armadale-第164章
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On foot。 At what hour？ Between nine and ten。 What had she done
with her luggage？ She had no luggage。 Had a gentleman been to see
her on the previous day？ Not a soul； gentle or simple； had come
to the house to see Miss Gwilt。
The father's face； pale and wild； was looking out of the cab
window as the son descended the house steps。 〃Isn't she there；
Jemmy？〃 he asked； faintly〃isn't she there？〃
〃Hold your tongue；〃 cried the spy； with the native coarseness of
his nature rising to the surface at last。 〃I'm not at the end of
my inquiries yet。〃
He crossed the road； and entered a coffee…shop situated exactly
opposite the house he had just left。
In the box nearest the window two men were sitting talking
together anxiously。
〃Which of you was on duty yesterday evening； between nine and ten
o'clock？〃 asked Bashwood the younger； suddenly joining them； and
putting his question in a quick； peremptory whisper。
〃I was； sir；〃 said one of the men； unwillingly。
〃Did you lose sight of the house？Yes！ I see you did。〃
〃Only for a minute； sir。 An infernal blackguard of a soldier came
in〃
〃That will do；〃 said Bashwood the younger。 〃I know what the
soldier did； and who sent him to do it。 She has given us the slip
again。 You are the greatest ass living。 Consider yourself
dismissed。〃 With those words； and with an oath to emphasize them；
he left the coffee…shop and returned to the cab。
〃She's gone！〃 cried his father。 〃Oh； Jemmy； Jemmy； I see it in
your face！〃 He fell back into his own corner of the cab； with a
faint； wailing cry。 〃They're married；〃 he moaned to himself； his
hands falling helplessly on his knees； his hat falling unregarded
from his head。 〃Stop them！〃 he exclaimed； suddenly rousing
himself； and seizing his son in a frenzy by the collar of the
coat。
〃Go back to the hotel；〃 shouted Bashwood the younger to the
cabman。 〃Hold your noise！〃 he added； turning fiercely on his
father。 〃I want to think。〃
The varnish of smoothness was all off him by this time。 His
temper was roused。 His prideeven such a man has his pride！was
wounded to the quick。 Twice had he matched his wits against a
woman's； and twice the woman had baffled him。
He got out； on reaching the hotel for the second time； and
privately tried the servants with the offer of money。 The result
of the experiment satisfied him that they had； in this instance；
really and truly no information to sell。 After a moment's
reflection； he stopped； before leaving the hotel； to ask the way
to the parish church。 〃The chance may be worth trying；〃 he
thought to himself； as he gave the address to the driver。
〃Faster！〃 he called out； looking first at his watch； and then at
his father。 〃The minutes are precious this morning； and the old
one is beginning to give in。〃
It was true。 Still capable of hearing and of understanding； Mr。
Bashwood was past speaking by this time。 He clung with both hands
to his son's grudging arm； and let his head fall helplessly on
his son's averted shoulder。
The parish church stood back from the street； protected by gates
and railings； and surrounded by a space of open ground。 Shaking
off his father's hold； Bashwood the younger made straight for the
vestry。 The clerk； putting away the books； and the clerk's
assistant； hanging up a surplice； were the only persons in the
room when he entered it and asked leave to look at the marriage
register for the day。
The clerk gravely opened the book； and stood aside from the desk
on which it lay。
The day's register comprised three marriages solemnized that
morning； and the first two signatures on the page were 〃Allan
Armadale〃 and 〃Lydia Gwilt！〃
Even the spyignorant as he was of the truth； unsuspicious as he
was of the terrible future consequences to which the act of that
morning might leadeven the spy started； when his eye first fell
on the page。 It was done！ Come what might of it； it was done now。
There； in black and white； was the registered evidence of the
marriage； which was at once a truth in itself； and a lie in the
conclusion to which it led！ Therethrough the fatal similarity
in the namesthere； in Midwinter's own signature； was the proof
to persuade everybody that； not Midwinter； but Allan； was the
husband of Miss Gwilt！
Bashwood the younger closed the book； and returned it to the
clerk。 He descended the vestry steps； with his hands thrust
doggedly into his pockets； and with a serious shock inflicted on
his professional self…esteem。
The beadle met him under the church wall。 He considered for a
moment whether it was worth while to spend a shilling in
questioning the man； and decided in the affirmative。 If they
could be traced and overtaken； there might be a chance of seeing
the color of Mr。 Armadale's money even yet。
〃How long is it；〃 he asked； 〃since the first couple married here
this morning left the church？〃
〃About an hour；〃 said the beadle。
〃How did they go away？〃
The beadle deferred answering that second question until he had
first pocketed his fee。
〃You won't trace them from here； sir；〃 he said； when he had got
his shilling。 〃They went away on foot。〃
〃And that is all you know about it？〃
〃That； sir； is all I know about it。〃
Left by himself； even the Detective of the Private Inquiry Office
paused for a moment before he returned to his father at the gate。
He was roused from his hesitation by the sudden appearance；
within the church inclosure； of the driver of the cab。
〃I'm afraid the old gentleman is going to be taken ill； sir；〃
said the man。
Bashwood the younger frowned angrily； and walked back to the cab。
As he opened the door and looked in； his father leaned forward
and confronted him； with lips that moved speechlessly； and with a
white stillness over all the rest of his face。
〃She's done us；〃 said the spy。 〃They were married here this
morning。〃
The old man's body swayed for a moment from one side to the
other。 The instant after； his eyes closed and his head fell
forward toward the front seat of the cab。 〃Drive to the
hospital！〃 cried his son。 〃He's in a fit。 This is what comes of
putting myself out of my way to please my father；〃 he muttered；
sullenly raising Mr。 Bashwood's head； and loosening his cravat。
〃A nice morning's work。 Upon my soul； a nice morning's work！〃
The hospital was near； and the house surgeon was at his post。
〃Will he come out of it？〃 asked Bashwood the younger； roughly。
〃Who are _you？_〃 asked the surgeon； sharply； on his side。
〃I am his son。〃
〃I shouldn't have thought it；〃 rejoined the surgeon； taking the
restoratives that were handed to him by the nurse； and turning
from the son to the father with an air of relief which he was at
no pains to conceal。 〃Yes；〃 he added； after a minute or two； 〃
your father will come out of it this time。〃
〃When can he be moved away from here？〃
〃He can be moved from the hospital in an hour or two。〃
The spy laid a card on the table。 〃I'll come back for him or send
for him；〃 he said。 〃I suppose I can go now； if I leave my name
and address？〃 With those words； he put on his hat； and walked
out。
〃He's a brute！〃 said the nurse。
〃No；〃 said the surgeon； quietly。 〃He's a man。〃
* * * * * * *
Between nine and ten o'clock that night； Mr。 Bashwood awoke in
his bed at the inn in the Borough。 He had slept for some hours
since he had been brought back from the hospital； and his mind
and body were now slowly recovering together。
A light was burning on the bedside table； and a letter lay on it；
waiting for him till he was awake。 It was in his son's
handwriting； and it contained these words：
〃MY DEAR DADHaving seen you safe out of the hospital； and back
at your hotel； I think I may fairly claim to have done my duty by
you； and may consider myself free to look after my own affairs。
Business will prevent me from seeing you to…night； and I don't
think it at all likely I shall be in your neighborhood to…morrow
morning。 My advice to you is to go back to Thorpe Ambrose； and to
stick to your employment in the steward's office。 Wherever Mr。
Armadale may be； he must； sooner or later； write to you on
business。 I wash my hands of the whole matter； mind； so far a
