the law and the lady-第76节

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may　be　of　serious　importance　to　us。　While　you　are　at　Doctor
Starkweather's　you　are　within　easy　reach　of　this　place。　Please
think　of　it。〃

I　thought　of　it　seriously　enough。　The　foremost　question　which　I
had　to　consider　was　the　question　of　my　husband。

The　departure　of　the　mother　and　son　from　Spain　had　been　so　long
delayed；　by　the　surgeon's　orders；　that　the　travelers　had　only
advanced　on　their　homeward　journey　as　far　as　Bordeaux；　when　I　had
last　heard　from　Mrs。　Macallan　three　or　four　days　since。　Allowing
for　an　interval　of　repose　at　Bordeaux；　and　for　the　slow　rate　at
which　they　would　be　compelled　to　move　afterward；　I　might　still
expect　them　to　arrive　in　England　some　time　before　a　letter　from
the　agent　in　America　could　reach　Mr。　Playmore。　How；　in　this
position　of　affairs；　I　could　contrive　to　join　the　lawyer　in
Edinburgh；　after　meeting　my　husband　in　London；　it　was　not　easy　to
see。　The　wise　and　the　right　way；　as　I　thought；　was　to　tell　Mr。
Playmore　frankly　that　I　was　not　mistress　of　my
　Own　movements；　and　that　he　had　better　address　his　next　letter　to
me　at　Benjamin's　house。

Writing　to　my　legal　adviser　in　this　sense；　I　had　a　word　of　my　own
to　add　on　the　subject　of　the　torn　letter。

In　the　last　years　of　my　father's　life　I　had　traveled　with　him　in
Italy；　and　I　had　seen　in　the　Museum　at　Naples　the　wonderful
relics　of　a　bygone　time　discovered　among　the　ruins　of　Pompeii。　By
way　of　encouraging　Mr。　Playmore；　I　now　reminded　him　that　the
eruption　which　had　overwhelmed　the　town　had　preserved；　for　more
than　sixteen　hundred　years；　such　perishable　things　as　the　straw
in　which　pottery　had　been　packed；　the　paintings　on　house　walls；
the　dresses　worn　by　the　inhabitants；　and　（most　noticeable　of　all；
in　our　case）　a　piece　of　ancient　paper；　still　attached　to　the
volcanic　ashes　which　had　fallen　over　it。　If　these　discoveries　had
been　made　after　a　lapse　of　sixteen　centuries；　under　a　layer　of
dust　and　ashes　on　a　large　scale；　surely　we　might　hope　to　meet
with　similar　cases　of　preservation；　after　a　lapse　of　three　or
four　years　only；　under　a　layer　of　dust　and　ashes　on　a　small
scale。　Taking　for　granted　（what　was　perhaps　doubtful　enough）　that
the　fragments　of　the　letter　could　be　recovered；　my　own　conviction
was　that　the　writing　on　them；　though　it　might　be　faded；　would
certainly　still　be　legible。　The　very　accumulations　which　Mr。
Playmore　deplored　would　be　the　means　of　preserving　them　from　the
rain　and　the　damp。　With　these　modest　hints　I　closed　my　letter；
and　thus　for　once；　thanks　to　my　Continental　experience；　I　was
able　to　instruct　my　lawyer！

Another　day　passed；　and　I　heard　nothing　of　the　travelers。

I　began　to　feel　anxious。　I　made　my　preparations　for　my　journey
southward　overnight；　and　I　resolved　to　start　for　London　the　next
dayunless　I　heard　of　some　change　in　Mrs。　Macallan's　traveling
arrangements　in　the　interval。

The　post　of　the　next　morning　decided　my　course　of　action。　It
brought　me　a　letter　from　my　mother…in…law；　which　added　one　more
to　the　memorable　dates　in　my　domestic　calendar。

Eustace　and　his　mother　had　advanced　as　far　as　Paris　on　their
homeward　journey；　when　a　cruel　disaster　had　befallen　them。　The
fatigues　of　traveling；　and　the　excitement　of　his　anticipated
meeting　with　me；　had　proved　together　to　be　too　much　for　my
husband。　He　had　held　out　as　far　as　Paris　with　the　greatest
difficulty；　and　he　was　now　confined　to　his　bed　again；　struck　down
by　a　relapse。　The　doctors；　this　time；　had　no　fear　for　his　life；
provided　that　his　patience　would　support　him　through　a　lengthened
period　of　the　most　absolute　repose。

〃It　now　rests　with　you；　Valeria；〃　Mrs。　Macallan　wrote；　〃to
fortify　and　comfort　Eustace　under　this　new　calamity。　Do　not
suppose　that　he　has　ever　blamed　or　thought　of　blaming　you　for
leaving　him　with　me　in　Spain；　as　soon　as　he　was　declared　to　be
out　of　danger。　'It　was　_I_　who　left　_her；_'　he　said　to　me；　when
we　first　talked　about　it；　'and　it　is　my　wife's　right　to　expect
that　I　should　go　back　to　her。'　Those　were　his　words；　my　dear；　and
he　has　done　all　he　can　to　abide　by　them。　Helpless　in　his　bed；　he
now　asks　you　to　take　the　will　for　the　deed；　and　to　join　him　in
Paris。　I　think　I　know　you　well　enough；　my　child；　to　be　sure　that
you　will　do　this；　and　I　need　only　add　one　word　of　caution；　before
I　close　my　letter。　Avoid　all　reference；　not　only　to　the　Trial
（you　will　do　that　of　your　own　accord）；　but　even　to　our　house　at
Gleninch。　You　will　understand　how　he　feels；　in　his　present　state
of　nervous　depression；　when　I　tell　you　that　I　should　never　have
ventured　on　asking　you　to　join　him　here；　if　your　letter　had　not
informed　me　that　your　visits　to　Dexter　were　at　an　end。　Would　you
believe　it？his　horror　of　anything　which　recalls　our　past
troubles　is　still　so　vivid　that　he　has　actually　asked　me　to　give
my　consent　to　selling　Gleninch！〃

So　Eustace's　mother　wrote　of　him。　But　she　had　not　trusted
entirely　to　her　own　powers　of　persuasion。　A　slip　of　paper　was
inclosed　in　her　letter；　containing　these　two　lines；　traced　in
penciloh；　so　feebly　and　so　wearily！by　my　poor　darling
himself：

〃I　am　too　weak　to　travel　any　further；　Valeria。　Will　you　come　to
me　and　forgive　me？〃　A　few　pencil…marks　followed；　but　they　were
illegible。　The　writing　of　those　two　short　sentences　had　exhausted
him。

It　is　not　saying　much　for　myself；　I　knowbut；　having　confessed
it　when　I　was　wrong；　let　me；　at　least；　record　it　when　I　did　what
was　rightI　decided　instantly　on　giving　up　all　further
connection　with　the　recovery　of　the　torn　letter。　If　Eustace　asked
me　the　question；　I　was　resolved　to　be　able　to　answer　truly：　〃I
have　made　the　sacrifice　that　assures　your　tranquillity。　When
resignation　was　hardest；　I　have　humbled　my　obstinate　spirit；　and
I　have　given　way　for　my　husband's　sake。〃

There　was　half　an　hour　to　spare　before　I　left　the　vicarage　for
the　railway　station。　In　that　interval　I　wrote　again　to　Mr。
Playmore；　telling　him　plainly　what　my　position　was；　and
withdrawing；　at　once　and　forever；　from　all　share　in　investigating
the　mystery　which　lay　hidden　under　the　dust…heap　at　Gleninch。





CHAPTER　XLIV。

OUR　NEW　HONEYMOON。

　It　is　not　to　be　disguised　or　denied　that　my　spirits　were
depressed　on　my　journey　to　London。

To　resign　the　one　cherished　purpose　of　my　life；　when　I　had
suffered　so　much　in　pursuing　it；　and　when　I　had　（to　all
appearance）　so　nearly　reached　the　realization　of　my　hopes；　was
putting　to　a　hard　trial　a　woman's　fortitude　and　a　woman's　sense
of　duty。　Still；　even　if　the　opportunity　had　been　offered　to　me；　I
would　not　have　recalled　my　letter　to　Mr。　Playmore。　〃It　is　done；
and　well　done；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃and　I　have　only　to　wait　a　day
to　be　reconciled　to　itwhen　I　give　my　husband　my　first　kiss。〃

I　had　planned　and　hoped　to　reach　London　in　time　to　start　for
Paris　by　the　night…mail。　But　the　train　was　twice　delayed　on　the
long　journey　from　the　North；　and　there　was　no　help　for　it　but　to
sleep　at　Benjamin's　villa；　and　to　defer　my　departure　until　the
morning。

It　was；　of　course；　impossible　for　me　to　warn　my　old　friend　of　the
change　in　my　plans。　My　arrival　took　him　by　surprise。　I　found　him
alone　in　his　library；　with　a　wonderful　illumination　of　lamps　and
candles；　absorbed　over　some　morsels　of　torn　paper　scattered　on
the　table　before　him。

〃What　in　the　world　are　you　about？〃　I　asked。

Benjamin　blushedI　was　going　to　say；　like　a　young　girl；　but
young　girls　have　given　up　blushing　in　these　latter　days　of　the
age　we　live　in。

〃Oh；　nothing；　nothing！〃　he　said；　confusedly。　〃Don't　notice　it。〃

He　stretched　out　his　hand　to　brush　the　morsels　of　paper　off　the
table。　Those　morsels　raised　a　sudden　suspicion　in　my　mind。　I
stopped　him。

〃You　have　heard　from　Mr。　Playmore！〃　I　said。　〃Tell　me　the　truth；
Benjamin。　Yes　or　no？〃

Benjamin　blushed　a　shade　deeper；　and　answered；　〃Yes。〃

〃Where　is　the　letter？〃

〃I　mustn't　show　it　to　you；　Valeria。〃

This　（need　I　say　it？）　made　me　determined　to　see　the　letter。　My
best　way　of　persuading　Benjamin　to　show　it　to　me　was　to　tell　him
of　the　sacrifice　that　I　had　made　to　my　husband's　wishes。　〃I　have
no　further　voice　in　the　matter；〃　I　added；　when　I　had　done。　〃It
now　rests　entirely　with　Mr。　Playmore　to　go　on　or　to　give　up；　and
this　is　my　last　opportunity　of　discovering　what　he　really　thinks
about　it。　Don't　I　deserve　some　little　indulgence？　Have　I　no　claim
to　look　at　the　letter？〃

Benjamin　was　too　much　surprised；　and　too　much　pleased　with　me；
when　he　heard　what　had　happened；　to　be　able　to　resist　my
entreaties。　He　gave　me　the　letter。

Mr。　Playmore　wrote　to　appeal　confidentially　to　Benjamin　as　a
commercial　man。　In　the　long　course　of　his　occupation　in　business；
it　was　just　possible　that　he　might　have　heard　of　cases　in　which
documents　have　been　put　together　again　after　having　been　torn　up
by　design　or　by　accident。　Even　if　his　experience　failed　in　this
particular；　he　might　be　able　to　refer　to　some　authority　in　London
who　would　be　capable　of　giving　an　opinion　on　the　subject。　By　way
of　explaining　his　strange　request；　Mr。　Playmore　reverted　to　the
notes　which　Benjamin　had　taken　at　Miserrimus　Dexter's　house；　and
informed　him　of　the　serious　importance　of　〃the　gibberish〃　which
he　had　reported　under　protest。　The　letter　closed　by　recommending
tha