armadale-第44章

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coming　to　that；〃　answered　Mr。　Hawbury。　〃Is　your　father　alive？〃　he
added；　addressing　himself　to　Allan　once　more。

〃My　father　died　before　I　was　born。〃

The　doctor　started。　〃This　complicates　it　a　little；〃　he　said。　〃How
did　you　know　that　the　figure　appearing　to　you　in　the　dream　was
the　figure　of　your　father？〃

Allan　hesitated　again。　Midwinter　drew　his　chair　a　little　away
from　the　window；　and　looked　at　the　doctor　attentively　for　the
first　time。

〃Was　your　father　in　your　thoughts　before　you　went　to　sleep？〃
pursued　Mr。　Hawbury。　〃Was　there　any　description　of　himany
portrait　of　him　at　homein　your　mind？〃

〃Of　course　there　was！〃　cried　Allan；　suddenly　seizing　the　lost
recollection。　〃Midwinter！　you　remember　the　miniature　you　found　on
the　floor　of　the　cabin　when　we　were　putting　the　yacht　to　rights？
You　said　I　didn't　seem　to　value　it；　and　I　told　you　I　did；　because
it　was　a　portrait　of　my　father〃

〃And　was　the　face　in　the　dream　like　the　face　in　the　miniature？〃
asked　Mr。　Hawbury。

〃Exactly　like！　I　say；　doctor；　this　is　beginning　to　get
interesting！〃

〃What　do　you　say　now？〃　asked　Mr。　Hawbury；　turning　toward　the
window　again。

Midwinter　hurriedly　left　his　chair；　and　placed　himself　at　the
table　with　Allan。　Just　as　he　had　once　already　taken　refuge　from
the　tyranny　of　his　own　superstition　in　the　comfortable　common
sense　of　Mr。　Brock；　so；　with　the　same　headlong　eagerness；　with
the　same　straightforward　sincerity　of　purpose；　he　now　took　refuge
in　the　doctor's　theory　of　dreams。　〃I　say　what　my　friend　says；〃　he
answered；　flushing　with　a　sudden　enthusiasm；　〃this　is　beginning
to　get　interesting。　Go　on；　pray　go　on。〃

The　doctor　looked　at　his　strange　guest　more　indulgently　than　he
had　looked　yet。　〃You　are　the　only　mystic　I　have　met　with；〃　he
said；　〃who　is　willing　to　give　fair　evidence　fair　play。　I　don't
despair　of　converting　you　before　our　inquiry　comes　to　an　end。　Let
us　get　on　to　the　next　set　of　events；〃　he　resumed；　after　referring
for　a　moment　to　the　manuscript。　〃The　interval　of　oblivion　which
is　described　as　succeeding　the　first　of　the　appearances　in　the
dream　may　be　easily　disposed　of。　It　means；　in　plain　English；　the
momentary　cessation　of　the　brain's　intellectual　action；　while　a
deeper　wave　of　sleep　flows　over　it；　just　as　the　sense　of　being
alone　in　the　darkness；　which　follows；　indicates　the　renewal　of
that　action；　previous　to　the　reproduction　of　another　set　of
impressions。　Let　us　see　what　they　are。　A　lonely　pool；　surrounded
by　an　open　country；　a　sunset　sky　on　the　further　side　of　the　pool；
and　the　shadow　of　a　woman　on　the　near　side。　Very　good；　now　for
it；　Mr。　Armadale！　How　did　that　pool　get　into　your　head？　The　open
country　you　saw　on　your　way　from　Castletown　to　this　place　But　we
have　no　pools　or　lakes　hereabouts；　and　you　can　have　seen　none
recently　elsewhere；　for　you　came　here　after　a　cruise　at　sea。　Must
we　fall　back　on　a　picture；　or　a　book；　or　a　conversation　with　your
friend？〃

Allan　looked　at　Midwinter。　〃I　don't　remember　talking　about　pools
or　lakes；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you？〃

Instead　of　answering　the　question；　Midwinter　suddenly　appealed　to
the　doctor。

〃Have　you　got　the　last　number　of　the　Manx　newspaper？〃　he　asked。

The　doctor　produced　it　from　the　sideboard。　Midwinter　turned　to
the　page　containing　those　extracts　from　the　recently　published
〃Travels　in　Australia；〃　which　had　roused　Allan's；　interest　on　the
previous　evening；　and　the　reading　of　which　had　ended　by　sending
his　friend　to　sleep。　Therein　the　passage　describing　the
sufferings　of　the　travelers　from　thirst；　and　the　subsequent
discovery　which　saved　their　livesthere；　appearing　at　the　climax
of　the　narrative；　was　the　broad　pool　of　water　which　had　figured
in　Allan's　dream！

〃Don't　put　away　the　paper；〃　said　the　doctor；　when　Midwinter　had
shown　it　to　him；　with　the　necessary　explanation。　〃Before　we　are
at　the　end　of　the　inquiry；　it　is　quite　possible　we　may　want　that
extract　again。　We　have　got　at　the　pool。　How　about　the　sunset？
Nothing　of　that　sort　is　referred　to　in　the　newspaper　extract。
Search　your　memory　again；　Mr。　Armadale；　we　want　your　waking
impression　of　a　sunset；　if　you　please。〃

Once　more；　Allan　was　at　a　loss　for　an　answer；　and；　once　more；
Midwinter's　ready　memory　helped　him　through　the　difficulty。

〃I　think　I　can　trace　our　way　back　to　this　impression；　as　I　traced
our　way　back　to　the　other；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　doctor。
〃After　we　got　here　yesterday　afternoon；　my　friend　and　I　took　a
long　walk　over　the　hills〃

〃That's　it！〃　interposed　Allan。　〃I　remember。　The　sun　was　setting
as　we　came　back　to　the　hotel　for　supper；　and　it　was　such　a
splendid　red　sky；　we　both　stopped　to　look　at　it。　And　then　we
talked　about　Mr。　Brock；　and　wondered　how　far　he　had　got　on　his
journey　home。　My　memory　may　be　a　slow　one　at　starting；　doctor；
but　when　it's　once　set　going；　stop　it　if　you　can！　I　haven't　half
done　yet。〃

〃Wait　one　minute；　in　mercy　to　Mr。　Midwinter's　memory　and　mine；〃
said　the　doctor。　〃We　have　traced　back　to　your　waking　impressions
the　vision　of　the　open　country；　the　pool；　and　the　sunset。　But　the
Shadow　of　the　Woman　has　not　been　accounted　for　yet。　Can　you　find
us　the　original　of　this　mysterious　figure　in　the　dream
landscape？〃

Allan　relapsed　into　his　former　perplexity；　and　Midwinter　waited
for　what　was　to　come；　with　his　eyes　fixed　in　breathless　interest
on　the　doctor's　face。　For　the　first　time　there　was　unbroken
silence　in　the　room。　Mr。　Hawbury　looked　interrogatively　from
Allan　to　Allan's　friend。　Neither　of　them　answered　him。　Between
the　shadow　and　the　shadow's　substance　there　was　a　great　gulf　of
mystery；　impenetrable　alike　to　all　three　of　them。

〃Patience；〃　said　the　doctor；　composedly。　〃Let　us　leave　the　figure
by　the　pool　for　the　present　and　try　if　we　can't　pick　her　up　again
as　we　go　on。　Allow　me　to　observe；　Mr。　Midwinter；　that　it　is　not
very　easy　to　identify　a　shadow；　but　we　won't　despair。　This
impalpable　lady　of　the　lake　may　take　some　consistency　when　we
next　meet　with　her。〃

Midwinter　made　no　reply。　From　that　moment　his　interest　in　the
inquiry　began　to　flag。

〃What　is　the　next　scene　in　the　dream？〃　pursued　Mr。　Hawbury；
referring　to　the　manuscript。　〃Mr。　Armadale　finds　himself　in　a
room。　He　is　standing　before　a　long　window　opening　on　a　lawn　and
flower…garden；　and　the　rain　is　pattering　against　the　glass。　The
only　thing　he　sees　in　the　room　is　a　little　statue；　and　the　only
company　he　has　is　the　Shadow　of　a　Man　standing　opposite　to　him。
The　Shadow　stretches　out　its　arm；　and　the　statue　falls　in
fragments　on　the　floor；　and　the　dreamer；　in　anger　and　distress　at
the　catastrophe　（observe；　gentlemen；　that　here　the　sleeper's
reasoning　faculty　wakes　up　a　little；　and　the　dream　passes
rationally；　for　a　moment；　from　cause　to　effect）；　stoops　to　look
at　the　broken　pieces。　When　he　looks　up　again；　the　scene　has
vanished。　That　is　to　say；　in　the　ebb　and　flow　of　sleep；　it　is　the
turn　of　the　flow　now；　and　the　brain　rests　a　little。　What's　the
matter；　Mr。　Armadale？　Has　that　restive　memory　of　yours　run　away
with　you　again？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Allan。　〃I'm　off　at　full　gallop。　I've　run　the　broken
statue　to　earth；　it's　nothing　more　nor　less　than　a　china
shepherdess　I　knocked　off　the　mantel…piece　in　the　hotel
coffee…room；　when　I　rang　the　bell　for　supper　last　night。　I　say；
how　well　we　get　on；　don't　we？　It's　like　guessing　a　riddle。　Now；
then；　Midwinter！　your　turn　next。〃

〃No！〃　said　the　doctor。　〃My　turn；　if　you　please。　I　claim　the　long
window；　the　garden；　and　the　lawn；　as　my　property。　You　will　find
the　long　window；　Mr。　Armadale；　in　the　next　room。　If　you　look　out；
you'll　see　the　garden　and　lawn　in　front　of　it；　and；　if　you'll
exert　that　wonderful　memory　of　yours；　you　will　recollect　that　you
were　good　enough　to　take　special　and　complimentary　notice　of　my
smart　French　window　and　my　neat　garden；　when　I　drove　you　and　your
friend　to　Port　St。　Mary　yesterday。〃

〃Quite　right；〃　rejoined　Allan；　〃so　I　did。　But　what　about　the　rain
that　fell　in　the　dream？　I　haven't　seen　a　drop　of　rain　for　the
last　week。〃

Mr。　Hawbury　hesitated。　The　Manx　newspaper　which　had　been　left　on
the　table　caught　his　eye。　〃If　we　can　think　of　nothing　else；〃　he
said；　〃let　us　try　if　we　can't　find　the　idea　of　the　rain　where　we
found　the　ide