the law and the lady-第29章

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Advocate）　proceeded　to　say：

〃I　was　first　sent　for　to　attend　the　deceased　lady　on　the　7th　of
October。　She　was　then　suffering　from　a　severe　cold；　accompanied
by　a　rheumatic　affection　of　the　left　knee…joint。　Previous　to　this
I　understood　that　her　health　had　been　fairly　good。　She　was　not　a
very　difficult　person　to　nurse　when　you　got　used　to　her；　and
understood　how　to　manage　her。　The　main　difficulty　was　caused　by
her　temper。　She　was　not　a　sullen　person；　she　was　headstrong　and
violenteasily　excited　to　fly　into　a　passion；　and　quite　reckless
in　her　fits　of　anger　as　to　what　she　said　or　did。　At　such　times　I
really　hardly　think　she　knew　what　she　was　about。　My　own　idea　is
that　her　temper　was　made　still　more　irritable　by　unhappiness　in
her　married　life。　She　was　far　from　being　a　reserved　person。
Indeed；　she　was　disposed　（as　I　thought）　to　be　a　little　too
communicative　about　herself　and　her　troubles　with　persons　like　me
who　were　beneath　her　in　station。　She　did　not　scruple；　for
instance；　to　tell　me　（when　we　had　been　long　enough　together　to
get　used　to　each　other）　that　she　was　very　unhappy；　and　fretted　a
good　deal　about　her　husband。　One　night；　when　she　was　wakeful　and
restless；　she　said　to　me〃

The　Dean　of　Faculty　here　interposed；　speaking　on　the　prisoner's
behalf。　He　appealed　to　the　Judges　to　say　whether　such　loose　and
unreliable　evidence　as　this　was　evidence　which　could　be　received
by　the　Court。

The　Lord　Advocate　（speaking　on　behalf　of　the　Crown）　claimed　it　as
his　right　to　produce　the　evidence。　It　was　of　the　utmost
importance　in　this　case　to　show　（on　the　testimony　of　an
unprejudiced　witness）　on　what　terms　the　husband　and　wife　were
living。　The　witness　was　a　most　respectable　woman。　She　had　won；
and　deserved；　the　confidence　of　the　unhappy　lady　whom　she
attended　on　her　death…bed。

After　briefly　consulting　together；　the　Judges　unanimously　decided
that　the　evidence　could　not　be　admitted。　What　the　witness　had
herself　seen　and　observed　of　the　relations　between　the　husband
and　wife　was　the　only　evidence　that　they　could　receive。

The　Lord　Advocate　thereupon　continued　his　examination　of　the
witness。　Christina　Ormsay　resumed　her　evidence　as　follows：

〃My　position　as　nurse　led　necessarily　to　my　seeing　more　of　Mrs。
Macallan　than　any　other　person　in　the　house。　I　am　able　to　speak
from　experience　of　many　things　not　known　to　others　who　were　only
in　her　room　at　intervals。

〃For　instance；　I　had　more　than　one　opportunity　of　personally
observing　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Macallan　did　not　live　together　very
happily。　I　can　give　you　an　example　of　this；　not　drawn　from　what
others　told　me；　but　from　what　I　noticed　for　myself。

〃Toward　the　latter　part　of　my　attendance　on　Mrs。　Macallan；　a
young　widow　lady　named　Mrs。　Beaulya　cousin　of　Mr。
Macallan'scame　to　stay　at　Gleninch。　Mrs。　Macallan　was　jealous
of　this　lady；　and　she　showed　it　in　my　presence　only　the　day
before　her　death；　when　Mr。　Macallan　came　into　her　room　to　inquire
how　she　had　passed　the　night。　'Oh；'　she　said；　'never　mind　how　_I_
have　slept！　What　do　you　care　whether　I　sleep　well　or　ill？　How　has
Mrs。　Beauly　passed　the　night？　Is　she　more　beautiful　than　ever
this　morning？　Go　back　to　herpray　go　back　to　her！　Don't　waste
your　time　with　me！'　Beginning　in　that　manner；　she　worked　herself
into　one　of　her　furious　rages。　I　was　brushing　her　hair　at　the
time；　and　feeling　that　my　presence　was　an　impropriety　under　the
circumstances；　I　attempted　to　leave　the　room。　She　forbade　me　to
go。　Mr。　Macallan　felt；　as　I　did；　that　my　duty　was　to　withdraw；
and　he　said　so　in　plain　words。　Mrs。　Macallan　insisted　on　my
staying　in　language　so　insolent　to　her　husband　that　he　said；　'If
you　cannot　control　yourself；　either　the　nurse　leaves　the　room　or
I　do。'　She　refused　to　yield　even　then。　'A　good　excuse；'　she　said；
'for　getting　back　to　Mrs。　Beauly。　Go！'　He　took　her　at　her　word；
and　walked　out　of　the　room。　He　had　barely　closed　the　door　before
she　began　reviling　him　to　me　in　the　most　shocking　manner。　She
declared；　among　other　things　she　said　of　him；　that　the　news　of
all　others　which　he　would　be　most　glad　to　hear　would　be　the　news
of　her　death。　I　ventured；　quite　respectfully；　on　r　emonstrating
with　her。　She　took　up　the　hair…brush　and　threw　it　at　me；　and　then
and　there　dismissed　me　from　my　attendance　on　her。　I　left　her；　and
waited　below　until　her　fit　of　passion　had　worn　itself　out。　Then　I
returned　to　my　place　at　the　bedside；　and　for　a　while　things　went
on　again　as　usual。

〃It　may　not　be　amiss　to　add　a　word　which　may　help　to　explain　Mrs。
Macallan's　jealousy　of　her　husband's　cousin。　Mrs。　Macallan　was　a
very　plain　woman。　She　had　a　cast　in　one　of　her　eyes；　and　（if　I
may　use　the　expression）　one　of　the　most　muddy；　blotchy
complexions　it　was　ever　my　misfortune　to　see　in　a　person's　face。
Mrs。　Beauly；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　most　attractive　lady。　Her
eyes　were　universally　admired；　and　she　had　a　most　beautifully
clear　and　delicate　color。　Poor　Mrs。　Macallan　said　of　her；　most
untruly；　that　she　painted。

〃No；　the　defects　in　the　complexion　of　the　deceased　lady　were　not
in　any　way　attributable　to　her　illness。　I　should　call　them　born
and　bred　defects　in　herself。

〃Her　illness；　if　I　am　asked　to　describe　it；　I　should　say　was
troublesomenothing　more。　Until　the　last　day　there　were　no
symptoms　in　the　least　degree　serious　about　the　malady　that　had
taken　her。　Her　rheumatic　knee　was　painful；　of　courseacutely
painful；　if　you　likewhen　she　moved　it；　and　the　confinement　to
bed　was　irksome　enough；　no　doubt。　But　otherwise　there　was　nothing
in　the　lady's　condition；　before　the　fatal　attack　came；　to　alarm
her　or　anybody　about　her。　She　had　her　books　and　her　writing
materials　on　an　invalid　table；　which　worked　on　a　pivot；　and　could
be　arranged　in　any　position　most　agreeable　to　her。　At　times　she
read　and　wrote　a　good　deal。　At　other　times　she　lay　quiet；
thinking　her　own　thoughts；　or　talking　with　me；　and　with　one　or
two　lady　friends　in　the　neighborhood　who　came　regularly　to　see
her。

〃Her　writing；　so　far　as　I　knew；　was　almost　entirely　of　the
poetical　sort。　She　was　a　great　hand　at　composing　poetry。　On　one
occasion　only　she　showed　me　some　of　her　poems。　I　am　no　judge　of
such　things。　Her　poetry　was　of　the　dismal　kind；　despairing　about
herself；　and　wondering　why　she　had　ever　been　born；　and　nonsense
like　that。　Her　husband　came　in　more　than　once　for　some　hard　hits
at　his　cruel　heart　and　his　ignorance　of　his　wife's　merits。　In
short；　she　vented　her　discontent　with　her　pen　as　well　as　with　her
tongue。　There　were　timesand　pretty　often　toowhen　an　angel
from　heaven　would　have　failed　to　have　satisfied　Mrs。　Macallan。

〃Throughout　the　period　of　her　illness　the　deceased　lady　occupied
the　same　rooma　large　bedroom　situated　（like　all　the　best
bedrooms）　on　the　first　floor　of　the　house。

〃Yes：　the　plan　of　the　room　now　shown　to　me　is　quite　accurately
taken；　according　to　my　remembrance　of　it。　One　door　led　into　the
great　passage；　or　corridor；　on　which　all　the　doors　opened。　A
second　door；　at　one　side　（marked　B　on　the　plan）；　led　to　Mr。
Macallan's　sleeping…room。　A　third　door；　on　the　opposite　side
（marked　C　on　the　plan）；　communicated　with　a　little　study；　or
book…room；　used；　as　I　was　told；　by　Mr。　Macallan's　mother　when　she
was　staying　at　Gleninch；　but　seldom　or　never　entered　by　any　one
else。　Mr。　Macallan's　mother　was　not　at　Gleninch　while　I　was
there。　The　door　between　the　bedroom　and　this　study　was　locked；
and　the　key　was　taken　out。　I　don't　know　who　had　the　key；　or
whether　there　were　more　keys　than　one　in　existence。　The　door　was
never　opened　to　my　knowledge。　I　only　got　into　the　study；　to　look
at　it　along　with　the　housekeeper；　by　entering　through　a　second
door　that　opened　on　to　the　corridor。

〃I　beg　to　say　that　I　can　speak　from　my　own　knowledge　positively
about　Mrs。　Macallan's　illness；　and　about　the　sudden　change　which
ended　in　her　death。　By　the　doctor's　advice　I　made　notes　at　the
time　of　dates　and　hours；　and　such　like。　I　looked　at　my　notes
before　coming　here。

〃From　the　7th　of　October；　when　I　was　first　called　in　to　nurse
her；　to　the　20th　of　the　same　month；　she　slowly　but　steadily
improved　in　health。　Her　knee　was　still　painful；　no　doubt；　but　the
inflammatory　look　of　it　was　disappearing。　As