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what　has　happenedand　sooner　or　later　they　must　know　itwhat
will　they　say？　They　will　say；　'He　began　badly；　he　concealed　from
our　niece　that　he　had　been　wedded　to　a　first　wife；　he　married　our
niece　under　a　false　name。　He　may　say　he　is　innocent；　but　we　have
only　his　word　for　it。　When　he　was　put　on　his　Trial；　the　Verdict
was　Not　Proven。　Not　Proven　won't　do　for　us。　If　the　jury　have　done
him　an　injusticeif　he　_is_　innocentlet　him　prove　it。'　That　is
what　the　world　thinks　and　says　of　me。　That　is　what　your　friends
will　think　and　say　of　me。　The　time　is　coming；　Valeria；　when
youeven　Youwill　feel　that　your　friends　have　reason　to　appeal
to　on　their　side；　and　that　you　have　no　reason　on　yours。〃

〃That　time　will　never　come！〃　I　answered；　warmly。　〃You　wrong　me；
you　insult　me；　in　thinking　it　possible！〃

He　put　down　my　hand　from　him；　and　drew　back　a　step；　with　a　bitter
smile。

〃We　have　only　been　married　a　few　days；　Valeria。　Your　love　for　me
is　new　and　young。　Time；　which　wears　away　all　things；　will　wear
away　the　first　fervor　of　that　love。〃

〃Never！　never！〃

He　drew　back　from　me　a　little　further　still。

〃Look　at　the　world　around　you；〃　he　said。　〃The　happiest　husbands
and　wives　have　their　occasional　misunderstandings　and
disagreements；　the　brightest　married　life　has　its　passing　clouds。
When　those　days　come　for　_us；_　the　doubts　and　fears　that　you
don't　feel　now　will　find　their　way　to　you　then。　When　the　clouds
rise　in　_our_　married　lifewhen　I　say　my　first　harsh　word；　when
you　make　your　first　hasty　replythen；　in　the　solitude　of　your
own　room；　in　the　stillness　of　the　wakeful　night；　you　will　think
of　my　first　wife's　miserable　death。　You　will　remember　that　I　was
held　responsible　for　it；　and　that　my　innocence　was　never　proved。
You　will　say　to　yourself；　'Did　it　begin；　in　_her_　time；　with　a
harsh　word　from　him　and　with　a　hasty　reply　from　her？　Will　it　one
day　end　with　me　as　the　jury　half　feared　that　it　ended　with　her？'
Hideous　questions　for　a　wife　to　ask　herself！　You　will　stifle
them；　you　will　recoil　from　them；　like　a　good　woman；　with　horror。
But　when　we　meet　the　next　morning　you　will　be　on　your　guard；　and
I　shall　see　it；　and　know　in　my　heart　of　hearts　what　it　means。
Imbittered　by　that　knowledge；　my　next　harsh　word　may　be　harsher
still。　Your　next　thoughts　of　me　may　remind　you　more　vividly　and
more　boldly　that　your　husband　was　once　tried　as　a　poisoner；　and
that　the　question　of　his　first　wife's　death　was　never　properly
cleared　up。　Do　you　see　what　materials　for　a　domestic　hell　are
mingling　for　us　here？　Was　it　for　nothing　that　I　warned　you；
solemnly　warned　you；　to　draw　back；　when　I　found　you　bent　on
discovering　the　truth？　Can　I　ever　be　at　your　bedside　now；　when
you　are　ill；　and　not　remind　you；　in　the　most　innocent　things　I
do；　of　what　happened　at　that　other　bedside；　in　the　time　of　that
other　woman　whom　I　married　first？　If　I　pour　out　your　medicine；　I
commit　a　suspicious　actionthey　say　I　poisoned　_her_　in　her
medicine。　If　I　bring　you　a　cup　of　tea；　I　revive　the　remembrance
of　a　horrid　doubtthey　said　I　put　the　arsenic　in　_her_　cup　of
tea。　If　I　kiss　you　when　I　leave　the　room；　I　remind　you　that　the
prosecution　accused　me　of　kissing　_her；_　to　save　appearances　and
produce　an　effect　on　the　nurse。　Can　we　live　together　on　such
terms　as　these？　No　mortal　creatures　could　support　the　misery　of
it。　This　very　day　I　said　to　you；　'If　you　stir　a　step　further　in
this　matter；　there　is　an　end　of　your　happiness　for　the　rest　of
your　life。'　You　have　taken　that　step　and　the　end　has　come　to　your
happiness　and　to　mine。　The　blight　that　cankers　and　kills　is　on
you　and　on　me　for　the　rest　of　our　lives！〃

So　far　I　had　forced　myself　to　listen　to　him。　At　those　last　words
the　picture　of　the　future　that　he　was　placing　before　me　became
too　hideous　to　be　endured。　I　refused　to　hear　more。

〃You　are　talking　horribly；〃　I　said。　〃At　your　age　and　at　mine；
have　we　done　with　love　and　done　with　hope？　It　is　blasphemy　to
Love　and　Hope　to　say　it！〃

〃Wait　till　you　have　read　the　Trial；〃　he　answered。　〃You　mean　to
read　it；　I　suppose？〃

〃Every　word　of　it！　With　a　motive；　Eustace；　which　you　have　yet　to
know。〃

〃No　motive　of　yours；　Valeria；　no　love　and　hope　of　yours；　can
alter　the　inexorable　facts。　My　first　wife　died　poisoned；　and　the
verdict　of　the　jury　has　not　absolutely　acquitted　me　of　the　guilt
of　causing　her　death。　As　long　as　you　were　ignorant　of　that　the
possibilities　of　happiness　were　always　within　our　reach。　Now　you
know　it；　I　say　againour　married　life　is　at　an　end。〃

〃No；〃　I　said。　〃Now　I　know　it；　our　married　life　has　begunbegun
with　a　new　object　for　your　wife's　devotion；　with　a　new　reason　for
your　wife's　love！〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

I　went　near　to　him　again；　and　took　his　hand。

〃What　did　you　tell　me　the　world　has　said　of　you？〃　I　asked。　〃What
did　you　tell　me　my　friends　would　say　of　you？　'Not　Proven　won't　do
for　us。　If　the　jury　have　done　him　an　injusticeif　he　_is_
innocentlet　him　prove　it。'　Those　were　the　words　you　put　into
the　mouths　of　my　friends。　I　adopt　them　for　mine！　I　say　Not　Proven
won't　do　for　_me。_　Prove　your　right；　Eustace；　to　a　verdict　of　Not
Guilty。　Why　have　you　let　three　years　pass　without　doing　it？　Shall
I　guess　why？　You　have　waited　for　your　wife　to　help　you。　Here　she
is；　my　darling；　ready　to　help　you　with　all　her　heart　and　soul。
Here　she　is；　with　one　object　in　lifeto　show　the　world　and　to
show　the　Scotch　Jury　that　her　husband　is　an　innocent　man！〃

I　had　roused　myself；　my　pulses　were　throbbing；　my　voice　rang
through　the　room。　Had　I　roused　_him_？　What　was　his　answer？

〃Read　the　Trial。〃　That　was　his　answer。

I　seized　him　by　the　arm。　In　my　indignation　and　my　despair　I　shook
him　with　all　my　strength。　God　forgive　me；　I　could　almost　have
struck　him　for　the　tone　in　which　he　had　spoken　and　the　look　that
he　had　cast　on　me！

〃I　have　told　you　that　I　mean　to　read　the　Trial；〃　I　said。　〃I　mean
to　read　it；　line　by　line；　with　you。　Some　inexcusable　mistake　has
been　made。　Evidence　in　your　favor　that　might　have　been　found　has
not　been　found。　Suspicious　circumstances　have　not　been
investigated。　Crafty　people　have　not　been　watched。　Eustace！　the
conviction　of　some　dreadful　oversight；　committed　by　you　or　by　the
persons　who　helped　you；　is　firmly　settled　in　my　mind。　The
resolution　to　set　that　vile　Verdict　right　was　the　first
resolution　that　came　to　me　when　I　first　heard　of　it　in　the　next
room。　We　_will_　set　it　right！　We　_must_　set　it　rightfor　your
sake；　for　my　sake；　for　the　sake　of　our　children　if　we　are　blessed
with　children。　Oh；　my　own　love；　don't　look　at　me　with　those　cold
eyes！　Don't　answer　me　in　those　hard　tones！　Don't　treat　me　as　if　I
were　talking　ignorantly　and　madly　of　something　that　can　never
be！〃

Still　I　never　roused　him。　His　next　words　were　spoken
compassionately　rather　than　coldlythat　was　all。

〃My　defense　was　undertaken　by　the　greatest　lawyers　in　the　land；〃
he　said。　〃After　such　men　have　done　their　utmost；　and　have
failedmy　poor　Valeria；　what　can　you；　what　can　I；　do？　We　can
only　submit。〃

〃Never！〃　I　cried。　〃The　greatest　lawyers　are　mortal　men；　the
greatest　lawyers　have　made　mistakes　before　now。　You　can't　deny
that。〃

〃Read　the　Trial。〃　For　the　third　time　he　said　those　cruel　words；
and　said　no　more。

In　utter　despair　of　moving　him…feeling　keenly；　bitterly　（if　I
must　own　it）；　his　merciless　superiority　to　all　that　I　had　said　to
him　in　the　honest　fervor　of　my　devotion　and　my　loveI　thought　of
Major　Fitz…David　as　a　last　　resort。　In　the　dis　ordered　state　of　my
mind　at　that　moment；　it　made　no　difference　to　me　that　the　Major
had　already　tried　to　reason　with　him；　and　had　failed。　In　the　face
of　the　facts　I　had　a　blind　belief　in　the　influence　of　his　old
friend；　if　his　old　friend　could　only　be　prevailed　upon　to　support
my　view。

〃Wait　for　me　one　moment；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　you　to　hear　another
opinion　besides　mine。〃

I　left　him；　and　returned　to　the　study。　Major　Fitz…David　was　not
there。　I　knocked　at　the　door　of　communication　with　the　front
room。　It　was　opened　instantly　by　the　Major　himself。　The　doctor
had　gone　away。　Benjamin　still　remained　in　the　room。

〃Will　you　come　and　speak　to　Eustace？〃　I　began。　〃If　you　will　only
say　what　I　want　you　to　say〃

Before　I　could　add　a　word　more　I　heard　the　house　door　opened　and
closed。　Major　Fitz…David　and　Benjamin　heard　it　too。　They　looked
at　each　other　in　silence。

I　ran　back；　before　the　Major　could　stop　me；　to　the　room　in　which
I　had　seen　Eustace。　It　was　empty。　My　husband　had　left　the　house。



CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　MAN'S　DECISION。

　MY　first　impulse　was　the　reckless　impulse　to　follow
Eustaceopenly　through　the　streets。

The　Major　and　Benjamin　both　opposed　this　hasty　resolution　on　my
part。　They　appealed　to　my　own　sense　of　self…respect；　without　（so
far　as　I　remember　it）　producing　the　slightest　effect　on　my　mind。
They　were　more　successful　when　they　entreated　me　next　to　be
patient　for　my　husband's　sake。　In　mercy　to　Eustace；　they　begged
me　to　wait　half　an　hour。　If　he　failed　to　return　in　that　time；
they　pledged　themselves　to　accompany　me　in　search　of　him　to　the
hotel。

In　mercy　to　Eustace　I　consented　to　wait。　What　I　suffered　under
the　forced　necessity　for　remaining　passive　at　that　crisis　in　my
life　no　words　of　mine　can　tell。　I