armadale-第178章

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entirely　without　interest　for　a　young　and　brilliant　woman　like
yourself。　Tell　me　your　news！　Have　you　left　your　situation　at
Thorpe　Ambrose？　Are　you　residing　in　London？　Is　there　anything；
professional　or　otherwise；　that　I　can　do　for　you？'

〃That　last　question　was　a　more　important　one　than　he　supposed。
Before　I　answered　it；　I　felt　the　necessity　of　parting　company
with　him　and　of　getting　a　little　time　to　think。

〃　'You　have　kindl　y　asked　me；　doctor；　to　pay　you　a　visit；'　I
said。　'In　your　quiet　house　at　Hampstead；　I　may　possibly　have
something　to　say　to　you　which　I　can't　say　in　this　noisy　street。
When　are　you　at　home　at　the　Sanitarium？　Should　I　find　you　there
later　in　the　day？'

〃The　doctor　assured　me　that　he　was　then　on　his　way　back；　and
begged　that　I　would　name　my　own　hour。　I　said；　'Toward　the
afternoon；'　and；　pleading　an　engagement；　hailed　the　first　omnibus
that　passed　us。　'Don't　forget　the　address；'　said　the　doctor；　as
he　handed　me　in。　'I　have　got　your　card；'　I　answered；　and　so　we
parted。

〃I　returned　to　the　hotel；　and　went　up　into　my　room；　and　thought
over　it　very　anxiously。

〃The　serious　obstacle　of　the　signature　on　the　marriage　register
still　stood　in　my　way　as　unmanageably　as　ever。　All　hope　of
getting　assistance　from　Mrs。　Oldershaw　was　at　an　end。　I　could
only　regard　her　henceforth　as　an　enemy　hidden　in　the　darkthe
enemy；　beyond　all　doubt　now；　who　had　had　me　followed　and　watched
when　I　was　last　in　London。　To　what　other　counselor　could　I　turn
for　the　advice　which　my　unlucky　ignorance　of　law　and　business
obliged　me　to　seek　from　some　one　more　experienced　than　myself？
Could　I　go　to　the　lawyer　whom　I　consulted　when　I　was　about　to
marry　Midwinter　in　my　maiden　name？　Impossible！　To　say　nothing　of
his　cold　reception　of　me　when　I　had　last　seen　him；　the　advice　I
wanted　this　time　related　（disguise　the　facts　as　I　might）　to　the
commission　of　a　Frauda　fraud　of　the　sort　that　no　prosperous
lawyer　would　consent　to　assist　if　he　had　a　character　to　lose。　Was
there　any　other　competent　person　I　could　think　of？　There　was　one；
and　one　onlythe　doctor　who　had　died　at　Pimlico；　and　had　revived
again　at　Hampstead。

〃I　knew　him　to　be　entirely　without　scruples；　to　have　the　business
experience　that　I　wanted　myself；　and　to　be　as　cunning；　as　clever；
and　as　far…seeing　a　man　as　could　be　found　in　all　London。　Beyond
this；　I　had　made　two　important　discoveries　in　connection　with　him
that　morning。　In　the　first　place；　he　was　on　bad　terms　with　Mrs。
Oldershaw；　which　would　protect　me　from　all　danger　of　the　two
leaguing　together　against　me　if　I　trusted　him。　In　the　second
place；　circumstances　still　obliged　him　to　keep　his　identity
carefully　disguised；　which　gave　me　a　hold　over　him　in　no　respect
inferior　to　any　hold　that　_I_　might　give　him　over　_me。_　In　every
way　he　was　the　right　man；　the　only　man；　for　my　purpose；　and　yet　I
hesitated　at　going　to　himhesitated　for　a　full　hour　and　more；
without　knowing　why！

〃It　was　two　o'clock　before　I　finally　decided　on　paying　the　doctor
a　visit。　Having；　after　this；　occupied　nearly　another　hour　in
determining　to　a　hair…breadth　how　far　I　should　take　him　into　my
confidence；　I　sent　for　a　cab　at　last；　and　set　off　toward　three　in
the　afternoon　for　Hampstead。


〃I　found　the　Sanitarium　with　some　little　difficulty。

〃Fairweather　Vale　proved　to　be　a　new　neighborhood；　situated　below
the　high　ground　of　Hampstead；　on　the　southern　side。　The　day　was
overcast；　and　the　place　looked　very　dreary。　We　approached　it　by　a
new　road　running　between　trees；　which　might　once　have　been　the
park　avenue　of　a　country　house。　At　the　end　we　came　upon　a
wilderness　of　open　ground；　with　half…finished　villas　dotted
about；　and　a　hideous　litter　of　boards；　wheelbarrows；　and　building
materials　of　all　sorts　scattered　in　every　direction。　At　one
corner　of　this　scene　of　desolation；　stood　a　great　overgrown
dismal　house；　plastered　with　drab…colored　stucco；　and　surrounded
by　a　naked；　unfinished　garden；　without　a　shrub　or　a　flower　in　it；
frightful　to　behold。　On　the　open　iron　gate　that　led　into　this
inclosure　was　a　new　brass　plate；　with　'Sanitarium'　inscribed　on
it　in　great　black　letters。　The　bell；　when　the　cabman　rang　it；
pealed　through　the　empty　house　like　a　knell；　and　the　pallid；
withered　old　man…servant　in　black　who　answered　the　door　looked　as
if　he　had　stepped　up　out　of　his　grave　to　perform　that　service。　He
let　out　on　me　a　smell　of　damp　plaster　and　new　varnish；　and　he　let
in　with　me　a　chilling　draft　of　the　damp　November　air。　I　didn't
notice　it　at　the　time；　but；　writing　of　it　now；　I　remember　that　I
shivered　as　I　crossed　the　threshold。

〃I　gave　my　name　to　the　servant　as　'Mrs。　Armadale；'　and　was　shown
into　the　waiting…room。　The　very　fire　itself　was　dying　of　damp　in
the　grate。　The　only　books　on　the　table　were　the　doctor's　Works；
in　sober　drab　covers；　and　the　only　object　that　ornamented　the
walls　was　the　foreign　Diploma　（handsomely　framed　and　glazed）；　of
which　the　doctor　had　possessed　himself　by　purchase；　along　with
the　foreign　name。

〃After　a　moment　or　two；　the　proprietor　of　the　Sanitarium　came　in；
and　held　up　his　hands　in　cheerful　astonishment　at　the　sight　of
me。

〃　'I　hadn't　an　idea　who　〃Mrs。　Armadale〃　was！'　he　said。　'My　dear
lady；　have　_you_　changed　your　name　too？　How　sly　of　you　not　to
tell　me　when　we　met　this　morning！　Come　into　my　private
snuggeryI　can't　think　of　keeping　an　old　and　dear　friend　like
you　in　the　patients'　waiting…room。'

〃The　doctor's　private　snuggery　was　at　the　back　of　the　house；
looking　out　on　fields　and　trees；　doomed　but　not　yet　destroyed　by
the　builder。　Horrible　objects　in　brass　and　leather　and　glass；
twisted　and　turned　as　if　they　were　sentient　things　writhing　in
agonies　of　pain；　filled　up　one　end　of　the　room。　A　great　book…case
with　glass　doors　extended　over　the　whole　of　the　opposite　wall；
and　exhibited　on　its　shelves　long　rows　of　glass　jars；　in　which
shapeless　dead　creatures　of　a　dull　white　color　floated　in　yellow
liquid。　Above　the　fireplace　hung　a　collection　of　photographic
portraits　of　men　and　women；　inclosed　in　two　large　frames　hanging
side　by　side　with　a　space　between　them。　The　left…hand　frame
illustrated　the　effects　of　nervous　suffering　as　seen　in　the　face；
the　right…hand　frame　exhibited　the　ravages　of　insanity　from　the
same　point　of　view；　while　the　space　between　was　occupied　by　an
elegantly　illuminated　scroll；　bearing　inscribed　on　it　the
time…honored　motto；　'Prevention　is　better　than　Cure。'

〃　'Here　I　am；　with　my　galvanic　apparatus；　and　my　preserved
specimens；　and　all　the　rest　of　it；'　said　the　doctor；　placing　me
in　a　chair　by　the　fireside。　'And　there　is　my　System　mutely
addressing　you　just　above　your　head；　under　a　form　of　exposition
which　I　venture　to　describe　as　frankness　itself。　This　is　no
mad…house；　my　dear　lady。　Let　other　men　treat　insanity；　if　they
like_I_　stop　it！　No　patients　in　the　house　as　yet。　But　we　live
in　an　age　when　nervous　derangement　（parent　of　insanity）　is
steadily　on　the　increase；　and　in　due　time　the　sufferers　will
come。　I　can　wait　as　Harvey　waited；　as　Jenner　waited。　And　now　do
put　your　feet　up　on　the　fender；　and　tell　me　about　yourself。　You
are　married；　of　course？　And　what　a　pretty　name！　Accept　my　best
and　most　heart…felt　congratulations。　You　have　the　two　greatest
blessings　that　can　fall　to　a　woman's　lot；　the　two　capital　H's；　as
I　call　themHusband　and　Home。'

〃I　interrupted　the　genial　flow　of　the　doctor's　congratulations　at
the　first　opportunity。

〃　'I　am　married；　but　the　circumstances　are　by　no　means　of　the
ordinary　kind；'　I　said；　seriously。　My　present　position　includes
none　of　the　blessings　that　are　usually　supposed　to　fall　to　a
woman's　lot。　I　am　already　in　a　situation　of　very　serious
difficulty；　and　before　long　I　may　be　in　a　situation　of　very
serious　danger　as　well。'

〃The　doctor　drew　his　chair　a　little　nearer　to　me；　and　fell　at
once　into　his　old　professional　manner　and　his　old　confidential
tone。

〃　'If　you　wish　to　consult　me；'　he　said；　softly；　'you　know　that　I
have　kept　some　dangerous　secrets　in　my　time；　and　you　also　know
that　I　possess　two　valuable　qualities　as　an　adviser。　I　am　not
easily　shocked；　and　I　can　be　implicitly　trusted。'

〃I　hesitated　even　now；　at　the　eleventh　hour；　sitting　alone　wi