armadale-第163节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


like　rain。　I　got　to　be　my　own　man　again　before　the　hammering　was
done；　and　found　myself　thinking　of　somebody　very　dear　to　me　in
England。　I　said　to　myself：　'I'll　have　a　try　for　my　life；　for　her
sake；　though　the　chances　are　dead　against　me。'

〃I　put　a　letter　from　that　person　I　have　mentioned　into　one　of　the
stoppered　bottles　of　my　dressing…case；　along　with　the　mate's
warning；　in　case　I　lived　to　see　him　again。　I　hung　this；　and　a
flask　of　whisky；　in　a　sling　round　my　neck；　and；　after　first
dressing　myself　in　my　confusion；　thought　better　of　it；　and
stripped；　again；　for　swimming；　to　my　shirt　and　drawers。　By　the
time　I　had　done　that　the　hammering　was　over　and　there　was　such　a
silence　that　I　could　hear　the　water　bubbling　into　the　scuttled
vessel　amidships。　The　next　noise　was　the　noise　of　the　boat　and
the　villains　in　her　（always　excepting　my　friend；　the　mate）
shoving　off　from　the　starboard　side。　I　waited　for　the　splash　of
the　oars　in　the　water；　and　then　got　my　back　under　the　hatch。　The
mate　had　kept　his　promise。　I　lifted　it　easilycrept　across　the
deck；　under　cover　of　the　bulwarks；　on　all　foursand　slipped　into
the　sea　on　the　port　side。　Lots　of　things　were　floating　about。　I
took　the　first　thing　I　came　toa　hen…coopand　swam　away　with　it
about　a　couple　of　hundred　yards；　keeping　the　yacht　between　me　and
the　boat。　Having　got　that　distance；　I　was　seized　with　a　shivering
fit；　and　I　stopped　（fearing　the　cramp　next）　to　take　a　pull　at　my
flask。　When　I　had　closed　the　flask　again；　I　turned　for　a　moment
to　look　back；　and　saw　the　yacht　in　the　act　of　sinking。　In　a
minute　more　there　was　nothing　between　me　and　the　boat　but　the
pieces　of　wreck　that　had　been　purposely　thrown　out　to　float。　The
moon　was　shining；　and；　if　they　had　had　a　glass　in　the　boat；　I
believe　they　might　have　seen　my　head；　though　I　carefully　kept　the
hen…coop　between　me　and　them。

〃As　it　was；　they　laid　on　their　oars；　and　I　heard　loud　voices
among　them　disputing。　After　what　seemed　an　age　to　me；　I
discovered　what　the　dispute　was　about。　The　boat's　head　was
suddenly　turned　my　way。　Some　cleverer　scoundrel　than　the　rest
（the　sailing…master；　I　dare　say）　had　evidently　persuaded　them　to
row　back　over　the　place　where　the　yacht　had　gone　down；　and　make
quite　sure　that　I　had　gone　down　with　her。

〃They　were　more　than　half…way　across　the　distance　that　separated
us；　and　I　had　given　myself　up　for　lost；　when　I　heard　a　cry　from
one　of　them；　and　saw　the　boat's　progress　suddenly　checked。　In　a
minute　or　two　more　the　boat's　head　was　turned　again；　and　they
rowed　straight　away　from　me　like　men　rowing　for　their　lives。

〃I　looked　on　one　side　toward　the　land；　and　saw　nothing。　I　looked
on　the　other　toward　the　sea；　and　discovered　what　the　boat's　crew
had　discovered　before　mea　sail　in　the　distance；　growing
steadily　brighter　and　bigger　in　the　moonlight　the　longer　I　looked
at　it。　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　more　the　vessel　was　within　hail　of
me；　and　the　crew　had　got　me　on　board。

〃They　were　all　foreigners；　and　they　quite　deafened　me　by　their
jabber。　I　tried　signs；　but　before　I　could　make　them　understand　me
I　was　seized　with　another　shivering　fit；　and　was　carried　below。
The　vessel　held　on　her　course；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　I　was　in　no
condition　to　know　anything　about　it。　Before　morning　I　was　in　a
fever；　and　from　that　time　I　can　remember　nothing　clearly　till　I
came　to　my　senses　at　this　place；　and　found　myself　under　the　care
of　a　Hungarian　merchant；　the　consignee　（as　they　call　it）　of　the
coasting　vessel　that　had　picked　me　up。　He　speaks　English　as　well
or　better　than　I　do；　and　he　has　treated　me　with　a　kindness　which
I　can　find　no　words　to　praise。　When　he　was　a　young　man　he　was　in
England　himself；　learning　business；　and　he　says　he　has
remembrances　of　our　country　which　make　his　heart　warm　toward　an
Englishman。　He　has　fitted　me　out　with　clothes；　and　has　lent　me
the　money　to　travel　with；　as　soon　as　the　doctor　allows　me　to
start　for　home。　Supposing　I　don't　get　a　relapse；　I　shall　be　fit
to　travel　in　a　week's　time　from　this。　If　I　can　catch　the　mail　at
Trieste；　and　stand　the　fatigue；　I　shall　be　back　again　at　Thorpe
Ambrose　in　a　week　or　ten　days　at　most　after　you　get　my　letter。
You　will　agree　with　me　that　it　is　a　terribly　long　letter。　But　I
can't　help　that。　I　seem　to　have　lost　my　old　knack　at　putting
things　short；　and　finishing　on　the　first　page。　However；　I　am　near
the　end　now；　for　I　have　nothing　left　to　mention　but　the　reason
why　I　write　about　what　has　happened　to　me；　instead　of　waiting
till　I　get　home；　and　telling　it　all　by　word　of　mouth。

〃I　fancy　my　head　is　still　muddled　by　my　illness。　At　any　rate；　it
only　struck　me　this　morning　that　there　is　barely　a　chance　of　some
vessel　having　passed　the　place　where　the　yacht　foundered；　and
having　picked　up　the　furniture；　and　other　things　wrenched　out　of
her　and　left　to　float。　Some　false　report　of　my　being　drowned　may；
in　that　case；　have　reached　England。　If　this　has　happened　（which　I
hope　to　God　may　be　an　unfounded　fear　on　my　part）；　go　directly　to
Major　Milroy　at　the　cottage。　Show　him　this　letterI　have　written
it　quite　as　much　for　his　eye　as　for　yoursand　then　give　him　the
inclosed　note；　and　ask　him　if　he　doesn't　think　the　circumstances
justify　me　in　hoping　he　will　send　it　to　Miss　Milroy。　I　can't
explain　why　I　don't　write　directly　to　the　major；　or　to　Miss
Milroy；　instead　of　to　you。　I　can　only　say　there　are
considerations　I　am　bound　in　honor　to　respect；　which　oblige　me　to
act　in　this　roundabout　way。

〃I　don't　ask　you　to　answer　this；　for　I　shall　be　on　my　way　home；　I
hope；　long　before　your　letter　could　reach　me　in　this
out…of…the…way　place。　Whatever　you　do；　don't　lose　a　moment　in
going　to　Major　Milroy。　Go；　on　second　thoughts；　whether　the　loss
of　the　yacht　is　known　in　England　or　not。

〃Yours　truly； ALLAN　ARMADALE。〃


〃I　looked　up　when　I　had　come　to　the　end　of　the　letter；　and　saw；
for　the　first　time；　that　Bashwood　had　left　his　chair　and　had
placed　himself　opposite　to　me。　He　was　intently　studying　my　face；
with　the　inquiring　expression　of　a　man　who　was　trying　to　read　my
thoughts。　His　eyes　fell　guiltily　when　they　met　mine；　and　he
shrank　away　to　his　chair。　Believing；　as　he　did；　that　I　was　really
married　to　Armadale；　was　he　trying　to　discover　whether　the　news
of　Armadale's　rescue　from　the　sea　was　good　news　or　bad　news　in　my
estimation？　It　was　no　time　then　for　entering　into　explanations
with　him。　The　first　thing　to　be　done　was　to　communicate　instantly
with　the　doctor。　I　called　Bashwood　back　to　me　and　gave　him　my
hand。

〃　'You　have　done　me　a　service；'　I　said；　'which　makes　us　closer
friends　than　ever。　I　shall　say　more　about　this；　and　about　other
matters　of　some　interest　to　both　of　us；　later　in　the　day。　I　want
you　now　to　lend　me　Mr。　Armadale's　letter　（which　I　promise　to
bring　back）　and　to　wait　here　till　I　return。　Will　you　do　that　for
me；　Mr。　Bashwood？'

〃He　would　do　anything　I　asked　him；　he　said。　I　went　into　the
bedroom　and　put　on　my　bonnet　and　shawl。

〃　'Let　me　be　quite　sure　of　the　facts　before　I　leave　you；'　I
resumed；　when　I　was　ready　to　go　out。　'You　have　not　shown　this
letter　to　anybody　but　me？'

〃　'Not　a　living　soul　has　seen　it　but　our　two　selves。'

〃'What　have　you　done　with　the　note　inclosed　to　Miss　Milroy？'

〃He　produced　it　from　his　pocket。　I　ran　it　over　rapidlysaw　that
there　was　nothing　in　it　of　the　slightest　importanceand　put　it
in　the　fi　re　on　the　spot。　That　done；　I　left　Bashwood　in　the
sitting…room；　and　went　to　the　Sanitarium；　with　Armadale's　letter
in　my　hand。

〃The　doctor　had　gone　out；　and　the　servant　was　unable　to　say
positively　at　what　time　he　would　be　back。　I　went　into　his　study；
and　wrote　a　line　preparing　him　for　the　news　I　had　brought　with
me；　which　I　sealed　up；　with　Armadale's　letter；　in　an　envelope；　to
await　his　return。　Having　told　the　servant　I　would　call　again　in
an　hour；　I　left　the　place。

〃It　was　useless　to　go　back　to　my　lodgings　and　speak　to　Bashwood；
until　I　knew　first　what　the　doctor　meant　to　do。　I　walked　about
the　neighborhood；　up　and　down　new　streets　and　crescents　and
squares；　with　a　kind　of　dull；　numbed　feeling　in　me；　which
prevented；　not　only　all　voluntary　exercise　of　thought；　but　all
sensation　of　bodily　fatigue。　I　remembered　the　same　feeling
overpowering　me；　years　ago；　on　the　morning　when　the　people　of　the
prison　came　to　take　me　into　court　to　be　tried　for　my　life。　All
that　frightful　scene　came　back　again　to　my　mind　in　the　strangest
manner；　as　if　it　had　been　a　scene　in　which　some　other　person　had
figured。　Once　or　twice　I　wondered；　in　a　heavy；　senseless　way；　why
they　had　not　hanged　me！

〃When　I　went　back　to　the　Sanitarium；　I　was　informed　that　the
doctor　had　returned　half　an　hour　since；　and　that　he　was　in　his
own　room　anxiously　waiting　to　see　me。

〃I　went　into　the　study；　and　found　him　sitting　close　by　the　fire
with　his　head　down　and　his　hands　on　his　knees。　On　the　table　near
him；　beside　Armadale's　letter　and　my　note；　I　saw；　in　the　little
circle　of　light　thrown　by　the　reading…lamp；　an　open　railway
guide。　Was　he　meditating　flight？　It　was　impossible　to　tell　from
his　face；　when　he　looked　up　at　me；　what　he　was　meditating；　or　how
the　shock　had　struck　him　when　he　first　discovered　that　Armadale
was　a　living　man。

〃　'Take　a　seat　near　the