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Before Mr。 Brock could make up his mind how to act in this
emergency； he received a note from Allan's mother； begging him to
use his privilege as an old friend； and to pay her a visit in her
room。
He found Mrs。 Armadale suffering under violent nervous agitation；
caused entirely by a recent interview with her son。 Allan had
been sitting with her all the morning； and had talked of nothing
but his new friend。 The man with the horrible name （as poor Mrs。
Armadale described him） had questioned Allan； in a singularly
inquisitive manner； on the subject of himself and his family； but
had kept his own personal history entirely in the dark。 At some
former period of his life he had been accustomed to the sea and
to sailing。 Allan had； unfortunately； found this out； and a bond
of union between them was formed on the spot。 With a merciless
distrust of the strangersimply _because_ he was a
strangerwhich appeared rather unreasonable to Mr。 Brock； Mrs。
Armadale besought the rector to go to the inn without a moment's
loss of time； and never to rest until he had made the man give a
proper account of himself。 〃Find out everything about his father
and mother！〃 she said； in her vehement female way。 〃Make sure
before you leave him that he is not a vagabond roaming the
country under an assumed name。〃
〃My dear lady；〃 remonstrated the rector； obediently taking his
hat； 〃whatever else we may doubt； I really think we may feel sure
about the man's name！ It is so remarkably ugly that it must be
genuine。 No sane human being would _assume_ such a name as Ozias
Midwinter。〃
〃You may be quite right； and I may be quite wrong； but pray go
and see him；〃 persisted Mrs。 Armadale。 〃Go； and don't spare him；
Mr。 Brock。 How do we know that this illness of his may not have
been put on for a purpose？〃
It was useless to reason with her。 The whole College of
Physicians might have certified to the man's illness； and； in her
present frame of mind； Mrs。 Armadale would have disbelieved the
College； one and all； from the president downward。 Mr。 Brock took
the wise way out of the difficultyhe said no more； and he set
off for the inn immediately。
Ozias Midwinter； recovering from brain…fever； was a startling
object to contemplate on a first view of him。 His shaven head；
tied up in an old yellow silk handkerchief； his tawny； haggard
cheeks； his bright brown eyes； preternaturally large and wild；
his rough black beard； his long； supple； sinewy fingers； wasted
by suffering till they looked like clawsall tended to
discompose the rector at the outset of the interview。 When the
first feeling of surprise had worn off； the impression that
followed it was not an agreeable one。 Mr。 Brock could not conceal
from himself that the stranger's manner was against him。 The
general opinion has settled that； if a man is honest； he is bound
to assert it by looking straight at his fellow…creatures when he
speaks to them。 If this man was honest； his eyes showed a
singular perversity in looking away and denying it。 Possibly they
were affected in some degree by a nervous restlessness in his
organization； which appeared to pervade every fiber in his lean；
lithe body。 The rector's healthy Anglo…Saxon flesh crept
responsively at every casual movement of the usher's supple brown
fingers； and every passing distortion of the usher's haggard
yellow face。 〃God forgive me！〃 thought Mr。 Brock； with his mind
running on Allan and Allan's mother； 〃I wish I could see my way
to turning Ozias Midwinter adrift in the world again！〃
The conversation which ensued between the two was a very guarded
one。 Mr。 Brock felt his way gently； and found himself； try where
he might； always kept politely； more or less； in the dark。
From first to last； the man's real character shrank back with a
savage shyness from the rector's touch。 He started by an
assertion which it was impossible to look at him and believehe
declared that he was only twenty years of age。 All he could be
persuaded to say on the subject of the school was that the bare
recollection of it was horrible to him。 He had only filled the
usher's situation for ten days when the first appearance of his
illness caused his dismissal。 How he had reached the field in
which he had been found was more than he could say。 He remembered
traveling a long distance by railway； with a purpose （if he had a
purpose） which it was now impossible to recall； and then
wandering coastward； on foot； all through the day； or all through
the nighthe was not sure which。 The sea kept running in his
mind when his mind began to give way。 He had been employed on the
sea as a lad。 He had left it； and had filled a situation at a
bookseller's in a country town。 He had left the bookseller's； and
had tried the school。 Now the school had turned him out； he must
try something else。 It mattered little what he tried…failure
（for which nobody was ever to blame but himself） was sure to be
the end of it； sooner or later。 Friends to assist him； he had
none to apply to； and as for relations； he wished to be excused
from speaking of them。 For all he knew they might be dead； and
for all _they_ knew _he_ might be dead。 That was a melancholy
acknowledgment to ma ke at his time of life； there was no denying
it。 It might tell against him in the opinions of others； and it
did tell against him； no doubt； in the opinion of the gentleman
who was talking to him at that moment。
These strange answers were given in a tone and manner far removed
from bitterness on the one side； or from indifference on the
other。 Ozias Midwinter at twenty spoke of his life as Ozias
Midwinter at seventy might have spoken with a long weariness of
years on him which he had learned to bear patiently。
Two circumstances pleaded strongly against the distrust with
which； in sheer perplexity of mind； Mr。 Brock blindly regarded
him。 He had written to a savings…bank in a distant part of
England； had drawn his money； and had paid the doctor and the
landlord。 A man of vulgar mind； after acting in this manner；
would have treated his obligations lightly when he had settled
his bills。 Ozias Midwinter spoke of his obligationsand
especially of his obligation to Allanwith a fervor of
thankfulness which it was not surprising only； but absolutely
painful to witness。 He showed a horrible sincerity of
astonishment at having been treated with common Christian
kindness in a Christian land。 He spoke of Allan's having become
answerable for all the expenses of sheltering； nursing； and
curing him； with a savage rapture of gratitude and surprise which
burst out of him like a flash of lightning。 〃So help me God！〃
cried the castaway usher； 〃I never met with the like of him： I
never heard of the like of him before！〃 In the next instant； the
one glimpse of light which the man had let in on his own
passionate nature was quenched again in darkness。 His wandering
eyes； returning to their old trick； looked uneasily away from Mr。
Brock； and his voice dropped back once more into its unnatural
steadiness and quietness of tone。 〃I beg your pardon； sir；〃 he
said。 〃I have been used to be hunted； and cheated； and starved。
Everything else comes strange to me。 〃 Half att