparently； not the long handle of a rake； but the long
perspective of a vista； with a supplementary personal interest
established at the end of it。 〃When more convenient； sir；〃
resumed this immovable man； 〃I should wish respectfully to speak
to you about my son。 Perhaps it may be more convenient in the
course of the day？ My humble duty； sir； and my best thanks。 My
son is strictly sober。 He is accustomed to the stables； and he
belongs to the Church of Englandwithout incumbrances。〃 Having
thus planted his offspring provisionally in his master's
estimation； Abraham Sage shouldered his invaluable rake； and
hobbled slowly out of view。
〃If that's a specimen of a trustworthy old servant；〃 said Allan；
〃I think I'd rather take my chance of being cheated by a new one。
_You_ shall not be troubled with him again； Miss Milroy； at any
rate。 All the flower…beds in the garden are at your disposal； and
all the fruit in the fruit season； if you'll only come here and
eat it。〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Armadale； how very； very kind you are。 How can I thank
you？〃
Allan saw his way to another complimentan elaborate compliment；
in the shape of a trap； this time。
〃You can do me the greatest possible favor；〃 he said。 〃You can
assist me in forming an agreeable impression of my own grounds。〃
〃Dear me！ how？〃 asked Miss Milroy； innocently。
Allan judiciously closed the trap on the spot in these words： 〃By
taking me with you； Miss Milroy； on your morning walk。〃 He spoke；
smiled； and offered his arm。
She saw the way； on her side； to a little flirtation。 She rested
her hand on his arm； blushed； hesitated； and suddenly took it
away again。
〃I don't think it's quite right； Mr。 Armadale；〃 she said；
devoting herself with the deepest attention to her collection of
flowers。 〃Oughtn't we to have some old lady here？ Isn't it
improper to take your arm until I know you a little better than I
do now？ I am obliged to ask； I have had so little instruction； I
have seen so little of society； and one of papa's friends once
said my manners were too bold for my age。 What do _you_ think？〃
〃I think it's a very good thing your papa's friend is not here
now；〃 answered the outspoken Allan； 〃I should quarrel with him to
a dead certainty。 As for society； Miss Milroy； nobody knows less
about it than I do； but if we _had_ an old lady here； I must say
myself I think she would be uncommonly in the way。 Won't you？〃
concluded Allan； imploringly offering his arm for the second
time。 〃Do！〃
Miss Milroy looked up at him sidelong from her flowers 〃You are
as bad as the gardener； Mr。 Armadale！〃 She looked down again in a
flutter of indecision。 〃I'm sure it's wrong；〃 she said； and took
his arm the instant afterward without the slightest hesitation。
They moved away together over the daisied turf of the paddock；
young and bright and happy； with the sunlight of the summer
morning shining cloudless over their flowery path。
〃And where are we going to； now？〃 asked Allan。 〃Into another
garden？〃
She laughed gayly。 〃How very odd of you； Mr。 Armadale； not to
know； when it all belongs to you！ Are you really seeing Thorpe
Ambrose this morning for the first time？ How indescribably
strange it must feel！ No； no； don't say any more complimentary
things to me just yet。 You may turn my head if you do。 We haven't
got the old lady with us； and I really must take care of myself。
Let me be useful； let me tell you all about your own grounds。 We
are going out at that little gate； across one of the drives in
the park； and then over the rustic bridge； and then round the
corner of the plantationwhere do you think？ To where I live；
Mr。 Armadale； to the lovely little cottage that you have let to
papa。 Oh； if you only knew how lucky we thought ourselves to get
it！'
She paused； looked up at her companion； and stopped another
compliment on the incorrigible Allan's lips。
〃I'll drop your arm；〃 she said coquettishly； 〃if you do！ We
_were_ lucky to get the cottage； Mr。 Armadale。 Papa said he felt
under an obligation to you for letting it； the day we got in。 And
_I_ said I felt under an obligation； no longer ago than last
week。〃
〃You； Miss Milroy！〃 exclaimed Allan。
〃Yes。 It may surprise you to hear it； but if you hadn't let the
cottage to papa； I believe I should have suffered the indignity
and misery of being sent to school。〃
Allan's memory reverted to the half…crown that he had spun on the
cabin…table of the yacht； at Castletown。 〃If she only knew that I
had tossed up for it！〃 he thought； guiltily。
〃I dare say you don't understand why I should feel such a horror
of going to school；〃 pursued Miss Milroy； misinterpreting the
momentary silence on her companion's side。 〃If I had gone to
school in early lifeI mean at the age when other girls goI
shouldn't have minded it now。 But I had no such chance at the