armadale-第120章

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window；　fronting　Allan。　He　occupied　the　place；　of　necessity；
which　Allan　had　just　left。　It　was　the　side　of　the　window　on　which
the　Statuette　stood。　The　little　figure；　placed　on　its　projecting
bracket；　was；　close　behind　him　on　his　right　hand。　No　signs　of
change　appeared　in　the　stormy　sky。　The　rain　still　swept　slanting
across　the　garden；　and　pattered　heavily　against　the　glass。

〃Give　me　your　hand；　Allan。〃

Allan　gave　it；　and　Midwinter　held　it　firmly　while　he　spoke。

〃There　is　something　strange　between　us；〃　he　said。　〃There　is
something　to　be　set　right　which　touches　you　nearly；　and　　it　has
not　been　set　right　yet。　You　asked　me　just　now　where　I　met　with
Miss　Gwilt。　I　met　with　h　er　on　my　way　back　here；　upon　the
high…road　on　the　further　side　of　the　town。　She　entreated　me　to
protect　her　from　a　man　who　was　following　and　frightening　her。　I
saw　the　scoundrel　with　my　own　eyes；　and　I　should　have　laid　hands
on　him；　if　Miss　Gwilt　herself　had　not　stopped　me。　She　gave　a　very
strange　reason　for　stopping　me。　She　said　I　didn't　know　who　his
employer　was。〃

Allan's　ruddy　color　suddenly　deepened；　he　looked　aside　quickly
through　the　window　at　the　pouring　rain。　At　the　same　moment　their
hands　fell　apart；　and　there　was　a　pause　of　silence　on　either
side。　Midwinter　was　the　first　to　speak　again。

〃Later　in　the　evening；〃　he　went　on；　〃Miss　Gwilt　explained
herself。　She　told　me　two　things。　She　declared　that　the　man　whom　I
had　seen　following　her　was　a　hired　spy。　I　was　surprised；　but　I
could　not　dispute　it。　She　told　me　next；　Allanwhat　I　believe
with　my　whole　heart　and　soul　to　be　a　falsehood　which　has　been
imposed　on　her　as　the　truthshe　told　me　that　the　spy　was　in　your
employment！〃

Allan　turned　instantly　from　the　window；　and　looked　Midwinter　full
in　the　face　again。　〃I　must　explain　myself　this　time；〃　he　said；
resolutely。

The　ashy　paleness　peculiar　to　him　in　moments　of　strong　emotion
began　to　show　itself　on　Midwinter's　cheeks。

〃More　explanations！〃　he　said；　and　drew　back　a　step；　with　his　eyes
fixed　in　a　sudden　terror　of　inquiry　on　Allan's　face。

〃You　don't　know　what　I　know；　Midwinter。　You　don't　know　that　what
I　have　done　has　been　done　with　a　good　reason。　And　what　is　more；　I
have　not　trusted　to　myselfI　have　had　good　advice。〃

〃Did　you　hear　what　I　said　just　now？〃　asked　Midwinter；
incredulously。　〃You　can'tsurely；　you　can't　have　been　attending
to　me？〃

〃I　haven't　missed　a　word；〃　rejoined　Allan。　〃I　tell　you　again；　you
don't　know　what　I　know　of　Miss　Gwilt。　She　has　threatened　Miss
Milroy。　Miss　Milroy　is　in　danger　while　her　governess　stops　in
this　neighborhood。〃

Midwinter　dismissed　the　major's　daughter　from　the　conversation
with　a　contemptuous　gesture　of　his　hand。

〃I　don't　want　to　hear　about　Miss；　Milroy；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　mix　up
Miss　Milroy　Good　God；　Allan；　am　I　to　understand　that　the　spy
set　to　watch　Miss　Gwilt　was　doing　his　vile　work　with　your
approval？〃

〃Once　for　all；　my　dear　fellow；　will　you；　or　will　you　not；　let　me
explain？〃

〃Explain！〃　cried　Midwinter；　his　eyes　aflame；　and　his　hot　Creole
blood　rushing　crimson　into　his　face。　〃Explain　the　employment　of　a
spy？　What！　after　having　driven　Miss　Gwilt　out　of　her　situation　by
meddling　with　her　private　affairs；　you　meddle　again　by　the　vilest
of　all　meansthe　means　of　a　paid　spy？　You　set　a　watch　on　the
woman　whom　you　yourself　told　me　you　loved；　only　a　fortnight
sincethe　woman　you　were　thinking　of　as　your　wife！　I　don't
believe　it；　I　won't　believe　it。　Is　my　head　failing　me？　Is　it
Allan　Armadale　I　am　speaking　to？　Is　it　Allan　Armadale's　face
looking　at　me？　Stop！　you　are　acting　under　some　mistaken　scruple。
Some　low　fellow　has　crept　into　your　confidence；　and　has　done　this
in　your　name　without　telling　you　first。〃

Allan　controlled　himself　with　admirable　patience　and　admirable
consideration　for　the　temper　of　his　friend。　〃If　you　persist　in
refusing　to　hear　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　wait　as　well　as　I　can　till
my　turn　comes。〃

〃Tell　me　you　are　a　stranger　to　the　employment　of　that　man；　and　I
will　hear　you　willingly。〃

〃Suppose　there　should　be　a　necessity；　that　you　know　nothing
about；　for　employing　him？〃

〃I　acknowledge　no　necessity　for　the　cowardly　persecution　of　a
helpless　woman。〃

A　momentary　flush　of　irritationmomentary；　and　no　morepassed
over　Allan's　face。　〃You　mightn't　think　her　quite　so　helpless；〃　he
said；　〃if　you　knew　the　truth。〃

〃Are　_you_　the　man　to　tell　me　the　truth？〃　retorted　the　other。
〃You　who　have　refused　to　hear　her　in　her　own　defense！　You　who
have　closed　the　doors　of　this　house　against　her！〃

Allan　still　controlled　himself；　but　the　effort　began　at　last　to
be　visible。

〃I　know　your　temper　is　a　hot　one；〃　he　said。　〃But　for　all　that；
your　violence　quite　takes　me　by　surprise。　I　can't　account　for　it；
unless〃he　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　finished　the　sentence　in
his　usual　frank；　outspoken　way〃unless　you　are　sweet　yourself　on
Miss　Gwilt。〃

Those　last　words　heaped　fuel　on　the　fire。　They　stripped　the　truth
instantly　of　all　concealments　and　disguises；　and　laid　it　bare　to
view。　Allan's　instinct　had　guessed；　and　the　guiding　influence
stood　revealed　of　Midwinter's　interest　in　Miss　Gwilt。

〃What　right　have　you　to　say　that？〃　he　asked；　with　raised　voice
and　threatening　eyes。

〃I　told　_you；_〃　said　Allan；　simply；　〃when　I　thought　I　was　sweet
on　her　myself。　Come！　come！　it's　a　little　hard；　I　think；　even　if
you　are　in　love　with　her；　to　believe　everything　she　tells　you；
and　not　to　let　me　say　a　word。　Is　_that_　the　way　you　decide
between　us？〃

〃Yes；　it　is！〃　cried　the　other；　infuriated　by　Allan's　second
allusion　to　Miss　Gwilt。　〃When　I　am　asked　to　choose　between　the
employer　of　a　spy　and　the　victim　of　a　spy；　I　side　with　the
victim！〃

〃Don't　try　me　too　hard；　Midwinter；　I　have　a　temper　to　lose　as
well　as　you。〃

He　stopped；　struggling　with　himself。　The　torture　of　passion　in
Midwinter's　face；　from　which　a　less　simple　and　less　generous
nature　might　have　recoiled　in　horror；　touched　Allan　suddenly　with
an　artless　distress；　which；　at　that　moment；　was　little　less　than
sublime。　He　advanced；　with　his　eyes　moistening；　and　his　hand　held
out。　〃You　asked　me　for　my　hand　just　now；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　gave　it
you。　Will　you　remember　old　times；　and　give　me　yours；　before　it's
too　late？〃

〃No！〃　retorted　Midwinter；　furiously。　〃I　may　meet　Miss　Gwilt
again；　and　I　may　want　my　hand　free　to　deal　with　your　spy！〃

He　had　drawn　back　along　the　wall　as　Allan　advanced；　until　the
bracket　which　supported　the　Statuette　was　before　instead　of
behind　him。　In　the　madness　of　his　passion　he　saw　nothing　but
Allan's　face　confronting　him。　In　the　madness　of　his　passion；　he
stretched　out　his　right　hand　as　he　answered；　and　shook　it
threateningly　in　the　air。　It　struck　the　forgotten　projection　of
the　bracketand　the　next　instant　the　Statuette　lay　in　fragments
on　the　floor。

The　rain　drove　slanting　over　flower…bed　and　lawn；　and　pattered
heavily　against　the　glass；　and　the　two　Armadales　stood　by　the
window；　as　the　two　Shadows　had　stood　in　the　Second　Vision　of　the
Dream；　with　the　wreck　of　the　image　between　them。

Allan　stooped　over　the　fragments　of　the　little　figure；　and　lifted
them　one　by　one　from　the　floor。

〃Leave　me；〃　he　said；　without　looking　up；　〃or　we　shall　both　repent
it。〃

Without　a　word；　Midwinter　moved　back　slowly。　He　stood　for　the
second　time　with　his　hand　on　the　door；　and　looked　his　last　at　the
room。　The　horror　of　the　night　on　the　Wreck　had　got　him　once　more；
and　the　flame　of　his　passion　was　quenched　in　an　instant。

〃The　Dream！〃　he　whispered；　under　his　breath。　〃The　Dream　again！〃

The　door　was　tried　from　the　outside；　and　a　servant　appeared　with
a　trivial　message　about　the　breakfast。

Midwinter　looked　at　the　man　with　a　blank；　dreadful　helplessness
in　his　face。　〃Show　me　the　way　out；〃　he　said。　〃The　place　is　dark；
and　the　room　turns　round　with　me。〃

The　servant　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　silently　led　him　out。

As　the　door　closed　on　them；　Allan　picked　up　the　last　fragment　of
the　broken　figure。　He　sat　down　alone　at　the　table；　and　hid　his
face　in　his　hands。　The　self…control　which　he　had　bravely
preserved　under　exasperation　renewed　again　and　again　now　failed
him　at　last　in　the　friendless　solitude　of　his　room；　and；　in　the
first　bi