armadale-第174节

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she　burst　out；　impetuously。　〃I've　got　the　use　of　my　limbs！　I　can
gono　matter　where；　as　long　as　I　am　out　of　this　house！〃

With　her　cloak　on　her　shoulders；　with　her　bonnet　in　her　hand；　she
crossed　the　room　to　the　door。　A　moment　moreand　she　would　have
been　out　in　the　passage。　In　that　moment　the　remembrance　flashed
back　on　her　of　the　husband　whom　she　had　denied　to　his　face。　She
stopped　instantly；　and　threw　the　cloak　and　bonnet　from　her　on　the
bed。　〃No！〃　she　said；　〃the　gulf　is　dug　between　usthe　worst　is
done！〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　The　doctor's　voice　outside
politely　reminded　her　that　it　was　six　o'clock。

She　opened　the　door；　and　stopped　him　on　his　way　downstairs。

〃What　time　is　the　train　due　to…night？〃　she　asked；　in　a　whisper。

〃At　ten；〃　answered　the　doctor；　in　a　voice　which　all　the　world
might　hear；　and　welcome。

〃What　room　is　Mr。　Armadale　to　have　when　he　comes？〃

〃What　room　would　you　like　him　to　have？〃

〃Number　Four。〃

The　doctor　kept　up　appearances　to　the　very　last。

〃Number　Four　let　it　be；〃　he　said；　graciously。　〃Provided；　of
course；　that　Number　Four　is　unoccupied　at　the　time。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*　*

The　evening　wore　on；　and　the　night　came。

At　a　few　minutes　before　ten；　Mr。　Bashwood　was　again　at　his　post；
once　more　on　the　watch　for　the　coming　of　the　tidal　train。

The　inspector　on　duty；　who　knew　him　by　sight；　and　who　had
personally　ascertained　that　his　regular　attendance　at　the
terminus　implied　no　designs　on　the　purses　and　portmanteaus　of　the
passengers；　noticed　two　new　circumstances　in　connection　with　Mr。
Bashwood　that　night。　In　the　first　place；　instead　of　exhibiting
his　customary　cheerfulness；　he　looked　anxious　and　depressed。　In
the　second　place；　while　he　was　watching　for　the　train；　he　was　to
all　appearance　being　watched　in　his　turn；　by　a　slim；　dark；
undersized　man；　who　had　left　his　luggage　（marked　with　the　name　of
Midwinter）　at　the　custom…house　department　the　evening　before；　and
who　had　returned　to　have　it　examined　about　half　an　hour　since。

What　had　brought　Midwinter　to　the　terminus？　And　why　was　he；　too；
waiting　for　the　tidal　train？

After　straying　as　far　as　Hendon　during　his　lonely　walk　of　the
previous　night；　he　had　taken　refuge　at　the　village　inn；　and　had
fallen　asleep　（from　sheer　exhaustion）　toward　those　later　hours　of
the　morning　which　were　the　hours　that　his　wife's　foresight　had
turned　to　account。　When　he　returned　to　the　lodging；　the　landlady
could　only　inform　him　that　her　tenant　had　settled　everything　with
her；　and　had　left　（for　what　destination　neither　she　nor　her
servant　could　tell）　more　than　two　hours　since。

Having　given　some　little　time　to　inquiries；　the　result　of　which
convinced　him　that　the　clew　was　lost　so　far；　Midwinter　had
quitted　the　house；　and　had　pursued　his　way　mechanically　to　the
busier　and　more　central　parts　of　the　metropolis。　With　the　light
now　thrown　on　his　wife's　character；　to　call　at　the　address　she
had　given　him　as　the　address　at　which　her　mother　lived　would　be
plainly　useless。　He　went　on　through　the　streets；　resolute　to
discover　her；　and　trying　vainly　to　see　the　means　to　his　end；　till
the　sense　of　fatigue　forced　itself　on　him　once　more。　Stopping　to
rest　and　recruit　his　strength　at　the　first　hotel　he　came　to；　a
chance　dispute　between　the　waiter　and　a　stranger　about　a　lost
portmanteau　reminded　him　of　his　own　luggage；　left　at　the
terminus；　and　instantly　took　his　mind　back　to　the　circumstances
under　which　he　and　Mr。　Bashwood　had　met。　In　a　moment　more；　the
idea　that　he　had　been　vainly　seeking　on　his　way　through　the
streets　flashed　on　him。　In　a　moment　more；　he　had　determined　to
try　the　chance　of　finding　the　steward　again　on　the　watch　for　the
person　whose　arrival　he　had　evidently　expected　by　the　previous
evening's　train。

Ignorant　of　the　report　of　Allan's　death　at　sea；　uninformed；　at
the　terrible　interview　with　his　wife；　of　the　purpose　which　her
assumption　of　a　widow's　dress　really　had　in　view；　Midwinter's
first　vague　suspicions　of　her　fidelity　had　now　inevitably
developed　into　the　conviction　that　she　was　false。　He　could　place
but　one　interpretation　on　her　open　disavowal　of　him；　and　on　her
taking　the　name　under　which　he　had　secretly　married　her。　Her
conduct　forced　the　conclusion　on　him　that　she　was　engaged　in　some
infamous　intrigue；　and　that　she　had　basely　secured　herself
beforehand　in　the　position　of　all　others　in　which　she　knew　it
would　be　most　odious　and　most　repellent　to　him　to　claim　his
authority　over　her。　With　that　conviction　he　was　now　watching　Mr。
Bashwood；　firmly　persuaded　that　his　wife's　hiding…place　was　known
to　the　vile　servant　of　his　wife's　vices；　and　darkly　suspecting；
as　the　time　wore　on；　that　the　unknown　man　who　had　wronged　him；
and　the　unknown　traveler　for　whose　arrival　the　steward　was
waiting；　were　one　and　the　same。

The　train　was　late　that　night；　and　the　carriages　were　more　than
usually　crowded　when　they　arrived　at　last。　Midwinter　became
involved　in　the　confusion　on　the　platform；　and　in　the　effort　to
extricate　himself　he　lost　sight　of　Mr。　Bashwood　for　the　first
time。

A　lapse　of　some　few　minutes　had　passed　before　he　again　discovered
the　steward　talking　eagerly　to　a　man　in　a　loose　shaggy　coat；
whose　back　was　turned　toward　him。　Forgetful　of　all　the　cautions
and　restraints　which　he　had　imposed　on　himself　before　the　train
appeared；　Midwinter　instantly　advanced　on　them。　Mr。　Bashwood　saw
his　threatening　face　as　he　came　on；　and　fell　back　in　silence。　The
man　in　the　loose　coat　turned　to　look　where　the　steward　was
looking；　and　disclosed　to　Midwinter；　in　the　full　light　of　the
station…lamp；　Allan's　face！

For　the　moment　they　both　stood　speechless；　hand　in　hand；　looking
at　each　other。　Allan　was　the　first　to　recover　himself。

〃Thank　God　for　this！〃　he　said；　fervently。　〃I　don't　ask　how　you
came　here：　it's　enough　for　me　that　you　have　come。　Miserable　news
has　met　me　already；　Midwinter。　Nobody　but　you　can　comfort　me；　and
help　me　to　bear　it。〃　His　voice　faltered　over　those　last　words；
and　he　said　no　more。

The　tone　in　which　he　had　spoken　roused　Midwinter　to　meet　the
circums　tances　as　they　were；　by　appealing　to　the　old　grateful
interest　in　his　friend　which　had　once　been　the　foremost　interest
of　his　life。　He　mastered　his　personal　misery　for　the　first　time
since　it　had　fallen　on　him；　and　gently　taking　Allan　aside；　asked
what　had　happened。

The　answerafter　informing　him　of　his　friend's　reported　death　at
seaannounced　（on　Mr。　Bashwood's　authority）　that　the　news　had
reached　Miss　Milroy；　and　that　the　deplorable　result　of　the　shock
thus　inflicted　had　obliged　the　major　to　place　his　daughter　in　the
neighborhood　of　London；　under　medical　care。

Before　saying　a　word　on　his　side；　Midwinter　looked　distrustfully
behind　him。　Mr。　Bashwood　had　followed　them。　Mr。　Bashwood　was
watching　to　see　what　they　did　next。

〃Was　he　waiting　your　arrival　here　to　tell　you　this　about　Miss
Milroy？〃　asked　Midwinter；　looking　again　from　the　steward　to
Allan。

〃Yes；〃　said　Allan。　〃He　has　been　kindly　waiting　here；　night　after
night；　to　meet　me；　and　break　the　news　to　me。〃

Midwinter　paused　once　more。　The　attempt　to　reconcile　the
conclusion　he　had　drawn　from　his　wife's　conduct　with　the
discovery　that　Allan　was　the　man　for　whose　arrival　Mr。　Bashwood
had　been　waiting　was　hopeless。　The　one　present　chance　of
discovering　a　truer　solution　of　the　mystery　was　to　press　the
steward　on　the　one　available　point　in　which　he　had　laid　himself
open　to　attack。　He　had　positively　denied　on　the　previous　evening
that　he　knew　anything　of　Allan's　movements；　or　that　he　had　any
interest　in　Allan's　return　to　England。　Having　detected　Mr。
Bashwood　in　one　lie　told　to　himself。　Midwinter　instantly
suspected　him　of　telling　another　to　Allan。　He　seized　the
opportunity　of　sifting　the　statement　about　Miss　Milroy　on　the
spot。

〃How　have　you　become　acquainted　with　this　sad　news？〃　he　inquired；
turning　suddenly　on　Mr。　Bashwood。

〃Through　the　major；　of　course；〃　said　Allan；　before　the　steward
could　answer。

〃Who　is　the　doctor　who　has　the　care　of　Miss　Milroy？〃　persisted
Midwinter；　still　addressing　Mr。　Bashwood。

For　the　second　time　the　steward　made　no　reply。　For　the　second
time；　Allan　answered　for　him。

〃He　is　a　man　with　a　foreign　name；〃　said　Allan。　〃He　keeps　a
Sanitarium　near　Hampstead。　What　did　you　say　the　place　was　called；
Mr。　Bashwood？〃

〃Fairweather　Vale；　sir；〃　said　the　steward；　answering　his
employer；　as　a　matter　of　necessity；　but　answering　very
unwillingly。

The　address　of　the　Sanitarium　instantly　reminded　Midwinter　that
he　had　traced　his　wife　to　Fairweather　Vale　Villas　the　previous
night。　He　began　to　see　light　through　the　darkness；　dimly；　for　the
first　time。　The　instinct　which　comes　with　emergency；　before　the
slower　process　of　reason　can　assert　itself；　brought　him　at　a　leap
to　the　conclusion　that　Mr。　Bashwoodwho　had　been　certainly
acting　under　his　wife's　influence　the　previous　daymight　be
acting　again　under　his　wife's　influence　now。　He　persisted　in
sifting　the　steward's　statement；　with　the　conviction　growing
firmer　and　firmer　in　his　mind　that　the　statement　was　a　lie；　and
that　his　wife　was　concerned　in　it。

〃Is　the　major　in　Norfolk？〃　he　asked；　〃or　is　he　near　his　daughter
in　Lon