the law and the lady-第11节

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manner　and　on　her　face。　I　put　money　into　the　woman's　hand；　enough
of　it　to　surprise　her。　She　thanked　me　with　a　cynical　smile；
evidently　placing　her　own　evil　interpretation　on　my　motive　for
bribing　her。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　ma'am？〃　she　asked；　in　a　confidential
whisper。　〃Don't　speak　loud！　there　is　somebody　in　the　next　room。〃

〃I　want　to　look　my　best；〃　I　said；　〃and　I　have　sent　for　you　to
help　me。〃

〃I　understand；　ma'am。〃

〃What　do　you　understand？〃

She　nodded　her　head　significantly；　and　whispered　to　me　again。
〃Lord　bless　you；　I'm　used　to　this！〃　she　said。　〃There　is　a
gentleman　in　the　case。　Don't　mind　me；　ma'am。　It's　a　way　I　have。　I
mean　no　harm。〃　She　stopped；　and　looked　at　me　critically。　〃I
wouldn't　change　my　dress　if　I　were　you；〃　she　went　on。　〃The　color
becomes　you。〃

It　was　too　late　to　resent　the　woman's　impertinence。　There　was　no
help　for　it　but　to　make　use　of　her。　Besides；　she　was　right　about
the　dress。　It　was　of　a　delicate　maize…color；　prettily　trimmed
with　lace。　I　could　wear　nothing　which　suited　me　better。　My　hair；
however；　stood　in　need　of　some　skilled　attention。　The　chambermaid
rearranged　it　with　a　ready　hand　which　showed　that　she　was　no
beginner　in　the　art　of　dressing　hair。　She　laid　down　the　combs　and
brushes；　and　looked　at　me；　then　looked　at　the　toilet…table；
searching　for　something　which　she　apparently　failed　to　find。

〃Where　do　you　keep　it？〃　she　asked。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Look　at　your　complexion；　ma'am。　You　will　frighten　him　if　he　sees
you　like　that。　A　touch　of　color　you　_must_　have。　Where　do　you
keep　it？　What！　you　haven't　got　it？　you　never　use　it？　Dear；　dear；
dear　me！〃

For　a　moment　surprise　fairly　deprived　her　of　her　self…possession。
Recovering　herself；　she　begged　permission　to　leave　me　for　a
minute。　I　let　her　go；　knowing　what　her　errand　was。　She　came　back
with　a　box　of　paint　and　powders；　and　I　said　nothing　to　check　her。
I　saw；　in　the　glass；　my　skin　take　a　false　fairness；　my　cheeks　a
false　color；　my　eyes　a　false　brightnessand　I　never　shrank　from
it。　No！　I　let　the　odious　conceit　go　on；　I　even　admired　the
extraordinary　delicacy　and　dexterity　with　which　it　was　all　done。
〃Anything〃　（I　thought　to　myself；　in　the　madness　of　that　miserable
time）　〃so　long　as　it　helps　me　to　win　the　Major's　confidence！
Anything；　so　long　as　I　discover　what　those　last　words　of　my
husband's　really　mean！〃

The　transformation　of　my　face　was　accomplished。　The　chambermaid
pointed　with　her　wicked　forefinger　in　the　direction　of　the　glass。

〃Bear　in　mind；　ma'am；　what　you　looked　like　when　you　sent　for　me；〃
she　said。　〃And　just　see　for　yourself　how　you　look　now。　You're　the
prettiest　woman　（of　your　style）　in　London。　Ah　what　a　thing
pearl…powder　is；　when　one　knows　how　to　use　it！〃


CHAPTER　VIII。

THE　FRIEND　OF　THE　WOMEN。

　I　FIND　it　impossible　to　describe　my　sensations　while　the
carriage　was　taking　me　to　Major　Fitz…David's　house。　I　doubt；
indeed；　if　I　really　felt　or　thought　at　all；　in　the　true　sense　of
those　words。

From　the　moment　when　I　had　resigned　myself　into　the　hands　of　the
chambermaid　I　seemed　in　some　strange　way　to　have　lost　my　ordinary
identityto　have　stepped　out　of　my　own　character。　At　other　times
my　temperament　was　of　the　nervous　and　anxious　sort；　and　my
tendency　was　to　exaggerate　any　difficulties　that　might　place
themselves　in　my　way。　At　other　times；　having　before　me　the
prospect　of　a　critical　interview　with　a　stranger；　I　should　have
considered　with　myself　what　it　might　be　wise　to　pass　over；　and
what　it　might　be　wise　to　say。　Now　I　never　gave　my　coming
interview　with　the　Major　a　thought；　I　felt　an　unreasoning
confidence　in　myself；　and　a　blind　faith　in　_him_。　Now　neither　the
past　nor　the　future　troubled　me；　I　lived　unreflectingly　in　the
present。　I　looked　at　the　shops　as　we　drove　by　them；　and　at　the
other　carriages　as　they　passed　mine。　I　noticedyes；　and
enjoyedthe　glances　of　admiration　which　chance　foot…passengers
on　the　pavement　cast　on　me。　I　said　to　myself；　〃This　looks　well
for　my　prospect　of　making　a　friend　of　the　Major！〃　When　we　drew　up
at　the　door　in　Vivian　Place；　it　is　no　exaggeration　to　say　that　I
had　but　one　anxietyanxiety　to　find　the　Major　at　home。

The　door　was　opened　by　a　servant　out　of　livery；　an　old　man　who
looked　as　if　he　might　have　been　a　soldier　in　his　earlier　days。　He
eyed　me　with　a　grave　attention；　which　relaxed　little　by　little
into　sly　approval。　I　asked　for　Major　Fitz…David。　The　answer　was
not　altogether　encouraging：　the　man　was　not　sure　whether　his
master　were　at　home　or　not。

I　gave　him　my　card。　My　cards；　being　part　of　my　wedding　outfit；
necessarily　had　the　false　name　printed　on　them_Mrs。　Eustace
Woodville_。　The　servant　showed　me　into　a　front　room　on　the
ground…floor；　and　disappeared　with　my　card　in　his　hand。

Looking　about　me；　I　noticed　a　door　in　the　wall　opposite　the
window；　communicating　with　some　inner　room。　The　door　was　not　of
the　ordinary　kind。　It　fitted　into　the　thickness　of　the　partition
wall；　and　worked　in　grooves。　Looking　a　little　nearer；　I　saw　that
it　had　not　been　pulled　out　so　as　completely　to　close　the　doorway。
Only　the　merest　chink　was　left；　but　it　was　enough　to　convey　to　my
ears　all　that　passed　in　the　next　room。

〃What　did　you　say；　Oliver；　when　she　asked　for　me？〃　inquired　a
man's　voice；　pitched　cautiously　in　a　low　key。

〃I　said　I　was　not　sure　you　were　at　home；　sir；〃　answered　the　voice
of　the　servant　who　had　let　me　in。

There　was　a　pause。　The　first　speaker　was　evidently　Major
Fitz…David　himself。　I　waited　to　hear　more。

〃I　think　I　had　better　not　see　her；　Oliver；〃　the　Major's　voice
resumed。

〃Very　good；　sir。〃

〃Say　I　have　gone　out；　and　you　don't　know　when　I　shall　be　back
again。　Beg　the　lady　to　write；　if　she　has　any　business　with　me。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Stop；　Oliver！〃

Oliver　stopped。　There　was　another　and　longer　pause。　Then　the
master　resumed　the　examination　of　the　man。

〃Is　she　young；　Oliver？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Andpretty？〃

〃Better　than　pretty；　sir；　to　my　thinking。〃

〃Aye？　aye？　What　you　call　a　fine　womaneh；　Oliver？〃

〃Certainly；　sir。〃

〃Tall？〃

〃Nearly　as　tall　as　I　am；　Major。〃

〃Aye？　aye？　aye？　A　good　figure？〃

〃As　slim　as　a　sapling；　sir；　and　as　upright　as　a　dart。〃

〃On　second　thoughts；　I　am　at　home；　Oliver。　Show　her　in！　show　her
in！〃

So　far；　one　thing　at　least　seemed　to　be　clear。　I　had　done　well　in
sending　for　the　chambermaid。　What　would　Oliver's　report　of　me
have　been　if　I　had　presented　myself　to　him　with　my　colorless
cheeks　and　my　ill…dressed　hair？

The　servant　reappeared；　and　conducted　me　to　the　inner　room。　Major
Fitz…David　advanced　to　welcome　me。　What　was　the　Major　like？

Well；　he　was　like　a　well…preserved　old　gentleman　of；　say；　sixty
years　old；　little　and　lean；　and　chiefly　remarkable　by　the
extraordinary　length　of　his　nose。　After　this　feature；　I　noticed
next　his　beautiful　brown　wig；　his　sparkling　little　gray　eyes；　his
rosy　complexion；　his　short　military　whisker；　dyed　to　match　his
wig；　his　white　teeth　and　his　winning　smile；　his　smart　blue
frock…coat；　with　a　camellia　in　the　button…hole；　and　his　splendid
ring；　a　ruby；　flashing　on　his　little　finger　as　he　courteously
signed　to　me　to　take　a　chair。

〃Dear　Mrs。　Woodville；　how　very　kind　of　you　this　is！　I　have　been
longing　to　have　the　happiness　of　knowing　you。　Eustace　is　an　old
friend　of　mine。　I　congratulated　him　when　I　heard　of　his　marriage。
May　I　make　a　confession？I　envy　him　now　I　have　seen　his　wife。〃

The　future　of　my　life　was　perhaps　in　this　man's　hands。　I　studied
him　attentively：　I　tried　to　read　his　character　in　his　face。

The　Major's　sparkling　little　gray　eyes　softened　as　they　looked　at
me；　the　Major's　strong　and　sturdy　voice　dropped　to　its　lowest　and
tenderest　tones　when　he　spoke　to　me；　the　Major's　manner
expressed；　from　the　moment　when　I　entered　the　room；　a　happy
mixture　of　admiration　and　respect。　He　drew　his　chair　close　to
mine；　as　if　it　were　a　privilege　to　be　near　me。　He　took　my　hand
and　lifted　my　glove　to　his　lips；　as　if　that　glove　were　the　most
delicious　luxury　the　world　could　produce。　〃Dear　Mrs。　Woodville；〃
he　said；　as　he　softly　laid　my　hand　back　on　my　lap；　〃bear　with　an
old　fellow　who　worships　your　enchanting　sex。　You　really　brighten
this　dull　house。　It　is　_such_　a　pleasure　to　see　you！〃

There　was　no　need　for　the　old　gentleman　to　make　his　little
confession。　Women；　children；　and　dogs　proverbially　know　by
instinct　who　the　people　are　who　really　like　them。　The　women　had　a
warm　friendperhaps　at　one　time　a　dangerously　warm　friendin
Major　Fitz…David。　I　knew　as　much　of　him　as　that　before　I　had
settled　myself　in　my　chair　and　opened　my　lips　to　answer　him。

〃Thank　you；　Major；　for　your　kind　reception　and　your　pretty
compliment；〃　I　said；　matching　my　host's　easy　tone　as　closely　as
the　necessary　restraints　on　my　side　would　permit。　〃You　have　made
your　confession。　May　I　make　mine？〃

Major　Fitz…David　lifted　my　hand　again　from　my　lap　and　drew　his
chair　as　close　as　possible　to　mine。　I　looked　at　him　gravely　and
tried　to　release　my　hand。　Major　Fitz…David　declined　to　let　go　of
it；　and　proceeded　to　tell　me　why。

〃I　have　just　heard　you　speak　for　the　first　time；〃　he　said。　〃I　am
under　the　charm　of　your　voice。　Dear　Mrs。　Woodville；　bear　with　an
old　fellow　who　is　under　the　charm！　Don't