had　not　built　a　stout　sea…boat　was　seriously　tested　for　the　first
  time。　All　that　night；　after　trying　vainly　to　bear　up　for
  Holyhead；　the　little　vessel　kept　the　sea；　and　stood　her　trial
  bravely。　The　next　morning　the　Isle　of　Man　was　in　view；　and　the
  yacht　was　safe　at　Castletown。　A　survey　by　daylight　of　hull　and
  rigging　showed　that　all　the　damage　done　might　be　set　right　again
  in　a　week's　time。　The　cruising　party　had　accordingly　remained　at
  Castletown；　Allan　being　occupied　in　superintending　the　repairs；
  Mr。　Brock　in　exploring　the　neighborhood；　and　Midwinter　in　making
  daily　pilgrimages　on　foot　to　Douglas　and　back　to　inquire　for
  letters。
  The　first　of　the　cruising　party　who　received　a　letter　was　Allan。
  〃More　worries　from　those　everlasting　lawyers；〃　was　all　he　said；
  when　he　had　read　the　letter；　and　had　crumpled　it　up　in　his
  pocket。　The　rector's　turn　came　next；　before　the　week's　sojourn　at
  Castletown　had　expired。　On　the　fifth　day　he　found　a　letter　from
  Somersetshire　waiting　for　him　at　the　hotel。　It　had　been　brought
  there　by　Midwinter；　and　it　contained　news　which　entirely
  overthrew　all　Mr。　Brock's　holiday　plans。　The　clergyman　who　had
  undertaken　to　do　duty　for　him　in　his　absence　had　been
  unexpectedly　summoned　home　again；　and　Mr。　Brock　had　no　choice
  （the　day　of　the　week　being　Friday）　but　to　cross　the　next　morning
  from　Douglass　to　Liverpool；　and　get　back　by　railway　on　Saturday
  night　in　time　for　Sunday's　service。
  Having　read　his　letter；　and　resigned　himself　to　his　altered
  circumstances　as　patiently　as　he　might；　the　rector　passed　next　to
  a　question　that　pressed　for　serious　consideration　in　its　turn。
  Burdened　with　his　heavy　responsibility　toward　Allan；　and
  conscious　of　his　own　undiminished　distrust　of　Allan's　new　friend；
  how　was　he　to　act；　in　the　emergency　that　now　beset　him；　toward
  the　two　young　men　who　had　been　his　companions　on　the　cruise？
  Mr。　Brock　had　first　asked　himself　that　awkward　question　on　the
  Friday　afternoon；　and　he　was　still　trying　vainly　to　answer　it；
  alone　in　his　own　room；　at　one　o'clock　on　the　Saturday　morning。　It
  was　then　only　the　end　of　May；　and　the　residence　of　the　ladies　at
  Thorpe　Ambrose　（unless　they　chose　to　shorten　it　of　their　own
  accord）　would　not　expire　till　the　middle　of　June。　Even　if　the
  repairs　of　the　yacht　had　been　completed　（which　was　not　the　case）；
  there　was　no　possible　pretense　for　hurrying　Allan　back　to
  Somersetshire。　But　one　other　alternative　remainedto　leave　him
  where　he　was。　In　other　words；　to　leave　him；　at　the　turning…point
  of　his　life；　under　the　sole　influence　of　a　man　whom　he　had　first
  met　with　as　a　castaway　at　a　village　inn；　and　who　was　still；　to
  all　practical　purposes；　a　total　stranger　to　him。
  In　despair　of　obtaining　any　better　means　of　enlightenment　to
  guide　his　decision；　Mr。　Brock　reverted　to　the　impression　which
  Midwinter　had　produced　on　his　own　mind　in　the　familiarity　of　the
  cruise。
  Young　as　he　was；　the　ex…usher　had　evidently　lived　a　varied　life。
  He　could　speak　of　books　like　a　man　who　had　really　enjoyed　them；
  he　could　take　his　turn　at　the　helm　like　a　sailor　who　knew　his
  duty；　he　could　cook；　and　climb　the　rigging；　and　lay　the　cloth　for
  dinner；　with　an　odd　delight　in　the　exhibition　of　his　own
  dexterity。　The　display　of　these；　and　other　qualities　like　them；
  as　his　spirits　rose　with　the　cruise；　had　revealed　the　secret　of
  his　attraction　for　Allan　plainly　enough。　But　had　all　disclosures
  rested　there？　Had　the　man　let　no　chance　light　in　on　his　character
  in　the　rector's　presence？　Very　little；　and　that　little　did　not
  set　him　forth　in　a　morally　alluring　aspect。　His　way　in　the　world
  had　lain　evidently　in　doubtful　places；　familiarity　with　the　small
  villainies　of　vagabonds　peeped　out　of　him　now　and　then；　and；　more
  significant　still；　he　habitually　slept　the　light；　suspicious
  sleep　of　a　man　who　has　been　accustomed　to　close　his　eyes　in　doubt
  of　the　company　under　the　same　roof　with　him。　Down　to　the　very
  latest　moment　of　the　rector's　experience　of　himdown　to　that
  present　Friday　nighthis　conduct　had　been　persistently　secret
  and　unaccountable　to　the　very　last。　After　bringing　Mr。　Brock's
  letter　to　the　hotel；　he　had　mysterious　disappeared　from　the　house
  without　leaving　any　message　for　his　companions；　and　without
  letting　anybody　see　whether　he　had　or　had　not　received　a　letter
  himself。　At　nightfall　he　had　come　back　stealthily　in　the
  darkness；　had　been　caught　on　the　stairs　by　Allan；　eager　to　tell
  him　of　the　change　in　the　rector's　plans；　had　listened　to　the　news
  without　a　word　of　remark！　and　had　ended　by　sulkily　locking
  himself　into　his　own　room。　What　was　there　in　his　favor　to　set
  against　such　revelations　of　his　character　as　theseagainst　his
  wandering　eyes；　his　obstinate　reserve　with　the　rector；　his
  ominous　silence　on　the　subject　of　family　and　friends？　Little　or
  nothing：　the　sum　of　all　his　merits　began　and　ended　with　his
  gratitude　to　Allan。
  Mr。　Brock　left　his　seat　on　the　side　of　the　bed；　trimmed　his
  candle；　and；　still　lost　in　his　own　thoughts；　looked　out　absently
  at　the　night。　The　change　of　place　brought　no　new　ideas　with　it。
  His　retrospect　over　his　own　past　life　had　amply　satisfied　him
  that　his　present　sense　of　responsibility　rested　on　no　merely
  fanciful　grounds；　and；　having　brought　him　to　that　point；　had　left
  him　there；　standing　at　the　window；　and　seeing　nothing　but　the
  total　darkness　in　his　own　mind　faithfully　reflected　by　the　total
  darkness　of　the　night。
  〃If　I　only　had　a　friend　to　apply　to！〃　thought　the　rector。　〃If　I
  could　only　find　some　one　to　help　me　in　this　miserable　place！〃
  At　the　moment　when　the　aspiration　crossed　his　mind；　it　was
  suddenly　answered　by　a　low　knock　at　the　door；　and　a　voice　said
  softly　in　the　passage　outside；　〃Let　me　come　in。〃
  After　an　instant's　pause　to　steady　his　nerves；　Mr。　Brock　opened
  the　door；　and　found　himself；　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；
  standing　face　to　face　on　the　threshold　of　his　own　bedroom　with
  Ozias　Midwinter。
  〃Are　you　ill？〃　asked　the　rector；　as　soon　as　his　astonishment
  would　allow　him　to　speak。
  〃I　have　come　here　to　make　a　clean　breast　of　it！〃　was　the　strange
  answer。　〃Will　you　let　me　in？〃
  With　those　words　he　walked　into　the　room；　his　eyes　on　the　ground；
  his　lips　ashy　pale；　and　his　han　d　holding　something　hidden　behind
  him。
  〃I　saw　the　light　under　your　door；〃　he　went　on；　without　looking
  up；　and　without　moving　his　hand；　〃and　I　know　the　trouble　on　your
  mind　which　is　keeping　you　from　your　rest。　You　are　going　away
  to…morrow　morning；　and　you　don't　like　leaving　Mr。　Armadale　alone
  with　a　stranger　like　me。〃
  Startled　as　he　was；　Mr。　Brock　saw　the　serious　necessity　of　being
  plain　with　a　man　who　had　come　at　that　time；　and　had　said　those
  words　to　him。
  〃You　have　guessed　right；〃　he　answered。　〃I　stand　in　the　place　of　a
  father　to　Allan　Armadale；　and　I　am　naturally　unwilling　to　leave
  him；　at　his　age；　with　a　man　whom　I　don't　know。〃
  Ozias　Midwinter　took　a　step　forward　to　the　table。　His　wandering
  eyes　rested　on　the　rector's　New　Testament；　which　was　one　of　the
  objects　lying　on　it。
  〃You　have　read　that　Book；　in　the　years　of　a　long　life；　to　many
  congregations；〃　he　said。　〃Has　it　taught　you　mercy　to　your
  miserable　fellow…creatures？〃
  Without　waiting　to　be　answered；　he　looked　Mr。　Brock　in　the　face
  for　the　first　time；　and　brought　his　hidden　hand　slowly　into　view。
  〃Read　that；〃　he　said；　〃and；　for　Christ's　sake；　pity　me　when　you
  know　who　I　am。〃
  He　laid　a　letter　of　many　pages　on　the　table。　It　was　the　letter
  that　Mr。　Neal　had　posted　at　Wildbad　nineteen　years　since。
  CHAPTER　II。
  THE。　MAN　REVEALED。
  THE　first　cool　breathings　of　the　coming　dawn　fluttered　through
  the　open　window　as　Mr。　Brock　read　the　closing　lines　of　the
  Confession。　He　put　it　from　him　in　silence；　without　looking　up。
  The　first　shock　of　discovery　had　struck　his　mind；　and　had　passed
  away　again。　At　his　age；　and　with　his　habits　of　thought；　his　grasp
  was　not　strong　enough　to　hold　the　whole　revelation　that　had
  fallen　on　him。　All　his　heart。　when　he　closed　the　manuscript；　was
  with　the　memory　of　the　woman　who　had　been　the　beloved　friend　of
  his　later　and　happier　life；　all　his　thoughts　were　busy　with　the
  miserable　secret　of　her　treason　to　her　own　father　which　the
  letter　had　disclosed。
  He　was　startled　out　of　the　narrow　limits　of　his　own　little　grief
  by　the　vibration　of　the　table　at　which　he　sat；　under　a　hand　that
  was　laid　on　it　heavily。　The　instinct　of　reluctance　was　strong　in
  him；　but　he　conquered　it；　and　looked　up。　There；　silently
  confronting　him　in　the　mixed　light　of　the　yellow　candle　flame　and
  the　faint　gray　dawn；　stood　the　castaway　of　the　village　innthe
  inheritor　of　the　fatal　Armadale　name。
  Mr。　Brock　shuddered　as　the　terror　of　the　present　time　and　the
  darker　terror　yet　of　the　future　that　might　be　coming　rushed　back
  on　him　at　the　sight　of　the　man's　face。　The　man　saw　it；　and　spoke
  first。
  〃Is　my　father's　crime　looking　at　you　out　of　my　eyes？〃　he　asked。
  〃Has　the　ghost　of　the　drowned　man　followed　me　into　the　room？〃
  The　suffering　and　the　passion　that　he　was　forcing　back　shook　the
  hand　that　he　still　kept　on　the　table；　and　stifled　the　voice　in
  which　he　spoke　until　it　sank　to　a　whisper。
  〃I　have　no　wish　to　treat　you　otherwise　than　justly　and　kindly；〃
  answered　Mr。　Brock。　〃Do　me　ju