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！
contained the three words〃a young lady。〃
〃A bachelor of studious habits walking about my grounds；〃 said
Allan； 〃is not an interesting object； a young lady is。 I have not
the least doubt Miss Milroy is a charming girl。 Ozias Midwinter
of the serious countenance！ think of her pretty muslin dress
flitting about among your trees and committing trespasses on your
property； think of her adorable feet trotting into your
fruit…garden； and her delicious fresh lips kissing your ripe
peaches； think of her dimpled hands among your early violets； and
her little cream…colored nose buried in your blush…roses。 What
does the studious bachelor offer me in exchange for the loss of
all this？ He offers me a rheumatic brown object in gaiters and a
wig。 No！ no！ Justice is good； my dear friend； but； believe me；
Miss Milroy is better。〃
〃Can you be serious about any mortal thing； Allan？〃
〃I'll try to be； if you like。 I know I ought to take the lawyer；
but what can I do if the major's daughter keeps running in my
head？〃
Midwinter returned resolutely to the just and sensible view of
the matter； and pressed it on his friend's attention with all the
persuasion of which he was master。 After listening with exemplary
patience until he had done； Allan swept a supplementary
accumulation of litter off the cabin table； and produced from his
waistcoat pocket a half…crown coin。
〃I've got an entirely new idea；〃 he said。 〃Let's leave it to
chance。〃
The absurdity of the proposalas coming from a landlordwas
irresistible。 Midwinter's gravity deserted him。
〃I'll spin；〃 continued Allan； 〃and you shall call。 We must give
precedence to the army； of course； so we'll say Heads； the major；
Tails； the lawyer。 One spin to decide。 Now； then； look out！〃
He spun the half…crown on the cabin table。
〃Tails！〃 cried Midwinter； humoring what he believed to be one of
Allan's boyish jokes。
The coin fell on the table with the Head uppermost。
〃You don't mean to say you are really in earnest！〃 said
Midwinter； as the other opened his writing…case and dipped his
pen in the ink。
〃Oh； but I am； though！〃 replied Allan。 〃Chance is on my side； and
Miss Milroy's； and you're outvoted； two to one。 It's no use
arguing。 The major has fallen uppermost； and the major shall have
the cottage。 I won't leave it to the lawyers； they'll only be
worrying me with more letters。 I'll write myself。〃
He wrote his answers to the two proposals； literally in two
minutes。 One to the house agent： 〃Dear sir； I accept Major
Milroy's offer； let him come in when he pleases。 Yours truly；
Allan Armadale。〃 And one to the lawyer： 〃Dear sir； I regret that
circumstances prevent me from accepting your proposal。 Yours
truly；〃 etc。 〃People make a fuss about letter…writing；〃 Allan
remarked； when he had done。 〃_I_ find it easy enough。〃
He wrote the addresses on his two notes； and stamped them for the
post； whistling gayly。 While he had been writing； he had not
noticed how his friend was occupied。 When he had done； it struck
him that a sudden silence had fallen on the cabin； and； looking
up； he observed that Midwinter's whole attention was strangely
concentrated on the half crown as it lay head uppermost on the
table。 Allan suspended his whistling in astonishment。
〃What on earth are you doing？〃 he asked。
〃I was only wondering；〃 replied Midwinter。
〃What about？〃 persisted Allan。
〃I was wondering；〃 said the other； handing him back the
half…crown； 〃whether there is such a thing as chance。〃
Half an hour later the two notes were posted； and Allan； whose
close superintendence of the repairs of the yacht had hitherto
allowed him but little leisure time on shore； had proposed to
while away the idle hours by taking a walk in Castletown。 Even
Midwinter's nervous anxiety to deserve Mr。 Brock's confidence in
him could detect nothing objectionable in this harmless proposal；
and the young men set forth together to see what they could make
of the metropolis of the Isle of Man。
It is doubtful if there is a place on the habitable globe which；
regarded as a sight…seeing investment offering itself to the
spare attention of strangers； yields so small a percentage of
interest in return as Castletown。 Beginning with the waterside；
there was an inner harbor to see； with a drawbridge to let
vessels through； an outer harbor； ending in a dwarf lighthouse； a
view of a flat coast to the right； and a view of a flat coast to
the left。 In the central solitudes of the city； there was a squat
gray building called 〃the castle〃； also a memorial pillar
dedicated to one Governor Smelt； with a flat top for a statue；
and no statue standing on it； also a barrack； holding the
half…company of soldiers allotted to the island； and exhibiting
one spirit…broken sentry at its lonely door。 The prevalent color
of the town was faint gray。 The few shops open were parted at
frequent intervals by other shops closed and deserted in despair。
The weary lounging of boatmen on shore was trebly weary here； the
youth of the district smoked together in speechless depression
under the lee of a dead wall； the ragged children said
mechanically： 〃Give us a penny；〃 and before the charitable hand
could search the merciful pocket； lapsed away again in
misanthropic doubt of the human nature they addressed。 The
silence of the grave overflowed the churchyard； and filled this
miserable town。 But one edifice； prosperous to look at； rose
consolatory in the desolation of these dreadful streets。
Frequented by the students of the neighboring 〃College of King
William；〃 this building was naturally dedicated to the uses of a
pastry…cook's shop。 Here； at least （viewed through the friendly
medium of the window）； there was something going on for a
stranger to see； for here； on high stools； the pupils of the
college sat； with swinging legs and slowly moving jaws； and；
hushed in the horrid stillness of Castletown； gorged their pastry
gravely； in an atmosphere of awful silence。
〃Hang me if I can look any longer at the boys and the tarts！〃
said Allan； dragging his friend away from the pastry…cook's shop。
〃Let's try if we can't find something else to amuse us in the
next street。〃
The first amusing object which the next street presented was a
carver…and…gilder's shop； expiring feebly in the last stage of
commercial decay。 The counter inside displayed nothing to view
but the recumbent head of a boy； peacefully asleep in the
unbroken solitude of the place。 In the window were exhibited to
the passing stranger three forlorn little fly…spotted frames； a
small posting…bill； dusty with long…continued neglect； announcing
that the premises were to let； and one colored print； the last of
a series illustrating the horrors of drunkenness； on the fiercest
temperance principles。 The compositionrepresenting an empty
bottle of gin； an immensely spacious garret； a perpendicular
Scripture reader； and a horizontal expiring familyappealed to
public favor； under the entirely unobjectionable title of 〃The
Hand of Death。〃 Allan's resolution to extract amusement from
Castletown by main force had resisted a great deal； but it failed
him at this stage of the investigations。 He suggested trying an
excursion to some other place。 Midwinter readily agreeing； they
went back to the hotel to make inquiries。
Thanks to the mixed influence of Allan's ready gift of
familiarity； and total want of method in putting his questions； a
perfect deluge of information flowed in on the two strangers；
relating to every subje ct but the subject which had actually
brought them to the hotel。 They made various interesting
discoveries in connection with the laws and constitution of the
Isle of Man； and the manners and customs of the natives。 To
Allan's delight； the Manxmen spoke of England as of a well…known
adjacent island； situated at a certain distance from the central
empire of the Isle of Man。 It was further revealed to the two
Englishmen that this happy little nation rejoiced in laws of its
own； publicly proclaimed once a year by the governor and the two
head judges； grouped together on the top of an ancient mound； in
fancy costumes appropriate to the occasion。 Possessing this
enviable institution； the island added to it the inestimable
blessing of a local parliament； called the House of Keys； an
assembly far in advance of the other parliament belonging to the
neighboring island； in this respectthat the members dispensed
with the people； and solemnly elected each other。 With these and
many more local particulars； extracted from all sorts and
conditions of men in and about the hotel； Allan whiled away the
weary time in his own essentially desultory manner； until the
gossip died out of itself； and Midwinter （who had been speaking
apart with the landlord） quietly recalled him to the matter in
hand。 The finest coast scenery in the island was said to be to
the westward and the southward； and there was a fishing town in
those regions called Port St。 Mary； with a hotel at which
travelers could sleep。 If Allan's impressions of Castletown still
inclined him to try an excursion to some other place； he had only
to say so； and a carriage would be produced immediately。 Allan
jumped at the proposal； an