pardon the liberty I take in sending these few lines to wait your
arrival at Thorpe Ambrose。 In the event of circumstances not
disposing you to place your law business in the hands of Mr。
Darch〃 He suddenly stopped at that point； and considered a
little。
〃Darch is our friend the lawyer；〃 said Allan； supposing Midwinter
had forgotten the name。 〃Don't you remember our spinning the
half…crown on the cabin table； when I got the two offers for the
cottage？ Heads； the major； tails； the lawyer。 This is the
lawyer。〃
Without making any reply； Midwinter resumed reading the letter。
〃In the event of circumstances not disposing you to place your
law business in the hands of Mr。 Darch； I beg to say that I shall
be happy to take charge of your interests； if you feel willing to
honor me with your confidence。 Inclosing a reference （should you
desire it） to my agents in London； and again apologizing for this
intrusion； I beg to remain； sir； respectfully yours； A。 PEDGIFT；
Sen。〃
〃Circumstances？〃 repeated Midwinter； as he laid the letter down。
〃What circumstances can possibly indispose you to give your law
business to Mr。 Darch？〃
〃Nothing can indispose me；〃 said Allan。 〃Besides being the family
lawyer here； Darch was the first to write me word at Paris of my
coming in for my fortune； and； if I have got any business to
give； of course he ought to have it。〃
Midwinter still looked distrustfully at the open letter on the
table。 〃I am sadly afraid； Allan； there is something wrong
already；〃 he said。 〃This man would never have ventured on the
application he has made to you； unless he had some good reason
for believing he would succeed。 If you wish to put yourself right
at starting； you will send to Mr。 Darch this morning to tell him
you are here； and you will take no notice for the present of Mr。
Pedgift's letter。〃
Before more could be said on either side； the footman made his
appearance with the breakfast tray。 He was followed； after an
interval； by the butler； a man of the essentially confidential
kind； with a modulated voice； a courtly manner； and a bulbous
nose。 Anybody but Allan would have seen in his face that he had
come into the room having a special communication to make to his
master。 Allan； who saw nothing under the surface； and whose head
was running on the lawyer's letter； stopped him bluntly with the
point…blank question： 〃Who's Mr。 Pedgift？〃
The butler's sources of local knowledge opened confidentially on
the instant。 Mr。 Pedgift was the second of the two lawyers in the
town。 Not so long established； not so wealthy； not so universally
looked up to as old Mr。 Darch。 Not doing the business of the
highest people in the county； and not mixing freely with the best
society； like old Mr。 Darch。 A very sufficient man； in his way；
nevertheless。 Known as a perfectly competent and respectable
practitioner all round the neighborhood。 In short； professionally
next best to Mr。 Darch； and personally superior to him （if the
expression might be permitted） in this respectthat Darch was a
Crusty One； and Pedgift wasn't。
Having imparted this information； the butler； taking a wise
advantage of his position； glided； without a moment's stoppage；
from Mr。 Pedgift's character to the business that had brought him
into the breakfast…room。 The Midsummer Audit was near at hand；
and the tenants were accustomed to have a week's notice of the
rent…day dinner。 With this necessity pressing； and with no orders
given as yet； and no steward in office at Thorpe Ambrose； it
appeared desirable that some confidential person should bring the
matter forward。 The butler was that confidential person； and he
now ventured accordingly to trouble his master on the subject。
At this point Allan opened his lips to interrupt； and was himself
interrupted before he could utter a word。
〃Wait！〃 interposed Midwinter； seeing in Allan's face that he was
in danger of being publicly announced in the capacity of steward。
〃Wait！〃 he repeated； eagerly； 〃till I can speak to you first。〃
The butler's courtly manner remained alike unruffled by
Midwinter's sudden interference and by his own dismissal from the
scene。 Nothing but the mounting color in his bulbous nose
betrayed the sense of injury that animated him as he withdrew。
Mr。 Armadale's chance of regaling his friend and himself that day
with the best wine in the cellar trembled in the balance； as the
butler took his way back to the basement story。
〃This is beyond a joke； Allan；〃 said Midwinter； when they were
alone。 〃Somebody must meet your tenants on the rent…day who is
really fit to take the steward's place。 With the best will in the
world to learn； it is impossible for _me_ to master the business
at a week's notice。 Don't； pray don't let your anxiety for my
welfare put you in a false position with other people！ I should
never forgive myself if I was the unlucky cause〃
〃Gently gently！' cried Allan； amazed at his friend's
extraordinary earnestness。 〃If I write to London by to…night's
post for the man who came down here before； will that satisfy
you？〃
Midwinter shook his head。 〃Our time is short；〃 he said； 〃and the
man may not be at liberty。 Why not try in the neighborhood first？
You were going to write to Mr。 Darch。 Send at once； and see if he
can't help us between this and post…time。〃
Allan withdrew to a side…table on which writing materials were
placed。 〃You shall breakfast in peace； you old fidget；〃 he
replied； and addressed himself forthwith to Mr。 Darch； with his
usual Spartan brevity of epistolary expression。 〃Dear SirHere I
am； bag and baggage。 Will you kindly oblige me by being my
lawyer？ I ask this； because I want to consult you at once。 Please
look in in the course of the day； and stop to dinner if you
possibly can。 Yours truly。 ALLAN ARMADALE。〃 Having read this
composition aloud with unconcealed admiration of his own rapidity
of literary execution； Allan addressed the letter to Mr。 Darch；
and rang the bell。 〃Here； Richard； take this at once； and wait
for an answer。 And； I say； if there's any news stirring in the
town； pick it up and bring it back with you。 See how I manage my
servants！〃 continued Allan； joining his friend at the
breakfast…table。 〃See how I adapt myself to my new duties！ I
haven't been down here one clear day yet； and I'm taking an
interest in the neighborhood already。〃
Breakfast over； the two friends went out to idle away the morning
under the shade of a tree in the park。 Noon came； and Richard
never appeared。 One o'clock struck； and still there were no signs
of an answer from Mr。 Darch。 Midwinter's patience was not proof
against the delay。 He left Allan dozing on the grass； and went to
the house to make inquiries。 The town was described as little
more than two miles distant； but the day of the week happened to
be market day； and Richard was being detained no doubt by some of
the many acquaintances whom he would be sure to meet with on that
occasion。
Half an hour later the truant messenger returned； and was sent
out to report himself to his master under the tree in the park。
〃Any answer from Mr。 Darch？〃 asked Midwinter； seeing that Allan
was too lazy to put the question for himself。
〃Mr。 Darch was engaged； sir。 I was desired to say that he would
send an answer。〃
〃Any news in the town？〃 inquired Allan； drowsily； without
troubling himself to open his eyes。
〃No； sir； nothing in particular。〃
Observing the man suspiciously as he made that reply； Midwinter
detected in his face that he was not speaking the truth。 He was
plainly embarrassed； and plainly relieved when his master's
silence allowed him to withdraw。 After a little consideration；
Midwinter followed； and overtook the retreating servant on the
drive before the house。
〃Richard；〃 he said； quietly； 〃if I was to guess that there _is_
some news in the town； and that you don't like telling it to your
master； should I be guessing the truth？〃
The man started and changed color。 〃I don't know how you have
found it out；〃 he said； 〃but I can't deny you have guessed
right。〃
〃If you let me hear what the news is； I will take the
responsibility on myself of telling Mr。 Armadale。〃
After some little hesitation； and some distrustful consideration；
on his side； of Midwinter's face； Richard at last prevailed on
himself to repeat what he had heard that day in the town。
The news of Allan's sudden appearance at Thorpe Ambrose had
preceded the servant's arrival at his destination by some hours。
Wherever he went； he found his master the subject of public
discussion。 The opinion of Allan's conduct among the leading
townspeople； the resident gentry of the neighborhood； and the
principal tenants on the estate was unanimously unfavorable。 Only
the day before； the committee for managing the pubic reception of
the new squire had sketched the progress of the procession； had
settled the serious question of the triumphal arches； and had
appointed a competent person to solicit subscriptions for the
flags； the flowers； the feasting； the fireworks； and the band。 In
less than a week more the money could have been collected； and
the rector would have written to Mr。 Armadale to fix the day。 And
now； by Allan's own act； the public welcome waiting to honor him
had been cast back contemptuously in the public teeth！ Everybody
took for granted （what was unfortunately true） that he had
received private information of the contemplated proceedings。
Everybody declared that he had purposely stolen into his own
house like a thief in the night （so the phrase ran） to escape
accepting the offered civilities of his neighbors。 In brief； the
sensitive self…importance of the little town was wounded to the
quick； and of Allan's once enviable position in the estimation of
the neighborhood not a vestige remained。
For a moment； Midwinter faced the messenger of evil tidings in
silent distress。 That moment past； the sense of Allan's critical
position roused him； now the evil was known； to seek the remedy。
〃Has the little you have seen of your master； Richard； inclined
you to like him？〃 he asked。
This time the man answered without hesitation； 〃A pleasanter and
kinder gentleman than Mr。 Armadale no one could wish to serve。〃