the law and the lady-第52节

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was　the　first　question　that　I　put　to　him。

〃Never。　No　one　else　suspected　her。〃

〃Not　even　the　lawyers？〃

〃Not　even　the　lawyers。　There　is　no　legal　evidence　against　Mrs。
Beauly。　There　is　nothing　but　moral　certainty。〃

〃Surely　you　might　have　found　the　evidence　if　you　had　tried？〃

He　laughed　at　the　idea。

〃Look　at　me！〃　he　said。　〃How　is　a　man　to　hunt　up　evidence　who　is
tied　to　this　chair？　Besides；　there　were　other　difficulties　in　my
way。　I　am　not　generally　in　the　habit　of　needlessly　betraying
myselfI　am　a　cautious　man；　though　you　may　not　have　noticed　it。
But　my　immeasurable　hatred　of　Mrs。　Beauly　was　not　to　be
concealed。　If　eyes　can　tell　secrets；　she　must　have　discovered；　in
my　eyes；　that　I　hungered　and　thirsted　to　see　her　in　the　hangman's
hands。　From　first　to　last；　I　tell　you；　Mrs。　Borgia…Beauly　was　on
her　guard　against　me。　Can　I　describe　her　cunning？　All　my
resources　of　language　are　not　equal　to　the　task。　Take　the　degrees
of　comparison　to　give　you　a　faint　idea　of　it：　I　am　positively
cunning；　the　devil　is　comparatively　cunning；　Mrs。　Beauly　is
superlatively　cunning。　No！　no！　If　she　is　ever　discovered；　at　this
distance　of　time；　it　will　not　be　done　by　a　manit　will　be　done
by　a　woman：　a　woman　whom　she　doesn't　suspect；　a　woman　who　can
watch　her　with　the　patience　of　a　tigress　in　a　state　of
starvation〃

〃Say　a　woman　like　Me！〃　I　broke　out。　〃I　am　ready　to　try。〃

His　eyes　glittered；　his　teeth　showed　themselves　viciously　under
his　mustache；　he　drummed　fiercely　with　both　hands　on　the　arms　of
his　chair。

〃Do　you　really　mean　it？〃　he　asked。

〃Put　me　in　your　position；〃　I　answered　。　〃Enlighten　me　with　your
moral　certainty　（as　you　call　it）and　you　shall　see！〃

〃I'll　do　it！〃　he　said。　〃Tell　me　one　thing　first。　How　did　an
outside　stranger；　like　you；　come　to　suspect　her？〃

I　set　before　him；　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　the　various　elements
of　suspicion　which　I　had　collected　from　the　evidence　at　the
Trial；　and　I　laid　especial　stress　on　the　fact　（sworn　to　by　the
nurse）　that　Mrs。　Beauly　was　missing　exactly　at　he　time　when
Christina　Ormsay　had　left　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan　alone　in　her
room。

〃You　have　hit　it！〃　cried　Miserrimus　Dexter。　〃You　are　a　wonderful
woman！　What　was　she　doing　on　the　morning　of　the　day　when　Mrs。
Eustace　Macallan　died　poisoned？　And　where　was　she　during　the　dark
hours　of　the　night？　I　can　tell　you　where　she　was　_not_she　was
not　in　her　own　room。〃

〃Not　in　her　own　room？〃　I　repeated。　〃Are　you　really　sure　of　that？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　everything　that　I　say；　when　I　am　speaking　of　Mrs。
Beauly。　Mind　that：　and　now　listen！　This　is　a　drama；　and　I　excel
in　dramatic　narrative。　You　shall　judge　for　yourself。　Date；　the
twentieth　of　October。　Scene　the　Corridor；　called　the　Guests'
Corridor；　at　Gleninch。　On　one　side；　a　row　of　windows　looking　out
into　the　garden。　On　the　other；　a　row　of　four　bedrooms；　with
dressing…rooms　attached。　First　bedroom　（beginning　from　the
staircase）；　occupied　by　Mrs。　Beauly。　Second　bedroom；　empty。　Third
bedroom；　occupied　by　Miserrimus　Dexter。　Fourth　bedroom；　empty。　So
much　for　the　Scene！　The　time　comes　nextthe　time　is　eleven　at
night。　Dexter　discovered　in　his　bedroom；　reading。　Enter　to　him
Eustace　Macallan。　Eustace　speaks：　'My　dear　fellow；　be
particularly　careful　not　to　make　any　noise；　don't　bowl　your　chair
up　and　down　the　corridor　to…night。'　Dexter　inquires；　'Why？'
Eustace　answers：　'Mrs。　Beauly　has　been　dining　with　some　friends
in　Edinburgh；　and　has　come　back　terribly　fatigued：　she　has　gone
up　to　her　room　to　rest。'　Dexter　makes　another　inquiry　（satirical
inquiry；　this　time）：　'How　does　she　look　when　she　is　terribly
fatigued？　As　beautiful　as　ever？'　Answer：　'I　don　t　know；　I　have
not　seen　her；　she　slipped　upstairs；　without　speaking　to　anybody。'
Third　inquiry　by　Dexter　（logical　inquiry；　on　this　occasion）：　'If
she　spoke　to　nobody；　how　do　you　know　she　is　fatigued？'　Eustace
hands　Dexter　a　morsel　of　paper；　and　answers：　'Don　t　be　a　fool！　I
found　this　on　the　hall　table。　Remember　what　I　have　told　you　about
keeping　quiet；　good…night！'　Eustace　retires。　Dexter　looks　at　the
paper；　and　reads　these　lines　in　pencil：　'Just　returned。　Please
forgive　me　for　going　to　bed　without　saying　good…night。　I　have
overexerted　myself；　I　am　dreadfully　fatigued。　（Signed）　Helena。'
Dexter　is　by　nature　suspicious。　Dexter　suspects　Mrs。　Beauly。
Never　mind　his　reasons；　there　is　no　time　to　enter　into　his
reasons　now。　He　puts　the　ease　to　himself　thus：　'A　weary　woman
would　never　have　given　herself　the　trouble　to　write　this。　She
would　have　found　it　much　less　fatiguing　to　knock　at　the
drawing…room　door　as　she　passed；　and　to　make　her　apologies　by
word　of　mouth。　I　see　something　here　out　of　the　ordinary　way；　I
shall　make　a　night　of　it　in　my　chair。　Very　good。　Dexter　proceeds
to　make　a　night　of　it。　He　opens　his　door；　wheels　himself　softly
into　the　corridor；　locks　the　doors　of　the　two　empty　bedrooms；　and
returns　（with　the　keys　in　his　pocket）　to　his　own　room。　'Now；'
says　D。　to　himself；　'if　I　hear　a　door　softly　opened　in　this　part
of　the　house；　I　shall　know　for　certain　it　is　Mrs。　Beauly's　door！'
Upon　that　he　closes　his　own　door；　leaving　the　tiniest　little
chink　to　look　through；　puts　out　his　light；　and　waits　and　watches
at　his　tiny　little　chink；　like　a　cat　at　a　mouse…hole。　The
corridor　is　the　only　place　he　wants　to　see；　and　a　lamp　burns
there　all　　night。　Twelve　o'clock　strikes；　he　hear　s　the　doors
below　bolted　and　locked；　and　nothing　happens。　Half…past
twelveand　nothing　still。　The　house　is　as　silent　as　the　grave。
One　o'clock；　two　o'clocksame　silence。　Half…past　twoand
something　happens　at　last。　Dexter　hears　a　sound　close　by；　in　the
corridor。　It　is　the　sound　of　a　handle　turning　very　softly　in　a
doorin　the　only　door　that　can　be　opened；　the　door　of　Mrs。
Beauly's　room。　Dexter　drops　noiselessly　from　his　chair　onto　his
hands；　lies　flat　on　the　floor　at　his　chink；　and　listens。　He　hears
the　handle　closed　again；　he　sees　a　dark　object　flit　by　him；　he
pops　his　head　out　of　his　door；　down　on　the　floor　where　nobody
would　think　of　looking　for　him。　And　what　does　he　see？　Mrs。
Beauly！　There　she　goes；　with　the　long　brown　cloak　over　her
shoulders；　which　she　wears　when　she　is　driving；　floating　behind
her。　In　a　moment　more　she　disappears；　past　the　fourth　bedroom；
and　turns　at　a　right　angle；　into　a　second　corridor；　called　the
South　Corridor。　What　rooms　are　in　the　South　Corridor？　There　are
three　rooms。　First　room；　the　little　study；　mentioned　in　the
nurse's　evidence。　Second　room；　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan's
bedchamber。　Third　room；　her　husband's　bedchamber。　What　does　Mrs。
Beauly　（supposed　to　be　worn　out　by　fatigue）　want　in　that　part　of
the　house　at　half…past　two　in　the　morning？　Dexter　decides　on
running　the　risk　of　being　seenand　sets　off　on　a　voyage　of
discovery。　Do　you　know　how　he　gets　from　place　to　place　without
his　chair？　Have　you　seen　the　poor　deformed　creature　hop　on　his
hands？　Shall　he　show　you　how　he　does　it；　before　he　goes　on　with
his　story？〃

I　hastened　to　stop　the　proposed　exhibition。

〃I　saw　you　hop　last　night；〃　I　said。　〃Go　on！pray　go　on　with　your
story！

〃Do　you　like　my　dramatic　style　of　narrative？〃　he　asked。　〃Am　I
interesting？〃

〃Indescribably　interesting；　Mr。　Dexter。　I　am　eager　to　hear　more。〃

He　smiled　in　high　approval　of　his　own　abilities。

〃I　am　equally　good　at　the　autobiographical　style；〃　he　said。
〃Shall　we　try　that　next；　by　way　of　variety？〃

〃Anything　you　like；〃　I　cried；　losing　all　patience　with　him；　〃if
you　will　only　go　on！〃

〃Part　Two；　Autobiographical　Style；〃　he　announced；　with　a　wave　of
his　hand。　〃I　hopped　along　the　Guests'　Corridor；　and　turned　into
the　South　Corridor。　I　stopped　at　the　little　study。　Door　open；
nobody　there。　I　crossed　the　study　to　the　second　door；
communicating　with　Mrs。　Macallan's　bedchamber。　Locked！　I　looked
through　the　keyhole　Was　there　something　hanging　over　it；　on　the
other　side？　I　can't　sayI　only　know　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen
but　blank　darkness。　I　listened。　Nothing　to　be　heard。　Same　blank
darkness；　same　absolute　silence；　inside　the　locked　second　door　of
Mrs。　Eustace's　room；　opening　on　the　corridor。　I　went　on　to　her
husband's　bedchamber。　I　had　the　worst　possible　opinion　of　Mrs。
BeaulyI　should　not　have　been　in　the　least　surprised　if　I　had
caught　her　in　Eustace's　room。　I　looked　through　the　keyhole。　In
this　case；　the　key　was　out　of　itor　was　turned　the　right　way　for
meI　don't　know　which。　Eustace's　bed　was　opposite　the　door。　No
discovery。　I　could　see　him；　all　by　himself；　innocently　asleep。　I
reflected　a　little。　The　back　staircase　was　at　the　end　of　the
corridor；　beyond　me。　I　slid　down　the　stairs；　and　looked　about　me
on　the　lower　floor；　by　the　light　of　the　night…lamp。　Doors　all
fast　locked　and　keys　outside；　so　that　I　could　try　them　myself。
House　door　barred　and　bolted。　Door　leading　into　the　servants'
offices　barred　and　bolted。　I　got　back　to　my　own　room；　and　thought
it　out　quietly。　Where　could　she　be？　Certainly　_in_　the　house；
somewhere。　Where？　I　had　made　sure　of　the　other　rooms；　the　field
of　search　was　exhausted。　She　could　only　be　in　Mrs。　Macallan's
roomthe　_one_　room　which　had　baffled　my　investigations；　the
_only_　room　which　had　not　lent　itself　to　examination。　Add　to　this
that　the　key　of　the　door　in　the　study；　communicating　wi