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！
it！'
She paused； looked up at her companion； and stopped another
compliment on the incorrigible Allan's lips。
〃I'll drop your arm；〃 she said coquettishly； 〃if you do！ We
_were_ lucky to get the cottage； Mr。 Armadale。 Papa said he felt
under an obligation to you for letting it； the day we got in。 And
_I_ said I felt under an obligation； no longer ago than last
week。〃
〃You； Miss Milroy！〃 exclaimed Allan。
〃Yes。 It may surprise you to hear it； but if you hadn't let the
cottage to papa； I believe I should have suffered the indignity
and misery of being sent to school。〃
Allan's memory reverted to the half…crown that he had spun on the
cabin…table of the yacht； at Castletown。 〃If she only knew that I
had tossed up for it！〃 he thought； guiltily。
〃I dare say you don't understand why I should feel such a horror
of going to school；〃 pursued Miss Milroy； misinterpreting the
momentary silence on her companion's side。 〃If I had gone to
school in early lifeI mean at the age when other girls goI
shouldn't have minded it now。 But I had no such chance at the
time。 It was the time of mamma's illness and of papa's
unfortunate speculation； and as papa had nobody to comfort him
but me； of course I stayed at home。 You needn't laugh； I was of
some use； I can tell you。 I helped papa over his trouble； by
sitting on his knee after dinner； and asking him to tell me
stories of all the remarkable people he had known when he was
about in the great world； at home and abroad。 Without me to amuse
him in the evening； and his clock to occupy him in the daytime〃
〃His clock？〃 repeated Allan。
〃Oh； yes！ I ought to have told you。 Papa is an extraordinary
mechanical genius。 You will say so； too； when you see his clock。
It's nothing like so large； of course； but it's on the model of
the famous clock at Strasbourg。 Only think； he began it when I
was eight years old； and （though I was sixteen last birthday） it
isn't finished yet！ Some of our friends were quite surprised he
should take to such a thing when his troubles began。 But papa
himself set that right in no time； he reminded them that Louis
the Sixteenth took to lock…making when _his_ troubl es began； and
then everybody was perfectly satisfied。〃 She stopped； and changed
color confusedly。 〃Oh； Mr。 Armadale；〃 she said； in genuine
embarrassment this time； 〃here is my unlucky tongue running away
with me again！ I am talking to you already as if I had known you
for years！ This is what papa's friend meant when he said my
manners were too bold。 It's quite true； I have a dreadful way of
getting familiar with people； if〃 She checked herself suddenly；
on the brink of ending the sentence by saying； 〃if I like them。〃
〃No； no； do go on！〃 pleaded Allan。 〃It's a fault of mine to be
familiar； too。 Besides； we _must_ be familiar； we are such near
neighbors。 I'm rather an uncultivated sort of fellow； and I don't
know quite how to say it； but I want your cottage to be jolly and
friendly with my house； and my house to be jolly and friendly
with your cottage。 There's my meaning； all in the wrong words。 Do
go on； Miss Milroy； pray go on！〃
She smiled and hesitated。 〃I don't exactly remember where I was；〃
she replied； 〃I only remember I had something I wanted to tell
you。 This comes； Mr。 Armadale； of my taking your arm。 I should
get on so much better； if you would only consent to walk
separately。 You won't？ Well； then； will you tell me what it was I
wanted to say？ Where was I before I went wandering off to papa's
troubles and papa's clock？〃
〃At school！〃 replied Allan； with a prodigious effort of memory。
〃_Not_ at school； you mean；〃 said Miss Milroy； 〃and all through
_you。_ Now I can go on again； which is a great comfort。 I am
quite serious； Mr。 Armadale； in saying that I should have been
sent to school； if you had said No when papa proposed for the
cottage。 This is how it happened。 When we began moving in； Mrs。
Blanchard sent us a most kind message from the great house to say
that her servants were at our disposal； if we wanted any
assistance。 The least papa and I could do； after that； was to
call and thank her。 We saw Mrs。 Blanchard and Miss Blanchard。
Mistress was charming； and miss looked perfectly lovely in her
mourning。 I'm sure you admire her？ She's tall and pale and
gracefulquite your idea of beauty； I should think？〃
〃Nothing like it；〃 began Allan。 〃My idea of beauty at the present
moment〃
Miss Milroy felt it coming； and instantly took her hand off his
arm。
〃I mean I have never seen either Mrs。 Blanchard or her niece；〃
added Allan； precipitately correcting himself。
Miss Milroy tempered justice with mercy； and put her hand back
again。
〃How extraordinary that you should never have seen them！〃 she
went on。 〃Why； you are a perfect stranger to everything and
everybody at Thorpe Ambrose！ Well； after Miss Blanchard and I had
sat and talked a little while； I heard my name on Mrs。
Blanchard's lips and instantly held my breath。 She was asking
papa if I had finished my education。 Out came papa's great
grievance directly。 My old governess； you must know； left us to
be married just before we came here； and none of our friends
could produce a new one whose terms were reasonable。 'I'm told；
Mrs。 Blanchard； by people who understand it better than I do；'
says papa； 'that advertising is a risk。 It all falls on me； in
Mrs。 Milroy's state of health； and I suppose I must end in
sending my little girl to school。 Do you happen to know of a
school within the means of a poor man？' Mrs。 Blanchard shook her
head； I could have kissed her on the spot for doing it。 'All my
experience； Major Milroy；' says this perfect angel of a woman；
'is in favor of advertising。 My niece's governess was originally
obtained by an advertisement； and you may imagine her value to us
when I tell you she lived in our family for more than ten years。'
I could have gone down on both my knees and worshipped Mrs。
Blanchard then and there； and I only wonder I didn't！ Papa was
struck at the timeI could see thatand he referred to it again
on the way home。 'Though I have been long out of the world； my
dear；' says papa； 'I know a highly…bred woman and a sensible
woman when I see her。 Mrs。 Blanchard's experience puts
advertising in a new light； I must think about it。' He has
thought about it； and （though he hasn't openly confessed it to
me） I know that he decided to advertise； no later than last
night。 So； if papa thanks you for letting the cottage； Mr。
Armadale； I thank you； too。 But for you； we should never have
known darling Mrs。 Blanchard； and but for darling Mrs。 Blanchard；
I should have been sent to school。〃
Before Allan could reply； they turned the corner of the
plantation； and came in sight of the cottage。 Description of it
is needless； the civilized universe knows it already。 It was the
typical cottage of the drawing…master's early lessons in neat
shading and the broad pencil touchwith the trim thatch； the
luxuriant creepers； the modest lattice…windows； the rustic porch；
and the wicker bird…cage； all complete。
〃Isn't it lovely？〃 said Miss Milroy。 〃Do come in！〃
〃May I？〃 asked Allan。 〃Won't the major think it too early？〃
〃Early or