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Armadale〃
〃What； are you Mr。 Bashwood？〃
〃Yes； if you please； sir。〃
〃I beg your pardon for speaking to you so roughly；〃 said Allan；
〃but the fact is； you rather startled me。 My name is Armadale
（put on your hat； pray）； and this is my friend； Mr。 Midwinter；
who wants your help in the steward's office。〃
〃We hardly stand in need of an introduction；〃 said Midwinter。 〃I
met Mr。 Bashwood out walking a few days since； and he was kind
enough to direct me when I had lost my way。〃
〃Put on your hat；〃 reiterated Allan； as Mr。 Bashwood； still
bareheaded； stood bowing speechlessly； now to one of the young
men； and now to the other。 〃My good sir； put on your hat； and let
me show you the way back to the house。 Excuse me for noticing
it；〃 added Allan； as the man； in sheer nervous helplessness； let
his hat fall； instead of putting it back on his head； 〃but you
seem a little out of sorts； a glass of good wine will do you no
harm before you and my friend come to business。 Whereabouts did
you meet with Mr。 Bashwood； Midwinter； when you lost your way？〃
〃I am too ignorant of the neighborhood to know。 I must refer you
to Mr。 Bashwood。〃
〃Come； tell us where it was；〃 said Allan； trying； a little too
abruptly； to set the man at his ease； as they all three walked
back to the house。
The measure of Mr。 Bashwood's constitutional timidity seemed to
be filled to the brim by the loudness of Allan's voice and the
bluntness of Allan's request。 He ran over in the same feeble flow
of words with which he had deluged Midwinter on the occasion when
they first met。
〃It was on the road； sir；〃 he began； addressing himself
alternately to Allan； whom he called； 〃sir；〃 and to Midwinter；
whom he called by his name； 〃I mean； if you please； on the road
to Little Gill Beck。 A singular name； Mr。 Midwinter； and a
singular place； I don't mean the village； I mean the
neighborhoodI mean the 'Broads' beyond the neighborhood。
Perhaps you may have heard of the Norfolk Broads； sir？ What they
call lakes in other parts of England； they call Broads here。 The
Broads are quite numerous； I think they would repay a visit。 You
would have seen the first of them； Mr。 Midwinter； if you had
walked on a few miles from where I had the honor of meeting you。
Remarkably numerous； the Broads； sirsituated between this and
the sea。 About three miles from the sea； Mr。 Midwinterabout
three miles。 Mostly shallow； sir； with rivers running between
them。 Beautiful； solitary。 Quite a watery country； Mr。 Midwinter；
quite separate； as it were； in itself。 Parties sometimes visit
them； sirpleasure parties in boats。 It's quite a little network
of lakes； or； perhapsyes； perhaps； more correctly； pools。 There
is good sport in the cold weather。 The wild fowl are quite
numerous。 Yes； the Broads would repay a visit； Mr。 Midwinter。 the
next time you are walking that way。 The distance from here to
Little Gill Beck； and then from Little Gill Beck to Girdler
Broad； which is the first you come to； is altogether not more〃
In sheer nervous inability to leave off； he would apparently have
gone on talking of the Norfolk Broads for the rest of the
evening； if one of his two listeners had not unceremoniously cut
him short before he could find his way into a new sentence。
〃Are the Broads within an easy day's drive there and back from
this house？〃 asked Allan； feeling； if they were； that the place
for the picnic was discovered already。
〃Oh； yes； sir； a nice drivequite a nice easy drive from this
beautiful place！〃
They were by this time ascending the portico steps； Allan leading
the way up； and calling to Midwinter and Mr。 Bashwood to follow
him into the library； where there was a lighted lamp。
In the interval which elapsed before the wine made its
appearance； Midwinter looked at his chance acquaintance of the
high…road with strangely mingled feelings of compassion and
distrustof compassion that strengthened in spite of him； of
distrust that persisted in diminishing； try as he might to
encourage it to grow。 There； perched comfortless on the edge of
his chair； sat the poor broken…down； nervous wretch； in his worn
black garments； with his watery eyes； his honest old outspoken
wig； his miserable mohair stock； and his false teeth that were
incapable of deceiving anybodythere he sat； politely ill at
ease； now shrinking in the glare of the lamp； now wincing under
the shock of Allan's sturdy voice； a man with the wrinkles of
sixty years in his face； and the manners of a child in the
presence of strangers； an object of pity surely； if ever there
was a pitiable object yet！
〃Whatever else you're afraid of； Mr。 Bashwood；〃 cried
Allan； pouring out a glass of wine； 〃don't be afraid of that！
There isn't a headache in a hogshead of it！ Make yourself
comfortable； I'll leave you and Mr。 Midwinter to talk your
business over by yourselves。 It's all in Mr。 Midwinter's hands；
he acts for me； and settles everything at his own discretion。〃
He said those words with a cautious choice of expression very
uncharacteristic of him； and； without further explanation； made
abruptly for the door。 Midwinter； sitting near it； noticed his
face as he went out。 Easy as the way was into Allan's favor； Mr。
Bashwood； beyond all kind of doubt； had in some unaccountable
manner failed to find it！
The two strangely assorted companions were left togetherparted
widely； as it seemed on the surface； from any possible
interchange of sympathy； drawn invisibly one to the other；
nevertheless； by those magnetic similarities of temperament which
overleap all difference of age or station； and defy all apparent
incongruities of mind and character。 From the moment when Allan
left the room； the hidden Influence that works in darkness began
slowly to draw the two men together； across the great social
desert which had lain between them up to this day。
Midwinter was the first to approach the subject of the interview。
〃May I ask；〃 he began； 〃if you have been made acquainted with my
position here； and if you know why it is that I require your
assistance？〃
Mr。 Bashwoodstill hesitating and still timid； but manifestly
relieved by Allan's departuresat further back in his chair； and
ventured on fortifying himself with a modest little sip of wine。
〃Yes； sir；〃 he replied； 〃Mr。 Pedgift informed me of allat least
I think I may say soof all the circumstances。 I am to instruct；
or perhaps； I ought to say to advise〃
〃No； Mr。 Bashwood； the first word was the best word of the two。 I
am quite ignorant of the duties which Mr。 Armadale's kindness has
induced him to intrust to me。 If I understand right； there can be
no question of your capacity to instruct me； for you once filled
a steward's situation yourself。 May I inquire where it was？〃
〃At Sir John Mellowship's； sir； in West Norfolk。 Perhaps you
would likeI have got it with meto see my testimonial？ Sir
John might have dealt more kindly with me； but I have no
complaint to make； it's all done and over now！〃 His watery eyes
looked more watery still； and the trembling in his hands spread
to his lips as he produced an old dingy letter from his
pocket…book and laid it open on the table。
The testimonial was very briefly and very coldly expressed； but
it was conclusive as far as it went。 Sir John considered it only
right to say that he had no complaint to make of any want of
capacity or integrity in his steward。 If Mr。 Bashwood's domestic
position had been compatible with the continued performance of
his duties on the estate； Sir John would have been glad to keep
him。 As it was； embarrassments caused by the state of Mr。
Bashwood's personal affairs had rendered it undesirable that he
should continue in Sir John's service； and on that ground； and
that only； his employer and he had parted。 Such was Sir John's
testimony to Mr。 Bashwood's character。 As Midwinter read the last
lines； he thought of another testimonial； still in his own
possessionof the written character which they had given him at
the school； when they turned their sick usher adrift in the
world。 His superstition （distrusting all new events and all new
faces at Thorpe Ambrose） still doubted the man before him as
obstinately as ever。 But when he now tried to put those doubts
into words； his heart upbraided him； and he laid the letter on
the table in silence。
The sudden pause in the conversation appeared to startle Mr。
Bashwood。 He comforted himself with another little sip of wine；
and； leaving the letter untouched； burst irrepressibly into
words； as if the silence was quite unendurable to him。
〃I am ready to answer any question； sir；〃 he began。 〃Mr。 Pedgift
told me that I must answer questions； because I was applying for
a place of trust。 Mr。 Pedgift said neither you nor Mr。 Armadale
was likely to think the testimonial sufficient of itself。 Sir
John doesn't sayhe might have put it more kindly； but I don't
complainSir John doesn't say what the troubles were that lost
me my place。 Perhaps you might wish to know〃 He stopped
confusedly； looked at the testimonial； and said no more。
〃If no interests but mine were concerned in the matter；〃 rejoined
Midwinter； 〃the testimonial would； I assure you； be quite enough
to satisfy me。 B