armadale-第80章
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and diverted his thoughts from Miss Milroy to his absent friend。
He started； and looked about him。
The reed…cutters had gone back to their retreat behind the angle
of the wall； not a living creature was visible； not a sound rose
anywhere along the dreary shore。 Even Allan's spirits began to
get depressed。 It was nearly an hour after the time when
Midwinter had promised to be at Hurle Mere。 He had himself
arranged to walk to the pool （with a stable…boy from Thorpe
Ambrose as his guide）； by lanes and footpaths which shortened the
distance by the road。 The boy knew the country well； and
Midwinter was habitually punctual at all his appointments。 Had
anything gone wrong at Thorpe Ambrose？ Had some accident happened
on the way？ Determined to remain no longer doubting and idling by
himself； Allan made up his mind to walk inland from the Mere； on
the chance of meeting his friend。 He went round at once to the
angle in the wall； and asked one of the reedcutters to show him
the footpath to Thorpe Ambrose。
The man led him away from the road； and pointed to a barely
perceptible break in the outer trees of the plantation。 After
pausing for one more useless look around him； Allan turned his
back on the Mere and made for the trees。
For a few paces； the path ran straight through the plantation。
Thence it took a sudden turn； and the water and the open country
became both lost to view。 Allan steadily followed the grassy
track before him； seeing nothing and hearing nothing； until he
came to another winding of the path。 Turning in the new
direction； he saw dimly a human figure sitting alone at the foot
of one of the trees。 Two steps nearer were enough to make the
figure familiar to him。 〃Midwinter！〃 he exclaimed； in
astonishment。 〃This is not the place where I was to meet you！
What are you waiting for here？〃
Midwinter rose； without answering。 The evening dimness among the
trees； which obscured his face； made his silence doubly
perplexing。
Allan went on eagerly questioning him。 〃Did you come here by
yourself？〃 he asked。 〃I thought the boy was to guide you？〃
This time Midwinter answered。 〃When we got as far as these
trees；〃 he said； 〃I sent the boy back。 He told me I was close to
the place； and couldn't miss it。〃
〃What made you stop here when he left you？〃 reiterated Allan。
〃Why didn't you walk on？〃
〃Don't despise me；〃 answered the other。 〃I hadn't the courage！〃
〃Not the courage？〃 repeated Allan。 He paused a moment。 〃Oh； I
know！〃 he resumed； putting his hand gayly on Midwinter's
shoulder。 〃You're still shy of the Milroys。 What nonsense； when I
told you myself that your peace was made at the cottage！〃
〃I wasn't thinking； Allan； of your friends at the cottage。 The
truth is； I'm hardly myself to…day。 I am ill and unnerved；
trifles startle me。〃 He stopped； and shrank away； under the
anxious scrutiny of Allan's eyes。 〃If you _will_ have it；〃 he
burst out； abruptly； 〃the horror of that night on board the Wreck
has got me again； there's a dreadful op pression on my head；
there's a dreadful sinking at my heart。 I am afraid of something
happening to us； if we don't part before the day is out。 I can't
break my promise to you； for God's sake； release me from it； and
let me go back！〃
Remonstrance； to any one who knew Midwinter； was plainly useless
at that moment。 Allan humored him。 〃Come out of this dark；
airless place；〃 he said； 〃and we will talk about it。 The water
and the open sky are within a stone's throw of us。 I hate a wood
in the evening； it even gives _me_ the horrors。 You have been
working too hard over the steward's books。 Come and breathe
freely in the blessed open air。〃
Midwinter stopped； considered for a moment； and suddenly
submitted。
〃You're right；〃 he said； 〃and I'm wrong； as usual。 I'm wasting
time and distressing you to no purpose。 What folly to ask you to
let me go back！ Suppose you had said yes？〃
〃Well？〃 asked Allan。
〃Well；〃 repeated Midwinter； 〃something would have happened at the
first step to stop me； that's all。 Come on。〃
They walked together in silence on the way to the Mere。
At the last turn in the path Allan's cigar went out。 While he
stopped to light it again； Midwinter walked on before him； and
was the first to come in sight of the open ground。
Allan had just kindled the match； when； to his surprise； his
friend came back to him round the turn in the path。 There was
light enough to show objects more clearly in this part of the
plantation。 The match； as Midwinter faced him； dropped on the
instant from Allan's hand。
〃Good God！〃 he cried； starting back； 〃you look as you looked on
board the Wreck！〃
Midwinter held up his band for silence。 He spoke with his wild
eyes riveted on Allan's face； with his white lips close at
Allan's ear。
〃You remember how I _looked；_〃 he answered； in a whisper。 〃Do you
remember what I _said_ when you and the doctor were talking of
the Dream？〃
〃I have forgotten the Dream；〃 said Allan。
As he made that answer； Midwinter took his hand； and led him
round the last turn in the path。
〃Do you remember it now？〃 he asked； and pointed to the Mere。
The sun was sinking in the cloudless westward heaven。 The waters
of the Mere lay beneath； tinged red by the dying light。 The open
country stretched away； darkening drearily already on the right
hand and the left。 And on the near margin of the pool； where all
had been solitude before； there now stood； fronting the sunset；
the figure of a woman。
The two Armadales stood together in silence； and looked at the
lonely figure and the dreary view。
Midwinter was the first to speak。
〃Your own eyes have seen it；〃 he said。 〃Now look at our own
words。〃
He opened the narrative of the Dream； and held it under Allan's
eyes。 His finger pointed to the lines which recorded the first
Vision； his voice； sinking lower and lower； repeated the words：
〃The sense came to me of being left alone in the darkness。
〃I waited。
〃The darkness opened； and showed me the visionas in a
pictureof a broad； lonely pool； surrounded by open ground。
Above the further margin of the pool I saw the cloudless western
sky； red with the light of sunset。
〃On the near margin of the pool there stood the Shadow of a
Woman。〃
He ceased； and let the hand which held the manuscript drop to his
side。 The other hand pointed to the lonely figure； standing with
its back turned on them； fronting the setting sun。
〃There；〃 he said； 〃stands the living Woman； in the Shadow's
place！ There speaks the first of the dream warnings to you and to
me！ Let the future time find us still together； and the second
figure that stands in the Shadow's place will be Mine。〃
Even Allan was silenced by the terrible certainty of conviction
with which he spoke。
In the pause that followed； the figure at the pool moved； and
walked slowly away round the margin of the shore。 Allan stepped
out beyond the last of the trees； and gained a wider view of the
open ground。 The first object that met his eyes was the
pony…chaise from Thorpe Ambrose。
He turned back to Midwinter with a laugh of relief。 〃What
nonsense have you been talking！〃 he said。 〃And what nonsense have
I been listening to！ It's the governess at last。〃
Midwinter made no reply。 Allan took him by the arm； and tried to
lead him on。 He released himself suddenly； and seized Allan with
both hands； holding him back from the figure at the pool； as he
had held him back from the cabin door on the deck of the timber
ship。 Once again the effort was in vain。 Once again Allan broke
away as easily as he had broken away in the past time。
〃One of us must speak to her；〃 he said。 〃And if you won't； I
will。〃
He had only advanced a few steps toward the Mere； when he heard；
or thought he heard； a voice faintly calling after him； once and
once only； the word Farewell。 He stopped； with a feeling of
uneasy surprise； and looked round。
〃Was that you； Midwinter？〃 he asked。
There was no answer。 After hesitating a moment more； Allan
returned to the plantation。 Midwinter was gone。
He looked back at the pool； doubtful in the new emergency what to
do next。 The lonely figure had altered its course in the
interval； it had
