walking？ You can't miss your way if you keep to the left。 Oh；
don't mention it！ I'm afraid I have detained you； sir。 I wish you
a pleasant walk back； andgood…morning。〃
By the time he had made an end of speaking （under an impression
apparently that the more he talked the more polite he would be）
he had lost his courage again。 He darted away down his own road；
as if Midwinter's attempt to thank him involved a series of
trials too terrible to confront。 In two minutes more； his black
retreating figure had lessened in the distance till it looked
again； what it had once looked already； a moving blot on the
brilliant white surface of the sun…brightened road。
The man ran strangely in Midwinter's thoughts while he took his
way back to the house。 He was at a loss to account for it。 It
never occurred to him that he might have been insensibly reminded
of himself； when he saw the plain traces of past misfortune and
present nervous suffering in the poor wretch's face。 He blindly
resented his own perverse interest in this chance foot passenger
on the high…road； as he had resented all else that had happened
to him since the beginning of the day。 〃Have I made another
unlucky discovery？〃 he asked himself； impatiently。 〃Shall I see
this man again； I wonder？ Who can he be？〃
Time was to answer both those questions before many days more had
passed over the inquirer's head。
Allan had not returned when Midwinter reached the house。 Nothing
had happened but the arrival of a message of apology from the
cottage。 〃Major Milroy's compliments； and he was sorry that Mrs。
Milroy's illness would prevent his receiving Mr。 Armadale that
day。〃 It was plain that Mrs。 Milroy's occasional fits of
suffering （or of ill temper） created no mere transitory
disturbance of the tranquillity of the household。 Drawing this
natural inference； after what he had himself heard at the cottage
nearly three hours since； Midwinter withdrew into the library to
wait patiently among the books until his friend came back。
It was past six o'clock when the well…known hearty voice was
heard again in the hall。 Allan burst into the library； in a state
of irrepressible excitement； and pushed
Midwinter back unceremoniously into the chair from which he was
just rising； before he could utter a word
〃Here's a riddle for you； old boy！〃 cried Allan。 〃Why am I like
the resident manager of the Augean stable； before Hercules was
called in to sweep the litter out？ Because I have had my place to
keep up； and I've gone and made an infernal mess of it！ Why don't
you laugh？ By George； he doesn't see the point！ Let's try again。
Why am I like the resident manager〃
〃For God's sake； Allan； be serious for a moment！〃 interposed
Midwinter。 〃You don't know how anxious I am to hear if you have
recovered the good opinion of your neighbors。〃
〃That's just what the riddle was intended to tell you！〃 rejoined
Allan。 〃But if you will have it in so many words； my own
impression is that you would have done better not to disturb me
under that tree in the park。 I've been calculating it to a
nicety； and I beg to inform you that I have sunk exactly three
degrees lower in the estimation of the resident gentry since I
had the pleasure of seeing you last。〃
〃You _will_ have your joke out；〃 said Midwinter； bitterly。 〃Well；
if I can't laugh； I can wait。〃
〃My dear fellow； I'm not joking； I really mean what I say。 You
shall hear what happened； you shall have a report in full of my
first visit。 It will do； I can promise you； as a sample for all
the rest。 Mind this； in the first place； I've gone wrong with the
best possible intentions。 When I started for these visits； I own
I was angry with that old brute of a lawyer； and I certainly had
a notion of carrying things with a high hand。 But it wore off
somehow on the road； and the first family I called on； I went in；
as I tell you； with the best possible intentions。 Oh； dear； dear！
there was the same spick…and…span reception…room for me to wait
in； with the neat conservatory beyond； which I saw again and
again and again at every other house I went to afterward。 There
was the same choice selection of books for me to look ata
religious book； a book about the Duke of Wellington； a book about
sporting； and a book about nothing in particular； beautifully
illustrated with pictures。 Down came papa with his nice white
hair； and mamma with her nice lace cap； down came young mister
with the pink face and straw…colored whiskers； and young miss
with the plump cheeks and the large petticoats。 Don't suppose
there was the least unfriendliness on my side； I always began
with them in the same wayI insisted on shaking hands all round。
That staggered them to begin with。 When I came to the sore
subject nextthe subject of the public receptionI give you my
word of honor I took the greatest possible pains with my
apologies。 It hadn't the slightest effect； they let my apologies
in at one ear and out at the other； and then waited to hear more。
Some men would have been disheartened： I tried another way with
them； I addressed myself to the master of the house； and put it
pleasantly next。 'The fact is；' I said； 'I wanted to escape the
speechifyingmy getting up； you know； and telling you to your
face you're the best of men； and I beg to propose your health；
and your getting up and telling me to my face I'm the best of
men； and you beg to thank me； and so on； man after man； praising
each other and pestering each other all round the table。' That's
how I put it； in an easy； light…handed； convincing sort of way。
Do you think any of them took it in the same friendly spirit？ Not
one！ It's my belief they had got their speeches ready for the
reception； with the flags and the flowers； and that they're
secretly angry with me for stopping their open mouths just as
they were ready to begin。 Anyway； whenever we came to the matter
of the speechifying （whether they touched it first or I）； down I
fell in their estimation the first of those three steps I told
you of just now。 Don't suppose I made no efforts to get up again！
I made desperate efforts。 I found they were all anxious to know
what sort of life I had led before I came in for the Thorpe
Ambrose property； and I did my best to satisfy them。 And what
came of that； do you think？ Hang me； if I didn't disappoint them
for the second time！ When they found out that I had actually
never been to Eton or Harrow； or Oxford or Cambridge； they were
quite dumb with astonishment。 I fancy they thought me a sort of
outlaw。 At any rate； they all froze up again； and down I fell the
second step in their estimation。 Never mind！ I wasn't to be
beaten； I had promised you to do my best； and I did it。 I tried
cheerful small…talk about the neighborhood next。 The women said
nothing in particular； the men； to my unutterable astonishment；
all began to condole with me。 I shouldn't be able to find a pack
of hounds； they said； within twenty miles of my house； and they
thought it only right to prepare me for the disgracefully
careless manner in which the Thorpe Ambrose covers had been
preserved。 I let them go on condoling with me； and then what do
you think I did？ I put my foot in it again。 'Oh； don't take that
to heart！' I said； 'I don't care two straws about hunting or
shooting； either。 When I meet with a bird in my walk； I can't for
the life of me feel eager to kill it； I rather like to see the
bird flying about and enjoying itself。' You should have seen
their faces！ They had thought me a sort of outlaw before； now
they evidently thought me mad。 Dead silence fell upon them all；
and down I tumbled the third step in the general estimation。 It
was just the same at the next house； and the next and the next。
The devil possessed us all； I think。 It _would_ come out； now in
one way； and now in another； that I couldn't make speechesthat
I had been brought up without a university educationand that I
could enjoy a ride on horseback without galloping after a
wretched stinking fox or a poor distracted little hare。 These
three unlucky defects of mine are not excused； it seems； in a
country gentleman （especially when he has dodged a public
reception to begin with）。 I think I got on best； upon the whole；
with the wives and daughters。 The women and I always fell； sooner
or later； on the subject of Mrs。 Blanchard and her niece。 We
invariably agreed that they had done wisely in going to Florence；
and the only reason we had to give for our opinion was that we
thought their minds would be benefited after their sad
bereavement； by the contemplation of the masterpieces of Italian
art。 Every one of the ladiesI solemnly declare itat every
house I went to； came sooner or later to Mrs。 and Miss
Blanchard's bereavement and the masterpieces of Italian art。 What
we should have done without that bright idea to help us； I really
don't know。 The one pleasant thing at any of the visits was when
we all shook our heads together； and declared that the
masterpieces would console them。 As for the rest of it； there's
only one thing more to be said。 What I might be in other places I
don't know： I'm the wrong man in the wrong place here。 Let me
muddle on for the future in my own way； with my own few friends；
and ask me anything else in the world； as long as you don't ask
me to make any more calls on my neighbors。〃
With that characteristic request； Allan's report of his exploring
expedition among the resident gentry came to a close。 For a
moment Midwinter remained silent。 He had allowed Allan to run on
from first to last without uttering a word on his side。 The
disastrous result of the visitscoming after what had happened
earlier in the day； and threatening Allan； as it did； with
exclusion from all local sympathies at the very outset of his
local careerhad broken down Midwinter's power of resisting the
stealthily depressing influence of his own superstition。 It was
with an effort that he now looked up at Allan； it was with an
effort that he roused himself to answer。
〃It shall be as you wish；〃 he said； quietly。 〃I am sorry for what
has happened； but I am not the less obliged to you； Allan； for
having done what I asked you。〃
His head sank on his breast； and the fatalist resignati