the law and the lady-第3节

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relieved　from　all　the　cares　that　are　pressing　on　you　now。〃

〃Don't　speak　of　it；　Eustace！　If　you　want　me　to　forget　my　cares；
say　you　love　me　more　dearly　than　ever。〃

He　said　it　in　a　kiss。　We　had　a　moment　of　exquisite　forgetfulness
of　the　hard　ways　of　lifea　moment　of　delicious　absorption　in
each　other。　I　came　back　to　realities　fortified　and　composed；
rewarded　for　all　that　I　had　gone　through；　ready　to　go　through　it
all　over　again　for　another　kiss。　Only　give　a　woman　love；　and
there　is　nothing　she　will　not　venture；　suffer；　and　do。

〃No；　they　have　done　with　objecting。　They　have　remembered　at　last
that　I　am　of　age；　and　that　I　can　choose　for　myself。　They　have
been　pleading　with　me；　Eustace；　to　give　you　up。　My　aunt；　whom　I
thought　rather　a　hard　woman；　has　been　cryingfor　the　first　time
in　my　experience　of　her。　My　uncle；　always　kind　and　good　to　me；
has　been　kinder　and　better　than　ever。　He　has　told　me　that　if　I
persist　in　becoming　your　wife；　I　shall　not　be　deserted　on　my
wedding…day。　Wherever　we　may　marry；　he　will　be　there　to　read　the
service；　and　my　aunt　will　go　to　the　church　with　me。　But　he
entreats　me　to　consider　seriously　what　I　am　doingto　consent　to
a　separation　from　you　for　a　timeto　consult　other　people　on　my
position　toward　you；　if　I　am　not　satisfied　with　his　opinion。　Oh；
my　darling；　they　are　as　anxious　to　part　us　as　if　you　were　the
worst　instead　of　the　best　of　men！〃

〃Has　anything　happened　since　yesterday　to　increase　their　distrust
of　me？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃You　remember　referring　my　uncle　to　a　friend　of　yours　and　of
his？〃

〃Yes。　To　Major　Fitz…David。〃

〃My　uncle　has　written　to　Major　Fitz…David　〃

〃Why？〃

He　pronounced　that　one　word　in　a　tone　so　utterly　unlike　his
natural　tone　that　his　voice　sounded　quite　strange　to　me。

〃You　won't　be　angry；　Eustace；　if　I　tell　you？〃　I　said。　〃My　uncle；
as　I　understood　him；　had　several　motives　for　writing　to　the
major。　One　of　them　was　to　inquire　if　he　knew　your　mother's
address。〃

Eustace　suddenly　stood　still。

I　paused　at　the　same　moment；　feeling　that　I　could　venture　no
further　without　the　risk　of　offending　him。

To　speak　the　truth；　his　conduct；　when　he　first　mentioned　our
engagement　to　my　uncle；　had　been　（so　far　as　appearances　went）　a
little　flighty　and　strange。　The　vicar　had　naturally　questioned
him　about　his　family。　He　had　answered　that　his　father　was　dead；
and　he　had　consented；　though　not　very　readily；　to　announce　his
contemplated　marriage　to　his　mother。　Informing　us　that　she　too
lived　in　the　country；　he　had　gone　to　see　her；　without　more
particularly　mentioning　her　address。　In　two　days　he　had　returned
to　the　Vicarage　with　a　very　startling　message。　His　mother
intended　no　disrespect　to　me　or　my　relatives；　but　she　disapproved
so　absolutely　of　her　son's　marriage　that　she　（and　the　members　of
her　family；　who　all　agreed　with　her）　would　refuse　to　be　present
at　the　ceremony；　if　Mr。　Woodville　persisted　in　keeping　his
engagement　with　Dr。　Starkweather's　niece。　Being　asked　to　explain
this　extraordinary　communication；　Eustace　had　told　us　that　his
mother　and　his　sisters　were　bent　on　his　marrying　another　lady；
and　that　they　were　bitterly　mortified　and　disappointed　by　his
choosing　a　stranger　to　the　family。　This　explanation　was　enough
for　me；　it　implied；　so　far　as　I　was　concerned；　a　compliment　to　my
superior　influence　over　Eustace；　which　a　woman　always　receives
with　pleasure。　But　it　failed　to　satisfy　my　uncle　and　my　aunt。　The
vicar　expressed　to　Mr。　Woodville　a　wish　to　write　to　his　mother；
or　to　see　her；　on　the　subject　of　her　strange　message。　Eustace
obstinately　declined　to　mention　his　mother's　address；　on　the
ground　that　the　vicar's　interference　would　be　utterly　useless。　My
uncle　at　once　drew　the　conclusion　that　the　mystery　about　the
address　indicated　something　wrong。　He　refused　to　favor　Mr。
Woodville's　renewed　proposal　for　my　hand；　and　he　wrote　the　same
day　to　make　inquiries　of　Mr。　Woodville's　reference　and　of　his　own
friend　Major　Fitz…David。

Under　such　circumstances　as　these；　to　speak　of　my　uncle's　motives
was　to　venture　on　very　delicate　ground。　Eustace　relieved　me　from
further　embarrassment　by　asking　a　question　to　which　I　could
easily　reply。

〃Has　your　uncle　received　any　answer　from　Major　Fitz…David？〃　he
inquired。

〃Yes。

〃Were　you　allowed　to　read　it？〃　His　voice　sank　as　he　said　those
words；　his　face　betrayed　a　sudden　anxiety　which　it　pained　me　to
see。

〃I　have　got　the　answer　with　me　to　show　you；〃　I　said。

He　almost　snatched　the　letter　out　of　my　hand；　he　turned　his　back
on　me　to　read　it　by　the　light　of　the　moon。　The　letter　was　short
enough　to　be　soon　read。　I　could　have　repeated　it　at　the　time。　I
can　repeat　it　now。

　〃DEAR　VICARMr。　Eustace　Woodville　is　quite　correct　in　stating
to　you　that　he　is　a　gentleman　by　birth　and　position；　and　that　he
inherits　（under　his　deceased　father's　will）　an　independent
fortune　of　two　thousand　a　year。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Always　yours；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃LAWRENCE　FITZ…DAVID。〃

　〃Can　anybody　wish　for　a　plainer　answer　than　that？〃　Eustace
asked；　handing　the　letter　back　to　me。

〃If　_I_　had　written　for　information　about　you；〃　I　answered；　〃it
would　have　been　plain　enough　for　me。〃

〃Is　it　not　plain　enough　for　your　uncle？〃

〃No。〃

〃What　does　he　say？〃

〃Why　need　you　care　to　know；　my　darling？〃

〃I　want　to　know；　Valeria。　There　must　be　no　secret　between　us　in
this　matter。　Did　your　uncle　say　anything　when　he　showed　you　the
major's　letter？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　was　it？〃

〃My　uncle　told　me　that　his　letter　of　inquiry　filled　three　pages；
and　he　bade　me　observe　that　the　major's　answer　contained　one
sentence　only。　He　said；　'I　volunteered　to　go　to　Major　Fitz…David
and　talk　the　matter　over。　You　see　he　takes　no　notice　of　my
proposal。　I　asked　him　for　the　address　of　Mr。　Woodville's　mother。
He　passes　over　my　request；　as　he　has　passed　over　my　proposalhe
studiously　confines　himself　to　the　shortest　possible　statement　of
bare　facts。　Use　your　common…sense；　Valeria。　Isn't　this　rudeness
rather　remarkable　on　the　part　of　a　man　who　is　a　gentleman　by
birth　and　breeding；　and　who　is　also　a　friend　of　mine？'〃

Eustace　stopped　me　there。

〃Did　you　answer　your　uncle's　question？〃　he　asked。

〃No；〃　I　replied。　〃I　only　said　that　I　did　not　understand　the
major's　conduct。〃

〃And　what　did　your　uncle　say　next？　If　you　love　me；　Valeria；　tell
me　the　truth。〃

〃He　used　very　stron　　g　language；　Eustace。　He　is　an　old　man；　you
must　not　be　offended　with　him。〃

〃I　am　not　offended。　What　did　he　say？〃

〃He　said；　'Mark　my　words！　There　is　something　under　the　surface　in
connection　with　Mr。　Woodville；　or　with　his　family；　to　which　Major
Fitz…David　is　not　at　liberty　to　allude。　Properly　interpreted；
Valeria；　that　letter　is　a　warning。　Show　it　to　Mr。　Woodville；　and
tell　him　（if　you　like）　what　I　have　just　told　you'〃

Eustace　stopped　me　again。

〃You　are　sure　your　uncle　said　those　words？〃　he　asked；　scanning　my
face　attentively　in　the　moonlight。

〃Quite　sure。　But　I　don't　say　what　my　uncle　says。　Pray　don't　think
that！〃

He　suddenly　pressed　me　to　his　bosom；　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　mine。
His　look　frightened　me。

〃Good…by；　Valeria！〃　he　said。　〃Try　and　think　kindly　of　me；　my
darling；　when　you　are　married　to　some　happier　man。〃

He　attempted　to　leave　me。　I　clung　to　him　in　an　agony　of　terror
that　shook　me　from　head　to　foot。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked；　as　soon　as　I　could　speak。　〃I　am
yours　and　yours　only。　What　have　I　said；　what　have　I　done；　to
deserve　those　dreadful　words？〃

〃We　must　part；　my　angel；〃　he　answered；　sadly。　〃The　fault　is　none
of　yours；　the　misfortune　is　all　mine。　My　Valeria！　how　can　you
marry　a　man　who　is　an　object　of　suspicion　to　your　nearest　and
dearest　friends？　I　have　led　a　dreary　life。　I　have　never　found　in
any　other　woman　the　sympathy　with　me；　the　sweet　comfort　and
companionship；　that　I　find　in　you。　Oh；　it　is　hard　to　lose　you！　it
is　hard　to　go　back　again　to　my　unfriended　life！　I　must　make　the
sacrifice；　love；　for　your　sake。　I　know　no　more　why　that　letter　is
what　it　is　than　you　do。　Will　your　uncle　believe　me？　will　your
friends　believe　me？　One　last　kiss；　Valeria！　Forgive　me　for　having
loved　youpassionately；　devotedly　loved　you。　Forgive　meand　let
me　go！〃

I　held　him　desperately；　recklessly。　His　eyes；　put　me　beside
myself；　his　words　filled　me　with　a　frenzy　of　despair。

〃Go　where　you　may；〃　I　said；　〃I　go　with　you！
FriendsreputationI　care　nothing　who　I　lose；　or　what　I　lose！
Oh；　Eustace；　I　am　only　a　womandon't　madden　me！　I　can't　live
without　you。　I　must　and　will　be　your　wife！〃

Those　wild　words　were　all　I　could　say　before　the　misery　and
madness　in　me　forced　their　way　outward　in　a　burst　of　sobs　and
tears。

He　yielded。　He　soothed　me　with　his　charming　voice；　he　brought　me
back　to　myself　with　his　tender　caresses。　He　called　the　bright
heaven　above　us　to　witness　that　he　devoted　his　whole　life　to　me。
He　vowedoh；　in　such　solemn；　such　eloquent　words！that　his　one
thought；　night　and　day；　should　be　to　prove　himself　worthy　of　such
love　as　mine。　And　had　he　not　nobly　redeemed　the　pledge？　Had　not
the　betrothal　of　that　memorable　night　been　followed　by　the
betrothal　at　the　altar；　by　the　vows　before　God！　Ah；　what　a　life
was　before　me！