armadale-第135章

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question　or　two；　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Bashwood；　before　we　go　on
any　further。'

〃The　doctor's　questions　went　as　straight　to　the　point　as　usual。
My　answers　informed　him　that　Mr。　Bashwood　stood　toward　Armadale
in　the　relation　of　steward；　that　he　had　received　the　letter　at
Thorpe　Ambrose　that　morning；　and　had　brought　it　straight　to　me　by
the　first　train；　that　he　had　not　shown　it；　or　spoken　of　it　before
leaving；　to　Major　Milroy　or　to　any　one　else；　that　I　had　not
obtained　this　service　at　his　hands　by　trusting　him　with　my
secret；　that　I　had　communicated　with　him　in　the　character　of
Armadale's　widow；　that　he　had　suppressed　the　letter；　under　those
circumstances；　solely　in　obedience　to　a　general　caution　I　had
given　him　to　keep　his　own　counsel；　if　anything　strange　happened
at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　until　he　had　first　consulted　me；　and；　lastly；
that　the　reason　why　he　had　done　as　I　told　him　in　this　matter；　was
that　in　this　matter；　and　in　all　others；　Mr。　Bashwood　was　blindly
devoted　to　my　interests。

〃At　that　point　in　the　interrogatory；　the　doctor's　eyes　began　to
look　at　me　distrustfully　behind　the　doctor's　spectacles。

〃　'What　is　the　secret　of　this　blind　devotion　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　to
your　interests？'　he　asked。

〃I　hesitated　for　a　momentin　pity　to　Bashwood；　not　in　pity　to
myself。　'If　you　must　know；'　I　answered；　'Mr。　Bashwood　is　in　love
with　me。'

〃　'Ay！　ay！'　exclaimed　the　doctor；　with　an　air　of　relief。　'I　begin
to　understand　now。　Is　he　a　young　man？'

〃　'He　is　an　old　man。'

〃The　doctor　laid　himself　back　in　his　chair；　and　chuckled　softly。
'Better　and　better！'　he　said。　'Here　is　the　very　man　we　want。　Who
so　fit　as　Mr。　Armadale's　steward　to　meet　Mr。　Armadale　on　his
return　to　London？　And　who　so　capable　of　influencing　Mr。　Bashwood
in　the　proper　way　as　the　charming　object　of　Mr。　Bashwood's
admiration？'

〃There　could　be　no　doubt　that　Bashwood　was　the　man　to　serve　the
doctor's　purpose；　and　that　my　influence　was　to　be　trusted　to　make
him　serve　it。　The　difficulty　was　not　here：　the　difficulty　was　in
the　unanswered　question　that　I　had　put　to　the　doctor　a　minute
since。　I　put　it　to　him　again。

〃　'Suppose　Mr。　Armadale's　steward　meets　his　employer　at　the
terminus；'　I　said。　'May　I　ask　once　more　how　Mr。　Armadale　is　to　be
persuaded　to　come　here？'

〃'Don't　think　me　ungallant；'　rejoined　the　doctor　in　his　gentlest
manner；　'if　I　ask；　on　my　side；　how　are　men　persuaded　to　do
nine…tenths　of　the　foolish　acts　of　their　lives？　They　are
persuaded　by　your　charming　sex。　The　weak　side　of　every　man　is　the
woman's　side　of　him。　We　have　only　to　discover　the　woman's　side　of
Mr。　Armadaleto　tickle　him　on　it　gentlyand　to　lead　him　our　way
with　a　silken　string。　I　observe　here；'　pursued　the　doctor；
opening　Armadale's　letter；　'a　reference　to　a　certain　young　lady；
which　looks　promising。　Where　is　the　note　that　Mr。　Armadale　speaks
of　as　addressed　to　Miss　Milroy？'

〃Instead　of　answering　him；　I　started；　in　a　sudden　burst　of
excitement；　to　my　feet。　The　instant　he　mentioned　Miss　Milroy's
name　all　that　I　had　heard　from　Bashwood　of　her　illness；　and　of
the　cause　of　it；　rushed　back　into　my　memory。　I　saw　the　means　of
decoying　Armadale　into　the　Sanitarium　as　plainly　as　I　saw　the
doctor　on　the　other　side　of　the　table；　wondering　at　the
extraordinary　change　in　me。　What　a　luxury　it　was　to　make　Miss
Milroy　serve　my　interests　at　last！

〃　'Never　mind　the　note；'　I　said。　'It's　burned；　for　fear　of
accidents。　I　can　tell　you　all　（and　more）　than　the　note　could　have
told　you。　Miss　Milroy　cuts　the　knot！　Miss　Milroy　ends　the
difficulty！　She　is　privately　engaged　to　him。　She　has　heard　the
false　report　of　his　death；　and　she　has　been　seriously　ill　at
Thorpe　Ambrose　ever　since。　When　Bashwood　meets　him　at　the
station；　the　very　first　question　he　is　certain　to　ask'

〃　'I　see！'　exclaimed　the　doctor；　anticipating　me。　'Mr。　Bashwood
has　nothing　to　do　but　to　help　the　truth　with　a　touch　of　fiction。
When　he　tells　his　master　that　the　false　report　has　reached　Miss
Milroy；　he　has　only　to　add　that　the　shock　has　affected　her　head；
and　that　she　is　here　under　medical　care。　Perfect！　perfect！　We
shall　have　him　at　the　Sanitarium　as　fast　as　the　fastest　cab…horse
in　London　can　bring　him　to　us。　And　mind！　no　riskno　necessity
for　trusting　other　people。　This　is　not　a　mad…house；　this　is　not　a
licensed　establishment；　no　doctors'　certificates　are　necessary
here！　My　dear　lady；　I　congratulate　you；　I　congratulate　myself。
Permit　me　to　hand　you　the　railway　guide；　with　my　best　compliments
to　Mr。　Bashwood；　and　with　the　page　turned　down　for　him；　as　an
additional　attention；　at　the　right　place。'

〃Remembering　how　long　I　had　kept　Bashwood　waiting　for　me；　I　took
the　book　at　once；　and　wished　the　doctor　good…evening　without
further　ceremony。　As　he　politely　opened　the　door　for　me；　he
reverted；　without　the　slightest　necessity　for　doing　so；　and
without　a　word　from　me　to　lead　to　it；　to　the　outburst　of　virtuous
alarm　which　had　escaped　him　at　the　earlier　part　of　our　interview。

〃　'I　do　hope；'　he　said；　'that　you　will　kindly　forget　and　forgive
my　extraordinary　want　of　tact　and　perception　whenin　short；　when
I　caught　the　fly。　I　positively　blush　at　my　own　stupidity　in
putting　a　literal　interpretation　on　a　lady's　little　joke！
Violence　in　My　Sanitarium！'　exclaimed　the　doctor；　with　his　eyes
once　more　fixed　attentively　on　my　face'violence　in　this
enlightened　nineteenth　century！　Was　there　ever　anything　so
ridiculous？　Do　fasten　your　cloak　before　you　go　out；　it　is　so　cold
and　raw！　Shall　I　escort　you？　Shall　I　send　my　servant？　Ah；　you
were　always　independent！　always；　if　I　may　say　so；　a　host　in
yourself！　May　I　call　to…morrow　morning；　and　hear　what　you　have
settled　with　Mr。　Bashwood？'

〃I　said　yes；　and　got　away　from　him　at　last。　In　a　quarter　of　an
hour　more　I　was　back　at　my　lodgings；　and　was　informed　by　the
servant　that　'the　elderly　gentleman'　was　still　waiting　for　me。

〃I　have　not　got　the　heart　or　the　patienceI　hardly　know
whichto　waste　many　words　on　what　passed　between　me　and
Bashwood。　It　was　so　easy；　so　degradingly　easy；　to　pull　the
strings　of　the　poor　old　puppet　in　any　way　I　pleased！　I　met　none
of　the　difficulties　which　I　should　have　been　obliged　to　meet　in
the　case　of　a　younger　man；　or　of　a　man　less　infatuated　with
admiration　for　me。　I　left　the　allusions　to　Miss　Milroy　in
Armadale's　letter；　which　had　naturally　puzzled　him；　to　be
explained　at　a　future　time。　I　never　even　troubled　myself　to
invent　a　plausible　reason　for　wishing　him　to　meet　Armadale　at　the
terminus；　and　to　entrap　him　by　a　stratagem　into　the　doctor's
Sanitarium。　All　that　I　found　it　necessary　to　do　was　to　refer　to
what　I　had　written　to　Mr。　Bashwood；　on　my　arrival　in　London；　and
to　what　I　had　afterward　said　to　him；　when　he　came　to　answer　my
letter　personally　at　the　hotel。

〃　'You　know　already；'　I　said；　'that　my　marriage　has　not　been　a
happy　one。　Draw　your　own　conclusions　from　that；　and　don't　press
me　to　tell　you　whether　the　news　of　Mr。　Armadale's　rescue　from　the
sea　is；　or　is　not；　the　welcome　news　that　it　ought　to　be　to　his
wife！'　That　was　enough　to　put　his　withered　old　face　in　a　glow；
and　to　set　his　withered　old　hopes　growing　again。　I　had　only　to
add；　'If　you　will　do　what　I　ask　you　to　do；　no　matter　how
incomprehensible　and　how　mysterious　my　request　may　seem　to　be；
and　if　you　will　accept　my　assurances　that　you　shall　run　no　risk
yourself；　and　that　you　shall　receive　the　proper　explanations　at
the　proper　time；　you　will　have　such　a　claim　on　my　gratitude　and
my　regard　as　no　man　living　has　ever　had　yet！'　I　had　only　to　say
those　words；　and　to　point　them　by　a　look　and　a　stolen　pressure　of
his　hand；　and　I　had　him　at　my　feet；　blindly　eager　to　obey　me。　If
he　could　have　se　en　what　I　thought　of　myself；　but　that　doesn't
matter：　he　saw　nothing。

〃Hours　have　passed　since　I　sent　him　away　（pledged　to　secrecy；
possessed　of　his　instructions；　and　provided　with　his　time…table）
to　the　hotel　near　the　terminus；　at　which　he　is　to　stay　till
Armadale　appears　on　the　railway　platform。　The　excitement　of　the
earlier　part　of　the　evening　has　all　worn　off；　and　the　dull；
numbed　sensation　has　got　me　again。　Are　my　energies　wearing　out；　I
wonder；　just　at　the　time　when　I　most　want　them？　Or　is　some
foreshadowing　of　disaster　creeping　over　me　which　I　don't　yet
understand？

〃I　might　be　in　a　humor　to　sit　here　for　some　time　longer；　thinking
thoughts　like　these；　and　letting　them　find　their　way　into　words
at　their　own　will　and　pleasure；　if　my　Diary　would　only　let　me。
But　my　idle　pen　has　been　busy　enough　to　make　its　way　to　the　end
of　the　volume。　I　have　reached　the　last　morsel　of　space　left　on
the　last　page；　and　whether　I　like　it　or　not；　I　must　close　the
book　this　time　for　good　and　all；　when　I　close　it　to…night。

〃Good…by；　my　old　friend　and　companion　of　many　a　miserable　day！
Having　nothing　else　to　be　fond　of；　I　half　suspect　myself　of
having　been　unreasonably　fond　of　_you。_

〃What　a　fool　I　am！〃

THE　END　OF　THE　FOURTH　BOOK。

BOOK　THE　LAST。

CHAPTER　I。

AT　THE　TERMINUS。


ON　the　night　of　the　2d　of　December；　Mr。　Bashwood　took　up　his　post
of　observation　at　the　terminus　of　the　South…eastern　Railway　for
the　first　time。　It　was　an　earlier　date；　by　six　days；　than　the
date　which　Allan　had　himself　fixed　for　his　return。　But　the
doctor；　taking　counsel　of　his　medical　experience；　had　considered
it　just　probable　that　〃Mr。　Armadale　might　be　perverse　enough；　at
his　enviable　age；　to　recover　sooner　than　his　medical　advisers
might　have　anticipated。〃　For　caution's　sake；　therefore；　Mr。
Bashwood　was　instructed　to　begin　watching　the　arrival　of　the
tidal　trains　on　the　day　after　he　had　received　his　employer's
letter。

From　the　2d　to　the　7th　of　December；　the　steward　waited　punctually
on　the　platform；　saw　the　trains　come　in；　and　satisfied　himself；
evening　after　evening；　that　the　travelers　were　all　strangers　to
him。　From　the　2d　to　the　7th　of　December；　Miss　Gwilt　（to　return　to
the　name　under　which　she　is　best　known　in　these　pages）　received
his　daily　report；　sometimes　delivered　personally；　sometimes　sent
by　letter。　The　doctor；　to　whom　the　reports　were　communicated；
received　them　in　his　turn　with　unabated　confidence　in　the
precautions　that　had　been　adopted　up　to　the　morning　of　the　8th。
On　that　date　the　irritation　of　continued　suspense　had　produced　a
change　for　the　worse　in　Miss　Gwilt's　variable　temper；　which　was
perceptible　to　every　one　about　her；　and　which；　strangely　enough；
was　reflected　by　an　equally　marked　change　in　the　doctor's　manner
when　he　came　to　pay　his　usual　visit。　By　a　coincidence　so
extraordinary　that　his　enemies　might　have　suspected　it　of　not
being　a　coincidence　at　all；　the　morning　on　which　Miss　Gwilt　lost
her　patience　proved　to　be　also　the　morning　on　which　the　doctor
lost　his　confidence　for　the　first　time。

〃No　news；　of　course；〃　he　said；　sitting　down　with　a　heavy　sigh。
〃Well！　well！〃

Miss　Gwilt　looked　up　at　him　irritably　from　her　work。

〃You　seem　strangely　depressed　this　morning；〃　she　said。　〃What　are
you　afraid　of　now？〃

〃The　imputation　of　being　afraid；　madam；〃　answered　the　doctor；
solemnly；　〃is　not　an　imputation　to　cast　rashly　on　any　maneven
when　he　belongs　to　such　an　essentially　peaceful　profession　as
mine。　I　am　not　afraid。　I　am　（as　you　more　correctly　put　it　in　the
first　instance）　strangel