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！
time I'm wasting here。 I'll go out； and see if it's likely to
clear up。〃
〃You'll come back？〃 interposed Allan。
Midwinter opened the French window； and stepped out into the
garden。
〃Yes；〃 he said； answering with all his former gentleness of
manner； 〃I'll come back in a fortnight。 Good…by； Allan； and good
luck with Miss Gwilt！〃
He pushed the window to； and was away across the garden before
his friend could open it again and follow him。
Allan rose； and took one step into the garden； then checked
himself at the window； and returned to his chair。 He knew
Midwinter well enough to feel the total uselessness of attempting
to follow him or to call him back。 He was gone； and for two weeks
to come there was no hope of seeing him again。 An hour or more
passed； the rain still fell； and the sky still threatened。 A
heavier and heavier sense of loneliness and despondencythe
sense of all others which his previous life had least fitted him
to understand and endurepossessed itself of Allan's mind。 In
sheer horror of his own uninhabitably solitary house； he rang for
his hat and umbrella； and resolved to take refuge in the major's
cottage。
〃I might have gone a little way with him；〃 thought Allan； his
mind still running on Midwinter as he put on his hat。 〃I should
like to have seen the dear old fellow fairly started on his
journey。〃
He took his umbrella。 If he had noticed the face of the servant
who gave it to him； he might possibly have asked some questions；
and might have heard some news to interest him in his present
frame of mind。 As it was； he went out without looking at the man；
and without suspecting that his servants knew more of Midwinter's
last moments at Thorpe Ambrose than he knew himself。 Not ten
minutes since； the grocer and butcher had called in to receive
payment of their bills； and the grocer and the butcher had seen
how Midwinter started on his journey。
The grocer had met him first； not far from the house； stopping on
his way； in the pouring rain； to speak to a little ragged imp of
a boy； the pest of the neighborhood。 The boy's customary
impudence had broken out even more unrestrainedly than usual at
the sight of the gentleman's knapsack。 And what had the gentleman
done in return？ He had stopped and looked distressed； and had put
his two hands gently on the boy's shoulders。 The grocer's own
eyes had seen that； and the grocer's own ears had heard him say；
〃Poor little chap！ I know how the wind gnaws and the rain wets
through a ragged jacket； better than most people who have got a
good coat on their backs。〃 And with those words he had put his
hand in his pocket； and had rewarded the boy's impudence with a
present of a shilling。 〃Wrong here…abouts；〃 said the grocer；
touching his forehead。 〃That's my opinion of Mr。 Armadale's
friend！〃
The butcher had seen him further on in the journey； at the other
end of the town。 He had stoppedagain in the pouring rainand
this time to look at nothing more remarkable than a half…starved
cur； shivering on a doorstep。 〃I had my eye on him；〃 said the
butcher； 〃and what do you think he did？ He crossed the road over
to my shop； and bought a bit of meat fit for a Christian。 Very
well。 He says good…morning； and crosses back again； and； on the
word of a man； down he goes on his knees on the wet doorstep； and
out he takes his knife； and cuts up the meat； and gives it to the
dog。 Meat； I tell you again； fit for a Christian！ I'm not a hard
man； ma'am；〃 concluded the butcher； addressing the cook； 〃but
meat's meat； and it will serve your master's friend right if he
lives to want it。〃
With those old unforgotten sympathies of the old unforgotten time
to keep him company on his lonely road； he had left the town
behind him； and had been lost to view in the misty rain。 The
grocer and the butcher had seen the last of him； and had judged a
great nature； as all natures _are_ judged from the grocer and the
butcher point of view。
THE END OF THE SECOND BOOK。
BOOK THE THIRD。
CHAPTER I。
MRS。 MILROY。
Two days after Midwinter's departure from Thorpe Ambrose； Mrs。
Milroy； having completed her morning toilet； and having dismissed
her nurse； rang the bell again five minutes afterward； and on the
woman's re…appearance asked impatiently if the post had come in
〃Post？〃 echoed the nurse。 〃Haven't you got your watch？ Don't you
know that it's a good half…hour too soon to ask for your
letters？〃 She spoke with the confident insolence of a servant
long accustomed to presume on her mistress's weakness and her
mistress's necessities。 Mrs。 Milroy； on her side； appeared to be
well used to her nurses manner； she gave her orders composedly；
without noticing it。
〃When the postman does come；〃 she said； 〃see him yourself。 I am
expecting a letter which I ought to have had two days since。 I
don't understand it。 I'm beginning to suspect the servants。〃
The nurse smiled contemptuously。 〃Whom will you suspect next？〃
she asked。 〃There！ don't put yourself out。 I'll answer the
gate…bell this morning； and we'll see if I can't bring you a
letter when the postman comes。〃 Saying those words； with the tone
and manner of a woman who is quieting a fractious child； the
nurse； without waiting to be dismissed； left the room。
Mrs。 Milroy turned slowly and wearily on her bed； when she was
left by herself again； and let the light from the window fall on
her face。 It was the face of a woman who had once been handsome；
and who was still； so far as years went； in the prime of her
life。 Long…continued suffering of body and long…continued
irritation of mind had worn her awayin the roughly expressive
popular phraseto skin and bone。 The utter wreck of her beauty
was made a wreck horrible to behold； by her desperate efforts to
conceal the sight of it from her own eyes； from the eyes of her
husband and her child； from the eyes even of the doctor who
attended her； and whose business it was to penetrate to the
truth。 Her head； from which the greater part of the hair had
fallen off； would have been less shocking to see than the
hideously youthful wig by which she tried to hide the loss。 No
deterioration of her complexion； no wrinkling of her skin； could
have been so dreadful to look at as the rouge that lay thick on
her cheeks； and the white enamel plastered on her forehead。 The
delicate lace； and the bright trimming on her dressing…gown； the
ribbons in her cap； and the rings on her bony fingers； all
intended to draw the eye away from the change that had passed
over her； directed the eye to it； on the contrary； emphasized it；
made it by sheer force of contrast more hopeless and more
horrible than it really was。 An illustrated book of the fashions；
in which women were represented exhibiting their finery by means
of the free use of their limbs； lay on the bed； from which she
had not moved for years without being lifted by her nurse。 A
hand…glass was placed with the book so that she could reach it
easily。 She took up the glass after her attendant had left the
room； and looked at her face with an unblushing interest and
attention which she would have been ashamed of herself at the age
of eighteen。
〃Older and older； and thinner a