armadale-第192章

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then；　that　he　diesdies　suddenly　and　unexpectedly；　and　makes　a
Coroner's　Inquest　necessary　in　the　house。　What　is　our　course　in
that　case？　Our　course　is　to　preserve　the　characters　to　which　we
have　committed　ourselvesyou　as　his　widow；　and　I　as　the　witness
of　your　marriageand；　_in_　those　characters；　to　court　the
fullest　inquiry。　In　the　entirely　improbable　event　of　his　dying
just　when　we　want　him　to　die；　my　ideaI　might　even　say；　my
resolutionis　to　admit　that　we　knew　of　his　resurrection　from　the
sea；　and　to　acknowledge　that　we　instructed　Mr。　Bashwood　to　entrap
him　into　this　house；　by　means　of　a　false　statement　about　Miss
Milroy。　When　the　inevitable　questions　follow；　I　propose　to　assert
that　he　exhibited　symptoms　of　mental　alienation　shortly　after
your　marriage；　that　his　delusion　consisted　in　denying　that　you
were　his　wife；　and　in　declaring　that　he　was　engaged　to　be　married
to　Miss　Milroy；　that　you　were　in　such　terror　of　him　on　this
account；　when　you　heard　he　was　alive　and　coming　back；　as　to　be　in
a　state　of　nervous　agitation　that　required　my　care；　that　at　your
request；　and　to　calm　that　nervous　agitation；　I　saw　him
professionally；　and　got　him　quietly　into　the　house　by　a　humoring
of　his　delusion；　perfectly　justifiable　in　such　a　case；　and；
lastly；　that　I　can　certify　his　brain　to　have　been　affected　by　one
of　those　mysterious　disorders；　eminently　incurable；　eminently
fatal；　in　relation　to　which　medical　science　is　still　in　the　dark。
Such　a　course　as　this　（in　the　remotely　possible　event　which　we
are　now　supposing）　would　be；　in　your　interests　and　mine；
unquestionably　the　right　course　to　take；　and　such　a　dress　as
_that_　is；　just　as　certainly；　under　existing　circumstances；　the
wrong　dress　to　wear。〃

〃Shall　I　take　it　off　at　once？〃　she　asked；　rising　from　the
breakfast…table；　without　a　word　of　remark　on　what　had　just　been
said　to　her。

〃Anytime　before　two　o'clock　to…day　will　do；〃　said　the　doctor。

She　looked　at　him　with　a　languid　curiositynothing　more。　〃Why
before　two？〃　she　inquired。

〃Because　this　is　one　of　my　'Visitors'　Days；'　And　the　visitors'
time　is　from　two　to　four。〃

〃What　have　I　to　do　with　your　visitors？〃

〃Simply　this。　I　think　it　important　that　perfectly　respectable　and
perfectly　disinterested　witnesses　should　see　you；　in　my　house；　in
the　character　of　a　lady　who　has　come　to　consult　me。〃

〃Your　motive　seems　rather　far…fetched；　Is　it　the　only　motive　you
have　in　the　matter？〃

〃My　　dear；　dear　lady！〃　remonstrated　the　doctor；　〃have　I　any
concealments　from　_you？_　Surely；　you　ought　to　know　me　better　than
that？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　with　a　we　ary　contempt。　〃It's　dull　enough　of　me
not　to　understand　you　by　this　time。　Send　word　upstairs　when　I　am
wanted。〃　She　left　him；　and　went　back　to　her　room。


Two　o'clock　came；　and　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　afterward　the
visitors　had　arrived。　Short　as　the　notice　had　been；　cheerless　as
the　Sanitarium　looked　to　spectators　from　without；　the　doctor's
invitation　had　been　largely　accepted；　nevertheless；　by　the　female
members　of　the　families　whom　he　had　addressed。　In　the　miserable
monotony　of　the　lives　led　by　a　large　section　of　the　middle
classes　of　England；　anything　is　welcome　to　the　women　which　offers
them　any　sort　of　harmless　refuge　from　the　established　tyranny　of
the　principle　that　all　human　happiness　begins　and　ends　at　home。
While　the　imperious　needs　of　a　commercial　country　limited　the
representatives　of　the　male　sex；　among　the　doctor's　visitors；　to
one　feeble　old　man　and　one　sleepy　little　boy；　the　women；　poor
souls；　to　the　number　of　no　less　than　sixteenold　and　young；
married　and　singlehad　seized　the　golden　opportunity　of　a　plunge
into　public　life。　Harmoniously　united　by　the　two　common　objects
which　they　all　had　in　viewin　the　first　place；　to　look　at　each
other；　and；　in　the　second　place；　to　look　at　the　Sanitariumthey
streamed　in　neatly　dressed　procession　through　the　doctor's　dreary
iron　gates；　with　a　thin　varnish　over　them　of　assumed　superiority
to　all　unladylike　excitement；　most　significant　and　most　pitiable
to　see！

The　proprietor　of　the　Sanitarium　received　his　visitors　in　the
hall　with　Miss　Gwilt　on　his　arm。　The　hungry　eyes　of　every　woman
in　the　company　overlooked　the　doctor　as　if　no　such　person　had
existed；　and；　fixing　on　the　strange　lady；　devoured　her　from　head
to　foot　in　an　instant。

〃My　First　Inmate；〃　said　the　doctor；　presenting　Miss　Gwilt。　〃This
lady　only　arrived　late　last　night；　and　she　takes　the　present
opportunity　（the　only　one　my　morning's　engagements　have　allowed
me　to　give　her）　of　going　over　the　Sanitarium。Allow　me；　ma'am；〃
he　went　on；　releasing　Miss　Gwilt；　and　giving　his　arm　to　the
eldest　lady　among　the　visitors。　〃Shattered　nervesdomestic
anxiety；〃　he　whispered；　confidentially。　〃Sweet　woman！　sad　case！〃
He　sighed　softly；　and　led　the　old　lady　across　the　hall。

The　flock　of　visitors　followed；　Miss　Gwilt　accompanying　them　in
silence；　and　walking　aloneamong　them；　but　not　of　themthe　last
of　all。

〃The　grounds；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　said　the　doctor；　wheeling
round；　and　addressing　his　audience　from　the　foot　of　the　stairs；
〃are；　as　you　have　seen；　in　a　partially　unfinished　condition。
Under　any　circumstances；　I　should　lay　little　stress　on　the
grounds；　having　Hampstead　Heath　so　near　at　hand；　and　carriage
exercise　and　horse　exercise　being　parts　of　my　System。　In　a　lesser
degree；　it　is　also　necessary　for　me　to　ask　your　indulgence　for
the　basement　floor；　on　which　we　now　stand。　The　waiting…room　and
study　on　that　side；　and　the　Dispensary　on　the　other　（to　which　I
shall　presently　ask　your　attention）；　are　completed。　But　the　large
drawing…room　is　still　in　the　decorator's　hands。　In　that　room
（when　the　walls　are　drynot　a　moment　before）　my　inmates　will
assemble　for　cheerful　society。　Nothing　will　be　spared　that　can
improve；　elevate；　and　adorn　life　at　these　happy　little
gatherings。　Every　evening；　for　example；　there　will　be　music　for
those　who　like　it。〃

At　this　point　there　was　a　faint　stir　among　the　visitors。　A　mother
of　a　family　interrupted　the　doctor。　She　begged　to　know　whether
music　〃every　evening〃　included　Sunday　evening；　and；　if　so；　what
music　was　performed？

〃Sacred　music；　of　course；　ma'am；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃Handel　on
Sunday　eveningand　Haydn　occasionally；　when　not　too　cheerful。
But；　as　I　was　about　to　say；　music　is　not　the　only　entertainment
offered　to　my　nervous　inmates。　Amusing　reading　is　provided　for
those　who　prefer　books。〃

There　was　another　stir　among　the　visitors。　Another　mother　of　a
family　wished　to　know　whether　amusing　reading　meant　novels。

〃Only　such　novels　as　I　have　selected　and　perused　myself；　in　the
first　instance；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃Nothing　painful；　ma'am！　There
may　be　plenty　that　is　painful　in　real　life；　but　for　that　very
reason；　we　don't　want　it　in　books。　The　English　novelist　who
enters　my　house　（no　foreign　novelist　will　be　admitted）　must
understand　his　art　as　the　healthy…minded　English　reader
understands　it　in　our　time。　He　must　know　that　our　purer　modern
taste；　our　higher　modern　morality；　limits　him　to　doing　exactly
two　things　for　us；　when　he　writes　us　a　book。　All　we　want　of　him
isoccasionally　to　make　us　laugh；　and　invariably　to　make　us
comfortable。〃

There　was　a　third　stir　among　the　visitorscaused　plainly　this
time　by　approval　of　the　sentiments　which　they　had　just　heard。　The
doctor；　wisely　cautious　of　disturbing　the　favorable　impression
that　he　had　produced；　dropped　the　subject　of　the　drawing…room；
and　led　the　way　upstairs。　As　before；　the　company　followed；　and；
as　before；　Miss　Gwilt　walked　silently　behind　them；　last　of　all。
One　after　another　the　ladies　looked　at　her　with　the　idea　of
speaking；　and　saw　something　in　her　face；　utterly　unintelligible
to　them；　which　checked　the　well…meant　words　on　their　lips。　The
prevalent　impression　was　that　the　Principal　of　the　Sanitarium　had
been　delicately　concealing　the　truth；　and　that　his　first　inmate
was　mad。

The　doctor　led　the　waywith　intervals　of　breathing…time　accorded
to　the　old　lady　on　his　armstraight　to　the　top　of　the　house。
Having　collected　his　visitors　in　the　corridor；　and　having　waved
his　hand　indicatively　at　the　numbered　doors　opening　out　of　it　on
either　side；　he　invited　the　company　to　look　into　any　or　all　of