abruptly　that　a　closer　observer　than　Allan　might　have　suspected
  it　was　distasteful　to　him。　〃Will　you　come　and　make　tea？〃
  Miss　Milroy's　attention　appeared　to　be　already　pre…engaged；　she
  made　no　reply。　While　her　father　and　Allan　had　been　exchanging
  civilities；　she　had　been　putting　the　writing…table
  in　order；　and　examining　the　various　objects　scattered　on　it　with
  the　unrestrained　curiosity　of　a　spoiled　child。　The　moment　after
  the　major　had　spoken　to　her；　she　discovered　a　morsel　of　paper
  hidden　between　the　leaves　of　the　blotting…book；　snatched　it　up；
  looked　at　it；　and　turned　round　instantly；　with　an　exclamation　of
  surprise。
  〃Do　my　eyes　deceive　me；　papa？〃　she　asked。　〃Or　were　you　really　and
  truly　writing　the　advertisement　when　I　came　in？〃
  〃I　had　just　finished　it；〃　replied　her　father。　〃But；　my　dear；　Mr。
  Armadale　is　herewe　are　waiting　for　breakfast。〃
  〃Mr。　Armadale　knows　all　about　it；〃　rejoined　Miss　Milroy。　〃I　told
  him　in　the　garden。〃
  〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Allan。　〃Pray；　don't　make　a　stranger　of　me；　major！
  If　it's　about　the　governess；　I've　got　something　（in　an　indirect
  sort　of　way）　to　do　with　it　too。〃
  Major　Milroy　smiled。　Before　he　could　answer；　his　daughter；　who
  had　been　reading　the　advertisement；　appealed　to　him　eagerly；　for
  the　second　time。
  〃Oh；　papa；〃　she　said；　〃there's　one　thing　here　I　don't　like　at
  all！　Why　do　you　put　grandmamma's　initials　at　the　end？　Why　do　you
  tell　them　to　write　to　grandmamma's　house　in　London？〃
  〃My　dear！　your　mother　can　do　nothing　in　this　matter；　as　you　know。
  And　as　for　me　（even　if　I　went　to　London）；　questioning　strange
  ladies　about　their　characters　and　accomplishments　is　the　last
  thing　in　the　world　that　I　am　fit　to　do。　Your　grandmamma　is　on　the
  spot；　and　your　grandmamma　is　the　proper　person　to　receive　the
  letters；　and　to　make　all　the　necessary　inquires。〃
  〃But　I　want　to　see　the　letters　myself；〃　persisted　the　spoiled
  child。　〃Some　of　them　are　sure　to　be　amusing〃
  〃I　don't　apologize　for　this　very　unceremonious　reception　of　you；
  Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　major；　turning　to　Allan；　with　a　quaint
  and　quiet　humor。　〃It　may　be　useful　as　a　warning；　if　you　ever
  chance　to　marry　and　have　a　daughter；　not　to　begin；　as　I　have
  done；　by　letting　her　have　her　own　way。〃
  Allan　laughed；　and　Miss　Milroy　persisted。
  〃Besides；〃　she　went　on；　〃I　should　like　to　help　in　choosing　which
  letters　we　answer；　and　which　we　don't。　I　think　I　ought　to　have
  some　voice　in　the　selection　of　my　own　governess。　Why　not　tell
  them；　papa；　to　send　their　letters　down　hereto　the　post…office
  or　the　stationer's；　or　anywhere　you　like？　When　you　and　I　have
  read　them；　we　can　send　up　the　letters　we　prefer　to　grandmamma；
  and　she　can　ask　all　the　questions；　and　pick　out　the　best
  governess；　just　as　you　have　arranged　already；　without　leaving　ME
  entirely　in　the　dark；　which　I　consider　（don't　you；　Mr。　Armadale？）
  to　be　quite　inhuman。　Let　me　alter　the　address；　papa；　do；　there's
  a　darling！〃
  〃We　shall　get　no　breakfast；　Mr。　Armadale；　if　I　don't　say　Yes；〃
  said　the　major　good…humoredly。　〃Do　as　you　like；　my　dear；〃　he
  added；　turning　to　his　daughter。　〃As　long　as　it　ends　in　your
  grandmamma's　managing　the　matter　for　us；　the　rest　is　of　very
  little　consequence。〃
  Miss　Milroy　took　up　her　father's　pen；　drew　it　through　the　last
  line　of　the　advertisement；　and　wrote　the　altered　address　with　her
  own　hand　as　follows：
  〃_Apply；　by　letter；　to　M。；　Post…office；　Thorpe　Ambrose；
  Norfolk。_〃
  〃There！〃　she　said；　bustling　to　her　place　at　the　breakfast…table。
  〃The　advertisement　may　go　to　London　now；　and；　if　a　governess
  _does_　come　of　it；　oh；　papa；　who　in　the　name　of　wonder　will　she
  be？Tea　or　coffee；　Mr。　Armadale？　I'm　really　ashamed　of　having
  kept　you　waiting。　But　it　is　such　a　comfort；〃　she　added；　saucily；
  〃to　get　all　one's　business　off　one's　mind　before　breakfast！〃
  Father；　daughter；　and　guest　sat　down　together　sociably　at　the
  little　round　table；　the　best　of　good　neighbors　and　good　friends
  already。
  Three　days　later；　one　of　the　London　newsboys　got　_his_　business
  off　his　mind　before　breakfast。　His　district　was　Diana　Street；
  Pimlico；　and　the　last　of　the　morning's　newspapers　which　he
  disposed　of　was　the　newspaper　he　left　at　Mrs。　Oldershaw's　door。
  CHAPTER　III。
  THE　CLAIMS　OF　SOCIETY。
  MORE　than　an　hour　after　Allan　had　set　forth　on　his　exploring
  expedition　through　his　own　grounds；　Midwinter　rose；　and　enjoyed；
  in　his　turn；　a　full　view　by　daylight　of　the　magnificence　of　the
  new　house。
  Refreshed　by　his　long　night's　rest；　he　descended　the　great
  staircase　as　cheerfully　as　Allan　himself　One　after　another；　he；
  too；　looked　into　the　spacious　rooms　on　the　ground　floor　in
  breathless　astonishment　at　the　beauty　and　the　luxury　which
  surrounded　him。　〃The　house　where　I　lived　in　service　when　I　was　a
  boy；　was　a　fine　one；〃　he　thought；　gayly；　〃but　it　was　nothing　to
  this！　I　wonder　if　Allan　is　as　surprised　and　delighted　as　I　am？〃
  The　beauty　of　the　summer　morning　drew　him　out　through　the　open
  hall　door；　as　it　had　drawn　his　friend　out　before　him。　He　ran
  briskly　down　the　steps；　humming　the　burden　of　one　of　the　old
  vagabond　tunes　which　he　had　danced　to　long　since　in　the　old
  vagabond　time。　Even　the　memories　of　his　wretched　childhood　took
  their　color；　on　that　happy　morning。　from　the　bright　medium
  through　which　he　looked　back　at　them。　〃If　I　was　not　out　of
  practice；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　as　he　leaned　on　the　fence　and
  looked　over　at　the　park；　〃I　could　try　some　of　my　old　tumbling
  tricks　on　that　delicious　grass。〃　He　turned；　noticed　two　of　the
  servants　talking　together　near　the　shrubbery；　and　asked　for　news
  of　the　master　of　the　house。
  The　men　pointed　with　a　smile　in　the　direction　of　the　gardens；　Mr。
  Armadale　had　gone　that　way　more　than　an　hour　since；　and　had　met
  （as　had　been　reported）　with　Miss　Milroy　in　the　grounds。　Midwinter
  followed　the　path　through　the　shrubbery；　but；　on　reaching　the
  flower　garden；　stopped；　considered　a　little；　and　retraced　his
  steps。　〃If　Allan　has　met　with　the　young　lady；〃　he　said　to
  himself；　〃Allan　doesn't　want　me。〃　He　laughed　as　he　drew　that
  inevitable　inference；　and　turned　considerately　to　explore　the
  beauties　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　on　the　other　side　of　the　house。
  Passing　the　angle　of　the　front　wall　of　the　building；　he　descended
  some　steps；　advanced　along　a　paved　walk；　turned　another　angle；
  and　found　himself　in　a　strip　of　garden　ground　at　the　back　of　the
  house。
  Behind　him　was　a　row　of　small　rooms　situated　on　the　level　of　the
  servants'　offices。　In　front　of　him；　on　the　further　side　of　the
  little　garden；　rose　a　wall；　screened　by　a　laurel　hedge；　and
  having　a　door　at　one　end　of　it；　leading　past　the　stables　to　a
  gate　that　opened　on　the　high…road。　Perceiving　that　he　had　only
  discovered　thus　far　the　shorter　way　to　the　house；　used　by　the
  servants　and　trades…people；　Midwinter　turned　back　again；　and
  looked　in　at　the　window　of　one　of　the　rooms　on　the　basement　story
  as　he　passed　it。　Were　these　the　servants'　offices？　No；　the
  offices　were　apparently　in　some　other　part　of　the　ground…floor；
  the　window　he　had　looked　in　at　was　the　window　of　a　lumber…room。
  The　next　two　rooms　in　the　row　were　both　empty。　The　fourth　window；
  when　he　approached　it；　presented　a　little　variety。　It　served　also
  as　a　door；　and　it　stood　open　to　the　garden　at　that　moment。
  Attracted　by　the　book…shelves　which　he　noticed　on　one　of　the
  walls；　Midwinter　stepped　into　the　room。
  The　books；　few　in　number；　did　not　detain　him　long；　a　glance　at
  their　backs　was　enough　without　taking　them　down。　The　Waverley
  Novels；　Tales　by　Miss　Edgeworth；　and　by　Miss　Edgeworth's　many
  followers；　the　Poems　of　Mrs。　Hemans；　with　a　few　odd　volumes　of
  the　illustrated　gift…books　of　the　period；　composed　the　bulk　of
  the　little　library。　Midwinter　turned　to　leave　the　room；　when　an
  object　on　one　side　of　the　window；　which　he　had　not　previously
  noticed；　caught　his　attention　and　stopped　him。　It　was　a　statuette
  standing　on　a　bracketa　reduced　copy　of　the　famous　Niobe　of　the
  Florence　Museum。　He　glanced　from　the　statuette　to　the　window；
  with　a　sudden　doubt　which　set　his　heart　throbbing　fast。　It　was　a
  French　window。　He　looked　out　with　a　suspicion　which　he　had　not
  felt　yet。　The　view　before　him　was　the　view　of　a　lawn　and　garden。
  For　a　moment　his　mind　struggled　blindly　to　escape　the　conclusion
  which　had　seized　it；　and　struggled　in　vain。　Here；　close　round　him
  and　close　before　himhere；　forcing　him　mercilessly　back　from　the
  happy　present　to　the　horrible　past；　was　the　room　that　Allan　had
  seen　in　the　Second　Vision　of　the　Dream。
  He　waited；　thinking　and　looking　round　him　　while　he　thought。　There
  was　wonderfully　li　ttle　disturbance　in　his　face　and　manner；　he
  looked　steadily　from　one　to　the　other　of　the　few　objects　in　the
  room；　as　if　the　discovery　of　it　had　saddened　rather　than
  surprised　him。　Matting　of　some　foreign　sort　covered　the　floor。
  Two　cane　chairs　and　a　plain　table　comprised　the　whole　of　the
  furniture。　The　walls　were　plainly　papered；　and　barebroken　to
  the　eye　in　one　place　by　a　door　leading　into　the　interior　of　the
  house；　in　another；　by　a　small　stove；　in　a　third；　by　the
  book…shelves　which　Midwinter　had　already　noticed。　He　returned　to
  the　books；　and　this　time　he　took　some　of　them　down　from　the
  shelves。
  The　first　that　he　opened　contained　lines　i