armadale-第130章

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a　visit。　Having；　after　this；　occupied　nearly　another　hour　in
determining　to　a　hair…breadth　how　far　I　should　take　him　into　my
confidence；　I　sent　for　a　cab　at　last；　and　set　off　toward　three　in
the　afternoon　for　Hampstead。


〃I　found　the　Sanitarium　with　some　little　difficulty。

〃Fairweather　Vale　proved　to　be　a　new　neighborhood；　situated　below
the　high　ground　of　Hampstead；　on　the　southern　side。　The　day　was
overcast；　and　the　place　looked　very　dreary。　We　approached　it　by　a
new　road　running　between　trees；　which　might　once　have　been　the
park　avenue　of　a　country　house。　At　the　end　we　came　upon　a
wilderness　of　open　ground；　with　half…finished　villas　dotted
about；　and　a　hideous　litter　of　boards；　wheelbarrows；　and　building
materials　of　all　sorts　scattered　in　every　direction。　At　one
corner　of　this　scene　of　desolation；　stood　a　great　overgrown
dismal　house；　plastered　with　drab…colored　stucco；　and　surrounded
by　a　naked；　unfinished　garden；　without　a　shrub　or　a　flower　in　it；
frightful　to　behold。　On　the　open　iron　gate　that　led　into　this
inclosure　was　a　new　brass　plate；　with　'Sanitarium'　inscribed　on
it　in　great　black　letters。　The　bell；　when　the　cabman　rang　it；
pealed　through　the　empty　house　like　a　knell；　and　the　pallid；
withered　old　man…servant　in　black　who　answered　the　door　looked　as
if　he　had　stepped　up　out　of　his　grave　to　perform　that　service。　He
let　out　on　me　a　smell　of　damp　plaster　and　new　varnish；　and　he　let
in　with　me　a　chilling　draft　of　the　damp　November　air。　I　didn't
notice　it　at　the　time；　but；　writing　of　it　now；　I　remember　that　I
shivered　as　I　crossed　the　threshold。

〃I　gave　my　name　to　the　servant　as　'Mrs。　Armadale；'　and　was　shown
into　the　waiting…room。　The　very　fire　itself　was　dying　of　damp　in
the　grate。　The　only　books　on　the　table　were　the　doctor's　Works；
in　sober　drab　covers；　and　the　only　object　that　ornamented　the
walls　was　the　foreign　Diploma　（handsomely　framed　and　glazed）；　of
which　the　doctor　had　possessed　himself　by　purchase；　along　with
the　foreign　name。

〃After　a　moment　or　two；　the　proprietor　of　the　Sanitarium　came　in；
and　held　up　his　hands　in　cheerful　astonishment　at　the　sight　of
me。

〃　'I　hadn't　an　idea　who　〃Mrs。　Armadale〃　was！'　he　said。　'My　dear
lady；　have　_you_　changed　your　name　too？　How　sly　of　you　not　to
tell　me　when　we　met　this　morning！　Come　into　my　private
snuggeryI　can't　think　of　keeping　an　old　and　dear　friend　like
you　in　the　patients'　waiting…room。'

〃The　doctor's　private　snuggery　was　at　the　back　of　the　house；
looking　out　on　fields　and　trees；　doomed　but　not　yet　destroyed　by
the　builder。　Horrible　objects　in　brass　and　leather　and　glass；
twisted　and　turned　as　if　they　were　sentient　things　writhing　in
agonies　of　pain；　filled　up　one　end　of　the　room。　A　great　book…case
with　glass　doors　extended　over　the　whole　of　the　opposite　wall；
and　exhibited　on　its　shelves　long　rows　of　glass　jars；　in　which
shapeless　dead　creatures　of　a　dull　white　color　floated　in　yellow
liquid。　Above　the　fireplace　hung　a　collection　of　photographic
portraits　of　men　and　women；　inclosed　in　two　large　frames　hanging
side　by　side　with　a　space　between　them。　The　left…hand　frame
illustrated　the　effects　of　nervous　suffering　as　seen　in　the　face；
the　right…hand　frame　exhibited　the　ravages　of　insanity　from　the
same　point　of　view；　while　the　space　between　was　occupied　by　an
elegantly　illuminated　scroll；　bearing　inscribed　on　it　the
time…honored　motto；　'Prevention　is　better　than　Cure。'

〃　'Here　I　am；　with　my　galvanic　apparatus；　and　my　preserved
specimens；　and　all　the　rest　of　it；'　said　the　doctor；　placing　me
in　a　chair　by　the　fireside。　'And　there　is　my　System　mutely
addressing　you　just　above　your　head；　under　a　form　of　exposition
which　I　venture　to　describe　as　frankness　itself。　This　is　no
mad…house；　my　dear　lady。　Let　other　men　treat　insanity；　if　they
like_I_　stop　it！　No　patients　in　the　house　as　yet。　But　we　live
in　an　age　when　nervous　derangement　（parent　of　insanity）　is
steadily　on　the　increase；　and　in　due　time　the　sufferers　will
come。　I　can　wait　as　Harvey　waited；　as　Jenner　waited。　And　now　do
put　your　feet　up　on　the　fender；　and　tell　me　about　yourself。　You
are　married；　of　course？　And　what　a　pretty　name！　Accept　my　best
and　most　heart…felt　congratulations。　You　have　the　two　greatest
blessings　that　can　fall　to　a　woman's　lot；　the　two　capital　H's；　as
I　call　themHusband　and　Home。'

〃I　interrupted　the　genial　flow　of　the　doctor's　congratulations　at
the　first　opportunity。

〃　'I　am　married；　but　the　circumstances　are　by　no　means　of　the
ordinary　kind；'　I　said；　seriously。　My　present　position　includes
none　of　the　blessings　that　are　usually　supposed　to　fall　to　a
woman's　lot。　I　am　already　in　a　situation　of　very　serious
difficulty；　and　before　long　I　may　be　in　a　situation　of　very
serious　danger　as　well。'

〃The　doctor　drew　his　chair　a　little　nearer　to　me；　and　fell　at
once　into　his　old　professional　manner　and　his　old　confidential
tone。

〃　'If　you　wish　to　consult　me；'　he　said；　softly；　'you　know　that　I
have　kept　some　dangerous　secrets　in　my　time；　and　you　also　know
that　I　possess　two　valuable　qualities　as　an　adviser。　I　am　not
easily　shocked；　and　I　can　be　implicitly　trusted。'

〃I　hesitated　even　now；　at　the　eleventh　hour；　sitting　alone　with
him　in　his　own　room。　It　was　so　strange　to　me　to　be　trusting　to
anybody　but　myself！　And　yet；　how　could　I　help　trusting　another
person　in　a　difficulty　which　turned　on　a　matter　of　law？

〃　'Just　as　you　please；　you　know；'　added　the　doctor。　'I　never
invite　confidences。　I　merely　receive　them。'

〃There　was　no　help　for　it；　I　had　come　there　not　to　hesitate；　but
to　speak。　I　risked　it；　and　spoke。

〃　'The　matter　on　which　I　wish　to　consult　you；'　I　said；　'is　not
（as　you　seem　to　thin　k）　within　your　experience　as　a　professional
man。　But　I　believe　you　may　be　of　assistance　to　me；　if　I　trust
myself　to　your　larger　experience　as　a　man　of　the　world。　I　warn
you　beforehand　that　I　shall　certainly　surprise；　and　possibly
alarm；　you　before　I　have　done。'

〃With　that　preface　I　entered　on　my　story；　telling　him　what　I　had
settled　to　tell　him；　and　no　more。

〃I　made　no　secret；　at　the　outset；　of　my　intention　to　personate
Armadale's　widow；　and　I　mentioned　without　reserve　（knowing　that
the　doctor　could　go　to　the　office　and　examine　the　will　for
himself）　the　handsome　income　that　would　be　settled　on　me　in　the
event　of　my　success。　Some　of　the　circumstances　that　followed　next
in　succession　I　thought　it　desirable　to　alter　or　conceal。　I
showed　him　the　newspaper　account　of　the　loss　of　the　yacht；　but　I
said　nothing　about　events　at　Naples。　I　informed　him　of　the　exact
similarity　of　the　two　names；　leaving　him　to　imagine　that　it　was
accidental。　I　told　him；　as　an　important　element　in　the　matter；
that　my　husband　had　kept　his　real　name　a　profound　secret　from
everybody　but　myself；　but　（to　prevent　any　communication　between
them）　I　carefully　concealed　from　the　doctor　what　the　assumed　name
under　which　Midwinter　had　lived　all　his　life　really　was。　I
acknowledged　that　I　had　left　my　husband　behind　me　on　the
Continent；　but　when　the　doctor　put　the　question；　I　allowed　him　to
concludeI　couldn't；　with　all　my　resolution；　tell　him
positively！that　Midwinter　knew　of　the　contemplated　Fraud；　and
that　he　was　staying　away　purposely；　so　as　not　to　compromise　me　by
his　presence。　This　difficulty　smoothed　overor；　as　I　feel　it
now；　this　baseness　committedI　reverted　to　myself；　and　came　back
again　to　the　truth。　One　after　another　I　mentioned　all　the
circumstances　connected　with　my　private　marriage；　and　with　the
movements　of　Armadale　and　Midwinter；　which　rendered　any　discovery
of　the　false　personation　（through　the　evidence　of　other　people）　a
downright　impossibility。　'So　much；'　I　said；　in　conclusion；　'for
the　object　in　view。　The　next　thing　is　to　tell　you　plainly　of　a
very　serious　obstacle　that　stands　in　my　way。'

〃The　doctor；　who　had　listened　thus　far　without　interrupting　me；
begged　permission　here　to　say　a　few　words　on　his　side　before　I
went　on。

〃The　'few　words'　proved　to　be　all　questionsclever；　searching；
suspicious　questionswhich　I　was；　however；　able　to　answer　with
little　or　no　reserve；　for　they　related；　in　almost　every　instance；
to　the　circumstances　under　which　I　had　been　married；　and　to　the
chances　for　and　against　my　lawful　husband　if　he　chose　to　assert
his　claim　to　me　at　any　future　time。

〃My　replies　informed　the　doctor；　in　the　first　place；　that　I　had
so　managed　matters　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　as　to　produce　a　general
impression　that　Armadale　intended　to　marry　me；　in　the　second
place；　that　my　husband's　early　life　had　not　been　of　a　kind　to
exhibit　him　favorably　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　in　the　third
place；　that　we　had　been　married；　without　any　witnesses　present
who　knew　us；　at　a　large　parish　church　in　which　two　other　couples
had　been　married　the　same　morning；　to　say　nothing　of　the　dozens
on　dozens　of　other　couples　（confusing　all　remembrance　of　us　in
the　minds　of　the　officiating　people）　who　had　been　married　since。
When　I　had　put　the　doctor　in　possession　of　these　factsand　when
he　had　further　ascertained　that　Midwinter　and　I　had　gone　abroad
among　strangers　immediately　after　leaving　the　church；　and　that
the　men　employed　on　board　the　yacht　in　which　Armadale　had　sailed
from　Somersetshire　（before　my　marriage）　were　now　away　in　ships
voyaging　to　the　other　end　of　the　worldhis　confidence　in　my
prospects　showed　itself　plainly　in　his　face。　'So　far　as　I　can
see；'　he　said；　'your　husband's　claim　to　you　（after　you　have
stepped　into　the　place　of　the　dead　Mr。　Armadale's　widow）　would
rest　on　nothing　but　his　own　bare　assertion。　And　_that_　I　think
you　may　safely　set　at　defiance。　Excuse　my　apparent　distrust　of
the　gentleman。　But　there　might　be　a　misunderstanding　between　you
in　the　future；　and　it　is　highly　desirable　to　ascertain　beforehand
exactly　what　he　could　or　could　not　do　under　those　circumstances。
And　now　that　we　have　done　with　the　main　obstacle　that　_I_　see　in
the　way　of　your　success；　let　us　by　all　means　come　to　the　obstacle
that　_you_　see　next！'

〃I　was　willing　enough　to　come　to　it。　The　tone　in　which　he　spoke
of　Midwinter；　though　I　myself　was　responsible　for　it；　jarred　on
me　horribly；　and　roused　for　the　moment　some　of　the　old　folly　of
feeling　which　I　fancied　I　had　laid　asleep　forever。　I　rushed　at
the　chance　of　changing　the　subject；　and　mentioned　the　discrepancy
in　the　register　between　the　hand　in　which　Midwinter　had　signed
the　name　of　Allan　Armadale；　and　the　hand　in　which　Armadale　of
Thorpe　Ambrose　had　been　accustomed　to　write　his　name；　with　an
eagerness　which　it　quite　diverted　the　doctor　to　see。

〃　'Is　_that_　all？'　he　asked；　to　my　infinite　surprise　and　relief；
when　I　had　done。　'My　dear　lady；　pray　set　your　mind　at　ease！　If
the　late　Mr。　Armadale's　lawyers　want　a　proof　of　your　marriage；
they　won't　go　to　the　church…register　for　it；　I　can　promise　you！'

〃　'What！'　I　exclaimed；　in　astonishment。　'Do　you　mean　to　say　that
the　entry　in　the　register　is　not　a　proof　of　my　marriage？'

〃　'It　is　a　proof；'　said　the　doctor；　'that　you　have　been　married
to　somebody。　But　it　is　no　proof　that　you　have　been　married　to　Mr。
Armadale　of　Thorpe　Ambrose。　Jack　Nokes　or　Tom　Styles　（excuse　the
homeliness　of　the　illustration！）　might　have　got　the　license；　and
gone　to　the　church　to　be　married　to　you　under　Mr。　Armadal