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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 was all that appeared； until the magic moment
came when the clock struck twelve noon。
It wanted then about three minutes to twelve； and Major Milroy
seized the opportunity of explaining what the exhibition was to
be； before the exhibition began。
〃At the first words； his mind fell back again into its old
absorption over the one employment of his life。 He turned to
Midwinter （who had persisted in talking all the way from the
parlor； and who was talking still） without a trace left in his
manner of the cool and cutting composure with which he had spoken
but a few minutes before。 The noisy； familiar man； who had been
an ill…bred intruder in the parlor； became a privileged guest in
the workshop； for _there_ he possessed the all…atoning social
advantage of being new to the performances of the wonderful
clock。
〃At the first stroke of twelve； Mr。 Midwinter；〃 said the major；
quite eagerly； 〃keep your eye on the figure of Time： he will move
his scythe； and point