armadale-第4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！


knows　how　that　hope　has　ended；　for　she　knows　what　I　told　her
husband　this　morning。〃

The　frown　which　had　been　gathering　latterly　on　Mr。　Neal's　face
deepened　and　darkened。　He　looked　at　the　doctor　as　if　the　doctor
had　personally　offended　him。

〃The　more　I　think　of　the　position　you　are　asking　me　to　take；〃　he
said；　〃the　less　I　like　it。　Can　you　undertake　to　say　positively
that　Mr。　Armadale　is　in　his　right　mind？〃

〃Yes；　as　positively　as　words　can　say　it。〃

〃Does　his　wife　sanction　your　coming　here　to　request　my
interference？〃

〃His　wife　sends　me　to　youthe　only　Englishman　in　Wildbadto
write　for　your　dying　countryman　what　he　cannot　write　for　himself；
and　what　no　one　else　in　this　place　but　you　can　write　for　him。〃

That　answer　drove　Mr。　Neal　back　to　the　last　inch　of　ground　left
him　to　stand　on。　Even　on　that　inch　the　Scotchman　resisted　still。

〃Wait　a　little！〃　he　said。　〃You　put　it　strongly；　let　us　be　quite
sure　you　put　it　correctly　as　well。　Let　us　be　quite　sure　there　is
nobody　to　take　this　responsibility　but　myself。　There　is　a　mayor
in　Wildbad；　to　begin　witha　man　who　possesses　an　official
character　to　justify　his　interference。〃

〃A　man　of　a　thousand；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃With　one　faulthe　knows
no　language　but　his　own。〃

〃There　is　an　English　legation　at　Stuttgart；〃　persisted　Mr。　Neal。

〃And　there　are　miles　on　miles　of　the　forest　between　this　and
Stuttgart；〃　rejoined　the　doctor。　〃If　we　sent　this　moment；　we
could　get　no　help　from　the　legation　before　to…morrow；　and　it　is
as　likely　as　not；　in　the　state　of　this　dying　man's　articulation；
that　to…morrow　may　find　him　speechless。　I　don't　know　whether　his
last　wishes　are　wishes　harmless　to　his　child　and　to　others；
wishes　hurtful　to　his　child　and　to　others；　but　I　_do_　know　that
they　must　be　fulfilled　at　once　or　never；　and　that　you　are　the
only　man　that　can　help　him。〃

That　open　declaration　brought　the　discussion　to　a　close。　It　fixed
Mr。　Neal　fast　between　the　two　alternatives　of　saying　Yes；　and
committing　an　act　of　imprudence；　or　of　saying　No；　and　committing
an　act　of　inhumanity。　There　was　a　silence　of　some　minutes。　The
Scotchman　steadily　reflected；　and　the　German　steadily　watched
him。

The　responsibility　of　saying　the　next　words　rested　on　Mr。　Neal；
and　in　course　of　time　Mr。　Neal　took　it。　He　rose　from　his　chair
with　a　sullen　sense　of　injury　lowering　on　his　heavy　eyebrows；　and
working　sourly　in　the　lines　at　the　corners　of　his　mouth。

〃My　position　is　forced　on　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　no　choice　but　to
accept　it。〃

The　doctor's　impulsive　nature　rose　in　revolt　against　the
merciless　brevity　and　gracelessness　of　that　reply。　〃I　wish　to
God；〃　he　broke　out　fervently；　〃I　knew　English　enough　to　take　your
place　at　Mr。　Armadale's　bedside！〃

〃Bating　your　taking　the　name　of　the　Almighty　in　vain；〃　answered
the　Scotchman；　〃I　entirely　agree　with　you。　I　wish　you　did。〃

Without　another　word　on　either　side；　they　left　the　room
togetherthe　doctor　leading　the　way。

CHAPTER　III。

THE　WRECK　OF　THE　TIMBER　SHIP。

NO　one　answered　the　doctor's　knock　when　he　and　his　companion
reached　the　antechamber　door　of　Mr。　Armadale's　apartments。　They
entered　unannounced；　and　when　they　looked　into　the　sitting…room；
the　sitting…room　was　empty。

〃I　must　see　Mrs。　Armadale；〃　said　Mr。　Neal。　〃I　decline　acting　in
the　matter　unless　Mrs。　Armadale　authorizes　my　interference　with
her　own　lips。〃

〃Mrs。　Armadale　is　probably　with　her　husband；〃　replied　the　doctor。
He　approached　a　door　at　the　inner　end　of　the　sitting…room　while
he　spokehesitatedand；　turning　round　again；　looked　at　his　sour
companion　anxiously。　〃I　am　afraid　I　spoke　a　little　harshly；　sir；
when　we　were　leaving　your　room；〃　he　said。　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for
it；　with　all　my　heart。　Before　this　poor　afflicted　lady　comes　in；
will　youwill　you　excuse　my　asking　your　utmost　gentleness　and
consideration　for　her？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　retorted　the　other　harshly；　〃I　won't　excuse　you。　What
right　have　I　given　you　to　think　me　wanting　in　gentleness　and
consideration　toward　anybody？〃

The　doctor　saw　it　was　useless。　〃I　beg　your　pardon　again；〃　he
said；　resignedly；　and　left　the　unapproachable　stranger　to
himself。

Mr。　Neal　walked　to　the　window；　and　stood　there；　with　his　eyes
mechanically　fixed　on　the　prospect；　composing　his　mind　for　the
coming　interview。

It　was　midday；　the　sun　shone　bright　and　warm；　and　all　the　little
world　of　Wildbad　was　alive　and　merry　in　the　genial　springtime。
Now　and　again　heavy　wagons；　with　black…faced　carters　in　charge；
rolled　by　the　window；　bearing　their　precious　lading　of　charcoal
from　the　forest。　Now　and　again；　hurled　over　the　headlong　current
of　the　stream　that　runs　through　the　town；　great　lengths　of
timber；　loosely　strung　together　in　interminable　serieswith　the
booted　raftsmen；　pole　in　hand；　poised　watchful　at　either
endshot　swift　and　serpent…like　past　the　houses　on　their　course
to　the　distant　Rhine。　High　and　steep　above　the　gabled　wooden
buildings　on　the　river…bank；　the　great　hillsides；　crested　black
with　firs；　shone　to　the　shining　heavens　in　a　glory　of　lustrous
green。　In　and　out；　where　the　forest　foot…paths　wound　from　the
grass　through　the　trees；　from　the　trees　over　the　grass；　the
bright　spring　dresses　of　women　and　children；　on　the　search　for
wild　flowers；　traveled　to　and　fro　in　the　lofty　distance　like
spots　of　moving　light。　Below；　on　the　walk　by　the　stream　side；　the
booths　of　the　little　bazar　that　had　opened　punctually　with　the
opening　season　showed　all　their　glittering　trinkets；　and
fluttered　in　the　balmy　air　their　splendor　of　m　any…colored　flags。
Longingly；　here　the　children　looked　at　the　show；　patiently　the
sunburned　lasses　plied　their　knitting　as　they　paced　the　walk；
courteously　the　passing　townspeople；　by　fours　and　fives；　and　the
passing　visitors；　by　ones　and　twos；　greeted　each　other；　hat　in
hand；　and　slowly；　slowly；　the　cripple　and　the　helpless　in　their
chairs　on　wheels　came　out　in　the　cheerful　noontide　with　the　rest；
and　took　their　share　of　the　blessed　light　that　cheers；　of　the
blessed　sun　that　shines　for　all。

On　this　scene　the　Scotchman　looked；　with　eyes　that　never　noted
its　beauty；　with　a　mind　far　away　from　every　lesson　that　it
taught。　One　by　one　he　meditated　the　words　he　should　say　when　the
wife　came　in。　One　by　one　he　pondered　over　the　conditions　he　might
impose　before　he　took　the　pen　in　hand　at　the　husband's　bedside。

〃Mrs。　Armadale　is　here；〃　said　the　doctor's　voice；　interposing
suddenly　between　his　reflections　and　himself。

He　turned　on　the　instant；　and　saw　before　him；　with　the　pure
midday　light　shining　full　on　her；　a　woman　of　the　mixed　blood　of
the　European　and　the　African　race；　with　the　Northern　delicacy　in
the　shape　of　her　face；　and　the　Southern　richness　in　its　colora
woman　in　the　prime　of　her　beauty；　who　moved　with　an　inbred　grace；
who　looked　with　an　inbred　fascination；　whose　large；　languid　black
eyes　rested　on　him　gratefully；　whose　little　dusky　hand　offered
itself　to　him　in　mute　expression　of　her　thanks；　with　the　welcome
that　is　given　to　the　coming　of　a　friend。　For　the　first　time　in
his　life　the　Scotchman　was　taken　by　surprise。　Every
self…preservative　word　that　he　had　been　meditating　but　an　instant
since　dropped　out　of　his　memory。　His　thrice　impenetrable　armor　of
habitual　suspicion；　habitual　self…discipline；　and　habitual
reserve；　which　had　never　fallen　from　him　in　a　woman's　presence
before；　fell　from　him　in　this　woman's　presence；　and　brought　him
to　his　knees；　a　conquered　man。　He　took　the　hand　she　offered　him；
and　bowed　over　it　his　first　honest　homage　to　the　sex；　in　silence。

She　hesitated　on　her　side。　The　quick　feminine　perception　which；
in　happier　circumstances；　would　have　pounced　on　the　secret　of　his
embarrassment　in　an　instant；　failed　her　now。　She　attributed　his
strange　reception　of　her　to　pride；　to　reluctanceto　any　cause
but　the　unexpected　revelation　of　her　own　beauty。　〃I　have　no　words
to　thank　you；〃　she　said；　faintly；　trying　to　propitiate　him。　〃I
should　only　distress　you　if　I　tried　to　speak。〃　Her　lip　began　to
tremble；　she　drew　back　a　little；　and　turned　away　her　head　in
silence。

The　doctor；　who　had　been　standing　apart；　quietly　observant　in　a
corner；　advanced　before　Mr。　Neal　could　interfere；　and　led　Mrs。
Armadale　to　a　chair。　〃Don't　be　afraid　of　him；〃　whispered　the　good
man；　patting　her　gently　on　the　shoulder。　〃He　was　hard　as　iron　in
my　hands；　but　I　think；　by　the　look　of　him；　he　will　be　soft　as　wax
in　yours。　Say　the　words　I　told　you　to　say；　and　let　us　take　him　to
your　husband's　room；　before　those　sharp　wits　of　his　have　time　to
recover　themselves。〃

She　roused　her　sinking　resolution；　and　advanced　half…way　to　the
window　to　meet　Mr。　Neal。　〃My　kind　friend；　the　doctor；　has　told
me；　sir；　that　your　only　hesitation　in　coming　here　is　a　hesitation
on　my　account；〃　she　said；　her　head　drooping　a　little；　and　her
rich　color　fading　away　while　she　spoke。　〃I　am　deeply　grateful；
but　I　entreat　you　not　to　think　of　_me。_　What　my　husband　wishes〃
Her　voice　faltered；　she　waited　resolutely；　and　recovered　herself。
〃What　my　husband　wishes　in　his　last　moments；　I　wish　too。〃

This　time　Mr。　Neal　was　composed　enough　to　answer　her。　In　low；
earnest　tones；　he　entreated　her　to　say　no　more。　〃I　was　only
anxious　to　show　you　every　consideration；〃