armadale-第159部分

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me？〃

She　stamped　her　foot　with　a　sudden　outbreak　of　impatience。　〃Go！〃
she　said；　snatching　the　key　of　the　staircase　door　from　the
window…sill。　〃You　do　quite　right　to　distrust　meyou　do　quite
right　to　follow　me　no　further　in　the　dark。　Go　before　the　house　is
shut　up。　I　can　do　without　you。〃　She　led　the　way　to　the　stairs；
with　the　key　in　one　hand；　and　the　candle　in　the　other。

Mr。　Bashwood　followed　her　in　silence。　No　one；　knowing　what　he
knew　of　her　earlier　life；　could　have　failed　to　perceive　that　she
was　a　woman　driven　to　the　last　extremity；　and　standing
consciously　on　the　brink　of　a　Crime。　In　the　first　terror　of　the
discovery；　he　broke　free　from　the　hold　she　had　on　him：　he　thought
and　acted　like　a　man　who　had　a　will　of　his　own　again。

She　put　the　key　in　the　door；　and　turned　to　him　before　she　opened
it；　with　the　light　of　the　candle　on　her　face。　〃Forget　me；　and
forgive　me；〃　she　said。　〃We　meet　no　more。〃

She　opened　the　door；　and；　standing　inside　it；　after　he　had　passed
her；　gave　him　her　hand。　He　had　resisted　her　look；　he　had　resisted
her　words；　but　the　magnetic　fascination　of　her　touch　conquered
him　at　the　final　moment。　〃I　can't　leave　you！〃　he　said；　holding
helplessly　by　the　hand　she　had　given　him。　〃What　must　I　do？〃

〃Come　and　see；〃　she　answered；　without　allowing　him　an　instant　to
reflect。

Closing　her　hand　firmly　on　his；　she　led　him　along　the　first　floor
corridor　to　the　room　numbered　Four。　〃Notice　that　room；〃　she
whispered。　After　a　look　over　the　stairs　to　see　that　they　were
alone；　she　retraced　her　steps　with　him　to　the　opposite　extremity
of　the　corridor。　Here；　facing　the　window　which　lit　the　place　at
the　other　end；　was　one　little　room；　with　a　narrow　grating　in　the
higher　part　of　the　door；　intended　for　the　sleeping　apartment　of
the　doctor's　deputy。　From　the　position　of　this　room；　the　grating
commanded　a　view　of　the　bed…chambers　down　each　side　of　the
corridor；　and　so　enabled　the　deputy…physician　to　inform　himself
of　any　irregular　proceedings　on　the　part　of　the　patients　under
his　care；　with　little　or　no　chance　of　being　detected　in　watching
them。　Miss　Gwilt　opened　the　door　and　led　the　way　into　the　empty
room。

〃Wait　here；〃　she　said；　〃while　I　go　back　upstairs；　and　lock
yourself　in；　if　you　like。　You　will　be　in　the　dark；　but　the　gas
will　be　burning　in　the　corridor。　Keep　at　the　grating；　and　make
sure　that　Mr。　Armadale　goes　into　the　room　I　have　just　pointed　out
to　you；　and　that　he　doesn't　leave　it　afterward。　If　you　lose　sight
of　the　room　for　a　single　moment　before　I　come　back；　you　will
repent　it　to　the　end　of　your　life。　If　you　do　as　I　tell　you；　you
shall　see　me　to…morrow；　and　claim　your　own　reward。　Quick　with
your　answer！　Is　it　Yes　or　No？〃

He　could　make　no　reply　in　words。　He　raised　her　hand　to　his　lips；
and　kissed　it　rapturously。　She　left　him　in　the　room。　From　his
place　at　the　grating　he　saw　her　glide　down　the　corridor　to　the
staircase　door。　She　passed　through　it；　and　locked　it。　Then　there
was　silence。

The　next　sound　was　the　sound　of　the　women…servants'　voices。　Two
of　them　came　up　to　put　the　sheets　on　the　beds　in　Number　Three　and
Number　Four。　The　women　were　in　high　good…humor；　laughing　and
talking　to　each　other　through　the　open　doors　of　the　rooms。　The
master's　customers　were　coming　in　at　last；　they　said；　with　a
vengeance；　the　house　would　soon　begin　to　look　cheerful；　if　things
went　on　like　this。

After　a　little；　the　beds　were　got　ready　and　the　women　returned　to
the　kitchen　floor；　on　which　the　sleeping…rooms　of　the　domestic
servants　were　all　situated。　Then　there　was　silence　again。

The　next　sound　was　the　sound　of　the　doctor's　voice。　He　appeared
at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　showing　Allan　and　Midwinter　the　way
to　their　rooms。　They　all　went　together　into　Number　Four。　After　a
little；　the　doctor　came　out　first。　He　waited　till　Midwinter
joined　him；　and　pointed　with　a　formal　bow　to　the　door　of　Number
Three。　Midwinter　entered　the　room　without　speaking；　and　shut
himself　in。　The　doctor；　left　alone；　withdrew　to　the　staircase
door　and　unlocked　it；　then　waited　in　the　corridor；　whistling　to
himself　softly；　under　his　breath。

Voices　pitched　cautiously　low　became　audible　in　a　minute　more　in
the　hall。　The　Resident　Dispenser　and　the　Head　Nurse　appeared；　on
their　way　to　the　dormitories　of　the　attendants　at　the　top　of　the
house。　The　man　bowed　silently；　and　passed　the　doctor；　the　woman
courtesied　silently；　and　followed　the　man。　The　doctor
acknowledged　their　salutations　by　a　courteous　wave　of　his　hand；
and；　once　more　left　alone；　paused　a　moment；　still　whistling
softly　to　himself；　then　walked　to　the　door　of　Number　Four；　and
opened　the　case　of　the　fumigating　apparatus　fixed　near　it　in　the
corner　of　the　wall。　As　he　lifted　the　lid　and　looked　in；　his
whistling　ceased。　He　took　a　long　purple　bottle　out；　examined　it
by　the　gas…light；　put　it　back；　and　closed　the　case。　This　done；　he
advanced　on　tiptoe　to　the　open　staircase　door；　passed　through　it；
and　secured　it　on　the　inner　side　as　usual。

Mr。　Bashwood　had　seen　him　at　the　apparatus；　Mr。　Bashwood　had
noticed　the　manner　of　his　withdrawal　through　the　staircase　door。
Again　the　sense　of　an　unutterable　expectation　throbbed　at　his
heart。　A　terror　that　was　slow　and　cold　and　deadly　crept　into　his
hands；　and　guided　them　in　the　dark　to　the　key　that　had　been　left
for　him　in　the　inner　side　of　the　door。　He　turned　it　in　vague
distrust　of　what　might　happen　next；　and　waited。

The　slow　minutes　passed；　and　nothing　happened。　The　silence　was
horrible；　the　solitude　of　the　lonely　corridor　was　a　solitude　of
invisible　treacheries。　He　began　to　count　to　keep　his　mind
employedto　keep　his　own　growing　dread　away　from　him。　The
numbers；　as　he　whispered　them；　followed　each　other　slowly　up　to　a
hundred；　and　still　nothing　happened。　He　had　begun　the　second
hundred；　he　had　got　on　to　twentywhen；　without　a　sound　to　betray
that　he　had　been　moving　in　his　room；　Midwinter　suddenly　appeared
in　the　corridor。

He　stood　for　a　moment　and　listened；　he　went　to　the　stairs　and
looked　over　into　the　hall　beneath。　Then；　for　the　second　time　that
night；　he　tried　the　staircase　door；　and　for　the　second　time　found
it　fast。　After　a　moment's　reflection；　he　tried　the　doors　of　the
bedrooms　on　his　right　hand　next；　looked　into　one　after　the　other；
and　saw　that　they　were　empty；　then　came　to　the　door　of　the　end
room　in　which　the　steward　was　concealed。　Here；　again；　the　lock
resisted　him。　He　listened；　and　looked　up　at　the　grating。　No　sound
was　to　be　heard；　no　light　was　to　be　seen　inside。　〃Shall　I　break
the　door　in；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃and　make　sure？　No；　it　would　be
giving　the　doctor　an　excuse　for　turning　me　out　of　the　house。〃　He
moved　away；　and　looked　into　the　two　empty　rooms　in　the　row
occupied　by　Allan　and　himself；　then　walked　to　the　window　at　the
staircase　end　of　the　corridor。　Here　the　case　of　the　fumigating
apparatus　attracted　his　attention。　After　trying　vainly　to　open
it；　his　suspicion　seemed　to　be　aroused。　He　searched　back　along
the　corridor；　and　observed　that　no　object　of　a　similar　kind
appeared　outside　any　of　the　other　bed…chambers。　Again　at　the
window；　he　looked　again　at　the　apparatus；　and　turned　away　from　it
with　a　gesture　which　plainly　indicated　that　he　had　tried；　and
failed；　to　guess　what　it　might　be。

Baffled　at　all　points；　he　still　showed　no　sign　of　returning　to
his　bed…chamber。　He　stood　at　the　window；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on
the　door　of　Allan's　room；　thinking。　If　Mr。　Bashwood；　furtively
watching　him　through　the　　grating；　could　have　seen　him　at　that
moment　in　the　mind　as　well　as　in　the　body；　Mr。　Bashwood's　heart
might　have　throbbed　even　faster　than　it　was　throbbing　now；　i　n
expectation　of　the　next　event　which　Midwinter's　decision　of　the
next　minute　was　to　bring　forth。

On　what　was　his　mind　occupied　as　he　stood　alone；　at　the　dead　of
night；　in　the　strange　house？

His　mind　was　occupied　in　drawing　its　disconnected　impressions
together；　little　by　little；　to　one　point。　Convinced　from　the
first　that　some　hidden　danger　threatened　Allan　in　the　Sanitarium；
his　distrustvaguely　associated；　thus　far；　with　the　place
itself；　with　his　wife　（whom　he　firmly　believed　to　be　now　under
the　same　roof　with　him）；　with　the　doctor；　who　was　as　plainly　in
her　confidence　as　Mr。　Bashwood　himselfnow　narrowed　its　range；
and　centered　itself　obstinately　in　Allan's　room。　Resigning　all
further　effort　to　connect　his　suspicion　of　a　conspiracy　against
his　friend　with　the　outrage　which　had　the　day　before　been　offered
to　himselfan　effort　which　would　have　led　him；　if　he　could　have
maintained　it；　to　a　discovery　of　the　fraud　really　contemplated　by
his　wifehis　mind；　clouded　and　confused　by　disturbing
influences；　instinctively　took　refuge　in　its　impressions　of　facts
as　they　had　shown　themselves　since　he　had　entered　the　house。
Everything　that　he　had　noticed　below　stairs　suggested　that　there
was　some　secret　purpose　to　be　answered　by　getting　Allan　to　sleep
in　the　Sanitarium。　Everything　that　he　had　noticed　above　stairs
associated　the　lurking…place　in　which　the　danger　lay　hid　with
Allan's　room。　To　reach　this　conclusion；　and　to　decide　on　baffling
the　conspiracy。　whatever　it　might　be；　by　taking　Allan's　place；
was　with　Midwinter　the　work　of　an　instant。　Confronted　by　actual
peril；　the　great　nature　of　the　man　intuitively　freed　itself　from
the　weaknesses　that　had　beset　it　in　happier　and　safer　times。　Not
even　the　shadow　of　the　old　superstition　rested　on　his　mind
nowno　fatalist　suspicion　of　himself　disturbed　the　steady
resolution　that　was　in　him。　The　one　last　doubt　that　troubled　him；
as　he　stood　at　the　window　thinking；　was　the　doubt　whether　he
could　persuade　Allan　to　change　rooms　with　him；　without　involving
himself　in　an　explanation　which　might　lead　Allan　to　suspect　the
truth。

In　the　minute　that　elapsed；　while　he　waited　with　his　eyes　on　the
room；　the　doubt　was　resolvedhe　found　the　trivial；　yet
sufficient；　excuse　of　which　he　was　in　search。　Mr。　Bashwood　saw
him　rouse　himself　and　go　to　the　door。　Mr。　Bashwood　heard　him
knock　softly；　and　whisper；　〃Allan；　are　you　in　bed？〃

〃No；〃　answered　the　voice　inside；　〃come　in。〃

He　appeared　to　be　on　the　point　of　entering　the　room；　when　he
checked　himself　as　if　he　had　suddenly　remembered　something。　〃Wait
a　minute；〃　he　said；　throug