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！
earnest tones； he entreated her to say no more。 〃I was only
anxious to show you every consideration；〃 he said。 〃I am only
anxious now to spare you every distress。〃 As he spoke； something
like a glow of color rose slowly on his sallow face。 Her eyes
were looking at him； softly attentive； and he thought guiltily of
his meditations at the window before she came in。
The doctor saw his opportunity。 He opened the door that led into
Mr。 Armadale's room； and stood by it； waiting silently。 Mrs。
Armadale entered first。 In a minute more the door was closed
again； and Mr。 Neal stood committed to the responsibility that
had been forced on himcommitted beyond recall。
The room was decorated in the gaudy continental fashion； and the
warm sunlight was shining in joyously。 Cupids and flowers were
painted on the ceiling； bright ribbons looped up the white
window…curtains； a smart gilt clock ticked on a velvet…covered
mantelpiece； mirrors gleamed on the walls； and flowers in all the
colors of the rainbow speckled the carpet。 In the midst of the
finery； and the glitter； and the light； lay the paralyzed man；
with his wandering eyes； and his lifeless lower facehis head
propped high with many pillows； his helpless hands laid out over
the bed…clothes like the hands of a corpse。 By the bed head
stood； grim； and old； and silent； the shriveled black nurse； and
on the counter…pane； between his father's outspread hands； lay
the child； in his little white frock； absorbed in the enjoyment
of a new toy。 When the door opened； and Mrs。 Armadale led the way
in； the boy was tossing his playthinga soldier on
horsebackbackward and forward over the helpless hands on either
side of him； and the father's wandering eyes were following the
toy to and fro； with a stealthy and ceaseless vigilancea
vigilance as of a wild animal； terrible to see。
The moment Mr。 Neal appeared in the doorway； those restless eyes
stopped； looked up； and fastened on the stranger with a fierce
eagerness of inquiry。 Slowly the motionless lips struggled into
movement。 With thick； hesitating articulation； they put the
question which the eyes asked mutely； into words： 〃Are you the
man？〃
Mr。 Neal advanced to the bedside； Mrs。 Armadale drawing back from
it as he approached； and waiting with the doctor at the further
end of the room。 The child looked up； toy in hand； as the
stranger came near； opened his bright brown eyes in momentary
astonishment； and then went on with his game。
〃I have been made acquainted with your sad situation； sir；〃 said
Mr。 Neal； 〃and I have come here to place my services at your
disposalservices which no one but myself； as your medical
attendant informs me； is in a position to render you in this
strange place。 My name is Neal。 I am a writer to the signet in
Edinburgh； and I may presume to say for myself that any
confidence you wish to place in me will be confidence not
improperly bestowed。〃
The eyes of the beautiful wife were not confusing him now。 He
spoke to the helpless husband quietly and seriously； without his
customary harshness； and with a grave compassion in his manner
which presented him at his best。 The sight of the death…bed had
steadied him。
〃You wish me to write something for you？〃 he resumed； after
waiting for a reply； and waiting in vain。
〃Yes！〃 said the dying man； with the all…mastering impatience
which his tongue was powerless to express； glittering angrily in
his eye。 〃My hand is gone； and my speech is going。 Write！〃
Before there was time to speak again； Mr。 Neal heard the rustling
of a woman's dress； and the quick creaking of casters on the
carpet behind him。 Mrs。 Armadale was moving the writing…table
across the room to the foot of the bed。 If he was to set up those
safeguards of his own devising that were to bear him harmless
through all results to come； now was the time； or never。 He； kept
his back turned on Mrs。 Armadale； and put his precautionary
question at once in the plainest terms。
〃May I ask； sir； before I take the pen in hand； what it is you
wish me to write？〃
The angry eyes of the paralyzed man glittered brighter and
brighter。 His lips opened and closed again。 He made no reply。
Mr。 Neal tried another precautionary question； in a new
direction。
〃When I have written what you wish me to write；〃 he asked； 〃what
is to be done with it？〃
This time the answer came：
〃Seal it up in my presence； and post it to my ex〃
His laboring articulation suddenly stopped and he looked
piteously in the questioner's face for the next word。
〃Do you mean your executor？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃It is a letter； I suppose； that I am to post？〃 There was no
answer。 〃May
I ask if it is a letter altering your will？〃
〃Nothing of the sort。〃
Mr。 Neal considered a little。 The mystery was thickening。 The one
way out of it； so far； was the way traced faintly through that
strange story of the unfinished letter which the doctor had
repeated to him in Mrs。 Armadale's words。 The nearer he
approached his unknown responsibility； the more ominous it seemed
of something serious to come。 Should he risk another question
before he pledged himself irrevocably？ As the doubt crossed his
mind； he felt Mrs。 Armadale's silk dress touch him on the side
furthest from her husband。 Her delicate dark hand was laid gently
on his arm； her full deep African eyes looked at him in
submissive entreaty。 〃My husband is very anxious；〃 she whispered。
〃Will you quiet his anxiety； sir； by taking your place at the
writing…table？〃
It was from _her_ lips that the request camefrom the lips of
the person who had the best right to hesitate； the wife who was
excluded from the secret！ Most men in Mr。 Neal's position would
have given up all their safeguards on the spot。 The Scotchman
gave them all up but one。
〃I will write what you wish me to write；〃 he said； addressing Mr。
Armadale。 〃I will seal it in your presence； and I will post it to
your executor myself。 But； in engaging to do this； I must beg you
to remember that I am acting entirely in the dark； and I must ask
you to excuse me； if I reserve my own entire freedom of action；
when your wishes in relation to the writing and the posting of
the letter have been fulfilled。〃
〃Do you give me your promise？〃
〃It you want my promise； sir； I will give itsubject to the
condition I have just named。〃
〃Take your condition； and keep your promise。 My desk；〃 he added；
looking at his wife for the first time。
She crossed the room eagerly to fetch the desk from a chair in a
corner。 Returning with it； she made a passing sign to the
negress； who still stood； grim and silent； in the place that she
had occupied from the first。 The woman advanced； obedient to the
sign； to take the child from the bed。 At the instant when she
touched him； the father's eyesfixed previously on the
deskturned on her with the stealthy quickness of a cat。 〃No！〃
he said。 〃No！〃 echoed the fresh voice of the boy； still charmed
with his plaything； and still liking his place on the bed。 The
negress left the room； and the child； in high triumph； trotted
his toy soldier up and down on the bedclothes that lay rumpled
over his father's breast。 His mother's lovely face contracted
with a pang of jealousy as she looked at him。
〃Shall I open your desk？〃 she asked； pushing back the child's
plaything sharply while she spoke。 An answering look from her
husband guided her hand to the place under his pillow where the
key was hidden。 She opened the desk； and disclosed inside some
small sheets of manuscript pinned together。 〃These？〃 she
inquired； producing them。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃You can go now。〃
The Scotchman sitting at the writing…table； the doctor stirring a
stimulant mixture in a corner； looked at each other with an
anxiety in both their faces which they could neither of them
control。 The words that banished the wife from the room were
spoken。 The moment had come。
〃You can go now；〃 said Mr。 Armadale； for the second time。
She looked at the child； established comfortably on the bed； and
an ashy paleness spread slowly over her face。 She looked at the
fatal letter which was a sealed secret to her； and a torture of
jealous suspicionsuspicion of that other woman who had been the
shadow and the poison of her lifewrung her to the heart。 After
moving a few steps from the bedside； she stopped； and came back
again。 Armed with the double courage of her love and her despair；
she pressed her lips on her dying husband's cheek； and pleaded
with him for the last time。 Her burning tears dropped on his face
as she whispered to him： 〃Oh； Allan； think how I have loved you！
think how hard I have tried to make you happy！ think how soon I
shall lose you！ Oh； my own love！ don't； don't send me away！〃
The words pleaded for her； the kiss pleaded for her； the
recollection of the love that had been given to him； and never
returned； touched the heart of the fast…sinking man as nothing
had touched it since the day of his marriage。 A heavy sigh broke
from him。 He looked at her； and hesitated。
〃Let me stay；〃 she whispered； pressing her face closer to his。
〃It will only distress you；〃 he whispered back。
〃Nothing distresses me； but being sent away from _you！_〃
He waited。