the law and the lady-第40节

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Benjamin；　as　a　proof　of　my　sincere　regard　for　you。　Shall　we　have
my　young　prima　donna　to　sing　to　us　in　the　evening？　think　so。　She
is　pretty；　she　will　assist　in　obscuring　the　deformity　of　Dexter。
Very　well；　there　is　our　party　complete！　I　will　shut　myself　up
this　evening　and　approach　the　question　of　dinner　with　my　cook。
Shall　we　say　this　day　week；〃　asked　the　Major；　taking　out　his
pocketbook；　〃at　eight　o'clock？〃

I　consented　to　the　proposed　compromisebut　not　very　willingly。
With　a　letter　of　introduction；　I　might　have　seen　Miserrimus
Dexter　that　afternoon。　As　it　was；　the　〃little　dinner〃　compelled
me　to　wait　in　absolute　inaction　through　a　whole　week。　However；
there　was　no　help　for　it　but　to　submit。　Major　Fitz…David；　in　his
polite　way；　could　be　as　obstinate　as　I　was。　He　had　evidently　made
up　his　mind；　and　further　opposition　on　my　part　would　be　of　no
service　to　me。

〃Punctually　at　eight；　Mr。　Benjamin；〃　reiterated　the　Major。　〃Put
it　down　in　your　book。〃

Benjamin　obeyedwith　a　side　look　at　me；　which　I　was　at　no　loss
to　interpret。　My　good　old　friend　did　not　relish　meeting　a　man　at
dinner　who　was　described　as　〃half　tiger；　half　monkey；〃　and　the
privilege　of　sitting　next　to　Lady　Clarinda　rather　daunted　than
delighted　him。　It　was　all　my　doing；　and　he　too　had　no　choice　but
to　submit。　〃Punctually　at　eight；　sir；〃　said　poor　old　Benjamin；
obediently　recording　his　formidable　engagement。　〃Please　to　take
another　glass　of　wine。〃

The　Major　looked　at　his　watch；　and　rosewith　fluent　apologies
for　abruptly　leaving　the　table。

〃It　is　later　than　I　thought；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　an　appointment
with　a　frienda　female　friend；　a　most　attractive　person。　You　a
little　remind　me　of　her；　my　dear　ladyyou　resemble　her　in
complexion：　the　same　creamy　paleness。　I　adore　creamy　paleness。　As
I　was　saying；　I　have　an　appointment　with　my　friend；　she　does　me
the　honor　to　ask　my　opinion　on　some　very　remarkable　specimens　of
old　lace。　I　have　studied　old　lace。　I　study　everything　that　can
make　me　useful　or　agreeable　to　your　enchanting　sex。　You　won't
forget　our　little　dinner？　I　will　send　Dexter　his　invitation　the
moment　I　get　home。　〃He　took　my　hand　and　looked　at　it　critically；
with　his　head　a　little　on　one　side。　〃A　delicious　hand；〃　he　said；
〃you　don't　mind　my　looking　at　ityou　don't　mind　my　kissing　it；
do　you？　A　delicious　hand　is　one　of　my　weaknesses。　Forgive　my
weaknesses。　I　promise　to　repent　and　amend　one　of　these　days。〃

〃At　your　age；　Major；　do　you　think　you　have　much　time　to　lose？〃
asked　a　strange　voice；　speaking　behind　us。

We　all　three　looked　around　toward　the　door。　There　stood　my
husband's　mother；　smiling　satirically；　with　Benjamin's　shy　little
maid…servant　waiting　to　announce　her。

Major　Fitz…David　was　ready　with　his　answer。

The　old　soldier　was　not　easily　taken　by　surprise。

〃Age；　my　dear　Mrs。　Macallan；　is　a　purely　relative　expression；〃　he
said。　〃There　are　some　people　who　are　never　young；　and　there　are
other　people　who　are　never　old。　I　am　one　of　the　other　people。　_Au
revoir！_〃

With　that　answer　the　incorrigible　Major　kissed　the　tips　of　his
fingers　to　us　and　walked　out。　Benjamin；　bowing　with　his
old…fashioned　courtesy；　threw　open　the　door　of　his　little
library；　and；　inviting　Mrs。　Macallan　and　myself　to　pass　in；　left
us　together　in　the　room。



CHAPTER　XXIII

MY　MOTHER…IN…LAW　SURPRISES　ME。

　I　TOOK　a　chair　at　a　respectful　distance　from　the　sofa　on　which
Mrs。　Macallan　seated　herself。　The　old　lady　smiled；　and　beckoned
to　me　to　take　my　place　by　her　side。　Judging　by　appearances；　she
had　certainly　not　come　to　see　me　in　the　character　of　an　enemy。　It
remained　to　be　discovered　I　whether　she　were　really　disposed　to
be　my　friend。

〃I　have　received　a　letter　from　your　uncle　the　vicar；〃　she　began。
〃He　asks　me　to　visit　you；　and　I　am　happyfor　reasons　which　you
shall　presently　hearto　comply　with　his　request。　Under　other
circumstances　I　doubt　very　much；　my　dear　childstrange　as　the
confession　may　appearwhether　I　should　have　ventured　into　your
presence。　My　son　has　behaved　to　you　so　weakly；　and　（in　my
opinion）　so　inexcusably；　that　I　am　really；　speaking　as　his
mother；　almost　ashamed　to　face　you。〃

Was　she　in　earnest？　I　listened　to　her　and　looked　at　her　in
amazement。

〃Your　uncle's　letter；〃　pursued　Mrs。　Macallan；　〃tells　me　how　you
have　behaved　under　your　hard　trial；　and　what　you　propose　to　do
now　Eustace　has　left　you。　Doctor　Starkweather；　poor　man；　seems　to
be　inexpressibly　shocked　by　what　you　said　to　him　when　he　was　in
London。　He　begs　me　to　use　my　influence　to　induce　you　to　abandon
your　present　ideas；　and　to　make　you　return　to　your　old　home　at
the　Vicarage。　I　don't　in　the　least　agree　with　your　uncle；　my
dear。　Wild　as　I　believe　your　plans　to　beyou　have　not　the
slightest　chance　of　succeeding　in　carrying　them　outI　admire
your　courage；　your　fidelity；　your　unshaken　faith　in　my　unhappy
son；　after　his　unpardonable　behavior　to　you。　You　are　a　fine
creature；　Valeria；　and　I　have　come　here　to　tell　you　so　in　plain
words。　Give　me　a　kiss；　child。　You　deserve　to　be　the　wife　of　a
hero；　and　you　have　married　one　of　the　weakest　of　living　mortals。
God　forgive　me　for　speaking　so　of　my　own　son；　but　it's　in　my
mind；　and　it　must　come　out！〃

This　way　of　speaking　of　Eustace　was　more　than　I　could　suffer；
even　from　his　mother。　I　recovered　the　use　of　my　tongue　in　my
husband's　defense。

〃I　am　sincerely　proud　of　your　good　opinion；　dear　Mrs。　Macallan；〃
I　said。　〃But　you　distress　meforgive　me　if　I　own　it
plainlywhen　I　hear　you　speak　so　disparagingly　of　Eustace。　I
cannot　agree　with　you　that　my　husband　is　the　weakest　of　living
mortals。〃

〃Of　course　not！〃　retorted　the　old　lady。　〃You　are　like　all　good
womenyou　make　a　hero　of　the　man　you　love；whether　he　deserve
it　or　not。　Your　husband　has　hosts　of　good　qualities；　childand
perhaps　I　know　them　better　than　you　do。　But　his　whole　conduct；
from　the　moment　when　he　first　entered　your　uncle's　house　to　the
present　time；　has　been；　I　say　again；　the　conduct　of　an
essentially　weak　man。　What　do　you　think　he　has　done　now　by　way　of
climax？　He　has　joined　a　charitable　brotherhood；　and　he　is　off　to
the　war　in　Spain　with　a　red　cross　on　his　arm；　when　he　ought　to　be
here　on　his　knees；　asking　his　wife　to　forgive　him。　I　say　that　is
the　conduct　of　a　weak　man。　Some　people　might　call　it　by　a　harder
name。〃

This　news　startled　and　distressed　me。　I　might　be　resigned　to　his
leaving　me　for　a　time；　but　all　my　instincts　as　a　woman　revolted
at　his　placing　himself　in　a　position　of　danger　during　his
separation　from　his　wife。　He　had　now　deliberately　added　to　my
anxieties。　I　thought　it　cruel　of　himbut　I　would　not　confess
what　I　thought　to　his　mother。　I　affected　to　be　as　cool　as　she
was；　and　I　disputed　her　conclusions　with　all　the　firmness　that　I
could　summon　to　help　me。　The　terrible　old　woman　only　went　on
abusing　him　more　vehemently　than　ever。

〃What　I　complain　of　in　my　son；〃　proceeded　Mrs。　Macallan；　〃is　that
he　has　entirely　failed　to　understand　you。　If　he　had　married　a
fool；　his　conduct　would　be　intelligible　enough。　He　would　have
done　wisely　to　conceal　from　a　fool　that　he　had　been　married
already；　and　that　he　had　suffered　the　horrid　public　exposure　of　a
Trial　for　the　murder　of　his　wife。　Then；　again；　he　would　have　been
quite　right；　when　this　same　fool　had　discovered　the　truth；　to
take　himself　out　of　her　way　before　she　could　suspect　him　of
poisoning　he　rfor　the　sake　of　the　peace　and　quiet　of　both
parties。　But　you　are　not　a　fool。　I　can　see　that；　after　only　a
short　experience　of　you。　Why　can't　he　see　it　too？　Why　didn't　he
trust　you　with　his　secret　from　the　first；　instead　of　stealing　his
way　into　your　affections　under　an　assumed　name？　Why　did　he　plan
（as　he　confessed　to　me）　to　take　you　away　to　the　Mediterranean；
and　to　keep　you　abroad；　for　fear　of　some　officious　friends　at
home　betraying　him　to　you　as　the　prisoner　of　the　famous　Trial？
What　is　the　plain　answer　to　all　these　questions？　What　is　the　one
possible　explanation　of　this　otherwise　unaccountable　conduct？
There　is　only　one　answer；　and　one　explanation。　My　poor；　wretched
sonhe　takes　after　his　father；　he　isn't　the　least　like　me！is
weak：　weak　in　his　way　of　judging；　weak　in　his　way　of　acting；　and；
like　all　weak　people；　headstrong　and　unreasonable　to　the　last
degree。　There　is　the　truth！　Don't　get　red　and　angry。　I　am　as　fond
of　him　as　you　are。　I　can　see　his　merits　too。　And　one　of　them　is
that　he　has　married　a　woman　of　spirit　and　resolutionso　faithful
and　so　fond　of　him　that　she　won't　even　let　his　own　mother　tell
her　of　his　faults。　Good　child！　I　like　you　for　hating　me！〃

〃Dear　madam；　don't　say　that　I　hate　you！〃　I　exclaimed　（feeling
very　much　as　if　I　did　hate　her；　though；　for　all　that）。　〃I　only
presume　to　think　that　you　are　confusing　a　delicate…minded　man
with　a　weak…minded　man。　Our　dear　unhappy　Eustace〃

〃Is　a　delicate…minded　man；〃　said　the　impenetrable　Mrs。　Macallan；
finishing　my　sentence　for　me。　〃We　will　leave　it　there；　my　dear；
and　get　on　to　another　subject。　I　wonder　whether　we　shall　disagree
about　that　too？〃

〃What　is　the　subject；　madam？〃

〃I　won't　tell　you　if　you　call　me　madam。　Call　me　mother。　Say；
'What　is　the　subject；　mother？'〃

〃What　is　the　subject；　mother？〃

〃Your　notion　of　turning　yourself　into　a　Court　of