armadale-第142章

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〃The　doctor　is　quite　right；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　addressing　Miss
Gwilt；　with　his　best　bow；　〃the　production　of　the　gas；　extended
over　half　an　hour；　would　be　quite　gradual　enough。　And；〃　added　the
Dispenser；　silently　appealing　to　his　employer　to　let　him　exhibit
a　little　chemical　knowledge　on　his　own　account；　〃the　volume　of
the　gas　would　be　sufficient　at　the　end　of　the　timeif　I　am　not
mistaken；　sir？to　be　fatal　to　any　person　entering　the　room　in
less　than　five　minutes。〃

〃Unquestionably；　Benjamin；〃　rejoined　the　doctor。　〃But　I　think　we
have　had　enough　of　chemistry　for　the　present；〃　he　added；　turning
to　Miss　Gwilt。　〃With　every　desire；　my　dear　lady；　to　gratify　every
passing　wish　you　may　form；　I　venture　to　propose　trying　a　more
cheerful　subject。　Suppose　we　leave　the　Dispensary；　before　it
suggests　any　more　inquiries　to　that　active　mind　of　yours？　No？　You
want　to　see　an　experiment？　You　want　to　see　how　the　little　bubbles
are　made？　Well；　well！　there　is　no　harm　in　that。　We　will　let　Mrs。
Armadale　see　the　bubbles；〃　continued　the　doctor；　in　the　tone　of　a
parent　humoring　a　spoiled　child。　〃Try　if　you　can　find　a　few　of
those　fragments　that　we　want；　Benjamin。　I　dare　say　the　workmen
（slovenly　fellows！）　have　left　something　of　the　sort　about　the
house　or　the　grounds。〃

The　Resident　Dispenser　left　the　room。

As　soon　as　his　back　was　turned；　the　doctor　began　opening　and
shutting　drawers　in　various　parts　of　the　Dispensary；　with　the　air
of　a　man　who　wants　something　in　a　hurry；　and　does　not　know　where
to　find　it。　〃Bless　my　soul！〃　he　exclaimed；　suddenly　stopping　at
the　drawer　from　which　he　had　taken　his　cards　of　invitation　on　the
previous　day；　〃what's　this？　A　key？　A　duplicate　key；　as　I'm　alive；
of　my　fumigating　apparatus　upstairs！　Oh　dear；　dear；　how　careless
I　get；〃　said　the　doctor；　turning　round　briskly　to　Miss　Gwilt。　〃I
hadn't　the　least　idea　that　I　possessed　this　second　key。　I　should
never　have　missed　it。　I　do　assure　you　I　should　never　have　missed
it　if　anybody　had　taken　it　out　of　the　drawer！〃　He　bustled　away　to
the　other　end　of　the　roomwithout　closing　the　drawer；　and
without　taking　away　the　duplicate　key。

In　silence；　Miss　Gwilt　listened　till　he　had　done。　In　silence；　she
glided　to　the　drawer。　In　silence；　she　took　the　key　and　hid　it　in
her　apron　pocket。

The　Dispenser　came　back；　with　the　fragments　required　of　him；
collected　in　a　basin。　〃Thank　you；　Benjamin；〃　said　the　doctor。
〃Kindly　cover　them　with　water；　while　I　get　the　bottle　down。〃

As　accidents　sometimes　happen　in　the　most　perfectly　regulated
families；　so　clumsiness　sometimes　possesses　itself　of　the　most
perfectly　disciplined　hands。　In　the　process　of　its　transfer　from
the　shelf　to　the　doctor；　the　bottle　slipped　and　fell　smashed　to
pieces　on　the　floor。

〃Oh；　my　fingers　and　thumbs！〃　cried　the　doctor；　with　an　air　of
comic　vexation；　〃what　in　the　world　do　you　mean　by　playing　me　such
a　wicked　trick　as　that？　Well；　well；　wellit　can't　be　helped。
Have　we　got　any　more　of　it；　Benjamin？〃

〃Not　a　drop；　sir。〃

〃Not　a　drop！〃　echoed　the　doctor。　〃My　dear　madam；　what　excuses　can
I　offer　you？　My　clumsiness　has　made　our　little　experiment
impossible　for　to…day。　Remind　me　to　order　some　more　to…morrow；
Benjamin；　and　don't　think　of　troubling　yourself　to　put　that　mess
to　rights。　I'll　send　the　man　here　to　mop　it　all　up。　Our　Stout
Friend　is　harmless　enough　now；　my　dear　ladyin　combination　with
a　boarded　floor　and　a　coming　mop！　I'm　so　sorry；　I　really　am　so
sorry　to　have　disappointed　you。〃　With　those　soothing　words；　he
offered　his　arm；　and　led　Miss　Gwilt　out　of　the　Dispensary。

〃Have　you　done　with　me　for　the　present？〃　she　asked；　when　they
were　in　the　hall。

〃Oh；　dear；　dear；　what　a　way　of　putting　it！〃　exclaimed　the　doctor。
〃Dinner　at　six；〃　he　added；　with　his　politest　emphasis；　as　she
turned　from　him　in　disdainful　silence；　and　slowly　mounted　the
stairs　to　her　own　room。


A　clock　of　the　noiseless　sortincapable　of　offending　irritable
nerveswas　fixed　in　the　wall；　a　bove　the　first…floor　landing；　at
the　Sanitarium。　At　the　moment　when　the　hands　pointed　to　a　quarter
before　six；　the　silence　of　the　lonely　upper　regions　was　softly
broken　by　the　rustling　of　Miss　Gwilt's　dress。　She　advanced　along
the　corridor　of　the　first　floorpaused　at　the　covered　apparatus
fixed　outside　the　room　numbered　Fourlistened　for　a　momentand
then　unlocked　the　cover　with　the　duplicate　key。

The　open　lid　cast　a　shadow　over　the　inside　of　the　casing。　All　she
saw　at　first　was　what　she　had　seen　alreadythe　jar；　and　the　pipe
and　glass　funnel　inserted　in　the　cork。　She　removed　the　funnel；
and；　looking　about　her；　observed　on　the　window…sill　close　by　a
wax…tipped　wand　used　for　lighting　the　gas。　She　took　the　wand；
and；　introducing　it　through　the　aperture　occupied　by　the　funnel；
moved　it　to　and　fro　in　the　jar。　The　faint　splash　of　some　liquid；
and　the　grating　noise　of　certain　hard　substances　which　she　was
stirring　about；　were　the　two　sounds　that　caught　her　ear。　She　drew
out　the　wand；　and　cautiously　touched　the　wet　left　on　it　with　the
tip　of　her　tongue。　Caution　was　quite　needless　in　this　case。　The
liquid　waswater。

In　putting　the　funnel　back　in　its　place；　she　noticed　something
faintly　shining　in　the　obscurely　lit　vacant　space　at　the　side　of
the　jar。　She　drew　it　out；　and　produced　a　Purple　Flask。　The　liquid
with　which　it　was　filled　showed　dark　through　the　transparent
coloring　of　the　glass；　and　fastened　at　regular　intervals　down　one
side　of　the　Flask　were　six　thin　strips　of　paper；　which　divided
the　contents　into　six　equal　parts。

There　was　no　doubt　now　that　the　apparatus　had　been　secretly
prepared　for　herthe　apparatus　of　which　she　alone　（besides　the
doctor）　possessed　the　key。

She　put　back　the　Flask；　and　locked　the　cover　of　the　casing。　For　a
moment　she　stood　looking　at　it；　with　the　key　in　her　hand。　On　a
sudden；　her　lost　color　came　back。　On　a　sudden；　its　natural
animation　returned；　for　the　first　time　that　day；　to　her　face。　She
turned　and　hurried　breathlessly　upstairs　to　her　room　on　the
second　floor。　With　eager　hands　she　snatched　her　cloak　out　of　the
wardrobe；　and　took　her　bonnet　from　the　box。　〃I'm　not　in　prison！〃
she　burst　out；　impetuously。　〃I've　got　the　use　of　my　limbs！　I　can
gono　matter　where；　as　long　as　I　am　out　of　this　house！〃

With　her　cloak　on　her　shoulders；　with　her　bonnet　in　her　hand；　she
crossed　the　room　to　the　door。　A　moment　moreand　she　would　have
been　out　in　the　passage。　In　that　moment　the　remembrance　flashed
back　on　her　of　the　husband　whom　she　had　denied　to　his　face。　She
stopped　instantly；　and　threw　the　cloak　and　bonnet　from　her　on　the
bed。　〃No！〃　she　said；　〃the　gulf　is　dug　between　usthe　worst　is
done！〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　The　doctor's　voice　outside
politely　reminded　her　that　it　was　six　o'clock。

She　opened　the　door；　and　stopped　him　on　his　way　downstairs。

〃What　time　is　the　train　due　to…night？〃　she　asked；　in　a　whisper。

〃At　ten；〃　answered　the　doctor；　in　a　voice　which　all　the　world
might　hear；　and　welcome。

〃What　room　is　Mr。　Armadale　to　have　when　he　comes？〃

〃What　room　would　you　like　him　to　have？〃

〃Number　Four。〃

The　doctor　kept　up　appearances　to　the　very　last。

〃Number　Four　let　it　be；〃　he　said；　graciously。　〃Provided；　of
course；　that　Number　Four　is　unoccupied　at　the　time。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*　*　*

The　evening　wore　on；　and　the　night　came。

At　a　few　minutes　before　ten；　Mr。　Bashwood　was　again　at　his　post；
once　more　on　the　watch　for　the　coming　of　the　tidal　train。

The　inspector　on　duty；　who　knew　him　by　sight；　and　who　had
personally　ascertained　that　his　regular　attendance　at　the
terminus　implied　no　designs　on　the　purses　and　portmanteaus　of　the
passengers；　noticed　two　new　circumstances　in　connection　with　Mr。
Bashwood　that　night。　In　the　first　place；　instead　of　exhibiting
his　customary　cheerfulness；　he　looked　anxious　and　depressed。　In
the　second　place；　while　he　was　watching　for　the　train；　he　was　to
all　appearance　being　watched　in　his　turn；　by　a　slim；　dark；
undersized　man；　who　had　left　his　luggage　（marked　with　the　name　of
Midwinter）　at　the　custom…house　department　the　evening　before；　and
who　had　returned　to　have　it　examined　about　half　an　hour　since。

What　had　brought　Midwinter　to　the　terminus？　And　why　was　he；　too；
waiting　for　the　tidal　train？

After　straying　as　far　as　Hendon　during　his　lonely　walk　of　the
previous　night；　he　had　taken　refuge　at　the　village　inn；　and　had
fallen　asleep　（from　sheer　exhaustion）　toward　those　later　hours　of
the　morning　which　were　the　hours　that　his　wife's　foresight　had
turned　to　account。　When　he　returned　to　the　lodging；　the　landlady
could　only　inform　him　that　her　tenant　had　settled　everything　with
her；　and　had　left　（for　what　destination　neither　she　nor　her
servant　could　tell）　more　than　two　hours　since。

Having　given　some　little　time　to　inquiries；　the　result　of　which
convinced　him　that　the　clew　was　lost　so　far；　Midwinter　had
quitted　the　house；　and　had　pursued　his　way　mechanically　to　the
busier　and　more　central　parts　of　the　metropolis。　With　the　light
now　thrown　on　his　wife's　character；　to　call　at　the　address　she
had　given　him　as　the　address　at　which　her　mother　lived　would　be
plainly　useless。　He　went　on　through　the　streets；　resolute　to
discover　her；　and　trying　vainly　to　see　the　means　to　his　end；　till
the　sense　of　fatigue　forced　itself　on　him　once　more。　Stopping　to
rest　and　recruit　his　strength　at　the　first　hotel　he　came　to；　a
chance　dispute　between　the　waiter　and　a　stranger　about　a　lost
portmanteau　reminded　him　of　his　own　luggage；　left　at　the
terminus；　and　instantly　took　his　mind　back　to　the　circumstances
under　which　he　and　Mr。　Bashwood　had　met。　In　a　moment　more；　the
idea　that　he　had　been　vainly　seeking　on　his　way　through　the
streets　flashed　on　him。　In　a　moment　more；　he　had　determined　to
try　the　chance　of　finding　the　steward　again　on　the　watch　for　the
person　whose　arrival　he　had　evidently　expected　by　the　previous
evening's　train。

Ignorant　of　the　report　of　Allan's　death　at　sea；　uninformed；　at
the　terrible　interview　with　his　wife；　of　the　purpose　which　her
assumption　of　a　widow's　dress　really　had　in　view；　Midwinter's
first　vague　suspicions　of　her　fidelity　had　now　inevitably
developed　into　the　conviction　that　she　was　false。　He　could　place
but　one　interpretation　on　her　open　disavowal　of　him；　and　on　her
taking　the　name　under　which　he　had　secretly　married　her。　Her
conduct　forced　the　conclusion　on　him　that　she　was　engaged　in　some
infamous　intrigue；　and　that　she　had　basely　secured　herself
beforehand　in　the　position　of　all　others　in　which　she　knew　it
would　be　most　odious　and　most　repellent　to　him　to　claim　his
authority　over　her。　With　that　conviction　he　was　now　watching　Mr。
Bashwood；　firmly　persuaded　that　his　wife's　hiding…place　was　known
to　the　vile　servant　of　his　wife's　vices；　and　darkly　suspecting；
as　the　time　wore　on；　that　the　unknown　man　who　had　wronged　him；
and　the　unknown　traveler　for　whose　arrival　the　steward　was
waiting；　were　one　and　the　same。

The　train　was　late　that　night；　and　the　carriages　were　more　than
usually　crowded　when　they　arrived　at　last。　Midwinter　became
involved　in　the　confusion　on　the　platform；　and　in　the　effort　to
extricate　himself　he　lost　sight　of　Mr。　Bashwood　for　the　first
time。

A　lapse　of　some　few　minutes　had　passed　bef