armadale-第114章

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influence　for　good。　The　great　sacrifice　of　the　AtonementI　say
it　reverentlyhas　its　mortal　reflections；　even　in　this　world。　If
danger　ever　threatens　Allan；　you；　whose　father　took　his　father's
lifeYOU；　and　no　other；　may　be　the　man　whom　the　providence　of
God　has　appointed　to　save　him。

〃Come　to　me　if　I　live。　Go　back　to　the　friend　who　loves　you；
whether　I　live　or　die。

〃Yours　affectionately　to　the　last；

〃DECIMUS　BROCK。〃

〃　'YOU；　and　no　other；　may　be　the　man　whom　the　providence　of　God
has　appointed　to　save　him！'

〃Those　are　the　words　which　have　shaken　me　to　the　soul。　Those　are
the　words　which　make　me　feel　as　if　the　dead　man　had　left　his
grave；　and　had　put　his　hand　on　the　place　in　my　heart　where　my
terrible　secret　lies　hidden　from　every　living　creature　but
myself。　One　part　of　the　letter　has　come　true　already。　The　danger
that　it　foresees　threatens　Armadale　at　this　momentand　threatens
him　from　Me！

〃If　the　favoring　circumstances　which　have　driven　me　thus　far
drive　me　on　to　the　end；　and　if　that　old　man's　last　earthly
conviction　is　prophetic　of　the　truth；　Armadale　will　escape　me；　do
what　I　may。　And　Midwinter　will　be　the　victim　who　is　sacrificed　to
save　his　life。

〃It　is　horrible！　it　is　impossible！　it　shall　never　be！　At　the
thinking　of　it　only；　my　hand　trembles　and　my　heart　sinks。　I　bless
the　trembling　that　unnerves　me！　I　bless　the　sinking　that　turns　me
faint！　I　bless　those　words　in　the　letter　which　have　revived　the
relenting　thoughts　that　first　came　to　me　two　days　since！　Is　it
hard；　now　that　events　are　taking　me；　smoothly　and　safely；　nearer
and　nearer　to　the　Endis　it　hard　to　conquer　the　temptation　to　go
on？　No！　If　there　is　only　a　chance　of　harm　coming　to　Midwinter；
the　dread　of　that　chance　is　enough　to　decide　meenough　to
strengthen　me　to　conquer　the　temptation；　for　his　sake。　I　have
never　loved　him　yet；　never；　never；　never　as　I　love　him　now！


〃Sunday；　August　10th。The　eve　of　my　wedding…day！　I　close　and
lock　this　book；　never　to　write　in　it；　never　to　open　it　again。

〃I　have　won　the　great　victory；　I　have　trampled　my　own　wickedness
under　foot。　I　am　innocent；　I　am　happy　again。　My　love！　my　angel！
when　to…morrow　gives　me　to　you；　I　will　not　have　a　thought　in　my
heart　which　is　not　_your_　thought；　as　well　as　mine！〃

CHAPTER　XV。

THE　WEDDING…DAY。

THE　time　was　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning。　The　place　was　a　private
room　in　one　of　the　old…fashioned　inns　which　still　remain　on　the
Borough　side　of　the　Thames。　The　date　was　Monday；　the　11th　of
August。　And　the　person　was　Mr。　Bashwood；　who　had　traveled　to
London　on　a　summons　from　his　son；　and　had　taken　up　his　abode　at
the　inn　on　the　previous　day。

He　had　never　yet　looked　so　pitiably　old　and　helpless　as　he　looked
now。　The　fever　and　chill　of　alternating　hope　and　despair　had
dried；　and　withered；　and　wasted　him。　The　angles　of　his　figure　had
sharpened。　The　outline　of　his　face　had　shrunk。　His　dress　pointed
the　melancholy　change　in　him　with　a　merciless　and　shocking
emphasis。　Never；　even　in　his　youth；　had　he　worn　such　clothes　as
he　wore　now。　With　the　desperate　resolution　to　leave　no　chance
untried　of　producing　an　impression　on　Miss　Gwilt；　he　had　cast
aside　his　dreary　black　garments；　he　had　even　mustered　the　courage
to　wear　his　blue　satin　cravat。　His　coat　was　a　riding…coat　of
light　gray。　He　had　ordered　it；　with　a　vindictive　subtlety　of
purpose；　to　be　made　on　the　pattern　of　a　coat　that　he　had　seen
Allan　wear。　His　waistcoat　was　white；　his　trousers　were　of　the
gayest　summer　pattern；　in　the　largest　check。　His　wig　was　oiled
and　scented；　and　brushed　round；　on　either　side；　to　hide　the
wrinkles　on　his　temples。　He　was　an　object　to　laugh　at；　he　was　an
object　to　weep　over。　His　enemies；　if　a　creature　so　wretched　could
have　had　enemies；　would　have　forgiven　him；　on　seeing　him　in　his
new　dress。　His　friendshad　any　of　his　friends　been　leftwould
have　been　less　distressed　if　they　had　looked　at　him　in　his　coffin
than　if　they　had　looked　at　him　as　he　was　now。　Incessantly
restless；　he　paced　the　room　from　end　to　end。　Now　he　looked　at　his
watch；　now　he　looked　out　of　the　window；　now　he　looked　at　the
well…furnished　breakfast…tablealways　with　the　same　wistful；
uneasy　inquiry　in　his　eyes。　The　waiter　coming　in；　with　the　urn　of
boiling　water；　was　addressed　for　the　fiftieth　time　in　the　one
form　of　words　which　the　miserable　creature　seemed　to　be　capable
of　uttering　that　morning：　〃My　son　is　coming　to　breakfast。　My　son
is　very　particular。　I　want　everything　of　the　besthot　things　and
cold　thingsand　tea　and　coffeeand　all　the　rest　of　it；　waiter；
all　the　rest　of　it。〃　For　the　fiftieth　time；　he　now　reiterated
those　anxious　words。　For　the　fiftieth　time；　the　impenetrable
waiter　had　just　returned　his　one　pacifying　answer；　〃All　right；
sir；　you　may　leave　it　to　me〃when　the　sound　of　leisurely
footsteps　was　heard　on　the　stairs；　the　door　opened；　and　the
long…expected　son　sauntered　indolently　into　the　room；　with　a　neat
little　black　leather　bag　in　his　hand。

〃Well　done；　old　gentleman！〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger；　surveying
his　father's　dress　with　a　smile　of　sardonic　encouragement。
〃You're　ready　to　be　married　to　Miss　Gwilt　at　a　moment's　notice！〃

The　father　took　the　son's　hand；　and　tried　to　echo　the　son's
laugh。

〃You　have　such　good　spirits；　Jemmy；〃　he　said；　using　the　name　in
its　familiar　form；　as　he　had　been　accustomed　to　use　it　in　happier
days。　〃You　always　had　good　spirits；　my　dear；　from　a　child。　Come
and　sit　down；　I've　ordered　you　a　nice　breakfast。　Everything　of
the　best！　everything　of　the　best！　What　a　relief　it　is　to　see　you！
Oh；　dear；　dear；　what　a　relief　it　is　to　see　you。〃　He　stopped　and
sat　down　at　the　table；　his　face　flushed　with　the　effort　to
control　the　impatience　that　was　devouring　him。　〃Tell　me　about
her！〃　he　burst　out；　giving　up　the　effort　with　a　sudden
self…abandonment。　〃I　shall　die；　Jemmy；　if　I　wait　for　it　any
longer。　Tell　me！　tell　me！　tell　me！〃

〃One　thing　at　a　time；〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger；　perfectly
unmoved　by　his　father's　impatience。　〃We'll　try　the　breakfast
first；　and　come　to　the　lady　afterward！　Gently　does　it；　old
gentlemangently　does　it！〃

He　put　his　leather　bag　on　a　chair；　and　sat　down　opposite　to　his
father；　composed；　and　smiling；　and　humming　a　little　tune。

No　ordinary　observation；　applying　the　ordinary　rules　of　analysis；
would　have　detected　the　character　of　Bashwood　the　younger　in　his
face。　His　youthful　look；　aided　by　his　light　hair　and　his　plump
beardless　cheeks；　his　easy　manner　and　his　ever…ready　smile；　his
eyes　which　met　unshrinkingly　the　eyes　of　every　one　whom　he
addressed；　all　combined　to　make　the　impression　of　him　a　favorable
impression　in　the　general　mind。　No　eye　for　reading　character；　but
such　an　eye　as　belongs　to　one　person；　perhaps；　in　ten　thousand；
could　have　penetrated　the　smoothly　deceptive　surface　of　this　man；
and　have　seen　him　for　what　he　really　wasthe　vile　creature　whom
the　viler　need　of　Society　has　fashioned　for　its　own　use。　There　he
satthe　Confidential　Spy　of　modern　times；　whose　business　is
steadily　enlarging；　whose　Private　Inquiry　Offices　are　steadily　on
the　increase。　There　he　satthe　necessary　Detective　attendant　on
the　progress　of　our　national　civilization；　a　man　who　was；　in　this
instance　at　least；　the　legitimate　and　intelligible　product　of　the
vocation　that　employed　him；　a　man　professionally　ready　on　the
merest　suspicion　（if　the　merest　suspicion　paid　him）　to　get　under
our　beds；　and　to　look　through　gimlet…holes　in　our　doors；　a　man
who　would　have　been　useless　to　his　employers　if　he　could　have
felt　a　touch　of　human　sympathy　in　his　father's　presence；　and　who
would　have　deservedly　forfeited　his　situation　if；　under　any
circumstances　whatever；　he　had　been　personally　accessible　to　a
sense　of　pity　or　a　sense　of　shame。

〃Gently　does　it；　old　gentleman；〃　he　repeated；　lifting　the　covers
from　the　dishes；　and　looking　under　them　one　after　the　other　all
round　the　table。　〃Gently　does　it！〃

〃Don't　be　angry　with　me；　Jemmy；〃　pleaded　his　father。　〃Try；　if　you
can；　to　think　how　anxious　I　must　be。　I　got　your　letter　so　long
ago　as　yesterday　morning。　I　have　had　to　travel　all　the　way　from
Thorpe　AmbroseI　have　had　to　get　through　the　dreadful　long
evening　and　the　dreadful　long　nightwith　your　letter　telling　me
that　you　had　found　out　who　she　is；　and　telling　me　nothing　more。
Suspense　is　very　hard　to　bear；　Jemmy；　when　you　come　to　my　age。
What　was　it　prevented　you；　my　dear；　from　coming　to　me　when　I　got
here　yesterday　evening？〃

〃A　little　dinner　at　Richmond；〃　said　Bashwood　the　younger。　〃Give
me　some　tea。〃

Mr。　Bashwood　tried　to　comply　with　the　request；　but　the　hand　with
which　he　lifted　the　teapot　trembled　so　unmanageably　that　the　tea
missed　the　cup　and　streamed　out　on　the　cloth。　〃I'm　very　sorry；　I
can't　help　trembling　when　I'm　anxious；〃　said　the　old　man；　as　his
son　took　the　tea…pot　out　of　his　hand。　〃I'm　afraid　you　bear　me
malice；　Jemmy；　for　what　happened　when　I　was　last　in　town。　I　own　I
was　obstinate　and　unreasonable　about　going　back　to　Thorpe
Ambrose。　I'm　more　sensible　now。　You　were　quite　right　in　taking　it
all　on　yourself；　as　soon　as　I　showed　you　the　veiled　lady　when　we
saw　her　come　out　of　the　hotel；　and　you　were　quite　right　to　send
me　back　the　same　day　to　my　business　in　the　steward's　office　at
the　Great　House。〃　He　watched　the　effect　of　these　concessions　on
his　son；　and　ventured　doubtfully　on　another　entreaty。　〃If　you
won't　tell　me　anything　else　just　yet；〃　he　said；　faintly；　〃will
you　tell　me　how　you　found　her　out。　Do；　Jemmy；　do！〃

Bashwood　the　younger　looked　up　from　his　plate。　〃I'll　tell　you
that；〃　he　said。　〃The　reckoning　up　of　Miss　Gwilt　has　cost　more
money　and　taken　more　time　than　I　expected；　and　the　sooner　we　come
to　a　settlement　about　it；　the　sooner　we　shall　get　to　what　you
want　to　know。〃

Without　a　word　of　expostulation；　the　father　laid　his　dingy　old
pocket…book　and　his　purse　on　the　table　before　the　son。　Bashwood
the　younger　looked　into　the　purse；　observed；　with　a　contemptuous
elevation　of　the　eyebrows；　that　it　held　no　more　than　a　sovereign
and　some　silver；　and　returned　it　intact。　The　pocket…book；　on
being　opened　next；　proved　to　contain　four　five…pound　notes。
Bashwood　the　younger　transferred　three　of　the　notes　to　his　own
keeping；　and　handed　the　pocket…book　back　to　his　father；　with　a
bow　expressive　of　mock　gratitude　and　sarcastic　respect。

〃A　thousand　thanks；〃　he　said。　〃Some　of　it　is　for　the　people　at
our　office；　and　the　balance　is　for　myself。　One　of　the　few　stupid
things；　my　dear　sir；　that　I　have　done　in　the　course　of　my　life
was　to　write　you　word；　when　you　first　consulted　me；　that　you
might　have　my　services　gratis。　As　you　see；　I　hasten　to　repair　the
error。　An　hour　or　two　at　odd　times　I　was　ready　enough　to　give
you。　But　this　business　has　taken　days；　and　has　got　in　the　way　of
other　jobs。　I　told　you　I　couldn't　be　out　of　pocket　by　you　I　put
it　in　my　letter；　as　plain　as　words　could　say　it。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　Jemmy。　I　don't　complain；　my　dear；　I　don't　complain。
Never　mind　the　moneytell　me　how　you　found　her　out。〃

〃Besides；〃　pursued　Bashwood。　the　younger；　proceeding　impenetrably
with　his　justification　of　himself；　〃I　have　given　you　the　benefit
of　my　experience；　I've　done　it　cheap。　It　would　have　cost　double
the　money　if　another　man　had　taken　this　in　hand。　Another　man
woul