armadale-第27节

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belief　in　fate　is　one　of　the　inheritances　he　has　left　to　me。　I
won't　dispute　it；　I　won't　deny　that　all　through　yesterday　_his_
superstition　was　_my_　superstition。　The　night　came　before　I　could
find　my　way　to　calmer　and　brighter　thoughts。　But　I　did　find　my
way。　You　may　set　it　down　in　my　favor　that　I　lifted　myself　at　last
above　the　influence　of　this　horrible　letter。　Do　you　know　what
helped　me？〃

〃Did　you　reason　with　yourself？〃

〃I　can't　reason　about　what　I　feel。〃

〃Did　you　quiet　your　mind　by　prayer？〃

〃I　was　not　fit　to　pray。〃

〃And　yet　something　guided　you　to　the　better　feeling　and　the　truer
view？〃

〃Something　did。〃

〃What　was　it？〃

〃My　love　for　Allan　Armadale。〃

He　cast　a　doubting；　almost　a　timid　look　at　Mr。　Brock　as　he　gave
that　answer；　and；　suddenly　leaving　the　table；　went　back　to　the
window…seat。

〃Have　I　no　right　to　speak　of　him　in　that　way？〃　he　asked；　keeping
his　face　hidden　from　the　rector。　〃Have　I　not　known　him　long
enough；　have　I　not　done　enough　for　him　yet？　Remember　what　my
experience　of　other　men　had　been　when　I　first　saw　his　hand　held
out　to　mewhen　I　first　heard　his　voice　speaking　to　me　in　my
sick…room。　What　had　I　known　of　strangers'　hands　all　through　my
childhood？　I　had　only　known　them　as　hands　raised　to　threaten　and
to　strike　me。　His　hand　put　my　pillow　straight；　and　patted　me　on
the　shoulder；　and　gave　me　my　food　and　drink。　What　had　I　known　of
other　men's　voices；　when　I　was　growing　up　to　be　a　man　myself？　I
had　only　known　them　as　voices　that　jeered；　voices　that　cursed；
voices　that　whispered　in　corners　with　a　vile　distrust。　_His_
voice　said　to　me；　'Cheer　up；　Midwinter！　we'll　soon　bring　you
round　again。　You'll　be　strong　enough　in　a　week　to　go　out　for　a
drive　with　me　in　our　Somersetshire　lanes。'　Think　of　the　gypsy's
stick；　think　of　the　devils　　laughing　at　me　when　I　we　nt　by　their
windows　with　my　little　dead　dog　in　my　arms；　think　of　the　master
who　cheated　me　of　my　month's　salary　on　his　deathbedand　ask　your
own　heart　if　the　miserable　wretch　whom　Allan　Armadale　has　treated
as　his　equal　and　his　friend　has　said　too　much　in　saying　that　he
loves　him？　I　do　love　him！　It　_will_　come　out　of　me；　I　can't　keep
it　back。　I　love　the　very　ground　he　treads　on！　I　would　give　my
lifeyes；　the　life　that　is　precious　to　me　now；　because　his
kindness　has　made　it　a　happy　oneI　tell　you　I　would　give　my
life〃

The　next　words　died　away　on　his　lips；　the　hysterical　passion
rose；　and　conquered　him。　He　stretched　out　one　of　his　hands　with　a
wild　gesture　of　entreaty　to　Mr。　Brock；　his　head　sank　on　the
window…sill　and　he　burst　into　tears。

Even　then　the　hard　discipline　of　the　man's　life　asserted　itself。
He　expected　no　sympathy；　he　counted　on　no　merciful　human　respect
for　human　weakness。　The　cruel　necessity　of　self…suppression　was
present　to　his　mind；　while　the　tears　were　pouring　over　his
cheeks。　〃Give　me　a　minute；〃　he　said；　faintly。　〃I'll　fight　it　down
in　a　minute；　I　won't　distress　you　in　this　way　again。〃

True　to　his　resolution；　in　a　minute　he　had　fought　it　down。　In　a
minute　more　he　was　able　to　speak　calmly。

〃We　will　get　back；　sir；　to　those　better　thoughts　which　have
brought　me　from　my　room　to　yours；〃　he　resumed。　〃I　can　only　repeat
that　I　should　never　have　torn　myself　from　the　hold　which　this
letter　fastened　on　me；　if　I　had　not　loved　Allan　Armadale　with　all
that　I　have　in　me　of　a　brother's　love。　I　said　to　myself；　'If　the
thought　of　leaving　him　breaks　my　heart；　the　thought　of　leaving
him　is　wrong！'　That　was　some　hours　since；　and　I　am　in　the　same
mind　still。　I　can't　believeI　won't　believethat　a　friendship
which　has　grown　out　of　nothing　but　kindness　on　one　side；　and
nothing　but　gratitude　on　the　other；　is　destined　to　lead　to　an
evil　end。　Judge；　you　who　are　a　clergyman；　between　the　dead
father；　whose　word　is　in　these　pages；　and　the　living　son；　whose
word　is　now　on　his　lips！　What　is　it　appointed　me　to　do；　now　that
I　am　breathing　the　same　air；　and　living　under　the　same　roof　with
the　son　of　the　man　whom　my　father　killedto　perpetuate　my
father's　crime　by　mortally　injuring　him；　or　to　atone　for　my
father's　crime　by　giving　him　the　devotion　of　my　whole　life？　The
last　of　those　two　faiths　is　my　faith；　and　shall　be　my　faith；
happen　what　may。　In　the　strength　of　that　better　conviction；　I
have　come　here　to　trust　you　with　my　father's　secret；　and　to
confess　the　wretched　story　of　my　own　life。　In　the　strength　of
that　better　conviction；　I　can　face　you　resolutely　with　the　one
plain　question；　which　marks　the　one　plain　end　of　all　that　I　have
come　here　to　say。　Your　pupil　stands　at　the　starting…point　of　his
new　career；　in　a　position　singularly　friendless；　his　one　great
need　is　a　companion　of　his　own　age　on　whom　he　can　rely。　The　time
has　come；　sir；　to　decide　whether　I　am　to　be　that　companion　or
not。　After　all　you　have　heard　of　Ozias　Midwinter；　tell　me
plainly；　will　you　trust　him　to　be　Allan　Armadale's　friend？〃

Mr。　Brock　met　that　fearlessly　frank　question　by　a　fearless
frankness　on　his　side。

〃I　believe　you　love　Allan；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　believe　you　have
spoken　the　truth。　A　man　who　has　produced　that　impression　on　me　is
a　man　whom　I　am　bound　to　trust。　I　trust　you。〃

Midwinter　started　to　his　feet；　his　dark　face　flushing　deep；　his
eyes　fixed　brightly　and　steadily；　at　last；　on　the　rector's　face。
〃A　light！　〃　he　exclaimed；　tearing　the　pages　of　his　father's
letter；　one　by　one；　from　the　fastening　that　held　them。　〃Let　us
destroy　the　last　link　that　holds　us　to　the　horrible　past！　Let　us
see　this　confession　a　heap　of　ashes　before　we　part！〃

〃Wait！〃　said　Mr。　Brock。　〃Before　you　burn　it；　there　is　a　reason
for　looking　at　it　once　more。〃

The　parted　leaves　of　the　manuscript　dropped　from　Midwinter's
hands。　Mr。　Brock　took　them　up；　and　sorted　them　carefully　until　he
found　the　last　page。

〃I　view　your　father's　superstition　as　you　view　it；〃　said　the
rector。　〃But　there　is　a　warning　given　you　here；　which　you　will　do
well　（for　Allan's　sake　and　for　your　own　sake）　not　to　neglect。　The
last　link　with　the　past　will　not　be　destroyed　when　you　have
burned　these　pages。　One　of　the　actors　in　this　story　of　treachery
and　murder　is　not　dead　yet。　Read　those　words。〃

He　pushed　the　page　across　the　table；　with　his　finger　on　one
sentence。　Midwinter's　agitation　misled　him。　He　mistook　the
indication；　and　read；　〃Avoid　the　widow　of　the　man　I　killed；　if
the　widow　still　lives。〃

〃Not　that　sentence；〃　said　the　rector。　〃The　next。〃

Midwinter　read　it：　〃Avoid　the　maid　whose　wicked　hand　smoothed　the
way　to　the　marriage；　if　the　maid　is　still　in　her　service。〃

〃The　maid　and　the　mistress　parted；〃　said　Mr。　Brock；　〃at　the　time
of　the　mistress's　marriage。　The　maid　and　the　mistress　met　again
at　Mrs。　Armadale's　residence　in　Somersetshire　last　year。　I　myself
met　the　woman　in　the　village；　and　I　myself　know　that　her　visit
hastened　Mrs。　Armadale's　death。　Wait　a　little；　and　compose
yourself；　I　see　I　have　startled　you。〃

He　waited　as　he　was　bid；　his　color　fading　away　to　a　gray　paleness
and　the　light　in　his　clear　brown　eyes　dying　out　slowly。　What　the
rector　had　said　had　produced　no　transient　impression　on　him；
there　was　more　than　doubt；　there　was　alarm　in　his　face；　as　he　sat
lost　in　his　own　thought。　Was　the　struggle　of　the　past　night
renewing　itself　already？　Did　he　feel　the　horror　of　his　hereditary
superstition　creeping　over　him　again？

〃Can　you　put　me　on　my　guard　against　her？〃　he　asked；　after　a　long
interval　of　silence。　〃Can　you　tell　me　her　name？〃

〃I　can　only　tell　you　what　Mrs。　Armadale　told　me；〃　answered　Mr。
Brock。　〃The　woman　acknowledged　having　been　married　in　the　long
interval　since　she　and　her　mistress　had　last　met。　But　not　a　word
more　escaped　her　about　her　past　life。　She　came　to　Mrs。　Armadale
to　ask　for　money；　under　a　plea　of　distress。　She　got　the　money；
and　she　left　the　house；　positively　refusing；　when　the　question
was　put　to　her；　to　mention　her　married　name。〃

〃You　saw　her　yourself　in　the　village。　What　was　she　like？〃

〃She　kept　her　veil　down。　I　can't　tell　you。〃

〃You　can　tell　me　what　you　_did_　see？〃

〃Certainly。　I　saw；　as　she　approached　me；　that　she　moved　very
gracefully；　that　she　had　a　beautiful　figure；　and　that　she　was　a
little　over　the　middle　height。　I　noticed；　when　she　asked　me　the
way　to　Mrs。　Armadale's　house；　that　her　manner　was　the　manner　of　a
lady；　and　that　the　tone　of　her　voice　was　remarkably　soft　and
winning。　Lastly；　I　remembered　afterward　that　she　wore　a　thick
black　veil；　a　black　bonnet；　a　black　silk　dress；　and　a　red　Paisley
shawl。　I　feel　all　the　importance　of　your　possessing　some　better
means　of　identifying　her　than　I　can　give　you。　But　unhappily〃

He　stopped。　Midwinter　was　leaning　eagerly　across　the　table；　and
Midwinter's　hand　was　laid　suddenly　on　his　arm。

〃Is　it　possible　that　you　know　the　woman？〃　asked　Mr。　Brock；
surprised　at　the　sudden　change　in　his　manner。

〃No。〃

〃What　have　I　said；　then；　that　has　startled　you　so？〃

〃Do　you　remember　the　woman　who　threw　herself　from　the　river
steamer？〃　asked　the　other〃the　woman　who　caused　that　succession
of　deaths　which　opened　Allan　Armadale's　way　to　the　Thorpe　Ambrose
estate？〃

〃I　remember　the　description　of　her　in　the　police　report；〃
answered　the　rector。

〃_That_　woman；〃　pursued　Midwinter；　〃moved　gracefully；　and　had　a