the law and the lady-第24章

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〃Every　word　of　it！　With　a　motive；　Eustace；　which　you　have　yet　to
know。〃

〃No　motive　of　yours；　Valeria；　no　love　and　hope　of　yours；　can
alter　the　inexorable　facts。　My　first　wife　died　poisoned；　and　the
verdict　of　the　jury　has　not　absolutely　acquitted　me　of　the　guilt
of　causing　her　death。　As　long　as　you　were　ignorant　of　that　the
possibilities　of　happiness　were　always　within　our　reach。　Now　you
know　it；　I　say　againour　married　life　is　at　an　end。〃

〃No；〃　I　said。　〃Now　I　know　it；　our　married　life　has　begunbegun
with　a　new　object　for　your　wife's　devotion；　with　a　new　reason　for
your　wife's　love！〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

I　went　near　to　him　again；　and　took　his　hand。

〃What　did　you　tell　me　the　world　has　said　of　you？〃　I　asked。　〃What
did　you　tell　me　my　friends　would　say　of　you？　'Not　Proven　won't　do
for　us。　If　the　jury　have　done　him　an　injusticeif　he　_is_
innocentlet　him　prove　it。'　Those　were　the　words　you　put　into
the　mouths　of　my　friends。　I　adopt　them　for　mine！　I　say　Not　Proven
won't　do　for　_me。_　Prove　your　right；　Eustace；　to　a　verdict　of　Not
Guilty。　Why　have　you　let　three　years　pass　without　doing　it？　Shall
I　guess　why？　You　have　waited　for　your　wife　to　help　you。　Here　she
is；　my　darling；　ready　to　help　you　with　all　her　heart　and　soul。
Here　she　is；　with　one　object　in　lifeto　show　the　world　and　to
show　the　Scotch　Jury　that　her　husband　is　an　innocent　man！〃

I　had　roused　myself；　my　pulses　were　throbbing；　my　voice　rang
through　the　room。　Had　I　roused　_him_？　What　was　his　answer？

〃Read　the　Trial。〃　That　was　his　answer。

I　seized　him　by　the　arm。　In　my　indignation　and　my　despair　I　shook
him　with　all　my　strength。　God　forgive　me；　I　could　almost　have
struck　him　for　the　tone　in　which　he　had　spoken　and　the　look　that
he　had　cast　on　me！

〃I　have　told　you　that　I　mean　to　read　the　Trial；〃　I　said。　〃I　mean
to　read　it；　line　by　line；　with　you。　Some　inexcusable　mistake　has
been　made。　Evidence　in　your　favor　that　might　have　been　found　has
not　been　found。　Suspicious　circumstances　have　not　been
investigated。　Crafty　people　have　not　been　watched。　Eustace！　the
conviction　of　some　dreadful　oversight；　committed　by　you　or　by　the
persons　who　helped　you；　is　firmly　settled　in　my　mind。　The
resolution　to　set　that　vile　Verdict　right　was　the　first
resolution　that　came　to　me　when　I　first　heard　of　it　in　the　next
room。　We　_will_　set　it　right！　We　_must_　set　it　rightfor　your
sake；　for　my　sake；　for　the　sake　of　our　children　if　we　are　blessed
with　children。　Oh；　my　own　love；　don't　look　at　me　with　those　cold
eyes！　Don't　answer　me　in　those　hard　tones！　Don't　treat　me　as　if　I
were　talking　ignorantly　and　madly　of　something　that　can　never
be！〃

Still　I　never　roused　him。　His　next　words　were　spoken
compassionately　rather　than　coldlythat　was　all。

〃My　defense　was　undertaken　by　the　greatest　lawyers　in　the　land；〃
he　said。　〃After　such　men　have　done　their　utmost；　and　have
failedmy　poor　Valeria；　what　can　you；　what　can　I；　do？　We　can
only　submit。〃

〃Never！〃　I　cried。　〃The　greatest　lawyers　are　mortal　men；　the
greatest　lawyers　have　made　mistakes　before　now。　You　can't　deny
that。〃

〃Read　the　Trial。〃　For　the　third　time　he　said　those　cruel　words；
and　said　no　more。

In　utter　despair　of　moving　him…feeling　keenly；　bitterly　（if　I
must　own　it）；　his　merciless　superiority　to　all　that　I　had　said　to
him　in　the　honest　fervor　of　my　devotion　and　my　loveI　thought　of
Major　Fitz…David　as　a　last　　resort。　In　the　dis　ordered　state　of　my
mind　at　that　moment；　it　made　no　difference　to　me　that　the　Major
had　already　tried　to　reason　with　him；　and　had　failed。　In　the　face
of　the　facts　I　had　a　blind　belief　in　the　influence　of　his　old
friend；　if　his　old　friend　could　only　be　prevailed　upon　to　support
my　view。

〃Wait　for　me　one　moment；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　you　to　hear　another
opinion　besides　mine。〃

I　left　him；　and　returned　to　the　study。　Major　Fitz…David　was　not
there。　I　knocked　at　the　door　of　communication　with　the　front
room。　It　was　opened　instantly　by　the　Major　himself。　The　doctor
had　gone　away。　Benjamin　still　remained　in　the　room。

〃Will　you　come　and　speak　to　Eustace？〃　I　began。　〃If　you　will　only
say　what　I　want　you　to　say〃

Before　I　could　add　a　word　more　I　heard　the　house　door　opened　and
closed。　Major　Fitz…David　and　Benjamin　heard　it　too。　They　looked
at　each　other　in　silence。

I　ran　back；　before　the　Major　could　stop　me；　to　the　room　in　which
I　had　seen　Eustace。　It　was　empty。　My　husband　had　left　the　house。



CHAPTER　XIII。

THE　MAN'S　DECISION。

　MY　first　impulse　was　the　reckless　impulse　to　follow
Eustaceopenly　through　the　streets。

The　Major　and　Benjamin　both　opposed　this　hasty　resolution　on　my
part。　They　appealed　to　my　own　sense　of　self…respect；　without　（so
far　as　I　remember　it）　producing　the　slightest　effect　on　my　mind。
They　were　more　successful　when　they　entreated　me　next　to　be
patient　for　my　husband's　sake。　In　mercy　to　Eustace；　they　begged
me　to　wait　half　an　hour。　If　he　failed　to　return　in　that　time；
they　pledged　themselves　to　accompany　me　in　search　of　him　to　the
hotel。

In　mercy　to　Eustace　I　consented　to　wait。　What　I　suffered　under
the　forced　necessity　for　remaining　passive　at　that　crisis　in　my
life　no　words　of　mine　can　tell。　It　will　be　better　if　I　go　on　with
my　narrative。

Benjamin　was　the　first　to　ask　me　what　had　passed　between　my
husband　and　myself。

〃You　may　speak　freely；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　〃I　know　what　has
happened　since　you　have　been　in　Major　Fitz…David's　house。　No　one
has　told　me　about　it；　I　found　it　out　for　myself。　If　you　remember；
I　was　struck　by　the　name　of　'Macallan；'　when　you　first　mentioned
it　to　me　at　my　cottage。　I　couldn't　guess　why　at　the　time。　I　know
why　now。〃

Hearing　this；　I　told　them　both　unreservedly　what　I　had　said　to
Eustace；　and　how　he　had　received　it。　To　my　unspeakable
disappointment；　they　both　sided　with　my　husband；　treating　my　view
of　his　position　as　a　mere　dream。　They　said　it；　as　he　had　said　it；
〃You　have　not　read　the　Trial。〃

I　was　really　enraged　with　them。　〃The　facts　are　enough　for　_me；_〃
I　said。　〃We　know　he　is　innocent。　Why　is　his　innocence　not　proved？
It　ought　to　be；　it　must　be；　it　shall　be！　If　the　Trial　tell　me　it
can't　be　done；　I　refuse　to　believe　the　Trial。　Where　is　the　book；
Major？　Let　me　see　for　myself　if　his　lawyers　have　left　nothing　for
his　wife　to　do。　Did　they　love　him　as　I　love　him？　Give　me　the
book！〃

Major　Fitz…David　looked　at　Benjamin。

〃It　will　only　additionally　shock　and　distress　her　if　I　give　her
the　book；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　you　agree　with　me？〃

I　interposed　before　Benjamin　could　answer。

〃If　you　refuse　my　request；〃　I　said；　〃you　will　oblige　me；　Major；
to　go　to　the　nearest　bookseller　and　tell　him　to　buy　the　Trial　for
me。　I　am　determined　to　read　it。〃

This　time　Benjamin　sided　with　me。

〃Nothing　can　make　matters　worse　than　they　are；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃If
I　may　be　permitted　to　advise；　let　her　have　her　own　way。〃

The　Major　rose　and　took　the　book　out　of　the　Italian　cabinet；　to
which　he　had　consigned　it　for　safe…keeping。

〃My　young　friend　tells　me　that　she　informed　you　of　her
regrettable　outbreak　of　temper　a　few　days　since；〃　he　said　as　he
handed　me　the　volume。　〃I　was　not　aware　at　the　time　what　book　she
had　in　her　hand　when　she　so　far　forgot　herself　as　to　destroy　the
vase。　When　I　left　you　in　the　study；　I　supposed　the　Report　of　the
Trial　to　be　in　its　customary　place　on　the　top　shelf　of　the
book…case；　and　I　own　I　felt　some　curiosity　to　know　whether　you
would　think　of　examining　that　shelf。　The　broken　vaseit　is
needless　to　conceal　it　from　you　nowwas　one　of　a　pair　presented
to　me　by　your　husband　and　his　first　wife　only　a　week　before　the
poor　woman's　terrible　death。　I　felt　my　first　presentiment　that
you　were　on　the　brink　of　discovery　when　I　found　you　looking　at
the　fragments；　and　I　fancy　I　betrayed　to　you　that　something　of
the　sort　was　disturbing　me。　You　looked　as　if　you　noticed　it。〃

〃I　did　notice　it；　Major。　And　I　too　had　a　vague　idea　that　I　was　on
the　way　to　discovery。　Will　you　look　at　your　watch？　Have　we　waited
half　an　hour　yet？〃

My　impatience　had　misled　me。　The　ordeal　of　the　half…hour　was　not
yet　at　an　end。

Slowly　and　more　slowly　the　heavy　minutes　followed　each　other；　and
still　there　were　no　signs　of　my　husband's　return。　We　tried　to
c