armadale-第148部分

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England？'

〃A　solitary　fly；　the　last　of　his　race　whom　the　winter　had　spared；
was　buzzing　feebly　about　the　doctor's　face。　He　caught　it　before
he　answered　me；　and　held　it　out　across　the　table　in　his　closed
hand。

〃　'If　this　fly's　name　was　Armadale；'　he　said；　'and　if　you　had　got
him　as　I　have　got　him　now；　what　would　_you_　do？'

〃His　eyes；　fixed　on　my　face　up　to　this　time；　turned
significantly；　as　he　ended　this　question；　to　my　widow's　dress。　I；
too；　looked　at　it　when　he　looked。　A　thrill　of　the　old　deadly
hatred　and　the　old　deadly　determination　ran　through　me　again。

〃　'I　should　kill　him；'　I　said。

〃The　doctor　started　to　his　feet　（with　the　fly　still　in　his　hand）；
and　looked　at　mea　little　too　theatricallywith　an　expression
of　the　utmost　horror。

〃　'Kill　him！'　repeated　the　doctor；　in　a　paroxysm　of　virtuous
alarm。　'Violencemurderous　violencein　My　Sanitarium！　You　take
my　breath　away！'

〃I　caught　his　eye　while　he　was　expressing　himself　in　this
elaborately　indignant　manner；　scrutinizing　me　with　a　searching
curiosity　which　was；　to　say　the　least　of　it；　a　little　at　variance
with　the　vehemence　of　his　language　and　the　warmth　of　his　tone。　He
laughed　uneasily　when　our　eyes　met；　and　recovered　his　smoothly
confidential　manner　in　the　instant　that　elapsed　before　he　spoke
again。

〃　'I　beg　a　thousand　pardons；'　he　said。　'I　ought　to　have　known
better　than　to　take　a　lady　too　literally　at　her　word。　Permit　me
to　remind　you；　however；　that　the　circumstances　are　too　serious
for　anything　in　the　nature　oflet　us　say；　an　exaggeration　or　a
joke。　You　shall　hear　what　I　propose；　without　further　preface。'　He
paused；　and　resumed　his　figurative　use　of　the　fly　imprisoned　in
his　hand。　'Here　is　Mr。　Armadale。　I　can　let　him　out；　or　keep　him
in；　just　as　I　pleaseand　he　knows　it。　I　say　to　him；'　continued
the　doctor；　facetiously　addressing　the　fly；　'Give　me　proper
security；　Mr。　Armadale；　that　no　proceedings　of　any　sort　shall　be
taken　against　either　this　lady　or　myself；　and　I　will　let　you　out
of　the　hollow　of　my　hand。　Refuseand；　be　the　risk　what　it　may；　I
will　keep　you　in。〃　Can　you　doubt；　my　dear　madam；　what　Mr。
Armadale's　answer　is；　sooner　or　later；　certain　to　be？　Can　you
doubt；'　said　the　doctor；　suiting　the　action　to　the　word；　and
letting　the　fly　go；　'that　it　will　end　to　the　entire　satisfaction
of　all　parties；　in　this　way？'

〃　'I　won't　say　at　present；'　I　answered；　'whether　I　doubt　or　not。
Let　me　make　sure　that　I　understand　you　first。　You　propose；　if　I
am　not　mistaken；　to　shut　the　doors　of　this　place　on　Mr。　Armadale；
and　not　to　let　him　out　again　until　he　has　agreed　to　the　terms
which　it　is　our　interest　to　impose　on　him？　May　I　ask；　in　that
case；　how　you　mean　to　make　him　walk　into　the　trap　that　you　have
set　for　him　here？'

〃　'I　propose；'　said　the　doctor；　with　his　hand　on　the　railway
guide；　'ascertaining　first　at　what　time　during　every　evening　of
this　month　the　tidal　trains　from　Dover　and　Folkestone　reach　the
London　Bridge　terminus。　And　I　propose；　next；　posting　a　person
whom　Mr。　Armadale　knows；　and　whom　you　and　I　can　trust；　to　wait
the　arrival　of　the　trains；　and　to　meet　our　man　at　the　moment　when
he　steps　out　of　the　railway　carriage。'

〃　'Have　you　thought；'　I　inquired；　'of　who　the　person　is　to　be？'

〃　'I　have　thought；'　said　the　doctor；　taking　up　Armadale's　letter
'of　the　person　to　whom　this　letter　is　addressed。'

〃The　answer　startled　me。　Was　it　possible　that　he　and　Bashwood
knew　one　another？　I　put　the　questio　n　immediately。

〃　'Until　to…day　I　never　so　much　as　heard　of　the　gentleman's
name；'　said　the　doctor。　'I　have　simply　pursued　the　inductive
process　of　reasoning；　for　which　we　are　indebted　to　the　immortal
Bacon。　How　does　this　very　important　letter　come　into　your
possession？　I　can't　insult　you　by　supposing　it　to　have　been
stolen。　Consequently；　it　has　come　to　you　with　the　leave　and
license　of　the　person　to　whom　it　is　addressed。　Consequently；　that
person　is　in　your　confidence。　Consequently；　he　is　the　first
person　I　think　of。　You　see　the　process？　Very　good。　Permit　me　a
question　or　two；　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Bashwood；　before　we　go　on
any　further。'

〃The　doctor's　questions　went　as　straight　to　the　point　as　usual。
My　answers　informed　him　that　Mr。　Bashwood　stood　toward　Armadale
in　the　relation　of　steward；　that　he　had　received　the　letter　at
Thorpe　Ambrose　that　morning；　and　had　brought　it　straight　to　me　by
the　first　train；　that　he　had　not　shown　it；　or　spoken　of　it　before
leaving；　to　Major　Milroy　or　to　any　one　else；　that　I　had　not
obtained　this　service　at　his　hands　by　trusting　him　with　my
secret；　that　I　had　communicated　with　him　in　the　character　of
Armadale's　widow；　that　he　had　suppressed　the　letter；　under　those
circumstances；　solely　in　obedience　to　a　general　caution　I　had
given　him　to　keep　his　own　counsel；　if　anything　strange　happened
at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　until　he　had　first　consulted　me；　and；　lastly；
that　the　reason　why　he　had　done　as　I　told　him　in　this　matter；　was
that　in　this　matter；　and　in　all　others；　Mr。　Bashwood　was　blindly
devoted　to　my　interests。

〃At　that　point　in　the　interrogatory；　the　doctor's　eyes　began　to
look　at　me　distrustfully　behind　the　doctor's　spectacles。

〃　'What　is　the　secret　of　this　blind　devotion　of　Mr。　Bashwood's　to
your　interests？'　he　asked。

〃I　hesitated　for　a　momentin　pity　to　Bashwood；　not　in　pity　to
myself。　'If　you　must　know；'　I　answered；　'Mr。　Bashwood　is　in　love
with　me。'

〃　'Ay！　ay！'　exclaimed　the　doctor；　with　an　air　of　relief。　'I　begin
to　understand　now。　Is　he　a　young　man？'

〃　'He　is　an　old　man。'

〃The　doctor　laid　himself　back　in　his　chair；　and　chuckled　softly。
'Better　and　better！'　he　said。　'Here　is　the　very　man　we　want。　Who
so　fit　as　Mr。　Armadale's　steward　to　meet　Mr。　Armadale　on　his
return　to　London？　And　who　so　capable　of　influencing　Mr。　Bashwood
in　the　proper　way　as　the　charming　object　of　Mr。　Bashwood's
admiration？'

〃There　could　be　no　doubt　that　Bashwood　was　the　man　to　serve　the
doctor's　purpose；　and　that　my　influence　was　to　be　trusted　to　make
him　serve　it。　The　difficulty　was　not　here：　the　difficulty　was　in
the　unanswered　question　that　I　had　put　to　the　doctor　a　minute
since。　I　put　it　to　him　again。

〃　'Suppose　Mr。　Armadale's　steward　meets　his　employer　at　the
terminus；'　I　said。　'May　I　ask　once　more　how　Mr。　Armadale　is　to　be
persuaded　to　come　here？'

〃'Don't　think　me　ungallant；'　rejoined　the　doctor　in　his　gentlest
manner；　'if　I　ask；　on　my　side；　how　are　men　persuaded　to　do
nine…tenths　of　the　foolish　acts　of　their　lives？　They　are
persuaded　by　your　charming　sex。　The　weak　side　of　every　man　is　the
woman's　side　of　him。　We　have　only　to　discover　the　woman's　side　of
Mr。　Armadaleto　tickle　him　on　it　gentlyand　to　lead　him　our　way
with　a　silken　string。　I　observe　here；'　pursued　the　doctor；
opening　Armadale's　letter；　'a　reference　to　a　certain　young　lady；
which　looks　promising。　Where　is　the　note　that　Mr。　Armadale　speaks
of　as　addressed　to　Miss　Milroy？'

〃Instead　of　answering　him；　I　started；　in　a　sudden　burst　of
excitement；　to　my　feet。　The　instant　he　mentioned　Miss　Milroy's
name　all　that　I　had　heard　from　Bashwood　of　her　illness；　and　of
the　cause　of　it；　rushed　back　into　my　memory。　I　saw　the　means　of
decoying　Armadale　into　the　Sanitarium　as　plainly　as　I　saw　the
doctor　on　the　other　side　of　the　table；　wondering　at　the
extraordinary　change　in　me。　What　a　luxury　it　was　to　make　Miss
Milroy　serve　my　interests　at　last！

〃　'Never　mind　the　note；'　I　said。　'It's　burned；　for　fear　of
accidents。　I　can　tell　you　all　（and　more）　than　the　note　could　have
told　you。　Miss　Milroy　cuts　the　knot！　Miss　Milroy　ends　the
difficulty！　She　is　privately　engaged　to　him。　She　has　heard　the
false　report　of　his　death；　and　she　has　been　seriously　ill　at
Thorpe　Ambrose　ever　since。　When　Bashwood　meets　him　at　the
station；　the　very　first　question　he　is　certain　to　ask'

〃　'I　see！'　exclaimed　the　doctor；　anticipating　me。　'Mr。　Bashwood
has　nothing　to　do　but　to　help　the　truth　with　a　touch　of　fiction。
When　he　tells　his　master　that　the　false　report　has　reached　Miss
Milroy；　he　has　only　to　add　that　the　shock　has　affected　her　head；
and　that　she　is　here　under　medical　care。　Perfect！　perfect！　We
shall　have　him　at　the　Sanitarium　as　fast　as　the　fastest　cab…horse
in　London　can　bring　him　to　us。　And　mind！　no　riskno　necessity
for　trusting　other　people。　This　is　not　a　mad…house；　this　is　not　a
licensed　establishment；　no　doctors'　certificates　are　necessary
here！　My　dear　lady；　I　congratulate　you；　I　congratulate　myself。
Permit　me　to　hand　you　the　railway　guide；　with　my　best　compliments
to　Mr。　Bashwood；　and　with　the　page　turned　down　for　him；　as　an
additional　attention；　at　the　right　place。'

〃Remembering　how　long　I　had　kept　Bashwood　waiting　for　me；　I　took
the　book　at　once；　and　wished　the　doctor　good…evening　without
further　ceremony。　As　he　politely　opened　the　door　for　me；　he
reverted；　without　the　slightest　necessity　for　doing　so；　and
without　a　word　from　me　to　lead　to　it；　to　the　outburst　of　virtuous
alarm　which　had　escaped　him　at　the　earlier　part　of　our　interview。

〃　'I　do　hope；'　he　said；　'that　you　will　kindly　forget　and　forgive
my　extraordinary　want　of　tact　and　perception　whenin　short；　when
I　caught　the　fly。　I　positively　blush　at　my　own　stupidity　in
putting　a　literal　interpretation　on　a　lady's　little　joke！
Violence　in　My　Sanitarium！'　exclaimed　the　doctor；　with　his　eyes
once　more　fixed　attentively　on　my　face'violence　in　this
enlightened　nineteenth　century！　Was　there　ever　anything　so
ridiculous？　Do　fasten　your　cloak　before　you　go　out；　it　is　so　cold
and　raw！　Shall　I　escort　you？　Shall　I　send　my　servant？　Ah；　you
were　always　independent！　always；　if　I　may　say　so；　a　host　in
yourself！　May　I　call　to…morrow　morning；　and　hear　what　you　have
settled　with　Mr。　Bashwood？'

〃I　said　yes；　and　got　away　from　him　at　last。　In　a　quarter　of　an
hour　more　I　was　back　at　my　lodgings；　and　was　informed　by　the
servant　that　'the　elderly　gentleman'　was　still　waiting　for　me。

〃I　have　not　got　the　heart　or　the　patienceI　hardly　know
whichto　waste　many　words　on　what　passed　between　me　and
Bashwood。　It　was　so　easy；　so　degradingly　easy；　to　pull　the
strings　of　the　poor　old　puppet　in　any　way　I　pleased！　I　met　none
of　the　difficulties　which　I　should　have　been　obliged　to　meet　in
the　case　of　a　younger　man；　or　of　a