armadale-第149章

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〃and　I　know　what　I　most　wanted　to　know　about　the　future。
Everybody　says；　Midwinter；　you　have　a　career　before　you；　and　I
believe　that　everybody　is　right。　Who　knows　what　great　things　may
　happen　before　you　and　I　are　many　years　older？〃

〃Who　_need_　know？〃　said　Midwinter；　calmly。　〃Happen　what　may；　God
is　all…merciful；　God　is　all…wise。　In　those　words　your　dear　old
friend　once　wrote　to　me。　In　that　faith　I　can　look　back　without
murmuring　at　the　years　that　are　past；　and　can　look　on　without
doubting　to　the　years　that　are　to　come。〃

He　rose；　and　walked　to　the　window。　While　they　had　been　speaking
together　the　darkness　had　passed。　The　first　light　of　the　new　day
met　him　as　he　looked　out；　and　rested　tenderly　on　his　face。


APPENDIX。


NOTEMy　readers　will　perceive　that　I　have　purposely　left　them；
with　reference　to　the　Dream　in　this　story；　in　the　position　which
they　would　occupy　in　the　case　of　a　dream　in　real　life：　they　are
free　to　interpret　it　by　the　natural　or　the　supernatural　theory；
as　the　bent　of　their　own　minds　may　incline　them。　Persons　disposed
to　take　the　rational　view　may；　under　these　circumstances；　be
interested　in　hearing　of　a　coincidence　relating　to　the　present
story；　which　actually　happened；　and　which　in　the　matter　of
〃extravagant　improbability〃　sets　anything　of　the　same　kind　that　a
novelist　could　imagine　at　flat　defiance。

In　November；　1865；　that　is　to　say；　when　thirteen　monthly　parts　of
〃Armadale〃　had　been　published；　and；　I　may　add；　when　more　than　a
year　and　a　half　had　elapsed　since　the　end　of　the　story；　as　it　now
appears；　was　first　sketched　in　my　notebooka　vessel　lay　in　the
Huskisson　Dock　at　Liverpool　which　was　looked　after　by　one　man；
who　slept　on　board；　in　the　capacity　of　shipkeeper。　On　a　certain
day　in　the　week　this　man　was　found　dead　in　the　deck…house。　On　the
next　day　a　second　man；　who　had　taken　his　place；　was　carried　dying
to　the　Northern　Hospital。　On　the　third　day　a　third　ship…keeper
was　appointed；　and　was　found　dead　in　the　deck…house　which　had
already　proved　fatal　to　the　other　two。　_The　name　of　that　ship　was
〃The　Armadale。〃_　And　the　proceedings　at　the　Inquest　proved　that
the　three　men　had　been　all　suffocated　_by　sleeping　in　poisoned
air！_

I　am　indebted　for　these　particulars　to　the　kindness　of　the
reporters　at　Liverpool；　who　sent　me　their　statement　of　the　facts。
The　case　found　its　way　into　most　of　the　newspapers。　It　was
noticedto　give　two　instances　in　which　I　can　cite　the　datesin
the　_Times_　of　November　30th；　1865；　and　was　more　fully　described
in　the　_Daily　News_　of　November　28th；　in　the　same　year。

Before　taking　leave　of　〃Armadale；〃　I　may　perhaps　be　allowed　to
mention；　for　the　benefit　of　any　readers　who　may　be　curious　on
such　points；　that　the　〃Norfolk　Broads〃　are　here　described　after
personal　investigation　of　them。　In　this；　as　in　other　cases；　I
have　spared　no　pains　to　instruct　myself　on　matters　of　fact。
Wherever　the　story　touches　on　questions　connected　with　Law；
Medicine；　or　Chemistry；　it　has　been　submitted　before　publication
to　the　experience　of　professional　men。　The　kindness　of　a　friend
supplied　me　with　a　plan　of　the　doctor's　apparatus；　and　I　saw　the
chemical　ingredients　at　work　before　I　ventured　on　describing　the
action　of　them　in　the　closing　scenes　of　this　book。







End