armadale-第40章

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scornful　bitterness　of　emphasis　which　insisted　pitilessly　on　the
marked　contrast　between　them。

Something　in　the　sound　of　his　laughter　jarred　painfully　even　on
Allan's　easy　nature。　He　raised　himself　on　the　deck　and　spoke
seriously　for　the　first　time。　〃A　joke's　a　joke；　Midwinter；〃　he
said；　〃as　long　as　you　don't　carry　it　too　far。　I　remember　your
saying　something　of　the　same　sort　to　me　once　before　when　I　was
nursing　you　in　Somersetshire。　You　forced　me　to　ask　you　if　I
deserved　to　be　kept　at　arms…length　by　_you_　of　all　the　people　in
the　world。　Don't　force　me　to　say　so　again。　Make　as　much　fun　of　me
as　you　please；　old　fellow；　in　any　other　way。　_That_　way　hurts
me。〃

Simple　as　the　words　were；　and　simply　as　they　had　been　spoken；
they　appeared　to　work　an　instant　revolution　in　Midwinter's　mind。
His　impressible　nature　recoiled　as　from　some　sudden　shock。
Without　a　word　of　reply；　he　walked　away　by　himself　to　the　forward
part　of　the　ship。　He　sat　down　on　some　piled　planks　between　the
masts；　and　passed　his　hand　over　his　head　in　a　vacant；　bewildered
way。　Though　his　father's　belief　in　fatality　was　his　own　belief
once　morethough　there　was　no　longer　the　shadow　of　a　doubt　in
his　mind　that　the　woman　whom　Mr。　Brock　had　met　in　Somersetshire；
and　the　woman　who　had　tried　to　destroy　herself　in　London；　were
one　and　the　samethough　all　the　horror　that　mastered　him　when　he
first　read　the　letter　from　Wildbad　had　now　mastered　him　again；
Allan's　appeal　to　their　past　experience　of　each　other　had　come
home　to　his　heart；　with　a　force　more　irresistible　than　the　force
of　his　superstition　itself。　In　the　strength　of　that　very
superstition；　he　now　sought　the　pretext　which　might　encourage　him
to　sacrifice　every　less　generous　feeling　to　the　one　predominant
dread　of　wounding　the　sympathies　of　his　friend。　〃Why　distress
him？〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃We　are　not　the　end　here：　there　is
the　Woman　behind　us　in　the　dark。　Why　resist　him　when　the
mischief's　done　；　and　the　caution　comes　too　late？　What　_　is_　to
be　_will_　be。　What　have　I　to　do　with　the　future？　and　what　has
he？〃

He　went　back　to　Allan；　sat　down　by　his　side；　and　took　his　hand。
〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said；　gently；　〃I　have　hurt　you　for　the　last
time。〃　Before　it　was　possible　to　reply；　he　snatched　up　the　whisky
flask　from　the　deck。　〃Come！〃　he　exclaimed；　with　a　sudden　effort
to　match　his　friend's　cheerfulness；　〃you　have　been　trying　the
doctor's　medicine；　why　shouldn't　I？〃

Allan　was　delighted。　〃This　is　something　like　a　change　for　the
better；〃　he　said；　〃Midwinter　is　himself　again。　Hark！　there　are
the　birds。　Hail；　smiling　morn！　smiling　morn！〃　He　sang　the　words
of　the　glee　in　his　old；　cheerful　voice；　and　clapped　Midwinter　on
the　shoulder　in　his　old；　hearty　way。　〃How　did　you　manage　to　clear
your　head　of　those　confounded　megrims？　Do　you　know　you　were　quite
alarming　about　something　happening　to　one　or　other　of　us　before
we　were　out　of　this　ship？〃

〃Sheer　nonsense！〃　returned　Midwinter；　contemptuously。　〃I　don't
think　my　head　has　ever　been　quite　right　since　that　fever；　I've
got　a　bee　in　my　bonnet；　as　they　say　in　the　North。　Let's　talk　of
something　else。　About　those　people　you　have　let　the　cottage　to？　I
wonder　whether　the　agent's　account　of　Major　Milroy's　family　is　to
be　depended　on？　There　might　be　another　lady　in　the　household
besides　his　wife　and　his　daughter。〃

〃Oho！〃　cried　Allan；　〃_you're_　beginning　to　think　of　nymphs　among
the　trees；　and　flirtations　in　the　fruit…garden；　are　you？　Another
lady；　eh？　Suppose　the　major's　family　circle　won't　supply　another？
We　shall　have　to　spin　that　half…crown　again；　and　toss　up　for
which　is　to　have　the　first　chance　with　Miss　Milroy。〃

For　once　Midwinter　spoke　as　lightly　and　carelessly　as　Allan
himself。　〃No；　no；〃　he　said；　〃the　major's　landlord　has　the　first
claim　to　the　notice　of　the　major's　daughter。　I'll　retire　into　the
background；　and　wait　for　the　next　lady　who　makes　her　appearance
at　Thorpe　Ambrose。〃

〃Very　good。　I'll　have　an　address　to　the　women　of　Norfolk　posted
in　the　park　to　that　effect；〃　said　Allan。　〃Are　you　particular　to　a
shade　about　size　or　complexion？　What's　your　favorite　age？〃

Midwinter　trifled　with　his　own　superstition；　as　a　man　trifles
with　the　loaded　gun　that　may　kill　him；　or　with　the　savage　animal
that　may　maim　him　for　life。　He　mentioned　the　age　（as　he　had
reckoned　it　himself）　of　the　woman　in　the　black　gown　and　the　red
Paisley　shawl。

〃Five…and…thirty；　〃　he　said。

As　the　words　passed　his　lips；　his　factitious　spirits　deserted
him。　He　left　his　seat；　impenetrably　deaf　to　all　Allan's　efforts
at　rallying　him　on　his　extraordinary　answer；　and　resumed　his
restless　pacing　of　the　deck　in　dead　silence。　Once　more　the
haunting　thought　which　had　gone　to　and　fro　with　him　in　the　hour
of　darkness　went　to　and　fro　with　him　now　in　the　hour　of　daylight。

Once　more　the　conviction　possessed　itself　of　his　mind　that
something　was　to　happen　to　Allan　or　to　himself　before　they　left
the　wreck。

Minute　by　minute　the　light　strengthened　in　the　eastern　sky；　and
the　shadowy　places　on　the　deck　of　the　timber…ship　revealed　their
barren　emptiness　under　the　eye　of　day。　As　the　breeze　rose　again；
the　sea　began　to　murmur　wakefully　in　the　morning　light。　Even　the
cold　bubbling　of　the　broken　water　changed　its　cheerless　note；　and
softened　on　the　ear　as　the　mellowing　flood　of　daylight　poured
warm　over　it　from　the　rising　sun。　Midwinter　paused　near　the
forward　part　of　the
　ship；　and　recalled　his　wandering　attention　to　the　passing　time。
The　cheering　influences　of　the　hour　were　round　him；　look　where　he
might。　The　happy　morning　smile　of　the　summer　sky；　so　brightly
merciful　to　the　old　and　weary　earth；　lavished　its　all…embracing
beauty　even　on　the　wreck。　The　dew　that　lay　glittering　on　the
inland　fields　lay　glittering　on　the　deck；　and　the　worn　and　rusted
rigging　was　gemmed　as　brightly　as　the　fresh　green　leaves　on
shore。　Insensibly；　as　he　looked　round；　Midwinter's　thoughts
reverted　to　the　comrade　who　had　shared　with　him　the　adventure　of
the　night。　He　returned　to　the　after…part　of　the　ship；　spoke　to
Allan　as　he　advanced。　Receiving　no　answer；　he　approached　the
recumbent　figure　and　looked　closer　at　it。　Left　to　his　own
resources；　Allan　had　let　the　fatigues　of　the　night　take　their　own
way　with　him。　His　head　had　sunk　back；　his　hat　had　fallen　off；　he
lay　stretched　at　full　length　on　the　deck　of　the　timber…ship；
deeply　and　peacefully　asleep。

Midwinter　resumed　his　walk；　his　mind　lost　in　doubt；　his　own　past
thoughts　seeming　suddenly　to　have　grown　strange　to　him。　How
darkly　his　forebodings　had　distrusted　the　coming　time；　and　how
harmlessly　that　time　had　come！　The　sun　was　mounting　in　the
heavens；　the　hour　of　release　was　drawing　nearer　and　nearer；　and
of　the　two　Armadales　imprisoned　in　the　fatal　ship；　one　was
sleeping　away　the　weary　time；　and　the　other　was　quietly　watching
the　growth　of　the　new　day。

The　sun　climbed　higher；　the　hour　wore　on。　With　the　latent
distrust　of　the　wreck　which　still　clung　to　him；　Midwinter　looked
inquiringly　on　either　shore　for　signs　of　awakening　human　life。
The　land　was　still　lonely。　The　smoke　wreaths　that　were　soon　to
rise　from　cottage　chimneys　had　not　risen　yet。

After　a　moment's　thought　he　went　back　again　to　the　after…part　of
the　vessel；　to　see　if　there　might　be　a　fisherman's　boat　within
hail　astern　of　them。　Absorbed　for　the　moment　by　the　new　idea；　he
passed　Allan　hastily；　after　barely　noticing　that　he　still　lay
asleep。　One　step　more　would　have　brought　him　to　the　taffrail；
when　that　step　was　suspended　by　a　sound　behind　him；　a　sound　like
a　faint　groan。　He　turned；　and　looked　at　the　sleeper　on　the　deck。
He　knelt　softly；　and　looked　closer。

〃It　has　come！〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃Not　to　_me_but　to
_him。_　〃

It　had　come；　in　the　bright　freshness　of　the　morning；　it　had　come；
in　the　mystery　and　terror　of　a　Dream。　The　face　which　Midwinter
had　last　seen　in　perfect　repose　was　now　the　distorted　face　of　a
suffering　man。　The　perspiration　stood　thick　on　Allan's　forehead；
and　matted　his　curling　hair。　His　partially　opened　eyes　showed
nothing　but　the　white　of　the　eyeball　gleaming　blindly。　His
outstretched　hands　scratched　and　struggled　on　the　deck。　From
moment　to　moment　he　moaned　and　muttered　helple