reached the antechamber door of Mr。 Armadale's apartments。 They
entered unannounced； and when they looked into the sitting…room；
the sitting…room was empty。
〃I must see Mrs。 Armadale；〃 said Mr。 Neal。 〃I decline acting in
the matter unless Mrs。 Armadale authorizes my interference with
her own lips。〃
〃Mrs。 Armadale is probably with her husband；〃 replied the doctor。
He approached a door at the inner end of the sitting…room while
he spokehesitatedand； turning round again； looked at his sour
companion anxiously。 〃I am afraid I spoke a little harshly； sir；
when we were leaving your room；〃 he said。 〃I beg your pardon for
it； with all my heart。 Before this poor afflicted lady comes in；
will youwill you excuse my asking your utmost gentleness and
consideration for her？〃
〃No； sir；〃 retorted the other harshly； 〃I won't excuse you。 What
right have I given you to think me wanting in gentleness and
consideration toward anybody？〃
The doctor saw it was useless。 〃I beg your pardon again；〃 he
said； resignedly； and left the unapproachable stranger to
himself。
Mr。 Neal walked to the window； and stood there； with his eyes
mechanically fixed on the prospect； composing his mind for the
coming interview。
It was midday； the sun shone bright and warm； and all the little
world of Wildbad was alive and merry in the genial springtime。
Now and again heavy wagons； with black…faced carters in charge；
rolled by the window； bearing their precious lading of charcoal
from the forest。 Now and again； hurled over the headlong current
of the stream that runs through the town； great lengths of
timber； loosely strung together in interminable serieswith the
booted raftsmen； pole in hand； poised watchful at either
endshot swift and serpent…like past the houses on their course
to the distant Rhine。 High and steep above the gabled wooden
buildings on the river…bank； the great hillsides； crested black
with firs； shone to the shining heavens in a glory of lustrous
green。 In and out； where the forest foot…paths wound from the
grass through the trees； from the trees over the grass； the
bright spring dresses of women and children； on the search for
wild flowers； traveled to and fro in the lofty distance like
spots of moving light。 Below； on the walk by the stream side； the
booths of the little bazar that had opened punctually with the
opening season showed all their glittering trinkets； and
fluttered in the balmy air their splendor of m any…colored flags。
Longingly； here the children looked at the show； patiently the
sunburned lasses plied their knitting as they paced the walk；
courteously the passing townspeople； by fours and fives； and the
passing visitors； by ones and twos； greeted each other； hat in
hand； and slowly； slowly； the cripple and the helpless in their
chairs on wheels came out in the cheerful noontide with the rest；
and took their share of the blessed light that cheers； of the
blessed sun that shines for all。
On this scene the Scotchman looked； with eyes that never noted
its beauty； with a mind far away from every lesson that it
taught。 One by one he meditated the words he should say when the
wife came in。 One by one he pondered over the conditions he might
impose before he took the pen in hand at the husband's bedside。
〃Mrs。 Armadale is here；〃 said the doctor's voice； interposing
suddenly between his reflections and himself。
He turned on the instant； and saw before him； with the pure
midday light shining full on her； a woman of the mixed blood of
the European and the African race； with the Northern delicacy in
the shape of her face； and the Southern richness in its colora
woman in the prime of her beauty； who moved with an inbred grace；
who looked with an inbred fascination； whose large； languid black
eyes rested on him gratefully； whose little dusky hand offered
itself to him in mute expression of her thanks； with the welcome
that is given to the coming of a friend。 For the first time in
his life the Scotchman was taken by surprise。 Every
self…preservative word that he had been meditating but an instant
since dropped out of his memory。 His thrice impenetrable armor of
habitual suspicion； habitual self…discipline； and habitual
reserve； which had never fallen from him in a woman's presence
before； fell from him in this woman's presence； and brought him
to his knees； a conquered man。 He took the hand she offered him；
and bowed over it his first honest homage to the sex； in silence。
She hesitated on her side。 The quick feminine perception which；
in happier circumstances； would have pounced on the secret of his
embarrassment in an instant； failed her now。 She attributed his
strange reception of her to pride； to reluctanceto any cause
but the unexpected revelation of her own beauty。 〃I have no words
to thank you；〃 she said； faintly； trying to propitiate him。 〃I
should only distress you if I tried to speak。〃 Her lip began to
tremble； she drew back a little； and turned away her head in
silence。
The doctor； who had been standing apart； quietly observant in a
corner； advanced before Mr。 Neal could interfere； and led Mrs。
Armadale to a chair。 〃Don't be afraid of him；〃 whispered the good
man； patting her gently on the shoulder。 〃He was hard as iron in
my hands； but I think； by the look of him； he will be soft as wax
in yours。 Say the words I told you to say； and let us take him to
your husband's room； before those sharp wits of his have time to
recover themselves。〃
She roused her sinking resolution； and advanced half…way to the
window to meet Mr。 Neal。 〃My kind friend； the doctor； has told
me； sir； that your only hesitation in coming here is a hesitation
on my account；〃 she said； her head drooping a little； and her
rich color fading away while she spoke。 〃I am deeply grateful；
but I entreat you not to think of _me。_ What my husband wishes〃
Her voice faltered； she waited resolutely； and recovered herself。
〃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 himcommitted 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 facehis 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 playthinga soldier on
horsebackbackward 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 vigilancea
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
disposalservices 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