The secret which she had kept from her son and from her friend
was a secret which she carried with her to the grave。
When the last offices of affection and respect had been
performed； Mr。 Brock felt it his duty； as executor to the
deceased lady； to write to her brothers； and to give them
information of her death。 Believing that he had to deal with two
men who would probably misinterpret his motives if he left
Allan's position unexplained； he was careful to remind them that
Mrs。 Armadale's son was well provided for； and that the object of
his letter was simply to communicate the news of their sister's
decease。 The two letters were dispatched toward the middle of
January； and by return of post the answers were received。 The
first which the rector opened was written not by the elder
brother； but by the elder brother's only son。 The young man had
succeeded to the estates in Norfolk on his father's death； some
little time since。 He wrote in a frank and friendly spirit；
assuring Mr。 Brock that； however strongly his father might have
been prejudiced against Mrs。 Armadale； the hostile feeling had
never extended to her son。 For himself； he had only to add that
he would be sincerely happy to welcome his cousin to Thorpe
Ambrose whenever his cousin came that way。
The second letter was a far less agreeable reply to receive than
the first。 The younger brother was still alive； and still
resolute neither to forget nor forgive。 He informed Mr。 Brock
that his deceased sister's choice of a husband； and her conduct
to her father at the time of her marriage； had made any relations
of affection or esteem impossible； on his side； from that time
forth。 Holding the opinions he did； it would be equally painful
to his nephew and himself if any personal intercourse took place
between them。 He had adverted； as generally as possible； to the
nature of the differences which had kept him apart from his late
sister； in order to satisfy Mr。 Brock's mind that a personal
acquaintance with young Mr。 Armadale was； as a matter of
delicacy； quite out of the question and； having done this； he
would beg leave to close the correspondence。
Mr。 Brock wisely destroyed the second letter on the spot； and；
after showing Allan his cousin's invitation； suggested that he
should go to Thorpe Ambrose as soon as he felt fit to present
himself to strangers。
Allan listened to the advice patiently enough； but he declined to
profit by it。 〃I will shake hands with my cousin willingly if I
ever meet him；〃 he said； 〃but I will visit no family； and be a
guest in no house； in which my mother has
been badly treated。〃 Mr。 Brock remonstrated gently； and tried to
put matters in their proper light。 Even at that timeeven while
he was still ignorant of events which were then
impendingAllan's strangely isolated position in the world was a
subject of serious anxiety to his old friend and tutor。 The
proposed visit to Thorpe Ambrose opened the very prospect of his
making friends and connections suited to him in rank and age
which Mr。 Brock most desired to see； but Allan was not to be
persuaded； he was obstinate and unreasonable； and the rector had
no alternative but to drop the subject。
One on another the weeks passed monotonously； and Allan showed
but little of the elasticity of his age and character in bearing
the affliction that had made him motherless。 He finished and
launched his yacht； but his own journeymen remarked that the work
seemed to have lost its interest for him。 It was not natural to
the young man to brood over his solitude and his grief as he was
brooding now。 As the spring advanced； Mr。 Brock began to feel
uneasy about the future； if Allan was not roused at once by
change of scene。 After much pondering； the rector decided on
trying a trip to Paris； and on extending the journey southward if
his companion showed an interest in Continental traveling。
Allan's reception of the proposal made atonement for his
obstinacy in refusing to cultivate his cousin's acquaintance； he
was willing to go with Mr。 Brock wherever Mr。 Brock pleased。 The
rector took him at his word； and in the middle of March the two
strangely assorted companions left for London on their way to
Paris。
Arrived in London； Mr。 Brock found himself unexpectedly face to
face with a new anxiety。 The unwelcome subject of Ozias
Midwinter； which had been buried in peace since the beginning of
December； rose to the surface again； and confronted the rector at
the very outset of his travels； more unmanageably than ever。
Mr。 Brock's position in dealing with this difficult matter had
been hard enough to maintain when he had first meddled with it。
He now found himself with no vantage…ground left to stand on。
Events had so ordered it that the difference of opinion between
Allan and his mother on the subject of the usher was entirely
disassociated with the agitation which had hastened Mrs。
Armadale's death。 Allan's resolution to say no irritating words；
and Mr。 Brock's reluctance to touch on a disagreeable topic； had
kept them both silent about Midwinter in Mrs。 Armadale's presence
during the three days which had intervened between that person's
departure and the appearance of the strange woman in the village。
In the period of suspense and suffering that had followed no
recurrence to the subject of the usher had been possible； and
none had taken place。 Free from all mental disquietude on this
score； Allan had stoutly preserved his perverse interest in his
new friend。 He had written to tell Midwinter of his affliction；
and he now proposed （unless the rector formally objected to it）
paying a visit to his friend before he started for Paris the next
morning。
What was Mr。 Brock to do？ There was no denying that Midwinter's
conduct had pleaded unanswerably against poor Mrs。 Armadale's
unfounded distrust of him。 If the rector； with no convincing
reason to allege against it； and with no right to interfere but
the right which Allan's courtesy gave him； declined to sanction
the proposed visit； then farewell to all the old sociability and
confidence between tutor and pupil on the contemplated tour。
Environed by difficulties； which might have been possibly worsted
by a less just and a less kind…hearted man； Mr。 Brock said a
cautious word or two at parting； and （with more confidence in
Midwinter's discretion and self…denial than he quite liked to
acknowledge； even to himself） left Allan free to take his own
way。
After whiling away an hour； during the interval of his pupil's
absence； by a walk in the streets； the rector returned to his
hotel； and； finding the newspaper disengaged in the coffee…room；
sat down absently to look over it。 His eye； resting idly on the
title…page； was startled into instant attention by the very first
advertisement that it chanced to light on at the head of the
column。 There was Allan's mysterious namesake again； figuring in
capital letters； and associated this time （in the character of a
dead man） with the offer of a pecuniary reward。 Thus it ran：
SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD。To parish clerks； sextons； and others。
Twenty Pounds reward will be paid to any person who can produce
evidence of the death of ALLAN ARMADALE； only son of the late
Allan Armadale； of Barbadoes； and born in Trinidad in the year
1830。 Further particulars on application to Messrs。 Hammick and
Ridge； Lincoln's Inn Fields； London。
Even Mr。 Brock's essentially unimaginative mind began to stagger
superstitiously in the dark as he laid the newspaper down again。
Little by little a vague suspicion took possession of him that
the whole series of events which had followed the first
appearance of Allan's namesake in the newspaper six years since
was held together by some mysterious connection； and was tending
steadily to some unimaginable end。 Without knowing why； he began
to feel uneasy at Allan's absence。 Without knowing why； he became
impatient to get his pupil away from England before anything else
happened between night and morning。
In an hour more the rector was relieved of all immediate anxiety
by Allan's return to the hotel。 The young man was vexed and out
of spirits。 He had discovered Midwinter's lodgings； but he had
failed to find Midwinter himself。 The only account his landlady
could give of him was that he had gone out at his customary time
to get his dinner at the nearest eating…house； and that he had
not returned； in accordance with his usual regular habits； at his
usual regular hour。 Allan had therefore gone to inquire at the
eating…house； and had found； on describing him； that Midwinter
was well known there。 It was his custom； on other days； to take a
frugal dinner； and to sit half an hour afterward reading the
newspaper。 On this occasion； after dining； he had taken up the
paper as usual； had suddenly thrown it aside again； and had gone；
nobody knew where； in a violent hurry。 No further information
being attainable； Allan had left a note at the lodgings； giving
his address at the hotel； and begging Midwinter to come and say
good…by before his departure for Paris。
The evening passed； and Allan's invisible friend never appeared。
The morning came； bringing no obstacles with it； and Mr。 Brock
and his pupil left London。 So far Fortune had declared herself at
last on the rector's side。 Ozias Midwinter； after intrusively
rising to the surface； had conveniently dropped out of sight
again。 What was to happen next？
…
Advancing once more； by three weeks only； from past to present；
Mr。 Brock's memory took up the next event on the seventh of
April。 To all appearance； the chain was now broken at last。 The
new event had no recognizable connection （either to his mind or
to Allan's） with any of the persons who had appeared； or any of
the circumstances that had happened； in the by…gone time。
The travelers had as yet got no further than Paris。 Allan's
spirits had risen with the change； and he had been made all the
readier to enjoy the novelty of the scene around him by receiving
a letter from Midwinter； containing news which Mr。 Brock himself
acknowledged promised fairly for the future。 The ex…usher had
been away on business when Allan had called at his lodgings；
ha