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！
knowas I did knowthat the first sense I had ever felt of
something better in my nature than my animal self was roused by
that girl's face looking at me from her picture as no woman's
face had ever looked at me yet。 In those tender eyesin the
chance of making that gentle creature my wifeI saw my destiny
written。 The portrait which had come into my hands so strangely
and so unexpectedly was the silent messenger of happiness close
at hand； sent to warn； to encourage； to rouse me before it was
too late。 I put the miniature under my pillow at night； I looked
at it again the next morning。 My conviction of the day before
remained as strong as ever； my superstition （if you please to
call it so） pointed out to me irresistibly the way on which I
should go。 There was a ship in port which was to sail for England
in a fortnight； touching at Madeira。 In that ship I took
my passage。〃
Thus far the reader had advanced with no interruption to disturb
him。 But at the last words the tones of another voice； low and
broken； mingled with his own。
〃Was she a fair woman；〃 asked the voice； 〃or dark； like me？〃
Mr。 Neal paused； and looked up。 The doctor was still at the bed
head； with his fingers mechanically on the patient's pulse。 The
child； missing his midday sleep； was beginning to play languidly
with his new toy。 The father's eyes were watching him with a rapt
and ceaseless attention。 But one great change was visible in the
listeners since the narrative had begun。 Mrs。 Armadale had
dropped her hold of her husband's hand； and sat with her face
steadily turned away from him The hot African blood burned red in
her dusky cheeks as she obstinately repeated the question： 〃Was
she a fair woman； or dark； like me？〃
〃Fair；〃 said her husband； without looking at her。
Her hands； lying clasped together in her lap； wrung each other
hardshe said no more。 Mr。 Neal's overhanging eyebrows lowered
ominously as he returned to the narrative。 He had incurred his
own severe displeasurehe had caught himself in the act of
secretly pitying her。
〃I have said〃the letter proceeded〃that Ingleby was admitted
to my closest confidence。 I was sorry to leave him； and I was
distressed by his evident surprise and mortification when he
heard that I was going away。 In my own justification； I showed
him the letter and the likeness； and told him the truth。 His
interest in the portrait seemed to be hardly inferior to my own。
He asked me about Miss Blanchard's family and Miss Blanchard's
fortune with the sympathy of a true friend； and he strengthened
my regard for him； and my belief in him； by putting himself out
of the question； and by generously encouraging me to persist in
my new purpose。 When we parted； I was in high health and spirits。
Before we met again the next day； I was suddenly struck by an
illness which threatened both my reason and my life。
〃I have no proof against Ingleby。 There was more than one woman
on the island whom I had wronged beyond all forgiveness； and
whose vengeance might well have reached me at that time。 I can
accuse nobody。 I can only say that my life was saved by my old
black nurse； and that the woman afterward acknowledged having
used the known negro antidote to a known negro poison in those
parts。 When my first days of convalescence came； the ship in
which my passage had been taken had long since sailed。 When I
asked for Ingleby； he was gone。 Proofs of his unpardonable
misconduct in his situation were placed before me； which not even
my partiality for him could resist。 He had been turned out of the
office in the first days of my illness； and nothing more was
known of him but that he had left the island。
〃All through my sufferings the portrait had been under my pillow。
All through my convalescence it was my one consolation when I
remembered the past； and my one encouragement when I thought of
the future。 No words can describe the hold that first fancy had
now taken of mewith time and solitude and suffering to help it。
My mother； with all her interest in the match； was startled by
the unexpected success of her own project。 She had written to
tell Mr。 Blanchard of my illness； but had received no reply。 She
now offered to write again； if I would promise not to leave her
before my recovery was complete。 My impatience acknowledged no
restraint。 Another ship in port gave me another chance of leaving
for Madeira。 Another examination of Mr。 Blanchard's letter of
invitation assured me that I should find him still in the island；
if I seized my opportunity on the spot。 In defiance of my
mother's entreaties； I insisted on taking my passage in the
second shipand this time； when the ship sailed； I was on board。
〃The change did me good； the sea…air made a man of me again。
After an unusually rapid voyage； I found myself at the end of my
pilgrimage。 On a fine； still evening which I can never forget； I
stood alone on the shore； with her likeness in my bosom； and saw
the white walls of the house where I knew that she lived。
〃I strolled round the outer limits of the grounds to compose
myself before I went in。 Venturing through a gate and a
shrubbery； I looked into the garden； and saw a lady there；
loitering alone on the lawn。 She turned her face toward meand I
beheld the original of my portrait； the fulfillment of my dream！
It is useless； and worse than useless； to write of it now。 Let me
only say that every promise which the likeness had made to my
fancy the living woman kept to my eyes in the moment when they
first looked on her。 Let me say thisand no more。
〃I was too violently agitated to trust myself in her presence。 I
drew back undiscovered； and； making my way to the front door of
the house； asked for her father first。 Mr。 Blanchard had retired
to his room； and could see nobody。 Upon that I took courage； and
asked for Miss Blanchard。 The servant smiled。 'My young lady is
not Miss Blanchard any longer； sir；' he said。 'She is married。'
Those words would have struck some men； in my position； to the
earth。 They fired my hot blood； and I seized the servant by the
throat； in a frenzy of rage 'It's a lie！' I broke out； speaking
to him as if he had been one of the slaves on my own estate。
'It's the truth；' said the man； struggling with me； 'her husband
is in the house at this moment。' 'Who is he； you scoundrel？' The
servant answered by repeating my own name； to my own face：
'_Allan Armadale。_'
〃You can now guess the truth。 Fergus Ingleby was the outlawed son
whose name and whose inheritance I had taken。 And Fergus Ingleby
was even with me for depriving him of his birthright。
〃Some account of the manner in which the deception had been
carried out is necessary to explainI don't say to justifythe
share I took in the events that followed my arrival at Madeira。
〃By Ingleby's own confession； he had come to Barbadoesknowing
of his father's death and of my succession to the estateswith
the settled purpose of plundering and injuring me。 My rash
confidence put such an opportunity into his hands as he could
never have hoped for。 He had waited to possess himself of the
letter which my mother wrote to Mr。 Blanchard at the outset of my
illnesshad then cau