the law and the lady-第12章
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tell my friend that our plans for the Mediterranean are given up。
I shall not be back before the evening。〃 He sighed； and looked at
me with unutterable sadness。 〃I love you； Valeria；〃 he said。 〃In
spite of all that has passed； as God is my witness； I love you
more dearly than ever。〃
So he spoke。 So he left me。
I must write the truth about myself； however strange it may
appear。 I don't pretend to be able to analyze my own motives； I
don't pretend even to guess how other women might have acted in
my place。 It is true of me； that my husband's terrible
warningall the more terrible in its mystery and its
vaguenessproduced no deterrent effect on my mind： it only
stimulated my resolution to discover what he was hiding from me。
He had not been gone two minutes before I rang the bell and
ordered the carriage； to take me to Major Fitz…David's house in
Vivian Place。
Walking to and fro while I was waitingI was in such a fever of
excitement that it was impossible for me to sit stillI
accidentally caught sight of myself in the glass。
My own face startled me； it looked so haggard and so wild。 Could
I present myself to a stranger； could I hope to produce the
necessary impression in my favor； looking as I looked at that
moment？ For all I knew to the contrary； my whole future might
depend upon the effect which I produced on Major Fitz…David at
first sight。 I rang the bell again； and sent a message to one of
the chambermaids to follow me to my room。
I had no maid of my own with me： the stewardess of the yacht
would have acted as my
attendant if we had held to our first arrangement。 It mattered
little； so long as I had a woman to help me。 The chambermaid
appeared。 I can give no better idea of the disordered and
desperate condition of my mind at that time than by owning that I
actually consulted this perfect stranger on the question of my
personal appearance。 She was a middle…aged woman； with a large
experience of the world and its wickedness written legibly on her
manner and on her face。 I put money into the woman's hand； enough
of it to surprise her。 She thanked me with a cynical smile；
evidently placing her own evil interpretation on my motive for
bribing her。
〃What can I do for you； ma'am？〃 she asked； in a confidential
whisper。 〃Don't speak loud！ there is somebody in the next room。〃
〃I want to look my best；〃 I said； 〃and I have sent for you to
help me。〃
〃I understand； ma'am。〃
〃What do you understand？〃
She nodded her head significantly； and whispered to me again。
〃Lord bless you； I'm used to this！〃 she said。 〃There is a
gentleman in the case。 Don't mind me； ma'am。 It's a way I have。 I
mean no harm。〃 She stopped； and looked at me critically。 〃I
wouldn't change my dress if I were you；〃 she went on。 〃The color
becomes you。〃
It was too late to resent the woman's impertinence。 There was no
help for it but to make use of her。 Besides； she was right about
the dress。 It was of a delicate maize…color； prettily trimmed
with lace。 I could wear nothing which suited me better。 My hair；
however； stood in need of some skilled attention。 The chambermaid
rearranged it with a ready hand which showed that she was no
beginner in the art of dressing hair。 She laid down the combs and
brushes； and looked at me； then looked at the toilet…table；
searching for something which she apparently failed to find。
〃Where do you keep it？〃 she asked。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Look at your complexion； ma'am。 You will frighten him if he sees
you like that。 A touch of color you _must_ have。 Where do you
keep it？ What！ you haven't got it？ you never use it？ Dear； dear；
dear me！〃
For a moment surprise fairly deprived her of her self…possession。
Recovering herself； she begged permission to leave me for a
minute。 I let her go； knowing what her errand was。 She came back
with a box of paint and powders； and I said nothing to check her。
I saw； in the glass； my skin take a false fairness； my cheeks a
false color； my eyes a false brightnessand I never shrank from
it。 No！ I let the odious conceit go on； I even admired the
extraordinary delicacy and dexterity with which it was all done。
〃Anything〃 （I thought to myself； in the madness of that miserable
time） 〃so long as it helps me to win the Major's confidence！
Anything； so long as I discover what those last words of my
husband's really mean！〃
The transformation of my face was accomplished。 The chambermaid
pointed with her wicked forefinger in the direction of the glass。
〃Bear in mind； ma'am； what you looked like when you sent for me；〃
she said。 〃And just see for yourself how you look now。 You're the
prettiest woman （of your style） in London。 Ah what a thing
pearl…powder is； when one knows how to use it！〃
CHAPTER VIII。
THE FRIEND OF THE WOMEN。
I FIND it impossible to describe my sensations while the
carriage was taking me to Major Fitz…David's house。 I doubt；
indeed； if I really felt or thought at all； in the true sense of
those words。
From the moment when I had resigned myself into the hands of the
chambermaid I seemed in some strange way to have lost my ordinary
identityto have stepped out of my own character。 At other times
my temperament was of the nervous and anxious sort； and my
tendency was to exaggerate any difficulties that might place
themselves in my way。 At other times； having before me the
prospect of a critical interview with a stranger； I should have
considered with myself what it might be wise to pass over； and
what it might be wise to say。 Now I never gave my coming
interview with the Major a thought； I felt an unreasoning
confidence in myself； and a blind faith in _him_。 Now neither the
past nor the future troubled me； I lived unreflectingly in the
present。 I looked at the shops as we drove by them； and at the
other carriages as they passed mine。 I noticedyes； and
enjoyedthe glances of admiration which chance foot…passengers
on the pavement cast on me。 I said to myself； 〃This looks well
for my prospect of making a friend of the Major！〃 When we drew up
at the door in Vivian Place； it is no exaggeration to say that I
had but one anxietyanxiety to find the Major at home。
The door was opened by a servant out of livery； an old man who
looked as if he might have been a soldier in his earlier days。 He
eyed me with a grave attention； which relaxed little by little
into sly approval。 I asked for Major Fitz…David。 The answer was
not altogether encouraging： the man was not sure whether his
master were at home or not。
I gave him my card。 My cards； being part of my wedding outfit；
necessarily had the false name printed on them_Mrs。 Eustace
Woodville_。 The servant showed me into a front room on the
ground…floor； and disappeared with my card in his hand。
Looking about me； I noticed a door in the wall opposite the
window； communicating with some inner room。 The door was not of
the ordinary kind。 It fitted into the thickness of the partition
wall； and worked in grooves。 Looking a little nearer； I saw that
it had not been pulled out so as completely to close the doorway。
Only the merest chink was left； but it was enough to convey to my
ears all that passed in the next room。
〃What did you say； Oliver； when she asked for me？〃 inquired a
man's voice； pitched cautiously in a low key。
〃I said I was not sure you were at home； sir；〃 answered the voice
of the servant who had let me in。
There was a pause。 The first speaker was evidently Major
Fitz…David himself。 I waited to hear more。
〃I think I had better not see her； Oliver；〃 the Major's voice
resumed。
〃Very good； sir。〃
〃Say I have gone out； and you don't know when I shall be back
again。 Beg the lady to write； if she has any business with me。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Stop； Oliver！〃
Oliver stopped。 There was another and longer pause。 Then the
master resumed the examination of the man。
〃Is she young； Oliver？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Andpretty？〃
〃Better than pretty； sir； to my thinking。〃
〃Aye？ aye？ What you call a fine womaneh； Oliver？〃
〃Certainly； sir。〃
〃Tall？〃
〃Nearly as tall as I am； Major。〃
〃Aye？ aye？ aye？ A good figure？〃
〃As slim as a sapling； sir； and as upright as a dart。〃
〃On second thoughts；
