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！
little now。 The one atonement I can make for all the wrong I have
done you is the atonement of my death。 It is not hard for me to
die； now I know you will live。 Even my wickedness has one
meritit has not prospered。 I have never been a happy woman。〃
She folded the letter again； and put it into his hand； to attract
his attention in that way when he came to himself。 As she gently
closed his fingers on the paper and looked up； the last minute of
the last interval faced her； recorded on the clock。
She bent over him； and gave him her farewell kiss。
〃Live； my angel； live！〃 she murmured； tenderly； with her lips
just touching his。 〃All your life is before youa happy life；
and an honored life； if you are freed from _me！_〃
With a last； lingering tenderness； she parted the hair back from
his forehead。 〃It is no merit to have loved you；〃 she said。 〃You
are one of the men whom women all like。〃 She sighed and left him。
It was her last weakness。 She bent her head affirmatively to the
clock； as if it had been a living creature speaking to her； and
fed the funnel for the last time； to the last drop left in the
Flask。
The waning moon shone in faintly at the window。 With her hand on
the door of the room； she turned and looked at the light that was
slowly fading out of the murky sky。
〃Oh； God； forgive me！〃 she said。 〃Oh； Christ； bear witness that I
have suffered！〃
One moment more she lingered on the threshold； lingered for her
last look in this world and turned that look on _him。_
〃Good…by！〃 she said； softly。
The door of the room opened； and closed on her。 There was an
interval of silence。
Then a sound came dull and sudden； like the sound of a fall。
Then there was silence again。
* * * * *
The hands of the clock； following their steady course； reckoned
the minutes of the morning as one by one they lapsed away。 It was
the tenth minute since the door of the room had opened and closed
； before Midwinter stirred on his pillow； and； struggling to
raise himself； felt the letter in his hand。
At the same moment a key was turned in the staircase door。 And
the doctor； looking expectantly toward the fatal room； saw the
Purple Flask on the window…sill； and the prostrate man trying to
raise himself from the floor。
EPILOGUE。
CHAPTER I。
NEWS FROM NORFOLK。
_From Mr。 Pedgift； Senior （Thorpe Ambrose）； to Mr。 Pedgift；
Junior （Paris）。_
〃High Street； December 20th。
〃MY DEAR AUGUSTUSYour letter reached me yesterday。 You seem to
be making the most of your youth （as you call it） with a
vengeance。 Well！ enjoy your holiday。 I made the most of my youth
when I was your age； and； wonderful to relate； I haven't
forgotten it yet！
〃You ask me for a good budget of news； and especially for more
information about that mysterious business at the Sanitarium。
〃Curiosity； my dear boy； is a quality which （in our profession
especially） sometimes leads to great results。 I doubt； however；
if you will find it leading to much on this occasion。 All I know
of the mystery of the Sanitarium； I know from Mr。 Armadale： and
he is entirely in the dark on more than one point of importance。
I have already told you how they were entrapped into the house；
and how they passed the night there。 To this I can now add that
something did certainly happen to Mr。 Midwinter； which deprived
him of consciousness； and that the doctor； who appears to have
been mixed up in the matter； carried things with a high hand； and
insisted on taking his own course in his own Sanitarium。 There is
not the least doubt that the miserable woman （however she might
have come by her death） was found deadthat a coroner's inquest
inquired into the circumstancesthat the evidence showed her to
have entered the house as a patientand that the medical
investigation ended in discovering that she had died of apoplexy。
My idea is that Mr。 Midwinter had a motive of his own for not
coming forward with the evidence that he might have given。 I have
also reason to suspect that Mr。 Armadale； out of regard for him；
followed his lead； and that the verdict at the inquest （attaching
no blame to anybody） proceeded； like many other verdicts of the
same kind； from an entirely superficial investigation of the
circumstances。
〃The key to the whole mystery is to be found； I firmly believe；
in that wretched woman's attempt to personate the character of
Mr。 Armadale's widow when the news of his death appeared in the
papers。 But what first set her on this； and by what inconceivable
process of deception she can have induced Mr。 Midwinter to marry
her （as the certificate proves） under Mr。 Armadale's name； is
more than Mr。 Armadale himself knows。 The point was not touched
at the inquest； for the simple reason that the inquest only
concerned itself with the circumstances attending her death。 Mr。
Armadale； at his friend's request； saw Miss Blanchard； and
induced her to silence old Darch on the subject of the claim that
had been made relating to the widow's income。 As the claim had
never been admitted； even our stiff…necked brother practitioner
consented for once to do as he was asked。 The doctor's statement
that his patient was the widow of a gentleman named Armadale was
accordingly left unchallenged； and so the matter has been hushed
up。 She is buried in the great cemetery； near the place where she
died。 Nobody but Mr。 Midwinter and Mr。 Armadale （who insisted on
going with him） followed her to the grave； and nothing has been
inscribed on the tombstone but the initial letter of her
Christian name and the date of her death。 So； after all the harm
she has done； she rests at last； and so the two men whom she has
injured have forgiven her。
〃Is there more to say on this subject before we leave it？ On
referring to your letter； I find you have raised one other point；
which may be worth a moment's notice。
〃You ask if there is reason to suppose that the doctor comes out
of the matter with hands which are really as clean as they look？
My dear Augustus； I believe the doctor to have been at the bottom
of more of this mischief than we shall ever find out； and to have
profited by the self…imposed silence of Mr。 Midwinter and Mr。
Armadale； as rogues perpetually profit by the misfortunes and
necessities of honest men。 It is an ascertained fact that he
connived at the false statement about Miss Milroy； which
entrapped the two gentlemen into his house； and that one
circumstance （after my Old Bailey experience） is enough for _me。_
As to evidence against him； there is not a jot； and as to
Retribution overtaking him； I can only say I heartily hope
Retribution may prove； in the long run； to be the more cunning
customer of the two。 There is not much prospect of it at present。
The doctor's friends and admirers are； I understand； about to
present him with a Testimonial； 'expressive of their sympathy
under the sad occurrence which has thrown a cloud over the
opening of his Sanitarium； and of their undiminished confidence
in his integrity and ability as a medical man。' We live；
Augustus； in an age eminently favorable to the growth of all
roguery which is careful enough to keep up appearances。 In