armadale-第1章

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！






Armadale

by　Wilkie　Collins





TO

JOHN　FORSTER。

In　acknowledgment　of　the　services　which　he　has　rendered　to　the
cause　of　literature　by　his　〃Life　of　Goldsmith；〃　and　in
affectionate　remembrance　of　a　friendship　which　is　associated　with
some　of　the　happiest　years　of　my　life。



READERS　in　generalon　whose　friendly　reception　experience　has
given　me　some　reason　to　relywill；　I　venture　to　hope；　appreciate
whatever　merit　there　may　be　in　this　story　without　any　prefatory
pleading　for　it　on　my　part。　They　will；　I　think；　see　that　it　has
not　been　hastily　meditated　or　idly　wrought　out。　They　will　judge
it　accordingly；　and　I　ask　no　more。

Readers　in　particular　will；　I　have　some　reason　to　suppose；　be
here　and　there　disturbed；　perhaps　even　offended；　by　finding　that
〃Armadale〃　oversteps；　in　more　than　one　direction；　the　narrow
limits　within　which　they　are　disposed　to　restrict　the　development
of　modern　fictionif　they　can。

Nothing　that　I　could　say　to　these　persons　here　would　help　me　with
them　as　Time　will　help　me　if　my　work　lasts。　I　am　not　afraid　of　my
design　being　permanently　misunderstood；　provided　the　execution
has　done　it　any　sort　of　justice。　Estimated　by　the　clap…trap
morality　of　the　present　day；　this　may　be　a　very　daring　book。
Judged　by　the　Christian　morality　which　is　of　all　time；　it　is　only
a　book　that　is　daring　enough　to　speak　the　truth。

LONDON；　April；　1866。



ARMADALE。

PROLOGUE。

CHAPTER　I。

THE　TRAVELERS。

IT　was　the　opening　of　the　season　of　eighteen　hundred　and
thirty…two；　at　the　Baths　of　WILDBAD。

The　evening　shadows　were　beginning　to　gather　over　the　quiet
little　German　town；　and　the　diligence　was　expected　every　minute。
Before　the　door　of　the　principal　inn；　waiting　the　arrival　of　the
first　visitors　of　the　year；　were　assembled　the　three　notable
personages　of　Wildbad；　accompanied　by　their　wivesthe　mayor；
representing　the　inhabitants；　the　doctor；　representing　the
waters；　the　landlord；　representing　his　own　establishment。　Beyond
this　select　circle；　grouped　snugly　about　the　trim　little　square
in　front　of　the　inn；　appeared　the　towns…people　in　general；　mixed
here　and　there　with　the　country　people；　in　their　quaint　German
costume；　placidly　expectant　of　the　diligencethe　men　in　short
black　jackets；　tight　black　breeches；　and　three…cornered　beaver
hats；　the　women　with　their　long　light　hair　hanging　in　one　thickly
plaited　tail　behind　them；　and　the　waists　of　their　short　woolen
gowns　inserted　modestly　in　the　region　of　their　shoulder…blades。
Round　the　outer　edge　of　the　assemblage　thus　formed；　flying
detachments　of　plump　white…headed　children　careered　in　perpetual
motion；　while；　mysteriously　apart　from　the　rest　of　the
inhabitants；　the　musicians　of　the　Baths　stood　collected　in　one
lost　corner；　waiting　the　appearance　of　the　first　visitors　to　play
the　first　tune　of　the　season　in　the　form　of　a　serenade。　The　light
of　a　May　evening　was　still　bright　on　the　tops　of　the　great　wooded
hills　watching　high　over　the　town　on　the　right　hand　and　the　left；
and　the　cool　breeze　that　comes　before　sunset　came　keenly　fragrant
here　with　the　balsamic　odor　of　the　first　of　the　Black　Forest。

〃Mr。　Landlord；〃　said　the　mayor's　wife　（giving　the　landlord　his
title）；　〃have　you　any　foreign　guests　coming　on　this　first　day　of
the　season？〃

〃Madame　Mayoress；〃　replied　the　landlord　（returning　the
compliment）；　〃I　have　two。　They　have　writtenthe　one　by　the　hand
of　his　servant；　the　other　by　his　own　hand　apparentlyto　order
their　rooms；　and　they　are　from　England；　both；　as　I　think　by　their
names。　If　you　ask　me　to　pronounce　those　names；　my　tongue
hesitates；　if　you　ask　me　to　spell　them；　here　they　are；　letter　by
letter；　first　and　second　in　their　order　as　they　come。　First；　a
high…born　stranger　（by　title　Mister）　who　introduces　himself　in
eight　letters；　A；　r；　m；　a；　d；　a；　l；　eand　comes　ill　in　his　own
carriage。　Second；　a　high…born　stranger　（by　title　Mister　also）；
who　introduces　himself　in　four　lettersN；　e；　a；　land　comes　ill
in　the　diligence。　His　excellency　of　the　eight　letters　writes　to
me　（by　his　servant）　in　French；　his　excellency　of　the　four　letters
writes　to　me　in　German。　The　rooms　of　both　are　ready。　I　know　no
more。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　suggested　the　mayor's　wife；　〃Mr。　Doctor　has　heard　from
one　or　both　of　these　illustrious　strangers？〃

〃From　one　only；　Madam　Mayoress；　but　not；　strictly　speaking；　from
the　person　himself。　I　have　received　a　medical　report　of　his
excellency　of　the　eight　letters；　and　his　case　seems　a　bad　one。
God　help　him！〃

〃The　diligence！〃　cried　a　child　from　the　outskirts　of　the　crowd。

The　musicians　seized　their　instruments；　and　silence　fell　on　the
whole　community。　From　far　away　in　the　windings　of　the　forest
gorge；　the　ring　of　horses'　bells　came　faintly　clear　through　the
evening　stillness。　Which　carriage　was　approachingthe　private
carriage　with　Mr。　Armadale；　or　the　public　carriage　with　Mr。　Neal？

〃Play；　my　friends！〃　cried　the　mayor　to　the　musicians。　〃Public　or
private；　here　are　the　first　sick　people　of　the　season。　Let　them
find　us　cheerful。〃

The　band　played　a　lively　dance　tune；　and　the　children　in　the
square　footed　it　merrily　to　the　music。　At　the　same　moment；　their
elders　near　the　inn　door　drew　aside；　and　disclosed　the　first
shadow　of　gloom　that　fell　over　the　gayety　and　beauty　of　the
scene。　Through　the　opening　made　on　either　hand；　a　little
procession　of　stout　country　girls　advanced；　each　drawing　after
her　an　empty　chair　on　wheels；　each　in　waiting　（and　knitting　while
she　waited）　for　the　paralyzed　wretches　who　came　helpless　by
hundreds　thenwho　come　helpless　by　thousands　nowto　the　waters
of　Wildbad　for　relief。

While　the　band　played；　while　the　children　danced；　while　the　buzz
of　many　talkers　deepened；　while　the　strong　young　nurses　of　the
coming　cripples　knitted　impenetrably；　a　woman's　insatiable
curiosity　about　other　women　asserted　itself　in　the　mayor's　wife。
She　drew　the　landlady　aside；　and　whispered　a　question　to　her　on
the　spot。

〃A　word　more；　ma'am；〃　said　the　mayor's　wife；　〃about　the　two
strangers　from　England。　Are　their　letters　explicit？　Have　they　got
any　ladies　with　them？〃

〃The　one　by　the　diligenceno；〃　replied　the　landlady。　〃But　the
one　by　the　private　carriageyes。　He　comes　with　a　child；　he　comes
with　a　nurse；　and；〃　concluded　the　landlady；　skillfully　keeping
the　main　point　of　interest　till　the　last；　〃he　comes　with　a　Wife。〃

The　mayoress　brightened；　the　doctoress　（assisting　at　the
conference）　brightened；　the　landlady　nodded　significantly。　In　the
minds　of　all　three　the　same　thought　started　into　life　at　the　same
moment〃We　shall　see　the　Fashions！　〃

In　a　minute　more；　there　was　a　sudden　movement　in　the　crowd；　and　a
chorus　of　voices　proclaimed　that　the　travelers　were　at　hand。

By　this　time　the　coming　vehicle　was　in　sight；　and　all　further
doubt　was　at　an　end。　It　was　the　diligence　that　now　approached　by
the　long　street　leading　into　the　squarethe　diligence　（in　a
dazzling　new　coat　of　yellow　paint）　that　delivered　the　first
visitors　of　the　season　at　the　inn　door。　Of　the　ten　travelers
released　from　the　middle　compartment　and　the　back　compartment　of
the　carriageall　from　various　parts　of　Germanythree　were
lifted　out　helpless；　and　were　placed　in　the　chairs　on　wheels　to
be　drawn　to　their　lodgings　in　the　town。　The　front　compartment
contained　two　passengers　onlyMr。　Neal　and　his　traveling
servant。　With　an　arm　on　either　side　to　assist　him；　the　stranger
（whose　malady　appeared　to　be　locally　confined　to　a　lameness　in
one　of　his　feet）　succeeded　in　descending　the　steps　of　the
carriage　easily　enough。　While　he　steadied　himself　on　the　pavement
by　the　help　of　his　sticklooking　not　over…patiently　toward　the
musicians　who　were　serenading　him　with　the　waltz　in　〃Der
Freischutz〃his　personal　appearance　rather　damped　the　enthusiasm
of　the　friendly　little　circle　assembled　to　welcome　him。　He　was　a
lean；　tall；　serious；　middle…aged　man；　with　a　cold　gray　eye　and　a
long　upper　lip；　with　overhanging　eyebrows　and　high　cheek…bones；　a
man　who　looked　what　he　wasevery　inch　a　Scotchman。

〃Where　is　the　proprietor　of　this　hotel？〃　he　asked；　speaking　in
the　German　language；　with　a　fluent　readiness　of　expression；　and
an　icy　coldnes　s　of　manner。　〃Fetch　the　doctor；〃　he　continued；
when　the　landlord　had　presented　himself；　〃I　want　to　see　him
immediately。〃

〃I　am　here　already；　sir；〃　said　the　doctor；　advancing　from　the
circle　of　friends；　〃and　my　services　are　entirely　at　your
disposal。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Mr。　Neal；　looking　at　the　doctor；　as　the　rest　of
us　look　at　a　dog　when　we　have　whistled　and　the　dog　has　come。　〃I
shall　be　glad　to　consult　you　to…morrow　morning；　at　ten　o'clock；
about　my　own　case。　I　only　want　to　trouble　you　now　with　a　message
which　I　have　undertaken　to　deliver。　We　overtook　a　traveling
carriage　on　the　road　here　with　a　gentleman　in　itan　Englishman；
I　believewho　appeared　to　be　seriously　ill。　A　lady　who　was　with
him　begged　me　to　see　you　immediately　on　my　arrival；　and　to　secure
your　professional　assistance　in　removing　the　patient　from　the
carriage。　Their　courier　has　met　with　an　accident；　and　has　been
left　behind　on　the　road；　and　they　are　obliged　to　travel　very
slowly。　If　you　are　here　in　an　hour；　you　will　be　here　in　time　to
receive　them。　That　is　the　message。　Who　is　this　gentleman　who
appears　to　be　anxious　to　speak　to　me？　The　mayor？　If　you　wish　to
see　my　passport；　sir；　my　servant　will　show　it　to　you。　No？　You
wish　to　welcome　me　to　the　place；　and　to　offer　your　services？　I　am
infinitely　flattered。　If　you　have　any　authority　to　shorten　the
performances　of　your　town　band；　you　would　be　doing　me　a　kindness
to　exert　it。　My　nerves　are　irritable；　and　I　dislike　music。　Where
is　the　landlord？　No；　I　want　to　see　my　rooms。　I　don't　want　your
arm；　I　can　get　upstairs　with　the　help　of　my　stick。　Mr。　Mayor　and
Mr。　Doctor；　we　need　not　detain　one　another　any　longer。　I　wish　you
good…night。〃

Both　mayor　and　doctor　looked　after　the　Scotchman　as　he　limped
upstairs；　and　shook　their　heads　together　in　mute　disapproval　of
him。　The　ladies；　as　usual；　went　a　step　further；　and　expressed
their　opinions　openly　in　the　plainest　words。　The　case　under
consideration　（so　far　as　_they_　were　concerned）　was　the
scandalous　case　of　a　man　who　had　passed　them　over　entirely
without　notice。　Mrs。　Mayor　could　only　attribute　such　an　outrage
to　the　native　ferocity　of　a　savage。　Mrs。　Doctor　took　a　stronger
view　still；　and　considered　it　as　proceeding　from　the　inbred
brutality　of　a　hog。

The　hour　of　waiting　for　the　traveling…carriage　wore　on；　and　the
creeping　night　stole　up　the　hillsides　softly。　One　by　one　the
stars　appeared；　and　the　first　lights　twinkled　in　the　windows　of
the　inn。　As　the　darkness　came；　the　last　idlers　deserted　the
square；　as　the　darkness　came；　the　mighty　silence　of　the　forest
above　flowed　in　on　the　valley；　and　strangely　and　suddenly　hushed
the　lonely　little　town。

The　hour　of　waiting　wore　out；　and　the　figure　of　the　doctor；
walking　backward　and　forward　anxiously；　was　still　the　only　living
figure　left　in　the　square。　Five　minutes；　ten　minutes；　twenty
minutes；　were　counted　out　by　the　doctor's　watch；　before　the　first
sound　came　through　the　night　silence　to　warn　him　of　the
approaching　carriage。　Slowly　it　emerged　into　the　square；　at　the
walking　pace　of　the　horses；　and　drew　up；