Armadale
  by　Wilkie　Collins
  TO
  JOHN　FORSTER。
  In　acknowledgment　of　the　services　which　he　has　rendered　to　the
  cause　of　literature　by　his　〃Life　of　Goldsmith；〃　and　in
  affectionate　remembrance　of　a　friendship　which　is　associated　with
  some　of　the　happiest　years　of　my　life。
  READERS　in　generalon　whose　friendly　reception　experience　has
  given　me　some　reason　to　relywill；　I　venture　to　hope；　appreciate
  whatever　merit　there　may　be　in　this　story　without　any　prefatory
  pleading　for　it　on　my　part。　They　will；　I　think；　see　that　it　has
  not　been　hastily　meditated　or　idly　wrought　out。　They　will　judge
  it　accordingly；　and　I　ask　no　more。
  Readers　in　particular　will；　I　have　some　reason　to　suppose；　be
  here　and　there　disturbed；　perhaps　even　offended；　by　finding　that
  〃Armadale〃　oversteps；　in　more　than　one　direction；　the　narrow
  limits　within　which　they　are　disposed　to　restrict　the　development
  of　modern　fictionif　they　can。
  Nothing　that　I　could　say　to　these　persons　here　would　help　me　with
  them　as　Time　will　help　me　if　my　work　lasts。　I　am　not　afraid　of　my
  design　being　permanently　misunderstood；　provided　the　execution
  has　done　it　any　sort　of　justice。　Estimated　by　the　clap…trap
  morality　of　the　present　day；　this　may　be　a　very　daring　book。
  Judged　by　the　Christian　morality　which　is　of　all　time；　it　is　only
  a　book　that　is　daring　enough　to　speak　the　truth。
  LONDON；　April；　1866。
  ARMADALE。
  PROLOGUE。
  CHAPTER　I。
  THE　TRAVELERS。
  IT　was　the　opening　of　the　season　of　eighteen　hundred　and
  thirty…two；　at　the　Baths　of　WILDBAD。
  The　evening　shadows　were　beginning　to　gather　over　the　quiet
  little　German　town；　and　the　diligence　was　expected　every　minute。
  Before　the　door　of　the　principal　inn；　waiting　the　arrival　of　the
  first　visitors　of　the　year；　were　assembled　the　three　notable
  personages　of　Wildbad；　accompanied　by　their　wivesthe　mayor；
  representing　the　inhabitants；　the　doctor；　representing　the
  waters；　the　landlord；　representing　his　own　establishment。　Beyond
  this　select　circle；　grouped　snugly　about　the　trim　little　square
  in　front　of　the　inn；　appeared　the　towns…people　in　general；　mixed
  here　and　there　with　the　country　people；　in　their　quaint　German
  costume；　placidly　expectant　of　the　diligencethe　men　in　short
  black　jackets；　tight　black　breeches；　and　three…cornered　beaver
  hats；　the　women　with　their　long　light　hair　hanging　in　one　thickly
  plaited　tail　behind　them；　and　the　waists　of　their　short　woolen
  gowns　inserted　modestly　in　the　region　of　their　shoulder…blades。
  Round　the　outer　edge　of　the　assemblage　thus　formed；　flying
  detachments　of　plump　white…headed　children　careered　in　perpetual
  motion；　while；　mysteriously　apart　from　the　rest　of　the
  inhabitants；　the　musicians　of　the　Baths　stood　collected　in　one
  lost　corner；　waiting　the　appearance　of　the　first　visitors　to　play
  the　first　tune　of　the　season　in　the　form　of　a　serenade。　The　light
  of　a　May　evening　was　still　bright　on　the　tops　of　the　great　wooded
  hills　watching　high　over　the　town　on　the　right　hand　and　the　left；
  and　the　cool　breeze　that　comes　before　sunset　came　keenly　fragrant
  here　with　the　balsamic　odor　of　the　first　of　the　Black　Forest。
  〃Mr。　Landlord；〃　said　the　mayor's　wife　（giving　the　landlord　his
  title）；　〃have　you　any　foreign　guests　coming　on　this　first　day　of
  the　season？〃
  〃Madame　Mayoress；〃　replied　the　landlord　（returning　the
  compliment）；　〃I　have　two。　They　have　writtenthe　one　by　the　hand
  of　his　servant；　the　other　by　his　own　hand　apparentlyto　order
  their　rooms；　and　they　are　from　England；　both；　as　I　think　by　their
  names。　If　you　ask　me　to　pronounce　those　names；　my　tongue
  hesitates；　if　you　ask　me　to　spell　them；　here　they　are；　letter　by
  letter；　first　and　second　in　their　order　as　they　come。　First；　a
  high…born　stranger　（by　title　Mister）　who　introduces　himself　in
  eight　letters；　A；　r；　m；　a；　d；　a；　l；　eand　comes　ill　in　his　own
  carriage。　Second；　a　high…born　stranger　（by　title　Mister　also）；
  who　introduces　himself　in　four　lettersN；　e；　a；　land　comes　ill
  in　the　diligence。　His　excellency　of　the　eight　letters　writes　to
  me　（by　his　servant）　in　French；　his　excellency　of　the　four　letters
  writes　to　me　in　German。　The　rooms　of　both　are　ready。　I　know　no
  more。〃
  〃Perhaps；〃　suggested　the　mayor's　wife；　〃Mr。　Doctor　has　heard　from
  one　or　both　of　these　illustrious　strangers？〃
  〃From　one　only；　Madam　Mayoress；　but　not；　strictly　speaking；　from
  the　person　himself。　I　have　received　a　medical　report　of　his
  excellency　of　the　eight　letters；　and　his　case　seems　a　bad　one。
  God　help　him！〃
  〃The　diligence！〃　cried　a　child　from　the　outskirts　of　the　crowd。
  The　musicians　seized　their　instruments；　and　silence　fell　on　the
  whole　community。　From　far　away　in　the　windings　of　the　forest
  gorge；　the　ring　of　horses'　bells　came　faintly　clear　through　the
  evening　stillness。　Which　carriage　was　approachingthe　private
  carriage　with　Mr。　Armadale；　or　the　public　carriage　with　Mr。　Neal？
  〃Play；　my　friends！〃　cried　the　mayor　to　the　musicians。　〃Public　or
  private；　here　are　the　first　sick　people　of　the　season。　Let　them
  find　us　cheerful。〃
  The　band　played　a　lively　dance　tune；　and　the　children　in　the
  square　footed　it　merrily　to　the　music。　At　the　same　moment；　their
  elders　near　the　inn　door　drew　aside；　and　disclosed　the　first
  shadow　of　gloom　that　fell　over　the　gayety　and　beauty　of　the
  scene。　Through　the　opening　made　on　either　hand；　a　little
  procession　of　stout　country　girls　advanced；　each　drawing　after
  her　an　empty　chair　on　wheels；　each　in　waiting　（and　knitting　while
  she　waited）　for　the　paralyzed　wretches　who　came　helpless　by
  hundreds　thenwho　come　helpless　by　thousands　nowto　the　waters
  of　Wildbad　for　relief。
  While　the　band　played；　while　the　children　danced；　while　the　buzz
  of　many　talkers　deepened；　while　the　strong　young　nurses　of　the
  coming　cripples　knitted　impenetrably；　a　woman's　insatiable
  curiosity　about　other　women　asserted　itself　in　the　mayor's　wife。
  She　drew　the　landlady　aside；　and　whispered　a　question　to　her　on
  the　spot。
  〃A　word　more；　ma'am；〃　said　the　mayor's　wife；　〃about　the　two
  strangers　from　England。　Are　their　letters　explicit？　Have　they　got
  any　ladies　with　them？〃
  〃The　one　by　the　diligenceno；〃　replied　the　landlady。　〃But　the
  one　by　the　private　carriageyes。　He　comes　with　a　child；　he　comes
  with　a　nurse；　and；〃　concluded　the　landlady；　skillfully　keeping
  the　main　point　of　interest　till　the　last；　〃he　comes　with　a　Wife。〃
  The　mayoress　brightened；　the　doctoress　（assisting　at　the
  conference）　brightened；　the　landlady　nodded　significantly。　In　the
  minds　of　all　three　the　same　thought　started　into　life　at　the　same
  moment〃We　shall　see　the　Fashions！　〃
  In　a　minute　more；　there　was　a　sudden　movement　in　the　crowd；　and　a
  chorus　of　voices　proclaimed　that　the　travelers　were　at　hand。
  By　this　time　the　coming　vehicle　was　in　sight；　and　all　further
  doubt　was　at　an　end。　It　was　the　diligence　that　now　approached　by
  the　long　street　leading　into　the　squarethe　diligence　（in　a
  dazzling　new　coat　of　yellow　paint）　that　delivered　the　first
  visitors　of　the　season　at　the　inn　door。　Of　the　ten　travelers
  released　from　the　middle　compartment　and　the　back　compartment　of
  the　carriageall　from　various　parts　of　Germanythree　were
  lifted　out　helpless；　and　were　placed　in　the　chairs　on　wheels　to
  be　drawn　to　their　lodgings　in　the　town。　The　front　compartment
  contained　two　passengers　onlyMr。　Neal　and　his　traveling
  servant。　With　an　arm　on　either　side　to　assist　him；　the　stranger
  （whose　malady　appeared　to　be　locally　confined　to　a　lameness　in
  one　of　his　feet）　succeeded　in　descending　the　steps　of　the
  carriage　easily　enough。　While　he　steadied　himself　on　the　pavement
  by　the　help　of　his　sticklooking　not　over…patiently　toward　the
  musicians　who　were　serenading　him　with　the　waltz　in　〃Der
  Freischutz〃his　personal　appearance　rather　damped　the　enthusiasm
  of　the　friendly　little　circle　assembled　to　welcome　him。　He　was　a
  lean；　tall；　serious；　middle…aged　man；　with　a　cold　gray　eye　and　a
  long　upper　lip；　with　overhanging　eyebrows　and　high　cheek…bones；　a
  man　who　looked　what　he　wasevery　inch　a　Scotchman。
  〃Where　is　the　proprietor　of　this　hotel？〃　he　asked；　speaking　in
  the　German　language；　with　a　fluent　readiness　of　expression；　and
  an　icy　coldnes　s　of　manner。　〃Fetch　the　doctor；〃　he　continued；
  when　the　landlord　had　presented　himself；　〃I　want　to　see　him
  immediately。〃
  〃I　am　here　already；　sir；〃　said　the　doctor；　advancing　from　the
  circle　of　friends；　〃and　my　services　are　entirely　at　your
  disposal。〃
  〃Thank　you；〃　said　Mr。　Neal；　looking　at　the　doctor；　as　the　rest　of
  us　look　at　a　dog　when　we　have　whistled　and　the　dog　has　come。　〃I
  shall　be　glad　to　consult　you　to…morrow　morning；　at　ten　o'clock；
  about　my　own　case。　I　only　want　to　trouble　you　now　with　a　message
  which　I　have　undertaken　to　deliver。　We　overtook　a　traveling
  carriage　on　the　road　here　with　a　gentleman　in　itan　Englishman；
  I　believewho　appeared　to　be　seriously　ill。　A　lady　who　was　with
  him　begged　me　to　see　you　immediately　on　my　arrival；　and　to　secure
  your　professional　assistance　in　removing　the　patient　from　the
  carriage。　Their　courier　has　met　with　an　accident；　and　has　been
  left　behind　on　the　road；　and　they　are　obliged　to　travel　very
  slowly。　If　you　are　here　in　an　hour；　you　will　be　here　in　time　to
  receive　them。　That　is　the　messa