armadale-第15章

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to　visit　her　that　morning？　Yes。　Had　Allan　seen　her？　No；　Allan　had
been　at　work　since　breakfast；　and　was　at　work　still；　in　his　yard
by　the　water…side。

This　latter　reply　appeared　to　quiet　Mrs。　Armadale　for　the　moment；
she　put　her　next　questionthe　most　extraordinary　question　of　the
threemore　composedly：　Did　the　rector　think　Allan　would　object
to　leaving　his　vessel　for　the　presen　t；　and　to　accompanying　his
mother　on　a　journey　to　look　out　for　a　new　house　in　some　other
part　of　England？　In　the　greatest　amazement　Mr。　Brock　asked　what
reason　there　could　possibly　be　for　leaving　her　present　residence？
Mrs。　Armadale's　reason；　when　she　gave　it；　only　added　to　his
surprise。　The　woman's　first　visit　might　be　followed　by　a　second；
and　rather　than　see　her　again；　rather　than　run　the　risk　of
Allan's　seeing　her　and　speaking　to　her；　Mrs。　Armadale　would　leave
England　if　necessary；　and　end　her　days　in　a　foreign　land。　Taking
counsel　of　his　experience　as　a　magistrate；　Mr。　Brock　inquired　if
the　woman　had　come　to　ask　for　money。　Yes；　respectably　as　she　was
dressed；　she　had　described　herself　as　being　〃in　distress〃；　had
asked　for　money；　and　had　got　it。　But　the　money　was　of　no
importance；　the　one　thing　needful　was　to　get　away　before　the
woman　came　again。　More　and　more　surprised；　Mr。　Brock　ventured　on
another　question：　Was　it　long　since　Mrs。　Armadale　and　her　visitor
had　last　met？　Yes；　longer　than　all　Allan's　lifetimeas　long　ago
as　the　year　before　Allan　was　born。

At　that　reply；　the　rector　shifted　his　ground；　and　took　counsel
next　of　his　experience　as　a　friend。

〃Is　this　person；〃　he　asked；　〃connected　in　any　way　with　the
painful　remembrances　of　your　early　life？〃

〃Yes；　with　the　painful　remembrance　of　the　time　when　I　was
married；〃　said　Mrs。　Armadale。　〃She　was　associated；　as　a　mere
child；　with　a　circumstance　which　I　must　think　of　with　shame　and
sorrow　to　my　dying　day。〃

Mr。　Brock　noticed　the　altered　tone　in　which　his　old　friend　spoke；
and　the　unwillingness　with　which　she　gave　her　answer。

〃Can　you　tell　me　more　about　her　without　referring　to　yourself？〃
he　went　on。　〃I　am　sure　I　can　protect　you；　if　you　will　only　help
me　a　little。　Her　name；　for　instanceyou　can　tell　me　her　name？〃

Mrs。　Armadale　shook　her　head；　〃The　name　I　knew　her　by；〃　she　said；
〃would　be　of　no　use　to　you。　She　has　been　married　since　then；　she
told　me　so　herself。〃

〃And　without　telling　you　her　married　name？〃

〃She　refused　to　tell　it。〃

〃Do　you　know　anything　of　her　friends？〃

〃Only　of　her　friends　when　she　was　a　child。　They　called　themselves
her　uncle　and　aunt。　They　were　low　people；　and　they　deserted　her
at　the　school　on　my　father's　estate。　We　never　heard　any　more　of
them。〃

〃Did　she　remain　under　your　father's　care？〃

〃She　remained　under　my　care；　that　is　to　say；　she　traveled　with
us。　We　were　leaving　England；　just　as　that　time；　for　Madeira。　I
had　my　father's　leave　to　take　her　with　me；　and　to　train　the
wretch　to　be　my　maid〃

At　those　words　Mrs。　Armadale　stopped　confusedly。　Mr。　Brock　tried
gently　to　lead　her　on。　It　was　useless；　she　started　up　in　violent
agitation；　and　walked　excitedly　backward　and　forward　in　the　room。

〃Don't　ask　me　any　more！〃　she　cried　out；　in　loud；　angry　tones。　〃I
parted　with　her　when　she　was　a　girl　of　twelve　years　old。　I　never
saw　her　again；　I　never　heard　of　her　again；　from　that　time　to
this。　I　don't　know　how　she　has　discovered　me；　after　all　the　years
that　have　passed；　I　only　know　that　she　_has_　discovered　me。　She
will　find　her　way　to　Allan　next；　she　will　poison　my　son's　mind
against　me。　Help　me　to　get　away　from　her！　help　me　to　take　Allan
away　before　she　comes　back！〃

The　rector　asked　no　more　questions；　it　would　have　been　cruel　to
press　her　further。　The　first　necessity　was　to　compose　her　by
promising　compliance　with　all　that　she　desired。　The　second　was　to
induce　her　to　see　another　medical　man。　Mr。　Brock　contrived　to
reach　his　end　harmlessly　in　this　latter　case　by　reminding　her
that　she　wanted　strength　to　travel；　and　that　her　own　medical
attendant　might　restore　her　（all　the　more　speedily　to　herself　if
he　were　assisted　by　the　best　professional　advice。　Having　overcome
her　habitual　reluctance　to　seeing　strangers　by　this　means；　the
rector　at　once　went　to　Allan；　and；　delicately　concealing　what
Mrs。　Armadale　had　said　at　the　interview；　broke　the　news　to　him
that　his　mother　was　seriously　ill。　Allan　would　hear　of　no
messengers　being　sent　for　assistance：　he　drove　off　on　the　spot　to
the　railway；　and　telegraphed　himself　to　Bristol　for　medical　help。

On　the　next　morning　the　help　came；　and　Mr。　Brock's　worst　fears
were　confirmed。　The　village　surgeon　had　fatally　misunderstood　the
case　from　the　first；　and　the　time　was　past　now　at　which　his
errors　of　treatment　might　have　been　set　right。　The　shock　of　the
previous　morning　had　completed　the　mischief。　Mrs。　Armadale's　days
were　numbered。

The　son　who　dearly　loved　her；　the　old　friend　to　whom　her　life　was
precious；　hoped　vainly　to　the　last。　In　a　month　from　the
physician's　visit　all　hope　was　over；　and　Allan　shed　the　first
bitter　tears　of　his　life　at　his　mother's　grave。

She　had　died　more　peacefully　than　Mr。　Brock　had　dared　to　hope；
leaving　all　her　little　fortune　to　her　son；　and　committing　him
solemnly　to　the　care　of　her　one　friend　on　earth。　The　rector　had
entreated　her　to　let　him　write　and　try　to　reconcile　her　brothers
with　her　before　it　was　too　late。　She　had　only　answered　sadly　that
it　was　too　late　already。　But　one　reference　escaped　her　in　her
last　illness　to　those　early　sorrows　which　had　weighed　heavily　on
all　her　after…life；　and　which　had　passed　thrice　already；　like
shadows　of　evil；　between　the　rector　and　herself。　Even　on　her
deathbed　she　had　shrunk　from　letting　the　light　fall　clearly　on
the　story　of　the　past。　She　had　looked　at　Allan　kneeling　by　the
bedside；　and　had　whispered　to　Mr。　Brock：　〃_Never　let　his　Namesake
come　near　him！　Never　let　that　Woman　find　him　out！_〃　No　word　more
fell　from　her　that　touched　on　the　misfortunes　which　had　tried　her
in　the　past；　or　on　the　dangers　which　she　dreaded　in　the　future。
The　secret　which　she　had　kept　from　her　son　and　from　her　friend
was　a　secret　which　she　carried　with　her　to　the　grave。

When　the　last　offices　of　affection　and　respect　had　been
performed；　Mr。　Brock　felt　it　his　duty；　as　executor　to　the
deceased　lady；　to　write　to　her　brothers；　and　to　give　them
information　of　her　death。　Believing　that　he　had　to　deal　with　two
men　who　would　probably　misinterpret　his　motives　if　he　left
Allan's　position　unexplained；　he　was　careful　to　remind　them　that
Mrs。　Armadale's　son　was　well　provided　for；　and　that　the　object　of
his　letter　was　simply　to　communicate　the　news　of　their　sister's
decease。　The　two　letters　were　dispatched　toward　the　middle　of
January；　and　by　return　of　post　the　answers　were　received。　The
first　which　the　rector　opened　was　written　not　by　the　elder
brother；　but　by　the　elder　brother's　only　son。　The　young　man　had
succeeded　to　the　estates　in　Norfolk　on　his　father's　death；　some
little　time　since。　He　wrote　in　a　frank　and　friendly　spirit；
assuring　Mr。　Brock　that；　however　strongly　his　father　might　have
been　prejudiced　against　Mrs。　Armadale；　the　hostile　feeling　had
never　extended　to　her　son。　For　himself；　he　had　only　to　add　that
he　would　be　sincerely　happy　to　welcome　his　cousin　to　Thorpe
Ambrose　whenever　his　cousin　came　that　way。

The　second　letter　was　a　far　less　agreeable　reply　to　receive　than
the　first。　The　younger　brother　was　still　alive；　and　still
resolute　neither　to　forget　nor　forgive。　He　informed　Mr。　Brock
that　his　deceased　sister's　choice　of　a　husband；　and　her　conduct
to　her　father　at　the　time　of　her　marriage；　had　made　any　relations
of　affection　or　esteem　impossible；　on　his　side；　from　that　time
forth。　Holding　the　opinions　he　did；　it　would　be　equally　painful
to　his　nephew　and　himself　if　any　personal　intercourse　took　place
between　them。　He　had　adverted；　as　generally　as　possible；　to　the
nature　of　the　differences　which　had　kept　him　apart　from　his　late
sister；　in　order　to　satisfy　Mr。　Brock's　mind　that　a　personal
acquaintance　with　young　Mr。　Armadale　was；　as　a　matter　of
delicacy；　quite　out　of　the　question　and；　having　done　this；　he
would　beg　leave　to　close　the　correspondence。

Mr。　Brock　wisely　destroyed　the　second　letter　on　the　spot；　and；
after　showing　Allan　his　cousin's　invitation；　suggested　that　he
should　go　to　Thorpe　Ambrose　as　soon　as　he　felt　fit　to　present
himself　to　strangers。

Allan　listened　to　the　advice　patiently　enough；　but　he　declined　to
profit　by　it。　〃I　will　shake　hands　with　my　cousin　willingly　if　I
ever　meet　him；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　will　visit　no　family；　and　be　a
guest　in　no　house；　in　which　my　mother　has
　been　badly　treated。〃　Mr。　Brock　remonstrated　gently；　and　tried　to
put　matters　in　their　proper　light。　Even　at　that　timeeven　while
he　was　still　ignorant　of　events　which　were　then
impendingAllan's　strangely　isolated　position　in　the　world　was　a
subject　of　serious　anxiety　to　his　old　friend　and　tutor。　The
proposed　visit　to　Thorpe　Ambrose　opened　the　very　prospect　of　his
making　friends　and　connections　suited　to　him　in　rank　and　age
which　Mr。　Brock　most　desired　to　see；　but　Allan　was　not　to　be
persuaded；　he　was　obstinate　and　unreasonable；　and　the　rector　had
no　alternative　but　to　drop　the　subject。

One　on　another　the　weeks　passed　monotonously；　and　Allan　showed
but　little　of　the　elasticity　of　his　age　and　character　in　bearing
the　affliction　that　had　made　him　motherless。　He　finished　and
launched　his　yacht；　but　his　own　journeymen　remarked　that　the　work
seemed　to　have　lost　its　interest　for　him。　It　was　not　natural　to
the　young　man　to　brood　over　his　solitude　and　his　grief　as　he　was
brooding　now。　As　the　spring　advanced；　Mr。　Brock　began　to　feel
uneasy　about　the　future；　if　Allan　was　not　roused　at　once　by
change　of　scene。　After　much　pondering；　the　rector　decided　on
trying　a　trip　to　Paris；　and　on　extending　the　journey　southward　if
his　companion　showed　an　interest　in　Continental　traveling。
Allan's　reception　of　the　proposal　made　atonement　for　his
obstinacy　in　refusing　to　cultivate　his　cousin's　acquaintance；　he
was　willing　to　go　with　Mr。　Brock　wherever　Mr。　Brock　pleased。　The
rector　took　him　at　his　word；　and　in　the　middle　of　March　the　two
strangely　assorted　companions　left　for　London　on　their　way　to
Paris。

Arrived　in　London；　Mr。　Brock　found　himself　unexpectedly　face　to
face　with　a　new　anxiety。　The　unwelcome　subject　of　Ozias
Midwinter；　which　had　been　buried　in　peace　since　the　beginning　of
December；　rose　to　the　surface　again；　and　confronted　the　rector　at
the　very　outset　of　his　travels；　more　unmanageably　than　ever。

Mr。　Brock's　position　in　dealing　with　this　difficult　matter　had
been　hard　enough　to　maintain　when　he　had　first　meddled　with　it。
He　now　found　himself　with　no　vantage…ground　left　to　stand　on。
Events　had　so　ordered　it　that　the　difference　of　opinion　between
Allan　and　his　mother　on　the　subject　of　the　usher　was　entirely
disassociated　with　the　agitation　which　had　hastened　Mrs。
Armadale's　death。　Allan's　resolution　to　say　no　irritating　words；
and　Mr。　Brock's　reluctance　to　touch　on　a　disagreeable　topic；　had
kept　them　both　silent　about　Midwinter　in　Mrs。　Armadale's　presence
during　the　three　days　which　had　intervened　between　that　person's
departure　and　the　appearance　of