armadale-第6章
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wish me to write？〃
The angry eyes of the paralyzed man glittered brighter and
brighter。 His lips opened and closed again。 He made no reply。
Mr。 Neal tried another precautionary question； in a new
direction。
〃When I have written what you wish me to write；〃 he asked； 〃what
is to be done with it？〃
This time the answer came：
〃Seal it up in my presence； and post it to my ex〃
His laboring articulation suddenly stopped and he looked
piteously in the questioner's face for the next word。
〃Do you mean your executor？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃It is a letter； I suppose； that I am to post？〃 There was no
answer。 〃May
I ask if it is a letter altering your will？〃
〃Nothing of the sort。〃
Mr。 Neal considered a little。 The mystery was thickening。 The one
way out of it； so far； was the way traced faintly through that
strange story of the unfinished letter which the doctor had
repeated to him in Mrs。 Armadale's words。 The nearer he
approached his unknown responsibility； the more ominous it seemed
of something serious to come。 Should he risk another question
before he pledged himself irrevocably？ As the doubt crossed his
mind； he felt Mrs。 Armadale's silk dress touch him on the side
furthest from her husband。 Her delicate dark hand was laid gently
on his arm； her full deep African eyes looked at him in
submissive entreaty。 〃My husband is very anxious；〃 she whispered。
〃Will you quiet his anxiety； sir； by taking your place at the
writing…table？〃
It was from _her_ lips that the request camefrom the lips of
the person who had the best right to hesitate； the wife who was
excluded from the secret！ Most men in Mr。 Neal's position would
have given up all their safeguards on the spot。 The Scotchman
gave them all up but one。
〃I will write what you wish me to write；〃 he said； addressing Mr。
Armadale。 〃I will seal it in your presence； and I will post it to
your executor myself。 But； in engaging to do this； I must beg you
to remember that I am acting entirely in the dark； and I must ask
you to excuse me； if I reserve my own entire freedom of action；
when your wishes in relation to the writing and the posting of
the letter have been fulfilled。〃
〃Do you give me your promise？〃
〃It you want my promise； sir； I will give itsubject to the
condition I have just named。〃
〃Take your condition； and keep your promise。 My desk；〃 he added；
looking at his wife for the first time。
She crossed the room eagerly to fetch the desk from a chair in a
corner。 Returning with it； she made a passing sign to the
negress； who still stood； grim and silent； in the place that she
had occupied from the first。 The woman advanced； obedient to the
sign； to take the child from the bed。 At the instant when she
touched him； the father's eyesfixed previously on the
deskturned on her with the stealthy quickness of a cat。 〃No！〃
he said。 〃No！〃 echoed the fresh voice of the boy； still charmed
with his plaything； and still liking his place on the bed。 The
negress left the room； and the child； in high triumph； trotted
his toy soldier up and down on the bedclothes that lay rumpled
over his father's breast。 His mother's lovely face contracted
with a pang of jealousy as she looked at him。
〃Shall I open your desk？〃 she asked； pushing back the child's
plaything sharply while she spoke。 An answering look from her
husband guided her hand to the place under his pillow where the
key was hidden。 She opened the desk； and disclosed inside some
small sheets of manuscript pinned together。 〃These？〃 she
inquired； producing them。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃You can go now。〃
The Scotchman sitting at the writing…table； the doctor stirring a
stimulant mixture in a corner； looked at each other with an
anxiety in both their faces which they could neither of them
control。 The words that banished the wife from the room were
spoken。 The moment had come。
〃You can go now；〃 said Mr。 Armadale； for the second time。
She looked at the child； established comfortably on the bed； and
an ashy paleness spread slowly over her face。 She looked at the
fatal letter which was a sealed secret to her； and a torture of
jealous suspicionsuspicion of that other woman who had been the
shadow and the poison of her lifewrung her to the heart。 After
moving a few steps from the bedside； she stopped； and came back
again。 Armed with the double courage of her love and her despair；
she pressed her lips on her dying husband's cheek； and pleaded
with him for the last time。 Her burning tears dropped on his face
as she whispered to him： 〃Oh； Allan； think how I have loved you！
think how hard I have tried to make you happy！ think how soon I
shall lose you！ Oh； my own love！ don't； don't send me away！〃
The words pleaded for her； the kiss pleaded for her； the
recollection of the love that had been given to him； and never
returned； touched the heart of the fast…sinking man as nothing
had touched it since the day of his marriage。 A heavy sigh broke
from him。 He looked at her； and hesitated。
〃Let me stay；〃 she whispered； pressing her face closer to his。
〃It will only distress you；〃 he whispered back。
〃Nothing distresses me； but being sent away from _you！_〃
He waited。 She saw that he was thinking； and waited too。
〃If I let you stay a little？〃
〃Yes！ yes！〃
〃Will you go when I tell you？〃
〃I will。〃
〃On your oath？〃
The fetters that bound his tongue seemed to be loosened for a
moment in the great outburst of anxiety which forced that
question to his lips。 He spoke those startling words as he had
spoken no words yet。
〃On my oath！〃 she repeated； and； dropping on her knees at the
bedside； passionately kissed his hand。 The two strangers in the
room turned their heads away by common consent。 In the silence
that followed； the one sound stirring was the small sound of the
child's toy； as he moved it hither and thither on the bed。
The doctor was the first who broke the spell of stillness which
had fallen on all the persons present。 He approached the patient；
and examined him anxiously。 Mrs。 Armadale rose from her knees；
and； first waiting for her husband's permission； carried the
sheets of manuscript which she had taken out of the desk to the
table at which Mr。 Neal was waiting。 Flushed and eager； more
beautiful than ever in the vehement agitation which still
possessed her； she stooped over him as she put the letter into
his hands； and； seizing on the means to her end with a woman's
headlong self…abandonment to her own impulses； whispered to him；
〃Read it out from the beginning。 I must and will hear it！〃 Her
eyes flashed their burning light into his； her breath beat on his
cheek。 Before he could answer； before he could think； she was
back with her husband。 In an instant she had spoken； and in that
instant her beauty had bent the Scotchman to her will。 Frowning
in reluctant acknowledgment of his own inability to resist her；
he turned over the leaves of the letter； looked at the blank
place where the pen had dropped from the writer's hand and had
left a blot on the paper； turned back again to the beginning； and
said the words； in the wife's interest； which the wife herself
had put into his lips。
〃Perhaps； sir； you may wish to make some corrections；〃 he began；
with all his attention apparently fixed on the letter； and with
every outward appearance of letting his sour temper again get the
better of him。 〃Shall I read over to you what you have already
written？〃
Mrs。 Armadale； sitting at the bed head on one side； and the
doctor； with his fingers on the patient's pulse； sitting on the
other； waited with widely different anxieties for the answer to
Mr。 Neal's question。 Mr。 Armadale's eyes turned searchingly from
his child to his wife。
〃You _will_ hear it？〃 he said。 Her breath came and went quickly；
her hand stole up and took his； she bowed her head in silence。
Her husband paused； taking secret counsel with his thoughts； and
keeping his eyes fixed on his wife。 At last he decided； and gave
the answer。 〃Read it；〃 he said； 〃and stop when I tell you。〃
It was close on one o'clock； and the bell was ringing which
summoned the visitors to their early dinner at the inn。 The quick
beat of footsteps； and the gathering hum
