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。
  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　camefrom　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。
  Armadale。　〃I　will　seal　it　in　your　presence；　and　I　will　post　it　to
  your　executor　myself。　But；　in　engaging　to　do　this；　I　must　beg　you
  to　remember　that　I　am　acting　entirely　in　the　dark；　and　I　must　ask
  you　to　excuse　me；　if　I　reserve　my　own　entire　freedom　of　action；
  when　your　wishes　in　relation　to　the　writing　and　the　posting　of
  the　letter　have　been　fulfilled。〃
  〃Do　you　give　me　your　promise？〃
  〃It　you　want　my　promise；　sir；　I　will　give　itsubject　to　the
  condition　I　have　just　named。〃
  〃Take　your　condition；　and　keep　your　promise。　My　desk；〃　he　added；
  looking　at　his　wife　for　the　first　time。
  She　crossed　the　room　eagerly　to　fetch　the　desk　from　a　chair　in　a
  corner。　Returning　with　it；　she　made　a　passing　sign　to　the
  negress；　who　still　stood；　grim　and　silent；　in　the　place　that　she
  had　occupied　from　the　first。　The　woman　advanced；　obedient　to　the
  sign；　to　take　the　child　from　the　bed。　At　the　instant　when　she
  touched　him；　the　father's　eyesfixed　previously　on　the
  deskturned　on　her　with　the　stealthy　quickness　of　a　cat。　〃No！〃
  he　said。　〃No！〃　echoed　the　fresh　voice　of　the　boy；　still　charmed
  with　his　plaything；　and　still　liking　his　place　on　the　bed。　The
  negress　left　the　room；　and　the　child；　in　high　triumph；　trotted
  his　toy　soldier　up　and　down　on　the　bedclothes　that　lay　rumpled
  over　his　father's　breast。　His　mother's　lovely　face　contracted
  with　a　pang　of　jealousy　as　she　looked　at　him。
  〃Shall　I　open　your　desk？〃　she　asked；　pushing　back　the　child's
  plaything　sharply　while　she　spoke。　An　answering　look　from　her
  husband　guided　her　hand　to　the　place　under　his　pillow　where　the
  key　was　hidden。　She　opened　the　desk；　and　disclosed　inside　some
  small　sheets　of　manuscript　pinned　together。　〃These？〃　she
  inquired；　producing　them。
  〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃You　can　go　now。〃
  The　Scotchman　sitting　at　the　writing…table；　the　doctor　stirring　a
  stimulant　mixture　in　a　corner；　looked　at　each　other　with　an
  anxiety　in　both　their　faces　which　they　could　neither　of　them
  control。　The　words　that　banished　the　wife　from　the　room　were
  spoken。　The　moment　had　come。
  〃You　can　go　now；〃　said　Mr。　Armadale；　for　the　second　time。
  She　looked　at　the　child；　established　comfortably　on　the　bed；　and
  an　ashy　paleness　spread　slowly　over　her　face。　She　looked　at　the
  fatal　letter　which　was　a　sealed　secret　to　her；　and　a　torture　of
  jealous　suspicionsuspicion　of　that　other　woman　who　had　been　the
  shadow　and　the　poison　of　her　lifewrung　her　to　the　heart。　After
  moving　a　few　steps　from　the　bedside；　she　stopped；　and　came　back
  again。　Armed　with　the　double　courage　of　her　love　and　her　despair；
  she　pressed　her　lips　on　her　dying　husband's　cheek；　and　pleaded
  with　him　for　the　last　time。　Her　burning　tears　dropped　on　his　face
  as　she　whispered　to　him：　〃Oh；　Allan；　think　how　I　have　loved　you！
  think　how　hard　I　have　tried　to　make　you　happy！　think　how　soon　I
  shall　lose　you！　Oh；　my　own　love！　don't；　don't　send　me　away！〃
  The　words　pleaded　for　her；　the　kiss　pleaded　for　her；　the
  recollection　of　the　love　that　had　been　given　to　him；　and　never
  returned；　touched　the　heart　of　the　fast…sinking　man　as　nothing
  had　touched　it　since　the　day　of　his　marriage。　A　heavy　sigh　broke
  from　him。　He　looked　at　her；　and　hesitated。
  〃Let　me　stay；〃　she　whispered；　pressing　her　face　closer　to　his。
  〃It　will　only　distress　you；〃　he　whispered　back。
  〃Nothing　distresses　me；　but　being　sent　away　from　_you！_〃
  He　waited。