the law and the lady-第37节

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　The　last　witness　had　been　now　examined。　The　chair　on　wheels
glided　away　with　the　half…man　in　it；　and　was　lost　in　a　distant
corner　of　the　Court。　The　Lord　Advocate　rose　to　address　the　Jury
for　the　prosecution。

I　do　not　scruple　to　say　that　I　never　read　anything　so　infamous　as
this　great　lawyer's　speech。　He　was　not　ashamed　to　declare；　at
starting；　that　he　firmly　believed　the　prisoner　to　be　guilty。　What
right　had　he　to　say　anything　of　the　sort？　Was　it　for　_him_　to
decide？　Was　he　the　Judge　and　Jury　both；　I　should　like　to　know？
Having　begun　by　condemning　the　prisoner　on　his　own　authority；　the
Lord　Advocate　proceeded　to　pervert　the　most　innocent　actions　of
that　unhappy　man　so　as　to　give　them　as　vile　an　aspect　as
possible。　Thus：　When　Eustace　kissed　his　poor　wife's　forehead　on
her　death…bed；　he　did　it　to　create　a　favorable　impression　in　the
minds　of　the　doctor　and　the　nurse！　Again；　when　his　grief　under
his　bereavement　completely　overwhelmed　him；　he　was　triumphing　in
secret；　and　acting　a　part！　If　you　looked　into　his　heart；　you
would　see　there　a　diabolical　hatred　for　his　wife　and　an
infatuated　passion　for　Mrs。　Beauly！　In　everything　he　had　said　he
had　lied；　in　everything　he　had　done　he　had　acted　like　a　crafty
and　heartless　wretch！　So　the　chief　counsel　for　the　prosecution
spoke　of　the　prisoner；　standing　helpless　before　him　at　the　Bar。
In　my　husband's　place；　if　I　could　have　done　nothing　more；　I　would
have　thrown　something　at　his　head。　As　it　was；　I　tore　the　pages
which　contained　the　speech　for　the　prosecution　out　of　the　Report
and　trampled　them　under　my　feetand　felt　all　the　better　too　for
having　done　it。　At　the　same　time　I　feel　a　little　ashamed　of
having　revenged　myself　on　the　harmless　printed　leaves　n　ow。

The　fifth　day　of　the　Trial　opened　with　the　speech　for　the
defense。　Ah；　what　a　contrast　to　the　infamies　uttered　by　the　Lord
Advocate　was　the　grand　burst　of　eloquence　by　the　Dean　of　Faculty；
speaking　on　my　husband's　side！

This　illustrious　lawyer　struck　the　right　note　at　starting。

〃I　yield　to　no　one；〃　he　began；　〃in　the　pity　I　feel　for　the　wife。
But　I　say；　the　martyr　in　this　case；　from　first　to　last；　is　the
husband。　Whatever　the　poor　woman　may　have　endured；　that　unhappy
man　at　the　Bar　has　suffered；　and　is　now　suffering；　more。　If　he
had　not　been　the　kindest　of　men；　the　most　docile　and　most　devoted
of　husbands；　he　would　never　have　occupied　his　present　dreadful
situation。　A　man　of　a　meaner　and　harder　nature　would　have　felt
suspicions　of　his　wife's　motives　when　she　asked　him　to　buy
poisonwould　have　seen　through　the　wretchedly　commonplace
excuses　she　made　for　wanting　itand　would　have　wisely　and
cruelly　said；　'No。'　The　prisoner　is　not　that　sort　of　man。　He　is
too　good　to　his　wife；　too　innocent　of　any　evil　thought　toward
her；　or　toward　any　one；　to　foresee　the　inconveniences　and　the
dangers　to　which　his　fatal　compliance　may　expose　him。　And　what　is
the　result？　He　stands　there；　branded　as　a　murderer；　because　he
was　too　high…minded　and　too　honorable　to　suspect　his　wife。〃

Speaking　thus　of　the　husband；　the　Dean　was　just　as　eloquent　and
just　as　unanswerable　when　he　came　to　speak　of　the　wife。

〃The　Lord　Advocate；〃　he　said；　〃has　asked；　with　the　bitter　irony
for　which　he　is　celebrated　at　the　Scottish　Bar；　why　we　have
failed　entirely　to　prove　that　the　prisoner　placed　the　two　packets
of　poison　in　the　possession　of　his　wife。　I　say；　in　answer；　we
have　proved；　first；　that　the　wife　was　passionately　attached　to
the　husband；　secondly；　that　she　felt　bitterly　the　defects　in　her
personal　appearance；　and　especially　the　defects　in　her
complexion；　and；　thirdly；　that　she　was　informed　of　arsenic　as　a
supposed　remedy　for　those　defects；　taken　internally。　To　men　who
know　anything　of　human　nature；　there　is　proof　enough。　Does　my
learned　friend　actually　suppose　that　women　are　in　the　habit　of
mentioning　the　secret　artifices　and　applications　by　which　they
improve　their　personal　appearance？　Is　it　in　his　experience　of　the
sex　that　a　woman　who　is　eagerly　bent　on　making　herself　attractive
to　a　man　would　tell　that　man；　or　tell　anybody　else　who　might
communicate　with　him；　that　the　charm　by　which　she　hoped　to　win
his　heartsay　the　charm　of　a　pretty　complexionhad　been
artificially　acquired　by　the　perilous　use　of　a　deadly　poison？　The
bare　idea　of　such　a　thing　is　absurd。　Of　course　nobody　ever　heard
Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　speak　of　arsenic。　Of　course　nobody　ever
surprised　her　in　the　act　of　taking　arsenic。　It　is　in　the　evidence
that　she　would　not　even　confide　her　intention　to　try　the　poison
to　the　friends　who　had　told　her　of　it　as　a　remedy；　and　who　had
got　her　the　book。　She　actually　begged　them　to　consider　their
brief　conversation　on　the　subject　as　strictly　private。　From　first
to　last；　poor　creature；　she　kept　her　secret；　just　as　she　would
have　kept　her　secret　if　she　had　worn　false　hair；　or　if　she　had
been　indebted　to　the　dentist　for　her　teeth。　And　there　you　see　her
husband；　in　peril　of　his　life；　because　a　woman　acted　_like_　a
womanas　your　wives；　gentlemen　of　the　Jury；　would；　in　a　similar
position；　act　toward　You。〃

After　such　glorious　oratory　as　this　（I　wish　I　had　room　to　quote
more　of　it！）；　the　next；　and　last；　speech　delivered　at　the
Trialthat　is　to　say；　the　Charge　of　the　Judge　to　the　Juryis
dreary　reading　indeed。

His　lordship　first　told　the　Jury　that　they　could　not　expect　to
have　direct　evidence　of　the　poisoning。　Such　evidence　hardly　ever
occurred　in　cases　of　poisoning。　They　must　be　satisfied　with　the
best　circumstantial　evidence。　All　quite　true；　I　dare　say。　But；
having　told　the　Jury　they　might　accept　circumstantial　evidence；
he　turned　back　again　on　his　own　words；　and　warned　them　against
being　too　ready　to　trust　it！　〃You　must　have　evidence　satisfactory
and　convincing　to　your　own　minds；〃　he　said；　〃in　which　you　find　no
conjecturesbut　only　irresistible　and　just　inferences。〃　Who　is
to　decide　what　is　a　just　inference？　And　what　is　circumstantial
evidence　_but_　conjecture？

After　this　specimen；　I　need　give　no　further　extracts　from　the
summing　up。　The　Jury；　thoroughly　bewildered　no　doubt；　took　refuge
in　a　compromise。　They　occupied　an　hour　in　considering　and
debating　among　themselves　in　their　own　room。　（A　jury　of　women
would　not　have　taken　a　minute！）　Then　they　returned　into　Court；
and　gave　their　timid　and　trimming　Scotch　Verdict　in　these　words：

〃Not　Proven。〃

Some　slight　applause　followed　among　the　audience；　which　was
instantly　checked。　The　prisoner　was　dismissed　from　the　Bar。　He
slowly　retired；　like　a　man　in　deep　grief：　his　head　sunk　on　his
breastnot　looking　at　any　one；　and　not　replying　when　his　friends
spoke　to　him。　He　knew；　poor　fellow；　the　slur　that　the　Verdict
left　on　him。　〃We　don't　say　you　are　innocent　of　the　crime　charged
against　you；　we　only　say　there　is　not　evidence　enough　to　convict
you。〃　In　that　lame　and　impotent　conclusion　the　proceedings　ended
at　the　time。　And　there　they　would　have　remained　for　all　timebut
for　Me。



CHAPTER　XXI。

I　SEE　MY　WAY。

　IN　the　gray　light　of　the　new　morning　I　closed　the　Report　of　my
husband's　Trial　for　the　Murder　of　his　first　Wife。

No　sense　of　fatigue　overpowered　me。　I　had　no　wish；　after　my　long
hours　of　reading　and　thinking；　to　lie　down　and　sleep。　It　was
strange；　but　it　was　so。　I　felt　as　if　I　_had_　slept；　and　had　now
just　awakeneda　new　woman；　with　a　new　mind。

I　could　now　at　last　understand　Eustace's　desertion　of　me。　To　a
man　of　his　refinement　it　would　have　been　a　martyrdom　to　meet　his
wife　after　she　had　read　the　things　published　of　him　to　all　the
world　in　the　Report。　I　felt　that　as　he　would　have　felt　it。　At　the
same　time　I　thought　he　might　have　trusted　Me　to　make　amends　to
him　for　the　martyrdom；　and　might　have　come　back。　Perhaps　it　might
yet　end　in　his　coming　back。　In　the　meanwhile；　and　in　that
expectation；　I　pitied　and　forgave　him　with　my　whole　heart。

One　little　matter　only　dwelt　on　my　mind　disagreeably；　in　spite　of
my　philosophy。　Did　Eustace　still　secretly　love　Mrs。　Beauly？　or
had　I　extinguished　that　passion　in　him？　To　what　order　of　beauty
did　this　lady　belong？　Were　we　by　any　chance；　the　least　in　the
world　like　one　another？

The　window　of　my　room　looked　to　the　east。　I　drew　up　the　blind；
and　saw　the　sun　rising　grandly　in　a　clear　sky。　The　temptation　to
go　out　and　breathe　the　fresh　morning　air　was　irresistible。　I　put
on　my　hat　and　shawl；　and　took　the　Report　of　the　Trial　under　my
arm。　The　bolts　of　the　back　door　were　easily　drawn。　In　another
minute　I　was　out　in　Benjamin's　pretty　little　garden。

Composed　and　strengthened　by　the　inviting　solitude　and　the
delicious　air；　I　found　courage　enough　to　face　the　serious
question　that　now　confronted　methe　question　of　the　future。

I　had　read　the　Trial。　I　had　vowed　to　devote　my　life　to　the　sacred
object　of　vindicating　my　husband's　innocence。　A　solitary；
defenseless　woman；　I　stood　pledged　to　myself　to　carry　that
desperate　resolution　through　to　an　end。　How　was　I　to　begin？

The　bold　way　of　beginning　was　surely　the　wise　way　in　such　a
position　as　mine。　I　had　good　reasons　（founded；　as　I　have　already
mentioned；　on　the　important　part　played　by　this　witness　at　the
Trial）　for　believing　that　the　fittest　person　to　advise　and　assist
me　wasMiserrimus　Dexter。　He　might　disappoi