armadale-第7章

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marriage。　Ingleby　had　my　mother's　stolen　letter　with　him；　but　he
was　without　the　imitative　dexterity　which　would　have　enabled　him
to　make　use　of　it　for　a　forgery　of　her　handwriting。　Miss
Blanchard；　who　had　consented　passively　to　the　deception；　refused
to　take　any　active　share　in　the　fraud　practiced　on　her　father。　In
this　difficulty；　Ingleby　found　an　instrument　ready　to　his　hand　in
an　orphan　girl　of　barely　twelve　years　old；　a　marvel　of　precocious
ability；　whom　Miss　Blanchard　had　taken　a　romantic　fancy　to
befriend　and　whom　she　had　brought　away　with　her　from　England　to
be　trained　as　her　maid。　That　girl's　wicked　dexterity　removed　the
one　serious　obstacle　left　to　the　success　of　the　fraud。　I　saw　the
imitation　of　my　mother's　writing　which　she　had　produced　under
Ingleby's　instructions　and　（if　the　shameful　truth　must　be　told）
with　her　young　mistress's　knowledgeand　I　believe　I　should　have
been　deceived　by　it　myself。　I　saw　the　girl　afterwardand　my
blood　curdled　at　the　sight　of　her。　If　she　is　alive　now；　woe　to
the　people　who　trust　her！　No　creature　more　innately　deceitful　and
more　innately　pitiless　ever　walked　this　earth。

〃The　forged　letter　paved　the　way　securely　for　the　marriage；　and
when　I　reached　the　house；　they　were　（as　the　servant　had　truly
told　me）　man　and　wife。　My　arrival　on　the　scene　simply
precipitated　the　confession　which　they　had　both　agreed　to　make。
Ingleby's　own　lips　shamelessly　acknowledged　the　truth。　He　had
nothing　to　lose　by　speaking　outhe　was　married；　and　his　wife's
fortune　was　beyond　her　father's　control。　I　pass　over　all　that
followedmy　interview　with　the　daughter；　and　my　interview　with
the　fatherto　come　to　results。　For　two　days　the　efforts　of　the
wife；　and　the　efforts　of　the　clergyman　who　had　celebrated　the
marriage；　were　successful　in　keeping　Ingleby　and　myself　apart。　On
the　third　day　I　set　my　trap　more　successfully；　and　I　and　the　man
who　had　mortally　injured　me　met　together　alone；　face　to　face。

〃Remember　how　my　confidence　had　been　abused；　remember　how　the　one
good　purpose　of　my　life　had　been　thwarted；　remember　the　violent
passions　rooted　deep　in　my　nature；　and　never　yet　controlledand
then　imagine　for　yourself　what　passed　between　us。　All　I　need　tell
here　is　the　end。　He　was　a　taller　and　a　stronger　man　than　I；　and
he　took　his　brute's　advantage　with　a　brute's　ferocity。　He　struck
me。

〃Think　of　the　injuries　I　had　received　at　that　man's　hands；　and
then　think　of　his　setting　his　mark　on　my　face　by　a　blow！

〃I　went　to　an　English　officer　who　had　been　my　fellow…passenger　on
the　voyage　from　Barbadoes。　I　told　him　the　truth；　and　he　agreed
with　me　that　a　meeting　was　inevitable。　Dueling　had　its　received
formalities　and　its　established　laws　in　those　days；　and　he　began
to　speak　of　them。　I　stopped　him。　'I　will　take　a　pistol　in　my
right　hand；'　I　said；　'and　he　shall　take　a　pistol　in　his：　I　will
take　one　end　of　a　handkerchief　in　my　left　hand；　and　he　shall　take
the　other　end　in　his；　and　across　that　handkerchief　the　duel　shall
be　fought。'　The　officer　got　up；　and　looked　at　me　as　if　I　had
personally　insulted　him。　'You　are　asking　me　to　be　present　at　a
murder　and　a　suicide；'　he　said；　'I　decline　to　serve　you。'　He　left
the　room。　As　soon　as　he　was　gone　I　wrote　down　the　words　I　had
said　to　the　officer　and　sent　them　by　a　messenger　to　Ingleby。
While　I　was　waiting　for　an　answer；　I　sat　down　before　the　glass；
and　looked　at　his　mark　on　my　face。　'Many　a　man　has　had　blood　on
his　hands　and　blood　on　his　conscience；'　I　thought；　'for　less　than
this。'

〃The　messenger　came　back　with　Ingleby's　answer。　It　appointed　a
meeting　for　three　o'clock　the　next　day；　at　a　lonely　place　in　the
interior　of　the　island。　I　had　resolved　what　to　do　if　he　refused；
his　letter　released　me　from　the　horror　of　my　own　resolution。　I
felt　grateful　to　himyes；　absolutely　grateful　to　himfor
writing　it。

〃The　next　day　I　went　to　the　place。　He　was　not　there。　I　waited　two
hours；　and　he　never　came。　At　last　the　truth　dawned　on　me。　'Once　a
coward；　always　a　coward；'　I　thought。　I　went　back　to　Mr。
Blanchard's　house。　Before　I　got　there；　a　sudden　misgiving　seized
me；　and　I　turned　aside　to　the　harbor。　I　was　right；　the　harbor　was
the　place　to　go　to。　A　ship　sailing　for　Lisbon　that　afternoon　had
offered　him　the　opportunity　of　taking　a　passage　for　himself　and
his　wife；　and　escaping　me。　His　answer　to　my　challenge　had　served
its　purpose　of　sending　me　out　of　the　way　into　the　interior　of　the
island。　Once　more　I　had　trusted　in　Fergus　Ingleby；　and　once　more
those　sharp　wits　of　his　had　been　too　much　for　me。

〃I　asked　my　informant　if　Mr。　Blanchard　was　aware　as　yet　of　his
daughter's　departure。　He　had　discovered　it；　but　not　until　the
ship　had　sailed。　This　time　I　took　a　lesson　in　cunning　from
Ingleby。　Instead　of　showing　myself　at　Mr。　Blanchard's　house；　I
went　first　and　looked　at　Mr。　Blanchard's　yacht。

〃The　vessel　told　me　what　the　vessel's　master　might　have
concealedthe　truth。　I　found　her　in　the　confusion　of　a　sudden
preparation　for　sea。　All　the　crew　were　on　board；　with　the
exception　of　some　few　who　had　been　allowed　their　leave　on　shore；
and　who　were　away　in　the　interior　of　the　island；　nobody　knew
where。　When　I　discovered　that　the　sailing…master　was　trying　in；
to　supply　their　places　with　the　best　men　he　could　pick　up　at　a
moment's　notice；　my　resolution　was　instantly　taken。　I　knew　the
duties　on　board　a　yacht　well　enough；　having　had　a　vessel　of　my
own；　and　having　sailed　her　myself。　Hurrying　into　the　town；　I
changed　my　dress　for　a　sailor's　coat　and　hat；　and；　returning　to
the　harbor；　I　offered　myself　as　one　of　the　volunteer　crew。　I
don't　know　what　the　sailing…master　saw　in　my　face。　My　answers　to
his　questions　satisfied　him；　and　yet　he　looked　at　me　and
hesitated。　But　hands　were　scarce；　and　it　ended　in　my　being　taken
on　board。　An　hour　later　Mr。　Blanchard　joined　us；　and　was　assisted
into　the　cabin；　suffering　pitiably　in　mind　and　body　both。　An　hour
after　that　we　were　at　sea；　with　a　starless　night　overhead；　and　a
fresh　breeze　behind　us。

〃As　I　had　surmised；　we　were　in　pursuit　of　the　vessel　in　which
Ingleby　and　his　wife　had　left　the　island　that　afternoon。　The　ship
was　French；　and　was　employed　in　the　timber　trade：　her　name　was
_La　Grace　de　Dieu。_　Nothing　more　was　known　of　her　than　that　she
was　bound　for　Lisbon；　that　she　had　been　driven　out　of　her　course；
and　that　she　had　touched　at　Madeira；　short　of　men　and　short　of
provisions。　The　last　want　had　been　supplied；　but　not　the　first。
Sailors　distrusted　the　sea…worthiness　of　the　ship；　and　disliked
the　look　of　the　vagabond　crew。　When　those　two　serious　facts　had
been　communicated　to　Mr。　Blanchard；　the　hard　words　he　had　spoken
to　his　child　in　the　first　shock　of　discovering　that　she　had
helped　to　deceive　him　smote　him　to　the　heart。　He　instantly
determined　to　give　his　daughter　a　refuge　on　board　his　own　vessel；
and　to　quiet　her　by　keeping　her　villain　of　a　husband　out　of　the
way　of　all　harm　at　my　hands。　The　yacht　sailed　three　feet　and　more
to　the　ship's　one。　There　was　no　doubt　of　our　overtaking　_La　Grace
de　Dieu_；　the　only　fear　was　that　we　might　pass　her　in　the
darkness。

〃After　we　had　been　some　little　time　out；　the　wind　suddenly
dropped；　and　there　fell　on　us　an　airless；　sultry　　calm。　W　hen　the
order　came　to　get　the　topmasts　on　deck；　and　to　shift　the　large
sails；　we　all　knew　what　to　expect。　In　little　better　than　an　hour
more；　the　storm　was　upon　us；　the　thunder　was　pealing　over　our
heads；　and　the　yacht　was　running　for　it。　She　was　a　powerful
schooner…rigged　vessel　of　three　hundred　tons；　as　strong　as　wood
and　iron　could　make　her；　she　was　handled　by　a　sailing…master　who
thoroughly　understood　his　work；　and　she　behaved　nobly。　As　the　new
morning　came；　the　fury　of　the　wind；　blowing　still　from　the
southwest　quarter；　subsided　a　little；　and　the　sea　was　less　heavy。
Just　before　daybreak　we　heard　faintly；　through　the　howling　of　the
gale；　the　report　of　a　gun。　The　men　collected　anxiously　on　deck；
looked　at　each　other；　and　said：　'There　she　is！'

〃With　the　daybreak　we　saw　the　vessel；　and　the　timber…ship　it　was。
She　lay　wallowing　in　the　trough　of　the　sea；　her　foremast　and　her
mainmast　both　gonea　water…logged　wreck。　The　yacht　carried　three
boats；　one　amidships；　and　two　slung　to　davits　on　the　quarters；
and　the　sailing…master；　seeing　signs　of　the　storm　renewing　its
fury　before　long；　determined　on　lowering　the　quarter…boats　while
the　lull　lasted。　Few　as　the　people　were　on　board　the　wreck；　they
were　too　many　for　one　boat；　and　the　risk　of　trying　two　boats　at
once　was　thought　less；　in　the　critical　state　of　the　weather；　than
the　risk　of　making　two　separate　trips　from　the　yacht　to　the　ship。
There　might　be　time　to　make　one　trip　in　safety；　but　no　man　could
look　at　the　heavens　and　say　there　would　be　time　enough　for　two。

〃The　boats　were　manned　by　volunteers　from　the　crew；　I　being　in
the　second　of　the　two。　When　the　first　boat　was　got　alongside　of
the　timber…shipa　service　of　difficulty　and　danger　which　no
words　can　describeall　the　men　on　board　made　a　rash　to　leave　the
wreck　together。　If　the　boat　had　not　been　pulled　off　again　before
the　whole　of　them　had　crowded　in；　the　lives　of　all　must　have　been
sacrificed。　As　our　boat　approached　the　vessel　in　its　turn；　we
arranged　that　four　of　us　should　get　on　boardtwo　（I　being　one　of
them）　to　see　to　the　safety　of　Mr。　Blanchard's　daughter；　and　two
to　beat　back　the　cowardly　remnant　of　the　crew　if　they　tried　to
crowd　in　first。　The　other　threethe　coxswain　and　two
oarsmenwere　left　in　the　boat　to　keep　her　from　being　crushed　by
the　ship。　What　the　others　saw　when　they　first　boarded　_La　Grace
de　Dieu_　I　don't　know；　what　I　saw　was　the　woman　whom　I　had　lost；
the　woman　vilely　stolen　from　me；　lying　in　a　swoon　on　the　deck。　We
lowered　her；　insensible；　into　the　boat。　The　remnant　of　the
crewfive　in　numberwere　compelled　by　main　force　to　follow　her
in　an　orderly　manner；　one　by　one；　and　minute　by　minute；　as　the
chance　offered　for　safely　taking　them　in。　I　was　the　last　who
left；　and；　at　the　next　roll　of　the　ship　toward　us；　the　empty
length　of　the　deck；　without　a　living　creature　on　it　from　stem　to
stern；　told　the　boat's　crew　that　their　work　was　done。　With　the
louder　and　louder　howling　of　the　fast…rising　tempest　to　warn
them；　they　rowed　for　their　lives　back　to　the　yacht。

〃A　succession　of　heavy　squalls　had　brought　round　the　course　of
the　new　storm　that　was　coming；　from　the　south　to　the　north；　and
the　sailing…master；　watching　his　opportunity；　had　wore　the　yacht
to　be　ready　for　it。　Before　the　last　of　our　men　had　got　on　board
again；　it　burst　on　us　with　the　fury　of　a　hurricane。　Our　boat　was
swamped；　but　not　a　life　was　lost。　Once　more　we　ran　before　it；　due
south；　at　the　mercy　of　the　wind。　I　was　on　deck　with　the　rest；
watching　the　one　rag　of　sail　we　could　venture　to　set；　and　waiting
to　supply　its　place　with　another；　if　it　blew　out　of　the
bolt…ropes；　when　the　mate　came　close　to　me；　and　shouted　in　my　ear
through　the　thunder　of　the　storm：　'She　has　come　to　her　senses　in
the　cabin；　and　has　asked　for　her　husband。　Where　is　he？'　Not　a　man
on　board　knew。　The　yacht　was　searched　from　one　end　to　another
without　finding　him。　The　men　were　mustered　in　defiance　of　the
weatherhe　was　not　among　them。　The　crews　of　the　two　boats　were
questioned。　All　the　first　crew　could