armadale-第194章

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closed　the　mouth　of　it。　With　another　look　at　Miss　Gwilt；　the
doctor　locked　the　lid　again；　and　asked；　in　the　blandest　manner；
whether　his　System　was　intelligible　now？

〃I　might　introduce　you　to　all　sorts　of　other　contrivances　of　the
same　kind；〃　he　resumed；　leading　the　way　downstairs；　〃but　it　would
be　only　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again。　A　nervous　patient　who
always　has　his　own　way　is　a　nervous　patient　who　is　never　worried；
and　a　nervous　patient　who　is　never　worried　is　a　nervous　patient
cured。　There　it　is　in　a　nutshell！　Come　and　see　the　Dispensary；
ladies；　the　Dispensary　and　the　kitchen　next！〃

Once　more；　Miss　Gwilt　dropped　behind　the　visitors；　and　waited
alonelooking　steadfastly　at　the　Room　which　the　doctor　had
opened；　and　at　the　apparatus　which　the　doctor　had　unlocked。
Again；　without　a　word　passing　between　them；　she　had　understood
him。　She　knew；　as　well　as　if　he　had　confessed　it；　that　he　was
craftily　putting　the　necessary　temptation　in　her　way；　before
witnesses　who　could　speak　to　the　superficially　innocent　acts
which　they　had　seen；　if　anything　serious　happened。　The　apparatus；
originally　constructed　to　serve　the　purpose　of　the　doctor's
medical　crotchets；　was　evidently　to　be　put　to　some　other　use；　of
which　the　doctor　himself　had　probably　never　dreamed　till　now。　And
the　chances　were　that；　before　the　day　was　over；　that　other　use
would　be　privately　revealed　to　her　at　the　right　moment；　in　the
presence　of　the　right　witness。　〃Armadale　will　die　this　time；〃　she
said　to　herself；　as　she　went　slowly　down　the　stairs。　〃The　doctor
will　kill　him；　by　my　hands。〃

The　visitors　were　in　the　Dispensary　when　she　joined　them。　All　the
ladies　were　admiring　the　beauty　of　the　antique　cabinet；　and；　as　a
necessary　consequence；　all　the　ladies　were　desirous　of　seeing
what　was　inside。　The　doctorafter　a　preliminary　look　at　Miss
Gwiltgood…humoredly　shook　his　head。　〃There　is　nothing　to
interest　you　inside；〃　he　said。　〃Nothing　but　rows　of　little　shabby
bottles　containing　the　poisons　used　in　medicine　which　I　keep
under　lock　and　key。　Come　to　the　kitchen；　ladies；　and　honor　me
with　your　advice　on　domestic　matters　below　stairs。〃　He　glanced
again　at　Miss　Gwilt　as　the　company　crossed　the　hall；　with　a　look
which　said　plainly；　〃Wait　here。〃

In　another　quarter　of　an　hour　the　doctor　had　expounded　his　views
on　cookery　and　diet；　and　the　visitors　（duly　furnished　with
prospectuses）　were　taking　leave　of　him　at　the　door。　〃Quite　an
intellectual　treat！〃　they　said　to　each　other；　as　they　streamed
out　again　in　neatly　dressed　procession　through　the　iron　gates。
〃And　what　a　very　superior　man！〃

The　doctor　turned　back　to　the　Dispensary；　humming　absently　　to
himself；　and　failing　entirely　to　observe　the　corner　of　the　hall
in　which　Miss　Gwilt　stood　retired。　After　an　instant's　hesitation；
she　followed　him。　The　as　sistant　was　in　the　room　when　she　entered
itsummoned　by　his　employer　the　moment　before。

〃Doctor；〃　she　said；　coldly　and　mechanically；　as　if　she　was
repeating　a　lesson；　〃I　am　as　curious　as　the　other　ladies　about
that　pretty　cabinet　of　yours。　Now　they　are　all　gone；　won't　you
show　the　inside　of　it　to　_me？_〃

The　doctor　laughed　in　his　pleasantest　manner。

〃The　old　story；〃　he　said。　〃Blue…Beard's　locked　chamber；　and
female　curiosity！　（Don't　go；　Benjamin；　don't　go。）　My　dear　lady；
what　interest　can　you　possibly　have　in　looking　at　a　medical
bottle；　simply　because　it　happens　to　be　a　bottle　of　poison？〃

She　repeated　her　lesson　for　the　second　time。

〃I　have　the　interest　of　looking　at　it；〃　she　said；　〃and　of
thinking；　if　it　got　into　some　people's　hands；　of　the　terrible
things　it　might　do。〃

The　doctor　glanced　at　his　assistant　with　a　compassionate　smile。

〃Curious；　Benjamin；〃　he　said；　〃the　romantic　view　taken　of　these
drugs　of　ours　by　the　unscientific　mind！　My　dear　lady；〃　he　added；
turning　to　Miss　Gwilt；　〃if　_that_　is　the　interest　you　attach　to
looking　at　poisons；　you　needn't　ask　me　to　unlock　my　cabinetyou
need　only　look　about　you　round　the　shelves　of　this　room。　There
are　all　sorts　of　medical　liquids　and　substances　in　those
bottlesmost　innocent；　most　useful　in　themselveswhich；　in
combination　with　other　substances　and　other　liquids；　become
poisons　as　terrible　and　as　deadly　as　any　that　I　have　in　my
cabinet　under　lock　and　key。〃

She　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　and　creased　to　the　opposite　side
of　the　room。

〃Show　me　one；〃　she　said；

Still　smiling　as　good…humoredly　as　ever；　the　doctor　humored　his
nervous　patient。　He　pointed　to　the　bottle　from　which　he　had
privately　removed　the　yellow　liquid　on　the　previous　day；　and
which　he　had　filled　up　again　with　a　carefully…colored　imitation
in　the　shape　of　a　mixture　of　his　own。

〃Do　you　see　that　bottle；〃　he　said〃that　plump；　round；
comfortable…looking　bottle？　Never　mind　the　name　of　what　is　beside
it；　let　us　stick　to　the　bottle；　and　distinguish　it；　if　you　like；
by　giving　it　a　name　of　our　own。　Suppose　we　call　it　'our　Stout
Friend'？　Very　good。　Our　Stout　Friend；　by　himself；　is　a　most
harmless　and　useful　medicine。　He　is　freely　dispensed　every　day　to
tens　of　thousands　of　patients　all　over　the　civilized　world。　He
has　made　no　romantic　appearances　in　courts　of　law；　he　has　excited
no　breathless　interest　in　novels；　he　has　played　no　terrifying
part　on　the　stage。　There　he　is；　an　innocent；　inoffensive
creature；　who　troubles　nobody　with　the　responsibility　of　locking
him　up！　_But_　bring　him　into　contact　with　something
elseintroduce　him　to　the　acquaintance　of　a　certain　common
mineral　substance；　of　a　universally　accessible　kind；　broken　into
fragments；　provide　yourself　with　（say）　six　doses　of　our　Stout
Friend；　and　pour　those　doses　consecutively　on　the　fragments　I
have　mentioned；　at　intervals　of　not　less　than　five　minutes。
Quantities　of　little　bubbles　will　rise　at　every　pouring；　collect
the　gas　in　those　bubbles；　and　convey　it　into　a　closed
chamberand　let　Samson　himself　be　in　that　closed　chamber；　our
stout　Friend　will　kill　him　in　half　an　hour！　Will　kill　him　slowly；
without　his　seeing　anything；　without　his　smelling　anything；
without　his　feeling　anything　but　sleepiness。　Will　kill　him；　and
tell　the　whole　College　of　Surgeons　nothing；　if　they　examine　him
after　death；　but　that　he　died　of　apoplexy　or　congestion　of　the
lungs！　What　do　you　think　of　_that；_　my　dear　lady；　in　the　way　of
mystery　and　romance？　Is　our　harmless　Stout　Friend　as　interesting
_now_　as　if　he　rejoiced　in　the　terrible　popular　fame　of　the
Arsenic　and　the　Strychnine　which　I　keep　locked　up　there？　Don't
suppose　I　am　exaggerating！　Don't　suppose　I'm　inventing　a　story　to
put　you　off　with；　as　the　children　say。　Ask　Benjamin　there；〃　said
the　doctor；　appealing　to　his　assistant；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on
Miss　Gwilt。　〃Ask　Benjamin；〃　he　repeated；　with　the　steadiest
emphasis　on　the　next　words；　〃if　six　doses　from　that　bottle；　at
intervals　of　five　minutes　each；　would　not；　under　the　conditions　I
have　stated；　produce　the　results　I　have　described？〃

The　Resident　Dispenser；　modestly　admiring　Miss　Gwilt　at　a
distance；　started　and　colored　up。　He　was　plainly　gratified　by　the
little　attention　which　had　included　him　in　the　conversation。

〃The　doctor　is　quite　right；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　addressing　Miss
Gwilt；　with　his　best　bow；　〃the　production　of　the　gas；　extended
over　half　an　hour；　would　be　quite　gradual　enough。　And；〃　added　the
Dispenser；　silently　appealing　to　his　employer　to　let　him　exhibit
a　little　chemical　knowledge　on　his　own　account；　〃the　volume　of
the　gas　would　be　sufficient　at　the　end　of　the　timeif　I　am　not
mistaken；　sir？to　be　fatal　to　any　person　entering　the　room　in
less　than　five　minutes。〃

〃Unquestionably；　Benjamin；〃　rejoined　the　doctor。　〃But　I　think　we
have　had　enough　of　chemistry　for　the　present；〃　he　added；　turning
to　Miss　Gwilt。　〃With　every　desire；　my　dear　lady；　to　gratify　every
passing　wish　you　may　form；　I　venture　to　propose　trying　a　more
cheerful　subject。　Suppose　we　leave　the　Dispensary；　before　it
suggests　any　more　inquiries　to　that　active　mind　of　yours？　No？　You
want　to　see　an　experiment？　You　want　to　see　how　the　little　bubbles
are　made？　Well；　well！　there　is　no　harm　in　that。　We　will　let　Mrs。
Armadale　see　the　bubbles；〃　continued　the　doctor；　in　the　tone　of　a
parent　humoring　a　spoiled　child。　〃Try　if　you　c