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Mr。 Neal tried hard to control his hand as it kept his place
between the leaves of the manuscripts but it trembled in spite of
him。 A suspicion which had been slowly forcing itself on his mind
； while he was reading； became a certainty when he heard those
words。 From one revelation to another the letter had gone on；
until it had now reached the brink of a last disclosure to come。
At that brink the dying man had predetermined to silence the
reader's voice； before he had permitted his wife to hear the
narrative read。 There was the secret which the son was to know in
after years； and which the mother was never to approach。 From
that resolution； his wife's tenderest pleadings had never moved
him an inchand now； from his own lips； his wife knew it。
She made him no answer。 She stood there and looked at him； looked
her last entreatyperhaps her last farewell。 His eyes gave her
back no answering glance： they wandered from her mercilessly to
the sleeping boy。 She turned speechless from the bed。 Without a
look at the childwithout a word to the two strangers
breathlessly watching hershe kept the promise she had given；
and in dead silence left the room。
There was something in the manner of her departure which shook
the self…possession of both the men who witnessed it。 When the
door closed on her； they recoiled instinctively from advancing
further in the dark。 The doctor's reluctance was the first to
express itself。 He attempted to obtain the patient's permission
to withdraw until the letter was completed。 The patient refused。
Mr。 Neal spoke next at greater length and to more serious
purpose。
〃The doctor is accustomed in his profession；〃 he began； 〃and I am
accustomed in mine； to have the secrets of others placed in our
keeping。 But it is my duty； before we go further； to ask if you
really understand the extraordinary position which we now occupy
toward one another。 You have just excluded Mrs。 Armadale； before
our own eyes； from a place in your confidence。 And you are now
offering that same place to two men who are total strangers to
you。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Armadale； 〃_because_ you are strangers。〃
Few as the words were； the inference to be drawn from them was
not of a nature to set distrust at rest。 Mr。 Neal put it plainly
into words。
〃You are in urgent need of my help and of the doctor's help；〃 he
said。 〃Am I to understand （so long as you secure our assistance）
that the impression which the closing passages of this letter may
produce on us is a matter of indifference to you？〃
〃Yes。 I don't spare you。 I don't spare myself。 I _do_ spare my
wife。〃
〃You force me to a conclusion； sir； which is a very serious one；〃
said Mr。 Neal。 〃If I am to finish this letter under your
dictation； I must claim permissionhaving read aloud the greater
part of it alreadyto read aloud what remains； in the hearing of
this gentleman； as a witness。〃
〃Read it。〃
Gravely doubting； the doctor resumed his chair。 Gravely doubting；
Mr。 Neal turned the leaf； and read the next words：
〃There is more to tell before I can leave the dead man to his
rest。 I have described the finding of his body。 But I have not
described the circumstances under which he met his death。
〃He was known to have been on deck when the yacht's boats were
seen approaching the wreck； and he was afterward missed in the
confusion caused by the panic of the crew。 At that time the water
was five feet deep in the cabin； and was rising fast。 There was
little doubt of his having gone down into that water of his own
accord。 The discovery of his wife's jewel box； close under him；
on the floor； explained his presence in the cabin。 He was known
to have seen help approaching； and it was quite likely that he
had thereupon gone below to make an effort at saving the box。 It
was less probablethough it might still have been inferredthat
his death was the result of some accident in diving； which had
for the moment deprived him of his senses。 But a discovery made
by the yacht's crew pointed straight to a conclusion which struck
the men； one and all； with the same horror。 When the course of
their search brought them to the cabin； they found the scuttle
bolted； and the door locked on the outside。 Had some one closed
the cabin； not knowing he was there？ Setting the panic…stricken
condition of the crew out of the question； there was no motive
for closing the cabin before leaving the wreck。 But one other
conclusion remained。 Had some murderous hand purposely locked the
man in； and left him to drown as the water rose over him？
〃Yes。 A murderous hand had locked him in； and left him to drown。
That hand was mine。 〃
The Scotchman started up from the table； the doctor shrank from
the bedside。 The two looked at the dying wretch； mastered by the
same loathing； chilled by the same dread。 He lay there； with his
child's head on his breast； abandoned by the sympathies of man；
accursed by the justice of Godhe lay there； in the isolation of
Cain； and looked back at them。
At the moment when the two men rose to their feet； the door
leading into the next room was shaken heavily on the outer side；
and a sound like the sound of a fall； striking dull on their
ears； silenced them both。 Standing nearest to the door； the
doctor opened it； passed through； and closed it instantly。 Mr。
Neal turned his back on the bed； and waited the event in silence。
The sound； which had failed to awaken the child； had failed also
to attract the father's notice。 His own words had taken him far
from all that was passing at his deathbed。 His helpless body was
back on the wreck； and the ghost of his lifeless hand was turning
the lock of the cabin door。
A bell rang in the next roomeager voices talked； hurried
footsteps moved in itan interval passed； and the doctor
returned。 〃Was she listening？〃 whispered Mr。 Neal； in German。
〃The women are restoring her；〃 the doctor whispered back。 〃She
has heard it all。 In God's name； what are we to do next？〃 Before
it was possible to reply； Mr。 Armadale spoke。 The doctor's return
had roused him to a sense of present things。
〃Go on；〃 he said； as if nothing had happened。
〃I refuse to meddle further with your infamous secret；〃 returned
Mr。 Neal。 〃You are a murderer on your own confession。 If that
letter is to be finished； don't ask _me_ to hold the pen for
you。〃
〃You gave me your promise；〃 was the reply； spoken with the same
immovable self…possession。 〃You must write for me； or break your
word。〃
For the moment； Mr。 Neal was silenced。 There the man
laysheltered from the execration of his fellow…creatures； under
the shadow of Deathbeyond the reach of all human condemnation；
beyond the dread of all mortal laws； sensitive to nothing but his
one last resolution to finish the letter addressed to his son。
Mr。 Neal drew the doctor aside。 〃A word with you；〃 he said； in
German。 〃Do you persist in asserting that he may be speechless
before we can send to Stuttgart？〃
〃Look at his lips；〃 said the doctor； 〃and judge for yourself。〃
His lips answered for him： the reading of the narrative had left
its mark on them already。 A distortion at the corners of his
mouth； which had been barely noticeable when Mr。 Neal entered the
room； was plainly visible now。 His slow articulation labored more
and more painfully with every word he uttered。 The position was
emphatically a terrible one。 After a moment more of hesitation；
Mr。 Neal made a last attempt to withdraw from it。
〃Now my eyes are open；〃 he said； sternly； 〃do you dare hold me to
an engagement which you forced on me blindfold？〃
〃No；〃 answered Mr。 Armadale。 〃I leave you to break your word。〃
The look which accompanied that reply stung the Scotchman's pride
to the quick。 When he spoke next； he spoke seated in his former
place at the table。
〃No man ever yet said of me that I broke my word；〃 he retorted；
angrily； 〃and not even you shall say it of me now。 Mind this！ If
you hold me to my promise； I hold you to my condition。 I have
reserved my freedom of action； and I warn you I will use it at my
own sole discretion； as soon as I am released from the sight of
you。〃
〃Remember he is dying；〃 pleaded the doctor； gently。
〃Take your place； sir；〃 said Mr。 Neal； pointing to the empty
chair。 〃What remains to be read； I will only read in your
hearing。 What remains to be written； I will only write in your
presence。 _You_ brought me here。 I have a right to insistand I
do insist on your remaining as a witness to the last。〃
The doctor accepted his position without remonstrance。 Mr。 Neal
returned to the manuscript； and read what remained of it
uninterruptedly to the end：
〃Without a word in my own defense； I have acknowledged my guilt。
Without a word in my own defense； I will reveal how the crime was
committed。
〃No thought of him was in my mind； when I saw his wife insensible
on the deck of the timber…ship。 I did my part in lowering her
safely into the boat。 Then； and not till then； I felt the thought
of him coming back。 In the confusion that prevailed while the men
of the yacht were forcing the men of the ship to wait their time；
I had an opportunity of searching for him unobserved。 I stepped
back from the bulwark； not knowi