armadale-第31节

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to　say　so；　and　a　carriage　would　be　produced　immediately。　Allan
jumped　at　the　proposal；　and　in　ten　minutes　more　he　and　Midwinter
were　on　their　way　to　the　western　wilds　of　the　island。

With　trifling　incidents；　the　day　of　Mr。　Brock's　departure　had
worn　on　thus　far。　With　trifling　incidents；　in　which　not　even
Midwinter's　nervous　watchfulness　could　see　anything　to　distrust；
it　was　still　to　proceed；　until　the　night　camea　night　which　one
at　least　of　the　two　companions　was　destined　to　remember　to　the
end　of　his　life。

Before　the　travelers　had　advanced　two　miles　on　their　road；　an
accident　happened。　The　horse　fell；　and　the　driver　reported　that
the　animal　had　seriously　injured　himself。　There　was　no
alternative　but　to　send　for　another　carriage　to　Castletown；　or　to
get　on　to　Port　St。　Mary　on　foot。

Deciding　to　walk；　Midwinter　and　Allan　had　not　gone　far　before
they　were　overtaken　by　a　gentleman　driving　alone　in　an　open
chaise。　He　civilly　introduced　himself　as　a　medical　man；　living
close　to　Port　St。　Mary；　and　offered　seats　in　his　carriage。　Always
ready　to　make　new　acquaintances；　Allan　at　once　accepted　the
proposal。　He　and　the　doctor　（whose　name　was　ascertained　to　be
Hawbury）　became　friendly　and　familiar　before　they　had　been　five
minutes　in　the　chaise　together；　Midwinter；　sitting　behind　them；
reserved　and　silent；　on　the　back　seat。　They　separated　just
outside　Port　St。　Mary；　before　Mr。　Hawbury's　house；　Allan
boisterously　admiring　the　doctor's　neat　French　windows　and　pretty
flower…garden　and　lawn；　and　wringing　his　hand　at　parting　as　if
they　had　known　each　other　from　boyhood　upward。　Arrived　in　Port
St。　Mary；　the　two　friends　found　themselves　in　a　second　Castletown
on　a　smaller　scale。　But　the　country　round；　wild；　open；　and　hilly；
deserved　its　reputation。　A　walk　brought　them　well　enough　on　with
the　daystill　the　harmless；　idle　day　that　it　had　been　from　the
firstto　see　the　evening　near　at　hand。　After　waiting　a　little　to
admire　the　sun；　setting　grandly　over　hill；　and　heath；　and　crag；
and　talking；　while　they　waited；　of　Mr。　Brock　and　his　long　journey
home；　they　returned　to　the　hotel　to　order　their　early　supper。
Nearer　and　nearer　the　night；　and　the　adventure　which　the　night
was　to　bring　with　it；　came　to　the　two　friends；　and　still　the　only
incidents　that　happened　were　incidents　to　be　laughed　at；　if　they
were　noticed　at　all。　The　supper　was　badly　cooked；　the
waiting…maid　was　impenetrably　stupid；　the　old…fashioned　bell…rope
in　the　coffee…room　had　come　down　in　Allan's　hands；　and；　striking
in　its　descent　a　painted　china　shepherdess　on　the　chimney…piece；
had　laid　the　figure　in　fragments　on　the　floor。　Events　as　trifling
as　these　were　still　the　only　events　that　had　happened；　when　the
twilight　faded；　and　the　lighted　candles　were　brought　into　the
room。

Finding　Midwinter；　after　the　double　fatigue　of　a　sleepless　night
and　a　restless　day；　but　little　inclined　for　conversation；　Allan
left　him　resting　on　the　sofa；　and　lounged　into　the　passage　of　the
hotel；　on　the　chance　of　discovering　somebody　to　talk　to。　Here
another　of　the　trivial　incidents　of　the　day　brought　Allan　and　Mr。
Hawbury　together　again；　and　helpedwhether　happily　or　not；　yet
remained　to　be　seento　strengthen　the　acquaintance　between　them
on　either　side。

The　〃bar〃　of　the　hotel　was　situated　at　one　end　of　the　passage；
and　the　landlady　was　in　attendance　there；　mixing　a　glass　of
liquor　for　the　doctor；　who　had　just　looked　in　for　a　little
gossip。　On　Allan's　asking　permission　to　make　a　third　in　the
drinking　and　the　gossiping；　Mr。　Hawbury　civilly　handed　him　the
glass　which　the　landlady　had　just　filled。　It　contained　cold
brandy…and…water。　A　marked　change　in　Allan's　face；　as　he　suddenly
drew　back　and　asked　for　whisky　instead；　caught　the　doctor's
medical　eye。　〃A　case　of　nervous　antipathy；〃　said　Mr。　Hawbury；
quietly　taking　the　glass　away　again。　The　remark　obliged　Allan　to
acknowledge　that　he　had　an　insurmountable　loathing　（which　he　was
foolish　enough　to　be　a　little　ashamed　of　mentioning）　to　the　smell
and　taste　of　brandy。　No　matter　with　what　diluting　liquid　the
spirit　was　mixed；　the　presence　of　it；　instantly　detected　by　his
organs　of　taste　and　smell；　turned　him　sick　and　faint　if　the　drink
touched　his　lips。　Starting　from　this　personal　confession；　the
talk　turned　on　antipathies　in　general；　and　the　doctor
acknowledged；　on　his　side；　that　he　took　a　professional　interest
in　the　subject；　and　that　he　possessed　a　collection　of　curious
cases　at　home；　which　his　new　acquaintance　was　welcome　to　look　at；
if　Allan　had　nothing　else　to　do　that　evening；　and　if　he　would
call；　when　the　medical　work　of　the　day　was　over；　in　an　hour's
time。

Cordially　accepting　the　invitation　（which　was　extended　to
Midwinter　also；　if　he　cared　to　profit　by　it）；　Allan　returned　to
the　coffee…room　to　look　after　his　friend。　Half　asleep　and　half
awake；　Midwinter　was　still　stretched　on　the　sofa；　with　the　local
newspaper　just　dropping　out　of　his　languid　hand。

〃I　heard　your　voice　in　the　passage；〃　he　said；　drowsily。　〃Whom
were　you　talking　to？〃

〃The　doctor；〃　replied　Allan。　〃I　am　going　to　smoke　a　cigar　with
him；　in　an　hour's　time。　Will　you　come　too？〃

Midwinter　assented　with　a　weary　sigh。　Always　shyly　unwilling　to
make　new　acquaintances；　fatigue　increased　the　reluctance　he　now
felt　to　become　Mr。　Hawbury's　guest。　As　matters　stood；　however；
there　was　no　alternative　but　to　go；　for；　with　Allan's
constitutional　imprudence；　there　was　no　safely　trusting　him　alone
anywhere；　and　more　especially　in　a　stranger's　house。　Mr。　Brock
would　certainly　not　have　left　his　pupil　to　visit　the　doctor
alone；　and　Midwinter　was　still　nervously　conscious　that　he
occupied　Mr。　Brock's　place。

〃What　shall　we　do　till　it's　time　to　go？〃　asked　Allan；　looking
about　him。　〃Anything　in　this？〃　he　added；　observing　the　fallen
newspaper；　and　picking　it　up　from　the　floor。

〃I'm　too　tired　to　look。　If　you　find　anything　interesting；　read　it
out；〃　said　Midwinter；　thinking　that　the　reading　might　help　to
keep　him　awake。

Part　of　the　newspaper；　and　no　small　part　of　it；　was　devoted　to
extracts　from　books　recently　published　in　London。　One　of　the
works　most　largely　laid　under　contribution　in　this　manner　was　of
the　sort　to　interest　Allan：　it　was　a　highly　spiced　narrative　of
Traveling　Adventures　in　the　wilds　of　Australia。　Pouncing　on　an
extract　which　described　the　sufferings　of　the　traveling…party；
lost　in　a　trackless　wilderness；　and　in　danger　of　dying　by　thirst；
Allan　announced　that　he　had　found　something　to　make　his　friend's
flesh　creep；　and　began　eagerly　to　read　the　passage　aloud。

Resolute　not　to　sleep；　Midwinter　followed　the　progress　of　the
adve　nture；　sentence　by　sentence；　without　missing　a　word。　The
consultation　of　the　lost　travelers；　with　death　by　thirst　staring
them　in　the　face；　the　resolution　to　press　on　while　their　strength
lasted；　the　fall　of　a　heavy　shower；　the　vain　efforts　made　to
catch　the　rainwater；　the　transient　relief　experienced　by　sucking
their　wet　clothes；　the　sufferings　renewed　a　few　hours　after；　the
night　advance　of　the　strongest　of　the　party；　leaving　the　weakest
behind；　the　following　a　flight　of　birds　when　morning　dawned；　the
discovery　by　the　lost　men　of　the　broad　pool　of　water　that　saved
their　livesall　this　Midwinter's　fast…failing　attention　mastered
painfully；　Allan's　voice　growing　fainter　and　fainter　on　his　ear
with　every　sentence　that　was　read。　Soon　the　next　words　seemed　to
drop　away　gently；　and　nothing　but　the　slowly　sinking　sound　of　the
voice　was　left。　Then　the　light　in　the　room　darkened　gradually；
the　sound　dwindled　into　delicious　silence；　and　the　last　waking
impressions　of　the　weary　Midwinter　came　peacefully　to　an　end。

The　next　event　of　which　he　was　conscious　was　a　sharp　ringing　at
the　closed　door　of　the　hotel。　He　started　to　his　feet；　with　the
ready　alacrity　of　a　man　whose　life　has　accustomed　him　to　wake　at
the　shortest　notice。　An　instant's　look　round　showed　him　that　the
room　was　empty；　and　a　glance　at　his　watch　told　him　that　it　was
close　on　midnight。　The　noise　made　by　the　sleepy　servant　in
opening　the　door；　and　the　tread　the　next　moment　of　quick
footsteps　in　the　passage；　filled　him　with　a　sudden　foreboding　of
something　wrong。　As　he　hurriedly　stepped　forward　to　go　out　and
make　inquiry；　the　door　of　the　coffee…room　opened；　and　the　doctor
stood　before　him。

〃I　am　sorry　to　disturb　you；〃　said　Mr。　Hawbury。　〃Don't　be　alarmed；
there's　nothing　wrong。〃

〃Where　is　my　friend？〃　asked　Midwinter。

〃At　the　pier　head；〃　answered　the　doctor。　〃I　am；　to　a　certain
extent；　responsible　for　what　he　is　doing　now；　and　I　think　some
careful　person；　like　yourself；　ought　to　be　with　him。〃

The　hint　was　enough　for　Midwinter。　He　and　the　doctor　set　out　for
the　pier　immediately；　Mr。　Hawbury　mentioning　on　the　way　the
circumstances　under　which　he　had　come　to　the　hotel。

Punctual　to　the　appointed　hour　Allan　had　made　his　appearance　at
the　doctor's　house；　explaining　that　he　had　left　his　weary　friend
so　fast　asleep　on　the　sofa　that　he　had　not　had　the　heart　to　wake
him。　The　evening　had　passed　pleasantly；　and　the　conversation　had
turned　on　many　subjects；　until；　in　an　evil　hour；　Mr。　Hawbury　had
dropped　a　hint　which　showed　that　he　was　fond　of　sailing；　and　that
he　possessed　a　pleasure…