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look like neglect； does it？ Leave the new steward alone for the
present； and just tell me which of those two tenants you would
take； if you were in my place。〃
Midwinter opened the proposals； and read them attentively。
The first proposal was from no less a person than the solicitor
at Thorpe Ambrose； who had first informed Allan at Paris of the
large fortune that had fallen into his hands。 This gentleman
wrote personally to say that he had long admired the cottage；
which was charmingly situated within the limits of the Thorpe
Ambrose grounds。 He was a bachelor； of studious habits； desirous
of retiring to a country seclusion after the wear and tear of his
business hours； and he ventured to say that Mr。 Armadale； in
accepting him as a tenant； might count on securing an unobtrusive
neighbor； and on putting the cottage into responsible and careful
hands。
The second proposal came through the house agent； and proceeded
from a total stranger。 The tenant who offered for the cottage； in
this case； was a retired officer in the armyone Major Milroy。
His family merely consisted of an invalid wife and an only
childa young lady。 His references were unexceptionable； and he；
too； was especially anxious to secure the cottage； as the perfect
qui et of the situation was exactly what was required by Mrs。
Milroy in her feeble state of health。
〃Well； which profession shall I favor？〃 asked Allan。 〃The army or
the law？〃
〃There seems to me to be no doubt about it；〃 said Midwinter。 〃The
lawyer has been already in correspondence with you； and the
lawyer's claim is； therefore； the claim to be preferred。〃 〃I knew
you would say that。 In all the thousands of times I have asked
other people for advice； I never yet got the advice I wanted。
Here's this business of letting the cottage as an instance。 I'm
all on the other side myself。 I want to have the major。〃
〃Why？〃
Young Armadale laid his forefinger on that part of the agent's
letter which enumerated Major Milroy's family； and which
contained the three words〃a young lady。〃
〃A bachelor of studious habits walking about my grounds；〃 said
Allan； 〃is not an interesting object； a young lady is。 I have not
the least doubt Miss Milroy is a charming girl。 Ozias Midwinter
of the serious countenance！ think of her pretty muslin dress
flitting about among your trees and committing trespasses on your
property； think of her adorable feet trotting into your
fruit…garden； and her delicious fresh lips kissing your ripe
peaches； think of her dimpled hands among your early violets； and
her little cream…colored nose buried in your blush…roses。 What
does the studious bachelor offer me in exchange for the loss of
all this？ He offers me a rheumatic brown object in gaiters and a
wig。 No！ no！ Justice is good； my dear friend； but； believe me；
Miss Milroy is better。〃
〃Can you be serious about any mortal thing； Allan？〃
〃I'll try to be； if you like。 I know I ought to take the lawyer；
but what can I do if the major's daughter keeps running in my
head？〃
Midwinter returned resolutely to the just and sensible view of
the matter； and pressed it on his friend's attention with all the
persuasion of which he was master。 After listening with exemplary
patience until he had done； Allan swept a supplementary
accumulation of litter off the cabin table； and produced from his
waistcoat pocket a half…crown coin。
〃I've got an entirely new idea；〃 he said。 〃Let's leave it to
chance。〃
The absurdity of the proposalas coming from a landlordwas
irresistible。 Midwinter's gravity deserted him。
〃I'll spin；〃 continued Allan； 〃and you shall call。 We must give
precedence to the army； of course； so we'll say Heads； the major；
Tails； the lawyer。 One spin to decide。 Now； then； look out！〃
He spun the half…crown on the cabin table。
〃Tails！〃 cried Midwinter； humoring what he believed to be one of
Allan's boyish jokes。
The coin fell on the table with the Head uppermost。
〃You don't mean to say you are really in earnest！〃 said
Midwinter； as the other opened his writing…case and dipped his
pen in the ink。
〃Oh； but I am； though！〃 replied Allan。 〃Chance is on my side； and
Miss Milroy's； and you're outvoted； two to one。 It's no use
arguing。 The major has fallen uppermost； and the major shall have
the cottage。 I won't leave it to the lawyers； they'll only be
worrying me with more letters。 I'll write myself。〃
He wrote his answers to the two proposals； literally in two
minutes。 One to the house agent： 〃Dear sir； I accept Major
Milroy's offer； let him come in when he pleases。 Yours truly；
Allan Armadale。〃 And one to the lawyer： 〃Dear sir； I regret that
circumstances prevent me from accepting your proposal。 Yours
truly；〃 etc。 〃People make a fuss about letter…writing；〃 Allan
remarked； when he had done。 〃_I_ find it easy enough。〃
He wrote the addresses on his two notes； and stamped them for the
post； whistling gayly。 While he had been writing； he had not
noticed how his friend was occupied。 When he had done； it struck
him that a sudden silence had fallen on the cabin； and； looking
up； he observed that Midwinter's whole attention was strangely
concentrated on the half crown as it lay head uppermost on the
table。 Allan suspended his whistling in astonishment。
〃What on earth are you doing？〃 he asked。
〃I was only wondering；〃 replied Midwinter。
〃What about？〃 persisted Allan。
〃I was wondering；〃 said the other； handing him back the
half…crown； 〃whether there is such a thing as chance。〃
Half an hour later the two notes were posted； and Allan； whose
close superintendence of the repairs of the yacht had hitherto
allowed him but little leisure time on shore； had proposed to
while away the idle hours by taking a walk in Castletown。 Even
Midwinter's nervous anxiety to deserve Mr。 Brock's confidence in
him could detect nothing objectionable in this harmless proposal；
and the young men set forth together to see what they could make
of the metropolis of the Isle of Man。
It is doubtful if there is a place on the habitable globe which；
regarded as a sight…seeing investment offering itself to the
spare attention of strangers； yields so small a percentage of
interest in return as Castletown。 Beginning with the waterside；
there was an inner harbor to see； with a drawbridge to let
vessels through； an outer harbor； ending in a dwarf lighthouse； a
view of a flat coast to the right； and a view of a flat coast to
the left。 In the central solitudes of the city； there was a squat
gray building called 〃the castle〃； also a memorial pillar
dedicated to one Governor Smelt； with a flat top for a statue；
and no statue standing on it； also a barrack； holding the
half…company of soldiers allotted to the island； and exhibiting
one spirit…broken sentry at its lonely door。 The prevalent color
of the town was faint gray。 The few shops open were parted at
frequent intervals by other shops closed and deserted in despair。
The weary lounging of boatmen on shore was trebly weary here； the
youth of the district smoked together in speechless depression
under the lee of a dead wall； the ragged children said
mechanically： 〃Give us a penny；〃 and before the charitab