suddenly turned my way。 Some cleverer scoundrel than the rest
（the sailing…master； I dare say） had evidently persuaded them to
row back over the place where the yacht had gone down； and make
quite sure that I had gone down with her。
〃They were more than half…way across the distance that separated
us； and I had given myself up for lost； when I heard a cry from
one of them； and saw the boat's progress suddenly checked。 In a
minute or two more the boat's head was turned again； and they
rowed straight away from me like men rowing for their lives。
〃I looked on one side toward the land； and saw nothing。 I looked
on the other toward the sea； and discovered what the boat's crew
had discovered before mea sail in the distance； growing
steadily brighter and bigger in the moonlight the longer I looked
at it。 In a quarter of an hour more the vessel was within hail of
me； and the crew had got me on board。
〃They were all foreigners； and they quite deafened me by their
jabber。 I tried signs； but before I could make them understand me
I was seized with another shivering fit； and was carried below。
The vessel held on her course； I have no doubt； but I was in no
condition to know anything about it。 Before morning I was in a
fever； and from that time I can remember nothing clearly till I
came to my senses at this place； and found myself under the care
of a Hungarian merchant； the consignee （as they call it） of the
coasting vessel that had picked me up。 He speaks English as well
or better than I do； and he has treated me with a kindness which
I can find no words to praise。 When he was a young man he was in
England himself； learning business； and he says he has
remembrances of our country which make his heart warm toward an
Englishman。 He has fitted me out with clothes； and has lent me
the money to travel with； as soon as the doctor allows me to
start for home。 Supposing I don't get a relapse； I shall be fit
to travel in a week's time from this。 If I can catch the mail at
Trieste； and stand the fatigue； I shall be back again at Thorpe
Ambrose in a week or ten days at most after you get my letter。
You will agree with me that it is a terribly long letter。 But I
can't help that。 I seem to have lost my old knack at putting
things short； and finishing on the first page。 However； I am near
the end now； for I have nothing left to mention but the reason
why I write about what has happened to me； instead of waiting
till I get home； and telling it all by word of mouth。
〃I fancy my head is still muddled by my illness。 At any rate； it
only struck me this morning that there is barely a chance of some
vessel having passed the place where the yacht foundered； and
having picked up the furniture； and other things wrenched out of
her and left to float。 Some false report of my being drowned may；
in that case； have reached England。 If this has happened （which I
hope to God may be an unfounded fear on my part）； go directly to
Major Milroy at the cottage。 Show him this letterI have written
it quite as much for his eye as for yoursand then give him the
inclosed note； and ask him if he doesn't think the circumstances
justify me in hoping he will send it to Miss Milroy。 I can't
explain why I don't write directly to the major； or to Miss
Milroy； instead of to you。 I can only say there are
considerations I am bound in honor to respect； which oblige me to
act in this roundabout way。
〃I don't ask you to answer this； for I shall be on my way home； I
hope； long before your letter could reach me in this
out…of…the…way place。 Whatever you do； don't lose a moment in
going to Major Milroy。 Go； on second thoughts； whether the loss
of the yacht is known in England or not。
〃Yours truly； ALLAN ARMADALE。〃
〃I looked up when I had come to the end of the letter； and saw；
for the first time； that Bashwood had left his chair and had
placed himself opposite to me。 He was intently studying my face；
with the inquiring expression of a man who was trying to read my
thoughts。 His eyes fell guiltily when they met mine； and he
shrank away to his chair。 Believing； as he did； that I was really
married to Armadale； was he trying to discover whether the news
of Armadale's rescue from the sea was good news or bad news in my
estimation？ It was no time then for entering into explanations
with him。 The first thing to be done was to communicate instantly
with the doctor。 I called Bashwood back to me and gave him my
hand。
〃 'You have done me a service；' I said； 'which makes us closer
friends than ever。 I shall say more about this； and about other
matters of some interest to both of us； later in the day。 I want
you now to lend me Mr。 Armadale's letter （which I promise to
bring back） and to wait here till I return。 Will you do that for
me； Mr。 Bashwood？'
〃He would do anything I asked him； he said。 I went into the
bedroom and put on my bonnet and shawl。
〃 'Let me be quite sure of the facts before I leave you；' I
resumed； when I was ready to go out。 'You have not shown this
letter to anybody but me？'
〃 'Not a living soul has seen it but our two selves。'
〃'What have you done with the note inclosed to Miss Milroy？'
〃He produced it from his pocket。 I ran it over rapidlysaw that
there was nothing in it of the slightest importanceand put it
in the fi re on the spot。 That done； I left Bashwood in the
sitting…room； and went to the Sanitarium； with Armadale's letter
in my hand。
〃The doctor had gone out； and the servant was unable to say
positively at what time he would be back。 I went into his study；
and wrote a line preparing him for the news I had brought with
me； which I sealed up； with Armadale's letter； in an envelope； to
await his return。 Having told the servant I would call again in
an hour； I left the place。
〃It was useless to go back to my lodgings and speak to Bashwood；
until I knew first what the doctor meant to do。 I walked about
the neighborhood； up and down new streets and crescents and
squares； with a kind of dull； numbed feeling in me； which
prevented； not only all voluntary exercise of thought； but all
sensation of bodily fatigue。 I remembered the same feeling
overpowering me； years ago； on the morning when the people of the
prison came to take me into court to be tried for my life。 All
that frightful scene came back again to my mind in the strangest
manner； as if it had been a scene in which some other person had
figured。 Once or twice I wondered； in a heavy； senseless way； why
they had not hanged me！
〃When I went back to the Sanitarium； I was informed that the
doctor had returned half an hour since； and that he was in his
own room anxiously waiting to see me。
〃I went into the study； and found him sitting close by the fire
with his head down and his hands on his knees。 On the table near
him； beside Armadale's letter and my note； I saw； in the little
circle of light thrown by the reading…lamp； an open railway
guide。 Was he meditating flight？ It was impossible to tell from
his face； when he looked up at me； what he was meditating； or how
the shock had struck him when he first discovered that Armadale
was a living man。
〃 'Take a seat near the fire；' he said。 'It's very raw and cold
to…day。'
〃I took a chair in silence。 In silence； on his side； the doctor
sat rubbing his knees before the fire。
〃 'Have you nothing to say to me？' I asked。
〃He rose； and suddenly removed the shade from the reading…lamp；
so that the light fell on my face。
〃 'You are not looking well；' he said。 'What's the matter？'
〃 'My head feels dull； and my eyes are heavy and hot；' I replied。
'The weather； I suppose。'
〃It was strange how we both got further and further from the one
vitally important subject which we had both come together to
discuss！
〃 'I think a cup of tea would do you good；' remarked the doctor。
〃I accepted his suggestion； and he ordered the tea。 While it was
coming； he walked up and down the room； and I sat by the fire；
and not a word passed between us on either side。
〃The tea revived me； and the doctor noticed a change for the
better in my face。 He sat down opposite to me at the table； and
spoke out at last。
〃 'If I had ten thousand pounds at this moment；' he began； 'I
would give the whole of it never to have compromised myself in
your desperate speculation on Mr。 Armadale's death！'
〃He said those words with an abruptness； almost with a violence；
which was strangely uncharacteristic of his ordinary manner。 Was
he frightened himself； or was he trying to frighten me？ I
determined to make him explain himself at the outset； so far as I
was concerned。 'Wait a moment； doctor；' I said。 'Do you hold me
responsible for what has happened？'
〃 'Certainly not；' he replied； stiffly。 'Neither you nor anybody
could have foreseen what has happened。 When I say I would give
ten thousand pounds to be out of this business； I am blaming
nobody but myself。 And when I tell you next that I； for one；
won't allow Mr。 Armadale's resurrection from the sea to be the
ruin of me without a fight for it； I tell you； my dear madam； one
of the plainest truths I ever told to man or woman in the whole
course of my life。 Don't suppose I am invidiously separating my
interests from yours in the common danger that now threatens us
both。 I simply indicate the difference in the risk that we have
respectively run。 _You_ have not sunk the whole of your resources
in establishing a Sanitarium； and _you_ have not made a false
declaration before a magistrate； which is punishable as perjury
by the law。'
〃I interrupted him again。 His selfishness did me more good than
his tea： it roused my temper effectually。 'Suppose we let your
risk and my risk alone； and come to the point；' I said。 'What do
you mean by making a fight for it？ I see a railway guide on your
table。 Does making a fight for it meanrunning away？'
〃 'Running away？' repeated the doctor。 'You appear to forget that
every farthing I have in the world is embarked in this
establishment。'
〃 'You stop here； then？' I said。
〃 'Unquestionably！'
〃 'And what do you mean to do when Mr。 Armadale comes to
England？'
〃A solitary fly； the last of his race whom the winter had spared；
was buzzing feebly a