the law and the lady-第8节

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the　address；　will　you　promise　to　tell　me　all　about　it　when　you
come　back？〃

I　gave　the　required　promise；　and　received　the　address　in　return。

〃No　malice；〃　said　the　landlady；　suddenly　resuming　all　her　old
familiarity　with　me。

〃No　malice；〃　I　answered；　with　all　possible　cordiality　on　my　side。

In　ten　minutes　more　I　was　at　my　mother…in…law's　lodgings。


CHAPTER　VI。

MY　OWN　DISCOVERY。

　FORTUNATELY　for　me；　the　landlord　did　not　open　the　door　when　I
rang。　A　stupid　maid…of…all…work；　who　never　thought　of　asking　me
for　my　name；　let　me　in。　Mrs。　Macallan　was　at　home；　and　had　no
visitors　with　her。　Giving　me　this　information；　the　maid　led　the
way　upstairs；　and　showed　me　into　the　drawing…room　without　a　word
of　announcement。

My　mother…in…law　was　sitting　alone；　near　a　work…table；　knitting。
The　moment　I　appeared　in　the　doorway　she　laid　aside　her　work；
and；　rising；　signed　to　me　with　a　commanding　gesture　of　her　hand
to　let　her　speak　first。

〃I　know　what　you　have　come　here　for；〃　she　said。　〃You　have　come
here　to　ask　questions。　Spare　yourself；　and　spare　me。　I　warn　you
beforehand　that　I　will　not　answer　any　questions　relating　to　my
son。〃

It　was　firmly；　but　not　harshly　said。　I　spoke　firmly　in　my　turn。

〃I　have　not　come　here；　madam；　to　ask　questions　about　your　son；〃　I
answered。　〃I　have　come；　if　you　will　excuse　me；　to　ask　you　a
question　about　yourself。〃

She　started；　and　looked　at　me　keenly　over　her　spectacles。　I　had
evidently　taken　her　by　surprise。

〃What　is　the　question？〃　she　inquired。

〃I　now　know　for　the　first　time；　madam；　that　your　name　is
Macallan；〃　I　said。　〃Your　son　has　married　me　under　the　name　of
Woodville。　The　only　honorable　explanation　of　this　circumstance；
so　far　as　I　know；　is　that　my　husband　is　your　son　by　a　first
marriage。　The　happiness　of　my　life　is　at　stake。　Will　you　kindly
consider　my　position？　Will　you　let　me　ask　you　if　you　have　been
twice　married；　and　if　the　name　of　your　first　husband　was
Woodville？〃

She　considered　a　little　before　she　replied。

〃The　question　is　a　perfectly　natural　one　in　your　position；〃　she
said。　〃But　I　think　I　had　better　not　answer　it。〃

〃May　　I　as　k　why？〃

〃Certainly。　If　I　answered　you；　I　should　only　lead　to　other
questions；　and　I　should　be　obliged　to　decline　replying　to　them。　I
am　sorry　to　disappoint　you。　I　repeat　what　I　said　on　the　beachI
have　no　other　feeling　than　a　feeling　of　sympathy　toward　_you。_　If
you　had　consulted　me　before　your　marriage；　I　should　willingly
have　admitted　you　to　my　fullest　confidence。　It　is　now　too　late。
You　are　married。　I　recommend　you　to　make　the　best　of　your
position；　and　to　rest　satisfied　with　things　as　they　are。〃

〃Pardon　me；　madam；〃　I　remonstrated。　〃As　things　are；　I　don't　know
that　I　_am_　married。　All　I　know；　unless　you　enlighten　me；　is　that
your　son　has　married　me　under　a　name　that　is　not　his　own。　How　can
I　be　sure　whether　I　am　or　am　not　his　lawful　wife？〃

〃I　believe　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　you　are　lawfully　my　son's
wife；〃　Mrs。　Macallan　answered。　〃At　any　rate　it　is　easy　to　take　a
legal　opinion　on　the　subject。　If　the　opinion　is　that　you　are
_not_　lawfully　married；　my　son　（whatever　his　faults　and　failings
may　be）　is　a　gentleman。　He　is　incapable　of　willfully　deceiving　a
woman　who　loves　and　trusts　him。　He　will　do　you　justice。　On　my
side；　I　will　do　you　justice；　too。　If　the　legal　opinion　is　adverse
to　your　rightful　claims；　I　will　promise　to　answer　any　questions
which　you　may　choose　to　put　to　me。　As　it　is；　I　believe　you　to　be
lawfully　my　son's　wife；　and　I　say　again；　make　the　best　of　your
position。　Be　satisfied　with　your　husband's　affectionate　devotion
to　you。　If　you　value　your　peace　of　mind　and　the　happiness　of　your
life　to　come；　abstain　from　attempting　to　know　more　than　you　know
now。〃

She　sat　down　again　with　the　air　of　a　woman　who　had　said　her　last
word。

Further　remonstrance　would　be　useless；　I　could　see　it　in　her
face；　I　could　hear　it　in　her　voice。　I　turned　round　to　open　the
drawing…room　door。

〃You　are　hard　on　me；　madam；〃　I　said　at　parting。　〃I　am　at　your
mercy；　and　I　must　submit。〃

She　suddenly　looked　up；　and　answered　me　with　a　flush　on　her　kind
and　handsome　old　face。

〃As　God　is　my　witness；　child；　I　pity　you　from　the　bottom　of　my
heart！〃

After　that　extraordinary　outburst　of　feeling；　she　took　up　her
work　with　one　hand；　and　signed　to　me　with　the　other　to　leave　her。

I　bowed　to　her　in　silence；　and　went　out。

I　had　entered　the　house　far　from　feeling　sure　of　the　course　I
ought　to　take　in　the　future。　I　left　the　house　positively
resolved；　come　what　might　of　it；　to　discover　the　secret　which　the
mother　and　son　were　hiding　from　me。　As　to　the　question　of　the
name；　I　saw　it　now　in　the　light　in　which　I　ought　to　have　seen　it
from　the　first。　If　Mrs。　Macallan　_had_　been　twice　married　（as　I
had　rashly　chosen　to　suppose）；　she　would　certainly　have　shown
some　signs　of　recognition　when　she　heard　me　addressed　by　her
first　husband's　name。　Where　all　else　was　mystery；　there　was　no
mystery　here。　Whatever　his　reasons　might　be；　Eustace　had
assuredly　married　me　under　an　assumed　name。

Approaching　the　door　of　our　lodgings；　I　saw　my　husband　walking
backward　and　forward　before　it；　evidently　waiting　for　my　return。
If　he　asked　me　the　question；　I　decided　to　tell　him　frankly　where
I　had　been；　and　what　had　passed　between　his　mother　and　myself。

He　hurried　to　meet　me　with　signs　of　disturbance　in　his　face　and
manner。

〃I　have　a　favor　to　ask　of　you；　Valeria；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　mind
returning　with　me　to　London　by　the　next　train？〃

I　looked　at　him。　In　the　popular　phrase；　I　could　hardly　believe　my
own　ears。

〃It's　a　matter　of　business；〃　he　went　on；　〃of　no　interest　to　any
one　but　myself；　and　it　requires　my　presence　in　London。　You　don't
wish　to　sail　just　yet；　as　I　understand？　I　can't　leave　you　here　by
yourself。　Have　you　any　objection　to　going　to　London　for　a　day　or
two？〃

I　made　no　objection。　I　too　was　eager　to　go　back。

In　London　I　could　obtain　the　legal　opinion　which　would　tell　me
whether　I　were　lawfully　married　to　Eustace　or　not。　In　London　I
should　be　within　reach　of　the　help　and　advice　of　my　father's
faithful　old　clerk。　I　could　confide　in　Benjamin　as　I　could
confide　in　no　one　else。　Dearly　as　I　loved　my　uncle　Starkweather；
I　shrank　from　communicating　with　him　in　my　present　need。　His　wife
had　told　me　that　I　made　a　bad　beginning　when　I　signed　the　wrong
name　in　the　marriage　register。　Shall　I　own　it？　My　pride　shrank
from　acknowledging；　before　the　honeymoon　was　over；　that　his　wife
was　right。

　In　two　hours　more　we　were　on　the　railway　again。　Ah；　what　a
contrast　that　second　journey　presented　to　the　first！　On　our　way
to　Ramsgate　everybody　could　see　that　we　were　a　newly　wedded
couple。　On　our　way　to　London　nobody　noticed　us；　nobody　would　have
doubted　that　we　had　been　married　for　years。

We　went　to　a　private　hotel　in　the　neighborhood　of　Portland　Place。

After　breakfast　the　next　morning　Eustace　announced　that　he　must
leave　me　to　attend　to　his　business。　I　had　previously　mentioned　to
him　that　I　had　some　purchases　to　make　in　London。　He　was　quite
willing　to　let　me　go　out　alone；　on　the　condition　that　I　should
take　a　carriage　provided　by　the　hotel。

My　heart　was　heavy　that　morning：　I　felt　the　unacknowledged
estrangement　that　had　grown　up　between　us　very　keenly。　My　husband
opened　the　door　to　go　out；　and　came　back　to　kiss　me　before　he
left　me　by　myself。　That　little　after…thought　of　tenderness
touched　me。　Acting　on　the　impulse　of　the　moment；　I　put　my　arm
round　his　neck；　and　held　him　to　me　gently。

〃My　darling；〃　I　said；　〃give　me　all　your　confidence。　I　know　that
you　love　me。　Show　that　you　can　trust　me　too。〃

He　sighed　bitterly；　and　drew　back　from　mein　sorrow；　not　in
anger。

〃I　thought　we　had　agreed；　Valeria；　not　to　return　to　that　subject
again；〃　he　said。　〃You　only　distress　yourself　and　distress　me。〃

He　left　the　room　abruptly；　as　if　he　dare　not　trust　himself　to　say
more。　It　is　better　not　to　dwell　on　what　I　felt　after　this　last
repulse。　I　ordered　the　carriage　at　once。　I　was　eager　to　find　a
refuge　from　my　own　thoughts　in　movement　and　change。

I　drove　to　the　shops　first；　and　made　the　purchases　which　I　had
mentioned　to　Eustace　by　way　of　giving　a　reason　for　going　out。
Then　I　devoted　myself　to　the　object　which　I　really　had　at　heart。
I　went　to　old　Benjamin's　little　villa；　in　the　by…ways　of　St。
John's　Wood。

As　soon　as　he　had　got　over　the　first　surprise　of　seeing　me；　he
noticed　that　I　looked　pale　and　care…worn。　I　confessed　at　once
that　I　was　in　trouble。　We　sat　down　together　by　the　bright
fireside　in　his　little　library　（Benjamin；　as　far　as　his　means
would　allow；　was　a　great　collector　of　books）；　and　there　I　told　my
old　friend；　frankly　and　truly；　all　that　I　have　told　here。

He　was　too　distressed　to　say　much。　He　fervently　pressed　my　hand；
he　fervently　thanked　God　that　my　father　had　not　lived　to　hear
what　he　had　heard。　Then；　after　a　pause；　he　repeated　my
mother…in…law's　name　to　himself　in　a　doubting；　questioning　tone。
〃Macallan？〃　he　said。　〃Macallan？　Where　have　I　heard　that　name？　Why
does　it　sound　as　if　it　wasn't　strange　to　me？〃

He　gave　up　pursuing　the　lost　recollection；　and　asked；　very
earnestly；　what　he　could　do　for　me。　I　answered　that　he　could　help
me；　in