按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
waters of the Sound。
〃One thing is pretty certain；〃 he said。 〃With the current on that
side； and the sunken rocks on this； we can't find our way out of
the scrape by swimming； at any rate。 So much for the prospect at
this end of the wreck。 Let's try how things look at the other。
Rouse up； messmate！〃 he called out； cheerfully； as he passed
Midwinter。 〃Come and see what the old tub of a timber…ship has
got to show us astern。〃 He sauntered on； with his hands in his
pockets； humming the chorus of a comic song。
His voice had produced no apparent effect on his friend； but； at
the light touch of his hand in passing； Midwinter started； and
moved out slowly from the shadow of the bulwark。 〃Come along！〃
cried Allan； suspending his singing for a moment； and glancing
back。 Still； without a word of answer； the other followed。 Thrice
he stopped before he reached the stern end of the wreck： the
first time； to throw aside his hat； and push back his hair from
his forehead and temples； the second time； reeling； giddy； to
hold for a moment by a ring…bolt close at hand； the last time
（though Allan was plainly visible a few yards ahead）； to look
stealthily behind him； with the furtive scrutiny of a man who
believes that other footsteps are following him in the dark 。
〃Not yet！〃 he whispered to himself； with eyes that searched the
empty air。 〃I shall see him astern； with his hand on the lock of
the cabin door。〃
The stern end of the wreck was clear of the ship…breakers'
lumber； accumulated in the other parts of the vessel。 Here； the
one object that rose visible on the smooth surface of the deck
was the low wooden structure which held the cabin door and roofed
in the cabin stairs。 The wheel…house had been removed； the
binnacle had been removed； but the cabin entrance； and all that
had belonged to it； had been left untouched。 The scuttle was on；
and the door was closed。
On gaining the after…part of the vessel； Allan walked straight to
the stern； and looked out to sea over the taffrail。 No such thing
as a boat was in view anywhere on the quiet； moon…brightened
waters。 Knowing Midwinter's sight to be better than his own； he
called out； 〃Come up here； and see if there's a fisherman within
hail of us。〃 Hearing no reply； he looked back。 Midwinter had
followed him as far as the cabin； and had stopped there。 He
called again in a louder voice； and beckoned impatiently。
Midwinter had heard the call； for he looked up； but still he
never stirred from his place。 There he stood； as if he had
reached the utmost limits of the ship and could go no further。
Allan went back and joined him。 It was not easy to discover what
he was looking at； for he kept his face turned away from the
moonlight； but it seemed as if his eyes were fixed； with a
strange expression of inquiry； on the cabin door。 〃What is there
to look at there？〃 Allan asked。 〃Let's see if it's locked。〃 As he
took a step forward to open the door； Midwinter's hand seized him
suddenly by the coat collar and forced him back。 The moment
after； the hand relaxed without losing its grasp； and trembled
violently； like the hand of a man completely unnerved。
〃Am I to consider myself in custody？〃 asked Allan； half
astonished and half amused。 〃Why in the name of wonder do you
keep staring at the cabin door？ Any suspicious noises below？ It's
no use disturbing the ratsif that's what you meanwe haven't
got a dog with us。 Men？ Living men they can't be； for they would
have heard us and come on deck。 Dead men？ Quite impossible！ No
ship's crew could be drowned in a land…locked place like this；
unless the vessel broke up under themand here's the vessel as
steady as a church to speak for herself。 Man alive； how your hand
trembles！ What is there to scare you in that rotten old cabin？
What are you shaking and shivering about？ Any company of the
supernatural sort on board？ Mercy preserve us！ （as the old women
say） do you see a ghost？〃
〃_I see two！_〃 answered the other； driven headlong into speech
and action by a maddening temptation to reveal the truth。 〃Two！〃
he repeated； his breath bursting from him in deep； heavy gasps；
as he tried vainly to force back the horrible words。 〃The ghost
of a man like you； drowning in the cabin！ And the ghost of a man
like me； turning the lock of the door on him！〃
Once more young Armadale's hearty laughter rang out loud and long
through the stillness of the night。
〃Turning the lock of the door； is he？〃 said Allan； as soon as his
merriment left him breath enough to speak。 〃That's a devilish
unhandsome action； Master Midwinter； on the part of your ghost。
The least I can do； after that； is to let mine out of the cabin；
and give him the run of the ship。〃
With no more than a momentary exertion of his superior strength；
he freed himself easily from Midwinter's hold。 〃Below there！〃 he
called out； gayly； as he laid his strong hand on the crazy lock；
and tore open the cabin
door。 〃Ghost of Allan Armadale； come on deck！〃 In his terrible
ignorance of the truth； he put his head into the doorway and
looked down； laughing； at the place where his murdered father had
died。 〃Pah！〃 he exclaimed； stepping back suddenly； with a shudder
of disgust。 〃The air is foul already； and the cabin is full of
water。〃
It was true。 The sunken rocks on which the vessel lay wrecked had
burst their way through her lower timbers astern； and the water
had welled up through the rifted wood。 Here； where the deed had
been done； the fatal parallel between past and present was
complete。 What the cabin had been in the time of the fathers；
that the cabin was now in the time of the sons。
Allan pushed the door to again with his foot； a little surprised
at the sudden silence which appeared to have fallen on his friend
from the moment when he had laid his hand on the cabin lock。 When
he turned to look； the reason of the silence was instantly
revealed。 Midwinter had dropped on the deck。 He lay senseless
before the cabin door； his face turned up； white and still； to
the moonlight； like the face of a dead man。
In a moment Allan was at his side。 He looked uselessly round the
lonely limits of the wreck； as he lifted Midwinter's head on his
knee； for a chance of help； where all chance was ruthlessly cut
off。 〃What am I to do？〃 he said to himself； in the first impulse
of alarm。 〃Not a drop of water near； but the foul water in the
cabin。〃 A sudden recollection crossed his memory； the florid
color rushed back over his face； and he drew from his pocket a
wicker…covered flask。 〃God bless the doctor for giving me this
before we sailed！〃 he broke out； fervently； as he poured down
Midwinter's throat some drops of the raw whisky which the flask
contained。 The stimulant acted instantly on the sensitive system
of the swooning man。 He sighed faintly； and slowly opened his
eyes。 〃Have I been dreaming？〃 he asked； looking up vacantly in
Allan's face。 His eyes wandered higher； and encountered the
dismantled masts of the wreck rising weird and black against the
night sky。 He shuddered at the sight of them； and hid his face on
Allan's knee。 〃No dream！〃 he murmured to himself； mournfully。 〃Oh
me； no dream！〃
〃You hare been overtired all day；〃 said Allan； 〃and this infernal
adventure of ours has upset you。 Take some more whisky； it's sure
to do you good。 Can you sit by yourself； if I put you against the
bulwark； so？〃
〃Why by myself？ Why do you leave me？〃 asked Midwinter。
Allan pointed to the mizzen shrouds of the wreck； which were
still left standing。 〃You are not well enough to rough it here
till the workmen come off in the morning；〃 he said。 〃We must find
our way on shore at once； if we can。 I am going up to get a good
view all round； and see if there's a house within hail of us。〃
Even in the moment that passed while those few words were spoken；
Midwinter's eyes wandered back distrustfully to the fatal cabin
door。 〃Don't go near it！〃 he whispered。 〃Don't try to open it；
for God's sake！〃
〃No； no；〃 returned Allan； humoring him。 〃When I come down from
the rigging； I'll come back here。〃 He said the words a little
constrainedly； noticing； for the first time while he now spoke；
an underlying distress in Midwinter's face； which grieved and
perplexed him。 〃You're not angry with me？〃 he said； in his
simple； sweet…tempered way。 〃All this is my fault； I know； and I
was a brute and a fool to laugh at you； when I ought to have seen
you were ill。 I am so sorry； Midwinter。 Don't be angry with me！〃
Midwinter slowly raised his head。 His eyes rested with a mournful
interest； long and tender； on Allan's anxious face。
〃Angry？〃 he repeated； in his lowest； gentlest tones。 〃Angry with
_ you？_Oh； my poor boy； were you to blame for being kind to me
when I was ill in the old west…country inn？ And was I to blame
for feeling your kindness thankfully？ Was it our fault that we
never doubted each other； and never knew that we were traveling
together blindfold on the way that was to lead us here？ The cruel
time is coming； Allan； when we shall rue the day we ever met。
Shake hands； brother； on the edge of the precipiceshake hands
while we are brothers still！〃
Allan turned away quickly； convinced that his mind had not yet
recover