armadale-第13章

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of　him　on　my　shoulders。〃

Three　weeks　passed　before　the　stranger　with　the　uncouth　name　was
pronounced　to　be　at　last　on　the　way　to　recovery。

During　this　period　Allan　had　made　regular　inquiries　at　the　inn；
and；　as　soon　as　the　sick　man　was　allowed　to　see　visitors；　Allan
was　the　first　who　appeared　at　his　bedside。　So　far　Mr。　Brock's
pupil　had　shown　no　more　than　a　natural　interest　in　one　of　the　few
romantic　circumstances　which　had　varied　the　monotony　of　the
village　life：　he　had　committed　no　imprudence；　and　he　had　exposed
himself　to　no　blame。　But　as　the　days　passed；　young　Armadale's
visits　to　the　inn　began　to　lengthen　considerably；　and　the　surgeon
（a　cautious　elderly　man）　gave　the　rector　a　private　hint　to　bestir
himself。　Mr。　Brock　acted　on　the　hint　immediately；　and　discovered
that　Allan　had　followed　his　usual　impulses　in　his　usual　headlong
way。　He　had　taken　a　violent　fancy　to　the　castaway　usher　and　had
invited　Ozias　Midwinter　to　reside　permanently　in　the　neighborhood
in　the　new　and　interesting　character　of　his　bosom　friend。

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　attracted　by　the　man；
half　repelled　by　him；　Mr。　Brock；　on　rising　to　take　leave；
impulsively　offered　his　hand；　and　then；　with　a　sudden　misgiving；
confusedly　drew　it　back　again。　〃You　meant　that　kindly；　sir；〃　said
Ozias　Midwinter；　with　his　own　hands　crossed　resolutely　behind
him。　〃I　don't　complain　of　your　thinking　better　of　it。　A　man　who
can't　give　a　proper　account　of　himself　is　not　a　man　for　a
gentleman　in　your　position　to　take　by　the　hand。〃

Mr。　Brock　left　the　inn　thoroughly　puzzled。　Before　returning　to
Mrs。　Armadale　he　sent　for　her　son。　The　chances　were　that　the
guard　had　been　off　the　stranger's　tongue　when　he　spoke　to　Allan；
and　with　Allan's　frankness　there　was　no　fear　of　his　concealing
anything　that　had　passed　between　them　from　the　rector　s
knowledge。

Here　again　Mr。　Brock's　diplomacy　achieved　no　useful　results。

Once　started　on　the　subject　of　Ozias　Midwinter；　Allan　rattled　on
about　his　new　friend　in　his　usual　easy；　light…hearted　way。　But　he
had　really　nothing　of　importance　to　tell；　for　nothing　of
importance　had　been　revealed　to　him。　They　had　talked　about
boat…building　and　sailing　by　the　hour　together；　and　Allan　had　got
some　valuable　hints。　They　had　discussed　（with　diagrams　to　assist
them；　and　with　more　valuable　hints　for　Allan）　the　serious
impending　question　of　the　launch　of　the　yacht。　On　other　occasions
they　had　diverged　to　other　subjectsto　more　of　them　than　Allan
could　remember；　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。　Had　Midwinter　said
nothing　about　his　relations　in　the　flow　of　all　this　friendly
talk？　Nothing；　except　that　they　had　not　behaved　well　to　himhang
his　relations！　Was　he　at　all　sensitive　on　the　subject　of　his　own
odd　name？　Not　the　least　in　the　world；　he　had　set　the　example；
like　a　sensible　fellow；　of　laughing　at　it　himself。

Mr。　Brock　still　persisted。　He　inquired　next　what　Allan　had　seen
in　the　stranger　to　take　such　a　fancy　to？　Allan　had　seen　in
himwhat　he　didn't　see　in　people　in　general。　He　wasn't　like　all
the　other　fellows　in　the　neighborhood。　All　the　other　fellows　were
cut　out　on　the　same　pattern。　Every　man　of　them　was　equally
healthy；　muscular；　loud；　hard…hearted；　clean…skinned；　and　rough；
every　man　of　them　drank　the　same　draughts　of　beer；　smoked　the
same　short　pipes　all　day　long；　rode　the　best　horse；　shot　over　the
best　dog；　and　put　the　best　bottle　of　wine　in　England　on　his　table
at　night；　every　man　of　them　sponged　himself　every　morning　in　the
same　sort　of　tub　of　cold　water　and　bragged　about　it　in　frosty
weather　in　the　same　sort　of　way；　every　man　of　them　thought
getting　into　debt　a　capital　joke　and　betting　on　horse…races　one
of　the　most　meritorious　actions　that　a　human　being　can　perform。
They　were；　no　doubt；　excellent　fellows　in　their　way；　but　the
worst　of　them　was；　they　were　all　exactly　alike。　It　was　a　perfect
godsend　to　meet　with　a　man　like　Midwintera　man　who　was　not　cut
out　on　the　regular　local　pattern；　and　whose　way　in　the　world　had
the　one　great　merit　（in　those　parts）　of　being　a　way　of　his　own。

Leaving　all　remonstrances　for　a