the law and the lady-第19节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





I　stopped　and　looked　up　at　her。　She　started　back　from　me　with　a
scream　of　terror。　I　looked　down　again　at　the　title…page；　and　read
the　next　lines


FOR　THE　ALLEGED　POISONING　OF　HIS　WIFE。

　There；　God's　mercy　remembered　me。　There　the　black　blank　of　a
swoon　swallowed　me　up。


CHAPTER　XI。

THE　RETURN　TO　LIFE。

　My　first　remembrance　when　I　began　to　recover　my　senses　was　the
remembrance　of　Painagonizing　pain；　as　if　every　nerve　in　my　body
were　being　twisted　and　torn　out　of　me。　My　whole　being　writhed　and
quivered　under　the　dumb　and　dreadful　protest　of　Nature　against
the　effort　to　recall　me　to　life。　I　would　have　given　worlds　to　be
able　to　cry　outto　entreat　the　unseen　creatures　about　me　to　give
me　back　to　death。　How　long　that　speechless　agony　held　me　I　never
knew。　In　a　longer　or　shorter　time　there　stole　over　me　slowly　a
sleepy　sense　of　relief。　I　heard　my　own　labored　breathing。　I　felt
my　hands　moving　fee　bly　and　mechanically；　like　the　hands　of　a
baby。　I　faintly　opened　my　eyes　and　looked　round　meas　if　I　had
passed　through　the　ordeal　of　death；　and　had　awakened　to　new
senses　in　a　new　world。

The　first　person　I　saw　was　a　mana　stranger。　He　moved　quietly
out　of　my　sight；　beckoning；　as　he　disappeared；　to　some　other
person　in　the　room。

Slowly　and　unwillingly　the　other　person　advanced　to　the　sofa　on
which　I　lay。　A　faint　cry　of　joy　escaped　me；　I　tried　to　hold　out
my　feeble　hands。　The　other　person　who　was　approaching　me　was　my
husband！

I　looked　at　him　eagerly。　He　never　looked　at　me　in　return。　With
his　eyes　on　the　ground；　with　a　strange　appearance　of　confusion
and　distress　in　his　face；　he　too　moved　away　out　of　my　sight。　The
unknown　man　whom　I　had　first　noticed　followed　him　out　of　the
room。　I　called　after　him　faintly；　〃Eustace！〃　He　never　answered；
he　never　returned。　With　an　effort　I　moved　my　head　on　the　pillow；
so　as　to　look　round　on　the　other　side　of　the　sofa。　Another
familiar　face　appeared　before　me　as　if　in　a　dream。　My　good　old
Benjamin　was　sitting　watching　me；　with　the　tears　in　his　eyes。

He　rose　and　took　my　hand　silently；　in　his　simple；　kindly　way。

〃Where　is　Eustace？〃　I　asked。　〃Why　has　he　gone　away　and　left　me？〃

I　was　still　miserably　weak。　My　eyes　wandered　mechanically　round
the　room　as　I　put　the　question。　I　saw　Major　Fitz…David；　I　saw　the
table　on　which　the　singing　girl　had　opened　the　book　to　show　it　to
me。　I　saw　the　girl　herself；　sitting　alone　in　a　corner；　with　her
handkerchief　to　her　eyes　as　if　she　were　crying。　In　one　mysterious
moment　my　memory　recovered　its　powers。　The　recollection　of　that
fatal　title…page　came　back　to　me　in　all　its　horror。　The　one
feeling　that　it　roused　in　me　now　was　a　longing　to　see　my
husbandto　throw　myself　into　his　arms；　and　tell　him　how　firmly　I
believed　in　his　innocence；　how　truly　and　dearly　I　loved　him。　I
seized　on　Benjamin　with　feeble；　trembling　hands。　〃Bring　him　back
to　me！〃　I　cried；　wildly。　〃Where　is　he？　Help　me　to　get　up！〃

A　strange　voice　answered；　firmly　and　kindly：　〃Compose　yourself；
madam。　Mr。　Woodville　is　waiting　until　you　have　recovered；　in　a
room　close　by。〃

I　looked　at　him；　and　recognized　the　stranger　who　had　followed　my
husband　out　of　the　room。　Why　had　he　returned　alone？　Why　was
Eustace　not　with　me；　like　the　rest　of　them？　I　tried　to　raise
myself；　and　get　on　my　feet。　The　stranger　gently　pressed　me　back
again　on　the　pillow。　I　attempted　to　resist　himquite　uselessly；
of　course。　His　firm　hand　held　me　as　gently　as　ever　in　my　place。

〃You　must　rest　a　little；〃　he　said。　〃You　must　take　some　wine。　If
you　exert　yourself　now　you　will　faint　again。〃

Old　Benjamin　stooped　over　me；　and　whispered　a　word　of
explanation。

〃It's　the　doctor；　my　dear。　You　must　do　as　he　tells　you。〃

The　doctor！　They　had　called　the　doctor　in　to　help　them！　I　began
dimly　to　understand　that　my　fainting　fit　must　have　presented
symptoms　far　more　serious　than　the　fainting　fits　of　women　in
general。　I　appealed　to　the　doctor；　in　a　helpless；　querulous　way；
to　account　to　me　for　my　husband's　extraordinary　absence。

〃Why　did　you　let　him　leave　the　room？〃　I　asked。　〃If　I　can't　go　to
him；　why　don't　you　bring　him　here　to　me？〃

The　doctor　appeared　to　be　at　a　loss　how　to　reply　to　me。　He　looked
at　Benjamin；　and　said；　〃Will　you　speak　to　Mrs。　Woodville？〃

Benjamin；　in　his　turn；　looked　at　Major　Fitz…David；　and　said；
〃Will　_you？_〃　The　Major　signed　to　them　both　to　leave　us。　They
rose　together；　and　went　into　the　front　room；　pulling　the　door　to
after　them　in　its　grooves。　As　they　left　us；　the　girl　who　had　so
strangely　revealed　my　husband's　secret　to　me　rose　in　her　corner
and　approached　the　sofa。

〃I　suppose　I　had　better　go　too？〃　she　said；　addressing　Major
Fitz…David。

〃If　you　please；〃　the　Major　answered。

He　spoke　（as　I　thought）　rather　coldly。　She　tossed　her　head；　and
turned　her　back　on　him　in　high　indignation。　〃I　must　say　a　word
for　myself！〃　cried　this　strange　creature；　with　a　hysterical
outbreak　of　energy。　〃I　must　say　a　word；　or　I　shall　burst！〃

With　that　extraordinary　preface；　she　suddenly　turned　my　way　and
poured　out　a　perfect　torrent　of　words　on　me。

〃You　hear　how　the　Major　speaks　to　me？〃　she　began。　〃He　blames
mepoor　Mefor　everything　that　has　happened。　I　am　as　innocent
as　the　new…born　babe。　I　acted　for　the　best。　I　thought　you　wanted
the　book。　I　don't　know　now　what　made　you　faint　dead　away　when　I
opened　it。　And　the　Major　blames　Me！　As　if　it　was　my　fault！　I　am
not　one　of　the　fainting　sort　myself；　but　I　feel　it；　I　can　tell
you。　Yes！　I　feel　it；　though　I　don't　faint　about　it。　I　come　of
respectable　parentsI　do。　My　name　is　HoightyMiss　Hoighty。　I
have　my　own　self…respect；　and　it's　wounded。　I　say　my　self…respect
is　wounded；　when　I　find　myself　blamed　without　deserving　it。　You
deserve　it；　if　anybody　does。　Didn't　you　tell　me　you　were　looking
for　a　book？　And　didn't　I　present　it　to　you　promiscuously；　with
the　best　intentions？　I　think　you　might　say　so　yourself；　now　the
doctor　has　brought　you　to　again。　I　think　you　might　speak　up　for　a
poor　girl　who　is　worked　to　death　with　singing　and　languages　and
what　nota　poor　girl　who　has　nobody　else　to　speak　for　her。　I　am
as　respectable　as　you　are；　if　you　come　to　that。　My　name　is
Hoighty。　My　parents　are　in　business；　and　my　mamma　has　seen　better
days；　and　mixed　in　the　best　of　company。〃

There　Miss　Hoighty　lifted　her　handkerchief　again　to　her　face；　and
burst　modestly　into　tears　behind　it。

It　was　certainly　hard　to　hold　her　responsible　for　what　had
happened。　I　answered　as　kindly　as　I　could；　and　I　attempted　to
speak　to　Major　Fitz…David　in　her　defense。　He　knew　what　terrible
anxieties　were　oppressing　me　at　that　moment；　and；　considerately
refusing　to　hear　a　word；　he　took　the　task　of　consoling　his　young
prima　donna　entirely　on　himself。　What　he　said　to　her　I　neither
heard　nor　cared　to　hear：　he　spoke　in　a　whisper。　It　ended　in　his
pacifying　Miss　Hoighty；　by　kissing　her　hand；　and　leading　her　（as
he　might　have　led　a　duchess）　out　of　the　room。

〃I　hope　that　foolish　girl　has　not　annoyed　youat　such　a　time　as
this；〃　he　said；　very　earnestly；　when　he　returned　to　the　sofa。　〃I
can't　tell　you　how　grieved　I　am　at　what　has　happened。　I　was
careful　to　warn　you；　as　you　may　remember。　Still；　if　I　could　only
have　foreseen〃

I　let　him　proceed　no　further。　No　human　forethought　could　have
provided　against　what　had　happened。　Besides；　dreadful　as　the
discovery　had　been；　I　would　rather　have　made　it；　and　suffered
under　it；　as　I　was　suffering　now；　than　have　been　kept　in　the
dark。　I　told　him　this。　And　then　I　turned　to　the　one　subject　that
was　now　of　any　interest　to　methe　subject　of　my　unhappy　husband。

〃How　did　he　come　to　this　house？〃　I　asked。

He　came　here　with　Mr。　Benjamin　shortly　after　I　returned；〃　the
Major　replied。

〃Long　after　I　was　taken　ill？〃

〃No。　I　had　just　sent　for　the　doctorfeeling　seriously　alarmed
about　you。〃

〃What　brought　him　here？　Did　he　return　to　the　hotel　and　miss　me？〃

〃Yes。　He　returned　earlier　than　he　had　anticipated；　and　he　felt
uneasy　at　not　finding　you　at　the　hotel。〃

〃Did　he　suspect　me　of　being　with　you？　Did　he　come　here　from　the
hotel？〃

〃No。　He　appears　to　have　gone　first　to　Mr。　Benjamin　to　inquire
about　you。　What　he　heard　from　your　old　friend　I　cannot　say。　I
only　know　that　Mr。　Benjamin　accompanied　him　when　he　came　here。〃

This　brief　explanation　was　quite　enough　for　meI　understood　what
had　happened。　Eustace　would　easily　frighten　simple　old　Benjamin
about　my　absence　from　the　hotel；　and；　once　alarmed；　Benjamin
would　be　persuaded　without　difficulty　to　repeat　the　few　words
which　had　passed　between　us　on　the　subject　of　Major　Fitz…David。
My　husband's　presence　in　the　Major's　house　was　perfectly
explained。　But　his　extraordinary　conduct　in　leaving　the　room　at
the　very　time　when　I　was　just　recovering　my　senses　still　remained
to　be　accounted　for。　Major　Fitz…David　looked　seriously
embarrassed　when　I　put　the　question　to　him。

〃I　hardly　know　how　to　explain　it　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃Eustace　has
surprised　and　disappointed　me。〃

He　spoke　very　gravely。　His　looks　told　me　more　than　his　words：　his
looks　alarmed　me。

〃Eustace　has　not　quarreled　with　you？〃　I　said。

〃Oh　no！〃

〃He　understands　that　you　have　not　broken　your　promise　to　him？〃

〃Certainly。　My　youn　g　vocalist　（Miss　Hoighty）　told