armadale-第191章

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thought　I　had　so　much　feeling　left　in　me？〃

For　once　in　her　life　the　doctor's　face　told　the　truth；　when　the
study　door　opened　between　ten　and　eleven　at　night；　and　Miss　Gwilt
entered　the　room。

〃Mercy　on　me！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　a　look　of　the　blankest
bewilderment。　〃What　does　this　mean？〃

〃It　means；〃　she　answered；　〃that　I　have　decided　to…night　instead
of　deciding　to…morrow。　You；　who　know　women　so　well；　ought　to　know
that　they　act　on　impulse。　I　am　here　on　an　impulse。　Take　me　or
leave　me；　just　as　you　like。〃

〃Take　you　or　leave　you？〃　repeated　the　doctor；　recovering　his
presence　of　mind。　〃My　dear　lady；　what　a　dreadful　way　of　putting
it！　Your　room　shall　be　got　ready　instantly！　Where　is　your
luggage？　Will　you　let　me　send　for　it？　No？　You　can　do　without　your
luggage　tonight？　What　admirable　fortitude！　You　will　fetch　it
yourself　to…morrow？　What　extraordinary　independence！　Do　take　off
your　bonnet。　Do　draw　in　to　the　fire！　What　can　I　offer　you？〃

〃Offer　me　the　strongest　sleeping　draught　you　ever　made　in　your
life；〃　she　replied。　〃And　leave　me　alone　till　the　time　comes　to
take　it。　I　shall　be　your　patient　in　earnest！〃　she　added；
fiercely；　as　the　doctor　attempted　to　remonstrate。　〃I　shall　be　the
maddest　of　the　mad　if　you　irritate　me　to…night！〃

The　Principal　of　the　Sanitarium　became　gravely　and　briefly
professional　in　an　instant。

〃Sit　down　in　that　dark　corner；〃　he　said。　〃Not　a　soul　shall
disturb　you。　In　half　an　hour　you　will　find　your　room　ready；　and
your　sleeping　draught　on　the　table。〃〃It's　been　a　harder
struggle　for　her　than　I　anticipated；〃　he　thought；　as　he　left　the
room；　and　crossed　to　his　Dispensary　on　the　opposite　side　of　the
hall。　〃Good　heavens；　what　business　has　she　with　a　conscience；
after　such　a　life　as　hers　has　been！〃

The　Dispensary　was　elaborately　fitted　up　with　all　the　latest
improvements　in　medical　furniture。　But　one　of　the　four　walls　of
the　room　was　unoccupied　by　shelves；　and　here　the　vacant　space　was
filled　by　a　handsome　antique　cabinet　of　carved　wood；　curiously
out　of　harmony；　as　an　object；　with　the　unornamented　utilitarian
aspect　of　the　place　generally。　On　either　side　of　the　cabinet　two
speaking…tubes　were　inserted　in　the　wall；　communicating　with　the
upper　regions　of　the　house；　and　labeled　respectively　〃Resident
Dispenser〃　and　〃Head　Nurse。〃　Into　the　second　of　these　tubes　the
doctor　spoke；　on　entering　the　room。　An　elderly　woman　appeared；
took　her　orders　for　preparing　Mr　s。　Armadale's　bed…chamber；
courtesied；　and　retired。

Left　alone　again　in　the　Dispensary；　the　doctor　unlocked　the
center　compartment　of　the　cabinet；　and　disclosed　a　collection　of
bottles　inside；　containing　the　various　poisons　used　in　medicine。
After　taking　out　the　laudanum　wanted　for　the　sleeping　draught；
and　placing　it　on　the　dispensary　table；　he　went　back　to　the
cabinet；　looked　into　it　for　a　little　while；　shook　his　head
doubtfully；　and　crossed　to　the　open　shelves　on　the　opposite　side
of　the　room。

Here；　after　more　consideration；　he　took　down　one　out　of　the　row
of　large　chemical　bottles　before　him；　filled　with　a　yellow
liquid；　placing　the　bottle　on　the　table；　he　returned　to　the
cabinet；　and　opened　a　side　compartment；　containing　some　specimens
of　Bohemian　glass…work。　After　measuring　it　with　his　eye；　he　took
from　the　specimens　a　handsome　purple　flask；　high　and　narrow　in
form；　and　closed　by　a　glass　stopper。　This　he　filled　with　the
yellow　liquid；　leaving　a　small　quantity　only　at　the　bottom　of　the
bottle；　and　locking　up　the　flask　again　in　the　place　from　which　he
had　taken　it　The　bottle　was　next　restored　to　its　place；　after
having　been　filled　up　with　water　from　the　cistern　in　the
Dispensary；　mixed　with　certain　chemical　liquids　in　small
quantities；　which　restored　it　（so　far　as　appearances　went）　to　the
condition　in　which　it　had　been　when　it　was　first　removed　from　the
shelf。　Having　completed　these　mysterious　proceedings；　the　doctor
laughed　softly；　and　went　back　to　his　speaking…tubes　to　summon　the
Resident　Dispenser　next。

The　Resident　Dispenser　made　his　appearance　shrouded　in　the
necessary　white　apron　from　his　waist　to　his　feet。　The　doctor
solemnly　wrote　a　prescription　for　a　composing　draught；　and　handed
it　to　his　assistant。

〃Wanted　immediately；　Benjamin；〃　he　said　in　a　soft　and　melancholy
voice。　〃A　lady　patientMrs。　Armadale；　Room　No。　1；　second　floor。
Ah；　dear；　dear！〃　groaned　the　doctor；　absently；　〃an　anxious　case；
Benjaminan　anxious　case。〃　He　opened　the　brand…new　ledger　of　the
establishment；　and　entered　the　Case　at　full　length；　with　a　brief
abstract　of　the　prescription。　〃Have　you　done　with　the　laudanum？
Put　it　back；　and　lock　the　cabinet；　and　give　me　the　key。　Is　the
draught　ready？　Label　it；　'To　be　taken　at　bedtime；'　and　give　it　to
the　nurse；　Benjamingive　it　to　the　nurse。〃

While　the　doctor's　lips　were　issuing　these　directions；　the
doctor's　hands　were　occupied　in　opening　a　drawer　under　the　desk
on　which　the　ledger　was　placed。　He　took　out　some　gayly　printed
cards　of　admission　〃to　view　the　Sanitarium；　between　the　hours　of
two　and　four　P。M。；〃　and　filled　them　up　with　the　date　of　the　next
day；　〃December　10th。〃　When　a　dozen　of　the　cards　had　been　wrapped
up　in　a　dozen　lithographed　letters　of　invitation；　and　inclosed　in
a　dozen　envelopes；　he　next　consulted　a　list　of　the　families
resident　in　the　neighborhood；　and　directed　the　envelopes　from　the
list。　Ringing　a　bell　this　time；　instead　of　speaking　through　a
tube；　he　summoned　the　man…servant；　and　gave　him　the　letters；　to
be　delivered　by　hand　the　first　thing　the　next　morning。　〃I　think
it　will　do；〃　said　the　doctor；　taking　a　turn　in　the　Dispensary
when　the　servant　had　gone　out〃I　think　it　will　do。〃　While　he　was
still　absorbed　in　his　own　reflections；　the　nurse　re…appeared　to
announce　that　the　lady's　room　was　ready；　and　the　doctor　thereupon
formally　returned　to　the　study　to　communicate　the　information　to
Miss　Gwilt。

She　had　not　moved　since　he　left　her。　She　rose　from　her　dark
corner　when　he　made　his　announcement；　and；　without　speaking　or
raising　her　veil；　glided　out　of　the　room　like　a　ghost。

After　a　brief　interval；　the　nurse　came　downstairs　again；　with　a
word　for　her　master's　private　ear。

〃The　lady　has　ordered　me　to　call　her　to…morrow　at　seven　o'clock；
sir；〃　she　said。　〃She　means　to　fetch　her　luggage　herself；　and　she
wants　to　have　a　cab　at　the　door　as　soon　as　she　is　dressed。　What
am　I　to　do？〃

〃Do　what　the　lady　tells　you；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃She　may　be　safely　trusted　to　return　to　the　Sanitarium。〃

The　breakfast　hour　at　the　Sanitarium　was　half…past　eight　o'clock。
By　that　time　Miss　Gwilt　had　settled　everything　at　her　lodgings；
and　had　returned　with　her　luggage　in　her　own　possession。　The
doctor　was　quite　amazed　at　the　promptitude　of　his　patient。

〃Why　waste　so　much　energy？〃　he　asked；　when　they　met　at　the
breakfast…table。　〃Why　be　in　such　a　hurry；　my　dear　lady；　when　you
had　all　the　morning　before　you？〃

〃Mere　restlessness！〃　she　said；　briefly。　〃The　longer　I　live；　the
more　impatient　I　get。〃

The　doctor；　who　had　noticed　before　she　spoke　that　her　face　looked
strangely　pale　and　old　that　morning；　observed；　when　she　answered
him；　that　her　expressionnaturally　mobile　in　no　ordinary
degreeremained　quite　unaltered　by　the　effort　of　speaking。　There
was　none　of　the　usual　animation　on　her　lips；　none　of　the　usual
temper　in　her　eyes。　He　had　never　seen　her　so　impenetrably　and
coldly　composed　as　he　saw　her　now。　〃She　has　made　up　her　mind　at
last；〃　he　thought。　〃I　may　say　to　her　this　morning　what　I　couldn't
say　to　her　last　night。〃

He　prefaced　the　coming　remarks　by　a　warning　look　at　her　widow's
dress。

〃Now　you　have　got　your　luggage；〃　he　began；　gravely；　〃permit　me　to
suggest　putting　that　cap　away；　and　wearing　another　gown。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Do　you　remember　what　you　told　me　a　day　or　two　since？〃　asked　the
doctor。　〃You　said　there　was　a　chance　of　Mr。　Armadale's　dying　in
my　Sanitarium？〃

〃I　will　say　it　again；　if　you　like。〃

〃A　more　unlikely　chance；〃　pursued　the　doctor；　deaf　as　ever　to　all
awkward　interruptions；　〃it　is　hardly　possible　to　imagine！　But　as
long　as　it　is　a　chance　at　all；　it　is　worth　considering。　Say；
then；　that　he　diesdies　suddenly　and　unexpectedly；　and　makes　a
Coroner's　Inquest　necessary　in　the　house。　What