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！
and to add that he was bringing with him a noisy stranger； who
was； in all probability； the friend generally reported to be
staying with the squire at the great house。
Had the major's daughter guessed right？ Was the squire's
loud…talking； loud…laughing companion the shy； sensitive
Midwinter of other times？ It was even so。 In Allan's presence；
that morning； an extraordinary change had passed over the
ordinarily quiet demeanor of Allan's friend。
When Midwinter had first appeared in the breakfast…room； after
putting aside Mr。 Brock's startling letter； Allan had been too
much occupied to pay any special attention to him。 The undecided
difficulty of choosing the day for the audit dinner had pressed
for a settlement once more； and had been fixed at last （under the
butler's advice） for Saturday； the twenty…eighth of the month。 It
was only on turning round to remind Midwinter of the ample space
of time which the new arrangement allowed for mastering the
steward's books； that even Allan's flighty attention had been
arrested by a marked change in the face that confronted him。 He
had openly noticed the change in his usual blunt manner； and had
been instantly silenced by a fretful； almost an angry； reply。 The
two had sat down together to breakfast without the usual
cordiality； and the meal had proceeded gloomily； till Midwinter
himself broke the silence by bursting into the strange outbreak
of gayety which had revealed in Allan's eyes a new side to the
character of his friend。
As usual with most of Allan's judgments； here again the
conclusion was wrong。 It was no new side to Midwinter's character
that now presented itselfit was only a new aspect of the one
ever…recurring struggle of Midwinter's life。
Irritated by Allan's discovery of the change in him； and dreading
the next questions that Allan's curiosity might put； Midwinter
had roused himself to efface； by main force； the impression which
his own altered appearance had produced。 It was one of those
efforts which no men compass so resolutely as the men of his
quick temper and his sensitive feminine organization。 With his
whole mind still possessed by the firm belief that the Fatality
had taken one great step nearer to Allan and himself since the
rector's adventure in Kensington Gardenswith his face still
betraying what he had suffered； under the renewed conviction that
his father's death…bed warning was now； in event after event；
asserting its terrible claim to part him； at any sacrifice； from
the one human creature whom he lovedwith the fear still busy at
his heart that the first mysterious vision of Allan's Dream might
be a vision realized； before the new day that now saw the two
Armadales together was a day that had passed over their
headswith these triple bonds； wrought by his own superstition；
fettering him at that moment as they had never fettered him yet；
he mercilessly spurred his resolution to the desperate effort of
rivaling； in Allan's presence； the gayety and good spirits of
Allan himself。
He talked and laughed； and heaped his plate indiscriminately from
every dish on the breakfast…table。 He made noisily merry with
jests that had no humor； and stories that had no point。 He first
astonished Allan； then amused him； then won his easily encouraged
confidence on the subject of Miss Milroy。 He shouted with
laughter over the sudden development of Allan's views on
marriage； until the servants downstairs began to think that their
master's strange friend had gone mad。 Lastly； he had accepted
Allan's proposal that he should be presented to the major's
daughter； and judge of her for himself； as readily； nay； more
readily than it would have been accepted by the least diffident
man living。 There the two now stood at the cottage
gateMidwinter's voice rising louder and louder over
Allan'sMidwinter's natural manner disguised （how madly and
miserably none but he knew！） in a coarse masquerade of
boldnessthe outrageous； the unendurable boldness of a shy man。
They were received in the parlor by the major's daughter； pending
the arrival of the major himself。
Allan attempted to present his friend in the usual form。 To his
astonishment； Midwinter took the words flippantly out of his
lips； and introduced himself to Miss Milroy with a confident
look； a hard laugh； and a clumsy assumption of ease which
presented him at his worst。 His artificial spirits； lashed
continuously into higher and higher effervescence since the
morning； were now mounting hysterically beyond his own control。
He looked and spoke with that terrible freedom of license which
is the necessary consequence； when a diffident man has thrown off
his reserve； of the very effort by which he has broken loose from
his own restraints。 He involved himself in a confused medley of
apologies that were not wanted； and of compliments that might
have overflattered the vanity of a savage。 He looked backward and
forward from Miss Milroy to Allan； and declared jocosely that he
understood now why his friend's morning walks were always taken
in the same direction。 He asked her questions about her mother；
and cut short the answers she gave him by remarks on the weather。
In one breath； he said she must feel the day insufferably hot；
and in another he protested that he quite envied her in her cool
muslin dress。
The major came in。
Before he could say two words； Midwinter overwhelmed him with the
same frenzy of familiarity； and the same feverish fluency of
speech。 He expressed his interest in Mrs。 Milroy's health in
terms which would have been exaggerated on the lips of a friend
of the family。 He overflowed into a perfect flood of apologies
for disturbing the major at his mechanical pursuits。 He quoted
Allan's extravagant account of the clock； and expressed his own
anxiety to see it in terms more extravagant still。 He paraded his
superficial book knowledge of the great clock at Strasbourg； with
far…fetched jests on the extraordinary automaton figures which
that clock puts in motionon the procession of the Twelve
Apostles； which walks out under the dial at noon； and on the toy
cock； which crows at St。 Peter's appearanceand this before a
man who had studied every wheel in that complex machinery； and
who had passed whole years of his life in trying to imitate it。
〃I hear you have outnumbered the Strasbourg apostles； and
outcrowed the Strasbourg cock；〃 he exclaimed； with the tone and
manner of a friend habitually privileged to waive all ceremony；
〃and I am dying； absolutely dying； major； to see your wonderful
clock！〃
Major Milroy had entered the room with his mind absorbed in his
own mechanical contrivances as usual。 But the sudden shock of
Midwinter's familiarity was violent enough to recall him
instantly to himself； and to make him master again； for the time；
of his social resources as a man of the world。
〃Excuse me for interrupting you；〃 he said； stopping Midwinter for
the moment； by a look of steady surprise。 〃I happen to have seen
the clock at Strasbourg； and it sounds almost absurd in my ears
（if you will pardon me for saying so） to put my little experiment
in any light of comparison with that wonderful achievement。 There
is nothing else of the kind like
it in the world！〃 He paused； to control his own mounting
enthusiasm； the clock at Strasbourg was to Major Milroy what the
name of Michael Angelo was to Sir Joshua Reynolds。 〃Mr。
Armadale's kindness has led him to exaggerate a little；〃 pursued
the major； smiling at Allan； and passing over another attempt of
Midwinter's to seize on the talk； as if no such attempt had been
made。 〃But as there does happen to be this one point of
resemblance between the great clock abroad and the little clock
at home； that they both show what they can do on the stroke of
noon； and as it is close on twelve now； if you still wish to
visit my workshop； Mr。 Midwinter； the sooner I show you the way
to it the better。〃 He opened the door； and apologized to
Midwinter； with marked ceremony； for preceding him out of the
room。
〃What do you think of my friend？〃 whispered Allan； as he and Miss
Milroy followed。
〃Must I tell you the truth； Mr。 Armadale？〃 she whispered back。
〃Of course！〃
〃Then I don't like him at all！〃
〃He's the best and dearest fellow in the world； 〃 rejoined the
outspoken Allan。 〃You'll like him better when you know him
betterI'm sure you will！〃
Miss Milroy made a little grimace； implying supreme indifference
to Midwinter； and saucy surprise at Allan's earnest advocacy of
the merits of his friend。 〃Has he got nothing more interesting to
say to me than _that；_〃 she wondered； privately； 〃after kissing
my hand twice yesterday morning？〃
They were all in the major's workroom before Allan had the chance
of trying a more attractive subject。 There； on the top of a rough
wooden case； which evidently contained the machinery； was the
wonderful clock。 The dial was crowned by a glass pedestal placed
on rock…work in carved ebony； and on the top of the pedestal sat
the inevitable figure of Time； with his everlasting scythe in his
hand。 Below the dial was a little platform； and at either end of
it rose two miniature sentry…boxes； with closed doors。
Externally； this