armadale-第145章

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himself　softly；　under　his　breath。

Voices　pitched　cautiously　low　became　audible　in　a　minute　more　in
the　hall。　The　Resident　Dispenser　and　the　Head　Nurse　appeared；　on
their　way　to　the　dormitories　of　the　attendants　at　the　top　of　the
house。　The　man　bowed　silently；　and　passed　the　doctor；　the　woman
courtesied　silently；　and　followed　the　man。　The　doctor
acknowledged　their　salutations　by　a　courteous　wave　of　his　hand；
and；　once　more　left　alone；　paused　a　moment；　still　whistling
softly　to　himself；　then　walked　to　the　door　of　Number　Four；　and
opened　the　case　of　the　fumigating　apparatus　fixed　near　it　in　the
corner　of　the　wall。　As　he　lifted　the　lid　and　looked　in；　his
whistling　ceased。　He　took　a　long　purple　bottle　out；　examined　it
by　the　gas…light；　put　it　back；　and　closed　the　case。　This　done；　he
advanced　on　tiptoe　to　the　open　staircase　door；　passed　through　it；
and　secured　it　on　the　inner　side　as　usual。

Mr。　Bashwood　had　seen　him　at　the　apparatus；　Mr。　Bashwood　had
noticed　the　manner　of　his　withdrawal　through　the　staircase　door。
Again　the　sense　of　an　unutterable　expectation　throbbed　at　his
heart。　A　terror　that　was　slow　and　cold　and　deadly　crept　into　his
hands；　and　guided　them　in　the　dark　to　the　key　that　had　been　left
for　him　in　the　inner　side　of　the　door。　He　turned　it　in　vague
distrust　of　what　might　happen　next；　and　waited。

The　slow　minutes　passed；　and　nothing　happened。　The　silence　was
horrible；　the　solitude　of　the　lonely　corridor　was　a　solitude　of
invisible　treacheries。　He　began　to　count　to　keep　his　mind
employedto　keep　his　own　growing　dread　away　from　him。　The
numbers；　as　he　whispered　them；　followed　each　other　slowly　up　to　a
hundred；　and　still　nothing　happened。　He　had　begun　the　second
hundred；　he　had　got　on　to　twentywhen；　without　a　sound　to　betray
that　he　had　been　moving　in　his　room；　Midwinter　suddenly　appeared
in　the　corridor。

He　stood　for　a　moment　and　listened；　he　went　to　the　stairs　and
looked　over　into　the　hall　beneath。　Then；　for　the　second　time　that
night；　he　tried　the　staircase　door；　and　for　the　second　time　found
it　fast。　After　a　moment's　reflection；　he　tried　the　doors　of　the
bedrooms　on　his　right　hand　next；　looked　into　one　after　the　other；
and　saw　that　they　were　empty；　then　came　to　the　door　of　the　end
room　in　which　the　steward　was　concealed。　Here；　again；　the　lock
resisted　him。　He　listened；　and　looked　up　at　the　grating。　No　sound
was　to　be　heard；　no　light　was　to　be　seen　inside。　〃Shall　I　break
the　door　in；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃and　make　sure？　No；　it　would　be
giving　the　doctor　an　excuse　for　turning　me　out　of　the　house。〃　He
moved　away；　and　looked　into　the　two　empty　rooms　in　the　row
occupied　by　Allan　and　himself；　then　walked　to　the　window　at　the
staircase　end　of　the　corridor。　Here　the　case　of　the　fumigating
apparatus　attracted　his　attention。　After　trying　vainly　to　open
it；　his　suspicion　seemed　to　be　aroused。　He　searched　back　along
the　corridor；　and　observed　that　no　object　of　a　similar　kind
appeared　outside　any　of　the　other　bed…chambers。　Again　at　the
window；　he　looked　again　at　the　apparatus；　and　turned　away　from　it
with　a　gesture　which　plainly　indicated　that　he　had　tried；　and
failed；　to　guess　what　it　might　be。

Baffled　at　all　points；　he　still　showed　no　sign　of　returning　to
his　bed…chamber。　He　stood　at　the　window；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on
the　door　of　Allan's　room；　thinking。　If　Mr。　Bashwood；　furtively
watching　him　through　the　　grating；　could　have　seen　him　at　that
moment　in　the　mind　as　well　as　in　the　body；　Mr。　Bashwood's　heart
might　have　throbbed　even　faster　than　it　was　throbbing　now；　i　n
expectation　of　the　next　event　which　Midwinter's　decision　of　the
next　minute　was　to　bring　forth。

On　what　was　his　mind　occupied　as　he　stood　alone；　at　the　dead　of
night；　in　the　strange　house？

His　mind　was　occupied　in　drawing　its　disconnected　impressions
together；　little　by　little；　to　one　point。　Convinced　from　the
first　that　some　hidden　danger　threatened　Allan　in　the　Sanitarium；
his　distrustvaguely　associated；　thus　far；　with　the　place
itself；　with　his　wife　（whom　he　firmly　believed　to　be　now　under
the　same　roof　with　him）；　with　the　doctor；　who　was　as　plainly　in
her　confidence　as　Mr。　Bashwood　himselfnow　narrowed　its　range；
and　centered　itself　obstinately　in　Allan's　room。　Resigning　all
further　effort　to　connect　his　suspicion　of　a　conspiracy　against
his　friend　with　the　outrage　which　had　the　day　before　been　offered
to　himselfan　effort　which　would　have　led　him；　if　he　could　have
maintained　it；　to　a　discovery　of　the　fraud　really　contemplated　by
his　wifehis　mind；　clouded　and　confused　by　disturbing
influences；　instinctively　took　refuge　in　its　impressions　of　facts
as　they　had　shown　themselves　since　he　had　entered　the　house。
Everything　that　he　had　noticed　below　stairs　suggested　that　there
was　some　secret　purpose　to　be　answered　by　getting　Allan　to　sleep
in　the　Sanitarium。　Everything　that　he　had　noticed　above　stairs
associated　the　lurking…place　in　which　the　danger　lay　hid　with
Allan's　room。　To　reach　this　conclusion；　and　to　decide　on　baffling
the　conspiracy。　whatever　it　might　be；　by　taking　Allan's　place；
was　with　Midwinter　the　work　of　an　instant。　Confronted　by　actual
peril；　the　great　nature　of　the　man　intuitively　freed　itself　from
the　weaknesses　that　had　beset　it　in　happier　and　safer　times。　Not
even　the　shadow　of　the　old　superstition　rested　on　his　mind
nowno　fatalist　suspicion　of　himself　disturbed　the　steady
resolution　that　was　in　him。　The　one　last　doubt　that　troubled　him；
as　he　stood　at　the　window　thinking；　was　the　doubt　whether　he
could　persuade　Allan　to　change　rooms　with　him；　without　involving
himself　in　an　explanation　which　might　lead　Allan　to　suspect　the
truth。

In　the　minute　that　elapsed；　while　he　waited　with　his　eyes　on　the
room；　the　doubt　was　resolvedhe　found　the　trivial；　yet
sufficient；　excuse　of　which　he　was　in　search。　Mr。　Bashwood　saw
him　rouse　himself　and　go　to　the　door。　Mr。　Bashwood　heard　him
knock　softly；　and　whisper；　〃Allan；　are　you　in　bed？〃

〃No；〃　answered　the　voice　inside；　〃come　in。〃

He　appeared　to　be　on　the　point　of　entering　the　room；　when　he
checked　himself　as　if　he　had　suddenly　remembered　something。　〃Wait
a　minute；〃　he　said；　through　the　door；　and；　turning　away；　went
straight　to　the　end　room。　〃If　there　is　anybody　watching　us　in
there；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃let　him　watch　us　through　this！〃　He　took
out　his　handkerchief；　and　stuffed　it　into　the　wires　of　the
grating；　so　as　completely　to　close　the　aperture。　Having　thus
forced　the　spy　inside　（if　there　was　one）　either　to　betray　himself
by　moving　the　handkerchief；　or　to　remain　blinded　to　all　view　of
what　might　happen　next；　Midwinter　presented　himself　in　Allan's
room。

〃You　know　what　poor　nerves　I　have；〃　he　said；　〃and　what　a　wretched
sleeper　I　am　at　the　best　of　times。　I　can't　sleep　to…night。　The
window　in　my　room　rattles　every　time　the　wind　blows。　I　wish　it
was　as　fast　as　your　window　here。〃

〃My　dear　fellow！〃　cried　Allan；　〃I　don't　mind　a　rattling　window。
Let's　change　rooms。　Nonsense！　Why　should　you　make　excuses　to
_me？_　Don't　I　know　how　easily　trifles　upset　those　excitable
nerves　of　yours？　Now　the　doctor　has　quieted　my　mind　about　my　poor
little　Neelie；　I　begin　to　feel　the　journey；　and　I'll　answer　for
sleeping　anywhere　till　to…morrow　comes。〃　He　took　up　his
traveling…bag。　〃We　must　be　quick　about　it；〃　he　added；　pointing　to
his　candle。　〃They　haven't　left　me　much　candle　to　go　to　bed　by。〃

〃Be　very　quiet；　Allan；〃　said　Midwinter；　opening　the　door　for　him。
〃We　mustn't　disturb　the　house　at　this　time　of　night。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　returned　Allan；　in　a　whisper。　〃Good…night；　I　hope
you'll　sleep　as　well　as　I　shall。〃

Midwinter　saw　him　into　Number　Three；　and　noticed　that　his　own
candle　（which　he　had　left　there）　was　as　short　as　Allan's。
〃Good…night；〃　he　said；　and　came　out　again　into　the　corridor。

He　went　straight　to　the　grating；　and　looked　and　listened　once
more。　The　handkerchief　remained　exactly　as　he　had　left　it；　and
still　there　was　no　sound　to　be　heard　within。　He　returned　slowly
along　the　corridor；　and　thought　of　the　precautions　he　had　taken；
for　the　last　time。　Was　there　no　other　way　than　the　way　he　was
trying　now？　There　was　none。　Any　openly　avowed　posture　of
defensewhile　the　nature　of　the　danger；　and　the　quarter　from
which　it　might　come；　were　alike　unknownwould　be　useless　in
itself；　and　worse　than　useless　in　the　consequences　which　it　might
produce　by　putting　the　people　of　the　house　on　their　guard。
Without　a　fact　that　could　justify　to　other　minds　his　distrust　of
what　might　happen　with　the　night；　incapable　of　shaking　Allan's
ready　faith　in　the　fair　outside　which　the　doctor　had　presented　to
him；　the　one　safeguard　in　his　friend's　interests　that　Midwinter
could　set　up　was　the　safeguard　of　changing　the　roomsthe　one
policy　he　could　follow；　come　what　might　of　it；　was　the　policy　of
waiting　for　events。　〃I　can　trust　to　one　thing；〃　he　said　to
himself；　as　he　looked　for　the　last　time　up　and　down　the
corridor〃I　can　trust　myself　to　keep　awake。〃

After　a　glance　at　the　clock　on　the　wall　opposite；　he　went　into
Number　Four。　The　sound　of　the　closing　door　was　heard；　the　sound
of　the　turning　lock　followed　it。　Then　the　dead　silence　fell　over
the　house　once　more。

Little　by　little；　the　steward's　horror　of　the　stillness　and　the
darkness　overcame　his　dread　of　moving　the　handkerchief。　He
cautiously　drew　aside　one　corner　of　it；　waited；　looked；　and　took
courage　at　last　to　draw　the　whole　handkerchief　through　the　wires
of　the　grating。　After　first　hiding　it　in　his　pocket；　he　thought
of　the　consequences　if　it　was　found　on　him；　and　threw　it　down　in
a　corner　of　the　room。　He　trembled　when　he　had　cast　it　from　him；
as　he　looked　at　his　watch　and　placed　himself　again　at　the　grating
to　wait　for　Miss　Gwilt。

It　was　a　quarter　to　one。　The　moon　had　come　round　from　the　side　to
the　front　of　the　Sanitarium。　From　time　to　time　her　light　gleamed
on　the　window　of　the　corridor　when　the　gaps　in　the　flying　clouds
let　it　through。　The　wind　had　risen；　and　sung　its　mournful　song
faintly；　as　it　swept　at　intervals　over　the　desert　ground　in　front
of　the　house。

The　minute　hand　of　the　clock　traveled　on　halfway　round　the　circle
of　the　dial。　As　it　touched　the　quarter…past　one；　Miss　Gwilt
stepped　noiselessly　into　the　corridor。　〃Let　yourself　out；〃　she
whispered　through　the　grating；　〃and　follow　me。〃　She　returned　to
the　stairs　by　which　she　had　just　descended；　pushed　the　door　to
softly　after　Mr。　Bashwood　had　followed　her　and　led　the　way　up　to
the　landing　of　the　second　floor。　There　she　put　the　question　to
him　which　she　had　not　ventured　to　put　below　stairs。

〃Was　Mr。　Armadale　shown　into　Number　Four？〃　she　asked。

He　bowed　his　head　without　speaking。

〃Answer　me　in　words。　Has　Mr。　Armadale　left　the　room　since？〃

He　answered；　〃No。〃

〃Have　you　never　lost　sight　of　Number　Four　since　I　left　you？〃

He　answered；　〃_Never！_〃

Something　strange　in　his　manner；　something　unfamiliar　in　his
voice；　as　he　made　that　last　reply；　attracted　her　attention。　She
took　her　candle　from　a　table　near；　on　which　she　had　left　it；　and
threw　its　light　on　him。　His　eyes　were　staring；　his　teeth
chattered。　There　was　everything　to　betray　him　to　her　as　a
terrified　man；　there　was　nothing　to　tell　her　that　the　terror　was
caused　by　his　consciousness　of　deceiving　her；　for