armadale-第146节

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〃Only　for　a　minute；　sir。　An　infernal　blackguard　of　a　soldier　came
in〃

〃That　will　do；〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger。　〃I　know　what　the
soldier　did；　and　who　sent　him　to　do　it。　She　has　given　us　the　slip
again。　You　are　the　greatest　ass　living。　Consider　yourself
dismissed。〃　With　those　words；　and　with　an　oath　to　emphasize　them；
he　left　the　coffee…shop　and　returned　to　the　cab。

〃She's　gone！〃　cried　his　father。　〃Oh；　Jemmy；　Jemmy；　I　see　it　in
your　face！〃　He　fell　back　into　his　own　corner　of　the　cab；　with　a
faint；　wailing　cry。　〃They're　married；〃　he　moaned　to　himself；　his
hands　falling　helplessly　on　his　knees；　his　hat　falling　unregarded
from　his　head。　〃Stop　them！〃　he　exclaimed；　suddenly　rousing
himself；　and　seizing　his　son　in　a　frenzy　by　the　collar　of　the
coat。

〃Go　back　to　the　hotel；〃　shouted　Bashwood　the　younger　to　the
cabman。　〃Hold　your　noise！〃　he　added；　turning　fiercely　on　his
father。　〃I　want　to　think。〃

The　varnish　of　smoothness　was　all　off　him　by　this　time。　His
temper　was　roused。　His　prideeven　such　a　man　has　his　pride！was
wounded　to　the　quick。　Twice　had　he　matched　his　wits　against　a
woman's；　and　twice　the　woman　had　baffled　him。

He　got　out；　on　reaching　the　hotel　for　the　second　time；　and
privately　tried　the　servants　with　the　offer　of　money。　The　result
of　the　experiment　satisfied　him　that　they　had；　in　this　instance；
really　and　truly　no　information　to　sell。　After　a　moment's
reflection；　he　stopped；　before　leaving　the　hotel；　to　ask　the　way
to　the　parish　church。　〃The　chance　may　be　worth　trying；〃　he
thought　to　himself；　as　he　gave　the　address　to　the　driver。
〃Faster！〃　he　called　out；　looking　first　at　his　watch；　and　then　at
his　father。　〃The　minutes　are　precious　this　morning；　and　the　old
one　is　beginning　to　give　in。〃

It　was　true。　Still　capable　of　hearing　and　of　understanding；　Mr。
Bashwood　was　past　speaking　by　this　time。　He　clung　with　both　hands
to　his　son's　grudging　arm；　and　let　his　head　fall　helplessly　on
his　son's　averted　shoulder。

The　parish　church　stood　back　from　the　street；　protected　by　gates
and　railings；　and　surrounded　by　a　space　of　open　ground。　Shaking
off　his　father's　hold；　Bashwood　the　younger　made　straight　for　the
vestry。　The　clerk；　putting　away　the　books；　and　the　clerk's
assistant；　hanging　up　a　surplice；　were　the　only　persons　in　the
room　when　he　entered　it　and　asked　leave　to　look　at　the　marriage
register　for　the　day。

The　clerk　gravely　opened　the　book；　and　stood　aside　from　the　desk
on　which　it　lay。

The　day's　register　comprised　three　marriages　solemnized　that
morning；　and　the　first　two　signatures　on　the　page　were　〃Allan
Armadale〃　and　〃Lydia　Gwilt！〃

Even　the　spyignorant　as　he　was　of　the　truth；　unsuspicious　as　he
was　of　the　terrible　future　consequences　to　which　the　act　of　that
morning　might　leadeven　the　spy　started；　when　his　eye　first　fell
on　the　page。　It　was　done！　Come　what　might　of　it；　it　was　done　now。
There；　in　black　and　white；　was　the　registered　evidence　of　the
marriage；　which　was　at　once　a　truth　in　itself；　and　a　lie　in　the
conclusion　to　which　it　led！　Therethrough　the　fatal　similarity
in　the　namesthere；　in　Midwinter's　own　signature；　was　the　proof
to　persuade　everybody　that；　not　Midwinter；　but　Allan；　was　the
husband　of　Miss　Gwilt！

Bashwood　the　younger　closed　the　book；　and　returned　it　to　the
clerk。　He　descended　the　vestry　steps；　with　his　hands　thrust
doggedly　into　his　pockets；　and　with　a　serious　shock　inflicted　on
his　professional　self…esteem。

The　beadle　met　him　under　the　church　wall。　He　considered　for　a
moment　whether　it　was　worth　while　to　spend　a　shilling　in
questioning　the　man；　and　decided　in　the　affirmative。　If　they
could　be　traced　and　overtaken；　there　might　be　a　chance　of　seeing
the　color　of　Mr。　Armadale's　money　even　yet。

〃How　long　is　it；〃　he　asked；　〃since　the　first　couple　married　here
this　morning　left　the　church？〃

〃About　an　hour；〃　said　the　beadle。

〃How　did　they　go　away？〃

The　beadle　deferred　answering　that　second　question　until　he　had
first　pocketed　his　fee。

〃You　won't　trace　them　from　here；　sir；〃　he　said；　when　he　had　got
his　shilling。　〃They　went　away　on　foot。〃

〃And　that　is　all　you　know　about　it？〃

〃That；　sir；　is　all　I　know　about　it。〃

Left　by　himself；　even　the　Detective　of　the　Private　Inquiry　Office
paused　for　a　moment　before　he　returned　to　his　father　at　the　gate。
He　was　roused　from　his　hesitation　by　the　sudden　appearance；
within　the　church　inclosure；　of　the　driver　of　the　cab。

〃I'm　afraid　the　old　gentleman　is　going　to　be　taken　ill；　sir；〃
said　the　man。

Bashwood　the　younger　frowned　angrily；　and　walked　back　to　the　cab。
As　he　opened　the　door　and　looked　in；　his　father　leaned　forward
and　confronted　him；　with　lips　that　moved　speechlessly；　and　with　a
white　stillness　over　all　the　rest　of　his　face。

〃She's　done　us；〃　said　the　spy。　〃They　were　married　here　this
morning。〃

The　old　man's　body　swayed　for　a　moment　from　one　side　to　the
other。　The　instant　after；　his　eyes　closed　and　his　head　fell
forward　toward　the　front　seat　of　the　cab。　〃Drive　to　the
hospital！〃　cried　his　son。　〃He's　in　a　fit。　This　is　what　comes　of
putting　myself　out　of　my　way　to　please　my　father；〃　he　muttered；
sullenly　raising　Mr。　Bashwood's　head；　and　loosening　his　cravat。
〃A　nice　morning's　work。　Upon　my　soul；　a　nice　morning's　work！〃

The　hospital　was　near；　and　the　house　surgeon　was　at　his　post。

〃Will　he　come　out　of　it？〃　asked　Bashwood　the　younger；　roughly。

〃Who　are　_you？_〃　asked　the　surgeon；　sharply；　on　his　side。

〃I　am　his　son。〃

〃I　shouldn't　have　thought　it；〃　rejoined　the　surgeon；　taking　the
restoratives　that　were　handed　to　him　by　the　nurse；　and　turning
from　the　son　to　the　father　with　an　air　of　relief　which　he　was　at
no　pains　to　conceal。　〃Yes；〃　he　added；　after　a　minute　or　two；　〃
your　father　will　come　out　of　it　this　time。〃

〃When　can　he　be　moved　away　from　here？〃

〃He　can　be　moved　from　the　hospital　in　an　hour　or　two。〃

The　spy　laid　a　card　on　the　table。　〃I'll　come　back　for　him　or　send
for　him；〃　he　said。　〃I　suppose　I　can　go　now；　if　I　leave　my　name
and　address？〃　With　those　words；　he　put　on　his　hat；　and　walked
out。

〃He's　a　brute！〃　said　the　nurse。

〃No；〃　said　the　surgeon；　quietly。　〃He's　a　man。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*

Between　nine　and　ten　o'clock　that　night；　Mr。　Bashwood　awoke　in
his　bed　at　the　inn　in　the　Borough。　He　had　slept　for　some　hours
since　he　had　been　brought　back　from　the　hospital；　and　his　mind
and　body　were　now　slowly　recovering　together。

A　light　was　burning　on　the　bedside　table；　and　a　letter　lay　on　it；
waiting　for　him　till　he　was　awake。　It　was　in　his　son's
handwriting；　and　it　contained　these　words：


〃MY　DEAR　DADHaving　seen　you　safe　out　of　the　hospital；　and　back
at　your　hotel；　I　think　I　may　fairly　claim　to　have　done　my　duty　by
you；　and　may　consider　myself　free　to　look　after　my　own　affairs。
Business　will　prevent　me　from　seeing　you　to…night；　and　I　don't
think　it　at　all　likely　I　shall　be　in　your　neighborhood　to…morrow
morning。　My　advice　to　you　is　to　go　back　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　to
stick　to　your　employment　in　the　steward's　office。　Wherever　Mr。
Armadale　may　be；　he　must；　sooner　or　later；　write　to　you　on
business。　I　wash　my　hands　of　the　whole　matter；　mind；　so　far　as　I
am　concerned；　from　this　time　forth。　But　if　_you_　like　to　go　on
with　it；　my　professional　opinion　is　（though　you　couldn't　hinder
his　marriage）；　you　may　part　him　from　his　wife。

〃Pray　take　care　of　yourself。

〃Your　affectionate　son；

〃JAMES　BASHWOOD。〃

The　letter　dropped　from　the　old　man's　feeble　hands。　〃I　wish　Jemmy
could　have　come　to　see　me　to…night；〃　he　thought。　〃But　it's　very
kind　of　him　to　advise　me；　all　the　same。〃

He　turned　wearily　on　the　pillow；　and　read　the　letter　a　second
time。　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃there's　nothing　left　for　me　but　to　go
back。　I'm　too　poor　and　too　old　to　hunt　after　them　all　by　myself。〃
He　closed　his　eyes：　the　tears　trickled　slowly　over　his　wrinkled
cheeks。　〃I've　been　a　trouble　to　Jemmy；〃　he　murmured；　faintly；
〃I've　been　a　sad　trouble；　I'm　afraid；　to　poor　Jemmy！〃　In　a　minute
more　his　weakness　overpowered　him；　and　he　fell　asleep　again。

The　clock　of　the　neighboring　church　struck。　It　was　ten。　As　the
bell　tolled　the　hour；　the　tidal　trainwith　Midwinter　and　his
wife　among　the　passengerswas　speeding　nearer　and　nearer　to
Paris。　As　the　bell　tolled　the　hour；　the　watch　on　board　Allan's
outward…bound　yacht　had　sighted　the　light…house　off　the　Land's
End；　and　had　set　the　course　of　the　vessel　for　Ushant　and
Finisterre。

THE　END　OF　THE　THIRD　BOOK。


BOOK　THE　FOURTH。

CHAPTER　I。

MISS　GWILT'S　DIARY。

〃NAPLES；　October　10th。It　is　two　months　to…day　since　I　declared
that　I　had　closed　my　Diary；　never　to　open　it　again。

〃Why　have　I　broken　my　resolution？　Why　have　I　gone　back　to　this
secret　friend　of　my　wretchedest　and　wickedest　hours？　Because　I　am
more　friendless　than　ever；　because　I　am　more　lonely　than　ever；
though　my　husband　is　sitting　writing　in　the　next　room　to　me。　My
misery　is　a　woman's　misery；　and　it　_will_　speakhere；　rather
than　nowhere；　to　my　second　self；　in　this　book；　if　I　have　no　one
else　to　hear　me。

〃How　happy　I　was　in　the　first　days　that　followed　our　marriage；
and　how　happy　I　made　_him！_　Only　two　months　have　passed；　and　that
time　is　a　by…gone　time　already！　I　try　to　th