the law and the lady-第59节

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felt　myself　blush　for　my　own　head…strong　resistance　to　him　as　I
took　my　leave　and　turned　away　into　the　street。



CHAPTER　XXXIV。

GLENINCH。

　〃AHA！〃　said　Benjamin；　complacently。　〃So　the　lawyer　thinks；　as　I
do；　that　you　will　be　highly　imprudent　if　you　go　back　to　Mr。
Dexter？　A　hard…headed；　sensible　man　the　lawyer；　no　doubt。　You
will　listen　to　Mr。　Playmore；　won't　you；　though　you　wouldn't
listen　to　me？〃

（I　had　of　course　respected　Mr。　Playmore's　confidence　in　me　when
Benjamin　and　I　met　on　my　return　to　the　hotel。　Not　a　word　relating
to　the　lawyer's　horrible　suspicion　of　Miserrimus　Dexter　had
passed　my　lips。）

〃You　must　forgive　me；　my　old　friend；〃　I　said；　answering　Benjamin。
〃I　am　afraid　it　has　come　to　thistry　as　I　may；　I　can　listen　to
nobody　who　advises　me。　On　our　way　here　I　honestly　meant　to　be
guided　by　Mr。　Playmorewe　should　never　have　taken　this　long
journey　if　I　had　not　honestly　meant　it。　I　have　tried；　tried　hard
to　be　a　teachable；　reasonable　woman。　But　there　is　something　in　me
that　won't　be　taught。　I　am　afraid　I　shall　go　back　to　Dexter。〃

Even　Benjamin　lost　all　patience　with　me　this　time。

〃What　is　bred　in　the　bone；〃　he　said；　quoting　the　old　proverb；
〃will　never　come　out　of　the　flesh。　In　years　gone　by；　you　were　the
most　obstinate　child　that　ever　made　a　mess　in　a　nursery。　Oh；　dear
me；　we　might　as　well　have　stayed　in　London。〃

〃No；〃　I　replied；　〃now　we　have　traveled　to　Edinburgh；　we　will　see
something　（interesting　to　_me_　at　any　rate）　which　we　should　never
have　seen　if　we　had　not　left　London。　My　husband's　country…house
is　within　a　few　miles　of　us　here。　To…morrowwe　will　go　to
Gleninch。〃

〃Where　the　poor　lady　was　poisoned？〃　asked　Benjamin；　with　a　look
of　dismay。　〃You　mean　that　place？〃

〃Yes。　I　want　to　see　the　room　in　which　she　died；　I　want　to　go　all
over　the　house。〃

Benjamin　crossed　his　hands　resignedly　on　his　lap。　〃I　try　to
understand　the　new　generation；〃　said　the　old　man；　sadly；　〃but　I
can't　manage　it。　The　new　generation　beats　me。〃

I　sat　down　to　write　to　Mr。　Playmore　about　the　visit　to　Gleninch。
The　house　in　which　the　tragedy　had　occurred　that　had　blighted　my
husband's　life　was；　to　my　mind；　the　most　interesting　house　on　the
habitable　globe。　The　prospect　of　visiting　Gleninch　had；　indeed
（to　tell　the　truth）；　strongly　influenced　my　resolution　to　consult
the　Edinburgh　lawyer。　I　sent　my　note　to　Mr。　Playmore　by　a
messenger；　and　received　the　kindest　reply　in　return。　If　I　would
wait　until　the　afternoon；　he　would　get　the　day's　business　done；
and　would　take　us　to　Gleninch　in　his　own　carriage。

Benjamin's　obstinacyin　its　own　quiet　way；　and　on　certain
occasions　onlywas　quite　a　match　for　mine。　He　had　privately
determined；　as　one　of　the　old　generation；　to　have　nothing　to　do
with　Gleninch。　Not　a　word　on　the　subject　escaped　him　until　Mr。
Playmore's　carriage　was　at　the　hotel　door。　At　that　appropriate
moment　Benjamin　remembered　an　old　friend　of　his　in　Edinburgh。
〃Will　you　please　to　excuse　me；　Valeria？　My　friend's　name　is
Saunders；　and　he　will　take　it　unkindly　of　me　if　I　don't　dine　with
him　to…day。〃

　Apart　from　the　associations　that　I　connected　with　it；　there　was
nothing　to　interest　a　traveler　at　Gleninch。

The　country　around　was　pretty　and　well　cultivated；　and　nothing
more。　The　park　was；　to　an　English　eye；　wild　and　badly　kept。　The
house　had　been　built　within　the　last　seventy　or　eighty　years。
Outside；　it　was　as　bare　of　all　ornament　as　a　factory；　and　as
gloomily　heavy　in　effect　as　a　prison。　Inside；　the　deadly
dreariness；　the　close；　oppressive　solitude　of　a　deserted　dwelling
wearied　the　eye　and　weighed　on　the　mind；　from　the　roof　to　the
basement。　The　house　had　been　shut　up　since　the　time　of　the　Trial。
A　lonely　old　couple；　man　and　wife；　had　the　keys　and　the　charge　of
it。　The　man　shook　his　head　in　silent　and　sorrowful　disapproval　of
our　intrusion　when　Mr。　Playmore　ordered　him　to　open　the　doors　and
shutters；　and　let　the　light　in　on　the　dark；　deserted　place。　Fires
were　burning　in　the　library　and　the　picture…gallery；　to　preserve
the　treasures　which　they　contained　from　the　damp。　It　was　not
easy；　at　first；　to　look　at　the　cheerful　blaze　without　fancying
that　the　inhabitants　of　the　house　must　surely　come　in　and　warm
themselves。　Ascending　to　the　upper　floor；　I　saw　the　rooms　made
familiar　to　me　by　the　Report　of　the　Trial。　I　entered　the　little
study；　with　the　old　books　on　the　shelves；　and　the　key　still
missing　from　the　locked　door　of　communication　with　the
bedchamber。　I　looked　into　the　room　in　which　the　unhappy　mistress
of　Gleninch　had　suffered　and　died。　The　bed　was　left　in　its　place；
the　sofa　on　which　the　nurse　had　snatched　her　intervals　of　repose
was　at　its　foot；　the　Indian　cabinet；　in　which　the　crumpled　paper
with　the　grains　of　arsenic　had　been　found；　still　held　its　little
collection　of　curiosities。　I　moved　on　its　pivot　the　invalid…table
on　which　she　had　taken　her　meals　and　written　her　poems；　poor
soul。　The　place　was　dreary　and　dreadful；　the　heavy　air　felt　as　if
it　were　still　burdened　with　its　horrid　load　of　misery　and
distrust。　I　was　glad　to　get　out　（after　a　passing　glance　at　the
room　which　Eustace　had　occupied　in　those　days）　into　the　Guests'
Corridor。　There　was　the　bedroom；　at　the　door　of　which　Miserrimus
Dexter　had　waited　and　watched。　There　was　the　oaken　floor　along
which　he　had　hopped；　in　his　horrible　way；　following　the　footsteps
of　the　servant　disguised　in　her　mistress's　clothes。　Go　where　I
might；　the　ghosts　of　the　dead　and　the　absent　were　with　me；　step
by　step。　Go　where　I　might；　the　lonely　horror　of　the　house　had　its
still　and　awful　voice　for　Me：　〃_I_　keep　the　secret　of　the　Poison！
_I_　hide　the　mystery　of　the　death！〃

The　oppression　of　the　place　became　unendurable。　I　longed　for　the
pure　sky　and　the　free　air。　My　companion　noticed　and　understood
me。

〃Come；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　had　enough　of　the　house。　Let　us　look　at
the　grounds。〃

In　the　gray　quiet　of　the　evening　we　roamed　about　the　lonely
gardens；　and　threaded　our　way　through　the　rank；　neglected
shrubberies。　Wandering　here　and　wandering　there；　we　drifted　into
the　kitchen　gardenwith　one　little　patch　still　sparely
cultivated　by　the　old　man　and　his　wife；　and　all　the　rest　a
wilderness　of　weeds。　Beyond　the　far　end　of　the　garden；　divided
from　it　by　a　low　paling　of　wood；　there　stretched　a　patch　of　waste
ground；　sheltered　on　three　sides　by　trees。　In　one　lost　corner　of
the　ground　an　object；　common　enough　elsewhere；　attracted　my
attention　here。　The　object　was　a　dust…heap。　The　great　size　of　it；
and　the　curious　situation　in　which　it　was　placed；　aroused　a
moment's　languid　curiosity　in　me。　I　stopped；　and　looked　at　the
dust　and　ashes；　at　the　broken　crockery　and　the　old　iron。　Here
there　was　a　torn　hat；　and　there　some　fragments　of　rotten　old
boots；　and　scattered　around　a　small　attendant　litter　of　torn
paper　and　frowzy　rags。

〃What　are　you　looking　at？〃　asked　Mr。　Playmore。

〃At　nothing　more　remarkable　than　the　dust…heap；〃　I　answered。

〃In　tidy　England；　I　suppose；　you　would　have　all　that　carted　away
out　of　sight；〃　said　the　lawyer。　〃We　don't　mind　in　Scotland；　as
long　as　the　dust…heap　is　far　enough　away　not　to　be　smelt　at　the
house。　Besides；　some　of　it；　sifted；　comes　in　usefully　as　manure
for　the　garden。　Here　the　place　is　deserted；　and　the　rubbish　in
consequence　has　not　been　disturbed。　Everything　at　Gleninch；　Mrs。
Eustace　（the　big　dust…heap　included）；　is　waiting　for　the　new
mistress　to　set　it　to　rights。　One　of　these　days　you　may　be　queen
herewho　knows？〃

〃I　shall　never　see　this　place　again；〃
　I　said。

〃Never　is　a　long　day；〃　returned　my　companion。　〃And　time　has　its
surprises　in　store　for　all　of　us。〃

We　turned　away；　and　walked　back　in　silence　to　the　park　gate；　at
which　the　carriage　was　waiting。

On　the　return　to　Edinburgh；　Mr。　Playmore　directed　the
conversation　to　topics　entirely　unconnected　with　my　visit　to
Gleninch。　He　saw　that　my　mind　stood　in　need　of　relief；　and　he
most　good…naturedly；　and　successfully；　exerted　himself　to　amuse
me。　It　was　not　until　we　were　close　to　the　city　that　he　touched　on
the　subject　of　my　return　to　London。

〃Have　you　decided　yet　on　the　day　when　you　leave　Edinburgh？〃　he
asked。

〃We　leave　Edinburgh；〃　I　replied；　〃by　the　train　of　to…morrow
morning。〃

〃Do　you　still　see　no　reason　to　alter　the　opinions　which　you
expressed　yesterday？　Does　your　speedy　departure　mean　that？〃

〃I　am　afraid　it　does；　Mr。　Playmore。　When　I　am　an　older　woman；　I
may　be　a　wiser　woman。　In　the　meantime；　I　can　only　trust　to　your
indulgence　if　I　still　blindly　blunder　on　in　my　own　way。〃

He　smiled　pleasantly；　and　patted　my　handthen　changed　on　a
sudden；　and　looked　at　me　gravely　and　attentively　before　he　opened
his　lips　again。

〃This　is　my　last　opportunity　of　speaking　to　you　before　you　go；〃
he　said。　〃May　I　speak　freely？〃

〃As　freely　as　you　please；　Mr。　Playmore。　Whatever　you　may　say　to
me　will　only　add　to　my　grateful　sense　of　your　kindness。〃

〃I　have　very　little　to　say；　Mrs。　Eustaceand　that　little　begins
with　a　word　of　caution。　You　told　me　yesterday　that；　when　you　paid
your　last　visit　to　Miserrimus　Dexter；　you　went　to　him　alone。
Don't　do　that　again。　Take　somebody　with　you。〃

〃Do　you　think　I　am　in　any　danger；　then？〃

〃Not　in　the　ordinary　sense　of　the　word。　I　onl