登陆注册
5386000000009

第9章

"What my husband wishes in his last moments, I wish too."This time Mr. Neal was composed enough to answer her. In low, earnest tones, he entreated her to say no more. "I was only anxious to show you every consideration," he said. "I am only anxious now to spare you every distress." As he spoke, something like a glow of color rose slowly on his sallow face. Her eyes were looking at him, softly attentive; and he thought guiltily of his meditations at the window before she came in.

The doctor saw his opportunity. He opened the door that led into Mr. Armadale's room, and stood by it, waiting silently. Mrs.

Armadale entered first. In a minute more the door was closed again; and Mr. Neal stood committed to the responsibility that had been forced on him--committed beyond recall.

The room was decorated in the gaudy continental fashion, and the warm sunlight was shining in joyously. Cupids and flowers were painted on the ceiling; bright ribbons looped up the white window-curtains; a smart gilt clock ticked on a velvet-covered mantelpiece; mirrors gleamed on the walls, and flowers in all the colors of the rainbow speckled the carpet. In the midst of the finery, and the glitter, and the light, lay the paralyzed man, with his wandering eyes, and his lifeless lower face--his head propped high with many pillows; his helpless hands laid out over the bed-clothes like the hands of a corpse. By the bed head stood, grim, and old, and silent, the shriveled black nurse; and on the counter-pane, between his father's outspread hands, lay the child, in his little white frock, absorbed in the enjoyment of a new toy. When the door opened, and Mrs. Armadale led the way in, the boy was tossing his plaything--a soldier on horseback--backward and forward over the helpless hands on either side of him; and the father's wandering eyes were following the toy to and fro, with a stealthy and ceaseless vigilance--a vigilance as of a wild animal, terrible to see.

The moment Mr. Neal appeared in the doorway, those restless eyes stopped, looked up, and fastened on the stranger with a fierce eagerness of inquiry. Slowly the motionless lips struggled into movement. With thick, hesitating articulation, they put the question which the eyes asked mutely, into words: "Are you the man?"Mr. Neal advanced to the bedside, Mrs. Armadale drawing back from it as he approached, and waiting with the doctor at the further end of the room. The child looked up, toy in hand, as the stranger came near, opened his bright brown eyes in momentary astonishment, and then went on with his game.

"I have been made acquainted with your sad situation, sir," said Mr. Neal; "and I have come here to place my services at your disposal--services which no one but myself, as your medical attendant informs me, is in a position to render you in this strange place. My name is Neal. I am a writer to the signet in Edinburgh; and I may presume to say for myself that any confidence you wish to place in me will be confidence not improperly bestowed."The eyes of the beautiful wife were not confusing him now. He spoke to the helpless husband quietly and seriously, without his customary harshness, and with a grave compassion in his manner which presented him at his best. The sight of the death-bed had steadied him.

"You wish me to write something for you?" he resumed, after waiting for a reply, and waiting in vain.

"Yes!" said the dying man, with the all-mastering impatience which his tongue was powerless to express, glittering angrily in his eye. "My hand is gone, and my speech is going. Write!"Before there was time to speak again, Mr. Neal heard the rustling of a woman's dress, and the quick creaking of casters on the carpet behind him. Mrs. Armadale was moving the writing-table across the room to the foot of the bed. If he was to set up those safeguards of his own devising that were to bear him harmless through all results to come, now was the time, or never. He, kept his back turned on Mrs. Armadale, and put his precautionary question at once in the plainest terms.

"May I ask, sir, before I take the pen in hand, what it is you wish me to write?"The angry eyes of the paralyzed man glittered brighter and brighter. His lips opened and closed again. He made no reply.

Mr. Neal tried another precautionary question, in a new direction.

"When I have written what you wish me to write," he asked, "what is to be done with it?"This time the answer came:

"Seal it up in my presence, and post it to my ex--"His laboring articulation suddenly stopped and he looked piteously in the questioner's face for the next word.

"Do you mean your executor?"

"Yes."

"It is a letter, I suppose, that I am to post?" There was no answer. "May I ask if it is a letter altering your will?""Nothing of the sort."

Mr. Neal considered a little. The mystery was thickening. The one way out of it, so far, was the way traced faintly through that strange story of the unfinished letter which the doctor had repeated to him in Mrs. Armadale's words. The nearer he approached his unknown responsibility, the more ominous it seemed of something serious to come. Should he risk another question before he pledged himself irrevocably? As the doubt crossed his mind, he felt Mrs. Armadale's silk dress touch him on the side furthest from her husband. Her delicate dark hand was laid gently on his arm; her full deep African eyes looked at him in submissive entreaty. "My husband is very anxious," she whispered.

"Will you quiet his anxiety, sir, by taking your place at the writing-table?"It was from _her_ lips that the request came--from the lips of the person who had the best right to hesitate, the wife who was excluded from the secret! Most men in Mr. Neal's position would have given up all their safeguards on the spot. The Scotchman gave them all up but one.

"I will write what you wish me to write," he said, addressing Mr.

同类推荐
  • 驻梦词

    驻梦词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 水石闲谈

    水石闲谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 淮南鸿烈解

    淮南鸿烈解

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 永历实录

    永历实录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 张苍水诗文集

    张苍水诗文集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 侍君侧,冷宫代嫁妃

    侍君侧,冷宫代嫁妃

    他以为自己冰冷的心不会再为谁而跳动了,可是两年前宴会上的惊鸿一瞥,他从此忘不了那抹纤细的身影,可是他却在婚嫁当日发现新娘竟是由别人代替的......~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~他说,说出柳芸甯的下落,朕可以给你一切你所想要的。她说,我要的,你给不起。他说,既然你那么喜欢当替代品,那就如你所愿。她说,若是可以,我只想逃得远远的。他说,你逃不了的,你生生世世都将被留在朕的身边,以柳芸甯的身份。她说,我是柳韵凝,从来就不是柳芸甯。~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~她抬起头,视线穿越殿堂上的众人,落在那冷眼看着她的帝王,无声地低问:“柳韵凝,在哪里?”
  • 休夫傻皇后

    休夫傻皇后

    一纸休书仍在她的脚下,她不怒反笑,弯腰捡起,见到上面的内容后笑容更盛:“因为无后?呵呵…似乎这宫内没有妃嫔怀孕,追究根本,怕是不能有后的缘由是另有其人,既然如此,这休书…就让我这个废后重新再写一份吧。”大笔一挥,潇洒的在纸上落下几个大字:今日我慕容皓雪休夫!因无后为不孝,唯有另嫁!皇帝面色大变。…这就是所谓的穿越?冷漠腹黑的跨国集团总裁兼杰出女魔术师的她,竟然穿越了,而且还是穿越到了一个傻子花痴,任人欺辱的丞相府二小姐的身上…走路左摇右摆,吃饭胡吃海塞,睡觉四仰八叉,总之是没有一点女人样,甚至比男人还男人,疯疯癫癫,痴痴傻傻。被誉为京城第一疯。关键的是,她还是个花痴,见色就扑…当被人耻笑的二小姐再睁眼之时,一切便开始改变。曾经的出气筒变成了现在玩弄心机权术的高手,这让丞相府里的那些别有心机的人如何能接受?比计谋:没有人有资格做她的对手!比陷害:当她那几年的魔术是白学的么?比武力:看飞镖!这就叫运筹帷幄之中,决胜几米之外!比深情:抱歉,他不是她的菜!不料,深宅大院还未斗完,兴趣正浓之时,一道圣旨,便将她送入吃人不吐骨头的皇宫为后!…片段一:大婚当夜,尊贵的皇帝背手立在窗前,冷眼望着她,寒声道:“无论你是傻是癫,进了宫,只能给朕安分守己!而你永远也别妄想得到朕的宠爱!”闻言,她藏于红色喜帕下的嘴角微微上扬,声音低沉淡漠:“臣妾谨记皇上所言,并深切的希望皇上能够记住今日的誓言,永远如此。”让她和他OOXX,岂不等同于与种猪交配!片段二:大婚第二日,便有得宠妃嫔前来闹事,将她一国之后完全不放在眼中!靠!不出手当她是病猫?!眨眼间,只听惨叫一声,盛气凌人的妃嫔已然倒在地上,抱着左臂痛哭哀嚎,“你竟敢这样对本宫!皇上一定不会饶了你!”她傲然的笑,吹了吹指尖,轻蔑道:“你是在找死!”————分割线————推荐好友的文文:《酷丫环:爷,你太坏》一叶心香《丑颜皇后要休夫》薄荷清凉糖《嫡妃不如美妾》舒歌
  • 总裁大人好难缠

    总裁大人好难缠

    一场偶遇,她惹上了他,冤家路窄,她惹毛了他,“女人,你死定了!”迷情一夜,不爱女人的他,独独对她的美好上了瘾,筹谋算计,步步为营,欲将她征服却不想自己先迷失了心。
  • 祈月

    祈月

    五行大陆,木系离奇雪匿!罪恶之手操纵世界……执念的纠缠,她异世重生。先天觉醒,竟是木系传承。是世界玩转木系,还是她征服世界?☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆推荐静的新文《极道盲妃》关于一场复仇,十年的隐忍,不死不休的对决。极道盲妃VS战神王爷希望大家可以喜欢,收藏一下哦。☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆千年预言,终究捉弄了谁?狂风灭,烈火绝,水神破土;越世出,啸月行,九天逆神!神秘恶魔族再现于世,炼魂之术摄人心魄。死神之眼穿越轮回,命运的纠缠……逆天改命的执着!一对似乎是父子的两人,为这同一抹身影,殊死相博。宿命的牵绊,三人纠缠不清,缠绵悱恻……爱情,经得起万年的寂寞吗?小夜《亡妃》小九《极品修真》小火《弹指灭天》---------《纵世》----------雪《幻颜》慧《月锋无双》浅《摄魂妖姬》梦《紫梦忆情》遥《花心王爷惹群夫》紫《妖孽皇帝耍无赖》在移动手机阅读平台上使用的名称为《逆世女神:五行唯吾独尊》
  • Rupert of Hentzau

    Rupert of Hentzau

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 爆笑萌妃有点傻

    爆笑萌妃有点傻

    自从和顾尘南在一起以后,沐熙觉得自己的自理能力越来越不好了,连同智商……
  • 白夜纪年

    白夜纪年

    一个双灵魂的恶魔首领化为长剑。一面温柔贤惠体贴善良大方......(此处略万字夸奖)一面卑鄙小人无耻龌龊下流......(此处略万字唾弃)附身在一个“普通”的少年身上,一人一柄剑队友全靠打,装备全靠抢!一人两魂去寻找失去了的记忆,还有少年的妹妹。强不强是位面版本的事,沙雕不沙雕是一辈子的事。(以上看看就好了,少年光挨打了,后面也光挨虐了。)本书基本上很多角色的故事都会写一下,有的时候并不会写太多主角的戏份,只是我觉得小人物也有他的大梦想,有属于他的故事,也应该写下来!世界之大并不能只有主角的故事。书友群:321522871
  • 吃饱了才有力气谈恋爱

    吃饱了才有力气谈恋爱

    食物永远是最善良的,它不拒绝每一个孤独的人。这是一本写日夜陪伴我们的食物,还有我们朝思夜想的爱情的书。用温柔的心,用细腻的文字,去诠释那些属于日常生活里每一个有关食物与爱的故事。我们喜欢美味,同样期待美好的感情。所以请先学会宠爱自己,你若美好,爱情自来。
  • 成都方言

    成都方言

    《成都方言》经过作者马骥数年的搜集整理,汇集了成都的传统方言及现代方言,添加新词甚多,科学造字量之大,在内容及词汇上超过以往任何四川方言类图书,可谓与时俱进。独树一帜。加上精心编排,通俗现代,查找特别方便,更有别于学术性书籍。另附有特色篇章,开篇愉快,贴近生活,可读性强,《成都方言》是一部难得的众口味图书,有助于热爱成都方言的人们参考借鉴。
  • 善恭敬经

    善恭敬经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。