armadale-第4章

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enough　to　understand　me。　Shall　I　live　to　tell　it？_　The　doctor
would　say　nothing　certain。　The　same　night　（still　without　a　word
to　me）　he　locked　himself　into　his　room。　What　would　any　woman；
treated　as　I　was；　have　done　in　my　place？　She　would　have　done　as　I
didshe　would　have　list　ened　again。　I　heard　him　say　to　himself：
_I　shall　not　live　to　tell　it：　I　must；　write　it　before　I　die。_　I
heard　his　pen　scrape；　scrape；　scrape　over　the　paper；　I　heard　him
groaning　and　sobbing　as　he　wrote；　I　implored　him　for　God's　sake
to　let　me　in。　The　cruel　pen　went　scrape；　scrape；　scrape；　the
cruel　pen　was　all　the　answer　he　gave　me。　I　waited　at　the
doorhoursI　don't　know　how　long。　On　a　sudden；　the　pen　stopped；
and　I　heard　no　more。　I　whispered　through　the　keyhole　softly；　I
said　I　was　cold　and　weary　with　waiting；　I　said；　Oh；　my　love；　let
me　in！　Not　even　the　cruel　pen　answered　me　now：　silence　answered
me。　With　all　the　strength　of　my　miserable　hands　I　beat　at　the
door。　The　servants　came　up　and　broke　it　in。　We　were　too　late；　the
harm　was　done。　Over　that　fatal　letter；　the　stroke　had　struck
himover　that　fatal　letter；　we　found　him　paralyzed　as　you　see
him　now。　Those　words　which　he　wants　you　to　write　are　the　words　he
would　have　written　himself　if　the　stroke　had　spared　him　till　the
morning　From　that　time　to　this　there　has　been　a　blank　place　left
in　the　letter；　and　it　is　that　blank　place　which　he　has　just　asked
you　to　fill　up。'In　those　words　Mrs。　Armadale　spoke　to　me；　in
those　words　you　have　the　sum　and　substance　of　all　the　information
I　can　give。　Say；　if　you　please；　sir；　have　I　kept　the　thread　at
last？　Have　I　shown　you　the　necessity　which　brings　me　here　from
your　countryman's　death…bed？〃

〃Thus　far；〃　said　Mr。　Neal；　〃you　merely　show　me　that　you　are
exciting　yourself。　This　is　too　serious　a　matter　to　be　treated　as
you　are　treating　it　now。　You　have　involved　Me　in　the　business；
and　I　insist　on　seeing　my　way　plainly。　Don't　raise　your　hands；
your　hands　are　not　a　part　of　the　question。　If　I　am　to　be
concerned　in　the　completion　of　this　mysterious　letter；　it　is　only
an　act　of　justifiable　prudence　on　my　part　to　inquire　what　the
letter　is　about。　Mrs。　Armadale　appears　to　have　favored　you　with
an　infinite　number　of　domestic　particularsin　return；　I　presume；
for　your　polite　attention　in　taking　her　by　the　hand。　May　I　ask
what　she　could　tell　you　about　her　husband's　letter；　so　far　as　her
husband　has　written　it？〃

〃Mrs。　Armadale　could　tell　me　nothing；〃　replied　the　doctor；　with　a
sudden　formality　in　his　manner；　which　showed　that　his　forbearance
was　at　last　failing　him。　〃Before　she　was　composed　enough　to　think
of　the　letter；　her　husband　had　asked　for　it；　and　had　caused　it　to
be　locked　up　in　his　desk。　She　knows　that　he　has　since；　time　after
time；　tried　to　finish　it；　and　that；　time　after　time；　the　pen　has
dropped　from　his　fingers。　She　knows；　when　all　other　hope　of　his
restoration　was　at　an　end；　that　his　medical　advisers　encouraged
him　to　hope　in　the　famous　waters　of　this　place。　And　last；　she
knows　how　that　hope　has　ended；　for　she　knows　what　I　told　her
husband　this　morning。〃

The　frown　which　had　been　gathering　latterly　on　Mr。　Neal's　face
deepened　and　darkened。　He　looked　at　the　doctor　as　if　the　doctor
had　personally　offended　him。

〃The　more　I　think　of　the　position　you　are　asking　me　to　take；〃　he
said；　〃the　less　I　like　it。　Can　you　undertake　to　say　positively
that　Mr。　Armadale　is　in　his　right　mind？〃

〃Yes；　as　positively　as　words　can　say　it。〃

〃Does　his　wife　sanction　your　coming　here　to　request　my
interference？〃

〃His　wife　sends　me　to　youthe　only　Englishman　in　Wildbadto
write　for　your　dying　countryman　what　he　cannot　write　for　himself；
and　what　no　one　else　in　this　place　but　you　can　write　for　him。〃

That　answer　drove　Mr。　Neal　back　to　the　last　inch　of　ground　left
him　to　stand　on。　Even　on　that　inch　the　Scotchman　resisted　still。

〃Wait　a　little！〃　he　said。　〃You　put　it　strongly；　let　us　be　quite
sure　you　put　it　correctly　as　well。　Let　us　be　quite　sure　there　is
nobody　to　take　this　responsibility　but　myself。　There　is　a　mayor
in　Wildbad；　to　begin　witha　man　who　possesses　an　official
character　to　justify　his　interference。〃

〃A　man　of　a　thousand；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃With　one　faulthe　knows
no　language　but　his　own。〃

〃There　is　an　English　legation　at　Stuttgart；〃　persisted　Mr。　Neal。

〃And　there　are　miles　on　miles　of　the　forest　between　this　and
Stuttgart；〃　rejoined　the　doctor。　〃If　we　sent　this　moment；　we
could　get　no　help　from　the　legation　before　to…morrow；　and　it　is
as　likely　as　not；　in　the　state　of　this　dying　man's　articulation；
that　to…morrow　may　find　him　speechless。　I　don't　know　whether　his
last　wishes　are　wishes　harmless　to　his　child　and　to　others；
wishes　hurtful　to　his　child　and　to　others；　but　I　_do_　know　that
they　must　be　fulfilled　at　once　or　never；　and　that　you　are　the
only　man　that　can　help　him。〃

That　open　declaration　brought　the　discussion　to　a　close。　It　fixed
Mr。　Neal　fast　between　the　two　alternatives　of　saying　Yes；　and
committing　an　act　of　imprudence；　or　of　saying　No；　and　committing
an　act　of　inhumanity。　There　was　a　silence　of　some　minutes。　The
Scotchman　steadily　reflected；　and　the　German　steadily　watched
him。

The　responsibility　of　saying　the　next　words　rested　on　Mr。　Neal；
and　in　course　of　time　Mr。　Neal　took　it。　He　rose　from　his　chair
with　a　sullen　sense　of　injury　lowering　on　his　heavy　eyebrows；　and
working　sourly　in　the　lines　at　the　corners　of　his　mouth。

〃My　position　is　forced　on　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　no　choice　but　to
accept　it。〃

The　doctor's　impulsive　nature　rose　in　revolt　against　the
merciless　brevity　and　gracelessness　of　that　reply。　〃I　wish　to
God；〃　he　broke　out　fervently；　〃I　knew　English　enough　to　take　your
place　at　Mr。　Armadale's　bedside！〃

〃Bating　your　taking　the　name　of　the　Almighty　in　vain；〃　answered
the　Scotchman；　〃I　entirely　agree　with　you。　I　wish　you　did。〃

Without　another　word　on　either　side；　they　left　the　room
togetherthe　doctor　leading　the　way。

CHAPTER　III。

THE　WRECK　OF　THE　TIMBER　SHIP。

NO　one　answered　the　doctor's　knock　when　he　and　his　companion
reached　the　antechamber　door　of　Mr。　Armadale's　apartments。　They
entered　unannounced；　and　when　they　looked　into　the　sitting…room；
the　sitting…room　was　empty。

〃I　must　see　Mrs。　Armadale；〃　said　Mr。　Neal。　〃I　decline　acting　in
the　matter　unless　Mrs。　Armadale　authorizes　my　interference　with
her　own　lips。〃

〃Mrs。　Armadale　is　probably　with　her　husband；〃　replied　the　doctor。
He　approached　a　door　at　the　inner　end　of　the　sitting…room　while
he　spokehesitatedand；　turning　round　again；　looked　at　his　sour
companion　anxiously。　〃I　am　afraid　I　spoke　a　little　harshly；　sir；
when　we　were　leaving　your　room；〃　he　said。　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for
it；　with　all　my　heart。　Before　this　poor　afflicted　lady　comes　in；
will　youwill　you　excuse　my　asking　your　utmost　gentleness　and
consideration　for　her？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　retorted　the　other　harshly；　〃I　won't　excuse　you。　What
right　have　I　given　you　to　think　me　wanting　in　gentleness　and
consideration　toward　anybody？〃

The　doctor　saw　it　was　useless。　〃I　beg　your　pardon　again；〃　he
said；　resignedly；　and　left　the　unapproachable　stranger　to
himself。

Mr。　Neal　walked　to　the　window；　and　stood　there；　with　his　eyes
mechanically　fixed　on　the　prospect；　composing　his　mind　for　the
coming　interview。

It　was　midday；　the　sun　shone　bright　and　warm；　and　all　the　little
world　of　Wildbad　was　alive　and　merry　in　the　genial　springtime。
Now　and　again　heavy　wagons；　with　black…faced　carters　in　charge；
rolled　by　the　window；　bearing　their　precious　lading　of　charcoal
from　the　forest。　Now　and　again；　hurled　over　the　headlong　current
of　the　stream　that　runs　through　the　town；　great　lengths　of
timber；　loosely　strung　together　in　interminable　serieswith　the
booted　raftsmen；　pole　in　hand；　poised　watchful　at　either
endshot　swift　and　serpent…like　past　the　houses　on　their　course
to　the　distant　Rhine。　High　and　steep　above　the　gabled　wooden
buildings　on　the　river…bank；　the　great　hillsides；　crested　black
with　firs；　shone　to　the　shining　heavens　in　a　glory　of　lustrous
green。　In　and　out；　where　the　forest　foot…paths　wound　from　the
grass　through　the　trees；　from　the　trees　over　the　grass；　the
bright　spring　dresses　of　women　and　childre