the law and the lady-第20节

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

〃Certainly。　My　youn　g　vocalist　（Miss　Hoighty）　told　the　doctor
exactly　what　had　happened；　and　the　doctor　in　her　presence
repeated　the　statement　to　your　husband。〃

〃Did　the　doctor　see　the　Trial？〃

〃Neither　the　doctor　nor　Mr。　Benjamin　has　seen　the　Trial。　I　have
locked　it　up；　and　I　have　carefully　kept　the　terrible　story　of
your　connection　with　the　prisoner　a　secret　from　all　of　them。　Mr。
Benjamin　evidently　has　his　suspicions。　But　the　doctor　has　no
idea；　and　Miss　Hoighty　has　no　idea；　of　the　true　cause　of　your
fainting　fit。　They　both　believe　that　you　are　subject　to　serious
nervous　attacks；　and　that　your　husband's　name　is　really
Woodville。　All　that　the　truest　friend　could　do　to　spare　Eustace　I
have　done。　He　persists；　nevertheless；　in　blaming　me　for　letting
you　enter　my　house。　And　worse；　far　worse　than　this；　he　persists
in　declaring　the　event　of　to…day　has　fatally　estranged　you　from
him。　'There　is　an　end　of　our　married　life；'　he　said　to　me；　'now
she　knows　that　I　am　the　man　who　was　tried　at　Edinburgh　for
poisoning　my　wife！〃'

I　rose　from　the　sofa　in　horror。

〃Good　God！〃　I　cried；　〃does　Eustace　suppose　that　I　doubt　his
innocence？〃

〃He　denies　that　it　is　possible　for　you　or　for　anybody　to　believe
in　his　innocence；〃　the　Major　replied。

〃Help　me　to　the　door；〃　I　said。　〃Where　is　he？　I　must　and　will　see
him！〃

I　dropped　back　exhausted　on　the　sofa　as　I　said　the　words。　Major
Fitz…David　poured　out　a　glass　of　wine　from　the　bottle　on　the
table；　and　insisted　on　my　drinking　it。

〃You　shall　see　him；〃　said　the　Major。　〃I　promise　you　that。　The
doctor　has　forbidden　him　to　leave　the　house　until　you　have　seen
him。　Only　wait　a　little！　My　poor；　dear　lady；　wait；　if　it　is　only
for　a　few　minutes；　until　you　are　stronger。〃

I　had　no　choice　but　to　obey　him。　Oh；　those　miserable；　helpless
minutes　on　the　sofa！　I　cannot　write　of　them　without　shuddering　at
the　recollectioneven　at　this　distance　of　time。

〃Bring　him　here！〃　I　said。　〃Pray；　pray　bring　him　here！〃

〃Who　is　to　persuade　him　to　come　back？〃　asked　the　Major；　sadly。
〃How　can　I；　how　can　anybody；　prevail　with　a　mana　madman　I　had
almost　said！who　could　leave　you　at　the　moment　when　you　first
opened　your　eyes　on　him？　I　saw　Eustace　alone　in　the　next　room
while　the　doctor　was　in　attendance　on　you。　I　tried　to　shake　his
obstinate　distrust　of　your　belief　in　his　innocence　and　of　my
belief　in　his　innocence　by　every　argument　and　every　appeal　that
an　old　friend　could　address　to　him。　He　had　but　one　answer　to　give
me。　Reason　as　I　might；　and　plead　as　I　might；　he　still　persisted
in　referring　me　to　the　Scotch　Verdict。〃

〃The　Scotch　Verdict？〃　I　repeated。　〃What　is　that？〃

The　Major　looked　surprised　at　the　question。

〃Have　you　really　never　heard　of　the　Trial？〃　he　said。

〃Never。〃

〃I　thought　it　strange；〃　he　went　on；　〃when　you　told　me　you　had
found　out　your　husband's　true　name；　that　the　discovery　appeared
to　have　suggested　no　painful　association　to　your　mind。　It　is　not
more　than　three　years　since　all　England　was　talking　of　your
husband。　One　can　hardly　wonder　at　his　taking　refuge；　poor　fellow；
in　an　assumed　name。　Where　could　you　have　been　at　the　time？〃

〃Did　you　say　it　was　three　years　ago？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes。〃

〃I　think　I　can　explain　my　strange　ignorance　of　what　was　so　well
known　to　every　one　else。　Three　years　since　my　father　was　alive。　I
was　living　with　him　in　a　country…house　in　Italyup　in　the
mountains；　near　Sienna。　We　never　saw　an　English　newspaper　or　met
with　an　English　traveler　for　weeks　and　weeks　together。　It　is　just
possible　that　there　might　have　been　some　reference　made　to　the
Trial　in　my　father's　letters　from　England。　If　there　were；　he
never　told　me　of　it。　Or；　if　he　did　mention　the　case；　I　felt　no
interest　in　it；　and　forgot　it　again　directly。　Tell　mewhat　has
the　Verdict　to　do　with　my　husband's　horrible　doubt　of　us？　Eustace
is　a　free　man。　The　Verdict　was　Not　Guilty；　of　course？〃

Major　Fitz…David　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃Eustace　was　tried　in　Scotland；〃　he　said。　〃There　is　a　verdict
allowed　by　the　Scotch　law；　which　（so　far　as　I　know）　is　not
permitted　by　the　laws　of　any　other　civilized　country　on　the　face
of　the　earth。　When　the　jury　are　in　doubt　whether　to　condemn　or
acquit　the　prisoner　brought　before　them；　they　are　permitted；　in
Scotland；　to　express　that　doubt　by　a　form　of　compromise。　If　there
is　not　evidence　enough；　on　the　one　hand；　to　justify　them　in
finding　a　prisoner　guilty；　and　not　evidence　enough；　on　the　other
hand；　to　thoroughly　convince　them　that　a　prisoner　is　innocent；
they　extricate　themselves　from　the　difficulty　by　finding　a
verdict　of　Not　Proven。〃

〃Was　that　the　Verdict　when　Eustace　was　tried？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes。〃

〃The　jury　were　not　quite　satisfied　that　my　husband　was　guilty？
and　not　quite　satisfied　that　my　husband　was　innocent？　Is　that
what　the　Scotch　Verdict　means？〃

〃That　is　what　the　Scotch　Verdict　means。　For　three　years　that
doubt　about　him　in　the　minds　of　the　jury　who　tried　him　has　stood
on　public　record。〃

Oh；　my　poor　darling！　my　innocent　martyr！　I　understood　it　at　last。
The　false　name　in　which　he　had　married　me；　the　terrible　words　he
had　spoken　when　he　had　warned　me　to　respect　his　secret；　the　still
more　terrible　doubt　that　he　felt　of　me　at　that　momentit　was　all
intelligible　to　my　sympathies；　it　was　all　clear　to　my
understanding；　now。　I　got　up　again　from　the　sofa；　strong　in　a
daring　resolution　which　the　Scotch　Verdict　had　suddenly　kindled
in　mea　resolution　at　once　too　sacred　and　too　desperate　to　be
confided；　in　the　first　instance；　to　any　other　than　my　husband's
ear。

〃Take　me　to　Eustace！〃　I　cried。　〃I　am　strong　enough　to　bear
anything　now。〃

After　one　searching　look　at　me；　the　Major　silently　offered　me　his
arm；　and　led　me　out　of　the　room。



CHAPTER　XII。

THE　SCOTCH　VERDICT。

　We　walked　to　the　far　end　of　the　hall。　Major　Fitz…David　opened
the　door　of　a　long；　narrow　room　built　out　at　the　back　of　the
house　as　a　smoking…room；　and　extending　along　one　side　of　the
courtyard　as　far　as　the　stable　wall。

My　husband　was　alone　in　the　room；　seated　at　the　further　end　of
it；　near　the　fire…place。　He　started　to　his　feet　and　faced　me　in
silence　as　I　entered。　The　Major　softly　closed　the　door　on　us　and
retired。　Eustace　never　stirred　a　step　to　meet　me。　I　ran　to　him；
and　threw　my　arms　round　his　neck　and　kissed　him。　The　embrace　was
not　returned；　the　kiss　was　not　returned。　He　passively
submittednothing　more。

〃Eustace！〃　I　said；　〃I　never　loved　you　more　dearly　than　I　love　you
at　this　moment！　I　never　felt　for　you　as　I　feel　for　you　now！〃

He　released　himself　deliberately　from　my　arms。　He　signed　to　me
with　the　mechanical　courtesy　of　a　stranger　to　take　a　chair。

〃Thank　you；　Valeria；〃　he　answered；　in　cold；　measured　tones。　〃You
could　say　no　less　to　me；　after　what　has　happened；　and　you　could
say　no　more。　Thank　you。〃

We　were　standing　before　the　fire…place。　He　left　me；　and　walked
away　slowly　with　his　head　down；　apparently　intending　to　leave　the
room。

I　followed　himI　got　before　himI　placed　myself　between　him　and
the　door。

〃Why　do　you　leave　me？〃　I　said。　〃Why　do　you　speak　to　me　in　this
cruel　way？　Are　you　angry；　Eustace？　My　darling；　if　you　_are_
angry；　I　ask　you　to　forgive　me。〃

〃It　is　I　who　ought　to　ask　_your_　pardon；〃　he　replied。　〃I　beg　you
to　forgive　me；　Valeria；　for　having　made　you　my　wife。〃

He　pronounced　those　words　with　a　hopeless；　heart…broken　humility
dreadful　to　see。　I　laid　my　hand　on　his　bosom。　I　said；　〃Eustace；
look　at　me。〃

He　slowly　lifted　his　eyes　to　my　faceeyes　cold　and　clear　and
tearlesslooking　at　me　in　steady　resignation；　in　immovable
despair。　In　the　utter　wretchedness　of　that　moment；　I　was　like
him；　I　was　as　quiet　and　as　cold　as　my　husband。　He　chilled；　he
froze　me。

〃Is　it　possible；〃　I　said；　〃that　you　doubt　my　belief　in　your
innocence？〃

He　left　the　question　unanswered。　He　sighed　bitterly　to　himself。
〃Poor　woman！〃　he　said；　as　a　stranger　might　have　said；　pitying　me。
〃Poor　woman！〃

My　heart　swelled　in　me　as　if　it　would　burst。　I　lifted　my　hand
from　his　bosom；　and　laid　it　on　his　shoulder　to　support　myself。

〃I　don't　ask　you　to　pity　me；　Eustace；　I　ask　you　to　do　me　justice。
You　are　not　doing　me　justice。　If　you　had　trusted　me　with　the
truth　in　the　days　when　we　first　knew　that　we　loved　each　otherif
you　had　told　me　all；　and　more　than　all　that　I　know　nowa　s　God
is　my　witness　I　would　still　have　married　you！　_Now_　do　you　doubt
that　I　believe　you　are　an　innocent　man！〃

〃I　don't　doubt　it；〃　he　said。　〃All　your　impulses　are　generous；
Valeria。　You　are　speaking　generously　and　feeling　generously。
Don't　blame　me；　my　poor　child；　if　I　look　on　further　than　you　do：
if　I　see　what　is　to　cometoo　surely　to　comein　the　cruel
future。〃

〃The　cruel　future！〃　I　repeated。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃You　believe　in　my　innocence；　Valeria。　The　jury　who　tried　me
doubted　itand　have　left　that　doubt　on　record。　What　reason　have
_you_　for　believing；　in　the　face　of　the　Verdict；　that　I　am　an
innocent　man？〃

〃I　want　no　reason！　I　believe　in　spite　of　the　juryin　spite　of
the　Verdict。〃

〃Will　your　friends　agree　with　you？　When　your　uncle　and　aunt　know
what　has　happenedand　sooner　or　later　they　must　know　itwhat
will　they　say？　They　wi