armadale-第41部分

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Directions？　Oh；　no；　I've　no　directions　to　give。　I　leave　all　that
to　you。　Lots　of　strong　soup；　and　joints　done　with　the　gravy　in
themthere's　my　notion　of　good　feeding；　in　two　words。　Steady！
Here's　somebody　else。　Oh；　to　be　surethe　butler！　Another
valuable　person。　We'll　go　right　through　all　the　wine　in　the
cellar；　Mr。　Butler；　and　if　I　can't　give　you　a　sound　opinion　after
that；　we'll　persevere　boldly；　and　go　right　through　it　again。
Talking　of　winehalloo！　here　are　more　of　them　coming　up　stairs。
There！　there！　don't　trouble　yourselves。　You've　all　got　capital
characters；　and　you　shall　all　stop　here　along　with　me。　What　was　I
saying　just　now？　Something　about　wine；　so　it　was。　I'll　tell　you
what；　Mr。　Butler；　it　isn't　every　day　that　a　new　master　comes　to
Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　it's　my　wish　that　we　should　all　start
together　on　the　best　possible　terms。　Let　the　servants　have　a
grand　jollification　downstairs　to　celebrate　my　arrival；　and　give
them　what　they　like　to　drink　my　health　in。　It's　a　poor　heart；
Mrs。　Gripper；　that　never　rejoices；　isn't　it？　No；　I　won't　look　at
the　cellar　now：　I　want　to　go　out；　and　get　a　breath　of　fresh　air
before　breakfast。　Where's　Richard？　I　say；　have　I　got　a　garden
here？　Which　side　of　the　house　is　it！　That　side；　eh？　You　needn't
show　me　round。　I'll　go　alone；　Richard；　and　lose　myself；　if　I　can；
in　my　own　property。〃

With　those　words　Allan　descended　the　terrace　steps　in　front　of
the　house；　whistling　cheerfully。　He　had　met　the　serious
responsibility　of　settling　his　domestic　establishment　to　his　own
entire　satisfaction。　〃People　talk　of　the　difficulty　of　managing
their　servants；〃　thought　Allan。　〃What　on　earth　do　they　mean？　I
don't　see　any　difficulty　at　all。〃　He　opened　an　ornamental　gate
leading　out　of　the　drive　at　the　side　of　the　house；　and；　following
the　footman's　directions；　entered　the　shrubbery　that　sheltered
the　Thorpe　Ambrose　gardens。　〃Nice　shady　sort　of　place　for　a
cigar；〃　said　Allan；　as　he　sauntered　along　with　his　hands　in　his
pockets　〃I　wish　I　could　beat　it　into　my　head　that　it　really
belongs　to　_me。_〃

The　shrubbery　opened　on　the　broad　expanse　of　a　flower　garden；
flooded　bright　in　its　summer　glory　by　the　light　of　the　morning
sun。

On　one　side；　an　archway；　broken　through；　a　wall；　led　into　the
fruit　garden。　On　the　other；　a　terrace　of　turf　led　to　ground　on　a
lower　level；　laid　out　as　an　Italian　garden。　Wandering　past　the
fountains　and　statues；　Allan　reached　another　shrubbery；　winding
its　way　apparently　to　some　remote　part　of　the　grounds。　Thus　far；
not　a　human　creature　had　been　visible　or　audible　anywhere；　but；
as　he　approached　the　end　of　the　second　shrubbery；　it　struck　him
that　he　heard　something　on　the　other　side　of　the　foliage。　He
stopped　and　listened。　There　were　two　voices　speaking
distinctlyan　old　voice　that　sounded　very　obstinate；　and　a　young
voice　that　sounded　very　angry。

〃It's　no　use；　miss；〃　said　the　old　voice。　〃I　mustn't　allow　it；　and
I　won't　allow　it。　What　would　Mr。　Armadale　say？〃

〃If　Mr。　Armadale　is　the　gentleman　I　take　him　for；　you　old　brute！〃
replied　the　young　voice；　〃he　would　say；　'Come　into　my　garden；
Miss　Milroy；　as　often　as　you　like；　and　take　as　many　nosegays　as
you　please。'　〃　Allan's　bright　blue　eyes　twinkled　mischievously。
Inspired　by　a　sudden　idea；　he　stole　softly　to　the　end　of　the
shrubbery；　darted　round　the　corner　of　it；　and；　vaulting　over　a
low　ring　fence；　found　himself　in　a　trim　little　paddock；　crossed
by　a　gravel　walk。　At　a　short　distance　down　the　wall　stood　a　young
lady；　with　her　back　toward　him；　trying　to　force　her　way　past　an
impenetrable　old　man；　with　a　rake　in　his　hand；　who　stood
obstinately　in　front　of　her；　shaking　his　head。

〃Come　into　my　garden；　Miss　Milroy；　as　often　as　you　like；　and　take
as　many　nosegays　as　you　please；〃　cried　Allan；　remorselessly
repeating　her　own　words。

The　young　lady　turned　round；　with　a　scream；　her　muslin　dress；
which　she　was　holding　up　in　front；　dropped　from　her　hand；　and　a
prodigious　lapful　of　flowers　rolled　out　on　the　gravel　walk。

Before　another　word　could　be　said；　the　impenetrable　old　man
stepped　forward；　with　the　utmost　composure；　and　entered　on　the
question　of　his　own　personal　interests；　as　if　nothing　whatever
had　happened；　and　nobody　was　present　but　his　new　master　and
himself。

〃I　bid　you　humbly　welcome　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　sir；〃　said　this
ancient　of　the　gardens。　〃My　name　is　Abraham　Sage。　I've　been
employed　in　the　grounds　for　more　than　forty　years；　and　I　hope
you'll　be　pleased　to　continue　me　in　my　place。〃

So；　with　vision　inexorably　limited　to　the　horizon　of　his　own
prospects；　spoke　the　gardener；　and　spoke　in　vain。　Allan　was　down
on　his　knees　on　the　gravel　walk；　collecting　the　fallen　flowers；
and　forming　his　first　impressions　of　Miss　Milroy　from　the　feet
upward。

She　was　pretty；　she　was　not　pretty；　she　charmed；　she
disappointed；　she　charmed　again。　Tried　by　recognized　line　and
rule；　she　was　too　short　and　too　well　developed　for　her　age。　And
yet　few　men's　eyes　would　have　wished　her　figure　other　than　it
was。　Her　hands　were　so　prettily　plump　and　dimpled　that　it　was
hard　to　see　how　red　they　were　with　the　blessed　exuberance　of
youth　and　health。　Her　feet　apologized　gracefully　for　her　old　and
ill　fitting　shoes；　and　her　shoulders　made　ample　amends　for　the
misdemeanor　in　muslin　which　covered　them　in　the　shape　of　a　dress。
Her　dark…gray　eyes　were　lovely　in　their　clear　softness　of　color；
in　their　spirit；　tenderness；　and　sweet　good　humor　of　expression；
and　her　hair　（where　a　shabby　old　garden　hat　allowed　it　to　be
seen）　was　of　just　that　lighter　shade　of　brown　which　gave　value　by
contrast　to　the　darker　beauty　of　her　eyes。　But　these　attractions
passed；　the　little　attendant　blemishes　and　imperfections　of　this
self…contradictory　girl　began　again。　Her　nose　was　too　short；　her
mouth　was　too　large；　her　face　was　too　round　and　too　rosy。　The
dreadful　justice　of　photography　would　have　had　no　mercy　on　her；
and　the　sculptors　of　classical　Greece　would　have　bowed　her
regretfully　out　of　their　studios。　Admitting　all　this；　and　more；
the　girdle　round　Miss　Milroy's　waist　was　the　girdle　of　Venus
nevertheless；　and　the　passkey　that　opens　the　general　heart　was
the　key　she　carried；　if　ever　a　girl　possessed　it　yet。　Before
Allan　had　picked　up　his　second　handful　of　flowers；　Allan　was　in
love　with　her。

〃Don't！　pray　don't；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　she　said；　receiving　the
flowers　under　protest；　as　Allan　vigorously　showered　them　back
into　the　lap　of　her　dress。　〃I　am　so　ashamed！　I　didn't　mean　to
invite　myself　in　that　bold　way　into　your　garden；　my　tongue　ran
away　with　meit　did；　indeed！　What　can　I　say　to　excuse　myself？
Oh；　Mr。　Armadale；　what　must　you　think　of　me？〃

Allan　suddenly　saw　his　way　to　a　compliment；　and　tossed　it　up　to
her　forthwith；　with　the　third　handful　of　flowers。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　think；　Miss　Milroy；〃　he　said；　in　his　blunt；
boyish　way。　〃I　think　the　luckiest　walk　I　ever　took　in　my　life　was
the　walk　this　morning　that　brought　me　here。〃

He　looked　eager　and　handsome。　He　was　not　addressing　a　woman　worn
out　with　admiration；　but　a　girl　just　beginning　a　woman's　life；
and　it　did　him　no　harm；　at　any　rate；　to　speak　in　the　character　of
master　of　Thorpe　Ambrose。　The　penitential　expression　on　Miss
Milroy's　face　gently　melted　away；　she　looked　down；　demure　and
smiling；　at　the　flowers　in　her　lap。

〃I　deserve　a　good　scolding；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　deserve
compliments；　Mr。　Armadaleleast　of　all　from　_you。_〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　do！〃　cried　the　headlong　Allan；　getting　briskly　on
his　legs。　〃Besides；　it　isn't　a　compliment；　it's　true。　You　are　the
prettiestI　beg　your　pardon；　Miss　Milroy！　_my_　tongue　ran　away
with　me　that　time。〃

Among　the　heavy　burdens　that　are　laid　on　female　human　nature；
perhaps　the　heaviest；　at　the　age　of　sixteen；　is　the　burden　of
gravity。　Miss　Milroy　struggled；　tittered；　struggled　again；　and
composed　herself　for　the　time　being。

The　gardener；　who　still　stood　where　he　had　stood　from　the　first；
immovably　waiting　for　his　next　opportunity；　saw　it　now；　and
gently　pushed　his　personal　interests　into　the　first　gap　of
silence　that　had　opened　within　his　reach　since　Allan's　appearance
on　the　scene。

〃I　humbly　bid　you　welcome　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　sir；〃　said　Abraham
Sage；　beginning　obstinately　with　his　little　introductory　speech
for　the　second　time。　〃My　name〃

Before　he　could　deliver　himself　of　his　name；　Miss　Milroy　looked
accidentally　in　the　horticulturist's　pertinacious　face；　and
instantly　lost　her　hold　on　her　gravity　beyond　recall。　Allan；
never　backward　in　following　a　boisterous　example　of　any　sort；
joined　in　her　laughter　with　right　goodwill。　The　wise　man　of　the
gardens　showed　no　surprise；　and　took　no　offense。　He　waited　for
another　gap　of　silence；　and　walked　in　again　gently　with　his
personal　interests　the　moment　the　two　young　people　stopped　to
take　breath。

〃I　have　been　employed　in　the　grounds；〃　proceeded　Abraham　Sage；
irrepressibly；　〃for　more　than　forty　years〃

〃You　shall　be　employed　in　the　grounds　for　forty　more；　if　you'll
only　hold　your　tongue　and　take　yourself　off！〃　cried　Allan；　as
soon　as　he　could　speak。

〃Thank　you　kindly；　sir；〃　said　the　gardener；　with　the　utmost
politeness；　but　with　no　present　signs　either　of　holding　his
tongue　or　of　taking　himself　off。

〃Well？〃　said　Allan。

Abraham　Sage　carefully　cleared　his　throat；　and　shifted　his　rake
from　one　hand　to　the　other。　He　looked　down　the　length　of　his　own
invaluable　implement；　with　a　grave　interest　and　attention；
seeing；　apparently；　not　the　long　handle　of　a　rake；　but　the　long
perspective　of　a　vista；　with　a　supplementary　personal　interest
established　at　the　end　of　it。　〃When　more　convenient；　sir；〃
resumed　this　immovable　man；　〃I　should　wish　respectfully　to　speak
to　you　about　my　son。　Perhaps　it　may　be　more　convenient　in　the
course　of　the　day？　My　humble　duty；　sir；　and　my　best　thanks。　My
son　is　strictly　sober。　He　is　accustomed　to　the　stables；　and　he
belongs　to　the　Church　of　Englandwithout　incumbrances。〃　Having
thus　planted　his　offspring　provisionally　in　his　master's
estimation；　Abraham　Sage　shouldered　his　invaluable　rake；　and
hobbled　slowly　out　of　view。

〃If　that's　a　specimen　of　a　trustworthy　old　servant；〃　said　Allan；
〃I　think　I'd　rather　take　my　chance　of　being　cheated　by　a　new　one。
_You_　shall　not