下载辰思小说免费APP
“FairweatherValeprovedtobeanewneighborhood，situatedbelowthehighgroundofHampstead，onthesouthernside。Thedaywasovercast，andtheplacelookedverydreary。Weapproacheditbyanewroadrunningbetweentrees，whichmightoncehavebeentheparkavenueofacountryhouse。Attheendwecameuponawildernessofopenground，withhalf-finishedvillasdottedabout，andahideouslitterofboards，wheelbarrows，andbuildingmaterialsofallsortsscatteredineverydirection。Atonecornerofthissceneofdesolation，stoodagreatovergrowndismalhouse，plasteredwithdrab-coloredstucco，andsurroundedbyanaked，unfinishedgarden，withoutashruboraflowerinit，frightfultobehold。Ontheopenirongatethatledintothisinclosurewasanewbrassplate，with’Sanitarium’inscribedonitingreatblackletters。Thebell，whenthecabmanrangit，pealedthroughtheemptyhouselikeaknell;andthepallid，witheredoldman-servantinblackwhoansweredthedoorlookedasifhehadsteppedupoutofhisgravetoperformthatservice。Heletoutonmeasmellofdampplasterandnewvarnish;andheletinwithmeachillingdraftofthedampNovemberair。Ididn’tnoticeitatthetime，but，writingofitnow，IrememberthatI
shiveredasIcrossedthethreshold。
“Igavemynametotheservantas’Mrs。Armadale，’andwasshownintothewaiting-room。Theveryfireitselfwasdyingofdampinthegrate。Theonlybooksonthetablewerethedoctor’sWorks，insoberdrabcovers;andtheonlyobjectthatornamentedthewallswastheforeignDiploma(handsomelyframedandglazed)，ofwhichthedoctorhadpossessedhimselfbypurchase，alongwiththeforeignname。
“Afteramomentortwo，theproprietoroftheSanitariumcamein，andhelduphishandsincheerfulastonishmentatthesightofme。
“’Ihadn’tanideawho“Mrs。Armadale“was！’hesaid。’Mydearlady，have_you_changedyournametoo？Howslyofyounottotellmewhenwemetthismorning！Comeintomyprivatesnuggery——Ican’tthinkofkeepinganoldanddearfriendlikeyouinthepatients’waiting-room。’
“Thedoctor’sprivatesnuggerywasatthebackofthehouse，lookingoutonfieldsandtrees，doomedbutnotyetdestroyedbythebuilder。Horribleobjectsinbrassandleatherandglass，twistedandturnedasiftheyweresentientthingswrithinginagoniesofpain，filleduponeendoftheroom。Agreatbook-casewithglassdoorsextendedoverthewholeoftheoppositewall，andexhibitedonitsshelveslongrowsofglassjars，inwhichshapelessdeadcreaturesofadullwhitecolorfloatedinyellowliquid。Abovethefireplacehungacollectionofphotographicportraitsofmenandwomen，inclosedintwolargeframeshangingsidebysidewithaspacebetweenthem。Theleft-handframeillustratedtheeffectsofnervoussufferingasseenintheface;
theright-handframeexhibitedtheravagesofinsanityfromthesamepointofview;whilethespacebetweenwasoccupiedbyanelegantlyilluminatedscroll，bearinginscribedonitthetime-honoredmotto，’PreventionisbetterthanCure。’
“’HereIam，withmygalvanicapparatus，andmypreservedspecimens，andalltherestofit，’saidthedoctor，placingmeinachairbythefireside。’AndthereismySystemmutelyaddressingyoujustaboveyourhead，underaformofexpositionwhichIventuretodescribeasfranknessitself。Thisisnomad-house，mydearlady。Letothermentreatinsanity，iftheylike——_I_stopit！Nopatientsinthehouseasyet。Butweliveinanagewhennervousderangement(parentofinsanity)issteadilyontheincrease;andinduetimethesuffererswillcome。IcanwaitasHarveywaited，asJennerwaited。Andnowdoputyourfeetuponthefender，andtellmeaboutyourself。Youaremarried，ofcourse？Andwhataprettyname！Acceptmybestandmostheart-feltcongratulations。Youhavethetwogreatestblessingsthatcanfalltoawoman’slot;thetwocapitalH’s，asIcallthem——HusbandandHome。’
“Iinterruptedthegenialflowofthedoctor’scongratulationsatthefirstopportunity。
“’Iammarried;butthecircumstancesarebynomeansoftheordinarykind，’Isaid，seriously。Mypresentpositionincludesnoneoftheblessingsthatareusuallysupposedtofalltoawoman’slot。Iamalreadyinasituationofveryseriousdifficulty;andbeforelongImaybeinasituationofveryseriousdangeraswell。’
“Thedoctordrewhischairalittlenearertome，andfellatonceintohisoldprofessionalmannerandhisoldconfidentialtone。
“’Ifyouwishtoconsultme，’hesaid，softly，’youknowthatI
havekeptsomedangeroussecretsinmytime，andyoualsoknowthatIpossesstwovaluablequalitiesasanadviser。Iamnoteasilyshocked;andIcanbeimplicitlytrusted。’
“Ihesitatedevennow，attheeleventhhour，sittingalonewithhiminhisownroom。Itwassostrangetometobetrustingtoanybodybutmyself！Andyet，howcouldIhelptrustinganotherpersoninadifficultywhichturnedonamatteroflaw？
“’Justasyouplease，youknow，’addedthedoctor。’Ineverinviteconfidences。Imerelyreceivethem。’
“Therewasnohelpforit;Ihadcometherenottohesitate，buttospeak。Iriskedit，andspoke。
“’ThematteronwhichIwishtoconsultyou，’Isaid，’isnot(asyouseemtothink)withinyourexperienceasaprofessionalman。ButIbelieveyoumaybeofassistancetome，ifItrustmyselftoyourlargerexperienceasamanoftheworld。IwarnyoubeforehandthatIshallcertainlysurprise，andpossiblyalarm，youbeforeIhavedone。’
“WiththatprefaceIenteredonmystory，tellinghimwhatIhadsettledtotellhim，andnomore。
“Imadenosecret，attheoutset，ofmyintentiontopersonateArmadale’swidow;andImentionedwithoutreserve(knowingthatthedoctorcouldgototheofficeandexaminethewillforhimself)thehandsomeincomethatwouldbesettledonmeintheeventofmysuccess。SomeofthecircumstancesthatfollowednextinsuccessionIthoughtitdesirabletoalterorconceal。I
showedhimthenewspaperaccountofthelossoftheyacht，butI
saidnothingabouteventsatNaples。Iinformedhimoftheexactsimilarityofthetwonames;leavinghimtoimaginethatitwasaccidental。Itoldhim，asanimportantelementinthematter，thatmyhusbandhadkepthisrealnameaprofoundsecretfromeverybodybutmyself;but(topreventanycommunicationbetweenthem)IcarefullyconcealedfromthedoctorwhattheassumednameunderwhichMidwinterhadlivedallhislifereallywas。I
acknowledgedthatIhadleftmyhusbandbehindmeontheContinent;butwhenthedoctorputthequestion，Iallowedhimtoconclude——Icouldn’t，withallmyresolution，tellhimpositively！——thatMidwinterknewofthecontemplatedFraud，andthathewasstayingawaypurposely，soasnottocompromisemebyhispresence。Thisdifficultysmoothedover——or，asIfeelitnow，thisbasenesscommitted——Irevertedtomyself，andcamebackagaintothetruth。OneafteranotherImentionedallthecircumstancesconnectedwithmyprivatemarriage，andwiththemovementsofArmadaleandMidwinter，whichrenderedanydiscoveryofthefalsepersonation(throughtheevidenceofotherpeople)adownrightimpossibility。’Somuch，’Isaid，inconclusion，’fortheobjectinview。Thenextthingistotellyouplainlyofaveryseriousobstaclethatstandsinmyway。’
“Thedoctor，whohadlistenedthusfarwithoutinterruptingme，beggedpermissionheretosayafewwordsonhissidebeforeI
wenton。
“The’fewwords’provedtobeallquestions——clever，searching，suspiciousquestions——whichIwas，however，abletoanswerwithlittleornoreserve，fortheyrelated，inalmosteveryinstance，tothecircumstancesunderwhichIhadbeenmarried，andtothechancesforandagainstmylawfulhusbandifhechosetoasserthisclaimtomeatanyfuturetime。
“Myrepliesinformedthedoctor，inthefirstplace，thatIhadsomanagedmattersatThorpeAmbroseastoproduceageneralimpressionthatArmadaleintendedtomarryme;inthesecondplace，thatmyhusband’searlylifehadnotbeenofakindtoexhibithimfavorablyintheeyesoftheworld;inthethirdplace，thatwehadbeenmarried，withoutanywitnessespresentwhoknewus，atalargeparishchurchinwhichtwoothercoupleshadbeenmarriedthesamemorning，tosaynothingofthedozensondozensofothercouples(confusingallremembranceofusinthemindsoftheofficiatingpeople)whohadbeenmarriedsince。
WhenIhadputthedoctorinpossessionofthesefacts——andwhenhehadfurtherascertainedthatMidwinterandIhadgoneabroadamongstrangersimmediatelyafterleavingthechurch;andthatthemenemployedonboardtheyachtinwhichArmadalehadsailedfromSomersetshire(beforemymarriage)werenowawayinshipsvoyagingtotheotherendoftheworld——hisconfidenceinmyprospectsshoweditselfplainlyinhisface。’SofarasIcansee，’hesaid，’yourhusband’sclaimtoyou(afteryouhavesteppedintotheplaceofthedeadMr。Armadale’swidow)wouldrestonnothingbuthisownbareassertion。And_that_Ithinkyoumaysafelysetatdefiance。Excusemyapparentdistrustofthegentleman。Buttheremightbeamisunderstandingbetweenyouinthefuture，anditishighlydesirabletoascertainbeforehandexactlywhathecouldorcouldnotdounderthosecircumstances。
Andnowthatwehavedonewiththemainobstaclethat_I_seeinthewayofyoursuccess，letusbyallmeanscometotheobstaclethat_you_seenext！’
“Iwaswillingenoughtocometoit。ThetoneinwhichhespokeofMidwinter，thoughImyselfwasresponsibleforit，jarredonmehorribly，androusedforthemomentsomeoftheoldfollyoffeelingwhichIfanciedIhadlaidasleepforever。Irushedatthechanceofchangingthesubject，andmentionedthediscrepancyintheregisterbetweenthehandinwhichMidwinterhadsignedthenameofAllanArmadale，andthehandinwhichArmadaleofThorpeAmbrosehadbeenaccustomedtowritehisname，withaneagernesswhichitquitedivertedthedoctortosee。
“’Is_that_all？’heasked，tomyinfinitesurpriseandrelief，whenIhaddone。’Mydearlady，praysetyourmindatease！IfthelateMr。Armadale’slawyerswantaproofofyourmarriage，theywon’tgotothechurch-registerforit，Icanpromiseyou！’
“’What！’Iexclaimed，inastonishment。’Doyoumeantosaythattheentryintheregisterisnotaproofofmymarriage？’
“’Itisaproof，’saidthedoctor，’thatyouhavebeenmarriedtosomebody。ButitisnoproofthatyouhavebeenmarriedtoMr。
ArmadaleofThorpeAmbrose。JackNokesorTomStyles(excusethehomelinessoftheillustration！)mighthavegotthelicense，andgonetothechurchtobemarriedtoyouunderMr。Armadale’sname;andtheregister(howcoulditdootherwise？)mustinthatcasehaveinnocentlyassistedthedeception。IseeIsurpriseyou。Mydearmadam，whenyouopenedthisinterestingbusinessyousurprised_me_——Imayownitnow——bylayingsomuchstressonthecurioussimilaritybetweenthetwonames。Youmighthaveenteredontheverydaringandromanticenterpriseinwhichyouarenowengaged，withoutnecessarilymarryingyourpresenthusband。Anyothermanwouldhavedonejustaswell，providedhewaswillingtotakeMr。Armadale’snameforthepurpose。’
“Ifeltmytempergoingatthis。’Anyothermanwould_not_havedonejustaswell，’Irejoined，instantly。’Butforthesimilarityofthenames，Ishouldneverhavethoughtoftheenterpriseatall。’
“Thedoctoradmittedthathehadspokentoohastily。’Thatpersonalviewofthesubjecthad，Iconfess，escapedme，’hesaid。’However，letusgetbacktothematterinhand。InthecourseofwhatImaytermanadventurousmedicallife，Ihavebeenbroughtmorethanonceintocontactwiththegentlemenofthelaw，andhavehadopportunitiesofobservingtheirproceedingsincasesof，letussay，DomesticJurisprudence。IamquitesureIamcorrectininformingyouthattheproofwhichwillberequiredbyMr。Armadale’srepresentativeswillbetheevidenceofawitnesspresentatthemarriagewhocanspeaktotheidentityofthebrideandbridegroomfromhisownpersonalknowledge。’
“’ButIhavealreadytoldyou，’Isaid，’thattherewasnosuchpersonpresent。’
“’Precisely，’rejoinedthedoctor。’Inthatcase，whatyounowwant，beforeyoucansafelystirastepinthematter，is——ifyouwillpardonmetheexpression——aready-madewitness，possessedofraremoralandpersonalresources，whocanbetrustedtoassumethenecessarycharacter，andtomakethenecessaryDeclarationbeforeamagistrate。Doyouknowofanysuchperson？’askedthedoctor，throwinghimselfbackinhischair，andlookingatmewiththeutmostinnocence。
“’IonlyknowYou，’Isaid。
“Thedoctorlaughedsoftly。’Solikeawoman！’heremarked，withthemostexasperatinggoodhumor。’Themomentsheseesherobject，shedashesatitheadlongthenearestway。Oh，thesex！
thesex！’
“’Nevermindthesex！’Ibrokeout，impatiently。’Iwantaseriousanswer——YesorNo？’
“Thedoctorrose，andwavedhishandwithgreatgravityanddignityallroundtheroom。’Youseethisvastestablishment，’hebegan;’youcanpossiblyestimatetosomeextenttheimmensestakeIhaveinitsprosperityandsuccess。YourexcellentnaturalsensewilltellyouthatthePrincipalofthisSanitariummustbeamanofthemostunblemishedcharacter——’
“’Whywastesomanywords，’Isaid，’whenonewordwilldo？YoumeanNo！’
“ThePrincipaloftheSanitariumsuddenlyrelapsedintothecharacterofmyconfidentialfriend。
“’Mydearlady，’hesaid，’itisn’tYes，anditisn’tNo，atamoment’snotice。Givemetillto-morrowafternoon。BythattimeI
engagetobereadytodooneoftwothings——eithertowithdrawmyselffromthisbusinessatonce，ortogointoitwithyouheartandsoul。Doyouagreetothat？Verygood;wemaydropthesubject，then，tillto-morrow。WherecanIcallonyouwhenI
havedecidedwhattodo？’
“Therewasnoobjectiontomytrustinghimwithmyaddressatthehotel。Ihadtakencaretopresentmyselfthereas’Mrs。
Armadale’;andIhadgivenMidwinteranaddressattheneighboringpost-officetowritetowhenheansweredmyletters。
Wesettledthehouratwhichthedoctorwastocallonme;and，thatmatterarranged，Irosetogo，resistingalloffersofrefreshment，andallproposalstoshowmeoverthehouse。Hissmoothpersistenceinkeepingupappearancesafterwehadthoroughlyunderstoodeachotherdisgustedme。IgotawayfromhimassoonasIcould，andcamebacktomydiaryandmyownroom。
“Weshallseehowitendsto-morrow。MyownideaisthatmyconfidentialfriendwillsayYes。
“November24th——ThedoctorhassaidYes，asIsupposed;butontermswhichIneveranticipated。TheconditiononwhichIhavesecuredhisservicesamountstonothinglessthanthepaymenttohim，onmysteppingintotheplaceofArmadale’swidow，ofhalfmyfirstyear’sincome——inotherwords，sixhundredpounds！
“IprotestedagainstthisextortionatedemandineverywayI
couldthinkof。Alltonopurpose。Thedoctormetmewiththemostengagingfrankness。Nothing，hesaid，buttheaccidentalembarrassmentofhispositionatthepresenttimewouldhaveinducedhimtomixhimselfupinthematteratall。Hewouldhonestlyconfessthathehadexhaustedhisownresources，andtheresourcesofotherpersonswhomhedescribedashis’backers，’inthepurchaseandcompletionoftheSanitarium。Underthosecircumstances，sixhundredpoundsinprospectwasanobjecttohim。Forthatsumhewouldruntheseriousriskofadvisingandassistingme。Notafarthinglesswouldtempthim;andthereheleftit，withhisbestandfriendliestwishes，inmyhands！
“Itendedintheonlywayinwhichitcouldend。Ihadnochoicebuttoaccepttheterms，andtoletthedoctorsettlethingsonthespotashepleased。Thearrangementoncemadebetweenus，I
mustdohimthejusticetosaythatheshowednodispositiontoletthegrassgrowunderhisfeet。Hecalledbrisklyforpen，inkandpaper，andsuggestedopeningthecampaignatThorpeAmbrosebyto-night’spost。
“WeagreedonaformofletterwhichIwrote，andwhichhecopiedonthespot。Ienteredintonoparticularsatstarting。IsimplyassertedthatIwasthewidowofthedeceasedMr。Armadale;thatIhadbeenprivatelymarriedtohim;thatIhadreturnedtoEnglandonhissailingintheyachtfromNaples;andthatI
beggedtoincloseacopyofmymarriagecertificate，asamatterofformwithwhichIpresumeditwascustomarytocomply。Theletterwasaddressedto’TheRepresentativesofthelateAllanArmadale，Esq。，ThorpeAmbrose，Norfolk。’Andthedoctorhimselfcarrieditaway，andputitinthepost。
“IamnotsoexcitedandsoimpatientforresultsasIexpectedtobe，nowthatthefirststepistaken。ThethoughtofMidwinterhauntsmelikeaghost。Ihavebeenwritingtohimagain——asbefore，tokeepupappearances。Itwillbemylastletter，I
think。Mycouragefeelsshaken，myspiritsgetdepressed，whenmythoughtsgobacktoTurin。IamnomorecapableoffacingtheconsiderationofMidwinteratthismomentthanIwasintheby-gonetime，Thedayofreckoningwithhim，oncedistantanddoubtful，isadaythatmaycometomenow，Iknownothowsoon。
AndhereIam，trustingmyselfblindlytothechapterofAccidentsstill！
“November25th——Attwoo’clockto-daythedoctorcalledagainbyappointment。Hehasbeentohislawyers(ofcoursewithouttakingthemintoourconfidence)toputthecasesimplyofprovingmymarriage。Theresultconfirmswhathehasalreadytoldme。Thepivotonwhichthewholematterwillturn，ifmyclaimisdisputed，willbethequestionofidentity;anditmaybenecessaryforthewitnesstomakehisDeclarationinthemagistrate’spresencebeforetheweekisout。
“Inthispositionofaffairs，thedoctorthinksitimportantthatweshouldbewithineasyreachofeachother，andproposestofindaquietlodgingformeinhisneighborhood。Iamquitewillingtogoanywhere;for，amongtheotherstrangefanciesthathavegotpossessionofme，IhaveanideathatIshallfeelmorecompletelylosttoMidwinterifImoveoutoftheneighborhoodinwhichhislettersareaddressedtome。IwasawakeandthinkingofhimagainlastnightThismorningIhavefinallydecidedtowritetohimnomore。
“Afterstayinghalfanhour，thedoctorleftme，havingfirstinquiredwhetherIwouldliketoaccompanyhimtoHampsteadtolookforlodgings。IinformedhimthatIhadsomebusinessofmyownwhichwouldkeepmeinLondon。Heinquiredwhatthebusinesswas。’Youwillsee，’Isaid，’to-morrowornextday。’
“Ihadamoment’snervoustremblingwhenIwasbymyselfagain。
MybusinessinLondon，besidesbeingaseriousbusinessinawoman’seyes，tookmymindbacktoMidwinterinspiteofme。Theprospectofremovingtomynewlodginghadremindedmeofthenecessityofdressinginmynewcharacter。Thetimehadcomenowforgetting_mywidow’sweeds。_
“Myfirstproceeding，afterputtingmybonneton，wastoprovidemyselfwithmoney。IgotwhatIwantedtofitmeoutforthecharacterofArmadale’swidowbynothinglessthanthesaleofArmadale’sownpresenttomeonmymarriage——therubyring！ItprovedtobeamorevaluablejewelthanIhadsupposed。Iamlikelytobesparedallmoneyanxietiesforsometimetocome。
“Onleavingthejeweler’s，IwenttothegreatmourningshopinRegentStreet。Infour-and-twentyhours(ifIcangivethemnomore)theyhaveengagedtodressmeinmywidow’scostumefromheadtofoot。IhadanotherfeverishmomentwhenIlefttheshop;
and，bywayoffurtherexcitementonthisagitatingday，Ifoundasurpriseinstoreformeonmyreturntothehotel。Anelderlygentlemanwasannouncedtobewaitingtoseeme。Iopenedmysitting-roomdoor，andtherewasoldBashwood！
“Hehadgotmyletterthatmorning，andhadstartedforLondonbythenexttraintoansweritinperson。Ihadexpectedagreatdealfromhim，butIhadcertainlynotexpected_that。_Itflatteredme。Forthemoment，Ideclareitflatteredme！
“Ipassoverthewretchedoldcreature’srapturesandreproaches，andgroansandtears，andwearylongprosingsaboutthelonelymonthshehadpassedatThorpeAmbrose，broodingovermydesertionofhim。Hewasquiteeloquentattimes;butIdon’twanthiseloquencehere。ItisneedlesstosaythatIputmyselfrightwithhim，andconsultedhisfeelingsbeforeIaskedhimforhisnews。Whatablessingawoman’svanityissometimes！Ialmostforgotmyrisksandresponsibilitiesinmyanxietiestobecharming。ForaminuteortwoIfeltawarmlittleflutteroftriumph。Anditwasatriumph——evenwithanoldman！InaquarterofanhourIhadhimsmirkingandsmiling，hangingonmylightestwordsinanecstasy，andansweringallthequestionsIputtohimlikeagoodlitt
