armadale-第107节

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fixed　in　a　sudden　terror　of　inquiry　on　Allan's　face。

〃You　don't　know　what　I　know；　Midwinter。　You　don't　know　that　what
I　have　done　has　been　done　with　a　good　reason。　And　what　is　more；　I
have　not　trusted　to　myselfI　have　had　good　advice。〃

〃Did　you　hear　what　I　said　just　now？〃　asked　Midwinter；
incredulously。　〃You　can'tsurely；　you　can't　have　been　attending
to　me？〃

〃I　haven't　missed　a　word；〃　rejoined　Allan。　〃I　tell　you　again；　you
don't　know　what　I　know　of　Miss　Gwilt。　She　has　threatened　Miss
Milroy。　Miss　Milroy　is　in　danger　while　her　governess　stops　in
this　neighborhood。〃

Midwinter　dismissed　the　major's　daughter　from　the　conversation
with　a　contemptuous　gesture　of　his　hand。

〃I　don't　want　to　hear　about　Miss；　Milroy；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　mix　up
Miss　Milroy　Good　God；　Allan；　am　I　to　understand　that　the　spy
set　to　watch　Miss　Gwilt　was　doing　his　vile　work　with　your
approval？〃

〃Once　for　all；　my　dear　fellow；　will　you；　or　will　you　not；　let　me
explain？〃

〃Explain！〃　cried　Midwinter；　his　eyes　aflame；　and　his　hot　Creole
blood　rushing　crimson　into　his　face。　〃Explain　the　employment　of　a
spy？　What！　after　having　driven　Miss　Gwilt　out　of　her　situation　by
meddling　with　her　private　affairs；　you　meddle　again　by　the　vilest
of　all　meansthe　means　of　a　paid　spy？　You　set　a　watch　on　the
woman　whom　you　yourself　told　me　you　loved；　only　a　fortnight
sincethe　woman　you　were　thinking　of　as　your　wife！　I　don't
believe　it；　I　won't　believe　it。　Is　my　head　failing　me？　Is　it
Allan　Armadale　I　am　speaking　to？　Is　it　Allan　Armadale's　face
looking　at　me？　Stop！　you　are　acting　under　some　mistaken　scruple。
Some　low　fellow　has　crept　into　your　confidence；　and　has　done　this
in　your　name　without　telling　you　first。〃

Allan　controlled　himself　with　admirable　patience　and　admirable
consideration　for　the　temper　of　his　friend。　〃If　you　persist　in
refusing　to　hear　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　wait　as　well　as　I　can　till
my　turn　comes。〃

〃Tell　me　you　are　a　stranger　to　the　employment　of　that　man；　and　I
will　hear　you　willingly。〃

〃Suppose　there　should　be　a　necessity；　that　you　know　nothing
about；　for　employing　him？〃

〃I　acknowledge　no　necessity　for　the　cowardly　persecution　of　a
helpless　woman。〃

A　momentary　flush　of　irritationmomentary；　and　no　morepassed
over　Allan's　face。　〃You　mightn't　think　her　quite　so　helpless；〃　he
said；　〃if　you　knew　the　truth。〃

〃Are　_you_　the　man　to　tell　me　the　truth？〃　retorted　the　other。
〃You　who　have　refused　to　hear　her　in　her　own　defense！　You　who
have　closed　the　doors　of　this　house　against　her！〃

Allan　still　controlled　himself；　but　the　effort　began　at　last　to
be　visible。

〃I　know　your　temper　is　a　hot　one；〃　he　said。　〃But　for　all　that；
your　violence　quite　takes　me　by　surprise。　I　can't　account　for　it；
unless〃he　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　finished　the　sentence　in
his　usual　frank；　outspoken　way〃unless　you　are　sweet　yourself　on
Miss　Gwilt。〃

Those　last　words　heaped　fuel　on　the　fire。　They　stripped　the　truth
instantly　of　all　concealments　and　disguises；　and　laid　it　bare　to
view。　Allan's　instinct　had　guessed；　and　the　guiding　influence
stood　revealed　of　Midwinter's　interest　in　Miss　Gwilt。

〃What　right　have　you　to　say　that？〃　he　asked；　with　raised　voice
and　threatening　eyes。

〃I　told　_you；_〃　said　Allan；　simply；　〃when　I　thought　I　was　sweet
on　her　myself。　Come！　come！　it's　a　little　hard；　I　think；　even　if
you　are　in　love　with　her；　to　believe　everything　she　tells　you；
and　not　to　let　me　say　a　word。　Is　_that_　the　way　you　decide
between　us？〃

〃Yes；　it　is！〃　cried　the　other；　infuriated　by　Allan's　second
allusion　to　Miss　Gwilt。　〃When　I　am　asked　to　choose　between　the
employer　of　a　spy　and　the　victim　of　a　spy；　I　side　with　the
victim！〃

〃Don't　try　me　too　hard；　Midwinter；　I　have　a　temper　to　lose　as
well　as　you。〃

He　stopped；　struggling　with　himself。　The　torture　of　passion　in
Midwinter's　face；　from　which　a　less　simple　and　less　generous
nature　might　have　recoiled　in　horror；　touched　Allan　suddenly　with
an　artless　distress；　which；　at　that　moment；　was　little　less　than
sublime。　He　advanced；　with　his　eyes　moistening；　and　his　hand　held
out。　〃You　asked　me　for　my　hand　just　now；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　gave　it
you。　Will　you　remember　old　times；　and　give　me　yours；　before　it's
too　late？〃

〃No！〃　retorted　Midwinter；　furiously。　〃I　may　meet　Miss　Gwilt
again；　and　I　may　want　my　hand　free　to　deal　with　your　spy！〃

He　had　drawn　back　along　the　wall　as　Allan　advanced；　until　the
bracket　which　supported　the　Statuette　was　before　instead　of
behind　him。　In　the　madness　of　his　passion　he　saw　nothing　but
Allan's　face　confronting　him。　In　the　madness　of　his　passion；　he
stretched　out　his　right　hand　as　he　answered；　and　shook　it
threateningly　in　the　air。　It　struck　the　forgotten　projection　of
the　bracketand　the　next　instant　the　Statuette　lay　in　fragments
on　the　floor。

The　rain　drove　slanting　over　flower…bed　and　lawn；　and　pattered
heavily　against　the　glass；　and　the　two　Armadales　stood　by　the
window；　as　the　two　Shadows　had　stood　in　the　Second　Vision　of　the
Dream；　with　the　wreck　of　the　image　between　them。

Allan　stooped　over　the　fragments　of　the　little　figure；　and　lifted
them　one　by　one　from　the　floor。

〃Leave　me；〃　he　said；　without　looking　up；　〃or　we　shall　both　repent
it。〃

Without　a　word；　Midwinter　moved　back　slowly。　He　stood　for　the
second　time　with　his　hand　on　the　door；　and　looked　his　last　at　the
room。　The　horror　of　the　night　on　the　Wreck　had　got　him　once　more；
and　the　flame　of　his　passion　was　quenched　in　an　instant。

〃The　Dream！〃　he　whispered；　under　his　breath。　〃The　Dream　again！〃

The　door　was　tried　from　the　outside；　and　a　servant　appeared　with
a　trivial　message　about　the　breakfast。

Midwinter　looked　at　the　man　with　a　blank；　dreadful　helplessness
in　his　face。　〃Show　me　the　way　out；〃　he　said。　〃The　place　is　dark；
and　the　room　turns　round　with　me。〃

The　servant　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　silently　led　him　out。

As　the　door　closed　on　them；　Allan　picked　up　the　last　fragment　of
the　broken　figure。　He　sat　down　alone　at　the　table；　and　hid　his
face　in　his　hands。　The　self…control　which　he　had　bravely
preserved　under　exasperation　renewed　again　and　again　now　failed
him　at　last　in　the　friendless　solitude　of　his　room；　and；　in　the
first　bitterness　of　feeling　that　Midwinter　had　turned　against　him
like　the　rest；　he　burst　into　tears。

The　moments　followed　each　other；　the　slow　time　wore　on。　Little　by
little　the　signs　of　a　new　elemental　disturbance　began　to　show
themselves　in　the　summer　storm。　The　shadow　of　a　swiftly　deepening
darkness　swept　over　the　sky。　The　pattering　of　the　rain　lessened
with　the　lessening　wind。　There　was　a　momentary　hush　of　stillness。
Then　on　a　sudden　the　rain　poured　down　again　like　a　cataract；　and
the　low　roll　of　thunder　came　up　solemnly　on　the　dying　air。

CHAPTER　IX。

SHE　KNOWS　THE　TRUTH。

1。　_From　Mr。　Bashwood　to　Miss　Gwilt。_

〃Thorpe　Ambrose；　July　20th；　1851。

〃DEAR　MADAMI　received　yesterday；　by　private　messenger；　your
obliging　note；　in　which　you　di　rect　me　to　communicate　with　you
through　the　post　only；　as　long　as　there　is　reason　to　believe　that
any　visitors　who　may　come　to　you　are　likely　to　be　observed。　May　I
be　permitted　to　say　that　I　look　forward　with　respectful　anxiety
to　the　time　when　I　shall　again　enjoy　the　only　real　happiness　I
have　ever　experiencedthe　happiness　of　personally　addressing
you？

〃In　compliance　with　your　desire　that　I　should　not　allow　this　day
（the　Sunday）　to　pass　without　privately　noticing　what　went　on　at
the　great　house；　I　took　the　keys；　and　went　this　morning　to　the
steward's　office。　I　accounted　for　my　appearance　to　the　servants
by　informing　them　that　I　had　work　to　do　which　it　was　important　to
complete　in　the　shortest　possible　time。　The　same　excuse　would
have　done　for　Mr。　Armadale　if　we　had　met；　but　no　such　meeting
happened。

〃Although　I　was　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　in　what　I　thought　good　time；　I
was　too　late　to　see　or　hear　anything　myself　of　a　serious　quarrel
which　appeared　to　have　taken　place；　just　before　I　arrived；
between　Mr。　Armadale　and　Mr。　Midwinter。

〃All　the　little　information　I　can　give　you　in　this　matter　is
derived　from　one　of　the　servants。　The　man　told　me　that　he　heard
the　voices　of　the　two　gentlemen　loud　in　Mr。　Armadale's
sitting…room。　He　went　in　to　announce　breakfast　shortly　afterward；
and　found　Mr。　Midwinter　in　such　a　dreadful　state　of　agitation
that　he　had　to　be　helped　out　of　the　room。　The　servant　tried　to
take　him　upstairs　to　lie　down　and　compose　himself。　He　declined；
saying　he　would　wait　a　little　first　in　one　of　the　lower　rooms；
and　begging　that　he　might　be　left　alone。　The　man　had　hardly　got
downstairs　again　when　he　heard　the　front　door　opened　and　closed。
He　ran　back；　and　found　that　Mr。　Midwinter　was　gone。　The　rain　was
pouring　at　the　time；　and　thunder　and　lightning　came　soon
afterward。　Dreadful　weather　certainly　to　go　out　in。　The　servant
thinks　Mr。　Midwinter's　mind　was　unsettled。　I　sincerely　hope　not。
Mr。　Midwinter　is　one　of　the　few　people　I　have　met　with　in　the
course　of　my　life　who　have　treated　me　kindly。

〃Hearing　that　Mr。　Armadale　still　remained　in　the　sitting…room；　I
went　into　the　steward's　office　（which；　as　you　may　remember；　is　on
the　same　side　of　the　house）；　and　left　the　door　ajar；　and　set　the
window　open；　waiting　and