armadale-第36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！


got　a　bee　in　my　bonnet；　as　they　say　in　the　North。　Let's　talk　of
something　else。　About　those　people　you　have　let　the　cottage　to？　I
wonder　whether　the　agent's　account　of　Major　Milroy's　family　is　to
be　depended　on？　There　might　be　another　lady　in　the　household
besides　his　wife　and　his　daughter。〃

〃Oho！〃　cried　Allan；　〃_you're_　beginning　to　think　of　nymphs　among
the　trees；　and　flirtations　in　the　fruit…garden；　are　you？　Another
lady；　eh？　Suppose　the　major's　family　circle　won't　supply　another？
We　shall　have　to　spin　that　half…crown　again；　and　toss　up　for
which　is　to　have　the　first　chance　with　Miss　Milroy。〃

For　once　Midwinter　spoke　as　lightly　and　carelessly　as　Allan
himself。　〃No；　no；〃　he　said；　〃the　major's　landlord　has　the　first
claim　to　the　notice　of　the　major's　daughter。　I'll　retire　into　the
background；　and　wait　for　the　next　lady　who　makes　her　appearance
at　Thorpe　Ambrose。〃

〃Very　good。　I'll　have　an　address　to　the　women　of　Norfolk　posted
in　the　park　to　that　effect；〃　said　Allan。　〃Are　you　particular　to　a
shade　about　size　or　complexion？　What's　your　favorite　age？〃

Midwinter　trifled　with　his　own　superstition；　as　a　man　trifles
with　the　loaded　gun　that　may　kill　him；　or　with　the　savage　animal
that　may　maim　him　for　life。　He　mentioned　the　age　（as　he　had
reckoned　it　himself）　of　the　woman　in　the　black　gown　and　the　red
Paisley　shawl。

〃Five…and…thirty；　〃　he　said。

As　the　words　passed　his　lips；　his　factitious　spirits　deserted
him。　He　left　his　seat；　impenetrably　deaf　to　all　Allan's　efforts
at　rallying　him　on　his　extraordinary　answer；　and　resumed　his
restless　pacing　of　the　deck　in　dead　silence。　Once　more　the
haunting　thought　which　had　gone　to　and　fro　with　him　in　the　hour
of　darkness　went　to　and　fro　with　him　now　in　the　hour　of　daylight。

Once　more　the　conviction　possessed　itself　of　his　mind　that
something　was　to　happen　to　Allan　or　to　himself　before　they　left
the　wreck。

Minute　by　minute　the　light　strengthened　in　the　eastern　sky；　and
the　shadowy　places　on　the　deck　of　the　timber…ship　revealed　their
barren　emptiness　under　the　eye　of　day。　As　the　breeze　rose　again；
the　sea　began　to　murmur　wakefully　in　the　morning　light。　Even　the
cold　bubbling　of　the　broken　water　changed　its　cheerless　note；　and
softened　on　the　ear　as　the　mellowing　flood　of　daylight　poured
warm　over　it　from　the　rising　sun。　Midwinter　paused　near　the
forward　part　of　the
　ship；　and　recalled　his　wandering　attention　to　the　passing　time。
The　cheering　influences　of　the　hour　were　round　him；　look　where　he
might。　The　happy　morning　smile　of　the　summer　sky；　so　brightly
merciful　to　the　old　and　weary　earth；　lavished　its　all…embracing
beauty　even　on　the　wreck。　The　dew　that　lay　glittering　on　the
inland　fields　lay　glittering　on　the　deck；　and　the　worn　and　rusted
rigging　was　gemmed　as　brightly　as　the　fresh　green　leaves　on
shore。　Insensibly；　as　he　looked　round；　Midwinter's　thoughts
reverted　to　the　comrade　who　had　shared　with　him　the　adventure　of
the　night。　He　returned　to　the　after…part　of　the　ship；　spoke　to
Allan　as　he　advanced。　Receiving　no　answer；　he　approached　the
recumbent　figure　and　looked　closer　at　it。　Left　to　his　own
resources；　Allan　had　let　the　fatigues　of　the　night　take　their　own
way　with　him。　His　head　had　sunk　back；　his　hat　had　fallen　off；　he
lay　stretched　at　full　length　on　the　deck　of　the　timber…ship；
deeply　and　peacefully　asleep。

Midwinter　resumed　his　walk；　his　mind　lost　in　doubt；　his　own　past
thoughts　seeming　suddenly　to　have　grown　strange　to　him。　How
darkly　his　forebodings　had　distrusted　the　coming　time；　and　how
harmlessly　that　time　had　come！　The　sun　was　mounting　in　the
heavens；　the　hour　of　release　was　drawing　nearer　and　nearer；　and
of　the　two　Armadales　imprisoned　in　the　fatal　ship；　one　was
sleeping　away　the　weary　time；　and　the　other　was　quietly　watching
the　growth　of　the　new　day。

The　sun　climbed　higher；　the　hour　wore　on。　With　the　latent
distrust　of　the　wreck　which　still　clung　to　him；　Midwinter　looked
inquiringly　on　either　shore　for　signs　of　awakening　human　life。
The　land　was　still　lonely。　The　smoke　wreaths　that　were　soon　to
rise　from　cottage　chimneys　had　not　risen　yet。

After　a　moment's　thought　he　went　back　again　to　the　after…part　of
the　vessel；　to　see　if　there　might　be　a　fisherman's　boat　within
hail　astern　of　them。　Absorbed　for　the　moment　by　the　new　idea；　he
passed　Allan　hastily；　after　barely　noticing　that　he　still　lay
asleep。　One　step　more　would　have　brought　him　to　the　taffrail；
when　that　step　was　suspended　by　a　sound　behind　him；　a　sound　like
a　faint　groan。　He　turned；　and　looked　at　the　sleeper　on　the　deck。
He　knelt　softly；　and　looked　closer。

〃It　has　come！〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃Not　to　_me_but　to
_him。_　〃

It　had　come；　in　the　bright　freshness　of　the　morning；　it　had　come；
in　the　mystery　and　terror　of　a　Dream。　The　face　which　Midwinter
had　last　seen　in　perfect　repose　was　now　the　distorted　face　of　a
suffering　man。　The　perspiration　stood　thick　on　Allan's　forehead；
and　matted　his　curling　hair。　His　partially　opened　eyes　showed
nothing　but　the　white　of　the　eyeball　gleaming　blindly。　His
outstretched　hands　scratched　and　struggled　on　the　deck。　From
moment　to　moment　he　moaned　and　muttered　helplessly；　but　the　words
that　escaped　him　were　lost　in　the　grinding　and　gnashing　of　his
teeth。　There　he　layso　near　in　the　body　to　the　friend　who　bent
over　him；　so　far　away　in　the　spirit；　that　the　two　might　have　been
in　different　worldsthere　he　lay；　with　the　morning　sunshine　on
his　face；　in　the　torture　of　his　dream。

One　question；　and　one　only；　rose　in　the　mind　of　the　man　who　was
looking　at　him。　What　had　the　fatality　which　had　imprisoned　him　in
the　wreck　decreed　that　he　should　see？

Had　the　treachery　of　Sleep　opened　the　gates　of　the　grave　to　that
one　of　the　two　Armadales　whom　the　other　had　kept　in　ignorance　of
the　truth？　Was　the　murder　of　the　father　revealing　itself　to　the
sonthere；　on　the　very　spot　where　the　crime　had　been
committedin　the　vision　of　a　dream？

With　that　question　overshadowing　all　else　in　his　mind；　the　son　of
the　homicide　knelt　on　the　deck；　and　looked　at　the　son　of　the　man
whom　his　father's　hand　had　slain。

The　conflict　between　the　sleeping　body　and　the　waking　mind　was
strengthening　every　moment。　The　dreamer's　helpless　groaning　for
deliverance　grew　louder；　his　hands　raised　themselves；　and
clutched　at　the　empty　air。　Struggling　with　the　all…mastering
dread　that　still　held　him；　Midwinter　laid　his　hand　gently　on
Allan's　forehead。　Light　as　the　touch　was；　there　were　mysterious
sympathies　in　the　dreaming　man　that　answered　it。　His　groaning
ceased；　and　his　hands　dropped　slowly。　There　was　an　instant　of
suspense　and　Midwinter　looked　closer。　His　breath　just　fluttered
over　the　sleeper's　face。　Before　the　next　breath　had　risen　to　his
lips；　Allan　suddenly　sprang　up　on　his　kneessprang　up；　as　if　the
call　of　a　trumpet　had　rung　on　his　ear；　awake　in　an　instant。

〃You　have　been　dreaming；〃　said　Midwinter；　as　the　other　looked　at
him　wildly；　in　the　first　bewilderment　of　waking。

Allan's　eyes　began　to　wander　about　the　wreck；　at　first　vacantly；
then　with　a　look　of　angry　surprise。　〃Are　we　here　still？〃　he　said；
as　Midwinter　helped　him　to　his　feet。　〃Whatever　else　I　do　on　board
this　infernal　ship；〃　he　added；　after　a　moment；　〃I　won't　go　to
sleep　again！〃

As　he　said　those　words；　his　friend's　eyes　searched　his　face　in
silent　inquiry。　They　took　a　turn　together　on　the　deck。

〃Tell　me　your　dream；〃　said　Midwinter；　with　a　strange　tone　of
suspicion　in　his　voice；　and　a　strange　appearance　of　abruptness　in
his　manner。

〃I　can't　tell　it　yet；〃　returned　Allan。　〃Wait　a　little　till　I'm　my
own　man　again。〃

They　took　another　turn　on　the　deck。　Midwinter　stopped；　and　spoke
once　more。

〃Look　at　me　for　a　moment；　Allan；〃　he　said。

There　was　something　of　the　trouble　left　by　the　dream；　and
something　of　natural　surprise　at　the　strange　request　just
addressed　to　him；　in　Allan's　face；　as　he　turned　it　full　on　the
speaker；　but　no　shadow　of　ill…will；　no　lurking　lines　of　distrust
anywhere。　Midwinter　turned　aside　quickly；　and　hid；　as　he　best
might；　an　irrepressible　outburst　of　relief。

〃Do　I　look　a　little　upset？〃　asked　Allan；　taking　his　arm；　and
leading　him　on　again。　〃Don't　make　yourself　nervous　about　me　if　I
do。　My　head　feels　wild　and　giddy；　but　I　shall　soon　get　over　it。〃

For　the　next　few　minutes　they　walked　backward　and　forward　in
silence；　the　one　bent　on　dismissing　the　terror　of　the　dream　from
his　thoughts；　the　other　bent　on　discovering　what　the　terror　of
the　dream　might　be。　Relieved　of　the　dread　that　had　oppressed　it；
the　superstitious　nature　of　Midwinter　had　leaped　to　its　next
conclusion　at　a　bound。　What　if　the　sleeper　had　been　visited　by
another　revelation　than　the　revelation　of　the　Past？　What　if　the
dream　had　opened　those　unturned　pages　in　the　book　of　the　Future
which　told　the　story　of　his　life　to　come？　The　bare　doubt　that　it
might　be　so　strengthened　tenfold　Midwinter's　longing　to　penetrate
the　mystery　which　Allan's　silence　still　kept　a　secret　from　him。

〃Is　your　head　more　composed？〃　he　asked。　〃Can　you　tell　me　your
dream　now？〃

While　he　put　the　question；　a　last　memorable　moment　in　the
Adventure　of　the　Wreck　was　at　hand。

They　had　reached　the　stern；　and　were　just　turning　again　when
Mid