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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。 Armadale's
name； and the register （how could it do otherwise？） must in that
case have innocently assisted the deception。 I see I surprise
you。 My dear madam； when you opened this interesting business you
surprised _me_I may own it nowby laying so much stress on the
curious similarity between the two names。 You might have entered
on the very daring and romantic enterprise in which you are now
engaged； without necessarily marrying your present husband。 Any
other man would have done just as well； provided he was willing
to take Mr。 Armadale's name for the purpose。'
〃I felt my temper going at this。 'Any other man would _not_ have
done just as well；' I rejoined； instantly。 'But for the
similarity of the names； I should never have thought of the
enterprise at all。'
〃The doctor admitted that he had spoken too hastily。 'That
personal view of the subject had； I confess； escaped me；' he
said。 'However； let us get back to the matter in hand。 In the
course of what I may term an adventurous medical life； I have
been brought mo