early　part　of　the　drive　dwindled　and　disappeared；　and　huts　with
  mud　walls　rose　in　their　place。　With　the　ancient　church　towers　and
  the　wind　and　water　mills；　which　had　hitherto　been　the　only　lofty
  objects　seen　over　the　low　marshy　flat；　there　now　rose　all　round
  the　horizon；　gliding　slow　and　distant　behind　fringes　of　pollard
  willows；　the　sails　of　invisible　boats　moving　on　invisible　waters。
  All　the　strange　and　startling　anomalies　presented　by　an　inland
  agricultural　district；　isolated　from　other　districts　by　its
  intricate　surrounding　network　of　pools　and　streamsholding　its
  communications　and　carrying　its　produce　by　water　instead　of　by
  landbegan　to　present　themselves　in　closer　and　closer
  succession。　Nets　appeared　on　cottage　pailings；　little
  flat…bottomed　boats　lay　strangely　at　rest　among　the　flowers　in
  cottage　gardens；　farmers'　men　passed　to　and　fro　clad　in　composite
  costume　of　the　coast　and　the　field；　in　sailors'　hats；　and
  fishermen's　boots；　and　plowmen's　smocks；　and　even　yet　the
  low…lying　labyrinth　of　waters；　embosomed　in　its　mystery　of
  solitude；　was　a　hidden　labyrinth　still。　A　m　inute　more；　and　the
  carriages　took　a　sudden　turn　from　the　hard　high…road　into　a
  little　weedy　lane。　The　wheels　ran　noiseless　on　the　damp　and
  spongy　ground。　A　lonely　outlying　cottage　appeared　with　its　litter
  of　nets　and　boats。　A　few　yards　further　on；　and　the　last　morsel　of
  firm　earth　suddenly　ended　in　a　tiny　creek　and　quay。　One　turn　more
  to　the　end　of　the　quayand　there；　spreading　its　great　sheet　of
  water；　far　and　bright　and　smooth；　on　the　right　hand　and　the
  leftthere；　as　pure　in　its　spotless　blue；　as　still　in　its
  heavenly　peacefulness；　as　the　summer　sky　above　it；　was　the　first
  of　the　Norfolk　Broads。
  The　carriages　stopped；　the　love…making　broke　off；　and　the
  venerable　Mrs。　Pentecost；　recovering　the　use　of　her　senses　at　a
  moment's　notice；　fixed　her　eyes　sternly　on　Allan　the　instant　she
  woke。
  〃I　see　in　your　face；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　old　lady；　sharply；
  〃that　you　think　I　have　been　asleep。〃
  The　consciousness　of　guilt　acts　differently　on　the　two　sexes。　In
  nine　cases　out　of　ten；　it　is　a　much　more　manageable　consciousness
  with　a　woman　than　with　a　man。　All　the　confusion；　on　this
  occasion；　was　on　the　man's　side。　While　Allan　reddened　and　looked
  embarrassed；　the　quick…witted　Miss　Milroy　instantly　embraced　the
  old　lady　with　a　burst　of　innocent　laughter。　〃He　is　quite
  incapable；　dear　Mrs。　Pentecost；〃　said　the　little　hypocrite；　〃of
  anything　so　ridiculous　as　thinking　you　have　been　asleep！〃
  〃All　I　wish　Mr。　Armadale　to　know；〃　pursued　the　old　lady；　still
  suspicious　of　Allan；　〃is；　that　my　head　being　giddy；　I　am　obliged
  to　close　my　eyes　in　a　carriage。　Closing　the　eyes；　Mr。　Armadale；
  is　one　thing；　and　going　to　sleep　is　another。　Where　is　my　son？〃
  The　Reverend　Samuel　appeared　silently　at　the　carriage　door；　and
  assisted　his　mother　to　get　out　（〃Did　you　enjoy　the　drive；　Sammy？〃
  asked　the　old　lady。　〃Beautiful　scenery；　my　dear；　wasn't　it？〃）
  Young　Pedgift；　on　whom　the　arrangements　for　exploring　the　Broads
  devolved；　hustled　about；　giving　his　orders　to　the　boatman。　Major
  Milroy；　placid　and　patient；　sat　apart　on　an　overturned　punt；　and
  privately　looked　at　his　watch。　Was　it　past　noon　already？　More
  than　an　hour　past。　For　the　first　time；　for　many　a　long　year；　the
  famous　clock　at　home　had　struck　in　an　empty　workshop。　Time　had
  lifted　his　wonderful　scythe；　and　the　corporal　and　his　men　had
  relieved　guard；　with　no　master's　eye　to　watch　their　performances；
  with　no　master's　hand　to　encourage　them　to　do　their　best。　The
  major　sighed　as　he　put　his　watch　back　in　his　pocket。　〃I'm　afraid
  I'm　too　old　for　this　sort　of　thing；〃　thought　the　good　man；
  looking　about　him　dreamily。　〃I　don't　find　I　enjoy　it　as　much　as　I
  thought　I　should。　When　are　we　going　on　the　water；　I　wonder？
  Where's　Neelie？〃
  Neeliemore　properly　Miss　Milroywas　behind　one　of　the
  carriages　with　the　promoter　of　the　picnic。　They　were　immersed　in
  the　interesting　subject　of　their　own　Christian　names；　and　Allan
  was　as　near　a　pointblank　proposal　of　marriage　as　it　is　well
  possible　for　a　thoughtless　young　gentleman　of　two…and…twenty　to
  be。
  〃Tell　me　the　truth；〃　said　Miss　Milroy；　with　her　eyes　modestly
  riveted　on　the　ground。　〃When　you　first　knew　what　my　name　was；　you
  didn't　like　it；　did　you？〃
  〃I　like　everything　that　belongs　to　you；〃　rejoined　Allan；
  vigorously。　〃I　think　Eleanor　is　a　beautiful　name；　and　yet；　I
  don't　know　why；　I　think　the　major　made　an　improvement　when　he
  changed　it　to　Neelie。〃
  〃I　can　tell　you　why；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　said　the　major's　daughter；
  with　great　gravity。　'There　are　some　unfortunate　people　in　this
  world　whose　names　arehow　can　I　express　it？whose　names　are
  misfits。　Mine　is　a　misfit。　I　don't　blame　my　parents；　for　of
  course　it　was　impossible　to　know　when　I　was　a　baby　how　I　should
  grow　up。　But　as　things　are；　I　and　my　name　don't　fit　each　other。
  When　you　hear　a　young　lady　called　Eleanor；　you　think　of　a　tall；
  beautiful；　interesting　creature　directlythe　very　opposite　of
  _me！_　With　my　personal　appearance；　Eleanor　sounds　ridiculous；　and
  Neelie；　as　you　yourself　remarked；　is　just　the　thing。　No！　no！
  don't　say　any　more；　I'm　tired　of　the　subject。　I've　got　another
  name　in　my　head；　if　we　must　speak　of　names；　which　is　much　better
  worth　talking　about　than　mine。〃
  She　stole　a　glance　at　her　companion　which　said　plainly　enough；
  〃The　name　is　yours。〃　Allan　advanced　a　step　nearer　to　her；　and
  lowered　his　voice；　without　the　slightest　necessity；　to　a
  mysterious　whisper。　Miss　Milroy　instantly　resumed　her
  investigation　of　the　ground。　She　looked　at　it　with　such
  extraordinary　interest　that　a　geologist　might　have　suspected　her
  of　scientific　flirtation　with　the　superficial　strata。
  〃What　name　are　you　thinking　of？〃　asked　Allan。
  Miss　Milroy　addressed　her　answer；　in　the　form　of　a　remark；　to　the
  superficial　strataand　let　them　do　what　they　liked　with　it；　in
  their　capacity　of　conductors　of　sound。　〃If　I　had　been　a　man；〃　she
  said；　〃I　should　so　like　to　have　been　called　Allan！〃
  She　felt　his　eyes　on　her　as　she　spoke；　and；　turning　her　head
  aside；　became　absorbed　in　the　graining　of　the　panel　at　the　back
  of　the　carriage。　〃How　beautiful　it　is！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a
  sudden　outburst　of　interest　in　the　vast　subject　of　varnish。　〃I
  wonder　how　they　do　it？〃
  Man　persists；　and　woman　yields。　Allan　declined　to　shift　the
  ground　from　love…making　to　coach…making。　Miss　Milroy　dropped　the
  subject。
  〃Call　me　by　my　name；　if　you　really　like　it；〃　he　whispered；
  persuasively。　〃Call　me　'Allan'　for　once；　just　to　try。〃
  She　hesitated　with　a　heightened　color　and　a　charming　smile；　and
  shook　her　head。　〃I　couldn't　just　yet；〃　she　answered；　softly。
  〃May　I　call　you　Neelie？　Is　it　too　soon？〃
  She　looked　at　him　again；　with　a　sudden　disturbance　about　the
  bosom　of　her　dress；　and　a　sudden　flash　of　tenderness　in　her
  dark…gray　eyes。
  〃You　know　best；〃　she　said；　faintly；　in　a　whisper。
  The　inevitable　answer　was　on　the　tip　of　Allan's　tongue。　At　the
  very　instant；　however；　when　he　opened　his　lips；　the　abhorrent
  high　tenor　of　Pedgift　Junior；　shouting　for　〃Mr。　Armadale；〃　rang
  cheerfully　through　the　quiet　air。　At　the　same　moment；　from　the
  other　side　of　the　carriage；　the　lurid　spectacles　of　the　Reverend
  Samuel　showed　themselves　officiously　on　the　search；　and　the　voice
  of　the　Reverend　Samuel's　mother　（who　had；　with　great　dexterity；
  put　the　two　ideas　of　the　presence　of　water　and　a　sudden　movement
  among　the　company　together）　inquired　distractedly　if　anybody　was
  drowned？　Sentiment　flies　and　Love　shudders　at　all　demonstrations
  of　the　noisy　kind。　Allan　said：　〃Damn　it；〃　and　rejoined　young
  Pedgift。　Miss　Milroy　sighed；　and　took　refuge　with　her　father。
  〃I've　done　it；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　cried　young　Pedgift；　greeting　his
  patron　gayly。　〃We　can　all　go　on　the　water　together；　I've　got　the
  biggest　boat　on　the　Broads。　The　little　skiffs；〃　he　added；　in　a
  lower　tone；　as　he　led　the　way　to　the　quay　steps；　〃besides　being
  ticklish　and　easily　upset；　won't　hold　more　than　two；　with　the
  boatman；　and　the　major　told　me　he　should　feel　it　his　duty　to　go
  with　his　daughter；　if　we　all　separated　in　different　boats。　I
  thought　_that_　would　hardly　do；　sir；〃　pursued　Pedgift　Junior；
  with　a　respectfully　sly　emphasis　on　the　words。　〃And；　besides；　if
  we　had　put　the　old　lady　into　a　skiff；　with　her　weight　（sixteen
  stone　if　she's　a　pound）；　we　might　have　had　her　upside　down　in　the
  water　half　her　time；　which　would　have　occasioned　delay；　and
  thrown　what　you　call　a　damp　on　the　proceedings。　Here's　the　boat；
  Mr。　Armadale。　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃
  The　boat　added　one　more　to　the　strangely　anomalous　objects　which
  appeared　at　the　Broads。　It　was　nothing　less　than　a　stout　old
  lifeboat；　passing　its　last　declining　years　on　the　smooth　fresh
  water；　after　the　stormy　days　of　its　youth　time　on　the　wild　salt
  sea。　A　comfortable　little　cabin　for　the　use　of　fowlers　in　the
  winter　season　had　been　built　amidships；　and　a　mast　and　sail
  adapted　for　inland　navigation　had　been　fitted　forward。　There　was
  room　enough　and　to　spare　for　the　guests；　the　dinner；　and　the
  three　men　in　charge。　Allan　clapped　his　faithful　lieutenant
  approvingly　on　the　shoulder；　and　even　Mrs。　Pentecost；　when　the
  whole　party　were　comfortably　established　on　board；　took　a
  c