armadale-第18章

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been　absent　from　England；　and　the　letter；　locked　up　among　his　own
private　papers；　could　not　be　got　at　till　he　returned。　He　was
expected　back　toward　the　latter　part　of　that　present　May；　and；　if
Midwinter　could　be　sure　where　the　cruise　would　take　them　to　at
the　close　of　the　month；　he　thought　he　would　write　and　have　the
letter　forwarded。　Had　he　any　family　reasons　to　be　anxious　about
it？　None　that　he　knew　of；　he　was　curious　to　see　what　had　been
waiting　for　him　for　many　years；　and　that　was　all。　So　he　answered
the　rector's　questions；　with　his　tawny　face　turned　away　over　the
low　bulwark　of　the　yacht；　and　his　fishing…line　dragging　in　his
supple　brown　hands。

Favored　by　wind　and　weather；　the　little　vessel　had　done　wonders
on　her　trial　trip。　Before　the　period　fixed　for　the　duration　of
the　cruise　had　half　expired；　the　yacht　was　as　high　up　on　the
Welsh　coast　as　Holyhead；　and　Allan；　eager　for　adventure　in
unknown　regions；　had　declared　boldly　for　an　extension　of　the
voyage　northward　to　the　Isle　of　Man。　Having　ascertained　from
reliable　authority　that　the　weather　really　promised　well　for　a
cruise　in　that　quarter；　and　that；　in　the　event　of　any　unforeseen
necessity　for　return；　the　railway　was　accessible　by　the　steamer
from　Douglas　to　Liverpool；　Mr。　Brock　agreed　to　his　pupil's
proposal。　By　that　night's　post　he　wrote　to　Allan's　lawyers　and　to
his　own　rectory；　indicating　Douglas　in　the　Isle　of　Man　as　the
next　address　to　which　letters　might　be　forwarded。　At　the
post…office　he　met　Midwinter；　who　had　just　dropped　a　letter　into
the　box。　Remembering　what　he　had　said　on　board　the　yacht；　Mr。
Brock　concluded　that　they　had　both　taken　the　same　precaution；　and
had　ordered　their　correspondence　to　be　forwarded　to　the　same
place。

Late　the　next　day　they　set　sail　for　the　Isle　of　Man。

For　a　few　hours　all　went　well；　but　sunset　brought　with　it　the
signs　of　a　coming　change。　With　the　darkness　the　wind　rose　to　a
gale；　and　the　question　whether　Allan　and　his　journeymen　had　or
had　not　built　a　stout　sea…boat　was　seriously　tested　for　the　first
time。　All　that　night；　after　trying　vainly　to　bear　up　for
Holyhead；　the　little　vessel　kept　the　sea；　and　stood　her　trial
bravely。　The　next　morning　the　Isle　of　Man　was　in　view；　and　the
yacht　was　safe　at　Castletown。　A　survey　by　daylight　of　hull　and
rigging　showed　that　all　the　damage　done　might　be　set　right　again
in　a　week's　time。　The　cruising　party　had　accordingly　remained　at
Castletown；　Allan　being　occupied　in　superintending　the　repairs；
Mr。　Brock　in　exploring　the　neighborhood；　and　Midwinter　in　making
daily　pilgrimages　on　foot　to　Douglas　and　back　to　inquire　for
letters。

The　first　of　the　cruising　party　who　received　a　letter　was　Allan。
〃More　worries　from　those　everlasting　lawyers；〃　was　all　he　said；
when　he　had　read　the　letter；　and　had　crumpled　it　up　in　his
pocket。　The　rector's　turn　came　next；　before　the　week's　sojourn　at
Castletown　had　expired。　On　the　fifth　day　he　found　a　letter　from
Somersetshire　waiting　for　him　at　the　hotel。　It　had　been　brought
there　by　Midwinter；　and　it　contained　news　which　entirely
overthrew　all　Mr。　Brock's　holiday　plans。　The　clergyman　who　had
undertaken　to　do　duty　for　him　in　his　absence　had　been
unexpectedly　summoned　home　again；　and　Mr。　Brock　had　no　choice
（the　day　of　the　week　being　Friday）　but　to　cross　the　next　morning
from　Douglass　to　Liverpool；　and　get　back　by　railway　on　Saturday
night　in　time　for　Sunday's　service。

Having　read　his　letter；　and　resigned　himself　to　his　altered
circumstances　as　patiently　as　he　might；　the　rector　passed　next　to
a　question　that　pressed　for　serious　consideration　in　its　turn。
Burdened　with　his　heavy　responsibility　toward　Allan；　and
conscious　of　his　own　undiminished　distrust　of　Allan's　new　friend；
how　was　he　to　act；　in　the　emergency　that　now　beset　him；　toward
the　two　young　men　who　had　been　his　companions　on　the　cruise？

Mr。　Brock　had　first　asked　himself　that　awkward　question　on　the
Friday　afternoon；　and　he　was　still　trying　vainly　to　answer　it；
alone　in　his　own　room；　at　one　o'clock　on　the　Saturday　morning。　It
was　then　only　the　end　of　May；　and　the　residence　of　the　ladies　at
Thorpe　Ambrose　（unless　they　chose　to　shorten　it　of　their　own
accord）　would　not　expire　till　the　middle　of　June。　Even　if　the
repairs　of　the　yacht　had　been　completed　（which　was　not　the　case）；
there　was　no　possible　pretense　for　hurrying　Allan　back　to
Somersetshire。　But　one　other　alternative　remainedto　leave　him
where　he　was。　In　other　words；　to　leave　him；　at　the　turning…point
of　his　life；　under　the　sole　influence　of　a　man　whom　he　had　first
met　with　as　a　castaway　at　a　village　inn；　and　who　was　still；　to
all　practical　purposes；　a　total　stranger　to　him。

In　despair　of　obtaining　any　better　means　of　enlightenment　to
guide　his　decision；　Mr。　Brock　reverted　to　the　impression　which
Midwinter　had　produced　on　his　own　mind　in　the　familiarity　of　the
cruise。

Young　as　he　was；　the　ex…usher　had　evidently　lived　a　varied　life。
He　could　speak　of　books　like　a　man　who　had　really　enjoyed　them；
he　could　take　his　turn　at　the　helm　like　a　sailor　who　knew　his
duty；　he　could　cook；　and　climb　the　rigging；　and　lay　the　cloth　for
dinner；　with　an　odd　delight　in　the　exhibition　of　his　own
dexterity。　The　display　of　these；　and　other　qualities　like　them；
as　his　spirits　rose　with　the　cruise；　had　revealed　the　secret　of
his　attraction　for　Allan　plainly　enough。　But　had　all　disclosures
rested　there？　Had　the　man　let　no　chance　light　in　on　his　character
in　the　rector's　presence？　Very　little；　and　that　little　did　not
set　him　forth　in　a　morally　alluring　aspect。　His　way　in　the　world
had　lain　evidently　in　doubtful　places；　familiarity　with　the　small
villainies　of　vagabonds　peeped　out　of　him　now　and　then；　and；　more
significant　still；　he　habitually　slept　the　light；　suspicious
sleep　of　a　man　who　has　been　accustomed　to　close　his　eyes　in　doubt
of　the　company　under　the　same　roof　with　him。　Down　to　the　very
latest　moment　of　the　rector's　experience　of　himdown　to　that
present　Friday　nighthis　conduct　had　been　persistently　secret
and　unaccountable　to　the　very　last。　After　bringing　Mr。　Brock's
letter　to　the　hotel；　he　had　mysterious　disappeared　from　the　house
without　leaving　any　message　for　his　companions；　and　without
letting　anybody　see　whether　he　had　or　had　not　received　a　letter
himself。　At　nightfall　he　had　come　back　stealthily　in　the
darkness；　had　been　caught　on　the　stairs　by　Allan；　eager　to　tell
him　of　the　change　in　the　rector's　plans；　had　listened　to　the　news
without　a　word　of　remark！　and　had　ended　by　sulkily　locking
himself　into　his　own　room。　What　was　there　in　his　favor　to　set
against　such　revelations　of　his　character　as　theseagainst　his
wandering　eyes；　his　obstinate　reserve　with　the　rector；　his
ominous　silence　on　the　subject　of　family　and　friends？　Little　or
nothing：　the　sum　of　all　his　merits　began　and　ended　with　his
gratitude　to　Allan。


Mr。　Brock　left　his　seat　on　the　side　of　the　bed；　trimmed　his
candle；　and；　still　lost　in　his　own　thoughts；　looked　out　absently
at　the　night。　The　change　of　place　brought　no　new　ideas　with　it。
His　retrospect　over　his　own　past　life　had　amply　satisfied　him
that　his　present　sense　of　responsibility　rested　on　no　merely
fanciful　grounds；　and；　having　brought　him　to　that　point；　had　left
him　there；　standing　at　the　window；　and　seeing　nothing　but　the
total　darkness　in　his　own　mind　faithfully　reflected　by　the　total
darkness　of　the　night。

〃If　I　only　had　a　friend　to　apply　to！〃　thought　the　rector。　〃If　I
could　only　find　some　one　to　help　me　in　this　miserable　place！〃

At　the　moment　when　the　aspiration　crossed　his　mind；　it　was
suddenly　answered　by　a　low　knock　at　the　door；　and　a　voice　said
softly　in　the　passage　outside；　〃Let　me　come　in。〃

After　an　instant's　pause　to　steady　his　nerves；　Mr。　Brock　opened
the　door；　and　found　himself；　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；
standing　face　to　face　on　the　threshold　of　his　own　bedroom　with
Ozias　Midwinter。

〃Are　you　ill？〃　asked　the　rector；　as　soon　as　his　astonishment
would　allow　him　to　speak。

〃I　have　come　here　to　make　a　clean　breast　of　it！〃　was　the　strange
answer。　〃Will　you　let　me　in？〃

With　those　words　he　walked　into　the　room；　his　eyes　on　the　ground；
his　lips　ashy　pale；　and　his　han　d　holding　something　hidden　behind
him。

〃I　saw　the　light　under　your　door；〃　he　went　on；　without　looking
up；　and　without　moving　his　hand；　〃and　I　know　the　trouble　on　your
mind　which　is　keeping　you　from　your　rest。　You　are　going　away
to…morrow　morning；　and　you　don't　like　leaving　Mr。　Armadale　alone
with　a　stranger　like　me。〃

Startled　as　he　was；　Mr。　Brock　saw　the　serious　necessity　of　being
plain　with　a　man　who　had　come　at　that　time；　and　had　said　those
words　to　him。

〃You　have　guessed　right；〃　he　answered。　〃I　stand　in　the　place　of　a
father　to　Allan　Armadale；　and　I　am　naturally　unwilling　to　leave
him；　at　his　age；　with　a　man　whom　I　don't　know。〃

Ozias　Midwinter　took　a　step　forward　to　the　table。　His　wandering
eyes　rested　on　the　rector's　New　Testament；　which　was　one　of　the
objects　lying　on　it。

〃You　have　read　that　Book；　in　the　years　of　a　long　life；　to　many
congregations；〃　he　said。　〃Has　it　taught　you　mercy　to　your
miserable　fellow…creatures？〃

Without　waiting　to　be　answered；　he　looked　Mr。　Brock　in　the　face
for　the　first　time；　and　brought　his　hidden　hand　slowly　into　view。

〃Read　that；〃　he　said；　〃and；　for　Christ's　sake；　pity　me　when　you
know　who　I　am。〃

He　laid　a　letter　of　many　pages　on　the　table。　It　was　the　letter
that　Mr。　Neal　had　posted　at　Wildbad　nineteen　years　since。

CHAPTER　II。

THE。　MAN　REVEALED。

THE　first　cool　breathings　of　the　coming　dawn　fluttered　through
the　open　window　as　Mr。　Brock　read　the　closing　lines　of　the
Confession。　He　put　it　from　him　in　silence；　without　looking　up。
The　first　shock　of　discovery　had　struck　his　mind；　and　had　passed
away　again。　At　his　age；　and　with　his　habits　of　thought；　his　grasp
was　not　strong　enough　to　hold　the　whole　revelation　that　had
fallen　on　him。　All　his　heart。　when　he　closed　the　manuscript；　was
with　the　memory　of　the　woman　who　had　been　the　beloved　friend　of
his　later　and　happier　life；　all　his　thoughts　were　busy　with　the
miserable　secret　of　her　treason　to　her　own　father　which　the
letter　had　disclosed。

He　was　startled　out　of　the　narrow　limits　of　his　own　little　grief
by　the　vibration　of　the　table　at　which　he　sat；　under　a　hand　that
was　laid　on　it　heavily。　The　instinct　of　reluctance　was　strong　in
him；　but　he　conquered　it；　and　looked　up。　There；　silently
confronting　him　in　the　mixed　light　of　the　yellow　candle　flame　and
the　faint　gray　dawn；　stood　the　castaway　of　the　village　innthe
inheritor　of　the　fatal　Armadale　name。

Mr。　Brock　shuddered　as　the　terror　of　the　present　time　and　the
darker　terror　yet　of　the　future　that　might　be　coming　rushed　back
on　him　at　the　sight　of　the　man's　face。　The　man　saw　it；　and　spoke
first。

〃Is　my　father's　crime　looking　at　you　out　of　my　eyes？〃　he　asked。
〃Has　the　ghost　of　the　drowned　man　followed　me　into　the　room？〃

The　suffering　and　the　passion　that　he　was　forcing　back　shook　the
hand　that　he　still　kept　on　the　table；　and　stifled　the　voice　in
which　he　spoke　until　it　sank　to　a　whisper。

〃I　have　no　wish　to　treat　you　otherwise　than　justly　and　kindly；〃
answered　Mr。　Brock。　〃Do　me　justice　on　my　side；　and　believe　that　I
am　inc