the law and the lady-第9节

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earnestly；　what　he　could　do　for　me。　I　answered　that　he　could　help
me；　in　the　first　place；　to　put　an　end　to　the　doubtan
unendurable　doubt　to　_me_whether　I　were　lawfully　married　or
not。　His　energy　of　the　old　days　when　he　had　conducted　my　father's
business　showed　itself　again　the　moment　I　said　those　words。

〃Your　carriage　is　at　the　door；　my　dear；〃　he　answered。　〃Come　with
me　to　my　own　lawyer；　without　wasting　another　moment。〃

We　drove　to　Lincoln's　Inn　Fields。

At　my　request　Benjamin　put　my　case　to　the　lawyer　as　the　case　of　a
friend　in　whom　I　was　interested。　The　answer　was　given　without
hesitation。　I　had　married；　honestly　believing　my　husband's　name
to　be　the　name　under　which　I　had　known　him。　The　witnesses　to　my
marriagemy　uncle；　my　aunt；　and　Benjaminhad　acted；　as　I　had
acted；　in　perfect　good　faith。　Under　those　circumstances；　there
was　no　doubt　about　the　law。　I　was　legally　married。　Macallan　or
Woodville；　I　was　his　wife。

This　decisive　answer　relieved　me　of　a　heavy　anxiety。　I　accepted
my　old　friend's　invitation　to　return　with　him　to　St。　John's　Wood；
and　to　make　my　luncheon　at　his　early　dinner。

On　our　way　back　I　reverted　to　the　one　other　subject　which　was　now
uppermost　in　my　mind。　I　reiterated　my　resolution　to　discover　why
Eustace　had
　not　married　me　under　the　name　that　was　really　his　own。

My　companion　shook　his　head；　and　entreated　me　to　consider　well
beforehand　what　I　proposed　doing。　His　advice　to　meso　strangely
do　extremes　meet！was　my　mother…in…law's　advice；　repeated　almost
word　for　word。　〃Leave　things　as　they　are；　my　dear。　In　the
interest　of　your　own　peace　of　mind　be　satisfied　with　your
husband's　affection。　You　know　that　you　are　his　wife；　and　you　know
that　he　loves　you。　Surely　that　is　enough？〃

I　had　but　one　answer　to　this。　Life；　on　such　conditions　as　my　good
friend　had　just　stated；　would　be　simply　unendurable　to　me。
Nothing　could　alter　my　resolutionfor　this　plain　reason；　that
nothing　could　reconcile　me　to　living　with　my　husband　on　the　terms
on　which　we　were　living　now。　It　only　rested　with　Benjamin　to　say
whether　he　would　give　a　helping　hand　to　his　master's　daughter　or
not。

The　old　man's　answer　was　thoroughly　characteristic　of　him。

〃Mention　what　you　want　of　me；　my　dear；〃　was　all　he　said。

We　were　then　passing　a　street　in　the　neighborhood　of　Portman
Square。　I　was　on　the　point　of　speaking　again；　when　the　words　were
suspended　on　my　lips。　I　saw　my　husband。

He　was　just　descending　the　steps　of　a　houseas　if　leaving　it
after　a　visit。　His　eyes　were　on　the　ground：　he　did　not　look　up
when　the…carriage　passed。　As　the　servant　closed　the　door　behind
him；　I　noticed　that　the　number　of　the　house　was　Sixteen。　At　the
next　corner　I　saw　the　name　of　the　street。　It　was　Vivian　Place。

〃Do　you　happen　to　know　who　lives　at　Number　Sixteen　Vivian　Place？〃
I　inquired　of　my　companion。

Benjamin　started。　My　question　was　certainly　a　strange　one；　after
what　he　had　just　said　to　me。

〃No；〃　he　replied。　〃Why　do　you　ask？〃

〃I　have　just　seen　Eustace　leaving　that　house。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；　and　what　of　that？〃

〃My　mind　is　in　a　bad　way；　Benjamin。　Everything　my　husband　does
that　I　don't　understand　rouses　my　suspicion　now。〃

Benjamin　lifted　his　withered　old　hands；　and　let　them　drop　on　his
knees　again　in　mute　lamentation　over　me。

〃I　tell　you　again；〃　I　went　on；　〃my　life　is　unendurable　to　me。　I
won't　answer　for　what　I　may　do　if　I　am　left　much　longer　to　live
in　doubt　of　the　one　man　on　earth　whom　I　love。　You　have　had
experience　of　the　world。　Suppose　you　were　shut　out　from　Eustace's
confidence；　as　I　am？　Suppose　you　were　as　fond　of　him　as　I　am；　and
felt　your　position　as　bitterly　as　I　feel　itwhat　would　you　do？〃

The　question　was　plain。　Benjamin　met　it　with　a　plain　answer。

〃I　think　I　should　find　my　way；　my　dear；　to　some　intimate　friend
of　your　husband's；〃　he　said；　〃and　make　a　few　discreet　inquiries
in　that　quarter　first。〃

Some　intimate　friend　of　my　husband's？　I　considered　with　myself。
There　was　but　one　friend　of　his　whom　I　knew　ofmy　uncle's
correspondent；　Major　Fitz…David。　My　heart　beat　fast　as　the　name
recurred　to　my　memory。　Suppose　I　followed　Benjamin's　advice？
Suppose　I　applied　to　Major　Fitz…David？　Even　if　he；　too；　refused
to　answer　my　questions；　my　position　would　not　be　more　helpless
than　it　was　now。　I　determined　to　make　the　attempt。　The　only
difficulty　in　the　way；　so　far；　was　to　discover　the　Major's
address。　I　had　given　back　his　letter　to　Doctor　Starkweather；　at
my　uncle's　own　request。　I　remembered　that　the　address　from　which
the　Major　wrote　was　somewhere　in　Londonand　I　remembered　no
more。

〃Thank　you；　old　friend；　you　have　given　me　an　idea　already；〃　I
said　to　Benjamin。　〃Have　you　got　a　Directory　in　your　house？〃

〃No；　my　dear；〃　he　rejoined；　looking　very　much　puzzled。　〃But　I　can
easily　send　out　and　borrow　one。〃

We　returned　to　the　villa。　The　servant　was　sent　at　once　to　the
nearest　stationer's　to　borrow　a　Directory。　She　returned　with　the
book　just　as　we　sat　down　to　dinner。　Searching　for　the　Major's
name　under　the　letter　F；　I　was　startled　by　a　new　discovery。

〃Benjamin！〃　I　said。　〃This　is　a　strange　coincidence。　Look　here！〃

He　looked　where　I　pointed。　Major　Fitz…David's　address　was　Number
Sixteen　Vivian　Placethe　very　house　which　I　had　seen　my　husband
leaving　as　we　passed　in　the　carriage！


CHAPTER　VII。

ON　THE　WAY　TO　THE　MAJOR。

　〃YES；　said　Benjamin。　〃It　_is_　a　coincidence　certainly。　Still〃

He　stopped　and　looked　at　me。　He　seemed　a　little　doubtful　how　I
might　receive　what　he　had　it　in　his　mind　to　say　to　me　next。

〃Go　on；〃　I　said。

〃Still；　my　dear；　I　see　nothing　suspicious　in　what　has　happened；〃
he　resumed。　〃To　my　mind　it　is　quite　natural　that　your　husband；
being　in　London；　should　pay　a　visit　to　one　of　his　friends。　And
it's　equally　natural　that　we　should　pass　through　Vivian　Place　on
our　way　back　here。　This　seems　to　be　the　reasonable　view。　What　do
_you_　say？〃

〃I　have　told　you　already　that　my　mind　is　in　a　bad　way　about
Eustace；〃　I　answered。　〃_I_　say　there　is　some　motive　at　the　bottom
of　his　visit　to　Major　Fitz…David。　It　is　not　an　ordinary　call。　I
am　firmly　convinced　it　is　not　an　ordinary　call！〃

〃Suppose　we　get　on　with　our　dinner？〃　said　Benjamin；　resignedly。
〃Here　is　a　loin　of　mutton；　my　dearan　ordinary　loin　of　mutton。
Is　there　anything　suspicious　in　_that？_　Very　well；　then。　Show　me
you　have　confidence　in　the　mutton；　please　eat。　There's　the　wine；
again。　No　mystery；　Valeria；　in　that　claretI'll　take　my　oath
it's　nothing　but　innocent　juice　of　the　grape。　If　we　can't　believe
in　anything　else；　let's　believe　in　juice　of　the　grape。　Your　good
health；　my　dear。〃

I　adapted　myself　to　the　old　man's　genial　humor　as　readily　as　I
could。　We　ate　and　we　drank；　and　we　talked　of　by…gone　days。　For　a
little　while　I　was　almost　happy　in　the　company　of　my　fatherly　old
friend。　Why　was　I　not　old　too？　Why　had　I　not　done　with　love；　with
its　certain　miseries；　its　transient　delights；　its　cruel　losses；
its　bitterly　doubtful　gains？　The　last　autumn　flowers　in　the
window　basked　brightly　in　the　last　of　the　autumn　sunlight。
Benjamin's　little　dog　digested　his　dinner　in　perfect　comfort　on
the　hearth。　The　parrot　in　the　next　house　screeched　his　vocal
accomplishments　cheerfully。　I　don't　doubt　that　it　is　a　great
privilege　to　be　a　human　being。　But　may　it　not　be　the　happier
destiny　to　be　an　animal　or　a　plant？

The　brief　respite　was　soon　over；　all　my　anxieties　came　back。　I
was　once　more　a　doubting；　discontented；　depressed　creature　when　I
rose　to　say　good…by。

〃Promise；　my　dear；　you　will　do　nothing　rash；　〃said　Benjamin；　as
he　opened　the　door　for　me。

〃Is　it　rash　to　go　to　Major　Fitz…David？〃　I　asked。

〃Yesif　you　go　by　yourself。　You　don't　know　what　sort　of　man　he
is；　you　don't　know　how　he　may　receive　you。　Let　me　try　first；　and
pave　the　way；　as　the　saying　is。　Trust　my　experience；　my　dear。　In
matters　of　this　sort　there　is　nothing　like　paving　the　way。〃

I　considered　a　moment。　It　was　due　to　my　good　friend　to　consider
before　I　said　No。

Reflection　decided　me　on　taking　the　responsibility；　whatever　it
might　be；　upon　my　own　shoulders。　Good　or　bad；　compassionate　or
cruel；　the　Major　was　a　man。　A　woman's　influence　was　the　safest
influence　to　trust　with　him；　where　the　end　to　be　gained　was　such
an　end　as　I　had　in　view。　It　was　not　easy　to　say　this　to　Benjamin
without　the　danger　of　mortifying　him。　I　made　an　appointment　with
the　old　man　to　call　on　me　the　next　morning　at　the　hotel；　and　talk
the　matter　over　again。　Is　it　very　disgraceful　to　me　to　add　that　I
privately　determined　（if　the　thing　could　be　accomplished）　to　see
Major　Fitz…David　in　the　interval？

〃Do　nothing　rash；　my　dear。　In　your　own　interests；　do　nothing
rash！〃

Those　were　Benjamin's　last　words　when　we　parted　for　the　day。

　I　found　Eustace　waiting　for　me　in　our　sitting…room　at　the　hotel。
His　spirits　seemed　to　have　revived　since　I　had　seen　him　last。　He
advanced　to　meet　me　cheerfully；　with　an　open　sheet　of　paper　in
his　hand。

〃My　business　is　settled；　Valeria；　sooner　than　I　had　expected；〃　he
began；　gayly。　〃Are　your　purchases　all　completed；　fair　lady？　Are
_you_　free　too？〃

I　had　learned　already　（God　help　me！）　to　distrust　his　fits　of
gayety。　I　asked；　cautiously；

〃Do　you　mean　free　for　to…day？〃

〃Fr