armadale-第190章
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whispered； trying to draw her toward the folding…doors which led
into the next room。 〃For God's sake； be quick！ He'll kill you！〃
She put the old man back with her hand。 She looked at him with a
sudden irradiation of her blank face。 She answered him with lips
that struggled slowly into a frightful smile。
〃_Let_ him kill me；〃 she said。
As the words passed her lips； he sprang forward from the wall；
with a cry that rang through the house。 The frenzy of a maddened
man flashed at her from his glassy eyes； and clutched at her in
his threatening hands。 He came on till he was within arms…length
of herand suddenly stood still。 The black flush died out of his
face in the instant when he stopped。 His eyelids fell； his
outstretched hands wavered and sank helpless。 He dropped； as the
dead drop。 He lay as the dead lie； in the arms of the wife who
had denied him。
She knelt on the floor； and rested his head on her knee。 She
caught the arm of the steward hurrying to help her； with a hand
that closed round it like a vise。 〃Go for a doctor；〃 she said；
〃and keep the people of the house away till he comes。〃 There was
that in her eye； there was that in her voice； which would have
warned any man living to obey her in silence。 In silence Mr。
Bashwood submitted； and hurried out of the room。
The instant she was alone she raised him from her knee。 With both
arms clasped round him； the miserable woman lifted his lifeless
face to hers and rocked him on her bosom in an agony of
tenderness beyond all relief in tears； in a passion of remorse
beyond all expression in words。 In silence she held him to her
breast； in silence she devoured his forehead； his cheeks； his
lips； with kisses。 Not a sound escaped her till she heard the
trampling footsteps outside； hurrying up the stairs。 Then a low
moan burst from her lips； as she looked her last at him； and
lowered his head again to her knee； before the strangers came in。
The landlady and the steward were the first persons whom she saw
when the door was opened。 The medical man （a surgeon living in
the street） followed。 The horror and the beauty of her face as
she looked up at him absorbed the surgeon's attention for the
moment； to the exclusion of everything else。 Sh e had to beckon
to him； she had to point to the senseless man； before she could
claim his attention for his patient and divert it from herself。
〃Is he dead？〃 she asked。
The surgeon carried Midwinter to the sofa； and ordered the
windows to be opened。 〃It is a fainting fit；〃 he said； 〃nothing
more。〃
At that answer her strength failed her for the first time。 She
drew a deep breath of relief； and leaned on the chimney…piece for
support。 Mr。 Bashwood was the only person present who noticed
that she was overcome。 He led her to the opposite end of the
room； where there was an easy…chair； leaving the landlady to hand
the restoratives to the surgeon as they were wanted。
〃Are you going to wait here till he recovers？〃 whispered the
steward； looking toward the sofa； and trembling as he looked。
The question forced her to a sense of her positionto a
knowledge of the merciless necessities which that position now
forced her to confront。 With a heavy sigh she looked toward the
sofa； considered with herself for a moment； and answered Mr。
Bashwood's inquiry by a question on her side。
〃Is the cab that brought you here from the railway still at the
door？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Drive at once to the gates of the Sanitarium； and wait there
till I join you。〃
Mr。 Bashwood hesitated。 She lifted her eyes to his； and； with a
look； sent him out of the room。
〃The gentleman is coming to； ma'am；〃 said the landlady； as the
steward closed the door。 〃He has just breathed again。〃
She bowed in mute reply； rose； and considered with herself once
morelooked toward the sofa for the second timethen passed
through the folding…doors into her own room。
After a short lapse of time the surgeon drew back from the sofa
and motioned to the landlady to stand aside。 The bodily recovery
of the patient was assured。 There was nothing to be done now but
to wait； and let his mind slowly recall its sense of what had
happened。
〃Where is she？〃 were the first words he said to the surgeon； and
the landlady anxiously watching him。
The landlady knocked at the folding…doors； and received no
answer。 She went in； and found the room empty。 A sheet of
note…paper was on the dressing…table； with the doctor's fee
placed on it。 The paper contained these lines； evidently written
in great agitation or in great haste： 〃It is impossible for me to
remain here to…night； after what has happened。 I will return
to…morrow to take away my luggage； and to pay what I owe you。〃
〃Where is she？〃 Midwinter asked again； when the landlady returned
alone to the drawing…room。
〃Gone； sir。〃
〃I don't believe it！〃
The old lady's color rose。 〃If you know her handwriting； sir；〃
she answered； handing him the sheet of note…paper； 〃perhaps you
may believe _that？_〃
He looked at the paper。 〃I beg your pardon； ma'am；〃 he said； as
he handed it back〃I beg your pardon； with all my heart。〃
There was something in his face as he spoke those words which
more than soothed the old lady's irritation： it touched her with
a sudden pity for the man who had offended her。 〃I am afraid
there is some dreadful trouble； sir； at the bottom of all this；〃
she said； simply。 〃Do you wish me to give any message to the lady
when she comes back？〃
Midwinter rose and steadied himself for a moment against the
sofa。 〃I will bring my own message to…morrow；〃 he said。 〃I must
see her before she leaves your house。〃
The surgeon accompanied his patient into the street。 〃Can I see
you home？〃 he said； kindly。 〃You had better not walk； if it is
far。 You mustn't overexert yourself； you mustn't catch a chill
this cold night。〃
Midwinter took his hand and thanked him。 〃I have been used to
hard walking and cold nights； sir；〃 he said； 〃and I am not easily
worn out； even when I look so broken as I do now。 If you will
tell me the nearest way out of these streets； I think the quiet
of the country and the quiet of the night will help me。 I have
something serious to do to…morrow；〃 he added； in a lower tone；
〃and I can't rest or sleep till I have thought over it to…night。〃
The surgeon understood that he had no common man to deal with。 He
gave the necessary directions without any further remark； and
parted with his patient at his own door。
Left by himself； Midwinter paused； and looked up at the heavens
in silence。 The night had cleared； and the stars were outthe
stars which he had first learned to know from his gypsy master on
the hillside。 For the first time his mind went back regretfully
to his boyish days。 〃Oh； for the old life！〃 he thought；
longingly。 〃I never knew till now how happy the old life was！〃
He roused himself； and went on toward the open country。 His face
darkened as he left the streets behind him and advanced into the
solitude and obscurity that lay beyond。
〃She has denied her husband to…night；〃 he said。 〃She shall know
her master to…morrow。〃
CHAPTER III。
THE PURPLE FLASK。
THE cab was waiting at the gates as Miss Gwilt approached the
Sanitarium。 Mr。 Bashwood got out and advanced to meet her。 She
took his arm and led him aside a few steps； out of the cabman's
hearing。
〃Think what you like of me；〃 she said； keeping her thick black
veil down over her face； 〃but don't speak to me to…night。 Drive
back to your hotel as if nothing had happened。 Meet the tidal
train to…morrow as usual； and come to me afterward at the
Sanitarium。 Go without a word； and I shall believe there is one
man in the world who really loves me。 Stay and ask questions； and
I shall bid you good…by at once and forever！〃
She pointed to the cab。 In a minute more it had left the
Sanitarium and was taking Mr。 Bashwood back to his hotel。
She opened the iron gate and walked slowly up to the house door。
A shudder ran through her as she rang the bell。 She laughed
bitterly。 〃Shivering again！〃 she said to herself。 〃Who would have
thought I had so much feeling left in me？〃
For once in her life the doctor's face told the truth； when the
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