armadale-第123部分

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have　given　Miss　Milroy　a　ring　worth　ten　times　the　money；　if　it
had　been　_her_　marriage　present。　There　is　no　more　hateful
creature；　in　my　opinion；　than　a　miserly　young　man。　I　wonder
whether　his　trumpery　little　yacht　will　drown　him？

〃I　am　so　excited　and　fluttered；　I　hardly　know　what　I　am　writing。
Not　that　I　shrink　from　what　is　comingI　only　feel　as　if　I　was
being　hurried　on　faster　than　I　quite　like　to　go。　At　this　rate；　if
nothing　happens；　Midwinter　will　have　married　me　by　the　end　of　the
week。　And　then！


〃August　6th。If　anything　could　startle　me　now；　I　should　feel
startled　by　the　news　that　has　reached　me　to…day。

〃On　his　return　to　the　hotel　this　morning；　after　getting　the
marriage…license；　Midwinter　found　a　telegram　waiting　for　him。　It
contained　an　urgent　message　from　Armadale；　announcing　that　Mr。
Brock　had　had　a　relapse；　and　that　all　hope　of　his　recovery　was
pronounced　by　the　doctors　to　be　at　an　end。　By　the　dying　man's　own
desire；　Midwinter　was　summoned　to　take　leave　of　him；　and　was
entreated　by　Armadale　not　to　lose　a　moment　in　starting　for　the
rectory　by　the　first　train。

〃The　hurried　letter　which　tells　me　this　tells　me　also　that；　by
the　time　I　recei　ve　it；　Midwinter　will　be　on　his　way　to　the　West。
He　promises　to　write　at　greater　length；　after　he　has　seen　Mr。
Brock；　by　to…night's　post。

〃This　news　has　an　interest　for　me；　which　Midwinter　little
suspects。　There　is　but　one　human　creature；　besides　myself；　who
knows　the　secret　of　his　birth　and　his　name；　and　that　one　is　the
old　man　who　now　lies　waiting　for　him　at　the　point　of　death。　What
will　they　say　to　each　other　at　the　last　moment？　Will　some　chance
word　take　them　back　to　the　time　when　I　was　in　Mrs。　Armadale's
service　at　Madeira？　Will　they　speak　of　Me？


〃August　7th。The　promised　letter　has　just　reached　me。　No　parting
words　have　been　exchanged　between　them：　it　was　all　over　before
Midwinter　reached　Somersetshire。　Armadale　met　him　at　the　rectory
gate　with　the　news　that　Mr。　Brock　was　dead。

〃I　try　to　struggle　against　it；　but；　coming　after　the　strange
complication　of　circumstances　that　has　been　closing　round　me　for
weeks　past；　there　is　something　in　this　latest　event　of　all　that
shakes　my　nerves。　But　one　last　chance　of　detection　stood　in　my
way　when　I　opened　my　diary　yesterday。　When　I　open　it　to…day；　that
chance　is　removed　by　Mr。　Brock's　death。　It　means　something；　I
wish　I　knew　what。

〃The　funeral　is　to　be　on　Saturday　morning。　Midwinter　will　attend
it　as　well　as　Armadale。　But　he　proposes　returning　to　London
first；　and　he　writes　word　that　he　will　call　to…night；　in　the　hope
of　seeing　me；　on　his　way　from　the　station　to　the　hotel。　Even　if
there　was　any　risk　in　it；　I　should　see　him；　as　things　are　now。
But　there　is　no　risk　if　he　comes　here　from　the　station　instead　of
coming　from　the　hotel。


〃Five　o'clock。I　was　not　mistaken　in　believing　that　my　nerves
were　all　unstrung。　Trifles　that　would　not　have　cost　me　a　second
thought　at　other　times　weigh　heavily　on　my　mind　now。

〃Two　hours　since；　in　despair　of　knowing　how　to　get　through　the
day；　I　bethought　myself　of　the　milliner　who　is　making　my　summer
dress。　I　had　intended　to　go　and　try　it　on　yesterday；　but　it
slipped　out　of　my　memory　in　the　excitement　of　hearing　about　Mr。
Brock。　So　I　went　this　afternoon；　eager　to　do　anything　that　might
help　me　to　get　rid　of　myself。　I　have　returned；　feeling　more
uneasy　and　more　depressed　than　I　felt　when　I　went　out；　for　I　have
come　back　fearing　that　I　may　yet　have　reason　to　repent　not　having
left　my　unfinished　dress　on　the　milliner's　hands。

〃Nothing　happened　to　me；　this　time；　in　the　street。　It　was　only　in
the　trying…on　room　that　my　suspicions　were　roused；　and　there　it
certainly　did　cross　my　mind　that　the　attempt　to　discover　me；
which　I　defeated　at　All　Saints'　Terrace；　was　not　given　up　yet；
and　that　some　of　the　shop…women　had　been　tampered　with；　if　not
the　mistress　herself。

〃Can　I　give　myself　anything　in　the　shape　of　a　reason　for　this
impression？　Let　me　think　a　little。

〃I　certainly　noticed　two　things　which　were　out　of　the　ordinary
routine；　under　the　circumstances。　In　the　first　place；　there　were
twice　as　many　women　as　were　needed　in　the　trying…on　room。　This
looked　suspicious；　and　yet　I　might　have　accounted　for　it　in　more
ways　than　one。　Is　it　not　the　slack　time　now？　and　don't　I　know　by
experience　that　I　am　the　sort　of　woman　about　whom　other　women　are
always　spitefully　curious？　I　thought　again；　in　the　second　place；
that　one　of　the　assistants　persisted　rather　oddly　in　keeping　me
turned　in　a　particular　direction；　with　my　face　toward　the　glazed
and　curtained　door　that　led　into　the　work…room。　But；　after　all；
she　gave　a　reason　when　I　asked　for　it。　She　said　the　light　fell
better　on　me　that　way；　and；　when　I　looked　round；　there　was　the
window　to　prove　her　right。　Still；　these　trifles　produced　such　an
effect　on　me；　at　the　time；　that　I　purposely　found　fault　with　the
dress；　so　as　to　have　an　excuse　for　trying　it　on　again；　before　I
told　them　where　I　lived；　and　had　it　sent　home。　Pure　fancy；　I　dare
say。　Pure　fancy；　perhaps；　at　the　present　moment。　I　don't　care；　I
shall　act　on　instinct　（as　they　say）；　and　give　up　the　dress。　In
plainer　words　still；　I　won't　go　back。


〃Midnight。Midwinter　came　to　see　me　as　he　promised。　An　hour　has
passed　since　we　said　good…night；　and　here　I　still　sit；　with　my
pen　in　my　hand；　thinking　of　him。　No　words　of　mine　can　describe
what　has　passed　between　us。　The　end　of　it　is　all　I　can　write　in
these　pages；　and　the　end　of　it　is　that　he　has　shaken　my
resolution。　For　the　first　time　since　I　saw　the　easy　way　to
Armadale's　life　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　I　feel　as　if　the　man　whom　I
have　doomed　in　my　own　thoughts　had　a　chance　of　escaping　me。

〃Is　it　my　love　for　Midwinter　that　has　altered　me？　Or　is　it　_his_
love　for　_me_　that　has　taken　possession　not　only　of　all　I　wish　to
give　him；　but　of　all　I　wish　to　keep　from　him　as　well？　I　feel　as
if　I　had　lost　myselflost　myself；　I　mean；　in　_him_all　through
the　evening。　He　was　in　great　agitation　about　what　had　happened　in
Somersetshire；　and　he　made　me　feel　as　disheartened　and　as
wretched　about　it　as　he　did。　Though　he　never　confessed　it　in
words；　I　know　that　Mr。　Brock's　death　has　startled　him　as　an　ill
omen　for　our　marriageI　know　it；　because　I　feel　Mr。　Brock's
death　as　an　ill　omen　too。　The　superstition_his_
superstitiontook　so　strong　a　hold　on　me；　that　when　we　grew
calmer　and　he　spoke　of　time　futurewhen　he　told　me　that　he　must
either　break　his　engagement　with　his　new　employers　or　go　abroad；
as　he　is　pledged　to　go；　on　Monday　nextI　actually　shrank　at　the
thought　of　our　marriage　following　close　on　Mr。　Brock's　funeral；　I
actually　said　to　him；　in　the　impulse　of　the　moment；　'Go；　and
begin　your　new　life　alone！　go；　and　leave　me　here　to　wait　for
happier　times。'

〃He　took　me　in　his　arms。　He　sighed；　and　kissed　me　with　an　angelic
tenderness。　He　saidoh；　so　softly　and　so　sadly！I　have　no　life
now；　apart　from　_you。_'　As　those　words　passed　his　lips；　the
thought　seemed　to　rise　in　my　mind　like　an　echo；　'Why　not　live　out
all　the　days　that　are　left　to　me；　happy　and　harmless　in　a　love
like　this！'　I　can't　explain　itI　can't　realize　it。　That　was　the
thought　in　me　at　the　time；　and　that　is　the　thought　in　me　still。　I
see　my　own　hand　while　I　write　the　wordsand　I　ask　myself　whether
it　is　really　the　hand　of　Lydia　Gwilt！

〃Armadale

〃No！　I　will　never　write；　I　will　never　think　of　Armadale　again。

〃Yes！　Let　me　write　once　morelet　me　think　once　more　of　him；
because　it　quiets　me　to　know　that　he　is　going　away；　and　that　the
sea　will　have　parted　us　before　I　am　married。　His　old　home　is　home
to　him　no　longer；　now　that　the　loss　of　his　mother　has　been
followed　by　the　loss　of　his　best　and　earliest　friend。　When　the
funeral　is　over；　he　has　decided　to　sail　the　same　day　for　the
foreign　seas。　We　may；　or　we　may　not；　meet　at　Naples。　Shall　I　be
an　altered　woman　if　we　do？　I　wonder；　I　wonder！


〃August　8th。A　line　from　Midwinter。　He　has　gone　back　to
Somersetshire　to　be　in　readiness　for　the　funeral　to…morrow；　and
he　will　return　here　（after　bidding　Armadale　good…by）　to…morrow
evening。

〃The　last　forms　and　ceremonies　preliminary　to　our　marriage　have
been　complied　with。　I　am　to　be　his　wife　on　Monday　next。　The　hour
must　not　be　later　than　half…past　tenwhich　will　give　us　just
time；　when　the　service　is　over；　to　get　from　the　church　door　to
the　railway；　and　to　start　on　our　journey　to　Naples　the　same　day。

〃To…daySaturdaySunday！　I　am　not　afraid　of　the　time；　the　time
will　pass。　I　am　not　afraid　of　myself；　if　I　can　only　keep　all
thoughts　but　one　out　of　my　mind。　I　love　him！　Day　and　night；　till
Monday　comes；　I　will　think　of　nothing　but　that。　I　love　him！


〃Four　o'clock。Other　thoughts　are　forced　into　my　mind　in　spite
of　me。　My　suspicions　of　yesterday　were　no　mere　fancies；　the
milliner　has　been　tampered　with。　My　folly　in　going　back　to　her
house　has　led　to　my　being　traced　here。　I　am　absolutely　certain
that　I　never　gave　the　woman　my　address；　and　yet　my　new　gown　was
sent　home　to　me　at　two　o'clock　to…day！

〃A　man　brought　it　with　the　bill；　and　a　civil　message；　to　say
that；　as　I　had　not　called　at　the　appointed　time　to　try　it　on
again；　the　dress　had　been　finished　and　sent　to　me。　He　caught　me
in　the　passage；　I　had　no　choice　but　to　pay　the　bill；　and　dismiss
him。　Any　other　proceeding；　as　events　have　now　turned　out；　would
have　been　pure　folly。　The　messenger　（not　the　man　who　followed　me
in　the　st　reet；　but　another　spy　sent　to　look　at　me；　beyond　all
doubt）　would　have　declared　he　knew　nothing　about　it；　if　I　had
spoken　to　him。　The　milliner　would　tell　me　to　my　face；　if　I　went
to　her；　that　I　had　given　her　my　address。　The　one　useful　thing　to
do　now　is　to　set　my　wits　to　work　in　the　interests　of　my　own
security；　and　to　step　out　of　the　false　position　in　which　my　own
rashness　has　placed　meif　I　can。


〃Seven　o'clock。My　spirits　have　risen　again。　I　believe　I　am　in　a
fair　way　of　extricating　myself　already。

〃I　have　just　come　back　from　a　long　round　in　a　cab。　First；　to　the
cloak…room　of　the　Great　Western；　to　get　the　luggage　which　I　sent
there　from　All　Saints'　Terrace。　Next；　to　the　cloak…room　of　the
Southeastern；　to　leave　my　luggage　（labeled　in　Midwinter's　name）；
to　wait　for　me　till　the　starting　of　the　tidal　train　o