armadale-第6部分

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proxy。　Mr。　Armadale　had　never　seen　his　West　Indian　property。　He
lived　in　England；　and；　after　sending　me　the　customary　godfather's
present；　he　held　no　further　communication　with　my　parents　for
years　afterward。　I　was　just　twenty…one　before　we　heard　again　from
Mr。　Armadale。　On　that　occasion　my　mother　received　a　letter　from
him　asking　if　I　was　still　alive；　and　offering　no　less　（if　I　was）
than　to　make　me　the　heir　to　his　West　Indian　property。

〃This　piece　of　good　fortune　fell　to　me　entirely　through　the
misconduct　of　Mr。　Armadale's　son；　an　only　child。　The　young　man
had　disgraced　himself　beyond　all　redemption；　had　left　his　home　an
outlaw；　and　had　been　thereupon　renounced　by　his　father　at　once
and　forever。　Having　no　other　near　male　relative　to　succeed　him；
Mr。　Armadale　thought　of　his　cousin's　son　and　his　own　godson；　and
he　offered　the　West　Indian　estate　to　me；　and　my　heirs　after　me；
on　one　conditionthat　I　and　my　heirs　should　take　his　name。　The
proposal　was　gratefully　accepted；　and　the　proper　legal　measures
were　adopted　for　changing　my　name　in　the　colony　and　in　the　mother
country。　By　the　next　mail　information　reached　Mr。　Armadale　that
his　condition　had　been　complied　with。　The　return　mail　brought
news　from　the　lawyers。　The　will　had　been　altered　in　my　favor；　and
in　a　week　afterward　the　death　of　my　benefactor　had　made　me　the
largest　proprietor　and　the　richest　man　in　Barbadoes。

〃This　was　the　first　event　in　the　chain。　The　second　event　followed
it　six　weeks　afterward。

〃At　that　time　there　happened　to　be　a　vacancy　in　the　clerk's
office　on　the　estate；　and　there　came　to　fill　it　a　young　man　about
my　own　age　who　had　recently　arrived　in　the　island。　He　announced
himself　by　the　name　of　Fergus　Ingleby。　My　impulses　governed　me　in
everything；　I　knew　no　law　but　the　law　of　my　own　caprice；　and　I
took　a　fancy　to　the　stranger　the　moment　I　set　eyes　on　him。　He　had
the　manners　of　a　gentleman；　and　he　possessed　the　most　attractive
social　qualities　which；　in　my　small　experience；　I　had　ever　met
with。　When　I　heard　that　the　written　references　to　character　which
he　had　brought　with　him　were　pronounced　to　be　unsatisfactory；　I
interfered；　and　insisted　that　he　should　have　the　place。　My　will
was　law；　and　he　had　it。

〃My　mother　disliked　and　distrusted　Ingleby　from　the　first。　When
she　found　the　intimacy　between　us　rapidly　ripening；　when　she
found　me　admitting　this　inferior　to　the　closest　companionship　and
confidence　（I　had　lived　with　my　inferiors　all　my　life；　and　I
liked　it）；　she　made　effort　after　effort　to　part　us；　and　failed　in
one　and　all。　Driven　to　her　last　resources；　she　resolved　to　try
the　one　chance　leftthe　chance　of　persuading　me　to　take　a　voyage
which　I　had　often　thought　ofa　voyage　to　England。

〃Before　she　spoke　to　me　on　the　subject；　she　resolved　to　interest
me　in　the　idea　of　seeing　England；　as　I　had　never　been　interested
yet。　She　wrote　to　an　old　friend　and　an　old　admirer　of　hers；　the
late　Stephen　Blanchard；　of　Thorpe　Ambrose；　in　Norfolka
gentleman　of　landed　estate；　and　a　widower　with　a　grown…up　family。
After…discoveries　informed　me　that　she　must　have　alluded　to　their
former　attachment　（which　was　checked；　I　believe；　by　the　parents
on　either　side）；　and　that；　in　asking　Mr。　Blanchard's　welcome　for
her　son　when　he　came　to　England；　she　made　inquiries　about　his
daughter；　which　hinted　at　the　chance　of　a　marriage　uniting　the
two　families；　if　the　young　lady　and　I　met　and　liked　one　another。
We　were　equally　matched　in　every　respect；　and　my　mother's
recollection　of　her　girlish　attachment　to　Mr。　Blanchard　made　the
prospect　of　my　marrying　her　old　admirer's　daughter　the　brightest
and　happiest　prospect　that　her　eyes　could　see。　Of　all　this　I　knew
nothing　until　Mr。　Blanchard's　answer　arrived　at　Barbadoes。　Then
my　mother　showed　me　the　letter；　and　put　the　temptation　which　was
to　separate　me　from　Fergus　Ingleby　openly　in　my　way。

〃Mr。　Blanchard's　letter　was　dated　from　the　Island　of　Madeira。　He
was　out　of　health；　and　he　had　been　ordered　there　by　the　doctors
to　try　the　climate。　His　daughter　was　with　him。　After　heartily
reciprocating　all　my　mother's　hopes　and　wishes；　he　proposed　（if　I
intended　leaving　Barbadoes　shortly）　that　I　should　take　Madeira　on
my　way　to　England；　and　pay　him　a　visit　at　his　temporary　residence
in　the　island。　If　this　could　not　be；　he　mentioned　the　time　at
which　he　expected　to　be　back　in　England；　when　I　might　be　sure　of
finding　a　welcome　at　his　own　house　of　Thorpe　Ambrose。　In
conclusion；　he　apologized　for　not　writing　at　greater　length；
explaining　that　his　sight　was　affected；　and　that　he　had　disobeyed
the　doctor's　orders　by　yielding　to　the　temptation　of　writing　to
his　old　friend　with　his　own　hand。

〃Kindly　as　it　was　expressed；　the　letter　itself　might　have　had
little　influence　on　me。　But　there　was　something　else　besides　the
letter；　there　was　inclosed　in　it　a　miniature　portrait　of　Miss
Blanchard。　At　the　back　of　the　portrait；　her　father　had　written；
half…jestingly；　half…tenderly；　'I　can't　ask　my　daughter　to　spare
my　eyes　as　usual；　without　telling　her　of　your　inquiries；　and
putting　a　young　lady's　diffidence　to　the　blush。　So　I　send　her　in
effigy　（without　her　knowledge）　to　answer　for　herself。　It　is　a
good　likeness　of　a　good　girl。　If　she　likes　your　sonand　if　I
like　him；　which　I　am　sure　I　shallwe　may　yet　live；　my　good
friend；　to　see　our　children　what　we　might　once　have　been
ourselvesman　and　wife。'　My　mother　gave　me　the　miniature　with
the　letter。　The　portrait　at　once　struck　meI　can't　say　why；　I
can't　say　howas　nothing　of　the　kind　had　ever　struck　me　before。

〃Harder　intellects　than　mine　might　have　attributed　the
extraordinary　impression　produced　on　me　to　the　disordered
condition　of　my　mind　at　that　time；　to　the　weariness　of　my　own
base　pleasures　which　had　been　gaining　on　me　for　months　past；　to
the　undefined　longing　which　that　weariness　implied　for　newer
interests　and　fresher　hopes　than　any　that　had　possessed　me　yet。　I
attempted　no　such　sober　self…examination　as　this：　I　believed　in
destiny　then；　I　believe　in　destiny　now。　It　was　enough　for　me　to
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。　S