armadale-第180节

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clock；　as　if　it　had　been　a　living　creature　speaking　to　her；　and
fed　the　funnel　for　the　last　time；　to　the　last　drop　left　in　the
Flask。

The　waning　moon　shone　in　faintly　at　the　window。　With　her　hand　on
the　door　of　the　room；　she　turned　and　looked　at　the　light　that　was
slowly　fading　out　of　the　murky　sky。

〃Oh；　God；　forgive　me！〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　Christ；　bear　witness　that　I
have　suffered！〃

One　moment　more　she　lingered　on　the　threshold；　lingered　for　her
last　look　in　this　world　and　turned　that　look　on　_him。_

〃Good…by！〃　she　said；　softly。

The　door　of　the　room　opened；　and　closed　on　her。　There　was　an
interval　of　silence。

Then　a　sound　came　dull　and　sudden；　like　the　sound　of　a　fall。

Then　there　was　silence　again。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*　*

The　hands　of　the　clock；　following　their　steady　course；　reckoned
the　minutes　of　the　morning　as　one　by　one　they　lapsed　away。　It　was
the　tenth　minute　since　the　door　of　the　room　had　opened　and　closed
；　before　Midwinter　stirred　on　his　pillow；　and；　struggling　to
raise　himself；　felt　the　letter　in　his　hand。

At　the　same　moment　a　key　was　turned　in　the　staircase　door。　And
the　doctor；　looking　expectantly　toward　the　fatal　room；　saw　the
Purple　Flask　on　the　window…sill；　and　the　prostrate　man　trying　to
raise　himself　from　the　floor。


EPILOGUE。


CHAPTER　I。

NEWS　FROM　NORFOLK。

_From　Mr。　Pedgift；　Senior　（Thorpe　Ambrose）；　to　Mr。　Pedgift；
Junior　（Paris）。_

〃High　Street；　December　20th。

〃MY　DEAR　AUGUSTUSYour　letter　reached　me　yesterday。　You　seem　to
be　making　the　most　of　your　youth　（as　you　call　it）　with　a
vengeance。　Well！　enjoy　your　holiday。　I　made　the　most　of　my　youth
when　I　was　your　age；　and；　wonderful　to　relate；　I　haven't
forgotten　it　yet！

〃You　ask　me　for　a　good　budget　of　news；　and　especially　for　more
information　about　that　mysterious　business　at　the　Sanitarium。

〃Curiosity；　my　dear　boy；　is　a　quality　which　（in　our　profession
especially）　sometimes　leads　to　great　results。　I　doubt；　however；
if　you　will　find　it　leading　to　much　on　this　occasion。　All　I　know
of　the　mystery　of　the　Sanitarium；　I　know　from　Mr。　Armadale：　and
he　is　entirely　in　the　dark　on　more　than　one　point　of　importance。
I　have　already　told　you　how　they　were　entrapped　into　the　house；
and　how　they　passed　the　night　there。　To　this　I　can　now　add　that
something　did　certainly　happen　to　Mr。　Midwinter；　which　deprived
him　of　consciousness；　and　that　the　doctor；　who　appears　to　have
been　mixed　up　in　the　matter；　carried　things　with　a　high　hand；　and
insisted　on　taking　his　own　course　in　his　own　Sanitarium。　There　is
not　the　least　doubt　that　the　miserable　woman　（however　she　might
have　come　by　her　death）　was　found　deadthat　a　coroner's　inquest
inquired　into　the　circumstancesthat　the　evidence　showed　her　to
have　entered　the　house　as　a　patientand　that　the　medical
investigation　ended　in　discovering　that　she　had　died　of　apoplexy。
My　idea　is　that　Mr。　Midwinter　had　a　motive　of　his　own　for　not
coming　forward　with　the　evidence　that　he　might　have　given。　I　have
also　reason　to　suspect　that　Mr。　Armadale；　out　of　regard　for　him；
followed　his　lead；　and　that　the　verdict　at　the　inquest　（attaching
no　blame　to　anybody）　proceeded；　like　many　other　verdicts　of　the
same　kind；　from　an　entirely　superficial　investigation　of　the
circumstances。

〃The　key　to　the　whole　mystery　is　to　be　found；　I　firmly　believe；
in　that　wretched　woman's　attempt　to　personate　the　character　of
Mr。　Armadale's　widow　when　the　news　of　his　death　appeared　in　the
papers。　But　what　first　set　her　on　this；　and　by　what　inconceivable
process　of　deception　she　can　have　induced　Mr。　Midwinter　to　marry
her　（as　the　certificate　proves）　under　Mr。　Armadale's　name；　is
more　than　Mr。　Armadale　himself　knows。　The　point　was　not　touched
at　the　inquest；　for　the　simple　reason　that　the　inquest　only
concerned　itself　with　the　circumstances　attending　her　death。　Mr。
Armadale；　at　his　friend's　request；　saw　Miss　Blanchard；　and
induced　her　to　silence　old　Darch　on　the　subject　of　the　claim　that
had　been　made　relating　to　the　widow's　income。　As　the　claim　had
never　been　admitted；　even　our　stiff…necked　brother　practitioner
consented　for　once　to　do　as　he　was　asked。　The　doctor's　statement
that　his　patient　was　the　widow　of　a　gentleman　named　Armadale　was
accordingly　left　unchallenged；　and　so　the　matter　has　been　hushed
up。　She　is　buried　in　the　great　cemetery；　near　the　place　where　she
died。　Nobody　but　Mr。　Midwinter　and　Mr。　Armadale　（who　insisted　on
going　with　him）　followed　her　to　the　grave；　and　nothing　has　been
inscribed　on　the　tombstone　but　the　initial　letter　of　her
Christian　name　and　the　date　of　her　death。　So；　after　all　the　harm
she　has　done；　she　rests　at　last；　and　so　the　two　men　whom　she　has
injured　have　forgiven　her。

〃Is　there　more　to　say　on　this　subject　before　we　leave　it？　On
referring　to　your　letter；　I　find　you　have　raised　one　other　point；
which　may　be　worth　a　moment's　notice。

〃You　ask　if　there　is　reason　to　suppose　that　the　doctor　comes　out
of　the　matter　with　hands　which　are　really　as　clean　as　they　look？
My　dear　Augustus；　I　believe　the　doctor　to　have　been　at　the　bottom
of　more　of　this　mischief　than　we　shall　ever　find　out；　and　to　have
profited　by　the　self…imposed　silence　of　Mr。　Midwinter　and　Mr。
Armadale；　as　rogues　perpetually　profit　by　the　misfortunes　and
necessities　of　honest　men。　It　is　an　ascertained　fact　that　he
connived　at　the　false　statement　about　Miss　Milroy；　which
entrapped　the　two　gentlemen　into　his　house；　and　that　one
circumstance　（after　my　Old　Bailey　experience）　is　enough　for　_me。_
As　to　evidence　against　him；　there　is　not　a　jot；　and　as　to
Retribution　overtaking　him；　I　can　only　say　I　heartily　hope
Retribution　may　prove；　in　the　long　run；　to　be　the　more　cunning
customer　of　the　two。　There　is　not　much　prospect　of　it　at　present。
The　doctor's　friends　and　admirers　are；　I　understand；　about　to
present　him　with　a　Testimonial；　'expressive　of　their　sympathy
under　the　sad　occurrence　which　has　thrown　a　cloud　over　the
opening　of　his　Sanitarium；　and　of　their　undiminished　confidence
in　his　integrity　and　ability　as　a　medical　man。'　We　live；
Augustus；　in　an　age　eminently　favorable　to　the　growth　of　all
roguery　which　is　careful　enough　to　keep　up　appearances。　In　this
enlightened　nineteenth　century；　I　look　upon　the　doctor　as　one　of
our　rising　men。

〃To　turn　now　to　pleasanter　subjects　than　Sanitariums；　I　may　tell
you　that　Miss　Neelie　is　as　good　as　well　again；　and　is；　in　my
humble　opinion；　prettier　than　ever。　She　is　staying　in　London
under　the　care　of　a　female　relative；　and　Mr。　Armadale　satisfies
her　of　the　fact　of　his　existence　（in　case　she　should　forget　it）
regularly　every　day。　They　are　to　be　married　in　the　spring；　unless
Mrs。　Milroy's　death　causes　the　ceremony　to　be　postponed。　The
medical　men　are　of　opinion　that　the　poor　lady　is　sinking　at　last。
It　may　be　a　question　of　weeks　or　a　question　of　months；　they　can
say　no　more。　She　is　greatly　alteredquiet　and　gentle；　and
anxiously　affectionate　with　her　husband　and　her　child。　But　in　her
case　this　happy　change　is；　it　seems；　a　sign　of　approaching
dissolution；　from　the　medical　point　of　view。　There　is　a
difficulty　in　making　the　poor　old；　major　understand　this。　He　only
sees　that　she　has　gone　back　to　the　likeness　of　her　better　self
when　he　first　married　her；　and　he　sits　for　hours　by　her　bedside
now；　and　tells　her　about　his　wonderful　clock。

〃Mr。　Midwinter；　of　whom　you　will　next　expect　me　to　say　something；
is　improving　rapidly。　After　causing　some　anxiety　at　first　to　the
medical　men　（who　declared　that　he　was　suffering　from　a　serious
nervous　shock；　produced　by　circumstances　about　which　their
patient's　obstinate　silence　kept　them　quite　in　the　dark）；　he　has
rallied；　as　only　men　of　his　sensitive　temperament　（to　quote　the
doctors　again）　can　rally。　He　and　Mr。　Armadale　are　together　in　a
quiet　lodging。　I　saw　him　last　week　when　I　was　in　London。　His　face
showed　signs　of　wear　and　tear；　very　sad　to　see　in　so　young　a　man。
But　he　spoke　of　himself　and　his　future　with　a　courage　and
hopefulness　which　men　of　twice　his　years　（if　he　has　suffered　as　I
suspect　him　to　have　suffered）　might　have　envied。　If　I　know
anything　of　humanity；　this　is　no　common　man；　and　we　shall　hear　of
him　yet　in　no　common　way。

〃You　will　wonder　how　I　came　to　be　in　London。　I　went　up；　with　a
return　ticket　（from　Saturday　to　Monday）；　about　that　matter　in
dispute　at　our　agent's。　We　had　a　tough　fight；　but；　curiously
enough；　a　point　occurred　to　me　just　as　I　got　up　to　go；　and　I　went
back　to　my　chair；　and　settled　the　question　in　no　time。　Of　course
I　stayed　at　Our　Hotel　in　Covent　Garden。　William；　the　waiter；
asked　after　you　with　the　affection　of　a　father；　and　Matilda；　the
chamber…maid；　said　you　almost　persuaded　her　that　last　time　to
have　the　hollow　tooth　taken　out　of　her　lower　jaw。　I　had　the
agent's　second　son　（the　young　chap　you　nicknamed　Mustapha；　when
he　made　that　dreadful　mess　about　the　Turkish　Securities）　to　dine
with　me　on　Sunday。　A　little　incident　happened　in　the　evening
which　may　be　worth　recording；　as　it　connected　itself　with　a
certain　old　lady　who　was　not　'at　home'　when　you　and　Mr。　Armadale
blundered　on　that　house　in　Pimlico　in　the　bygone　time。

〃Mustapha　was　like　all　the　rest　of　you　young　men　of　the　present
dayhe　go　t