the law and the lady-第53节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


_only_　room　which　had　not　lent　itself　to　examination。　Add　to　this
that　the　key　of　the　door　in　the　study；　communicating　with　Mrs。
Macallan's　room；　was　stated　in　the　nurse's　evidence　to　be
missing；　and　don't　forget　that　the　dearest　object　of　Mrs。
Beauly's　life　（on　the　showing　of　her　own　letter；　read　at　the
Trial）　was　to　be　Eustace　Macallan's　happy　wife。　Put　these　things
together　in　your　own　mind；　and　you　will　know　what　my　thoughts
were；　as　I　sat　waiting　for　events　in　my　chair；　without　my　telling
you。　Toward　four　o'clock；　strong　as　I　am；　fatigue　got　the　better
of　me。　I　fell　asleep。　Not　for　long。　I　awoke　with　a　start　and
looked　at　my　watch。　Twenty…five　minutes　past　four。　Had　she　got
back　to　her　room　while　I　was　asleep？　I　hopped　to　her　door　and
listened。　Not　a　sound。　I　softly　opened　the　door。　The　room　was
empty。　I　went　back　again　to　my　own　room　to　wait　and　watch。　It　was
hard　work　to　keep　my　eyes　open。　I　drew　up　the　window　to　let　the
cool　air　refresh　me；　I　fought　hard　with　exhausted　nature；　and
exhausted　nature　won。　I　fell　asleep　again。　This　time　it　was　eight
in　the　morning　when　I　awoke。　I　have　goodish　ears；　as　you　may　have
noticed。　I　heard　women's　voices　talking　under　my　open　window。　I
peeped　out。　Mrs。　Beauly　and　her　maid　in　close　confabulation！　Mrs。
Beauly　and　her　maid　looking　guiltily　about　them　to　make　sure　that
they　were　neither　seen　nor　heard！　'Take　care；　ma'am；'　I　heard　the
maid　say；　'that　horrid　deformed　monster　is　as　sly　as　a　fox。　Mind
he　doesn't　discover　you。'　Mrs。　Beauly　answered；　'You　go　first；
and　look　out　in　front；　I　will　follow　you；　and　make　sure　there　is
nobody　behind　us。'　With　that　they　disappeared　around　the　corner
of　the　house。　In　five　minutes　more　I　heard　the　door　of　Mrs。
Beauly's　room　softly　opened　and　closed　again。　Three　hours　later
the　nurse　met　her　in　the　corridor；　innocently　on　her　way　to　make
inquiries　at　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan's　door。　What　do　you　think　of
these　circumstances？　What　do　you　think　of　Mrs。　Beauly　and　her
maid　having　something　to　say　to　each　other；　which　they　didn't
dare　say　in　the　housefor　fear　of　my　being　behind　some　door
listening　to　them？　What　do　you　think　of　these　discoveries　of　mine
being　made　on　the　very　morning　when　Mrs。　Eustace　was　taken
illon　the　very　day　when　she　died　by　a　poisoner's　hand？　Do　you
see　your　way　to　the　guilty　person？　And　has　mad　Miserrimus　Dexter
been　of　some　assistance　to　you；　so　far？〃

I　was　too　violently　excited　to　answer　him。　The　way　to　the
vindication　of　my　husband's　innocence　was　opened　to　me　at　last！

〃Where　is　she？〃　I　cried。　〃And　where　is　that　servant　who　is　in　her
confidence？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Where　can　I　inquire？　Can　you　tell　me　that？〃

He　considered　a　little。　〃There　is　one　man　who　must　know　where　she
isor　who　could　find　it　out　for　you；〃　he　said。

〃Who　is　he？　What　is　his　name？〃

〃He　is　a　friend　of　Eustace's。　Major　Fitz…David。〃

〃I　know　him！　I　am　going　to　dine　with　him　next　week。　He　has　asked
you　to　dine　too。〃

Miserrimus　Dexter　laughed　contemptuously。

〃Major　Fitz…David　may　do　very　well　for　the　ladies；〃　he　said。　〃The
ladies　can　treat　him　as　a　species　of　elderly　human　lap…dog。　I　don
t　dine　with　lap…dogs；　I　have　said；　No。　You　go。　He　or　some　of　his
ladies　may　be　of　use　to　you。　Who　are　the　guests？　Did　he　tell
you？〃

〃There　was　a　French　lady　whose　name　I　forget；〃　I　said；　〃and　Lady
Clarinda〃

〃That　will　do！　She　is　a　friend　of　Mrs。　Beauly's。　She　is　sure　to
know　where　Mrs。　Beauly　is。　Come　to　me　the　moment　you　have　got
your　information。　Find　out　if　the　maid　is　with　her：　she　is　the
easiest　to　deal　with　of　the　two。　Only　make　the　maid　open　her
lips；　and　we　have　got　Mrs。　Beauly。　We　crush　her；〃　he　cried；
bringing　his　hand　down　like　lightning　on　the　last　languid　fly　of
the　season；　crawling　over　the　arm　of　his　chair〃we　crush　her　as
I　crush　this　fly。　Stop！　A　questiona　most　important　question　in
dealing　with　the　maid。　Have　you　got　any　money？〃

〃Plenty　of　money。〃

He　snapped　his　fingers　joyously。

〃The　maid　is　ours！〃　he　cried。　〃It's　a　matter　of　pounds；
shillings；　and　pence　with　the　maid。　Wait！　Another　question。　About
your　name？　If　you　approach　Mrs。　Beauly　in　your　own　character　as
Eustace's　wife；　you　approach　her　as　the　woman　who　has　taken　her
placeyou　make　a　mortal　enemy　of　her　at　starting。　Beware　of
that！〃

My　jealousy　of　Mrs。　Beauly；　smoldering　in　me　all　through　the
interview；　burst　into　flames　at　those　words。　I　could　resist　it　no
longerI　was　obliged　　to　ask　him　if　my　husband　had　ever　loved
　her。

〃Tell　me　the　truth；〃　I　said。　〃Did　Eustace　really？〃

He　burst　out　laughing　maliciously；　he　penetrated　my　jealousy；　and
guessed　my　question　almost　before　it　had　passed　my　lips。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃Eustace　did　really　love　herand　no　mistake
about　it。　She　had　every　reason　to　believe　（before　the　Trial）　that
the　wife's　death　would　put　her　in　the　wife's　place。　But　the　Trial
made　another　man　of　Eustace。　Mrs。　Beauly　had　been　a　witness　of
the　public　degradation　of　him。　That　was　enough　to　prevent　his
marrying　Mrs。　Beauly。　He　broke　off　with　her　at　once　and
foreverfor　the　same　reason　precisely　which　has　led　him　to
separate　himself　from　you。　Existence　with　a　woman　who　knew　that
he　had　been　tried　for　his　life　as　a　murderer　was　an　existence
that　he　was　not　hero　enough　to　face。　You　wanted　the　truth。　There
it　is！　You　have　need　to　be　cautious　of　Mrs。　Beaulyyou　have　no
need　to　be　jealous　of　her。　Take　the　safe　course。　Arrange　with　the
Major；　when　you　meet　Lady　Clarinda　at　his　dinner；　that　you　meet
her　under　an　assumed　name。〃

〃I　can　go　to　the　dinner；〃　I　said；　〃under　the　name　in　which
Eustace　married　me。　I　can　go　as　'Mrs。　Woodville。'〃

〃The　very　thing！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃What　would　I　not　give　to　be
present　when　Lady　Clarinda　introduces　you　to　Mrs。　Beauly！　Think
of　the　situation。　A　woman　with　a　hideous　secret　hidden　in　her
inmost　soul：　and　another　woman　who　knows　of　itanother　woman　who
is　bent；　by　fair　means　or　foul；　on　dragging　that　secret　into　the
light　of　day。　What　a　struggle！　What　a　plot　for　a　novel！　I　am　in　a
fever　when　I　think　of　it。　I　am　beside　myself　when　I　look　into　the
future；　and　see　Mrs。　Borgia…Beauly　brought　to　her　knees　at　last。
Don't　be　alarmed！〃　he　cried；　with　the　wild　light　flashing　once
more　in　his　eyes。　〃My　brains　are　beginning　to　boil　again　in　my
head。　I　must　take　refuge　in　physical　exercise。　I　must　blow　off
the　steam；　or　I　shall　explode　in　my　pink　jacket　on　the　spot！〃

The　old　madness　seized　on　him　again。　I　made　for　the　door；　to
secure　my　retreat　in　case　of　necessityand　then　ventured　to　look
around　at　him。

He　was　off　on　his　furious　wheelshalf　man；　half　chairflying
like　a　whirlwind　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　Even　this　exercise
was　not　violent　enough　for　him　in　his　present　mood。　In　an　instant
he　was　down　on　the　floor；　poised　on　his　hands；　and　looking　in　the
distance　like　a　monstrous　frog。　Hopping　down　the　room；　he
overthrew；　one　after　another；　all　the　smaller　and　lighter　chairs
as　he　passed　them；　arrived　at　the　end；　he　turned；　surveyed　the
prostrate　chairs；　encouraged　himself　with　a　scream　of　triumph；
and　leaped　rapidly　over　chair　after　chair　on　his　handshis
limbless　body　now　thrown　back　from　the　shoulders；　and　now　thrown
forward　to　keep　the　balancein　a　manner　at　once　wonderful　and
horrible　to　behold。　〃Dexter's　Leap…frog！〃　he　cried；　cheerfully；
perching　himself　with　his　birdlike　lightness　on　the　last　of　the
prostrate　chairs　when　he　had　reached　the　further　end　of　the　room。
〃I'm　pretty　active；　Mrs。　Valeria；　considering　I'm　a　cripple。　Let
us　drink　to　the　hanging　of　Mrs。　Beauly　in　another　bottle　of
Burgundy！〃

I　seized　desperately　on　the　first　excuse　that　occurred　to　me　for
getting　away　from　him。

〃You　forget；〃　I　said〃I　must　go　at　once　to　the　Major。　If　I　don't
warn　him　in　time；　he　may　speak　of　me　to　Lady　Clarinda　by　the
wrong　name。〃

Ideas　of　hurry　and　movement　were　just　the　ideas　to　take　his　fancy
in　his　present　state。　He　blew　furiously　on　the　whistle　that
summoned　Ariel　from　the　kitchen　regions；　and　danced　up　and　down
on　his　hands　in　the　full　frenzy　of　his　delight。

〃Ariel　shall　get　you　a　cab！〃　he　cried。　〃Drive　at　a　gallop　to　the
Major's。　Set　the　trap　for　her　without　losing　a　moment。　Oh；　what　a
day　of　days　this　has　been！　Oh；　what　a　relief　to　get　rid　of　my
dreadful　secret；　and　share　it　with　You！　I　am　suffocating　with
happinessI　am　like　the　Spirit　of　the　Earth　in　Shelley's　poem。〃
He　broke　out　with　the　magnificent　lines　in　〃Prometheus　Unbound；〃
in　which　the　Earth　feels　the　Spirit　of　Love；　and　bursts　into
speech。　〃'The　joy；　the　triumph；　the　delight；　the　madness！　the
boundless；　overflowing；　bursting　gladness！　the　vaporous
exultation　not　to　be　confined！　Ha！　ha！　the　animation　of　delight；
which　wraps　me　like　an　atmosphere　of　light；　and　bears　me　as　a
cloud　is　borne　by　its　own　wind。'　That's　how　I　feel；
Valeria！that's　how　I　feel！〃

I　crossed　the　threshold　while　he　was　still　speaking。　The　last　I
saw　of　him　he　was　pouring　out　that　glorious　flood　of　wordshis
deformed　body；　poised　on　the　overthrown　chair；　his　face　lifted　in
rapture　to　some　fantastic　heaven　of　his　own　making。　I　slipped　out
softly　into　the　antechamber。　Even　as　I　crossed　the　room；　he
changed　once　more。　I　heard　his　ringing　cry；　I　heard　the　soft