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resignedly。
〃Have I identified the shadows with their living originals？〃
〃You have identified them to your own satisfaction； and to my
friend's satisfaction。 Not to mine。〃
〃Not to yours？ Can _you_ identify them？〃
〃No。 I can only wait till the living originals stand revealed in
the future。〃
〃Spoken like an oracle； Mr。 Midwinter！ Have you any idea at
present of who those living originals may be？〃
〃I have。 I believe that coming events will identify the Shadow of
the Woman with a person whom my friend has not met with yet； and
the Shadow of the Man with myself。〃
Allan attempted to speak。 The doctor stopped him。 〃Let us clearly
understand this；〃 he said to Midwinter。 〃Leaving your own case
out of the question for the moment； may I ask how a shadow； which
has no distinguishing mark about it； is to be identified with a
living woman whom your friend doesn't know？〃
Midwinter's color rose a little。 He began to feel the lash of the
doctor's logic。
〃The landscape picture of the dream has its distinguishing
marks；〃 he replied； 〃and in that landscape the living woma n will
appear when the living woman is first seen。〃
〃The same thing will happen； I suppose；〃 pursued the doctor；
〃with the man…shadow which you persist in identifying with
yourself。 You will be associated in the future with a statue
broken in your friend's presence； with a long window looking out
on a garden； and with a shower of rain pattering against the
glass？ Do you say that？〃
〃I say that。〃
〃And so again； I presume； with the next vision？ You and the
mysterious woman will be brought together in some place now
unknown； and will present to Mr。 Armadale some liquid yet
unnamed； which will turn him faint？Do you seriously tell me you
believe this？〃
〃I seriously tell you I believe it。〃
〃And； according to your view； these fulfillments of the dream
will mark the progress of certain coming events； in which Mr。
Armadale's happiness； or Mr。 Armadale's safety； will be
dangerously involved？〃
〃That is my firm conviction。〃
The doctor rose； laid aside his moral dissecting…knife；
considered for a moment； and took it up again。
〃One last question；〃 he said。 〃Have you any reason to give for
going out of your way to adopt such a mystical view as this； when
an unanswerably rational explanation of the dream lies straight
before you？〃
〃No reason；〃 replied Midwinter； 〃that I can give； either to you
or to my friend。〃
The doctor looked at his watch with the air of a man who is
suddenly reminded that he has been wasting his time。
〃We have no common ground to start from；〃 he said； 〃and if we
talk till doomsday； we should not agree。 Excuse my leaving you
rather abruptly。 It is later than I thought； and my morning's
batch of sick people are waiting for me in the surgery。 I have
convinced _your_ mind； Mr。 Armadale； at any rate； so the time we
have given to this discussion has not been altogether lost。 Pray
stop here； and smoke your cigar。 I shall be at your service again
in less than an hour。〃 He nodded cordially to Allan； bowed
formally to Midwinter； and quitted the room。
As soon as the doctor's back was turned； Allan left his place at
the table； and appealed to his friend； with that irresistible
heartiness of manner which had always found its way to
Midwinter's sympathies； from the first day when they met at the
Somersetshire inn。
〃Now the sparring…match between you and the doctor is over；〃 said
Allan； 〃I have got two words to say on my side。 Will you do
something for my sake which you won't do for your own？〃
Midwinter's face brightened instantly。 〃I will do anything you
ask me；〃 he said。
〃Very well。 Will you let the subject of the dream drop out of our
talk altogether from this time forth？〃
〃Yes； if you wish it。〃
〃Will you go a step further？ Will you leave off thinking about
the dream？〃
〃It's hard to leave off thinking about it； Allan。 But I will
try。〃
〃That's a good fellow！ Now give me that trumpery bit of paper；
and let's tear it up； and have done with it。〃
He tried to snatch the manuscript out of his friend's hand； but
Midwinter was too quick for him； and kept it beyond his reach。
〃Come！ come！〃 pleaded Allan。 〃I've set my heart on lighting my
cigar with it。〃
Midwinter hesitated painfully。 It was hard to resist Allan； but
he did resist him。 〃I'll wait a little；〃 he said； 〃before you
light your cigar with it。〃
〃How long？ Till to…morrow？〃
〃Longer。〃
〃Till we leave the Isle of Man？〃
〃Longer。〃
〃Hang itgive me a plain answer to a plain question！ How long
_will_ you wait？〃
Midwinter carefully restored the paper to its place in his
pocketbook。
〃I'll wait；〃 he said； 〃till we get to Thorpe Ambrose。〃
THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK。
…
BOOK THE SECOND
CHAPTER I。
LURKING MISCHIEF。
1。 _From Ozias Midwinter to Mr。 Brock。_
〃Thorpe Ambrose； June 15； 1851。
〃DEAR MR。 BROCKOnly an hour since we reached this house； just
as the servants were locking up for the night。 Allan has gone to
bed； worn out by our long day's journey； and has left me in the
room they call the library； to tell you the story of our journey
to Norfolk。 Being better seasoned than he is to fatigues of all
kinds； my eyes are quite wakeful enough for writing a letter；
though the clock on the chimney…piece points to midnight； and we
have been traveling since ten in the morning。
〃The last news you had of us was news sent by Allan from the Isle
of Man。 If I am not mistaken； he wrote to tell you of the night
we passed on board the wrecked ship。 Forgive me； dear Mr。 Brock；
if I say nothing on that subject until time has helped me to
think of it with a quieter mind。 The hard fight against myself
must all be fought over again； but I will win it yet； please God；
I will； indeed。
〃There is no need to trouble you with any account of our
journeyings about the northern and western districts of the
island； or of the short cruises we took when the repairs of the
yacht were at last complete。 It will be better if I get on at
once to the morning of yesterday； the fourteenth。 We had come in
with the night…tide to Douglas Harbor； and； as soon as the
post…office was open； Allan； by my advice； sent on shore for
letters。 The messenger returned with one letter only； and the
writer of it proved to be the former mistress of Thorpe
AmbroseMrs。 Blanchard。
〃You ought to be informed； I think； of the contents of this
letter； for it has seriously influenced Allan's plans。 He loses
everything； sooner or later； as you know； and he has lost the
letter already。 So I must give you the substance of what Mrs。
Blanchard wrote to him； as plainly as I can。
〃The first page announced the departure of the ladies from Thorpe
Ambrose。 They left on the day before yesterday； the thirteenth；
having； after much hesitation； finally decided on going abroad；
to visit some old friends settled in Italy； in the neighborhood
of Florence。 It appears to be quite possible that Mrs。 Blanchard
and her niece may settle there； too； if they can find a suitable
house and grounds to let。 They both like the Italian country and
the Italian people； and they are well enoug