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kinder gentleman than Mr。 Armadale no one could wish to serve。〃
〃If you think that；〃 pursued Midwinter； 〃you won't object to give
me some information which will help your master to set himself
right with his neighbors。 Come into the house。〃
He led the way into the library； and； after asking the necessary
questions； took down in writing a list of the names and addresses
of the most influential persons living in the town and its
neighborhood。 This done； he rang the bell for the head footman；
having previously sent Richard with a message to the stables
directing an open carriage to be ready in an hour's time。
〃When the late Mr。 Blanchard went out to make calls in the
neighborhood； it was your place to go with him； was it not？〃 he
asked； when the upper servant appeared。 〃Very well。 Be ready in
an hour's time； if you please； to go out with Mr。 Armadale。〃
Having given that order； he left the house again on his way back
to Allan； with the visiting list in his hand。 He smiled a little
sadly as he descended the steps。 〃Who would have imagined；〃 he
thought； 〃that my foot…boy's experience of the ways of
gentlefolks would be worth looking back at one day for Allan's
sake？〃
The object of the popular odium lay innocently slumbering on the
grass； with his garden hat over his nose； his waistcoat
unbuttoned； and his trousers wrinkled half way up his
outstretched legs。 Midwinter roused him without hesitation； and
remorselessly repeated the servant's news。
Allan accepted the disclosure thus forced on him without the
slightest disturbance of temper。 〃Oh； hang 'em！〃 was all he said。
〃Let's have another cigar。〃 Midwinter took the cigar out of his
hand； and； insisting on his treating the matter seriously； told
him in plain words that he must set himself right with his
offended neighbors by calling on them personally to make his
apologies。 Allan sat up on the grass in astonishment； his eyes
opened wide in incredulous dismay。 Did Midwinter positively
meditate forcing him into a 〃chimney…pot hat；〃 a nicely brushed
frock…coat； and a clean pair of gloves？ Was it actually in
contemplation to shut him up in a carriage； with his footman on
the box and his card…case in his hand； and send him round from
house to house； to tell a pack of fools that he begged their
pardon for not letting them make a public show of him？ If
anything so outrageously absurd as this was really to be done； it
could not be done that day； at any rate。 He had promised to go
back to the charming Milroy at the cottage and to take Midwinter
with him。 What earthly need had he of the good opinion of the
resident gentry？ The only friends he wanted were the friends he
had got already。 Let the whole neighborhood turn its back on him
if it liked； back or face； the Squire of Thorpe Ambrose didn't
care two straws about it。
After allowing him to run on in this way until his whole stock of
objections was exhausted； Midwinter wisely tried his personal
influence next。 He took Allan affectionately by the hand。 〃I am
going to ask a great favor；〃 he said。 〃If you won't call on these
people for your own sake； will you call on them to please _me？_〃
Allan delivered himself of a groan of despair； stared in mute
surprise at the anxious face of his friend； and good…humoredly
gave way。 As Midwinter took his arm； and led him back to the
house； he looked round with rueful eyes at the cattle hard by；
placidly whisking their tails in the pleasant shade。 〃Don't
mention it in the neighborhood；〃 he said； 〃I should like to
change places with one of my own cows。〃
Midwinter left him to dress； engaging to return when the carriage
was at the door。 Allan's toilet did not promise to be a speedy
one。 He began it by reading his own visiting cards； and he
advanced it a second stage by looking into his wardrobe； and
devoting the resident gentry to the infernal regions。 Before he
could discover any third means of delaying his own proceedings；
the necessary pretext was unexpectedly supplied by Richard's
appearance with a note in his hand。 The messenger had just called
with Mr。 Darch's answer。 Allan briskly shut up the wardrobe； and
gave his whole attention to the lawyer's letter。 The lawyer's
letter rewarded him by the following lines：
〃SIRI beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of to…day's
date； honoring me with two proposals； namely； ONE inviting me to
act as your legal adviser； and ONE inviting me to pay you a visit
at your house。 In reference to the first proposal； I beg
permission to decline it with thanks。 With regard to the second
proposal； I have to inform you that circumstances have come to my
knowledge relating to the letting of the cottage at Thorpe
Ambrose which render it impossible for me （in justice to myself）
to accept your invitation。 I have ascertained； sir； that my offer
reached you at the same time as Major Milroy's； and that； with
both proposals thus before you； you gave the preference to a
total stranger； who addressed you through a house agent； over a
man who had faithfully served your relatives for two generations；
and who had been the first person to inform you of the most
important event in your life。 After this specimen of your
estimate of what is due to the claims of common courtesy and
common justice； I cannot flatter myself that I possess any of the
qualities which would fit me to take my place on the list of your
friends。
〃I remain； sir； your obedient servant；
〃JAMES DARCH。〃
〃Stop the messenger！〃 cried Allan； leaping to his feet； his ruddy
face aflame with indignation。 〃Give me pen； ink； and paper！ By
the Lord Harry； they're a nice set of people in these parts； the
whole neighborhood is in a conspiracy to bully me！〃 He snatched
up the pen in a fine frenzy of epistolary inspiration。 〃SirI
despise you and your letter。〃 At that point the pen made a
blot； and the writer was seized with a momentary hesitation。 〃Too
strong；〃 h e thought； 〃I'll give it to the lawyer in his own cool
and cutting style。〃 He began again on a clean sheet of paper。
〃SirYou remind me of an Irish bull。 I mean that story in 'Joe
Miller' where Pat remarked； in the hearing of a wag hard by； that
'the reciprocity was all on one side。' _Your_ reciprocity is all
on one side。 You take the privilege of refusing to be my lawyer；
and then you complain of my taking the privilege of refusing to
be your landlord。〃 He paused fondly over those last words。
〃Neat！〃 he thought。 〃Argument and hard hitting both in one。 I
wonder where my knack of writing comes from？〃 He went on； and
finished the letter in two more sentences。 〃As for your casting
my invitation back in my teeth； I beg to inform you my teeth are
none the worse for it。 I am equally glad to have nothing to say
to you； either in the capacity of a friend or a tenant。ALLAN
ARMADALE。〃 He nodded exultantly at his own composition； as he
addressed it and sent it down to the messenger。 〃Darch's hide
must be a thick one；〃 he said； 〃if he doesn't feel _that！_〃
The sound of the wheels outside suddenly recalled him to the
business of the day。 There was the carriage waiting to take him
on his round of visits； and there was Midwinter at his post；
pacing to and fro on the drive。
〃Read that；〃 cried Allan； throwing out the lawyer's letter； 〃I've
written him back a smasher。〃
He bustled away to the wardrobe to get his coat。 There was a
wonderful change in him； he felt little or no reluctance to pay
the visits now。 The pleasurable excitement of answering Mr。 Darth
had put him in a fine aggressive frame of mind for asserting
himself in the neighborhood。 〃Whatever else they may say of me；
they shan't say I was afraid to face them。〃 Heated red…hot with
that idea； he seized his hat and gloves； and hurrying out of the
room； met Midwinter in the corridor with the lawyer's letter in
his hand。
〃Keep up your spirits！〃 cried Allan； seeing the anxiety in his
friend's face； and misinterpreting the motive of it immediately。
〃If Darch can't be counted on to send us a helping hand into the
steward's office； Pedgift can。〃
〃My dear Allan； I was not thinking of that； I was thinking of Mr。
Darch's letter。 I don't defend this sour…tempered man； but I am
afraid we must admit he has some cause for complaint。 Pray don't
give him another chance of putting you in the wrong。 Where is
your answer to his letter？〃
〃Gone！〃 replied Allan。 〃I always strike while the iron's hota
word and a blow； and the blow first； that's my way。 Don't；
there's a good fellow； don't fidget about the steward's books and
the rent…day。 Here！ here's a bunch of keys they gave me last
night： one of them opens the room where the steward's books are；
go in and read them till I come back。 I give you my sacred word
of honor I'll settle it all with Pedgift before you see me
again。〃
〃One moment；〃 interposed Midwinter； stopping him resolutely on
his way out to the carriage。 〃I say nothing against Mr。 Pedgift's
fitness to possess your confidence； for I know nothing to justify
me in distrusting him。 But he has not introduced himself to your
notice in a very delicate way； and he has not acknowledged （what
is quite clear to my mind） that he knew of Mr。 Darch's unfriendly
feeling toward you