armadale-第13章

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brought　me　news；　later　and　fuller　than　any　I　had　received　thus
far；　of　the　widow　of　the　murdered　man。　The　letter　lies　before　me
while　I　write。　It　comes　from　a　friend　of　my　early　days；　who　has
seen　her；　and　spoken　to　herwho　has　been　the　first　to　inform　her
that　the　report　of　my　death　in　Madeira　was　false。　He　writes；　at　a
loss　to　account　for　the　violent　agitation　which　she　showed　on
hearing　that　I　was　still　alive；　that　I　was　married；　and　that　I
had　an　infant　son。　He　asks　me　if　I　can　explain　it。　He　speaks　in
terms　of　sympathy　for　hera　young　and　beautiful　woman；　buried　in
the　retirement　of　a　fishing…village　on　the　Devonshire　coast；　her
father　dead；　her　family　estranged　from　her；　in　merciless
disapproval　of　her　marriage。　He　writes　words　which　might　have　cut
me　to　the　heart；　but　for　a　closing　passage　in　his　letter；　which
seized　my　whole　attention　the　instant　I　came　to　it；　and　which　has
forced　from　me　the　narrative　that　these　pages　contain。

〃I　now　know　what　never　even　entered　my　mind　as　a　suspicion　till
the　letter　reached　me。　I　now　know　that　the　widow　of　the　man　whose
death　lies　at　my　door　has　borne　a　posthumous　child。　That　child　is
a　boya　year　older　than　my　own　son。　Secure　in　her　belief　in　my
death；　his　mother　has　done　what　my　son's　mother　did：　she　has
christened　her　child　by　his　father's　name。　Again；　in　the　second
generation；　there　are　two　Allan　Armadales　as　there　were　in　the
first。　After　working　its　deadly　mischief　with　the　fathers；　the
fatal　resemblance　of　names　has　descended　to　work　its　deadly
mischief　with　the　sons。

〃Guiltless　minds　may　see　nothing　thus　far　but　the　result　of　a
series　of　events　which　could　lead　no　other　way。　Iwith　that
man's　life　to　answer　forI；　going　down　into　my　grave；　with　my
crime　unpunished　and　unatoned；　see　what　no　guiltless　minds　can
discern。　I　see　danger　in　the　future；　begotten　of　the　danger　in
the　pasttreachery　that　is　the　offspring　of　_his_　treachery；　and
crime　that　is　the　child　of　_my_　crime。　Is　the　dread　that　now
shakes　me　to　the　soul　a　phantom　raised　by　the　superstition　of　a
dying　man？　I　look　into　the　Book　which　all　Christendom　venerates；
and　the　Book　tells　me　that　the　sin　of　the　father　shall　be　visited
on　the　child。　I　look　out　into　the　world；　and　I　see　the　living
witnesses　round　me　to　that　terrible　truth。　I　see　the　vices　which
have　contaminated　the　father　descending；　and　contaminating　the
child；　I　see　the　shame　which　has　disgraced　the　father's　name
descending；　and　disgracing　the　child's。　I　look　in　on　myself；　and
I　see　my　crime　ripening　again　for　the　future　in　the　self…same
circumstance　which　first　sowed　the　seeds　of　it　in　the　past；　and
descending；　in　inherited　contamination　of　evil；　from　me　to　my
son。〃


At　those　lines　the　writing　ended。　There　the　stroke　had　struck
him；　and　the　pen　had　dropped　from　his　hand。

He　knew　the　place；　he　remembered　the　words。　At　the　instant　when
the　reader's　voice　stopped；　he　looked　eagerly　at　the　doctor。　〃I
have　got　what　comes　next　in　my　mind；〃　he　said；　with　slower　and
slower　articulation。　〃Help　me　to　speak　it。〃

The　doctor　administered　a　stimulant；　and　signed　to　Mr。　Neal　to
give　him　time。　After　a　little　delay；　the　flame　of　the　sinking
spirit　leaped　up　in　his　eyes　once　more。　Resolutely　struggling
with　his　failing　speech；　he　summoned　the　Scotchman　to　take　the
pen；　and　pronounced　the　closing　sentences　of　the　narrative；　as
his　memory　gave　them　back　to　him；　one　by　one；　in　these　words：


〃Despise　my　dying　conviction　if　you　will；　but　grant　me；　I
solemnly　implore　you；　one　last　request。　My　son！　the　only　hope　I
have　left　for　you　hangs　on　a　great　doubtthe　doubt　whether　we
are；　or　are　not；　the　masters　of　our　own　destinies。　It　may　be　that
mortal　free…will　can　conquer　mortal　fate；　and　that　going；　as　we
all　do；　inevitably　to　death；　we　go　inevitably　to　nothing　that　is
before　death。　If　this　be　so；　indeed；　respectthough　you　respect
nothing　elsethe　warning　which　I　give　you　from　my　grave。　Never；
to　your　dying　day；　let　any　living　soul　approach　you　who　is
associated；　directly　or　indirectly；　with　the　crime　which　your
father　has　committed。　Avoid　the　widow　of　the　man　I　killedif　the
widow　still　lives。　Avoid　the　maid　whose　wicked　hand　smoothed　the
way　to　the　marriageif　the　maid　is　still　in　her　service。　And
more　than　all；　avoid　the　man　who　bears　the　same　name　as　your　own。
Offend　your　best　benefactor；　if　that　benefactor's　influence　has
connected　you　one　with　the　other。　Desert　the　woman　who　loves　you；
if　that　woman　is　a　link　between　you　and　him。　Hide　yourself　from
him　under　an　assumed　name。　Put　the　mountains　and　the　seas　between
you；　be　ungrateful；　be　unforgiving；　be　all　that　is　most　repellent
to　your　own　gentler　nature；　rather　than　live　under　the　same　roof；
and　breathe　the　same　air；　with　that　man。　Never　let　the　two　Allan
Armadales　meet　in　this　world：　never；　never；　never！

〃There　lies　the　way　by　which　you　may　escapeif　any　way　there　be。
Take　it；　if　you　prize　your　own　innocence　and　your　own　happiness；
through　all　your　life　to　come！

〃I　have　done。　If　I　could　have　trusted　any　weaker　influence　than
the　influence　of　this　confession　to　incline　you　to　my　will；　I
would　have　spared　you　the　disclosure　which　these　pages　contain。
You　are　lying　on　my　breast；　sleeping　the　innocent　sleep　of　a
child；　while　a　stranger's　hand　writes　these　words　for　you　as　they
fall　from　my　lips。　Think　what　the　strength　of　my　conviction　must
be；　when　I　can　find　the　courage；　on　my　death…bed；　to　darken　all
your　young　life　at　its　outset　with　the　shadow　of　your　father's
crime。　Think；　and　be　warned。　Think；　and　forgive　me　if　you　can。〃


There　it　ended。　Those　were　the　father's　last　words　to　the　son。

Inexorably　faithful　to　his　forced　duty；　Mr。　Neal　laid　aside　the
pen；　and　read　over　aloud　the　lines　he　had　just　written。　〃Is　there
more　to　add？〃　he　asked；　with　his　pitilessly　steady　voice。　There
was　no　more　to　add。

Mr。　Neal　folded　the　manuscript；　inclosed　it　in　a　sheet　of　paper；
and　sealed　it　with　Mr。　Armadale's　own　seal。　〃The　address？〃　he
said；　with　his　merciless　business　formality。　〃To　Allan　Armadale；
junior；〃　he　wrote；　as　the　words　were　dictated　from　the　bed。　〃Care
of　Godfrey　Hammick；　Esq。；　Offices　of　Messrs。　Hammick　and　Ridge；
Lincoln's　Inn　Fields；　London。〃　Having　written　the　address；　he
waited；　and　considered　for　a　moment。　〃Is　your　executor　to　open
this？〃　he　asked。

〃No！　he　is　to　give　it　to　my　son　when　my　son　is　of　an　age　to
understand　it。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　pursued　Mr。　Neal；　with　all　his　wits　in
remorseless　working　order；　〃I　will　add　a　dated　note　to　the
address；　repeating　your　own　words　as　you　have　just　spoken　them；
and　explaining　the　circumstances　under　which　my　handwriting
appears　on　the　document。〃　He　wrote　the　note　in　the　briefest　and
plainest　terms；　read　it　over　aloud　as　he　had　read　over　what　went
before；　signed　his　name　and　address　at　the　end；　and　made　the
doctor　sign　next；　as　witness　of　the　proceedings；　and　as　medical
evidence　of　the　condition　in　which　Mr。　Armadale　then　lay。　This
done；　he　placed　the　letter　in　a　second　inclosure；　sealed　it　as
before；　and　directed　it　to　Mr。　Hammick；　with　the　superscription
of　〃private〃　added　to　the　address。　〃Do　you　insist　on　my　posting
this？〃　he　asked；　rising　with　the　letter　in　his　hand。

〃Give　him　time　to　think；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃For　the　child's　sake；
give　him　time　to　think！　A　minute　may　change　him。〃

〃I　will　give　him　five　minutes；〃　answered　Mr。　Neal；　placing　his
watch　on　the　table；　implacably　just　to　the　very　last。

They　waited；　both　looking　attentively　at　Mr。　Armadale。　The　signs
of　change　which　had　appeared　in　him　already　were　multiplying
fast。　The　movement　which　continued　mental　agitation　had
communicated　to　the　muscles　of　his　face　was　beginning；　under　the
same　dangerous　influence；　to　spread　downward。　His　once　helpless
hands　lay　still　no　longer；　they　struggled　pitiably　on　the
bedclothes。　At　sight　of　that　warning　token；　the　doctor　turned
with　a　gesture　of　alarm；　and　beckoned　Mr。　Neal　to　come　nearer。
〃Put　the　question　at　once；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　let　the　five　minutes
pass；　you　may　be　too　late。〃

Mr。　Neal　approached　the　bed。　He；　too；　noticed　the　movement　of　the
hands。　〃Is　that　a　bad　sign？〃　he　asked。

The　doctor　bent　his　head　gravely。　〃Put　your　question　at　on