armadale-第42章
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bedrooms； and had left them to take their rest until the
breakfast hour arrived。
Almost as soon as his back was turned； the doors of both rooms
opened softly； and Allan and Midwinter met in the passage。
〃Can you sleep after what has happened？〃 asked Allan。
Midwinter shook his head。 〃You were coming to my room； were you
not？〃 he said。 〃What for？〃
〃To ask you to keep me company。 What were you coming to _my_ room
for？〃
〃To ask you to tell me your dream。〃
〃Damn the dream！ I want to forget all about it。〃
〃And _I_ want to know all about it。〃
Both paused； both refrained instinctively from saying more。 For
the first time since the beginning of their friendship they were
on the verge of a disagreement； and that on the subject of the
dream。 Allan's good temper just stopped them on the brink。
〃You are the most obstinate fellow alive；〃 he said； 〃but if you
will know all about it； you must know all about it； I suppose。
Come into my room； and I'll tell you。〃
He led the way； and Midwinter followed。 The door closed and shut
them in together。
CHAPTER V。
THE SHADOW OF THE FUTURE。
WHEN Mr。 Hawbury joined his guests in the breakfast…room； the
strange contrast of character between them which he had noticed
already was impressed on his mind more strongly than ever。 One of
them sat at the well…spread table； hungry and happy； ranging from
dish to dish； and declaring that he had never made such a
breakfast in his life。 The other sat apart at the window； his cup
thanklessly deserted before it was empty； his meat left
ungraciously half…eaten on his plate。 The doctor's morning
greeting to the two accurately expressed the differing
impressions which they had produced on his mind。
He clapped Allan on the shoulder； and saluted him with a joke。 He
bowed constrainedly to Midwinter； and said； 〃I am afraid you have
not recovered the fatigues of the night。〃
〃It's not the night； doctor； that has damped his spirits；〃 said
Allan。 〃It's something I have been telling him。 It is not my
fault； mind。 If I had only known beforehand that he believed in
dreams； I wouldn't have opened my lips。〃
〃Dreams？〃 repeated the doctor； looking at Midwinter directly； and
addressing him under a mistaken impression of the meaning of
Allan's words。 〃With your constitution； you ought to be well used
to dreaming by this time。〃
〃This way； doctor； you have taken the wrong turning！〃 cried
Allan。 〃I'm the dreamer； not he。 Don't look astonished； it wasn't
in this comfortable house； it was on board that confounded
timber…ship。 The fact is； I fell asleep just before you took us
off the wreck； and it's not to be denied that I had a very ugly
dream。 Well； when we got back here〃
〃Why do you trouble Mr。 Hawbury about a matter that cannot
possibly interest him？〃 asked Midwinter； speaking for the first
time； and speaking very impatiently。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 returned the doctor； rather sharply； 〃so far
as I have heard； the matter does interest me。〃
〃That's right； doctor！〃 said Allan。 〃Be interested； I beg and
pray； I want you to clear his head of the nonsense he has got in
it now。 What do you think？ He will have it that my dream is a
warning to me to avoid certain people； and he actually persists
in saying that one of those people ishimself！ Did you ever hear
the like of it？ I took great pains； I explained the whole thing
to him。 I said； warning be hanged； it's all indigestion！ You
don't know what I ate and drank at the doctor's supper…table； I
do。 Do you think he would listen to me？ Not he。 You try him next；
you're a professional man； and he must listen to you。 Be a good
fellow； doctor； and give me a certificate of indigestion； I'll
show you my tongue with pleasure。〃
〃The sight of your face is quite enough；〃 said Mr。 Hawbury。 〃I
certify； on the spot； that you never had such a thing as an
indigestion in your life。 Let's hear about the dream； and see
what we can make of it； if you have no objection； that is to
say。〃
Allan pointed at Midwinter with his fork。
〃Apply to my friend； there；〃 he said； 〃he has got a much better
account of it than I can give you。 If you'll believe me； he took
it all down in writing from my own lips； and he made me sign it
at the end； as if it was my 'last dying speech and confession'
before I went to the gallows。 Out with it； old boyI saw you put
it in your pocket…bookout with it！〃
〃Are you really in earnest？〃 asked Midwinter； producing his
pocketbook with a reluctance which was almost offensive under the
circumstances； for it implied distrust of the doctor in the
doctor's own house。
Mr。 Hawbury's color rose。 〃Pray don't show it to me； if you feel
the least unwillingness；〃 he said； with the elaborate politeness
of an offended man。
〃Stuff and nonsense！〃 cried Allan。 〃Throw it over here！〃
Instead of complying with that characteristic request； Midwinter
took the paper from the pocket…book； and； leaving his place；
approached Mr。 Hawbury。 〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said； as he
offered the doctor the manuscript with his own hand。 His eyes
dropped to the ground； and his face darkened； while he made the
apology。 〃A secret； sullen fellow；〃 thought the doctor； thanking
him with formal civility； 〃his friend is worth ten thousand of
him。〃 Midwinter went back to the window； and sat down again in
silence； with the old impenetrable resignation which had once
puzzled Mr。 Brock。
〃Read that； doctor；〃 said Allan； as Mr。 Hawbury opened the
written paper。 〃It's not told in my roundabout way； but there's
nothing added to it； and nothing taken away。 It's exactly what I
dreamed； and exactly what I should have written myself； if I had
thought the thing worth putting down on paper； and if I had had
the knack of writingwhich；〃 concluded Allan； composedly
stirring his coffee； 〃I haven't； except it's letters； and I
rattle _them_ off in no time。〃
Mr。 Hawbury spread the manuscript before him on the
breakfast…table； and read these lines：
〃ALLAN ARMADALE'S DREAM。
〃Early on the morning of June the first； eighteen hundred and
fifty…one； I found myself （through circumstances which it is not
important to mention in this place） left alone with a friend of
minea young man about my own ageon board the French
timber…ship named _La Grace de Dieu；_ which ship then lay wrecked
in the channel of the Sound between the main…land of the Isle of
Man and the islet called the Calf。 Having not been in bed the
previous night； and feeling overcome by fatigue； I fell asleep on
the deck of the vessel。 I was in my usual good health at the
time； and the morning was far enough advanced for the sun to have
risen。 Under these circumstances； and at that period of the day；
I passed from sleeping to dreaming。 As clearly as I can recollect
it； after the lapse of a few hours； this was the succession of
events presented to me by the dream：
〃1。 The first event of which I was conscious was the appearance
of my father。 He took me silently by the hand； and we found
ourselves in the cabin of a ship。
〃2。 Water rose slowly over us in the cabin； and I and my father
sank through the water together。
〃3。 An interval of oblivion followed； and then the sense came to
me of being left alone in the darkness。
〃4。 I waited。
〃5。 The darkness opened； and showed me the visionas in a
pictureof a broad； lonely pool； surrounded by open ground。
Above the farther margin of the pool I saw the cloudless western
sky； red with the light of sunset。
〃6。 On the near margin of the pool there stood the Shadow of a
Woman。
〃7。 It was the shadow only。 No indication was visible to me by
which I could identify it； or compare it with any living
creature。 The long robe showed me that it was the shadow of a
woman； and showed me nothing more。
〃8。 The darkness closed againremained with me for an
intervaland opened for the second time。
〃9。 I found myself in a room； standing before。 a long window。 The
only object of furniture or of ornament that I saw （or that I can
now remember having seen） was a little statue placed near me。 The
window opened on a lawn and flower…garden； and the rain was
pattering heavily against the glass。
〃10。 I was not alone in the
