the law and the lady-第13章
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〃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； I am at home； Oliver。 Show her in！ show her
in！〃
So far； one thing at least seemed to be clear。 I had done well in
sending for the chambermaid。 What would Oliver's report of me
have been if I had presented myself to him with my colorless
cheeks and my ill…dressed hair？
The servant reappeared； and conducted me to the inner room。 Major
Fitz…David advanced to welcome me。 What was the Major like？
Well； he was like a well…preserved old gentleman of； say； sixty
years old； little and lean； and chiefly remarkable by the
extraordinary length of his nose。 After this feature； I noticed
next his beautiful brown wig； his sparkling little gray eyes； his
rosy complexion； his short military whisker； dyed to match his
wig； his white teeth and his winning smile； his smart blue
frock…coat； with a camellia in the button…hole； and his splendid
ring； a ruby； flashing on his little finger as he courteously
signed to me to take a chair。
〃Dear Mrs。 Woodville； how very kind of you this is！ I have been
longing to have the happiness of knowing you。 Eustace is an old
friend of mine。 I congratulated him when I heard of his marriage。
May I make a confession？I envy him now I have seen his wife。〃
The future of my life was perhaps in this man's hands。 I studied
him attentively： I tried to read his character in his face。
The Major's sparkling little gray eyes softened as they looked at
me； the Major's strong and sturdy voice dropped to its lowest and
tenderest tones when he spoke to me； the Major's manner
expressed； from the moment when I entered the room； a happy
mixture of admiration and respect。 He drew his chair close to
mine； as if it were a privilege to be near me。 He took my hand
and lifted my glove to his lips； as if that glove were the most
delicious luxury the world could produce。 〃Dear Mrs。 Woodville；〃
he said； as he softly laid my hand back on my lap； 〃bear with an
old fellow who worships your enchanting sex。 You really brighten
this dull house。 It is _such_ a pleasure to see you！〃
There was no need for the old gentleman to make his little
confession。 Women； children； and dogs proverbially know by
instinct who the people are who really like them。 The women had a
warm friendperhaps at one time a dangerously warm friendin
Major Fitz…David。 I knew as much of him as that before I had
settled myself in my chair and opened my lips to answer him。
〃Thank you； Major； for your kind reception and your pretty
compliment；〃 I said； matching my host's easy tone as closely as
the necessary restraints on my side would permit。 〃You have made
your confession。 May I make mine？〃
Major Fitz…David lifted my hand again from my lap and drew his
chair as close as possible to mine。 I looked at him gravely and
tried to release my hand。 Major Fitz…David declined to let go of
it； and proceeded to tell me why。
〃I have just heard you speak for the first time；〃 he said。 〃I am
under the charm of your voice。 Dear Mrs。 Woodville； bear with an
old fellow who is under the charm！ Don't grudge me my innocent
little pleasures。 Lend meI wish I could say _give_ methis
pretty hand。 I am such an admirer of pretty hands！ I can listen
so much better with a pretty hand in mine。 The ladies indulge my
weakness。 Please indulge me too。 Yes？ And what were you going to
say？〃
〃I was going to say； Major； that I felt particularly sensible of
your kind welcome because； as it happens； I have a favor to ask
of you。〃
I was conscious； while I spoke； that I was approaching the object
of my visit a little too abruptly。 But Major Fitz…David's
admiration rose from one climax to another with such alarming
rapidity that I felt the importance of administering a practical
check to it。 I trusted to those ominous words； 〃a favor to ask of
you；〃 to administer the check； and I did not trust in vain。 My
aged admirer gently dropped my hand； and； with all possible
politeness； changed the subject。
〃The favor is granted； of course！〃 he said。 〃And now； tell me；
how is our dear Eustace？〃
〃Anxious and out of spirits。〃 I answered。
〃Anxious and out of spirits！〃 repeated the Major。 〃The enviable
man who is married to You anxious and out of spirits？ Monstrous！
Eustace fairly disgusts me。 I shall take him off the list of my
friends。〃
〃In that case； take me off the list with him； Major。 I am in
wretched spirits too。 You are my husband's old friend。 I may
acknowledge to _you_ that our married life is just now not quite
a happy one。〃
Major Fitz…David lifted his eyebrows （dyed to match his whiskers）
in polite surprise。
〃Already！〃 he exclaimed。 〃What can Eustace be made of？ Has he no
appreciation of beauty and grace？ Is he the most insensible of
living beings？〃
〃He is the best and dearest of men；〃 I answered。 〃But there is
some dreadful mystery in his past life〃
I could get no further； Major Fitz…David deliberately stopped me。
He did it with the smoothest politeness； on the surface。 But I
saw a look in his bright little eyes which said； plainly； 〃If you
_will_ venture on delicate ground； madam； don't ask me to
accompany you。〃
〃My charming friend！〃 he exclaimed。 〃May I call you my charming
friend？ You haveamong a thousand other delightful qualities
which I can see alreadya vivid imagination。 Don't let it get
the upper hand。 Take an old fellow's advice； don't let it get the
upper hand！ What can I offer you； dear Mrs。 Woodville？ A cup of
tea？〃
〃Call me by my right name； sir；〃 I answered； boldly。 〃I have made
a discovery。 I know as well as you do that my name is Macallan。〃
The Major started； and looked at me very attentively。 His manner
became grave； his tone changed completely； when he spoke next。
〃May I ask；〃 he said； 〃if you have communicated to your husband
the discovery which you have just mentioned to me？〃
〃Certainly！〃 I answered。 〃I consider that my husband owes me an
explanation。 I have asked him to tell me what his extraordinary
conduct meansand he has refused； in language that frightens me。
I have appealed to his motherand _she_ has refused to explain；
in language that humiliates me。 Dear Major Fitz…David； I have no
friends to take my part： I have nobody to come to but you！ Do me
the greatest of all favorstell me why your friend Eustace has
married me under a false name！〃
〃Do _me_ the greatest of all favors；〃 answered the Major。 〃Don't
ask me to say a word about it。〃
He looked； in spite of his unsatisfactory reply； as if he really
felt for me。 I determined to try my utmost powers of persuasion；
I resolved not to be beaten at the first repulse。
〃I _must_ ask you；〃 I said。 〃Think of my position。 How can I
live； knowing what I knowand knowing no more？ I would rather
hear the most horrible thing you can tell me than be condemned
（as I am now） to perpetual misgiving and perpetual suspense。 I
love my husband with all my heart； but I cannot live with him on
these terms： the misery of it would drive me mad。 I am only a
woman； Major。 I can only throw myself on your kindness。
Don'tpray； pray don't keep me in the dark！〃
I could say no more。 In the reckless impulse of the moment I
snatched up his hand and raised it to my lips。 The gallant old
gentleman started as if I had given him an electric shock。
〃My dear； dear lady！〃 he exclaimed； 〃I can't tell you how I feel
for you！ You charm me； you overwhelm me； you touch me to the
heart。 What can I say？ What can I do？ I can only imitate your
admirable frankness； your fearless candor。 You have told me what
your position is。 Let me tell you； in my turn； how I am placed。
Compose yourselfpray compose yourself！ I have a smelling…bottle
here at the service of the ladies。 Permit me to offer it。〃
He brought me the smelling…bottle； he put a little stool under my
feet； he entreated me to take time enough to compose myself。
〃Infernal fool！〃 I heard him say to himself； as he considerately
turned away from me for a few moments。 〃If _I_ had been her
husband； come what might of it； I would have told her the truth！〃
Was he referring to Eustace？ And was he going to do what he wou
