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！
early part of the drive dwindled and disappeared； and huts with
mud walls rose in their place。 With the ancient church towers and
the wind and water mills； which had hitherto been the only lofty
objects seen over the low marshy flat； there now rose all round
the horizon； gliding slow and distant behind fringes of pollard
willows； the sails of invisible boats moving on invisible waters。
All the strange and startling anomalies presented by an inland
agricultural district； isolated from other districts by its
intricate surrounding network of pools and streamsholding its
communications and carrying its produce by water instead of by
landbegan to present themselves in closer and closer
succession。 Nets appeared on cottage pailings； little
flat…bottomed boats lay strangely at rest among the flowers in
cottage gardens； farmers' men passed to and fro clad in composite
costume of the coast and the field； in sailors' hats； and
fishermen's boots； and plowmen's smocks； and even yet the
low…lying labyrinth of waters； embosomed in its mystery of
solitude； was a hidden labyrinth still。 A m inute more； and the
carriages took a sudden turn from the hard high…road into a
little weedy lane。 The wheels ran noiseless on the damp and
spongy ground。 A lonely outlying cottage appeared with its litter
of nets and boats。 A few yards further on； and the last morsel of
firm earth suddenly ended in a tiny creek and quay。 One turn more
to the end of the quayand there； spreading its great sheet of
water； far and bright and smooth； on the right hand and the
leftthere； as pure in its spotless blue； as still in its
heavenly peacefulness； as the summer sky above it； was the first
of the Norfolk Broads。
The carriages stopped； the love…making broke off； and the
venerable Mrs。 Pentecost； recovering the use of her senses at a
moment's notice； fixed her eyes sternly on Allan the instant she
woke。
〃I see in your face； Mr。 Armadale；〃 said the old lady； sharply；
〃that you think I have been asleep。〃
The consciousness of guilt acts differently on the two sexes。 In
nine cases out of ten； it is a much more manageable consciousness
with a woman than with a man。 All the confusion； on this
occasion； was on the man's side。 While Allan reddened and looked
embarrassed； the quick…witted Miss Milroy instantly embraced the
old lady with a burst of innocent laughter。 〃He is quite
incapable； dear Mrs。 Pentecost；〃 said the little hypocrite； 〃of
anything so ridiculous as thinking you have been asleep！〃
〃All I wish Mr。 Armadale to know；〃 pursued the old lady； still
suspicious of Allan； 〃is； that my head being giddy； I am obliged
to close my eyes in a carriage。 Closing the eyes； Mr。 Armadale；
is one thing； and going to sleep is another。 Where is my son？〃
The Reverend Samuel appeared silently at the carriage door； and
assisted his mother to get out （〃Did you enjoy the drive； Sammy？〃
asked the old lady。 〃Beautiful scenery； my dear； wasn't it？〃）
Young Pedgift； on whom the arrangements for exploring the Broads
devolved； hustled about； giving his orders to the boatman。 Major
Milroy； placid and patient； sat apart on an overturned punt； and
privately looked at his watch。 Was it past noon already？ More
than an hour past。 For the first time； for many a long year； the
famous clock at home had struck in an empty workshop。 Time had
lifted his wonderful scythe； and the corporal and his men had
relieved guard； with no master's eye to watch their performances；
with no master's hand to encourage them to do their best。 The
major sighed as he put his watch back in his pocket。 〃I'm afraid
I'm too old for this sort of thing；〃 thought the good man；
looking about him dreamily。 〃I don't find I enjoy it as much as I
thought I should。 When are we going on the water； I wonder？
Where's Neelie？〃
Neeliemore properly Miss Milroywas behind one of the
carriages with the promoter of the picnic。 They were immersed in
the interesting subject of their own Christian names； and Allan
was as near a pointblank proposal of marriage as it is well
possible for a thoughtless young gentleman of two…and…twenty to
be。
〃Tell me the truth；〃 said Miss Milroy； with her eyes modestly
riveted on the ground。 〃When you first knew what my name was； you
didn't like it； did you？〃
〃I like everything that belongs to you；〃 rejoined Allan；
vigorously。 〃I think Eleanor is a beautiful name； and yet； I
don't know why； I think the major made an improvement when he
changed it to Neelie。〃
〃I can tell you why； Mr。 Armadale；〃 said the major's daughter；
with great gravity。 'There are some unfortunate people in this
world whose names arehow can I express it？whose names are
misfits。 Mine is a misfit。 I don't blame my parents； for of
course it was impossible to know when I was a baby how I should
grow up。 But as things are； I and my name don't fit each other。
When you hear a young lady called Eleanor； you think of a tall；
beautiful； interesting creature directlythe very opposite of
_me！_ With my personal appearance； Eleanor sounds ridiculous； and
Neelie； as you yourself remarked； is just the thing。 No！ no！
don't say any more； I'm tired of the subject。 I've got another
name in my head； if we must speak of names； which is much better
worth talking about than mine。〃
She stole a glance at her companion which said plainly enough；
〃The name is yours。〃 Allan advanced a step nearer to her； and
lowered his voice； without the slightest necessity； to a
mysterious whisper。 Miss Milroy instantly resumed her
investigation of the ground。 She looked at it with such
extraordinary interest that a geologist might have suspected her
of scientific flirtation with the superficial strata。
〃What name are you thinking of？〃 asked Allan。
Miss Milroy addressed her answer； in the form of a remark； to the
superficial strataand let them do what they liked with it； in
their capacity of conductors of sound。 〃If I had been a man；〃 she
said； 〃I should so like to have been called Allan！〃
She felt his eyes on her as she spoke； and； turning her head
aside； became absorbed in the graining of the panel at the back
of the carriage。 〃How beautiful it is！〃 she exclaimed； with a
sudden outburst of interest in the vast subject of varnish。 〃I
wonder how they do it？〃
Man persists； and woman yields。 Allan declined to shift the
ground from love…making to coach…making。 Miss Milroy dropped the
subject。
〃Call me by my name； if you really like it；〃 he whispered；
persuasively。 〃Call me 'Allan' for once； just to try。〃
She hesitated with a heightened color and a charming smile； and
shook her head。 〃I couldn't just yet；〃 she answered； softly。
〃May I call you Neelie？ Is it too soon？〃
She looked at him again； with a sudden disturbance about the
bosom of her dress； and a sudden flash of tenderness in her
dark…gray eyes。
〃You know best；〃 she said； faintly； in a whisper。
The inevitable answer was on the tip of Allan's tongue。 At the
very instant； however； when he opened his lips； the abhorrent
high tenor of Pedgift Junior； shouting for 〃Mr。 Armadale；〃 rang
cheerfully through the quiet air。 At the same moment； from the
other side of the carriage； the lurid spectacles of the Reverend
Samuel showed themselves officiously on the search； and the voice
of the Reverend Samuel's mother （who had； with great dexterity；
put the two ideas of the presence of water and a sudden movement
among the company together） inquired distractedly if anybody was
drowned？ Sentiment flies and Love shudders at all demonstrations
of the noisy kind。 Allan said： 〃Damn it；〃 and rejoined young
Pedgift。 Miss Milroy sighed； and took refuge with her father。
〃I've done it； Mr。 Armadale！〃 cried young Pedgift； greeting his
patron gayly。 〃We can all go on the water together； I've got the
biggest boat on the Broads。 The little skiffs；〃 he added； in a
lower tone； as he led the way to the quay steps； 〃besides being
ticklish and easily upset； won't hold more than two； with the
boatman； and the major told me he should feel it his duty to go
with his daughter； if we all separated in different boats。 I
thought _that_ would hardly do； sir；〃 pursued Pedgift Junior；
with a respectfully sly emphasis on the words。 〃And； besides； if
we had put the old lady into a skiff； with her weight （sixteen
stone if she's a pound）； we might have had her upside down in the
water half her time； which would have occasioned delay； and
thrown what you call a damp on the proceedings。 Here's the boat；
Mr。 Armadale。 What do you think of it？〃
The boat added one more to the strangely anomalous objects which
appeared at the Broads。 It was nothing less than a stout old
lifeboat； passing its last declining years on the smooth fresh
water； after the stormy days of its youth time on the wild salt
sea。 A comfortable little cabin for the use of fowlers in the
winter season had been built amidships； and a mast and sail
adapted for inland navigation had been fitted forward。 There was
room enough and to spare for the guests； the dinner； and the
three men in charge。 Allan clapped his faithful lieutenant
approvingly on the shoulder； and even Mrs。 Pentecost； when the
whole party were comfortably established on board； took a
c