armadale-第198章

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〃Pardon　me；〃　he　resumed；　〃I　thought　I　heard　something　downstairs。
With　regard　to　the　little　hitch　that　I　adverted　to　just　now；
permit　me　to　inform　you　that　Mr。　Armadale　has　brought　a　friend
here　with　him；　who　bears　the　strange　name　of　Midwinter。　Do　you
know　the　gentleman　at　all？〃　asked　the　doctor；　with　a　suspicious
anxiety　in　his　eyes；　which　strangely　belied　the　elaborate
indifference　of　his　tone。

〃I　know　him　to　be　an　old　friend　of　Mr。　Armadale's；〃　she　said。
〃Does　he？〃　Her　voice　failed　her；　and　her　eyes　fell　before　the
doctor's　steady　scrutiny。　She　mastered　the　momentary　weakness；
and　finished　her　question。　〃Does　he；　too；　stay　here　to…night？〃

〃Mr。　Midwinter　is　a　person　of　coarse　manners　and　suspicious
temper；〃　rejoined　the　doctor；　steadily　watching　her。　〃He　was　rude
enough　to　insist　on　staying　here　as　soon　as　Mr。　Armadale　had
accepted　my　invitation。〃

He　paused　to　note　the　effect　of　those　words　on　her。　Left　utterly
in　the　dark　by　the　caution　with　which　she　had　avoided　mentioning
her　husband's　assumed　name　to　him　at　their　first　interview；　the
doctor's　distrust　of　her　was　necessarily　of　the　vaguest　kind。　He
had　heard　her　voice　fail　herhe　had　seen　her　color　change。　He
suspected　her　of　a　mental　reservation　on　the　subject　of
Midwinterand　of　nothing　more。

〃Did　you　permit　him　to　have　his　way？〃　she　asked。　〃In　your　place；
I　should　have　shown　him　the　door。〃

The　impenetrable　composure　of　her　tone　warned　the　doctor　that　her
self…command　was　not　to　be　further　shaken　that　night。　He　resumed
the　character　of　Mrs。　Armadale's　medical　referee　on　the　subject
of　Mr。　Armadale's　mental　health。

〃If　I　had　only　had　my　own　feelings　to　consult；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't
disguise　from　you　that　I　should　（as　you　say）　have　shown　Mr。
Midwinter　the　door。　But　on　appealing　to　Mr。　Armadale；　I　found　he
was　himself　anxious　not　to　be　parted　from　his　friend。　Under　those
circumstances；　but　one　alternative　was　leftthe　alternative　of
humoring　him　again。　The　responsibility　of　thwarting　himto　say
nothing；〃　added　the　doctor；　drifting　for　a　moment　toward　the
truth；　〃of　my　natural　apprehension；　with　such　a　temper　as　his
friend's；　of　a　scandal　and　disturbance　in　the　housewas　not　to
be　thought　of　for　a　moment。　Mr。　Midwinter　accordingly　remains
here　for　the　night；　and　occupies　（I　ought　to　say；　insists　on
occupying）　the　next　room　to　Mr。　Armadale。　Advise　me；　my　dear
madam；　in　this　emergency；〃　concluded　the　doctor；　with　his　loudest
emphasis。　〃What　rooms　shall　we　put　them　in；　on　the　first　floor？〃

〃Put　Mr。　Armadale　in　Number　Four。〃

〃And　his　friend　next　to　him；　in　Number　Three？〃　said　the　doctor。
〃Well！　well！　well！　perhaps　they　_are_　the　most　comfortable　rooms。
I'll　give　my　orders　immediately。　Don't　hurry　away；　Mr。　Bashwood；〃
he　called　out；　cheerfully；　as　he　reached　the　top　of　the
staircase。　〃I　have　left　the　assistant　physician's　key　on　the
windowsill　yonder；　and　Mrs。　Armadale　can　let　you　out　at　the
staircase　door　whenever　she　pleases。　Don't　sit　up　late；　Mrs。
Armadale！　Yours　is　a　nervous　system　that　requires　plenty　of
sleep。　'Tired　nature's　sweet　restorer；　balmy　sleep。'　Grand　line！
God　bless　yougood…night！〃

Mr。　Bashwood　came　back　from　the　far　end　of　the　corridorstill
pondering；　in　unutterable　expectation；　on　what　was　to　come　with
the　night。

〃Am　I　to　go　now？〃　he　asked。

〃No。　You　are　to　stay。　I　said　you　should　know　all　if　you　waited
till　the　morning。　Wait　here。〃

He　hesitated；　and　looked　about　him。　〃The　doctor；〃　he　faltered。　〃I
thought　the　doctor　said〃

〃The　doctor　will　interfere　with　nothing　that　I　do　in　this　house
to…night。　I　tell　you　to　stay。　There　are　empty　rooms　on　the　floor
above　this。　Take　one　of　them。〃

Mr。　Bashwood　felt　the　trembling　fit　coming　on　him　again　as　he
looked　at　her。　〃May　I　ask？〃　he　began。

〃Ask　nothing。　I　want　you。〃

〃Will　you　please　to　tell　me？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　nothing　till　the　night　is　over　and　the　morning
has　come。〃

His　curiosity　conquered　his　fear。　He　persisted。

〃Is　it　something　dreadful？〃　he　whispered。　〃Too　dreadful　to　tell
me？〃

She　stamped　her　foot　with　a　sudden　outbreak　of　impatience。　〃Go！〃
she　said；　snatching　the　key　of　the　staircase　door　from　the
window…sill。　〃You　do　quite　right　to　distrust　meyou　do　quite
right　to　follow　me　no　further　in　the　dark。　Go　before　the　house　is
shut　up。　I　can　do　without　you。〃　She　led　the　way　to　the　stairs；
with　the　key　in　one　hand；　and　the　candle　in　the　other。

Mr。　Bashwood　followed　her　in　silence。　No　one；　knowing　what　he
knew　of　her　earlier　life；　could　have　failed　to　perceive　that　she
was　a　woman　driven　to　the　last　extremity；　and　standing
consciously　on　the　brink　of　a　Crime。　In　the　first　terror　of　the
discovery；　he　broke　free　from　the　hold　she　had　on　him：　he　thought
and　acted　like　a　man　who　had　a　will　of　his　own　again。

She　put　the　key　in　the　door；　and　turned　to　him　before　she　opened
it；　with　the　light　of　the　candle　on　her　face。　〃Forget　me；　and
forgive　me；〃　she　said。　〃We　meet　no　more。〃

She　opened　the　door；　and；　standing　inside　it；　after　he　had　passed
her；　gave　him　her　hand。　He　had　resisted　her　look；　he　had　resisted
her　words；　but　the　magnetic　fascination　of　her　touch　conquered
him　at　the　final　moment。　〃I　can't　leave　you！〃　he　said；　holding
helplessly　by　the　hand　she　had　given　him。　〃What　must　I　do？〃

〃Come　and　see；〃　she　answered；　without　allowing　him　an　instant　to
reflect。

Closing　her　hand　firmly　on　his；　she　led　him　along　the　first　floor
corridor　to　the　room　numbered　Four。　〃Notice　that　room；〃　she
whispered。　After　a　look　over　the　stairs　to　see　that　they　were
alone；　she　retraced　her　steps　with　him　to　the　opposite　extremity
of　the　corridor。　Here；　facing　the　window　which　lit　the　place　at
the　other　end；　was　one　little　room；　with　a　narrow　grating　in　the
higher　part　of　the　door；　intended　for　the　sleeping　apartment　of
the　doctor's　deputy。　From　the　position　of　this　room；　the　grating
commanded　a　view　of　the　bed…chambers　down　each　side　of　the
corridor；　and　so　enabled　the　deputy…physician　to　inform　himself
of　any　irregular　proceedings　on　the　part　of　the　patients　under
his　care；　with　little　or　no　chance　of　being　detected　in　watching
them。　Miss　Gwilt　opened　the　door　and　led　the　way　into　the　empty
room。

〃Wait　here；〃　she　said；　〃while　I　go　back　upstairs；　and　lock
yourself　in；　if　you　like。　You　will　be　in　the　dark；　but　the　gas
will　be　burning　in　the　corridor。　Keep　at　the　grating；　and　make
sure　that　Mr。　Armadale　goes　into　the　room　I　have　just　pointed　out
to　you；　and　that　he　doesn't　leave　it　afterward。　If　you　lose　sight
of　the　room　for　a　single　moment　before　I　come　back；　you　will
repent　it　to　the　end　of　your　life。　If　you　do　as　I　tell　you；　you
shall　see　me　to…morrow；　and　claim　your　own　reward。　Quick　with
your　answer！　Is　it　Yes　or　No？〃

He　could　make　no　reply　in　words。　He　raised　her　hand　to　his　lips；
and　kissed　it　rapturously。　She　left　him　in　the　room。　From　his
place　at　the　grating　he　saw　her　glide　down　the　corridor　to　the
staircase　door。　She　passed　through　it；　and　locked　it。　Then　there
was　silence。

The　next　sound　was　the　sound　of　the　women…servants'　voices。　Two
of　them　came　up　to　put　the　sheets　on　the　beds　in　Number　Three　and
Number　Four。　The　women　were　in　high　good…humor；　laughing　and
talking　to　each　other　through　the　open　doors　of　the　rooms。　The
master's　customers　were　coming　in　at　last；　they　said；　with　a
vengeance；　the　house　would　soon　begin　to　look　cheerful；　if　things
went　on　like　this。

After　a　little；　the　beds　were　got　ready　and　the　women　returned　to
the　kitchen　floor；　on　which　the　sleeping…rooms　of　the　domestic
servants　were　all　situated。　Then　there　was　silence　again。

The　next　sound　was　the　sound　of　the　doctor's　voice。　He　appeared
at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　showing　Allan　and　Midwinter　the　way
to　their　rooms。　They　all　went　together　into　Number　Four。　After　a
little；　the　doctor　came　out　first。　He　waited　till　Midwinter
joined　him；　and　pointed　with　a　formal　bow　to　the　door　of　Number
Three。　Midwinter　entered　the　room　without　speaking；　and　shut
himself　in。　The　doctor；　left　alone；　withdrew　to　the　staircase
door　and　unlocked　it；　then　waited　in　the　corridor；　whistling　to
himself　softly；　under　his　breath。

Voices　pitched　cautiously　low　became　audible　in　a　minute　more　in
the　hall。