armadale-第43章

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pattering　heavily　against　the　glass。

〃10。　I　was　not　alone　in　the　room。　Standing　opposite　to　me　at　the
window　was　the　Shadow　of　a　Man。

〃11。　I　saw　no　more　of　it；　I　knew　no　more　of　it　than　I　saw　and
knew　of　the　shadow　of　the　woman。　But　the　shadow　of　the　man　moved。
It　stretched　out　its　arm　toward　the　statue；　and　the　statue　fell
in　fragments　on　the　floor。

〃12。　With　a　confused　sensation　in　me；　which　was　partly　anger　and
partly　distress；　I　stooped　to　look　at　the　fragments。　When　I　rose
again；　the　Shadow　had　vanished；　and　I　saw　no　more。

〃13。　The　darkness　opened　for　the　third　time；　and　showed　me　the
Shadow　of　the　Woman　and　the　Shadow　of　the　Man　together。

〃14。　No　surrounding　scene　（or　none　that　I　can　now　call　to　mind）
was　visible　to　me。

〃15。　The　Man…Shadow　was　the　nearest；　the　Woman…Shadow　stood　back。
From　where　she　stood；　there　came　a　sound　as　of　the　pouring　of　a
liquid　softly。　I　saw　her　touch　the　shadow　of　the　man　with　one
hand；　and　with　the　other　give　him　a　glass。　He　took　the　glass；　and
gave　it　to　me。　In　the　moment　when　I　put　it　to　my　lips；　a　deadly
faintness　mastered　me　from　head　to　foot。　When　I　came　to　my　senses
again；　the　Shadows　had　vanished；　and　the　third　vision　was　at　an
end。

〃16。　The　darkness　closed　over　me　again；　and　the　interval　of
oblivion　followed。

〃17。　I　was　conscious　of　nothing　more；　till　I　felt　the　morning　sun
shine　on　my　face；　and　heard　my　friend　tell　me　that　I　had　awakened
from　a　dream。〃　。　。　。　。


After　reading　the　narrative　attentively　to　the　last　line　（under
which　appeared　Allan's　signature）；　the　doctor　looked　across　the
breakfast…table　at　Midwinter；　and　tapped　his　fingers　on　the
manuscript　with　a　satirical　smile。

〃Many　men；　many　opinions；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　agree　with　either　of
you　about　this　dream。　Your　theory；〃　he　added；　looking　at　Allan；
with　a　smile；　〃we　have　disposed　of　already：　the　supper　that　_you_
can't　digest　is　a　supper　which　has　yet　to　be　discovered。　My
theory　we　will　come　to　presently；　your　friend's　theory　claims
attention　first。〃　He　turned　again　to　Midwinter；　with　his
anticipated　triumph　over　a　man　whom　he　disliked　a　little　too
plainly　visible　in　his　face　and　manner。　〃If　I　understand
rightly；〃　he　went　on；　〃you　believe　that　this　dream　is　a　warning！
supernaturally　addressed　to　Mr。　Armadale；　of　dangerous　events
that　are　threatening　him；　and　of　dangerous　people　connected　with
those　events　whom　he　would　do　wisely　to　avoid。　May　I　inquire
whether　you　have　arrived　at　this　conclusion　as　an　habitual
believer　in　dreams；　or　as　having　reasons　of　your　own　for
attaching　especial　importance　to　this　one　dream　in　particular？〃

〃You　have　stated　what　my　conviction　is　quite　accurately；〃
returned　Midwinter；　chafing　under　the　doctor's　looks　and　tones。
〃Excuse　me　if　I　ask　you　to　be　satisfied　with　that　admission；　and
to　let　me　keep　my　reasons　to　myself。〃

〃That's　exactly　what　he　said　to　me；〃　interposed　Allan。　〃I　don't
believe　he　has　got　any　reasons　at　all。〃

〃Gently！　gently！〃　said　Mr。　Hawbury。　〃We　can　discuss　the　subject
without　intruding　ourselves　into　anybody's　secrets。　Let　us　come
to　my　own　method　of　dealing　with　the　dream　next。　Mr。　Midwinter
will　probably　not　be　surprised　to　hear　that　I　look　at　this　matter
from　an　essentially　practical　point　of　view。〃

〃I　shall　not　be　at　all　surprised；〃　retorted　Midwinter。　〃The　view
of　a　medical　man；　when　he　has　a　problem　in　humanity　to　solve；
seldom　ranges　beyond　the　point　of　his　dissecting…knife。〃

The　doctor　was　a　little　nettled　on　his　side。　〃Our　limits　are　not
quite　so　narrow　as　that；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　willingly　grant　you
that　there　are　some　articles　of　your　faith　in　which　we　doctors
don't　believe。　For　example；　we　don't　believe　that　a　reasonable
man　is　justified　in　attaching　a　supernatural　interpretation　to
any　phenomenon　which　comes　within　the　range　of　his　senses；　until
he　has　certainly　ascertained　that　there　is　no　such　thing　as　a
natural　explanation　of　it　to　be　found　in　the　first　instance。〃

〃Come；　that's　fair　enough；　I'm　sure；〃　exclaimed　Allan。　〃He　hit
you　hard　with　the　'dissecting…knife；'　doctor；　and　now　you　have
hit　him　back　again　with　your　'natural　explanation。'　Let's　have
it。〃

〃By　all　means；〃　said　Mr。　Hawbury。　〃Here　it　is。　There　is　nothing
at　all　extraordinary　in　my　theory　of　dreams：　it　is　the　theory
accepted　by　the　great　mass　of　my　profession。　A　dream　is　the
reproduction；　in　the　sleeping　state　of　the　brain；　of　images　and
impressions　produced　on　it　in　the　waking　state；　and　this
reproduction　is　more　or　less　involved；　imperfect；　or
contradictory；　as　the　action　of　certain　faculties　in　the　dreamer
is　controlled　more　or　less　completely　by　the　influence　of　sleep。
Without　inquiring　further　into　this　latter　part　of　the　subjecta
very　curious　and　interesting　part　of　itlet　us　take　the　theory；
roughly　and　generally；　as　I　have　just　stated　it；　and　apply　it　at
once　to　the　dream　now　under　consideration。〃　He　took　up　the
written　paper　from　the　table；　and　dropped　the　formal　tone　（as　of
a　lecturer　addressing　an　audience）　into　which　he　had　insensibly
fallen。　〃I　see　one　event　already　in　this　dream；〃　he　resumed；
〃which　I　know　to　be　the　reproduction　of　a　waking　impression
produced　on　Mr。　Armadale　in　my　own　presence。　If　he　will　only　help
me　by　exerting　his　memory；　I　don't　despair　of　tracing　back　the
whole　succession　of　events　set　down　here　to　something　that　he　has
said　or　thought；　or　seen　or　done；　in　the　four…and…twenty　hours；
or　less；　which　preceded　his　falling　asleep　on　the　deck　of　the
timber…ship。〃

〃I'll　exert　my　memory　with　the　greatest　pleasure；〃　said　Allan。
〃Where　shall　we　start　from？〃

〃Start　by　telling　me　what　you　did　yesterday；　before　I　met　you　and
your　friend　on　the　road　to　this　place；〃　replied　Mr。　Hawbury。　〃We
will　say；　you　got　up　and　had　your　breakfast。　What　next？〃

〃We　took　a　carriage　next；〃　said　Allan；　〃and　drove　from　Castletown
to　Douglas　to　see
　my　old　friend；　Mr。　Brock；　off　by　the　steamer　to　Liverpool。　We
came　back　to　Castletown。　and　separated　at　the　hotel　door。
Midwinter　went　into　the　house；　and　I　went　on　to　my　yacht　in　the
harbor。By…the…bye；　doctor；　remember　you　have　promised　to　go
cruising　with　us　before　we　leave　the　Isle　of　Man。〃

〃Many　thanks；　but　suppose　we　keep　to　the　matter　in　hand。　What
next？〃

Allan　hesitated。　In　both　senses　of　the　word　his　mind　was　at　sea
already。

〃What　did　you　do　on　board　the　yacht？〃

〃Oh；　I　know！　I　put　the　cabin　to　rightsthoroughly　to　rights。　I
give　you　my　word　of　honor；　I　turned　every　blessed　thing
topsy…turvy。　And　my　friend　there　came　off　in　a　shore…boat　and
helped　me。Talking　of　boats；　I　have　never　asked　you　yet　whether
your　boat　came　to　any　harm　last　night。　If　there's　any　damage
done；　I　insist　on　being　allowed　to　repair　it。〃

The　doctor　abandoned　all　further　attempts　at　the　cultivation　of
Allan's　memory　in　despair。

〃I　doubt　if　we　shall　be　able　to　reach　our　object　conveniently　in
this　way；〃　he　said。　〃It　will　be　better　to　take　the　events　of　the
dream　in　their　regular　order；　and　to　ask　the　questions　that
naturally　suggest　themselves　as　we　go　on。　Here　are　the　first　two
events　to　begin　with。　You　dream　that　your　father　appears　to
youthat　you　and　he　find　yourselves　in　the　cabin　of　a　shipthat
the　water　rises　over　you；　and　that　you　sink　in　it　together。　Were
you　down　in　the　cabin　of　the　wreck；　may　I　ask？〃

〃I　couldn't　be　down　there；〃　replied　Allan；　〃as　the　cabin　was　full
of　water。　I　looked　in　and　saw　it；　and　shut　the　door　again。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　Mr。　Hawbury。　〃Here　are　the　waking　impressions
clear　enough；　so　far。　You　have　had　the　cabin　in　your　mind；　and
you　have　had　the　water　in　your　mind；　and　the　sound　of　the　channel
current　（as　I　well　know　without　asking）　was　the　last　sound　in
your　ears　when　you　went　to　sleep。　The　idea　of　drowning　comes　too
naturally　out　of　such　impressions　as　these　to　need　dwelling　on。
Is　there　anything　else　before　we　go　on？　Yes；　there　is　one　more
circumstance　left　to　account　for。〃

〃The　most　important　circumstance　of　all；〃　remarked　Midwinter；
joining　in　the　conversation；　without　stirring　from　his　place　at
the　window。

〃You　mean　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Armadale's　father？　I　was　just
coming　to　that；〃　answered　Mr。　Hawbury。　〃Is　your　father　alive？〃　he
added；　addressing　himself