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〃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 leav