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！
〃I saw the people in the street again！ I saw the calm sea； and
the masts of the shipping in the harbor where the yacht lay！ I
could think； I could breathe freely once more！ The words that
saved me from Manuelthe words that might be Armadale's sentence
of deathhad been spoken。 The yacht was to sail without
Midwinter； as well as without Me！
〃My first feeling of exultation was almost maddening。 But it was
the feeling of a moment only。 My heart sank in me again when I
thought of Midwinter alone in the next room。
〃I went out into the passage to listen； and heard nothing。 I
tapped gently at his door； and got no answer。 I opened the door
and looked in。 He was sitting at the table； with his face hidden
in his hands。 I looked at him in silence； and saw the glistening
of the tears as they trickled through his fingers。
〃 'Leave me；' he said； without moving his hands。 'I must get over
it by myself。'
〃I went back into the sitting…room。 Who can understand women？ we
don't even understand ourselves。 His sending me away from him in
that manner cut me to the heart。 I don't believe the most
harmless and most gentle woman living could have felt it more
acutely than I felt it。 And this； after what I have been doing！
this； after what I was thinking of； the moment before I went into
his room！ Who can account for it？ NobodyI least of all！
〃Half an hour later his door opened； and I heard him hurrying
down the stairs。 I ran on without waiting to think； and asked if
I might go with him。 He neither stopped nor answered。 I went back
to the window； and saw him pass； walking rapidly away； with his
back turned on Naples and the sea。
〃I can understand now that he might not have heard me。 At the
time I thought him inexcusably and brutally unkind to me。 I put
on my bonnet； in a frenzy of rage with him； I sent out for a
carriage； and told the man to take me where he liked。 He took me；
as he took other strangers； to the Museum to see the statues and
the pictures。 I flounced from room to room； with my face in a
flame； and the people all staring at me。 I came to myself again；
I don't know how。 I returned to the carriage； and made the man
drive me back in a violent hurry； I don't know why。 I tossed off
my cloak and bonnet； and sat down once more at the window。 The
sight of the sea cooled me。 I forgot Midwinter； and thought of
Armadale and his yacht。 There wasn't a breath of wind； there
wasn't a cloud in the sky； the wide waters of the Bay were as
smooth as the surface of a glass。
〃The sun sank； the short twilight came and went。 I had some tea；
and sat at the table thinking and dreaming over it。 When I roused
myself and went back to the window； the moon was up； but the
quiet sea was as quiet as ever。
〃I was still looking out； when I saw Midwinter in the street
below； coming back。 I was composed enough by this time to
remember his habits； and to guess that he had been trying to
relieve the oppression on his mind by one of his long solitary
walks。 When I heard him go into his own room； I was too prudent
to disturb him again： I waited his pleasure where I was。
〃Before long I heard his window opened； and I saw him； from my
window； step into the balcony； and； after a look at the sea； hold
up his hand to the air。 I was too stupid； for the moment； to
remember that he had once been a sailor； and to know what this
meant。 I waited； and wondered what would happen next。
〃He went in again； and； after an interval； came out once more；
and held up his hand as before to the air。 This time he waited；
leaning on the balcony rail； and looking out steadily； with all
his attention absorbed by the sea。
〃For a long； long time he never moved。 Then； on a sudden； I saw
him start。 The next moment he sank on his knees； with his clasped
hands resting on the balcony rail。 'God Almighty bless and keep
you； Allan！' he said； fervently。 'Good…by； forever！'
〃I looked out to the sea。 A soft； steady breeze was blowing； and
the rippled surface of the water was sparkling in the quiet
moonlight。 I looked again； and there passed slowly； between me
and the track of the moon； a long black vessel with tall；
shadowy； ghostlike sails； gliding smooth and noiseless through
the water； like a snake。
〃The wind had come fair with the night； and Armadale's yacht had
sailed on the trial cruise。
CHAPTER III。
THE DIARY BROKEN OFF。
〃London； November 19th。I am alone again in the Great City；
alone； for the first time since our marriage。 Nearly a week since
I started on my homeward journey； leaving Midwinter behind me at
Turin。
〃The days have been so full of events since the month began； and
I have been so harassed； in mind and body both； for the greater
part of the time； that my Diary has been wretchedly neglected。 A
few notes； written in such hurry and confusion that I can hardly
understand them myself； are all that I possess to remind me of
what has happened since the night when Armadale's yacht left
Naples。 Let me try if I can set this right without more loss or
time； let me try if I can recall the circumstances in their order
as they have followed each other from the beginning of the month。
〃On the 3d of Novemberbeing then still at NaplesMidwinter
received a hurried letter from Armadale； date 'Messina。' 'The
weather；' he said； 'had been lovely； and the yacht had made one
of the quickest passages on record。 The crew were rather a rough
set to look at； but Captain Manuel and his English mate' （the
latter described as 'the best of good fellows'） 'managed them
admirably。' After this prosperous beginning； Armadale had
arranged； as a matter of course； to prolong the cruise； and； at
the sailing…master's suggestion； he had decided to visit some of
the ports in the Adriatic； which the captain had described as
full of character； and well worth seeing。
〃A postscript followed； explaining that Armadale had written in a
hurry to catch the steamer to Naples； and that he had opened his
letter again； before sending it off； to add something that he had
forgotten。 On the day before the yacht sailed； he had been at the
banker's to get 'a few hundreds in gold； ' and he believed he had
left his cigar…case there。 It was an old friend of his； and he
begged that Midwinter would oblige him by endeavoring to recover
it； and keeping it for him till they met again。
〃That was the substance of the letter。
〃I thought over it carefully when Midwinter had left me alone
again； after reading it。 My idea was then （and is still） that
Manuel had not persuaded Armadale to cruise in a sea like the
Adriatic； so much less frequented by ships than the
Mediterranean； for nothing。 The terms； too； in which the trifling
loss of the cigar…case was mentioned struck me as being equally
suggestive of what was coming。 I concluded that Armadale's
circular notes had not been transformed into those 'few hundreds
in gold' through any forethought or business knowledge of his
own。 Manuel's influence； I suspected； had been exerted in this
matter also； and once more not without reason。 At intervals
through the wakeful night these considerations came back again
and again to me； and time after time they pointed obstinately （