按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
she burst out； impetuously。 〃I've got the use of my limbs！ I can
gono matter where； as long as I am out of this house！〃
With her cloak on her shoulders； with her bonnet in her hand； she
crossed the room to the door。 A moment moreand she would have
been out in the passage。 In that moment the remembrance flashed
back on her of the husband whom she had denied to his face。 She
stopped instantly； and threw the cloak and bonnet from her on the
bed。 〃No！〃 she said； 〃the gulf is dug between usthe worst is
done！〃
There was a knock at the door。 The doctor's voice outside
politely reminded her that it was six o'clock。
She opened the door； and stopped him on his way downstairs。
〃What time is the train due to…night？〃 she asked； in a whisper。
〃At ten；〃 answered the doctor； in a voice which all the world
might hear； and welcome。
〃What room is Mr。 Armadale to have when he comes？〃
〃What room would you like him to have？〃
〃Number Four。〃
The doctor kept up appearances to the very last。
〃Number Four let it be；〃 he said； graciously。 〃Provided； of
course； that Number Four is unoccupied at the time。〃
* * * * *
The evening wore on； and the night came。
At a few minutes before ten； Mr。 Bashwood was again at his post；
once more on the watch for the coming of the tidal train。
The inspector on duty； who knew him by sight； and who had
personally ascertained that his regular attendance at the
terminus implied no designs on the purses and portmanteaus of the
passengers； noticed two new circumstances in connection with Mr。
Bashwood that night。 In the first place； instead of exhibiting
his customary cheerfulness； he looked anxious and depressed。 In
the second place； while he was watching for the train； he was to
all appearance being watched in his turn； by a slim； dark；
undersized man； who had left his luggage （marked with the name of
Midwinter） at the custom…house department the evening before； and
who had returned to have it examined about half an hour since。
What had brought Midwinter to the terminus？ And why was he； too；
waiting for the tidal train？
After straying as far as Hendon during his lonely walk of the
previous night； he had taken refuge at the village inn； and had
fallen asleep （from sheer exhaustion） toward those later hours of
the morning which were the hours that his wife's foresight had
turned to account。 When he returned to the lodging； the landlady
could only inform him that her tenant had settled everything with
her； and had left （for what destination neither she nor her
servant could tell） more than two hours since。
Having given some little time to inquiries； the result of which
convinced him that the clew was lost so far； Midwinter had
quitted the house； and had pursued his way mechanically to the
busier and more central parts of the metropolis。 With the light
now thrown on his wife's character； to call at the address she
had given him as the address at which her mother lived would be
plainly useless。 He went on through the streets； resolute to
discover her； and trying vainly to see the means to his end； till
the sense of fatigue forced itself on him once more。 Stopping to
rest and recruit his strength at the first hotel he came to； a
chance dispute between the waiter and a stranger about a lost
portmanteau reminded him of his own luggage； left at the
terminus； and instantly took his mind back to the circumstances
under which he and Mr。 Bashwood had met。 In a moment more； the
idea that he had been vainly seeking on his way through the
streets flashed on him。 In a moment more； he had determined to
try the chance of finding the steward again on the watch for the
person whose arrival he had evidently expected by the previous
evening's train。
Ignorant of the report of Allan's death at sea； uninformed； at
the terrible interview with his wife； of the purpose which her
assumption of a widow's dress really had in view； Midwinter's
first vague suspicions of her fidelity had now inevitably
developed into the conviction that she was false。 He could place
but one interpretation on her open disavowal of him； and on her
taking the name under which he had secretly married her。 Her
conduct forced the conclusion on him that she was engaged in some
infamous intrigue； and that she had basely secured herself
beforehand in the position of all others in which she knew it
would be most odious and most repellent to him to claim his
authority over her。 With that conviction he was now watching Mr。
Bashwood； firmly persuaded that his wife's hiding…place was known
to the vile servant of his wife's vices； and darkly suspecting；
as the time wore on； that the unknown man who had wronged him；
and the unknown traveler for whose arrival the steward was
waiting； were one and the same。
The train was late that night； and the carriages were more than
usually crowded when they arrived at last。 Midwinter became
involved in the confusion on the platform； and in the effort to
extricate himself he lost sight of Mr。 Bashwood for the first
time。
A lapse of some few minutes had passed before he again discovered
the steward talking eagerly to a man in a loose shaggy coat；
whose back was turned toward him。 Forgetful of all the cautions
and restraints which he had imposed on himself before the train
appeared； Midwinter instantly advanced on them。 Mr。 Bashwood saw
his threatening face as he came on； and fell back in silence。 The
man in the loose coat turned to look where the steward was
looking； and disclosed to Midwinter； in the full light of the
station…lamp； Allan's face！
For the moment they both stood speechless； hand in hand； looking
at each other。 Allan was the first to recover himself。
〃Thank God for this！〃 he said； fervently。 〃I don't ask how you
came here： it's enough for me that you have come。 Miserable news
has met me already； Midwinter。 Nobody but you can comfort me； and
help me to bear it。〃 His voice faltered over those last words；
and he said no more。
The tone in which he had spoken roused Midwinter to meet the
circums tances as they were； by appealing to the old grateful
interest in his friend which had once been the foremost interest
of his life。 He mastered his personal misery for the first time
since it had fallen on him； and gently taking Allan aside； asked
what had happened。
The answerafter informing him of his friend's reported death at
seaannounced （on Mr。 Bashwood's authority） that the news had
reached Miss Milroy； and that the deplorable result of the shock
thus inflicted had obliged the major to place his daughter in the
neighborhood of London； under medical care。
Before saying a word on his side； Midwinter looked distrustfully
behind him。 Mr。 Bashwood had followed them。 Mr。 Bashwood was
watching to see what they did next。
〃Was he waiting your arrival here to tell you this about Miss
Milroy？〃 asked Midwinter； looking again from the steward to
Allan。
〃Yes；〃 said Allan。 〃He has been kindly waiting here； night after
night； to meet me； and break the news to me。〃
Midwinter paused once more。 The attempt to reconcile the
conclusion he had drawn from his wife's conduct with the
discovery that Allan was the man for whose arrival Mr。 Bashwood
had been waiting was hopeless。 The one present chance of
discovering a truer solution of the mystery was to press the
steward on the one available point in which he had laid himself
open to attack。 He had positively denied on the previous evening
that he knew anything of Allan's movements； or that he had any
interest in Allan's return to England。 Having detected Mr。
Bashwood in one lie told to himself。 Midwinter instantly
suspected him of telling another to Allan。 He seized the
opportunity of sifting the statement about Miss Milroy on the
spot。
〃How have you become acquainted with this sad news？〃 he inquired；
turning suddenly on Mr。 Bashwood。
〃Through the major； of course；〃 said Allan； before the steward
could answer。
〃Who is the doctor who has the care of Miss Milroy？〃 persisted
Midwinter； still addressing Mr。 Bashwood。
For the second time the steward made no reply。 For the second
time； Allan answered for him。
〃He is a man with a foreign name；〃 said Allan。 〃He keeps a
Sanitarium near Hampstead。 What did you say the place was called；
Mr。 Bashwood？〃
〃Fairweather Vale； sir；〃 said the steward； answering his
employer； as a matter of necessity； but answering very
unwillingly。
The address of the Sanitarium instantly reminded Midwinter that
he had traced his wife to Fairweather Vale Villas the previous
night。 He began to see light through the darkness； dimly； for the
first time。 The instinct which comes with emergency； before the
slower process of reason can assert itself； brought him at a leap
to the conclusion that Mr。 Bashwoodwho had been certainly
acting under his wife's influence the previous daymight be
acting again under his wife's influence now。 He persisted in
sifting the steward's statement； with the conviction growing
firmer and firmer in his mind that the statement was a lie； and
that his wife was concerned in it。
〃Is the major in Norfolk？〃 he asked； 〃or is he near his daughter
in Lon