the law and the lady-第19章

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adorationand　I　cared　to　notice　no　more。　_My_　business　in　that
room　（I　was　certain　of　it　now！）　began　and　ended　with　the
book…case。　I　left　my　seat　to　fetch　the　library　ladder；
determining　to　begin　the　work　of　investigation　on　the　top
shelves。

On　my　way　to　the　ladder　I　passed　one　of　the　tables；　and　saw　the
keys　lying　on　it　which　Major　Fitz…David　had　left　at　my　disposal。

The　smaller　of　the　two　keys　instantly　reminded　me　of　the
cupboards　under　the　bookcase。　I　had　strangely　overlooked　these。　A
vague　distrust　of　the　locked　doors　a　vague　doubt　of　what　they
might　be　hiding　from　me；　stole　into　my　mind。　I　left　the　ladder　in
its　place　against　the　wall；　and　set　myself　to　examine　the
contents　of　the　cupboards　first。

The　cupboards　were　three　in　number。　As　I　opened　the　first　of　them
the　singing　upstairs　ceased。　For　a　moment　there　was　something
almost　oppressive　in　the　sudden　change　from　noise　to　silence。　I
suppose　my　nerves　must　have　been　overwrought。　The　next　sound　in
the　housenothing　more　remarkable　than　the　creaking　of　a　man's
boots　descending　the　stairsmade　me　shudder　all　over。　The　man
was　no　doubt　the　singing…master；　going　away　after　giving　his
lesson。　I　heard　the　house　door　close　on　him；　and　started　at　the
familiar　sound　as　if　it　were　something　terrible　which　I　had　never
heard　before。　Then　there　was　silence　again。　I　roused　myself　as
well　as　I　could；　and　began　my　examination　of　the　first　cupboard。

It　was　divided　into　two　compartments。

The　top　compartment　contained　nothing　but　boxes　of　cigars；　ranged
in　rows；　one　on　another。　The　under　compartment　was　devoted　to　a
collection　of　shells。　They　were　all　huddled　together　anyhow；　the
Major　evidently　setting　a　far　higher　value　on　his　cigars　than　on
his　shells。　I　searched　this　lower　compartment　carefully　for　any
object　interesting　to　me　which　might　be　hidden　in　it。　Nothing　was
to　be　found　in　any　part　of　it　besides　the　shells。

As　I　opened　the　second　cupboard　it　struck　me　that　the　light　was
beginning　to　fail。

I　looked　at　the　window：　it　was　hardly　evening　yet。　The　darkening
of　the　light　was　produced　by　gathering　clouds。　Rain…drops
pattered　against　the　glass；　the　autumn　wind　whistled　mournfully
in　the　corners　of　the　courtyard。　I　mended　the　fire　before　I
renewed　my　search。　My　nerves　were　in　fault　again；　I　suppose。　I
shivered　when　I　went　back　to　the　book…case。　My　hands　trembled：　I
wondered　what　was　the　matter　with　me。

The　second　cupboard　revealed　（in　the　upper　division　of　it）　some
really　beautiful　cameosnot　mounted；　but　laid　on　cotton…wool　in
neat　cardboard　trays。　In　one　corner；　half　hidden　under　one　of　the
trays；　there　peeped　out　the　whit　e　leaves　of　a　little　manuscript。
I　pounced　on　it　eagerly；　only　to　meet　with　a　new　disappointment：
the　manuscript　proved　to　be　a　descriptive　catalogue　of　the
cameosnothing　more！

Turning　to　the　lower　division　of　the　cupboard；　I　found　more
costly　curiosities　in　the　shape　of　ivory　carvings　from　Japan　and
specimens　of　rare　silk　from　China。　I　began　to　feel　weary　of
disinterring　the　Major's　treasures。　The　longer　I　searched；　the
farther　I　seemed　to　remove　myself　from　the　one　object　that　I　had
it　at　heart　to　attain。　After　closing　the　door　of　the　second
cupboard；　I　almost　doubted　whether　it　would　be　worth　my　while　to
proceed　farther　and　open　the　third　and　last　door。

A　little　reflection　convinced　me　that　it　would　be　as　well；　now
that　I　had　begun　my　examination　of　the　lower　regions　of　the
book…case；　to　go　on　with　it　to　the　end。　I　opened　the　last
cupboard。

On　the　upper　shelf　there　appeared；　in　solitary　grandeur；　one
object　onlya　gorgeously　bound　book。

It　was　of　a　larger　size　than　usual；　judging　of　it　by　comparison
with　the　dimensions　of　modern　volumes。　The　binding　was　of　blue
velvet；　with　clasps　of　silver　worked　in　beautiful　arabesque
patterns；　and　with　a　lock　of　the　same　precious　metal　to　protect
the　book　from　prying　eyes。　When　I　took　it　up；　I　found　that　the
lock　was　not　closed。

Had　I　any　right　to　take　advantage　of　this　accident；　and　open　the
book？　I　have　put　the　question　since　to　some　of　my　friends　of　both
sexes。　The　women　all　agree　that　I　was　perfectly　justified；
considering　the　serious　interests　that　I　had　at　stake；　in　taking
any　advantage　of　any　book　in　the　Major's　house。　The　men　differ
from　this　view；　and　declare　that　I　ought　to　have　put　back　the
volume　in　blue　velvet　unopened；　carefully　guarding　myself　from
any　after…temptation　to　look　at　it　again　by　locking　the　cupboard
door。　I　dare　say　the　men　are　right。

Being　a　woman；　however；　I　opened　the　book　without　a　moment's
hesitation。

The　leaves　were　of　the　finest　vellum；　with　tastefully　designed
illuminations　all　round　them。　And　what　did　these　highly
ornamental　pages　contain？　To　my　unutterable　amazement　and
disgust；　they　contained　locks　of　hair；　let　neatly　into　the　center
of　each　page；　with　inscriptions　beneath；　which　proved　them　to　be
love…tokens　from　various　ladies　who　had　touched　the　Major's
susceptible　heart　at　different　periods　of　his　life。　The
inscriptions　were　written　in　other　languages　besides　English；　but
they　appeared　to　be　all　equally　devoted　to　the　same　curious
purpose；　namely；　to　reminding　the　Major　of　the　dates　at　which　his
various　attachments　had　come　to　an　untimely　end。　Thus　the　first
page　exhibited　a　lock　of　the　lightest　flaxen　hair；　with　these
lines　beneath：　〃My　adored　Madeline。　Eternal　constancy。　Alas；　July
22；　1839！〃　The　next　page　was　adorned　by　a　darker　shade　of　hair；
with　a　French　inscription　under　it：　〃Clemence。　Idole　de　mon　鈓e。
Toujours　fidele。　Helas；　2me　Avril；　1840。〃　A　lock　of　red　hair
followed；　with　a　lamentation　in　Latin　under　it；　a　note　being
attached　to　the　date　of　dissolution　of　partnership　in　this　case；
stating　that　the　lady　was　descended　from　the　ancient　Romans；　and
was　therefore　mourned　appropriately　in　Latin　by　her　devoted
Fitz…David。　More　shades　of　hair　and　more　inscriptions　followed；
until　I　was　weary　of　looking　at　them。　I　put　down　the　book；
disgusted　with　the　creatures　who　had　assisted　in　filling　it；　and
then　took　it　up　again；　by　an　afterthought。　Thus　far　I　had
thoroughly　searched　everything　that　had　presented　itself　to　my
notice。　Agreeable　or　not　agreeable；　it　was　plainly　of　serious
importance　to　my　own　interests　to　go　on　as　I　had　begun；　and
thoroughly　to　search　the　book。

I　turned　over　the　pages　until　I　came　to　the　first　blank　leaf。
Seeing　that　they　were　all　blank　leaves　from　this　place　to　the
end；　I　lifted　the　volume　by　the　back；　and；　as　a　last　measure　of
precaution；　shook　it　so　as　to　dislodge　any　loose　papers　or　cards
which　might　have　escaped　my　notice　between　the　leaves。

This　time　my　patience　was　rewarded　by　a　discovery　which
indescribably　irritated　and　distressed　me。

A　small　photograph；　mounted　on　a　card；　fell　out　of　the　book。　A
first　glance　showed　me　that　it　represented　the　portraits　of　two
persons。

One　of　the　persons　I　recognized　as　my　husband。

The　other　person　was　a　woman。

Her　face　was　entirely　unknown　to　me。　She　was　not　young。　The
picture　represented　her　seated　on　a　chair；　with　my　husband
standing　behind；　and　bending　over　her；　holding　one　of　her　hands
in　his。　The　woman's　face　was　hard…featured　and　ugly；　with　the
marking　lines　of　strong　passions　and　resolute　self…will　plainly
written　on　it。　Still；　ugly　as　she　was；　I　felt　a　pang　of　jealousy
as　I　noticed　the　familiarly　affectionate　action　by　which　the
artist　（with　the　permission　of　his　sitters；　of　course）　had
connected　the　two　figures　in　a　group。　Eustace　had　briefly　told
me；　in　the　days　of　our　courtship；　that　he　had　more　than　once
fancied　himself　to　be　in　love　before　he　met　with　me。　Could　this
very　unattractive　woman　have　been　one　of　the　early　objects　of　his
admiration？　Had　she　been　near　enough　and　dear　enough　to　him　to　be
photographed　with　her　hand　in　his？　I　looked　and　looked　at　the
portraits　until　I　could　endure　them　no　longer。　Women　are　strange
creaturesmysteries　even　to　themselves。　I　threw　the　photograph
from　me　into　a　corner　of　the　cupboard。　I　was　savagely　angry　with
my　husband；　I　hatedyes；　hated　with　all　my　heart　and　soul！the
woman　who　had　got　his　hand　in　hersthe　unknown　woman　with　the
self…willed；　hard…featured　face。

All　this　time　the　lower　shelf　of　the　cup