here； Mr。 Brock could do no more！〃
He looked at the bunch of keys which Allan had thrust into his
hand； and a sudden longing to put himself to the test over the
steward's books took possession of his sensitive self…tormenting
nature。 Inquiring his way to the room in which the various
movables of the steward's office had been provisionally placed
after the letting of the cottage； he sat down at the desk； and
tried how his own unaided capacity would guide him through the
business records of the Thorpe Ambrose estate。 The result exposed
his own ignorance unanswerably before his own eyes。 The ledgers
bewildered him； the leases； the plans； and even the
correspondence itself； might have been written； for all he could
understand of them； in an unknown tongue。 His memory reverted
bitterly as he left the room again to his two years' solitary
self…instruction in the Shrewsbury book…seller's shop。 〃If I
could only have worked at a business！〃 he thought。 〃If I could
only have known that the company of poets and philosophers was
company too high for a vagabond like me！〃
He sat down alone in the great hall； the silence of it fell
heavier and heavier on his sinking spirits； the beauty of it
exasperated him； like an insult from a purse…proud man。 〃Curse
the place！〃 he said； snatching up his hat and stick。 〃I like the
bleakest hillside I ever slept on better than I like this house！〃
He impatiently descended the door…steps； and stopped on the
drive； considering； by which direction he should leave the park
for the country beyond。 If he followed the road taken by the
carriage； he might risk unsettling Allan by accidentally meeting
him in the town。 If he went out by the back gate； he knew his own
nature well enough to doubt his ability to pass the room of the
dream without entering it again。 But one other way remained： the
way which he had taken； and then abandoned again； in the morning。
There was no fear of disturbing Allan and the major's daughter
now。 Without further hesitation； Midwinter set forth through the
gardens to explore the open country on that side of the estate。
Thrown off its balance by the events of the day； his mind was
full of that sourly savage resistance to the inevitable
self…assertion of wealth； so amiably deplored by the prosperous
and the rich； so bitterly familiar to the unfortunate and the
poor。 〃The heather…bell costs nothing！〃 he thought； looking
contemptuously at the masses of rare and beautiful flowers that
surrounded him； 〃and the buttercups and daisies are as bright as
the best of you！〃 He followed the artfully contrived ovals and
squares of the Italian garden with a vagabond indifference to the
symmetry of their construction and the ingenuity of their design。
〃How many pounds a foot did _you_ cost？〃 he said； looking back
with scornful eyes at the last path as he left it。 〃Wind away
over high and low like the sheep…walk on the mountain side； if
you can！〃
He entered the shrubbery which Allan had entered before him；
crossed the paddock and the rustic bridge beyond； and reached the
major's cottage。 His ready mind seized the right conclusion at
the first sight of it； and he stopped before the garden gate； to
look at the trim little residence which would never have been
empty； and would never have been let； but for Allan's ill…advised
resolution to force the steward's situation on his friend。
The summer afternoon was warm； the summer air was faint and
still。 On the upper and the lower floor of the cottage the
windows were all open。 From one of them； on the upper story； the
sound of voices was startlingly audible in the quiet of the park
as Midwinter paused on the outer side of the garden inclosure。
The voice of a woman； harsh； high； and angrily complaininga
voice with all the freshness and the melody gone； and with
nothing but the hard power of it leftwas the discordantly
predominant sound。 With it； from moment to moment； there mingled
the deeper and quieter tones； soothing and compassionate； of the
voice of a man。 Although the distance was too great to allow
Midwinter to disti nguish the words that were spoken； he felt the
impropriety of remaining within hearing of the voices； and at
once stepped forward to continue his walk。
At the same moment； the face of a young girl （easily recognizable
as the face of Miss Milroy； from Allan's description of her）
appeared at the open window of the room。 In spite of himself；
Midwinter paused to look at her。 The expression of the bright
young face； which had smiled so prettily on Allan； was weary and
disheartened。 After looking out absently over the park； she
suddenly turned her head back into the room； her attention having
been apparently struck by something that had just been said in
it。 〃Oh； mamma； mamma；〃 she exclaimed； indignantly； 〃how _can_
you say such things！〃 The words were spoken close to the window；
they reached Midwinter's ears； and hurried him away before he
heard more。 But the self…disclosure of Major Milroy's domestic
position had not reached its end yet。 As Midwinter turned the
corner of the garden fence； a tradesman's boy was handing a
parcel in at the wicket gate to the woman servant。 〃Well；〃 said
the boy； with the irrepressible impudence of his class； 〃how is
the missus？〃 The woman lifted her hand to box his ears。 〃How is
the missus？〃 she repeated； with an angry toss of her head； as the
boy ran off。 〃If it would only please God to take the missus； it
would be a blessing to everybody in the house。〃
No such ill…omened shadow as this had passed over the bright
domestic picture of the inhabitants of the cottage； which Allan's
enthusiasm had painted for the contemplation of his friend。 It
was plain that the secret of the tenants had been kept from the
landlord so far。 Five minutes more of walking brought Midwinter
to the park gates。 〃Am I fated to see nothing and hear nothing
to…day； which can give me heart and hope for the future？〃 he
thought； as he angrily swung back the lodge gate。 〃Even the
people Allan has let the cottage to are people whose lives are
imbittered by a household misery which it is _my_ misfortune to
have found out！〃
He took the first road that lay before him； and walked on；
noticing little； immersed in his own thoughts。
More than an hour passed before the necessity of turning back
entered his mind。 As soon as the idea occurred to him； he
consulted his watch； and determined to retrace his steps； so as
to be at the house in good time to meet Allan on his return。 Ten
minutes of walking brought him back to a point at which three
roads met； and one moment's observation of the place satisfied
him that he had entirely failed to notice at the time by which of
the three roads he had advanced。 No sign…post was to be seen； the
country on either side was lonely and flat； intersected by broad
drains and ditches。 Cattle were grazing here and there； and a
windmill rose in the distance above the pollard willows that
fringed the low horizon。 But not a house was to be seen； and not
a human creature appeared on the visible perspective of any one
of the three roads。 Midwinter glanced back in the only direction
left to look atthe direction of the road along which he had
just been walking。 There； to his relief； was the figure of a man；
rapidly advancing toward him； of whom he could ask his way。
The figure came on； clad from head to foot in dreary blacka
moving blot on the brilliant white surface of the sun…brightened
road。 He was a lean； elderly； miserably respectable man。 He wore
a poor old black dress…coat； and a cheap brown wig； which made no
pretense of being his own natural hair。 Short black trousers
clung like attached old servants round his wizen legs； and rusty
black gaiters hid all they could of his knobbed； ungainly feet。
Black crape added its mite to the decayed and dingy wretchedness
of his old beaver hat； black mohair in the obsolete form of a
stock drearily encircled his neck and rose as high as his haggard
jaws。 The one morsel of color he carried about him was a lawyer's
bag of blue serge； as lean and limp as himself。 The one
attractive feature in his clean…shaven； weary old face was a neat
set of teethteeth （as honest as his wig） which said plainly to
all inquiring eyes； 〃We pass our nights on his looking…glass； and
our days in his mouth。〃
All the little blood in the man's body faintly reddened his
fleshless cheeks as Midwinter advanced to meet him； and asked the
way to Thorpe Ambrose。 His weak； watery eyes looked hither and
thither in a bewilderment painful to see。 If he had met with a
lion instead of a man； and if the few words addressed to him had
been words expressing a threat instead of a question； he could
hardly have looked more confused and alarmed than he looked now。
For the first time in his life； Midwinter saw his own shy
uneasiness in the presence of strangers reflected； with tenfold
intensity of nervous suffering； in the face of another manand
that man old enough to be his father。
〃Which do you please to mean； sirthe town or the house？ I beg
your pardon for asking； but they both go by the same name in
these parts。〃
He spoke with a timid gentleness of tone； an ingratiatory smile；
and an anxious courtesy of manner； all distressingly suggestive
of his being accustomed to receive rough answers in exchange for
his own politeness from the persons whom he habitually addressed。
〃I was not aware that both the house and the town went by the
same name；〃 said Midwinter； 〃I meant the house。〃 He instinctively
conquered his own shyness as he answered in those words； speaking
with a cordiality of manner which was very rare with him in his
intercourse with strangers。
The man of miserable respectability seemed to feel the warm
return of his own politeness gratefully； he brightened and took a
little courage。 His lean forefinger pointed eagerly to the right
road。 〃That way； sir；〃 he said； 〃and when you come to two roads
next； please take the left one of the two。 I am sorry I have
business the other way； I mean in the town。 I should have been
happy to go with you and show you。 Fine summer weather； sir； for
walking？ You can't miss your way if you keep to the left。 Oh；
don't mention it！