hand。　Below　the　dial　was　a　little　platform；　and　at　either　end　of
  it　rose　two　miniature　sentry…boxes；　with　closed　doors。
  Externally；　this　was　all　that　appeared；　until　the　magic　moment
  came　when　the　clock　struck　twelve　noon。
  It　wanted　then　about　three　minutes　to　twelve；　and　Major　Milroy
  seized　the　opportunity　of　explaining　what　the　exhibition　was　to
  be；　before　the　exhibition　began。
  〃At　the　first　words；　his　mind　fell　back　again　into　its　old
  absorption　over　the　one　employment　of　his　life。　He　turned　to
  Midwinter　（who　had　persisted　in　talking　all　the　way　from　the
  parlor；　and　who　was　talking　still）　without　a　trace　left　in　his
  manner　of　the　cool　and　cutting　composure　with　which　he　had　spoken
  but　a　few　minutes　before。　The　noisy；　familiar　man；　who　had　been
  an　ill…bred　intruder　in　the　parlor；　became　a　privileged　guest　in
  the　workshop；　for　_there_　he　possessed　the　all…atoning　social
  advantage　of　being　new　to　the　performances　of　the　wonderful
  clock。
  〃At　the　first　stroke　of　twelve；　Mr。　Midwinter；〃　said　the　major；
  quite　eagerly；　〃keep　your　eye　on　the　figure　of　Time：　he　will　move
  his　scythe；　and　point　it　downward　to　the　glass　pedestal。　You　will
  next　see　a　little　printed　card　appear　behind　the　glass；　which
  will　tell　you　the　day　of　the　month　and　the　day　of　the　week。　At
  the　last　stroke　of　the　clock；　Time　will　lift　his　scythe　again
  into　its　former　position；　and　the　chimes　will　ring　a　peal。　The
  peal　will　be　succeeded　by　the　playing　of　a　tunethe　favorite
  march　of　my　old　regimentand　then　the　final　performance　of　the
  clock　will　follow。　The　sentry…boxes；　which　you　may　observe　at
  each　side；　will　both　open　at　the　same　moment。　In　one　of　them　you
  will　see　the　sentinel　appear；　and　from　the　other　a　corporal　and
  two　privates　will　march　across　the　platform　to　relieve　the　guard；
  and　will　then　disappear；　leaving　the　new　sentinel　at　his　post。　I
  must　ask　your　kind　allowances　for　this　last　part　of　the
  performance。　The　machinery　is　a　little　complicated；　and　there　are
  defects　in　it　which　I　am　ashamed　to　say　I　have　not　yet　succeeded
  in　remedying　as　I　could　wish。　Sometimes　the　figures　go　all　wrong；
  and　sometimes　they　go　all　right。　I　hope　they　may　do　their　best　on
  the　occasion　of　your　seeing　them　for　the　first　time。〃
  As　the　major；　posted　near　his　clock；　said　the　last　words；　his
  little　audience　of　three；　assembled　at　the　opposite　end　of　the
  room；　saw　the　hour…hand　and　the　minute…hand　on　the　dial　point
  together　to　twelve。　The　first　stroke　sounded；　and　Time；　true　to
  the　signal；　moved　his　scythe。　The　day　of　the　month　and　the　day　of
  the　week　announced　themselves　in　print　through　the　glass　pedestal
  next；　Midwinter　applauding　their　appearance　with　a　noisy
  exaggeration　of　surprise；　which　Miss　Milroy　mistook　for　coarse
  sarcasm　directed　at　her　father's　pursuits；　and　which　Allan
  （seeing　that　she　was　offended）　attempted　to　moderate　by　touching
  the　elbow　of　his　friend。　Meanwhile；　the　performances　of　the　clock
  went　on。　At　the　last　stroke　of　twelve；　Time　lifted　his　scythe
  again；　the　chimes　rang；　the　march　tune　of　the　major's　old
  regiment　followed；　and　the　crowning　exhibition　of　the　relief　of
  the　guard　announced　itself　in　a　preliminary　trembling　of　the
  sentry…boxes；　and　a　sudden　disappearance　of　the　major　at　the　back
  of　the　clock。
  The　performance　began　with　the　opening　of　the　sentry…box　on　the
  right…hand　side　of　the　platform；　as　punctually　as　could　be
  desired；　the　door　on　the　other　side；　however；　was　less
  tractableit　remained　obstinately　closed。　Unaware　of　this　hitch
  in　the　proceedings；　the　corporal　and　his　two　privates　appeared　in
  their　places　in　a　state　of　perfect　discipline；　tottered　out
  across　the　platform；　all　three　trembling　in　every　limb；　dashed
  themselves　headlong　against　the　closed　door　on　the　other　side；
  and　failed　in　producing　the　smallest　impression　on　the　immovable
  sentry　presumed　to　be　within。　An　intermittent　clicking；　as　of　the
  major's　keys　and　tools　at　work；　was　heard　in　the　machinery。　The
  corporal　and　his　two　privates　suddenly　returned；　backward；　across
  the　platform；　and　shut　themselves　up　with　a　bang　inside　their　own
  door。　Exactly　at　the　same　moment；　the　other　door　opened　for　the
  first　time；　and　the　provoking　sentry　appeared　with　the　utmost
  deliberation　at　his　post；　waiting　to　be　relieved。　He　was　allowed
  to　wait。　Nothing　happened　in　the　other　box　but　an　occasional
  knocking　inside　the　door；　as　if　the　corporal　and　his　privates
  were　impatient　to　be　let　out。　The　clicking　of　the　major's　tools
  was　heard　again　among　the　machinery；　the　corporal　and　his　party；
  suddenly　restored　to　liberty；　appeared　in　a　violent　hurry；　and
  spun　furiously　across　the　platform。　Quick　as　they　were；　however；
  the　hitherto　deliberate　sentry　on　the　other　side　now　perversely
  showed　himself　to　be　quicker　still。　He　disappeared　like　lightning
  into　his　own　premises；　the　door　closed　smartly　after　him；　the
  corporal　and　his　privates　dashed　themselves　headlong　against　it
  for　the　second　time；　and　the　major；　appearing　again　round　the
  corner　of　the　clock；　asked　his　audience　innocently　〃if　they　would
  be　good　enough　to　tell　him　whether　anything　had　gone　wrong？〃
  The　fantastic　absurdity　of　the　exhibition；　heightened　by　Major
  Milroy's　grave　inquiry　at　the　end　of　it；　was　so　irresistibly
  ludicrous　that　the　visitors　shouted　with　laughter；　and　even　Miss
  Milroy；　with　all　her　consideration　for　her　father's　sensitive
  pride　in　his　clock；　could　not　restrain　herself　from　joining　in
  the　merriment　which　the　catastrophe　of　the　puppets　had　provoked。
  But　there　are　limits　even　to　the　license　of　laughter；　and　these
  limits　were　ere　long　so　outrageously　overstepped　by　one　of　the
  little　party　as　to　have　the　effect　of　almost　instantly　silencing
  the　other　two。　The　fever　of　Midwinter's　false　spirits　flamed　out
  into　sheer　delirium　as　the　performance　of　the　puppets　came　to　an
  end。　His　paroxysms　of　laughter　followed　each　other　with　such
  convulsive　violence　that　Miss　Milroy　started　back　from　him　in
  alarm；　and　even　the　patient　major　turned　on　him　with　a　look　which
  said　plainly；　Leave　the　room！　Allan；　wisely　impulsive　for　once　in
  his　life；　seized　Midwinter　by　the　arm；　and　dragged　him　out　by
  main　force　into　the　garden；　and　thence　into　the　park　beyond。
  〃Good　heavens！　what　has　come　to　you！〃　he　exclaimed；　shrinking
  back　from　the　tortured　face　before　him；　as　he　stopped　and　looked
  close　at　it　for　the　first　time。
  For　the　moment；　Midwinter　was　inca　pable　of　answering。　The
  hysterical　paroxysm　was　passing　from　one　extreme　to　the　other。　He
  leaned　against　a　tree；　sobbing　and　gasping　for　breath；　and
  stretched　out　his　hand　in　mute　entreaty　to　Allan　to　give　him
  time。
  〃You　had　better　not　have　nursed　me　through　my　fever；〃　he　said；
  faintly；　as　soon　as　he　could　speak。　〃I'm　mad　and　miserable；
  Allan；　I　have　never　recovered　it。　Go　back　and　ask　them　to　forgive
  me；　I　am　ashamed　to　go　and　ask　them　myself。　I　can't　tell　how　it
  happened；　I　can　only　ask　your　pardon　and　theirs。〃　He　turned　aside
  his　head　quickly　so　as　to　conceal　his　face。　〃Don't　stop　here；〃　he
  said；　〃don't　look　at　me；　I　shall　soon　get　over　it。〃　Allan　still
  hesitated；　and　begged　hard　to　be　allowed　to　take　him　back　to　the
  house。　It　was　useless。　〃You　break　my　heart　with　your　kindness；〃
  he　burst　out；　passionately。　〃For　God's　sake；　leave　me　by　my
  self！〃
  Allan　went　back　to　she　cottage；　and　pleaded　there　for　indulgence
  to　Midwinter；　with　an　earnestness　and　simplicity　which　raised　him
  immensely　in　the　major's　estimation；　but　which　totally　failed　to
  produce　the　same　favorable　impression　on　Miss　Milroy。　Little　as
  she　herself　suspected　it；　she　was　fond　enough　of　Allan　already　to
  be　jealous　of　Allan's　friend。
  〃How　excessively　absurd！〃　she　thought；　pettishly。　〃As　if　either
  papa　or　I　considered　such　a　person　of　the　slightest　consequence！〃
  〃You　will　kindly　suspend　your　opinion；　won't　you；　Major　Milroy？〃
  said　Allan；　in　his　hearty　way；　at　parting。
  〃With　the　greatest　pleasure！　〃　replied　the　major；　cordially
  shaking　hands。
  〃And　you；　too；　Miss　Milroy？〃　added　Allan。
  Miss　Milroy　made　a　mercilessly　formal　bow。　〃_My_　opinion；　Mr。
  Armadale；　is　not　of　the　slightest　consequence。〃
  Allan　left　the　cottage；　sorely　puzzled　to　account　for　Miss
  Milroy's　sudden　coolness　toward　him。　His　grand　idea　of
  conciliating　the　whole　neighborhood　by　becoming　a　married　man
  underwent　some　modification　as　he　closed　the　garden　gate　behind
  him。　The　virtue　called　Prudence　and　the　Squire　of　Thorpe　Ambrose
  became　personally　acquainted　with　each　other；　on　this　occasion；
  for　the　first　time；　and　Allan；　entering　headlong　as　usual　on　the
  high…road　to　moral　improvement；　actually　decided　on　doing　nothing
  in　a　hurry！
  A　man　who　is　entering　on　a　course　of　reformation　ought；　if　virtue
  is　its　own　reward；　to　be　a　man　engaged　in　an　essentially
  inspiriting　pursuit。　But　virtue　is　not　always　its　own　reward；　and
  the　way　that　leads　to　reformation　is　remarkably　ill…lighted　for
  so　respectable　a　thoroughfare。　Allan　seemed　to　have　caught　the
  infection　of　his　friend's　despondency。　As　he　walked　home；　he；
  too；　began　to　doubtin　his　widely　different　way；　and　for　his
  widely　different　reasonswhether　the　life　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　was
  promising　quite　as　fairly　for　the　future　as　it　had　promised　at
  first。
  CHAPTER　VII。
  THE　P