armadale-第186章
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of the difficulties which I should have been obliged to meet in
the case of a younger man； or of a man less infatuated with
admiration for me。 I left the allusions to Miss Milroy in
Armadale's letter； which had naturally puzzled him； to be
explained at a future time。 I never even troubled myself to
invent a plausible reason for wishing him to meet Armadale at the
terminus； and to entrap him by a stratagem into the doctor's
Sanitarium。 All that I found it necessary to do was to refer to
what I had written to Mr。 Bashwood； on my arrival in London； and
to what I had afterward said to him； when he came to answer my
letter personally at the hotel。
〃 'You know already；' I said； 'that my marriage has not been a
happy one。 Draw your own conclusions from that； and don't press
me to tell you whether the news of Mr。 Armadale's rescue from the
sea is； or is not； the welcome news that it ought to be to his
wife！' That was enough to put his withered old face in a glow；
and to set his withered old hopes growing again。 I had only to
add； 'If you will do what I ask you to do； no matter how
incomprehensible and how mysterious my request may seem to be；
and if you will accept my assurances that you shall run no risk
yourself； and that you shall receive the proper explanations at
the proper time； you will have such a claim on my gratitude and
my regard as no man living has ever had yet！' I had only to say
those words； and to point them by a look and a stolen pressure of
his hand； and I had him at my feet； blindly eager to obey me。 If
he could have se en what I thought of myself； but that doesn't
matter： he saw nothing。
〃Hours have passed since I sent him away （pledged to secrecy；
possessed of his instructions； and provided with his time…table）
to the hotel near the terminus； at which he is to stay till
Armadale appears on the railway platform。 The excitement of the
earlier part of the evening has all worn off； and the dull；
numbed sensation has got me again。 Are my energies wearing out； I
wonder； just at the time when I most want them？ Or is some
foreshadowing of disaster creeping over me which I don't yet
understand？
〃I might be in a humor to sit here for some time longer； thinking
thoughts like these； and letting them find their way into words
at their own will and pleasure； if my Diary would only let me。
But my idle pen has been busy enough to make its way to the end
of the volume。 I have reached the last morsel of space left on
the last page； and whether I like it or not； I must close the
book this time for good and all； when I close it to…night。
〃Good…by； my old friend and companion of many a miserable day！
Having nothing else to be fond of； I half suspect myself of
having been unreasonably fond of _you。_
〃What a fool I am！〃
THE END OF THE FOURTH BOOK。
BOOK THE LAST。
CHAPTER I。
AT THE TERMINUS。
ON the night of the 2d of December； Mr。 Bashwood took up his post
of observation at the terminus of the South…eastern Railway for
the first time。 It was an earlier date； by six days； than the
date which Allan had himself fixed for his return。 But the
doctor； taking counsel of his medical experience； had considered
it just probable that 〃Mr。 Armadale might be perverse enough； at
his enviable age； to recover sooner than his medical advisers
might have anticipated。〃 For caution's sake； therefore； Mr。
Bashwood was instructed to begin watching the arrival of the
tidal trains on the day after he had received his employer's
letter。
From the 2d to the 7th of December； the steward waited punctually
on the platform； saw the trains come in； and satisfied himself；
evening after evening； that the travelers were all strangers to
him。 From the 2d to the 7th of December； Miss Gwilt （to return to
the name under which she is best known in these pages） received
his daily report； sometimes delivered personally； sometimes sent
by letter。 The doctor； to whom the reports were communicated；
received them in his turn with unabated confidence in the
precautions that had been adopted up to the morning of the 8th。
On that date the irritation of continued suspense had produced a
change for the worse in Miss Gwilt's variable temper； which was
perceptible to every one about her； and which； strangely enough；
was reflected by an equally marked change in the doctor's manner
when he came to pay his usual visit。 By a coincidence so
extraordinary that his enemies might have suspected it of not
being a coincidence at all； the morning on which Miss Gwilt lost
her patience proved to be also the morning on which the doctor
lost his confidence for the first time。
〃No news； of course；〃 he said； sitting down with a heavy sigh。
〃Well！ well！〃
Miss Gwilt looked up at him irritably from her work。
〃You seem strangely depressed this morning；〃 she said。 〃What are
you afraid of now？〃
〃The imputation of being afraid； madam；〃 answered the doctor；
solemnly； 〃is not an imputation to cast rashly on any maneven
when he belongs to such an essentially peaceful profession as
mine。 I am not afraid。 I am （as you more correctly put it in the
first instance） strangely depressed。 My nature is； as you know；
naturally sanguine； and I only see to…day what but for my
habitual hopefulness I might have seen； and ought to have seen； a
week since。〃
Miss Gwilt impatiently threw down her work。 〃If words cost
money；〃 she said； 〃the luxury of talking would be rather an
expensive luxury in your case！〃
〃Which I might have seen； and ought to have seen；〃 reiterated the
doctor； without taking the slightest notice of the interruption；
〃a week since。 To put it plainly； I feel by no means so certain
as I did that Mr。 Armadale will consent； without a struggle； to
the terms which it is my interest （and in a minor degree yours）
to impose on him。 Observe！ I don't question our entrapping him
successfully into the Sanitarium： I only doubt whether he will
prove quite as manageable as I originally anticipated when we
have got him there。 Say；〃 remarked the doctor； raising his eyes
for the first time； and fixing them in steady inquiry on Miss
Gwilt〃say that he is bold； obstinate； what you please； and that
he holds outholds out for weeks together； for months together；
as men in similar situations to his have held out before him。
What follows？ The risk of keeping him forcibly in concealmentof
suppressing him； if I may so express myselfincreases at
compound interest； and becomes Enormous！ My house is at this
moment virtually ready for patients。 Patients may present
themselves in a week's time。 Patients may communicate with Mr。
Armadale； or Mr。 Armadale may communicate with patients。 A note
may be smuggled out of the house； and may reach the Commissioners
in Lunacy。 Even in the case of an unlicensed establishment like
mine； those gentlemenno！ those chartered despots in a land of
libertyhave only to apply to the Lord Chancellor for an order；
and to enter （by heavens； to enter My Sanitarium！） and search the
house from top to bottom at a moment's notice！ I don't wish to
despond； I don't wish to alarm you； I don't pretend to say that
the means we are taking to secure your own safety are any other
than the best means at our disposal。 All I ask you to do is to
imagine the Commissioners in the houseand then to conceive the
consequences。 The consequences！〃 repeated the doctor； getting
sternly on his feet； and taking up his hat as if he meant to
leave the room。
〃Have you anything more to say？〃 asked Miss Gwilt。
〃Have you any remarks；〃 rejoined the doctor； 〃to offer on your
side？〃
He stood； hat in hand； waiting。 For a full minute the two looked
at each other in silence。
Miss Gwilt spoke first。
〃I think I understand you；〃 she said； suddenly recovering her
composure。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 returned the doctor； with his hand to his
ear。 〃What did you say？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Nothing？〃
〃If you happened to catch another fly this morning；〃 said Miss
Gwilt； with a bitterly sarcastic emphasis on the words； 〃I might
be capable of shocking you by another 'little joke。' 〃
The doctor held up both hands； in polite deprecation； and looked
as if he was beginning to recover his good humor again。
