the law and the lady-第4节

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betrothal　at　the　altar；　by　the　vows　before　God！　Ah；　what　a　life
was　before　me！　What　more　than　mortal　happiness　was　mine！

　Again　I　lifted　my　head　from　his　bosom　to　taste　the　dear　delight
of　seeing　him　by　my　sidemy　life；　my　love；　my　husband；　my　own！

Hardly　awakened　yet　from　the　absorbing　memories　of　the　past　to
the　sweet　realities　of　the　present；　I　let　my　cheek　touch　his
cheek；　I　whispered　to　him　softly；　〃Oh；　how　I　love　you！　how　I　love
you！〃

The　next　instant　I　started　back　from　him。　My　heart　stood　still。　I
put　my　hand　up　to　my　face。　What　did　I　feel　on　my　cheek？　（_I_　had
not　been　weepingI　was　too　happy。）　What　did　I　feel　on　my　cheek？
A　tear！

His　face　was　still　averted　from　me。　I　turned　it　toward　me；　with
my　own　hands；　by　main　force。

I　looked　at　himand　saw　my　husband；　on　our　wedding…day；　with　his
eyes　full　of　tears。


CHAPTER　III。

RAMSGATE　SANDS。

　EUSTACE　succeeded　in　quieting　my　alarm。　But　I　can　hardly　say
that　he　succeeded　in　satisfying　my　mind　as　well。

He　had　been　thinking；　he　told　me；　of　the　contrast　between　his
past　and　his　present　life。　Bitter　remembrance　of　the　years　that
had　gone　had　risen　in　his　memory；　and　had　filled　him　with
melancholy　misgivings　of　his　capacity　to　make　my　life　with　him　a
happy　one。　He　had　asked　himself　if　he　had　not　met　me　too　lateif
he　were　not　already　a　man　soured　and　broken　by　the
disappointments　and　disenchantments　of　the　past？　Doubts　such　as
these；　weighing　more　and　more　heavily　on　his　mind；　had　filled　his
eyes　with　the　tears　which　I　had　discoveredtears　which　he　now
entreated　me；　by　my　love　for　him；　to　dismiss　from　my　memory
forever。

I　forgave　him；　comforted　him；　revived　him；　but　there　were　moments
when　the　remembrance　of　what　I　had　seen　troubled　me　in　secret；
and　when　I　asked　myself　if　I　really　possessed　my　husband's　full
confidence　as　he　possessed　mine。

We　left　the　train　at　Ramsgate。

The　favorite　watering…place　was　empty；　the　season　was　just　over。
Our　arrangements　for　the　wedding　tour　included　a　cruise　to　the
Mediterranean　in　a　yacht　lent　to　Eustace　by　a　friend。　We　were
both　fond　of　the　sea；　and　we　were　equally　desirous；　considering
the　circumstances　under　which　we　had　married；　of　escaping　the
notice　of　friends　and　acquaintances。　With　this　object　in　view；
having　celebrated　our　marriage　privately　in　London；　we　had
decided　on　instructing　the　sailing…master　of　the　yacht　to　join　us
at　Ramsgate。　At　this　port　（when　the　season　for　visitors　was　at　an
end）　we　could　embark　far　more　privately　than　at　the　popular
yachting　stations　situated　in　the　Isle　of　Wight。

Three　days　passeddays　of　delicious　solitude；　of　exquisite
happiness；　never　to　be　forgotten；　never　to　be　lived　over　again；
to　the　end　of　our　lives！

Early　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　just　before　sunrise；　a
trifling　incident　happened；　which　was　noticeable；　nevertheless；
as　being　strange　to　me　in　my　experience　of　myself。

I　awoke；　suddenly　and　unaccountably；　from　a　deep　and　dreamless
sleep　with　an　all…pervading　sensation　of　nervous　uneasiness　which
I　had　never　felt　before。　In　the　old　days　at　the　Vicarage　my
capacity　as　a　sound　sleeper　had　been　the　subject　of　many　a　little
harmless　joke。　From　the　moment　when　my　head　was　on　the　pillow　I
had　never　known　what　it　was　to　awake　until　the　maid　knocked　at　my
door。　At　all　seasons　and　times　the　long　and　uninterrupted　repose
of　a　child　was　the　repose　that　I　enjoyed。

And　now　I　had　awakened；　without　any　assignable　cause；　hours
before　my　usual　time。　I　tried　to　compose　myself　to　sleep　again。
The　effort　was　useless。　Such　a　restlessness　possessed　me　that　I
was　not　even　able　to　lie　still　in　the　bed。　My　husband　was
sleeping　soundly　by　my　side。　In　the　fear　of　disturbing　him　I
rose；　and　put　on　my　dressing…gown　and　slippers。

I　went　to　the　window。　The　sun　was　just　rising　over　the　calm　gray
sea。　For　a　while　the　majestic　spectacle　before　me　exercised　a
tranquilizing　influence　on　the　irritable　condition　of　my　nerves。
But　ere　long　the　old　restlessness　returned　upon　me。　I　walked
slowly　to　and　fro　in　the　room；　until　I　was　weary　of　the　monotony
of　the　exercise。　I　took　up　a　book；　and　laid　it　aside　again。　My
attention　wandered；　the　author　was　powerless　to　recall　it。　I　got
on　my　feet　once　more；　and　looked　at　Eustace；　and　admired　him　and
loved　him　in　his　tranquil　sleep。　I　went　back　to　the　window；　and
wearied　of　the　beautiful　morning。　I　sat　down　before　the　glass　and
looked　at　myself。　How　haggard　and　worn　I　was　already；　through
awaking　before　my　usual　time！　I　rose　again；　not　knowing　what　to
do　next。　The　confinement　to　the　four　walls　of　the　room　began　to
be　intolerable　to　me。　I　opened　the　door　that　led　into　my
husband's　dressing…room；　and　entered　it；　to　try　if　the　change
would　relieve　me。

The　first　object　that　I　noticed　was　his　dressing…case；　open　on
the　toilet…table。

I　took　out　the　bottles　and　pots　and　brushes　and　combs；　the　knives
and　scissors　in　one　compartment；　the　writing　materials　in
another。　I　smelled　the　perfumes　and　pomatums；　I　busily　cleaned
and　dusted　the　bottles　with　my　handkerchief　as　I　took　them　out。
Little　by　little　I　completely　emptied　the　dressing…case。　It　was
lined　with　blue　velvet。　In　one　corner　I　noticed　a　tiny　slip　of
loose　blue　silk。　Taking　it　between　my　finger　and　thumb；　and
drawing　it　upward；　I　discovered　that　there　was　a　false　bottom　to
the　case；　forming　a　secret　compartment　for　letters　and　papers。　In
my　strange　conditioncapricious；　idle；　inquisitiveit　was　an
amusement　to　me　to　take　out　the　papers；　just　as　I　had　taken　out
everything　else　。

I　found　some　receipted　bills；　which　failed　to　interest　me；　some
letters；　which　it　is　needless　to　say　I　laid　aside　after　only
looking　at　the　addresses；　and；　under　all；　a　photograph；　face
downward；　with　writing　on　the　back　of　it。　I　looked　at　the
writing；　and　saw　these　words：

〃To　my　dear　son；　Eustace。〃

His　mother！　the　woman　who　had　so　obstinately　and　mercilessly
opposed　herself　to　our　marriage！

I　eagerly　turned　the　photograph；　expecting　to　see　a　woman　with　a
stern；　ill…tempered；　forbidding　countenance。　To　my　surprise；　the
face　showed　the　remains　of　great　beauty；　the　expression；　though
remarkably　firm；　was　yet　winning；　tender；　and　kind。　The　gray　hair
was　arranged　in　rows　of　little　quaint　old…fashioned　curls　on
either　side　of　the　head；　under　a　plain　lace　cap。　At　one　corner　of
the　mouth　there　was　a　mark；　apparently　a　mole；　which　added　to　the
characteristic　peculiarity　of　the　face。　I　looked　and　looked；
fixing　the　portrait　thoroughly　in　my　mind。　This　woman；　who　had
almost　insulted　me　and　my　relatives；　was；　beyond　all　doubt　or
dispute；　so　far　as　appearances　went；　a　person　possessing　unusual
attractionsa　person　whom　it　would　be　a　pleasure　and　a　privilege
to　know。

I　fell　into　deep　thought。　The　discovery　of　the　photograph　quieted
me　as　nothing　had　quieted　me　yet。

The　striking　of　a　clock　downstairs　in　the　hall　warned　me　of　the
flight　of　time。　I　carefully　put　back　all　the　objects　in　the
dressing…case　（beginning　with　the　photograph）　exactly　as　I　had
found　them；　and　returned　to　the　bedroom。　As　I　looked　at　my
husband；　still　sleeping　peacefully；　the　question　forced　itself
into　my　mind；　What　had　made　that　genial；　gentle　mother　of　his　so
sternly　bent　on　parting　us？　so　harshly　and　pitilessly　resolute　in
asserting　her　disapproval　of　our　marriage？

Could　I　put　my　question　openly　to　Eustace　when　he　awoke？　No；　I
was　afraid　to　venture　that　length。　It　had　been　tacitly　understood
between　us　that　we　were　not　to　speak　of　his　motherand；　besides；
he　might　be　angry　if　he　knew　that　I　had　opened　the　private
compartment　of　his　dressing…case。

　After　breakfast　that　morning　we　had　news　at　last　of　the　yacht。
The　vessel　was　safely　moored　in　the　inner　harbor；　and　the
sailing…master　was　waiting　to　receive　my　husband's　orders　on
board。

Eustace　hesitated　at　asking　me　to　accompany　him　to　the　yacht。　It
would　be　necessary　for　him　to　examine　the　inventory　of　the
vessel；　and　to　decide　questions；　not　very　interesting　to　a　woman；
relating　to　charts　and　barometers；　provisions　and　water。　He　asked
me　if　I　would　wait　for　his　return。　The　day　was　enticingly
beautiful；　and　the　tide　was　on　the　ebb。　I　pleaded　for　a　walk　on
the　sands；　and　the　landlady　at　our　lodgings；　who　happened　to　be
in　the　room　at　the　time；　volunteered　to　accompany　me　and　take
care　of　me。　It　was　agreed　that　we　should　walk　as　far　as　we　felt
inclined　in　the　direction　of　Broadstairs；　and　that　Eustace　should
follow　and　meet　us　on　the　sands；　after　having　completed　his
arrangements　on　board　the　yacht。

In　half　an　hour　more　the　landlady　and　I　were　out　on　the　beach。

The　scene　on　that　fine　autumn　morning　was　nothing　less　than
enchanting。　The　brisk　breeze；　the　brilliant　sky；　the　flashing
blue　sea；　the　sun…bright　cliffs　and　the　tawny　sands　at　their
feet；　the　gliding　procession　of　ships　on　the　great　marine　highway
of　the　English　Channelit　was　all　so　exhilarating；　it　was　all　so
delightful；　that　I　really　believe　if　I　had　been　by　myself　I　could
have　danced　for　joy　like　a　child。　The　one　drawback　to　my
happiness　was　the　landlady's　untiring　tongue。　She　was　a　forward；
good…natured；　empty…headed　woman；　who　persisted　in　talking；
whether　I　listened　or　not；　and　who　had　a　habit　of　perpetual