the law and the lady-第70节

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that　Dexter　is　himself　again。　Silence；　you　Ariel；　or　you　shall
leave　the　room！　I　have　got　it；　Mrs。　Valeria；　all　laid　out　here；
with　scenes　and　characters　complete。〃　He　touched　his　forehead；
and　looked　at　me　with　a　furtive　and　smiling　cunning　before　he
added　his　next　words。　〃It's　the　very　thing　to　interest　you；　my
fair　friend。　It's　the　story　of　a　Mistress　and　a　Maid。　Come　back
to　the　fire　and　hear　it。〃

The　Story　of　a　Mistress　and　a　Maid？　If　that　meant　anything；　it
meant　the　story　of　Mrs。　Beauly　and　her　maid；　told　in　disguise。

The　title；　and　the　look　which　had　escaped　him　when　he　announced
it；　revived　the　hope　that　was　well…nigh　dead　in　me。　He　had
rallied　at　last。　He　was　again　in　possession　of　his　natural
foresight　and　his　natural　cunning。　Under　pretense　of　telling
Ariel　her　story；　he　was　evidently　about　to　make　the　attempt　to
mislead　me　for　the　second　time。　The　conclusion　was　irresistible。
To　use　his　own　wordsDexter　was　himself　again。

I　took　Benjamin's　arm　as　we　followed　him　back　to　the　fire…place
in　the　middle　of　the　room。

〃There　is　a　chance　for　me　yet；〃　I　whispered。　〃Don't　forget　the
signals。〃

We　returned　to　the　places　which　we　had　already　occupied。　Ariel
cast　another　threatening　look　at　me。　She　had　just　sense　enough
left；　after　emptying　her　goblet　of　wine；　to　be　on　the　watch　for　a
new　interruption　on　my　part。　I　took　care；　of　course；　that　nothing
of　the　sort　should　happen。　I　was　now　as　eager　as　Ariel　to　hear
the　story。　The　subject　was　full　of　snares　for　the　narrator。　At
any　moment；　in　the　excitement　of　speaking；　Dexter's　memory　of　the
true　events　might　show　itself　reflected　in　the　circumstances　of
the　fiction。　At　any　moment　he　might　betray　himself。

He　looked　around　him；　and　began。

〃My　public；　are　you　seated？　My　public；　are　you　ready？〃　he　asked；
gayly。　〃Your　face　a　little　more　this　way；〃　he　added；　in　his
softest　and　tenderest　tones；　motioning　to　me　to　turn　my　full　face
toward　him。　〃Surely　I　am　not　asking　too　much？　You　look　at　the
meanest　creature　that　crawlslook　at　Me。　Let　me　find　my
inspiration　in　your　eyes。　Let　me　feed　my　hungry　admiration　on
your　form。　Come；　have　one　little　pitying　smile　left　for　the　man
whose　happiness　you　have　wrecked。　Thank　you；　Light　of　my　Life；
thank　you！〃　He　kissed　his　hand　to　me；　and　threw　himself　back
luxuriously　in　his　chair。　〃The　story；〃　he　resumed。　〃The　story　at
last！　In　what　form　shall　I　cast　it？　In　the　dramatic　formthe
oldest　way；　the　truest　way；　the　shortest　way　of　telling　a　story！
Title　first。　A　short　title；　a　taking　title：　'Mistress　and　Maid。'
Scene；　the　land　of　romanceItaly。　Time；　the　age　of　romancethe
fifteenth　century。　Ha！　look　at　Ariel。　She　knows　no　more　about　the
fifteenth　century　than　the　cat　in　the　kitchen；　and　yet　she　is
interested　already。　Happy　Ariel！〃

Ariel　looked　at　me　again；　in　the　double　intoxication　of　the　wine
and　the　triumph。

〃I　know　no　more　than　the　cat　in　the　kitchen；〃　she　repeated；　with
a　broad　grin　of　gratified　vanity。　〃I　am　'happy　Ariel！'　What　are
you？〃

Miserrimus　Dexter　laughed　uproariously。

〃Didn't　I　tell　you？〃　he　said。　〃Isn't　she　fun？Persons　of　the
Drama。〃　he　resumed：　〃three　in　number。　Women　only。　Angelica；　a
noble　lady；　noble　alike　in　spirit　and　in　birth。　Cunegonda；　a
beautiful　devil　in　woman's　form。　Damoride；　her　unfortunate　maid。
First　scene：　a　dark　vaulted　chamber　in　a　castle。　Time；　evening。
The　owls　are　hooting　in　the　wood；　the　frogs　are　croaking　in　the
marsh。Look　at　Ariel！　Her　flesh　creeps；　she　shudders　audibly。
Admirable　Ariel！〃

My　rival　in　the　Master's　favor　eyed　me　defiantly。　〃Admirable
Ariel！〃　she　repeated；　in　drowsy　accents。　Miserrimus　Dexter　paused
to　take　up　his　goblet　of　Burgundyplaced　close　at　hand　on　a
little　sliding　table　attached　to　his　chair。　I　watched　him
narrowly　as　he　sipped　the　wine。　The　flush　was　still　mounting　in
his　face；　the　light　was　still　brightening　in　his　eyes。　He　set
down　his　glass　again；　with　a　jovial　smack　of　his　lipsand　went
on：

〃Persons　present　in　the　vaulted　chamber：　Cunegonda　and　Damoride。
Cunegonda　speaks。　'Damoride！'　'Madam？'　'Who　lies　ill　in　the
chamber　above　us？'　'Madam；　the　noble　lady　Angelica。'　（A　pause。
Cunegonda　speaks　again。）　'Damoride！'　'　Madam？'　'How　does　Angelica
like　you？'　'Madam；　the　noble　lady；　sweet　and　good　to　all　who
approach　her；　is　sweet　and　good　to　me。'　'Have　you　attended　on
her；　Damoride？'　'Sometimes；　madam；　when　the　nurse　was　weary。'
'Has　she　taken　her　healing　medicine　from　your　hand　'　'Once　or
twice；　madam；　when　I　happened　to　be　by。'　'Damoride；　take　this　key
and　open　the　casket　on　the　table　there。'　（Damoride　obeys。）　'Do
you　see　a　green　vial　in　the　casket？'　'I　see　it；　madam。'　'Take　it
out。'　（Damoride　obeys。）　'Do　you　see　a　liquid　in　the　green　vial？
can　you　guess　what　it　is？'　'No；　madam。'　'Shall　I　tell　you？'
（Damoride　bows　respectfully　）　'Poison　is　in　the　vial。'　（Damoride
starts；　she　shrinks　from　the　poison；　she　would　fain　put　it　aside。
Her　mistress　signs　to　her　to　keep　it　in　her　hand；　her　mistress
speaks。）　'Damoride；　I　have　told　you　one　of　my　secrets；　shall　I
tell　you　another？'　（Damoride　waits；　fearing　what　is　to　come。　Her
mistress　speaks。）　'I　hate　the　Lady　Angelica。　Her　life　stands
between　me　and　the　joy　of　my　heart。　You　hold　her　life　in　your
hand。'　（Damoride　drops　on　her　knees；　she　is　a　devout　person；　she
crosses　herself；　and　then　she　speaks。）　'Mistress；　you　terrify　me。
Mistress；　what　do　I　hear？'　（Cunegonda　advances；　stands　over　her；
looks　down　on　her　with　terrible　eyes；　whispers　the　next　words。）
'Damoride！　the　Lady　Angelica　must　dieand　I　must　not　be
suspected。　The　Lady　Angelica　must　dieand　by　your　hand。'〃

He　paused　again。　To　sip　the　wine　once　more？　No；　to　drink　a　deep
draught　of　it　this　time。

Was　the　stimulant　beginning　to　fail　him　already？

I　looked　at　him　attentively　as　he　laid　himself　back　again　in　his
chair　to　consider　for　a　moment　before　he　went　on。

The　flush　on　his　face　was　as　deep　as　ever；　but　the　brightness　in
his　eyes　was　beginning　to　fade　already。　I　had　noticed　that　he
spoke　more　and　more　slowly　as　he　advanced　to　the　later　dialogue
of　the　scene。　Was　he　feeling　the　effort　of　invention　already？　Had
the　time　come　when　the　wine　had　done　all　that　the　wine　could　do
for　him？

We　waited。　Ariel　sat　watching　him　　with　vacantly　staring　eyes　and
vacantly　open　mouth。　Ben　jamin；　impenetrably　expecting　the
signal；　kept　his　open　note…book　on　his　knee；　covered　by　his　hand。
Miserrimus　Dexter　went　on：

〃Damoride　hears　those　terrible　words；　Damoride　clasps　her　hands
in　entreaty。　'Oh；　madam！　madam！　how　can　I　kill　the　dear　and　noble
lady？　What　motive　have　I　for　harming　her？'　Cunegonda　answers；
'You　have　the　motive　of　obeying　Me。'　（Damoride　falls　with　her
face　on　the　floor　at　her　mistress's　feet。）　'Madam；　I　cannot　do
it！　Madam；　I　dare　not　do　it！'　Cunegonda　answers；　'You　run　no
risk：　I　have　my　plan　for　diverting　discovery　from　myself；　and　my
plan　for　diverting　discovery　from　you。'　Damoride　repeats；　'I
cannot　do　it！　I　dare　not　do　it！'　Cunegonda's　eyes　flash
lightnings　of　rage。　She　takes　from　its　place　of　concealment　in
her　bosom〃

He　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　sentence；　and　put　his　hand　to　his
headnot　like　a　man　in　pain；　but　like　a　man　who　had　lost　his
idea。

Would　it　be　well　if　I　tried　to　help　him　to　recover　his　idea？　or
would　it　be　wiser　（if　I　could　only　do　it）　to　keep　silence？

I　could　see　the　drift　of　his　story　plainly　enough。　His　object；
under　the　thin　disguise　of　the　Italian　romance；　was　to　meet　my
unanswerable　objection　to　suspecting　Mrs。　Beauly's　maidthe
objection　that　the　woman　had　no　motive　for　committing　herself　to
an　act　of　murder。　If　he　could　practically　contradict　this；　by
discovering　a　motive　which　I　should　be　obliged　to　admit；　his　end
would　be　gained。　Those　inquiries　which　I　had　pledged　myself　to
pursuethose　inquiries　which　might；　at　any　moment；　take　a　turn
that　directly　concerned　himwould；　in　that　case；　be　successfully
diverted　from　the　right　to　the　wrong　person。　The　innocent　maid
would　set　my　strictest　scrutiny　at　defiance；　and　Dexter　would　be
safely　shielded　behind　her。

I　determined　to　give　him　time。　Not　a　word　passed　my　lips。

The　minutes　followed　each　other。　I　waited　in　the　deepest　anxiety。
It　was　a　trying　and　a　critical　moment。　If　he　succeeded　in
inventing　a　probable　motive；　and　in　shaping　it　neatly　to　suit　the
purpose　of　his　story；　he　would　prove；　by　that　act　alone；　that
there　were　reserves　of　mental　power　still　left　in　him　which　the
practiced　eye　of　the　Scotch　doctor　had　failed　to　see。　But　the
question　waswould　he　do　it？

He　did　it！　Not　in　a　new　way；　not　in　a　convincing　way；　not　without
a　painfully　evident　effort。　Still；　well　done　or　ill　done；　he
found　a　motive　for　the　maid。

〃Cunegonda；〃　he　resumed；　〃takes　from　its　place　of　concealment　in
her　bosom　a　written　paper；　and　unfolds　it。　'Look　at　this；'　she
says。　Damoride　looks　at　the　paper；　and　sinks　again　at　her
mistress's　feet　in　a　paroxysm　of　horror　and　despair。　Cunegonda　is
in　possession　of　a　shameful　secret　in　the　maid's　past　life。
Cunegonda　can　say　to　her；　'Choose　your　alternative。　Either　submit
to　an　exposure　which　disgraces　you　anddisgraces　your　parents
foreveror　make　up　your　mind　to　obey　Me。'　Damoride　might　submit
to　the　disgrace　if　it　only　affected　hersel