armadale-第179章

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easily　shocked；　and　I　can　be　implicitly　trusted。'

〃I　hesitated　even　now；　at　the　eleventh　hour；　sitting　alone　with
him　in　his　own　room。　It　was　so　strange　to　me　to　be　trusting　to
anybody　but　myself！　And　yet；　how　could　I　help　trusting　another
person　in　a　difficulty　which　turned　on　a　matter　of　law？

〃　'Just　as　you　please；　you　know；'　added　the　doctor。　'I　never
invite　confidences。　I　merely　receive　them。'

〃There　was　no　help　for　it；　I　had　come　there　not　to　hesitate；　but
to　speak。　I　risked　it；　and　spoke。

〃　'The　matter　on　which　I　wish　to　consult　you；'　I　said；　'is　not
（as　you　seem　to　thin　k）　within　your　experience　as　a　professional
man。　But　I　believe　you　may　be　of　assistance　to　me；　if　I　trust
myself　to　your　larger　experience　as　a　man　of　the　world。　I　warn
you　beforehand　that　I　shall　certainly　surprise；　and　possibly
alarm；　you　before　I　have　done。'

〃With　that　preface　I　entered　on　my　story；　telling　him　what　I　had
settled　to　tell　him；　and　no　more。

〃I　made　no　secret；　at　the　outset；　of　my　intention　to　personate
Armadale's　widow；　and　I　mentioned　without　reserve　（knowing　that
the　doctor　could　go　to　the　office　and　examine　the　will　for
himself）　the　handsome　income　that　would　be　settled　on　me　in　the
event　of　my　success。　Some　of　the　circumstances　that　followed　next
in　succession　I　thought　it　desirable　to　alter　or　conceal。　I
showed　him　the　newspaper　account　of　the　loss　of　the　yacht；　but　I
said　nothing　about　events　at　Naples。　I　informed　him　of　the　exact
similarity　of　the　two　names；　leaving　him　to　imagine　that　it　was
accidental。　I　told　him；　as　an　important　element　in　the　matter；
that　my　husband　had　kept　his　real　name　a　profound　secret　from
everybody　but　myself；　but　（to　prevent　any　communication　between
them）　I　carefully　concealed　from　the　doctor　what　the　assumed　name
under　which　Midwinter　had　lived　all　his　life　really　was。　I
acknowledged　that　I　had　left　my　husband　behind　me　on　the
Continent；　but　when　the　doctor　put　the　question；　I　allowed　him　to
concludeI　couldn't；　with　all　my　resolution；　tell　him
positively！that　Midwinter　knew　of　the　contemplated　Fraud；　and
that　he　was　staying　away　purposely；　so　as　not　to　compromise　me　by
his　presence。　This　difficulty　smoothed　overor；　as　I　feel　it
now；　this　baseness　committedI　reverted　to　myself；　and　came　back
again　to　the　truth。　One　after　another　I　mentioned　all　the
circumstances　connected　with　my　private　marriage；　and　with　the
movements　of　Armadale　and　Midwinter；　which　rendered　any　discovery
of　the　false　personation　（through　the　evidence　of　other　people）　a
downright　impossibility。　'So　much；'　I　said；　in　conclusion；　'for
the　object　in　view。　The　next　thing　is　to　tell　you　plainly　of　a
very　serious　obstacle　that　stands　in　my　way。'

〃The　doctor；　who　had　listened　thus　far　without　interrupting　me；
begged　permission　here　to　say　a　few　words　on　his　side　before　I
went　on。

〃The　'few　words'　proved　to　be　all　questionsclever；　searching；
suspicious　questionswhich　I　was；　however；　able　to　answer　with
little　or　no　reserve；　for　they　related；　in　almost　every　instance；
to　the　circumstances　under　which　I　had　been　married；　and　to　the
chances　for　and　against　my　lawful　husband　if　he　chose　to　assert
his　claim　to　me　at　any　future　time。

〃My　replies　informed　the　doctor；　in　the　first　place；　that　I　had
so　managed　matters　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　as　to　produce　a　general
impression　that　Armadale　intended　to　marry　me；　in　the　second
place；　that　my　husband's　early　life　had　not　been　of　a　kind　to
exhibit　him　favorably　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　in　the　third
place；　that　we　had　been　married；　without　any　witnesses　present
who　knew　us；　at　a　large　parish　church　in　which　two　other　couples
had　been　married　the　same　morning；　to　say　nothing　of　the　dozens
on　dozens　of　other　couples　（confusing　all　remembrance　of　us　in
the　minds　of　the　officiating　people）　who　had　been　married　since。
When　I　had　put　the　doctor　in　possession　of　these　factsand　when
he　had　further　ascertained　that　Midwinter　and　I　had　gone　abroad
among　strangers　immediately　after　leaving　the　church；　and　that
the　men　employed　on　board　the　yacht　in　which　Armadale　had　sailed
from　Somersetshire　（before　my　marriage）　were　now　away　in　ships
voyaging　to　the　other　end　of　the　worldhis　confidence　in　my
prospects　showed　itself　plainly　in　his　face。　'So　far　as　I　can
see；'　he　said；　'your　husband's　claim　to　you　（after　you　have
stepped　into　the　place　of　the　dead　Mr。　Armadale's　widow）　would
rest　on　nothing　but　his　own　bare　assertion。　And　_that_　I　think
you　may　safely　set　at　defiance。　Excuse　my　apparent　distrust　of
the　gentleman。　But　there　might　be　a　misunderstanding　between　you
in　the　future；　and　it　is　highly　desirable　to　ascertain　beforehand
exactly　what　he　could　or　could　not　do　under　those　circumstances。
And　now　that　we　have　done　with　the　main　obstacle　that　_I_　see　in
the　way　of　your　success；　let　us　by　all　means　come　to　the　obstacle
that　_you_　see　next！'

〃I　was　willing　enough　to　come　to　it。　The　tone　in　which　he　spoke
of　Midwinter；　though　I　myself　was　responsible　for　it；　jarred　on
me　horribly；　and　roused　for　the　moment　some　of　the　old　folly　of
feeling　which　I　fancied　I　had　laid　asleep　forever。　I　rushed　at
the　chance　of　changing　the　subject；　and　mentioned　the　discrepancy
in　the　register　between　the　hand　in　which　Midwinter　had　signed
the　name　of　Allan　Armadale；　and　the　hand　in　which　Armadale　of
Thorpe　Ambrose　had　been　accustomed　to　write　his　name；　with　an
eagerness　which　it　quite　diverted　the　doctor　to　see。

〃　'Is　_that_　all？'　he　asked；　to　my　infinite　surprise　and　relief；
when　I　had　done。　'My　dear　lady；　pray　set　your　mind　at　ease！　If
the　late　Mr。　Armadale's　lawyers　want　a　proof　of　your　marriage；
they　won't　go　to　the　church…register　for　it；　I　can　promise　you！'

〃　'What！'　I　exclaimed；　in　astonishment。　'Do　you　mean　to　say　that
the　entry　in　the　register　is　not　a　proof　of　my　marriage？'

〃　'It　is　a　proof；'　said　the　doctor；　'that　you　have　been　married
to　somebody。　But　it　is　no　proof　that　you　have　been　married　to　Mr。
Armadale　of　Thorpe　Ambrose。　Jack　Nokes　or　Tom　Styles　（excuse　the
homeliness　of　the　illustration！）　might　have　got　the　license；　and
gone　to　the　church　to　be　married　to　you　under　Mr。　Armadale's
name；　and　the　register　（how　could　it　do　otherwise？）　must　in　that
case　have　innocently　assisted　the　deception。　I　see　I　surprise
you。　My　dear　madam；　when　you　opened　this　interesting　business　you
surprised　_me_I　may　own　it　nowby　laying　so　much　stress　on　the
curious　similarity　between　the　two　names。　You　might　have　entered
on　the　very　daring　and　romantic　enterprise　in　which　you　are　now
engaged；　without　necessarily　marrying　your　present　husband。　Any
other　man　would　have　done　just　as　well；　provided　he　was　willing
to　take　Mr。　Armadale's　name　for　the　purpose。'

〃I　felt　my　temper　going　at　this。　'Any　other　man　would　_not_　have
done　just　as　well；'　I　rejoined；　instantly。　'But　for　the
similarity　of　the　names；　I　should　never　have　thought　of　the
enterprise　at　all。'

〃The　doctor　admitted　that　he　had　spoken　too　hastily。　'That
personal　view　of　the　subject　had；　I　confess；　escaped　me；'　he
said。　'However；　let　us　get　back　to　the　matter　in　hand。　In　the
course　of　what　I　may　term　an　adventurous　medical　life；　I　have
been　brought　more　than　once　into　contact　with　the　gentlemen　of
the　law；　and　have　had　opportunities　of　observing　their
proceedings　in　cases　of；　let　us　say；　Domestic　Jurisprudence。　I　am
quite　sure　I　am　correct　in　informing　you　that　the　proof　which
will　be　required　by　Mr。　Armadale's　representatives　will　be　the
evidence　of　a　witness　present　at　the　marriage　who　can　speak　to
the　identity　of　the　bride　and　bridegroom　from　his　own　personal
knowledge。'

〃　'But　I　have　already　told　you；'　I　said；　'that　there　was　no　such
person　present。'

〃　'Precisely；'　rejoined　the　doctor。　'In　that　case；　what　you　now
want；　before　you　can　safely　stir　a　step　in　the　matter；　isif　you
will　pardon　me　the　expressiona　ready…made　witness；　possessed　of
rare　moral　and　personal　resources；　who　can　be　trusted　to　assume
the　necessary　character；　and　to　make　the　necessary　Declaration
before　a　magistrate。　Do　you　know　of　any　such　person？'　asked　the
doctor；　throwing　himself　back　in　his　chair；　and　looking　at　me
with　the　utmost　innocence。

〃　'I　only　know　Y