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！
and again to me； and time after time they pointed obstinately （so
far as my next movements were concerned） in one and the same
waythe way back to England。
〃How to get there； and especially how to get there unaccompanied
by Midwinter； was more than I had wit enough to discover that
night。 I tried and tried to meet the difficulty； and fell asleep
exhausted toward the morning without having met it。
〃Some hours later； as soon as I was dressed； Midwinter came in；
with news received by that morning's post from his employers in
London。 The proprietors of the newspaper had received from the
editor so favorable a report of his correspondence from Naples
that they had determined on advancing him to a place of greater
responsibility and greater emolument at Turin。 His instructions
were inclosed in the letter； and he was requested to lose no time
in leaving Naples for his new post。
〃On hearing this； I relieved his mind； before he could put the
question； of all anxiety about my willingness to remove。 Turin
had the great attraction； in my eyes； of being on the road to
England。 I assured him at once that I was ready to travel as soon
as he pleased。
〃He thanked me for suiting myself to his plans； with more of his
old gentleness and kindness than I had seen in him for some time
past。 The good news from Armadale on the previous day seemed to
have roused him a little from the dull despair in which he had
been sunk since the sailing of the yacht。 And now the prospect of
advancement in his profession； and； more than that； the prospect
of leaving the fatal place in which the Third Vision of the Dream
had come true； had （as he owned himself） additionally cheered and
relieved him。 He asked； before he went away to make the
arrangements for our journey； whether I expected to hear from my
'family' in England； and whether he should give instructions for
the forwarding of my letters with his own to the _poste restante_
at Turin。 I instantly thanked him； and accepted the offer。 His
proposal had suggested to me； the moment he made it； that my
fictitious 'family circumstances' might be turned to good account
once more； as a reason for unexpectedly summoning me from Italy
to England。
〃On the ninth of the month we were installed at Turin。
〃On the thirteenth； Midwinterbeing then very busyasked if I
would save him a loss of time by applying for any letters which
might have followed us from Naples。 I had been waiting for the
opportunity he now offered me； and I determined to snatch at it
without allowing myself time to hesitate。 There were no letters
at the _poste restante_ for either of us。 But when he put the
question on my return； I told him that there had been a letter
for me； with alarming news from 'home。' My 'mother' was
dangerously ill； and I was entreated to lose no time in hurrying
back to England to see her。
〃It seems quite unaccountablenow that I am away from himbut
it is none the less true； that I could not； even yet； tell him a
downright premeditated falsehood； without a sense of shrinking
and shame； which other people would think； and which I think
myself； utterly inconsistent with such a character as mine。
Inconsistent or not； I felt it。 And what is strangerperhaps I
ought to say madderstill； if he had persisted in his first
resolution to accompany me himself to England rather than allow
me to travel alone； I firmly believe I should have turned my back
on temptation for the second time； and have lulled myself to rest
once more in the old dream of living out my life happy and
harmless in my husband's love。
〃Am I deceiving myself in this？ It doesn't matterI dare say I
am。 Never mind what _might_ have happened。 What _did_ happen is
the only thing of any importance now。
〃It ended in Midwinter's letting me persuade him that I was old
enough to take care of myself on the journey to England； and that
he owed it to the newspaper people； who had trusted their
interests in his hands； not to leave Turin just as he was
established there。 He didn't suffer at taking leave of me as he
suffered when he saw the last of his friend。 I saw that； and set
down the anxiety he expressed that I should write to him at its
proper value。 I have quite got over my weakness for him at last。
No man who really loved me would have put what he owed to a peck
of newspaper people before what he owed to his wife。 I hate him
for letting me convince him！ I believe he was glad to get rid of
me。 I believe he has seen some woman whom he likes at Turin。
Well； let him follow his new fancy； if he pleases！ I shall be the
widow of Mr。 Armadale of Thorpe Ambrose before long； and what
will his likes or dislikes matter to me then？
〃The events on the journey were not worth mentioning； and my
arrival in London stands recorded already on the top of the new
page。
〃As for to…day； the one thing of any importance that I have done
since I got to the cheap and quiet hotel at which I am now
staying； has been to send for the landlord； and ask him to help
me to a sight of the back numbers of _The Times_ newspaper。 He
has politely offered to accompany me himself to…morrow morning to
some place in the City where all the papers are kept； as he calls
it； in file。 Till to…morrow； then； I must control my impatience
for news of Armadale as well as I can。 And so good…night to the
pretty reflection of myself that appears in these pages！
〃November 20th。Not a word of news yet； either in the obituary
column or in any other part of the paper。 I looked carefully
through each number in succession； dating from the day when
Armadale's letter was written at Messina to this present 20th of
the month； and I am certain； whatever may have happened； that
nothing is known in England as yet。 Patience！ The newspaper is to
meet me at the breakfast…table every morning till further notice；
and any day now may show me what I most want to see。
〃November 21st。No news again。 I wrote to Midwinter to…day； to
keep up appearances。
〃When the letter was done； I fell into wretchedly low spiritsI
can't imagine whyand felt such a longing for a little company
that； in despair of knowing where else to go； I actually went to
Pimlico； on the chance that Mother Oldershaw might have returned
to her old quarters。
〃There were changes since I had seen the place during my former
stay in London。 Doctor Downward's side of the house was still
empty。 But the shop was being brightened up for the occupation of
a milliner and dress…maker。 The people； when I went in to make
inquiries； were all strangers to me。 They showed； however； no
hesitation in giving me Mrs。 Oldershaw's address when I asked for
itfrom which I infer that the little 'difficulty' which forced
her to be in hiding in August last is at an end； so far as she is
concerned。 As for the doctor； the people at the shop either were；
or pretended to be； quite unable to tell me what had become of
him。
〃I don't know whether it was the sight of the place at Pimlico
that sickened me； or whether it was my own perversity； or what。
But now that I had got Mrs。 Oldershaw's address； I felt as if she
was the very last person in the world that I wanted to see。 I
took a cab；