the law and the lady-第27节

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aroused　by　the　bell。　He　heard　what　Mrs。　Macallan　said　to　me　about
the　composing　draught；　and　made　no　remark　upon　it。　It　seemed　to
me　that　he　was　alarmed　at　his　wife's　faintness。　I　suggested　that
she　should　take　a　little　wine；　or　brandy　and　water。　She　answered
that　she　could　swallow　nothing　so　strong　as　wine　or　brandy；
having　a　burning　pain　in　her　stomach　already。　I　put　my　hand　on
her　stomachquite　lightly。　She　screamed　when　I　touched　her。

〃This　symptom　alarmed　us。　We　went　to　the　village　for　the　medical
man　who　had　attended　Mrs。　Macallan　during　her　illness：　one　Mr。
Gale。

〃The　doctor　seemed　no　better　able　to　account　for　the　change　for
the　worse　in　his　patient　than　we　were。　Hearing　her　complain　of
thirst；　he　gave　her　some　milk。　Not　long　after　taking　it　she　was
sick。　The　sickness　appeared　to　relieve　her。　She　soon　grew　drowsy
and　slumbered。　Mr。　Gale　left　us；　with　strict　injunctions　to　send
for　him　instantly　if　she　was　taken　ill　again。

〃Nothing　of　the　sort　happened；　no　change　took　place　for　the　next
three　hours　or　more。　She　roused　up　toward　half…past　nine　and
inquired　about　her　husband。　I　informed　her　that　he　had　returned
to　his　own　room；　and　asked　if　I　should　send　for　him。　She　said
'No。'　I　asked　next　if　she　would　like　anything　to　eat　or　drink。
She　said　'No'　again；　in　rather　a　vacant；　stupefied　way；　and　then
told　me　to　go　downstairs　and　get　my　breakfast。　On　my　way　down　I
met　the　housekeeper。　She　invited　me　to　breakfast　with　her　in　her
room；　instead　of　in　the　servants'　hall　as　usual。　I　remained　with
the　housekeeper　but　a　short　timecertainly　not　more　than　half　an
hour。

〃Coming　upstairs　again；　I　met　the　under…housemaid　sweeping　on　one
of　the　landings。

〃The　girl　informed　me　that　Mrs。　Macallan　had　taken　a　cup　of　tea
during　my　absence　in　the　housekeeper's　room。　Mr。　Macallan's　valet
had　ordered　the　tea　for　his　mistress　by　his　master's　directions。
The　under…housemaid　made　it；　and　took　it　upstairs　herself　to　Mrs。
Macallan's　room。　Her　master；　she　said；　opened　the　door　when　she
knocked；　and　took　the　tea…cup　from　her　with　his　own　hand。　He
opened　the　door　widely　enough　for　her　to　see　into　the　bedroom；
and　to　notice　that　nobody　was　with　Mrs。　Macallan　but　himself。

〃After　a　little　talk　with　the　under…housemaid；　I　returned　to　the
bedroom。　No　one　was　there。　Mrs。　Macallan　was　lying　perfectly
quiet；　with　her　face　turned　away　from　me　on　the　pillow。
Approaching　the　bedside；　I　kicked　against　something　on　the　floor。
It　was　a　broken　tea…cup。　I　said　to　Mrs。　Macallan；　'How　comes　the
tea…cup　to　be　broken；　ma'am？'　She　answered；　without　turning
toward　me；　in　an　odd；　muffled　kind　of　voice；　'I　dropped　it。'
'Before　you　drank　your　tea；　ma'am？'　I　asked。　'No；'　she　said；　'in
handing　the　cup　back　to　Mr。　Macallan；　after　I　had　done。'　I　had
put　my　question；　wishing　to　know；　in　case　she　had　spilled　the　tea
when　she　dropped　the　cup；　whether　it　would　be　necessary　to　get
her　any　more。　I　am　quite　sure　I　remember　correctly　my　question
and　her　answer。　I　inquired　next　if　she　had　been　long　alone。　She
said；　shortly；　'Yes；　I　have　been　trying　to　sleep。'　I　said；　'Do
you　feel　pretty　comfortable？'　She　answered；　'Yes；'　again。　All
this　time　she　still　kept　her　face　sulkily　turned　from　me　toward
the　wall。　Stooping　over　her　to　arrange　the　bedclothes；　I　looked
toward　her　table。　The　writing　materials　which　were　always　kept　on
it　were　disturbed；　and　there　was　wet　ink　on　one　of　the　pens。　I
said；　'Surely　you　haven't　been　writing；　ma'am？'　'Why　not？'　she
said；　'I　couldn't　sleep。'　'Another　poem？'　I　asked。　She　laughed　to
herselfa　bitter；　short　laugh。　'Yes；'　she　said；　'another　poem。'
'That's　good；'　I　said；　'it　looks　as　if　you　were　getting　quite
like　yourself　again。　We　shan't　want　the　doctor　any　more　to…day。'
She　made　no　answer　to　this；　except　an　impatient　sign　with　her
hand。　I　didn't　understand　the　sign。　Upon　that　she　spoke　again；
and　crossly　enough；　too'I　want　to　be　alone；　leave　me。'

〃I　had　no　choice　but　to　do　as　I　was　told。　To　the　best　of　my
observation；　there　was　nothing　the　matter　with　her；　and　nothing
for　the　nurse　to　do。　I　put　the　bell…rope　within　reach　of　her
hand；　and　I　went　downstairs　again。

〃Half　an　hour　more；　as　well　as　I　can　guess　it；　passed。　I　kept
within　hearing　of　the　bell；　but　it　never　rang。　I　was　not　quite　at
my　easewithout　exactly　knowing　why。　That　odd；　muffled　voice　in
which　she　had　spoken　to　me　hung　on　my　mind；　as　it　were。　I　was　not
quite　satisfied　about　leaving　her　alone　for　too　long　a　time
togetherand　then；　again；　I　was　unwilling　to　risk　throwing　her
into　one　of　her　fits　of　passion　by　going　back　before　she　rang　for
me。　It　ended　in　my　venturing　into　the　room　on　the　ground…floor
called　the　Morning…Room；　to　consult　Mr。　Macallan。　He　was　usually
to　be　found　there　in　the　forenoon　of　the　day。

〃On　this　occasion；　however；　when　I　looked　into　the　Morning…Room
it　was　empty。

〃At　the　same　moment　I　heard　the　master's　voice　on　the　terrace
outside。　I　went　out；　and　found　him　speaking　to　one　Mr。　Dexter；　an
old　friend　of　his；　and　（like　Mrs。　Beauly）　a　guest　staying　in　the
house。　Mr。　Dexter　was　sitting　at　the　window　of　his　room　upstairs
（he　was　a　cripple；　and　could　only　move　himself　about　in　a　chair
on　wheels）；　and　Mr。　Macallan　was　speaking　to　him　from　the　terrace
below。

〃'Dexter！'　I　heard　Mr。　Macallan　say。　'Where　is　Mrs。　Beauly？　Have
you　seen　anything　of　her？'

〃Mr。　Dexter　answered；　in　his　quick；　off…hand　way　of　speaking；
'Not　I。　I　know　nothing　about　her。'

〃Then　I　advanced；　and；　begging　pardon　for　intruding；　I　mentioned
to　Mr。　Macallan　the　difficulty　I　was　in　about　going　back　or　not
to　his　wife's　room　without　waiting　until　she　rang　for　me。　Before
he　could　advise　me　in　the　matter；　the　footman　made　his　appearance
and　informed　me　that　Mrs。　Macallan's　bell　was　then　ringingand
ringing　violently。

〃It　was　then　close　on　eleven　o'clock。　As　fast　as　I　could　mount
the　stairs　I　hastened　back　to　the　bedroom。

〃Before　I　opened　the　door　I　heard　Mrs。　Macallan　groaning。　She　was
in　dreadful　pain；　feeling　a　burning　heat　in　the　stomach　and　in
the　throat；　together　with　the　same　sickness　which　had　troubled
her　in　the　early　morning。　Though　no　doctor；　I　could　see　in　her
face　that　this　second　attack　was　of　a　far　more　serious　nature
than　the　first。　After　ringing　the　bell　for　a　messenger　to　send　to
Mr。　Macallan；　I　ran　to　the　door　to　see　if　any　of　the　servants
happened　to　be　within　call。

〃The　only　person　I　saw　in　the　corridor　was　Mrs。　Beauly。　She　was
on　her　way　from　her　own　room；　she　said；　to　inquire　after　Mrs。
Macallan's　health。　I　said　to　her；　'Mrs。　Macallan　is　seriously　ill
again；　ma'am。　Would　you　please　tell　Mr。　Macallan；　and　send　for
the　doctor？'　She　ran　downstairs　at　once　to　do　as　I　told　her。

〃I　had　not　been　long　back　at　the　bedside　when　Mr。　Macallan　and
Mrs。　Beauly　both　came　in　together。　Mrs。　Macallan　cast　a　strange
look　on　them　（a　look　I　cannot　at　all　describe）；　and　bade　them
leave　her。　Mrs。　Beauly；　looking　very　much　frightened；　withdrew
immediately。　Mr。　Macallan　advanced　a　step　or　two　nearer　to　the
bed。　His　wife　looked　at　him　again　in　the　same　strange　way；　and
cried　outhalf　as　if　she　was　threatening　him；　half　as　if　she　was
entreating　him'Leave　me　with　the　nurse。　Go！'　He　only　waited　to
say　to　me　in　a　whisper；　'The　doctor　is　sent　for；'　and　then　he
left　the　room。

〃Before　Mr。　Gale　arrived　Mrs。　Macallan　was　violently　sick。　What
came　from　her　was　muddy　and　frothy；　and　faintly　streaked　with
blood。　When　Mr。　Gale　saw　it　he　looked　very　serious。　I　heard　him
say　to　himself；　'What　does　this　mean？'　He　did　his　best　to　relieve
Mrs。　Macallan；　but　with　no　good　result　that　I　could　see。　After　a
time　she　seemed　to　suffer　less。　Then　more　sickness　came　on。　Then
there　was　another　intermission。　Whether　she　was　suffering　or　not；
I　observed　that　her　hands　and　feet　（whenever　I　touched　them）
remained　equally　cold。　Also；　the　doctor's　report　of　her　pulse　was
always　the　same'very　small　and　feeble。'　I　said　to　Mr。　Gale；
'What　is　to　be　done；　sir？'　And　Mr。　Gale　said　to　me；　'I　won't　take
the　responsibility　on　myself　any　longer；　I　must　have　a　physician
from　Edinburgh。'

〃The　fastest　horse　in　the　stables　at　Gleninch　was　put　into　a
dog…cart；　and　the　coachman　drove　away　full　speed　to　Edinburgh　to
fetch　the　famous　Doctor　Jerome。

〃While　we　were　waiting　for　the　physician；　Mr。　Macallan　came　into
his　wife's　room　with　Mr。　Gale。　Exhausted　as　she　was；　she
instantly　lifted　her　hand　and　signed　to　him　to　leave　her。　He
tried　by　soothing　words　to　persuade　her　to　let　him　stay。　No！　She
still　insisted　on　sending　him　out　of　her　room。　He　seemed　to　feel
itat　such　a　time；　and　in　the　presence　of　the　doctor。　Before　she
was　aware　of　him；　he　suddenly　stepped　up　to　the　bedside　and
kissed　her　on　the　forehead。　She　shrank　from　him　with　a　scream。
Mr。　Gale　interfered；　and　led　him　out　of　the　room。

〃In　the　afternoon　Doctor　Jerome　arrived。

〃The　great　physician　came　just　in　time　to　see　her　seized　with
another　attack　of　sickness。　He　watched　her　attentively；　without
speaking　a　word。　In　the　interval　when　the　sickness　stopped；　he
still　studied　her；　as　it　were；　in　perfect　silence。　I　thought　he
would　never　have　done　examining　her。　When　he　was　at　last
satisfied；　he　told　me　to　leave　him　alone　with　Mr。　Gale。　'We　will
ring；'　h