armadale-第153节

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words。　He　knew　as　well　as　I　did　that　he　had　not　the　shadow　of　a
claim　on　me。　But　the　mere　attempt　to　raise　it　would；　as　he　was
well　aware；　lead　necessarily　to　the　exposure　of　my　whole　past
life。

〃Still　keeping　silence；　I　looked　out　over　the　sea。　I　don't　know
why；　except　that　I　instinctively　looked　anywhere　rather　than　look
at　_him。_

〃A　little　sailing…boat　was　approaching　the　shore。　The　man
steering　was　hidden　from　me　by　the　sail；　but　the　boat　was　so　near
that　I　thought　I　recognized　the　flag　on　the　mast。　I　looked　at　my
watch。　Yes！　It　was　Armadale　coming　over　from　Santa　Lucia　at　his
usual　time；　to　visit　us　in　his　usual　way。

〃Before　I　had　put　my　watch　back　in　my　belt；　the　means　of
extricating　myself　from　the　frightful　position　I　was　placed　in
showed　themselves　to　me　as　plainly　as　I　see　them　now。

〃I　turned　and　led　the　way　to　the　higher　part　of　the　beach；　where
some　fishing…boats　were　drawn　up　which　completely　screened　us
from　the　view　of　any　one　landing　on　the　shore　below。　Seeing
probably　that　I　had　a　purpose　of　some　kind；　Manuel　followed　me
without　uttering　a　word。　As　soon　as　we　were　safely　under　the
shelter　of　the　boats；　I　forced　myself；　in　my　own　defense；　to　look
at　him　again。

〃　'What　should　you　say；'　I　asked；　'if　I　was　rich　instead　of　poor？
What　should　you　say　if　I　could　afford　to　give　you　a　hundred
pounds？'

〃He　started。　I　saw　plainly　that　he　had　not　expected　so　much　as
half　the　sum　I　had　mentioned。　It　is　needless　to　add　that　his
tongue　lied；　while　his　face　spoke　the　truth；　and　that　when　he
replied　to　me　the　answer　was；　'Nothing　like　enough。'

〃　'Suppose；'　I　went　on；　without　taking　any　notice　of　what　he　had
said；　'that　I　could　show　you　a　way　of　helping　yourself　to　twice
as　much　three　times　as　muchfive　times　as　much　as　a　hundred
pounds；　are　you　bold　enough　to　put　out　your　hand　and　take　it？'

〃The　greedy　glitter　came　into　his　eyes　once　more。　His　voice
dropped　low；　in　breathless　expectation　of　my　next　words。

〃　'Who　is　the　person？'　he　asked。　'And　what　is　the　risk？'

〃I　answered　him　at　once；　in　the　plainest　terms。　I　threw　Armadale
to　him；　as　I　might　have　thrown　a　piece　of　meat　to　a　wild　beast
who　was　pursuing　me。

〃　'The　person　is　a　rich　young　Englishman；'　I　said。　'He　has　just
hired　the　yacht　called　the　_Dorothea；_　in　the　harbor　here；　and　he
stands　in　need　of　a　sailing…master　and　a　crew。　You　were　once　an
officer　in　the　Spanish　navyyou　speak　English　and　Italian
perfectlyyou　are　thoroughly　well　acquainted　with　Naples　and　all
that　belongs　to　it。　The　rich　young　Englishman　is　ignorant　of　the
language；　and　the　interpreter　who　assists　him　knows　nothing　of
the　sea。　He　is　at　his　wits'　end　for　want　of　useful　help　in　this
strange　place；　he　has　no　more　knowledge　of　the　world　than　that
child　who　is　digging　holes　with　a　stick　there　in　the　sand；　and　he
carries　all　his　money　with　him　in　circular　notes。　So　much　for　the
person。　As　for　the　risk；　estimate　it　for　yourself。'

〃The　greedy　glitter　in　his　eyes　grew　brighter　and　brighter　with
every　word　I　said。　He　was　plainly　ready　to　face　the　risk　before　I
had　done　speaking。

〃　'When　can　I　see　the　Englishman？'　he　asked；　eagerly。

〃I　moved　to　the　seaward　end　of　the　fishing…boat；　and　saw　that
Armadale　was　at　that　moment　disembarking　on　the　shore。

〃　'You　can　see　him　now；'　I　answered；　and　pointed　to　the　place。

〃After　a　long　look　at　Armadale　walking　carelessly　up　the　slope　of
the　beach；　Manuel　drew　back　again　under　the　shelter　of　the　boat。
He　waited　a　moment；　considering　something　carefully　with　himself；
and　put　another　question　to　me；　in　a　whisper　this　time。

〃　'When　the　vessel　is　manned；'　he　said；　'and　the　Englishman　sails
from　Naples；　how　many　friends　sail　with　him？'

〃　'He　has　but　two　friends　here；'　I　replied；　'that　other　gentleman
whom　you　saw　with　me　at　the　opera；　and　myself。　He　will　invite　us
both　to　sail　with　him；　and　when　the　time　comes；　we　shall　both
refuse。'

〃　'Do　you　answer　for　that？'

〃　'I　answer　for　it　positively。'

〃He　walked　a　few　steps　away；　and　stood　with　his　face　hidden　from
me；　thinking　again。　All　I　could　see　was　that　he　took　off　his　hat
and　passed　his　handkerchief　over　his　forehead。　All　I　could　hear
was　that　he　talked　to　himself　excitedly　in　his　own　language。

〃There　was　a　change　in　him　when　he　came　back。　His　face　had　turned
to　a　livid　yellow；　and　his　eyes　looked　at　me　with　a　hideous
distrust。

〃　'One　last　question；'　he　said；　and　suddenly　came　closer　to　me；
suddenly　spoke　with　a　marked　emphasis　on　his　next　words：　'_What
is　your　interest　in　this？_'

〃I　started　back　from　him。　The　question　reminded　me　that　I　_had_
an　interest　in　the　matter；　which　was　entirely　unconnected　with
the　interest　of　keeping　Manuel　and　Midwinter　apart。　Thus　far　I
had　only　remembered　that　Midwinter's　fatalism　had　smoothed　the
way　for　me；　by　abandoning　Armadale　beforehand　to　any　stranger　who
might　come　forward　to　help　him。　Thus　far　the　sole　object　I　had
kept　in　view　was　to　protect　myself；　by　the　sacrifice　of　Armadale；
from　the　exposure　that　threatened　me。　I　tell　no　lies　to　my　Diary。
I　don't　affect　to　have　felt　a　moment's　consideration　for　the
interests　of　Armadale's　purse　or　the　safety　of　Armadale's　life。　I
hated　him　too　savagely　to　care　what　pitfalls　my　tongue　might　be
the　means　of　opening　under　his　feet。　But　I　certainly　did　not　see
（until　that　last　question　was　put　to　me）　that；　in　serving　his　own
designs；　Manuel　mightif　he　dared　go　all　lengths　for　the
moneybe　serving　my　designs　too。　The　one　overpowering　anxiety　to
protect　myself　from　exposure　before　Midwinter　had　（I　suppose）
filled　all　my　mind；　to　the　exclusion　of　everything　else。

〃Finding　that　I　made　no　reply　for　the　moment；　Manuel　reiterated
his　question；　putting　it　in　a　new　form。

〃　'You　have　cast　your　Englishman　at　me；'　he　said；　'like　the　sop
to　Cerberus。　Would　you　have　been　quite　so　ready　to　do　that　if　you
had　not　had　a　motive　of　your　own？　I　repeat　my　question。　You　have
an　interest　in　thiswhat　is　it？'

〃　'I　have　two　interests；'　I　answered。　'The　interest　of　forcing
you　to　respect　my　position　here；　and　the　interest　of　ridding
myself　of　the　sight　of　you　at　once　and　forever！'　I　spoke　with　a
boldness　he　had　not　yet　heard　from　me。　The　sense　that　I　was
making　the　villain　an　instrument　in　my　hands；　and　forcing　him　to
help　my　purpose　blindly；　while　he　was　helping　his　own；　roused　my
spirits；　and　made　me　feel　like　myself　again。

〃He　laughed。　'Strong　language；　on　certain　occasions；　is　a　lady's
privilege；'　he　said。　'You　may；　or　may　not；　rid　yourself　of　the
sight　of　me；　at　once　and　forever。　We　will　leave　that　question　to
be　settled　in　the　future。　But　your　other　interest　in　this　matter
puzzles　me。　You　have　told　me　all　I　need　know　about　the　Englishman
and　his　yacht；　and　you　have　made　no　conditions　before　you　opened
your　lips。　Pray；　how　are　you　to　force　me；　as　you　say；　to　respect
your　position　here？'

〃　'I　will　tell　you　how；'　I　rejoined。　'You　shall　hear　my
conditions　first。　I　insist　on　your　leaving　me　in　five　minutes
more。　I　insist　on　your　never　again　coming　near　the　house　where　I
live；　and　I　forbid　your　attempting　to　communicate　in　any　way
either　with　me　or　with　that　other　gentleman　whom　you　saw　with　me
at　the　theater'

〃　'And　suppose　I　say　no？'　he　interposed。　'In　that　case；　what　will
you　do？'

〃　'In　that　case；'　I　answered；　'I　shall　say　two　words　in　private
to　the　rich　young　Englishman；　and　you　will　find　yourself　back
again　among　the　chorus　at　the　opera。'

〃　'You　are　a　bold　woman　to　take　it　for　granted　that　I　have　my
designs　on　the　Englishman　already；　and　that　I　am　certain　to
succeed　in　them。　How　do　you　know？'

〃　'I　know　_you；_'　I　said。　'And　that　is　enough。'

〃There　was　a　moment's　silence　between　us。　He　looked　at　me；　and　I
looked　at　him。　We　understood　each　other。

〃He　was　the　first　to　speak。　The　villainous　smile　died　out　of　his
face；　and　his　voice　dropped　again　distrustfully　to　its　lowest
tones。

〃　'I　accept　your　terms；'　he　said。　'As　long　as　your　lips　are
closed；　my　lips　shall　be　closed　tooexcept　in　the　event　of　my
finding　that　you　have　deceived　me；　in　which　case　the　bargain　is
at　an　end；　and　you　will　see　me　again。　I　shall　present　myself　to
the　Englishman　to…morrow；　with　the　necessary　credentials　to
establish　me　in　his　confidence。　Tell　me　his　name？'

〃I　told　it。

〃　'Give　me　his　address？'

〃I　gave　it；　and　turned　to　leave　him。　Before　I　had　stepped　out　of
the　shelter　of　the　boats；　I　heard　him　behind　me　again。

〃　'One　last　word；'　he　said。　'Accidents　sometimes　happen　at　sea。
Have　you　interest　enough　in　the　Englishmanif　an　accident
happens　in　his　caseto　wish　to　know　what　has　become　of　him？'

〃I　stopped；　and　considered　on　my　side。　I　had　plainly　failed　to
persuade　him　that　I　had　no　secret　to　serve　in　placing　Armadale's
money　and　（as　a　probable　consequence）　Armadale's　life　at　his
mercy。　And　it　was　now　equally　clear　that　he　was　cunningly
attempting　to　associate　himself　with　my　private　objects　（whatever
they　might　be）　by　opening　a　means　of　communication　between　us　in
the　future。　There　could　be　no　hesitation　about　how　to　answer　him
under　such　circumstances　as　these。　If　the　'accident'　at　which　he
hinted　did　really　happen　to　Armadale；　I　stood　in　no　need　of
Manuel's　intervention　to　give　me　the　inte