armadale-第20章

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stranger　to　him；　and　who　inquired　the　way　to　Mrs。　Armadale's
house。　She　put　the　question　without　raising　the　thick　black　veil
that　hung　over　her　face。　Mr。　Brock；　in　giving　her　the　necessary
directions；　observed　that　she　was　a　remarkably　elegant　and
graceful　woman；　and　looked　after　her　as　she　bowed　and　left　him；
wondering　who　Mrs。　Armadale's　visitor　could　possibly　be。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　the　lady；　still　veiled　as　before；
passed　Mr。　Brock　again　close　to　the　inn。　She　entered　the　house；
and　spoke　to　the　landlady。　Seeing　the　landlord　shortly　afterward
hurrying　round　to　the　stables；　Mr。　Brock　asked　him　if　the　lady
was　going　away。　Yes；　she　had　come　from　the　railway　in　the
omnibus；　but　she　was　going　back　again　more　creditably　in　a
carriage　of　her　own　hiring；　supplied　by　the　inn。

The　rector　proceeded　on　his　walk；　rather　surprised　to　find　his
thoughts　running　inquisitively　on　a　woman　who　was　a　stranger　to
him。　When　he　got　home　again；　he　found　the　village　surgeon　waiting
his　return　with　an　urgent　message　from　Allan's　mother。　About　an
hour　since；　the　surgeon　had　been　sent　for　in　great　haste　to　see
Mrs。　Armadale。　He　had　found　her　suffering　from　an　alarming
nervous　attack；　brought　on　（as　the　servants　suspected）　by　an
unexpected；　and；　possibly；　an　unwelcome　visitor；　who　had　called
that　morning。　The　surgeon　had　done　all　that　was　needful；　and　had
no　apprehension　of　any　dangerous　results。　Finding　his　patient
eagerly　desirous；　on　recovering　herself；　to　see　Mr。　Brock
immediately；　he　had　thought　it　important　to　humor　her；　and　had
readily　undertaken　to　call　at　the　rectory　with　a　message　to　that
effect。

Looking　at　Mrs。　Armadale　with　a　far　deeper　interest　in　her　than
the　surgeon's　interest；　Mr。　Brock　saw　enough　in　her　face；　when　it
turned　toward　him　on　his　entering　the　room；　to　justify　instant
and　serious　alarm。　She　allowed　him　no　opportunity　of　soothing
her；　she　heeded　none　of　his　inquiries。　Answers　to　certain
questions　of　her　own　were　what　she　wanted；　and　what　she　was
determined　to　have：　Had　Mr。　Brock　seen　the　woman　who　had　presumed
to　visit　her　that　morning？　Yes。　Had　Allan　seen　her？　No；　Allan　had
been　at　work　since　breakfast；　and　was　at　work　still；　in　his　yard
by　the　water…side。

This　latter　reply　appeared　to　quiet　Mrs。　Armadale　for　the　moment；
she　put　her　next　questionthe　most　extraordinary　question　of　the
threemore　composedly：　Did　the　rector　think　Allan　would　object
to　leaving　his　vessel　for　the　presen　t；　and　to　accompanying　his
mother　on　a　journey　to　look　out　for　a　new　house　in　some　other
part　of　England？　In　the　greatest　amazement　Mr。　Brock　asked　what
reason　there　could　possibly　be　for　leaving　her　present　residence？
Mrs。　Armadale's　reason；　when　she　gave　it；　only　added　to　his
surprise。　The　woman's　first　visit　might　be　followed　by　a　second；
and　rather　than　see　her　again；　rather　than　run　the　risk　of
Allan's　seeing　her　and　speaking　to　her；　Mrs。　Armadale　would　leave
England　if　necessary；　and　end　her　days　in　a　foreign　land。　Taking
counsel　of　his　experience　as　a　magistrate；　Mr。　Brock　inquired　if
the　woman　had　come　to　ask　for　money。　Yes；　respectably　as　she　was
dressed；　she　had　described　herself　as　being　〃in　distress〃；　had
asked　for　money；　and　had　got　it。　But　the　money　was　of　no
importance；　the　one　thing　needful　was　to　get　away　before　the
woman　came　again。　More　and　more　surprised；　Mr。　Brock　ventured　on
another　question：　Was　it　long　since　Mrs。　Armadale　and　her　visitor
had　last　met？　Yes；　longer　than　all　Allan's　lifetimeas　long　ago
as　the　year　before　Allan　was　born。

At　that　reply；　the　rector　shifted　his　ground；　and　took　counsel
next　of　his　experience　as　a　friend。

〃Is　this　person；〃　he　asked；　〃connected　in　any　way　with　the
painful　remembrances　of　your　early　life？〃

〃Yes；　with　the　painful　remembrance　of　the　time　when　I　was
married；〃　said　Mrs。　Armadale。　〃She　was　associated；　as　a　mere
child；　with　a　circumstance　which　I　must　think　of　with　shame　and
sorrow　to　my　dying　day。〃

Mr。　Brock　noticed　the　altered　tone　in　which　his　old　friend　spoke；
and　the　unwillingness　with　which　she　gave　her　answer。

〃Can　you　tell　me　more　about　her　without　referring　to　yourself？〃
he　went　on。　〃I　am　sure　I　can　protect　you；　if　you　will　only　help
me　a　little。　Her　name；　for　instanceyou　can　tell　me　her　name？〃

Mrs。　Armadale　shook　her　head；　〃The　name　I　knew　her　by；〃　she　said；
〃would　be　of　no　use　to　you。　She　has　been　married　since　then；　she
told　me　so　herself。〃

〃And　without　telling　you　her　married　name？〃

〃She　refused　to　tell　it。〃

〃Do　you　know　anything　of　her　friends？〃

〃Only　of　her　friends　when　she　was　a　child。　They　called　themselves
her　uncle　and　aunt。　They　were　low　people；　and　they　deserted　her
at　the　school　on　my　father's　estate。　We　never　heard　any　more　of
them。〃

〃Did　she　remain　under　your　father's　care？〃

〃She　remained　under　my　care；　that　is　to　say；　she　traveled　with
us。　We　were　leaving　England；　just　as　that　time；　for　Madeira。　I
had　my　father's　leave　to　take　her　with　me；　and　to　train　the
wretch　to　be　my　maid〃

At　those　words　Mrs。　Armadale　stopped　confusedly。　Mr。　Brock　tried
gently　to　lead　her　on。　It　was　useless；　she　started　up　in　violent
agitation；　and　walked　excitedly　backward　and　forward　in　the　room。

〃Don't　ask　me　any　more！〃　she　cried　out；　in　loud；　angry　tones。　〃I
parted　with　her　when　she　was　a　girl　of　twelve　years　old。　I　never
saw　her　again；　I　never　heard　of　her　again；　from　that　time　to
this。　I　don't　know　how　she　has　discovered　me；　after　all　the　years
that　have　passed；　I　only　know　that　she　_has_　discovered　me。　She
will　find　her　way　to　Allan　next；　she　will　poison　my　son's　mind
against　me。　Help　me　to　get　away　from　her！　help　me　to　take　Allan
away　before　she　comes　back！〃

The　rector　asked　no　more　questions；　it　would　have　been　cruel　to
press　her　further。　The　first　necessity　was　to　compose　her　by
promising　compliance　with　all　that　she　desired。　The　second　was　to
induce　her　to　see　another　medical　man。　Mr。　Brock　contrived　to
reach　his　end　harmlessly　in　this　latter　case　by　reminding　her
that　she　wanted　strength　to　travel；　and　that　her　own　medical
attendant　might　restore　her　（all　the　more　speedily　to　herself　if
he　were　assisted　by　the　best　professional　advice。　Having　overcome
her　habitual　reluctance　to　seeing　strangers　by　this　means；　the
rector　at　once　went　to　Allan；　and；　delicately　concealing　what
Mrs。　Armadale　had　said　at　the　interview；　broke　the　news　to　him
that　his　mother　was　seriously　ill。　Allan　would　hear　of　no
messengers　being　sent　for　assistance：　he　drove　off　on　the　spot　to
the　railway；　and　telegraphed　himself　to　Bristol　for　medical　help。

On　the　next　morning　the　help　came；　and　Mr。　Brock's　worst　fears
were　confirmed。　The　village　surgeon　had　fatally　misunderstood　the
case　from　the　first；　and　the　time　was　past　now　at　which　his
errors　of　treatment　might　have　been　set　right。　The　shock　of　the
previous　morning　had　completed　the　mischief。　Mrs。　Armadale's　days
were　numbered。

The　son　who　dearly　loved　her；　the　old　friend　to　whom　her　life　was
precious；　hoped　vainly　to　the　last。　In　a　month　from　the
physician's　visit　all　hope　was　over；　and　Allan　shed　the　first
bitter　tears　of　his　life　at　his　mother's　grave。

She　had　died　more　peacefully　than　Mr。　Brock　had　dared　to　hope；
leaving　all　her　little　fortune　to　her　son；　and　committing　him
solemnly　to　the　care　of　her　one　friend　on　earth。　The　rector　had
entreated　her　to　let　him　write　and　try　to　reconcile　her　brothers
with　her　before　it　was　too　late。　She　had　only　answered　sadly　that
it　was　too　late　already。　But　one　reference　escaped　her　in　her
last　illness　to　those　early　sorrows　which　had　weighed　heavily　on
all　her　after…life；　and　which　had　passed　thrice　already；　like
shadows　of　evil；　between　the　rector　and　herself。　Even　on　her
deathbed　she　had　shrunk　from　letting　the　light　fall　clearly　on
the　story　of　the　past。　She　had　looked　at　Allan　kneeling　by　the
bedside；　and　had　whispered　to　Mr。　Brock：　〃_Never　let　his　Namesake
come　near　him！　Never　let　that　Woman　find　him　out！_〃　No　word　more
fell　from　her　that　touched　on　the　misfortunes　which　had　tried　her
in　the　past；　or　on　the　dangers　which　she　dreaded　in　the　future。
The　secret　which　she　had　kept　from　her　son　and　from　her　friend
was　a　secret　which　she　carrie