the law and the lady-第12节
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under the charm of your voice。 Dear Mrs。 Woodville； bear with an
old fellow who is under the charm！ Don't grudge me my innocent
little pleasures。 Lend meI wish I could say _give_ methis
pretty hand。 I am such an admirer of pretty hands！ I can listen
so much better with a pretty hand in mine。 The ladies indulge my
weakness。 Please indulge me too。 Yes？ And what were you going to
say？〃
〃I was going to say； Major； that I felt particularly sensible of
your kind welcome because； as it happens； I have a favor to ask
of you。〃
I was conscious； while I spoke； that I was approaching the object
of my visit a little too abruptly。 But Major Fitz…David's
admiration rose from one climax to another with such alarming
rapidity that I felt the importance of administering a practical
check to it。 I trusted to those ominous words； 〃a favor to ask of
you；〃 to administer the check； and I did not trust in vain。 My
aged admirer gently dropped my hand； and； with all possible
politeness； changed the subject。
〃The favor is granted； of course！〃 he said。 〃And now； tell me；
how is our dear Eustace？〃
〃Anxious and out of spirits。〃 I answered。
〃Anxious and out of spirits！〃 repeated the Major。 〃The enviable
man who is married to You anxious and out of spirits？ Monstrous！
Eustace fairly disgusts me。 I shall take him off the list of my
friends。〃
〃In that case； take me off the list with him； Major。 I am in
wretched spirits too。 You are my husband's old friend。 I may
acknowledge to _you_ that our married life is just now not quite
a happy one。〃
Major Fitz…David lifted his eyebrows （dyed to match his whiskers）
in polite surprise。
〃Already！〃 he exclaimed。 〃What can Eustace be made of？ Has he no
appreciation of beauty and grace？ Is he the most insensible of
living beings？〃
〃He is the best and dearest of men；〃 I answered。 〃But there is
some dreadful mystery in his past life〃
I could get no further； Major Fitz…David deliberately stopped me。
He did it with the smoothest politeness； on the surface。 But I
saw a look in his bright little eyes which said； plainly； 〃If you
_will_ venture on delicate ground； madam； don't ask me to
accompany you。〃
〃My charming friend！〃 he exclaimed。 〃May I call you my charming
friend？ You haveamong a thousand other delightful qualities
which I can see alreadya vivid imagination。 Don't let it get
the upper hand。 Take an old fellow's advice； don't let it get the
upper hand！ What can I offer you； dear Mrs。 Woodville？ A cup of
tea？〃
〃Call me by my right name； sir；〃 I answered； boldly。 〃I have made
a discovery。 I know as well as you do that my name is Macallan。〃
The Major started； and looked at me very attentively。 His manner
became grave； his tone changed completely； when he spoke next。
〃May I ask；〃 he said； 〃if you have communicated to your husband
the discovery which you have just mentioned to me？〃
〃Certainly！〃 I answered。 〃I consider that my husband owes me an
explanation。 I have asked him to tell me what his extraordinary
conduct meansand he has refused； in language that frightens me。
I have appealed to his motherand _she_ has refused to explain；
in language that humiliates me。 Dear Major Fitz…David； I have no
friends to take my part： I have nobody to come to but you！ Do me
the greatest of all favorstell me why your friend Eustace has
married me under a false name！〃
〃Do _me_ the greatest of all favors；〃 answered the Major。 〃Don't
ask me to say a word about it。〃
He looked； in spite of his unsatisfactory reply； as if he really
felt for me。 I determined to try my utmost powers of persuasion；
I resolved not to be beaten at the first repulse。
〃I _must_ ask you；〃 I said。 〃Think of my position。 How can I
live； knowing what I knowand knowing no more？ I would rather
hear the most horrible thing you can tell me than be condemned
（as I am now） to perpetual misgiving and perpetual suspense。 I
love my husband with all my heart； but I cannot live with him on
these terms： the misery of it would drive me mad。 I am only a
woman； Major。 I can only throw myself on your kindness。
Don'tpray； pray don't keep me in the dark！〃
I could say no more。 In the reckless impulse of the moment I
snatched up his hand and raised it to my lips。 The gallant old
gentleman started as if I had given him an electric shock。
〃My dear； dear lady！〃 he exclaimed； 〃I can't tell you how I feel
for you！ You charm me； you overwhelm me； you touch me to the
heart。 What can I say？ What can I do？ I can only imitate your
admirable frankness； your fearless candor。 You have told me what
your position is。 Let me tell you； in my turn； how I am placed。
Compose yourselfpray compose yourself！ I have a smelling…bottle
here at the service of the ladies。 Permit me to offer it。〃
He brought me the smelling…bottle； he put a little stool under my
feet； he entreated me to take time enough to compose myself。
〃Infernal fool！〃 I heard him say to himself； as he considerately
turned away from me for a few moments。 〃If _I_ had been her
husband； come what might of it； I would have told her the truth！〃
Was he referring to Eustace？ And was he going to do what he would
have done in my husband's place？was he really going to tell me
the truth？
The idea had barely crossed my mind when I was startled by a loud
and peremptory knocking at the street door。 The Major stopped and
listened attentively。 In a few moments the door was opened； and
the rustling of a woman's dress was plainly audible in the hall。
The Major hurried to the door of the room with the activity of a
young man。 He was too late。 The door was violently opened from
the outer side； just as he got to it。 The lady of the rustling
dress burst into the room。
CHAPTER IX。
THE DEFEAT OF THE MAJOR。
MAJOR FITZ…DAVID'S visitor proved to be a plump； round…eyed
overdressed girl； with a florid complexion and straw colored
hair。 After first fixing on me a broad stare of astonishment； she
pointedly addressed her apologies for intruding on us to the
Major alone。 The creature evidently believed me to be the last
new object of the old gentleman's idolatry； and she took no pains
to disguise her jealous resentment on discovering us together。
Major Fitz…David set matters right in his own irresistible way。
He kissed the hand of the overdressed girl as devotedly as he had
kissed mine； he told her she was looking charmingly。 Then he led
her； with his happy mixture of admiration and respect； back to
the door by which she had entereda second door communicating
directly with the hall。
〃No apology is necessary； my dear；〃 he said。 〃This lady is with
me on a matter of business。 You will find your singing…master
waiting for you upstairs。 Begin your lesson； and I will join you
in a few minutes。 _Au revoir_； my charming pupil_au revoir。_〃
The young lady answered this polite little speech in a
whisperwith her round eyes fixed distrustfully on me while she
spoke。 The door closed on her。 Major Fitz…David was a t liberty
to set matters right with me； in my turn。
〃I call that young person one of my happy discoveries；〃 said the
old gentleman； complacently。 〃She possesses； I don't hesitate to
say； the finest soprano voice in Europe。 Would you believe it； I
met with her at the railway station。 She was behind the counter
in a refreshment…room； poor innocent； rinsing wine…glasses； and
singing over her work。 Good Heavens； such singing！ Her upper
notes electrified me。 I said to myself； 'Here is a born prima
donnaI will bring her out！' She is the third I have brought out
in my time。 I shall take her to Italy when her education is
sufficiently advanced； and perfect her at Milan。 In that
unsophisticated girl； my dear lady； you see one of the future
Queens of Song。 Listen！ She is beginning her scales。 What a
voice！ Brava！ Brava！ Bravissima！〃
The high soprano notes of the future Queen of Song rang through
the house as he spoke。 Of the loudness of the young lady's voice
there could be no sort of doubt。 The sweetness and the purity of
it admitted； in my opinion； of considerable dispute。
Having said the polite words which the occasion rendered
necessary； I ventured to recall Major Fitz…David to the subject
in discussion between us when his visitor had entered the room。
The Major was very unwilling to return to the perilous topic on
which we had just touched when the interruption occurred。 He beat
time with his forefinger to the singing upstairs； he asked me
about _my_ voice； and whether I sang； he remarked that life would
be intolerable to him without Love and Art。 A man in my place
would have lost all patience； and would have given up the
struggle in disgust。 Being a woman； and having my end in view； my
resolution was invincible。 I fairly wore out the Major's
resistance； and compelled him to surrender at discretion。 It is
only justice to add that； when he did make up his mind to speak
to me again of Eustace； he spoke frankly； and spoke to the point。
〃I have known your husband；〃 he began； 〃since the time when he
was a boy。 At a certain period of his past life a terrible
misfortune fell upon him。 The secret of that misfortune is known
to his friends； and is religiously kept by his friends。 It is the
secret t
