armadale-第5章

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fatal　letter　which　was　a　sealed　secret　to　her；　and　a　torture　of
jealous　suspicionsuspicion　of　that　other　woman　who　had　been　the
shadow　and　the　poison　of　her　lifewrung　her　to　the　heart。　After
moving　a　few　steps　from　the　bedside；　she　stopped；　and　came　back
again。　Armed　with　the　double　courage　of　her　love　and　her　despair；
she　pressed　her　lips　on　her　dying　husband's　cheek；　and　pleaded
with　him　for　the　last　time。　Her　burning　tears　dropped　on　his　face
as　she　whispered　to　him：　〃Oh；　Allan；　think　how　I　have　loved　you！
think　how　hard　I　have　tried　to　make　you　happy！　think　how　soon　I
shall　lose　you！　Oh；　my　own　love！　don't；　don't　send　me　away！〃

The　words　pleaded　for　her；　the　kiss　pleaded　for　her；　the
recollection　of　the　love　that　had　been　given　to　him；　and　never
returned；　touched　the　heart　of　the　fast…sinking　man　as　nothing
had　touched　it　since　the　day　of　his　marriage。　A　heavy　sigh　broke
from　him。　He　looked　at　her；　and　hesitated。

〃Let　me　stay；〃　she　whispered；　pressing　her　face　closer　to　his。

〃It　will　only　distress　you；〃　he　whispered　back。

〃Nothing　distresses　me；　but　being　sent　away　from　_you！_〃

He　waited。　She　saw　that　he　was　thinking；　and　waited　too。

〃If　I　let　you　stay　a　little？〃

〃Yes！　yes！〃

〃Will　you　go　when　I　tell　you？〃

〃I　will。〃

〃On　your　oath？〃

The　fetters　that　bound　his　tongue　seemed　to　be　loosened　for　a
moment　in　the　great　outburst　of　anxiety　which　forced　that
question　to　his　lips。　He　spoke　those　startling　words　as　he　had
spoken　no　words　yet。

〃On　my　oath！〃　she　repeated；　and；　dropping　on　her　knees　at　the
bedside；　passionately　kissed　his　hand。　The　two　strangers　in　the
room　turned　their　heads　away　by　common　consent。　In　the　silence
that　followed；　the　one　sound　stirring　was　the　small　sound　of　the
child's　toy；　as　he　moved　it　hither　and　thither　on　the　bed。

The　doctor　was　the　first　who　broke　the　spell　of　stillness　which
had　fallen　on　all　the　persons　present。　He　approached　the　patient；
and　examined　him　anxiously。　Mrs。　Armadale　rose　from　her　knees；
and；　first　waiting　for　her　husband's　permission；　carried　the
sheets　of　manuscript　which　she　had　taken　out　of　the　desk　to　the
table　at　which　Mr。　Neal　was　waiting。　Flushed　and　eager；　more
beautiful　than　ever　in　the　vehement　agitation　which　still
possessed　her；　she　stooped　over　him　as　she　put　the　letter　into
his　hands；　and；　seizing　on　the　means　to　her　end　with　a　woman's
headlong　self…abandonment　to　her　own　impulses；　whispered　to　him；
〃Read　it　out　from　the　beginning。　I　must　and　will　hear　it！〃　Her
eyes　flashed　their　burning　light　into　his；　her　breath　beat　on　his
cheek。　Before　he　could　answer；　before　he　could　think；　she　was
back　with　her　husband。　In　an　instant　she　had　spoken；　and　in　that
instant　her　beauty　had　bent　the　Scotchman　to　her　will。　Frowning
in　reluctant　acknowledgment　of　his　own　inability　to　resist　her；
he　turned　over　the　leaves　of　the　letter；　looked　at　the　blank
place　where　the　pen　had　dropped　from　the　writer's　hand　and　had
left　a　blot　on　the　paper；　turned　back　again　to　the　beginning；　and
said　the　words；　in　the　wife's　interest；　which　the　wife　herself
had　put　into　his　lips。

〃Perhaps；　sir；　you　may　wish　to　make　some　corrections；〃　he　began；
with　all　his　attention　apparently　fixed　on　the　letter；　and　with
every　outward　appearance　of　letting　his　sour　temper　again　get　the
better　of　him。　〃Shall　I　read　over　to　you　what　you　have　already
written？〃

Mrs。　Armadale；　sitting　at　the　bed　head　on　one　side；　and　the
doctor；　with　his　fingers　on　the　patient's　pulse；　sitting　on　the
other；　waited　with　widely　different　anxieties　for　the　answer　to
Mr。　Neal's　question。　Mr。　Armadale's　eyes　turned　searchingly　from
his　child　to　his　wife。

〃You　_will_　hear　it？〃　he　said。　Her　breath　came　and　went　quickly；
her　hand　stole　up　and　took　his；　she　bowed　her　head　in　silence。
Her　husband　paused；　taking　secret　counsel　with　his　thoughts；　and
keeping　his　eyes　fixed　on　his　wife。　At　last　he　decided；　and　gave
the　answer。　〃Read　it；〃　he　said；　〃and　stop　when　I　tell　you。〃

It　was　close　on　one　o'clock；　and　the　bell　was　ringing　which
summoned　the　visitors　to　their　early　dinner　at　the　inn。　The　quick
beat　of　footsteps；　and　the　gathering　hum　of　voices　outside；
penetrated　gayly　into　the　room；　as　Mr。　Neal　spread　the　manuscript
before　him　on　the　table；　and　read　the　opening　sentences　in　these
words：


〃I　address　this　letter　to　my　son；　when　my　son　is　of　an　age　to
understand　it。　Having　lost　all　hope　of　living　to　see　my　boy　grow
up　to　manhood；　I　have　no　choice　but　to　write　here　what　I　would
fain　have　said　to　him　at　a　future　time　with　my　own　lips。

〃I　have　three　objects　in　writing。　First；　to　reveal　the
circumstances　which　attended　the　marriage　of　an　English　lady　of
my　acquaintance；　in　the　island　of　Madeira。　Secondly；　to　throw　the
true　light　on　the　death　of　her　husband　a　short　time　afterward；　on
board　the　French
　timber　ship　_La　Grace　de　Dieu。_　Thirdly；　to　warn　my　son　of　a
danger　that　lies　in　wait　for　hima　danger　that　will　rise　from
his　father's　grave　when　the　earth　has　closed　over　his　father's
ashes。

〃The　story　of　the　English　lady's　marriage　begins　with　my
inheriting　the　great　Armadale　property；　and　my　taking　the　fatal
Armadale　name。

〃I　am　the　only　surviving　son　of　the　late　Mathew　Wrentmore；　of
Barbadoes。　I　was　born　on　our　family　estate　in　that　island；　and　I
lost　my　father　when　I　was　still　a　child。　My　mother　was　blindly
fond　of　me；　she　denied　me　nothing；　she　let　me　live　as　I　pleased。
My　boyhood　and　youth　were　passed　in　idleness　and　self…indulgence；
among　peopleslaves　and　half…castes　mostlyto　whom　my　will　was
law。　I　doubt　if　there　is　a　gentleman　of　my　birth　and　station　in
all　England　as　ignorant　as　I　am　at　this　moment。　I　doubt　if　there
was　ever　a　young　man　in　this　world　whose　passions　were　left　so
entirely　without　control　of　any　kind　as　mine　were　in　those　early
days。

〃My　mother　had　a　woman's　romantic　objection　to　my　father's　homely
Christian　name。　I　was　christened　Allan；　after　the　name　of　a
wealthy　cousin　of　my　father'sthe　late　Allan　Armadalewho
possessed　estates　in　our　neighborhood；　the　largest　and　most
productive　in　the　island；　and　who　consented　to　be　my　godfather　by
proxy。　Mr。　Armadale　had　never　seen　his　West　Indian　property。　He
lived　in　England；　and；　after　sending　me　the　customary　godfather's
present；　he　held　no　further　communication　with　my　parents　for
years　afterward。　I　was　just　twenty…one　before　we　heard　again　from
Mr。　Armadale。　On　that　occasion　my　mother　received　a　letter　from
him　asking　if　I　was　still　alive；　and　offering　no　less　（if　I　was）
than　to　make　me　the　heir　to　his　West　Indian　property。

〃This　piece　of　good　fortune　fell　to　me　entirely　through　the
misconduct　of　Mr。　Armadale's　son；　an　only　child。　The　young　man
had　disgraced　himself　beyond　all　redemption；　had　left　his　home　an
outlaw；　and　had　been　thereupon　renounced　by　his　father　at　once
and　forever。　Having　no　other　near　male　relative　to　succeed　him；
Mr。　Armadale　thought　of　his　cousin's　son　and　his　own　godson；　and
he　offered　the　West　Indian　estate　to　me；　and　my　heirs　after　me；
on　one　conditionthat　I　and　my　heirs　should　take　his　name。　The
proposal　was　gratefully　accepted；　and　the　proper　legal　measures
were　adopted　for　changing　my　name　in　the　colony　and　in　the　mother
country。　By　the　next　mail　information　reached　Mr。　Armadale　that
his　condition　had　been　complied　with。　The　return　mail　brought
news　from　the　lawyers。　The　will　had　been　altered　in　my　favor；　and
in　a　week　afterward　the　death　of　my　benefactor　had　made　me　the
largest　proprietor　and　the　richest　man　in　Barbadoes。

〃This　was　the　first　event　in　the　chain。　The　second　event　followed
it　six　weeks　afterward。

〃At　that　time　there　happened　to　be　a　vacancy　in　the　clerk's
office　on　the　estate；　and　there　came　to　fill　it　a　young　man　about
my　own　age　who　had　recently　arrived　in　the　island。　He　announced
himself　by　the　name　of　Fergus　Ingleby。　My　impulses　governed　me　in
everything；　I　knew　no　law　but　the　law　of　my　own　caprice；　and　I
took　a　fancy　to　the　stranger　the　moment　I　set　eyes　on　him。　He　had
the　manners　of　a　gentleman；　and　he　possessed　the　most　attractive
social　qualities　which；　in　my　small　experience；　I　had　ever　met
with。　When　I　heard　that　the　written　references　to　character　which
he　had　brought　with　him　were　pronounced　to　be　unsatisfactory；　I
interfered；　and　insisted　that　he　should　have　the　place。　My　will
was　law；　and　he　had　it。

〃My　mother　disliked　and　distrusted　Ingleby　from　the　first。　When
she　found　the　intimacy　between　us　rapidly　ripening；　when　she
found　me　admitting　this　inferior　to　the　closest　companionship　and
confidence　（I　had　lived　with　my　inferiors　all　my　life；　and　I
liked　it）；　she　made　effort　after　effort　to　part　us；　and　failed　in
one　and　all。　Driven　to　her　last　resources；　she　resolved　to　try
the　one　chance　leftthe　chance　of　persuading　me　to　take　a　voyage
which　I　had　often　thought　ofa　voyage　to　England。

〃Before　she　spoke　to　me　on　the　subject；　she　resolved　to　interest
me　in　the　idea　of　seeing　England；　as　I　had　never　been　interested
yet。　She　wrote　to　an　old　friend　and　an　old　admirer　of　hers；　the
late　Stephen　Blanchard；　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　in　Norfolka
gentleman　of　landed　estate；　and　a　widower　with　a　grown…up　family。
After…discoveries　informed　me　that　she　must　have　alluded　to　their
former　attachment　（which　was　checked；　I　believe；　by　the　parents
on　either　side）；　and　that；　in　asking　Mr。　Blanchard's　welcome　for
her　son　when　he　came　to　England；　she　made　inquiries　about　his
daughter；　which　hinted　at　the　chance　of　a　marriage　uniting　the
two　families；　if　the　young　lady　and　I　met　and　liked　one　another。
We　were　equally　matched　in　every　respect；　and　my　mother's
recollection　of　her　girlish　attachment　to　Mr。　Blanchard　made　the
prospect　of　my　marrying　her　old　admirer's　daughter　the　brightest
and　happiest　prospect　that　her　eyes　could　see。　Of　all　this　I　knew
nothing　until　Mr。　Blanchard's　answer　arrived　at　Barbadoes。　Then
my　mother　showed　me　the　letter；　and　put　the　temptation　which　was
to　separate　me　from　Fergus　Ingleby　openly　in　my　way。

〃Mr。　Blanchard's　letter　was　dated　from　the　Island　of　Madeira。　He
was　out　of　health；　and　he　had　been　ordered　there　by　the　doctors
to　try　the　climate。　His　daughter　was　with　him。　After　heartily
reciprocating　all　my　mother's　hopes　and　wishes；　he　proposed　（if　I
intended　leaving　Barbadoes　shortly）　that　I　should　take　Madeira　on
my　way　to　England；　and　pay　him　a　visit　at　his　temporary　residence
in　the　island。　If　this　could　not　be；　he　mentioned　the　time　at
which　he　expected　to　be　back　in　England；　when　I　might　be　sure　of
finding　a　welcome　at　his　own　house　of　Thorpe　Ambrose。　In
conclusion；　he　apologized　for　not　writing　at　greater　length；
explaining　that　his　sight　was　affected；　and　that　he　had　disobeyed
the　doctor's　orders　by　yielding　to　the　temptation　of　writing　to
his　old　friend　with　his　own　hand。

〃Kindly　as　it　was　expressed；　the　letter　itself　might　have　had
little　influence　on　me。　But　there　was　something　else　besides　the
letter；　there　was　inclosed　in　it　a　miniature　portrait　of　Miss
Blanchard。　At　the　back　of　the　portrait；　her　father　had　written；
half…jestingly；　half…tenderly；　'I　can't　ask　my　daughter　to　spare
my　eyes　as　usual；　without　telling　her　of　your　inquiries；　and
putting　a　young　lady's　diffidence　to　the　blush。　So　I　send　h