armadale-第176章

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But　now　that　I　had　got　Mrs。　Oldershaw's　address；　I　felt　as　if　she
was　the　very　last　person　in　the　world　that　I　wanted　to　see。　I
took　a　cab；　and　told　the　man　to　drive　to　the　street　she　lived　in；
　and　then　told　him　to　drive　back　to　the　hotel。　I　hardly　know　what
is　the　matter　with　meunless　it　is　that　I　am　getting　more
impatient　every　hour　for　information　about　Armadale。　When　will
the　future　look　a　little　less　dark；　I　wonder？　To…morrow　is
Saturday。　Will　to…morrow's　newspaper　lift　the　veil？


〃November　22d。Saturday's　newspaper　_has_　lifted　the　veil！　Words
are　vain　to　express　the　panic　of　astonishment　in　which　I　write。　I
never　once　anticipated　it；　I　can't　believe　it　or　realize　it；　now
it　has　happened。　The　winds　and　waves　themselves　have　turned　my
accomplices！　The　yacht　has　foundered　at　sea；　and　every　soul　on
board　has　perished！

〃Here　is　the　account　cut　out　of　this　morning's　newspaper：


〃　'DISASTER　AT　SEA。Intelligence　has　reached　the　Royal　Yacht
Squadron　and　the　insurers　which　leaves　no　reasonable　doubt；　we
regret　to　say；　of　the　total　loss；　on　the　fifth　of　the　present
month；　of　the　yacht　_Dorothea；_　with　every　soul　on　board。　The
particulars　are　as　follows：　At　daylight；　on　the　morning　of　the
sixth；　the　Italian　brig　_Speranza；_　bound　from　Venice　to　Marsala
for　orders；　encountered　some　floating　objects　off　Cape
Spartivento　（at　the　southernmost　extremity　of　Italy）　which
attracted　the　curiosity　of　the　people　of　the　brig。　The　previous
day　had　been　marked　by　one　of　the　most　severe　of　the　sudden　and
violent　storms；　peculiar　to　these　southern　seas；　which　has　been
remembered　for　years。　The　_Speranza_　herself　having　been　in
danger　while　the　gale　lasted；　the　captain　and　crew　concluded　that
they　were　on　the　traces　of　a　wreck；　and　a　boat　was　lowered　for
the　purpose　of　examining　the　objects　in　the　water。　A　hen…coop；
some　broken　spars；　and　fragments　of　shattered　plank　were　the
first　evidences　discovered　of　the　terrible　disaster　that　had
happened。　Some　of　the　lighter　articles　of　cabin　furniture；
wrenched　and　shattered；　were　found　next。　And；　lastly；　a　memento
of　melancholy　interest　turned　up；　in　the　shape　of　a　lifebuoy；
with　a　corked　bottle　attached　to　it。　These　latter　objects；　with
the　relics　of　cabin　furniture；　were　brought　on　board　the
_Speranza。_　On　the　buoy　the　name　of　the　vessel　was　painted；　as
follows：　〃_Dorothea；　R。　Y。　S。_〃　（meaning　Royal　Yacht　Squadron）。
The　bottle；　on　being　uncorked；　contained　a　sheet　of　note…paper；
on　which　the　following　lines　were　hurriedly　traced　in　pencil：
〃Off　Cape　Spartivento；　two　days　out　from　Messina。　Nov。　5th；　4
P。M。〃　（being　the　hour　at　which　the　log　of　the　Italian　brig　showed
the　storm　to　have　been　at　its　height）。　〃Both　our　boats　are　stove
in　by　the　sea。　The　rudder　is　gone；　and　we　have　sprung　a　leak
astern　which　is　more　than　we　can　stop。　The　Lord　help　us　allwe
are　sinking。　（Signed）　John　Mitchenden；　Mate。〃　On　reaching
Marsala；　the　captain　of　the　brig　made　his　report　to　the　British
consul；　and　left　the　objects　discovered　in　that　gentleman's
charge。　Inquiry　at　Messina　showed　that　the　ill…fated　vessel　had
arrived　there　from　Naples。　At　the　latter　port　it　was　ascertained
that　the　_Dorothea_　had　been　hired　from　the　owner's　agent　by　an
English　gentleman；　Mr。　Armadale；　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Norfolk。
Whether　Mr。　Armadale　had　any　friends　on　board　with　him　has　not
been　clearly　discovered。　But　there　is　unhappily　no　doubt　that　the
ill…fated　gentleman　himself　sailed　in　the　yacht　from　Naples；　and
that　he　was　also　on　board　of　the　vessel　when　she　left　Messina。'


〃Such　is　the　story　of　the　wreck；　as　the　newspaper　tells　it　in　the
plainest　and　fewest　words。　My　head　is　in　a　whirl；　my　confusion　is
so　great　that　I　think　of　fifty　different　things　in　trying　to
think　of　one。　I　must　waita　day　more　or　less　is　of　no
consequence　nowI　must　wait　till　I　can　face　my　new　position；
without　feeling　bewildered　by　it。


〃November　23d。Eight　in　the　morning。I　rose　an　hour　ago；　and
saw　my　way　clearly　to　the　first　step　that　I　must　take　under
present　circumstances。

〃It　is　of　the　utmost　importance　to　me　to　know　what　is　doing　at
Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　it　would　be　the　height　of　rashness；　while　I
am　quite　in　the　dark　in　this　matter；　to　venture　there　myself。　The
only　other　alternative　is　to　write　to　somebody　on　the　spot　for
news；　and　the　only　person　I　can　write　to　isBashwood。

〃I　have　just　finished　the　letter。　It　is　headed　'private　and
confidential；'　and　signed　'Lydia　Armadale。'　There　is　nothing　in
it　to　compromise　me；　if　the　old　fool　is　mortally　offended　by　my
treatment　of　him；　and　if　he　spitefully　shows　my　letter　to　other
people。　But　I　don't　believe　he　will　do　this。　A　man　at　his　age
forgives　a　woman　anything；　if　the　woman　only　encourages　him。　I
have　requested　him；　as　a　personal　favor；　to　keep　our
correspondence　for　the　present　strictly　private。　I　have　hinted
that　my　married　life　with　my　deceased　husband　has　not　been　a
happy　one；　and　that　I　feel　the　injudiciousness　of　having　married
a　_young_　man。　In　the　postscript　I　go　further　still；　and　venture
boldly　on　these　comforting　words：　'I　can　explain；　dear　Mr。
Bashwood；　what　may　have　seemed　fake　and　deceitful　in　my　conduct
toward　you　when　you　give　me　a　personal　opportunity。'　If　he　was　on
the　right　side　of　sixty；　I　should　feel　doubtful　of　results。　But
he　is　on　the　wrong　side　of　sixty；　and　I　believe　he　will　give　me
my　personal　opportunity。


〃Ten　o'clock。I　have　been　looking　over　the　copy　of　my　marriage
certificate；　with　which　I　took　care　to　provide　myself　on　the
wedding…day；　and　I　have　discovered；　to　my　inexpressible　dismay；
an　obstacle　to　my　appearance　in　the　character　of　Armadale's　widow
which　I　now　see　for　the　first　time。

〃The　description　of　Midwinter　（under　his　own　name）　which　the
certificate　presents　answers　in　every　important　particular　to
what　would　have　been　the　description　of　Armadale　of　Thorpe
Ambrose；　if　I　had　really　married　him。　'Name　and　Surname'Allan
Armadale。　'Age'twenty…one；　instead　of　twenty…two；　which　might
easily　pass　for　a　mistake。　'Condition'Bachelor。　'Rank　or
profession'Gentleman。　'Residence　at　the　time　of
Marriage'Frant's　Hotel；　Darley　Street。　'Father's　Name　and
Surname'Allan　Armadale。　'Rank　or　Profession　of
Father'Gentleman。　Every　particular　（except　the　year's
difference　in　their　two　ages）　which　answers　for　the　one　answers
for　the　other。　But　suppose；　when　I　produce　my　copy　of　the
certificate；　that　some　meddlesome　lawyer　insists　on　looking　at
the　original　register？　Midwinter's　writing　is　as　different　as
possible　from　the　writing　of　his　dead　friend。　The　hand　in　which
he　has　written　'Allan　Armadale'　in　the　book　has　not　a　chance　of
passing　for　the　hand　in　which　Armadale　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　was
accustomed　to　sign　his　name。

〃Can　I　move　safely　in　the　matter；　with　such　a　pitfall　as　I　see
here　open　under　my　feet？　How　can　I　tell？　Where　can　I　find　an
experienced　person　to　inform　me？　I　must　shut　up　my　diary　and
think。


〃Seven　o'clock。My　prospects　have　changed　again　since　I　made　my
last　entry。　I　have　received　a　warning　to　be　careful　in　the　future
which　I　shall　not　neglect；　and　I　have　（I　believe）　succeeded　in
providing　myself　with　the　advice　and　assistance　of　which　I　stand
in　need。

〃After　vainly　trying　to　think　of　some　better　person　to　apply　to
in　the　difficulty　which　embarrassed　me；　I　made　a　virtue　of
necessity；　and　set　forth　to　surprise　Mrs。　Oldershaw　by　a　visit
from　her　darling　Lydia！　It　is　almost　needless　to　add　that　I
determined　to　sound　her　carefully；　and　not　to　let　any　secret　of
importance　out　of　my　own　possession。

〃A　sour　and　solemn　old　maid…servant　admitted　me　into　the　house。
When　I　asked　for　her　mistress；　I　was　reminded　with　the　bitterest
emphasis　that　I　had　committed　the　impropriety　of　calling　on　a
Sunday。　Mrs。　Oldershaw　was　at　home；　solely　in　consequence　of
being　too　unwell　to　go　to　church！　The　servant　thought　it　very
unlikely　that　she　would　see　me。　I　thought　it　highly　probable；　on
the　contrary；　that　she　would　honor　me　with　an　interview　in　her
own　interests；　if　I　sent　in　my　name　as　'Miss　Gwilt'and　the
event　proved　that　I　was　right。　After　being　kept　waiting　some
minutes　I　was　shown　into　the　drawing…room。

〃There　sat　Mother　Jezebel；　with　the　air　of　a　woman