armadale-第8节

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letter　which　my　mother　wrote　to　Mr。　Blanchard　at　the　outset　of　my
illnesshad　then　caused　his　own　dismissal　from　his
situationand　had　sailed　for　Madeira　in　the　very　ship　that　was
to　have　sailed　with　me。　Arrived　at　the　island；　he　had　waited
again　till　the　vessel　was　away　once　more　on　her　voyage；　and　had
then　presented　himself　at　Mr。　Blanchard'snot　in　the　assumed
name　by　which　I　shall　continue　to　speak　of　him　here；　but　in　the
name　which　was　as　certainly　his　as　mine；　'Allan　Armadale。'　The
fraud　at　the　outset　presented　few　difficulties。　He　had　only　an
ailing　old　man　（who　had　not　seen　my　mother　for　half　a　lifetime）
and　an　innocent；　unsuspicious　girl　（who　had　never　seen　her　at
all）　to　deal　with；　and　he　had　learned　enough　in　my　service　to
answer　the　few　questions　that　were　put　to　him　as　readily　as　I
might　have　answered　them　myself。　His　looks　and　manners；　his
winning　ways　with　women；　his　quickness　and　cunning；　did　the　rest。
While　I　was　still　on　my　sickbed；　he　had　won　Miss　Blanchard's
affections。　While　I　was　dreaming　over　the　likeness　in　the　first
days　of　my　convalescence；　he　had　secured　Mr。　Blanchard's　consent
to　the　celebration　of　the　marriage　before　he　and　his　daughter
left　the　island。

〃Thus　far　Mr。　Blanchard's　infirmity　of　sight　had　helped　the
deception。　He　had　been　content　to　send　messages　to　my　mother；　and
to　receive　the　messages　which　were　duly　invented　in　return。　But
when　the　suitor　was　accepted；　and　the　wedding…day　was　appointed；
he　felt　it　due　to　his　old　friend　to　write　to　her；　asking　her
formal　consent　and　inviting　her　to　the　marriage。　He　could　only
complete　part　of　the　letter　himself；　the　rest　was　finished；　under
his　dictation；　by　Miss　Blanchard。　There　was　no　chance　of　being
beforehand　with　the　post…office　this　time；　and　Ingleby；　sure　of
his　place　in　the　heart　of　his　victim；　waylaid　her　as　she　came　out
of　her　father's　room　with　the　letter；　and　privately　told　her　the
truth。　She　was　still　under　age；　and　the　position　was　a　serious
one。　If　the　lett　er　was　posted；　no　resource　would　be　left　but　to
wait　and　be　parted　forever；　or　to　elope　under　circumstances　which
made　detection　almost　a　certainty。　The　destination　of　any　ship
which　took　them　away　would　be　known　beforehand；　and　the
fast…sailing　yacht　in　which　Mr。　Blanchard　had　come　to　Madeira　was
waiting　in　the　harbor　to　take　him　back　to　England。　The　only　other
alternative　was　to　continue　the　deception　by　suppressing　the
letter；　and　to　confess　the　truth　when　they　were　securely　married。
What　arts　of　persuasion　Ingleby　usedwhat　base　advantage　he
might　previously　have　taken　of　her　love　and　her　trust　in　him　to
degrade　Miss　Blanchard　to　his　own　levelI　cannot　say。　He　did
degrade　her。　The　letter　never　went　to　its　destination；　and；　with
the　daughter's　privity　and　consent；　the　father's　confidence　was
abused　to　the　very　last。

〃The　one　precaution　now　left　to　take　was　to　fabricate　the　answer
from　my　mother　which　Mr。　Blanchard　expected；　and　which　would
arrive　in　due　course　of　post　before　the　day　appointed　for　the
marriage。　Ingleby　had　my　mother's　stolen　letter　with　him；　but　he
was　without　the　imitative　dexterity　which　would　have　enabled　him
to　make　use　of　it　for　a　forgery　of　her　handwriting。　Miss
Blanchard；　who　had　consented　passively　to　the　deception；　refused
to　take　any　active　share　in　the　fraud　practiced　on　her　father。　In
this　difficulty；　Ingleby　found　an　instrument　ready　to　his　hand　in
an　orphan　girl　of　barely　twelve　years　old；　a　marvel　of　precocious
ability；　whom　Miss　Blanchard　had　taken　a　romantic　fancy　to
befriend　and　whom　she　had　brought　away　with　her　from　England　to
be　trained　as　her　maid。　That　girl's　wicked　dexterity　removed　the
one　serious　obstacle　left　to　the　success　of　the　fraud。　I　saw　the
imitation　of　my　mother's　writing　which　she　had　produced　under
Ingleby's　instructions　and　（if　the　shameful　truth　must　be　told）
with　her　young　mistress's　knowledgeand　I　believe　I　should　have
been　deceived　by　it　myself。　I　saw　the　girl　afterwardand　my
blood　curdled　at　the　sight　of　her。　If　she　is　alive　now；　woe　to
the　people　who　trust　her！　No　creature　more　innately　deceitful　and
more　innately　pitiless　ever　walked　this　earth。

〃The　forged　letter　paved　the　way　securely　for　the　marriage；　and
when　I　reached　the　house；　they　were　（as　the　servant　had　truly
told　me）　man　and　wife。　My　arrival　on　the　scene　simply
precipitated　the　confession　which　they　had　both　agreed　to　make。
Ingleby's　own　lips　shamelessly　acknowledged　the　truth。　He　had
nothing　to　lose　by　speaking　outhe　was　married；　and　his　wife's
fortune　was　beyond　her　father's　control。　I　pass　over　all　that
followedmy　interview　with　the　daughter；　and　my　interview　with
the　fatherto　come　to　results。　For　two　days　the　efforts　of　the
wife；　and　the　efforts　of　the　clergyman　who　had　celebrated　the
marriage；　were　successful　in　keeping　Ingleby　and　myself　apart。　On
the　third　day　I　set　my　trap　more　successfully；　and　I　and　the　man
who　had　mortally　injured　me　met　together　alone；　face　to　face。

〃Remember　how　my　confidence　had　been　abused；　remember　how　the　one
good　purpose　of　my　life　had　been　thwarted；　remember　the　violent
passions　rooted　deep　in　my　nature；　and　never　yet　controlledand
then　imagine　for　yourself　what　passed　between　us。　All　I　need　tell
here　is　the　end。　He　was　a　taller　and　a　stronger　man　than　I；　and
he　took　his　brute's　advantage　with　a　brute's　ferocity。　He　struck
me。

〃Think　of　the　injuries　I　had　received　at　that　man's　hands；　and
then　think　of　his　setting　his　mark　on　my　face　by　a　blow！

〃I　went　to　an　English　officer　who　had　been　my　fellow…passenger　on
the　voyage　from　Barbadoes。　I　told　him　the　truth；　and　he　agreed
with　me　that　a　meeting　was　inevitable。　Dueling　had　its　received
formalities　and　its　established　laws　in　those　days；　and　he　began
to　speak　of　them。　I　stopped　him。　'I　will　take　a　pistol　in　my
right　hand；'　I　said；　'and　he　shall　take　a　pistol　in　his：　I　will
take　one　end　of　a　handkerchief　in　my　left　hand；　and　he　shall　take
the　other　end　in　his；　and　across　that　handkerchief　the　duel　shall
be　fought。'　The　officer　got　up；　and　looked　at　me　as　if　I　had
personally　insulted　him。　'You　are　asking　me　to　be　present　at　a
murder　and　a　suicide；'　he　said；　'I　decline　to　serve　you。'　He　left
the　room。　As　soon　as　he　was　gone　I　wrote　down　the　words　I　had
said　to　the　officer　and　sent　them　by　a　messenger　to　Ingleby。
While　I　was　waiting　for　an　answer；　I　sat　down　before　the　glass；
and　looked　at　his　mark　on　my　face。　'Many　a　man　has　had　blood　on
his　hands　and　blood　on　his　conscience；'　I　thought；　'for　less　than
this。'

〃The　messenger　came　back　with　Ingleby's　answer。　It　appointed　a
meeting　for　three　o'clock　the　next　day；　at　a　lonely　place　in　the
interior　of　the　island。　I　had　resolved　what　to　do　if　he　refused；
his　letter　released　me　from　the　horror　of　my　own　resolution。　I
felt　grateful　to　himyes；　absolutely　grateful　to　himfor
writing　it。

〃The　next　day　I　went　to　the　place。　He　was　not　there。　I　waited　two
hours；　and　he　never　came。　At　last　the　truth　dawned　on　me。　'Once　a
coward；　always　a　coward；'　I　thought。　I　went　back　to　Mr。
Blanchard's　house。　Before　I　got　there；　a　sudden　misgiving　seized
me；　and　I　turned　aside　to　the　harbor。　I　was　right；　the　harbor　was
the　place　to　go　to。　A　ship　sailing　for　Lisbon　that　afternoon　had
offered　him　the　opportunity　of　taking　a　passage　for　himself　and
his　wife；　and　escaping　me。　His　answer　to　my　challenge　had　served
its　purpose　of　sending　me　out　of　the　way　into　the　interior　of　the
island。　Once　more　I　had　trusted　in　Fergus　Ingleby；　and　once　more
those　sharp　wits　of　his　had　been　too　much　for　me。

〃I　asked　my　informant　if　Mr。　Blanchard　was　aware　as　yet　of　his
daughter's　departure。　He　had　discovered　it；　but　not　until　the
ship　had　sailed。　This　time　I　took　a　lesson　in　cunning　from
Ingleby。　Instead　of　showing　myself　at　Mr。　Blanchard's　house；　I
went　first　and　looked　at　Mr。　Blanchard's　yacht。

〃The　vessel　told　me　what　the　vessel's　master　might　have
concealedthe　truth。　I　found　her　in　the　confusion　of　a　sudden
preparation　for　sea。　All　the　crew　were　on　board；　with　the
exception　of　some　few　who　had　been　allowed　their　leave　on　shore；
and　who　were　away　in　the　interior　of　the　island；　nobody　knew
where。　When　I　discovered　that　the　sailing…master　was　trying　in；
to　supply　their　places　with　the　best　men　he　could　pick　up　at　a
moment's　notice；　my　resolution　was　instantly　taken。　I　knew　the
duties　on　board　a　yacht　well　enough；　having　had　a　vessel　of　my
own；　and　having　sailed　her　myself。　Hurrying　into　the　town；　I
changed　my　dress　for　a　sailor's　coat　and　hat；　and；　returning　to
the　harbor；　I　offered　myself　as　one　of　the　volunteer　crew。　I
don't　know　what　the　sailing…master　saw　in　my　face。　My　answers　to
his　questions　satisfied　him；　and　yet　he　looked　at　me　and
hesitated。　But　hands　were　scarce；　and　it　ended　in　my　being　taken
on　board。　An　hour　later　Mr。　Blanchard　joined　us；　and　was　assisted
into　the　cabin；　suffering　pitiably　in　mind　and　body　both。　An　hour
after　that　we　were　at　sea；　with　a　starless　night　overhead；　and　a
fresh　breeze　behind　us。

〃As　I　had　surmised；　we　were　in　pursuit　of　the　vessel　in　which
Ingleby　and　his　wife　had　left　the　island　that　afternoon。　The　ship
was　French；　and　was　employed　in　the　timber　trade：　her　name　was
_La　Grace　de　Dieu。