the law and the lady-第31章

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her　in　the　early　morning。　Though　no　doctor；　I　could　see　in　her
face　that　this　second　attack　was　of　a　far　more　serious　nature
than　the　first。　After　ringing　the　bell　for　a　messenger　to　send　to
Mr。　Macallan；　I　ran　to　the　door　to　see　if　any　of　the　servants
happened　to　be　within　call。

〃The　only　person　I　saw　in　the　corridor　was　Mrs。　Beauly。　She　was
on　her　way　from　her　own　room；　she　said；　to　inquire　after　Mrs。
Macallan's　health。　I　said　to　her；　'Mrs。　Macallan　is　seriously　ill
again；　ma'am。　Would　you　please　tell　Mr。　Macallan；　and　send　for
the　doctor？'　She　ran　downstairs　at　once　to　do　as　I　told　her。

〃I　had　not　been　long　back　at　the　bedside　when　Mr。　Macallan　and
Mrs。　Beauly　both　came　in　together。　Mrs。　Macallan　cast　a　strange
look　on　them　（a　look　I　cannot　at　all　describe）；　and　bade　them
leave　her。　Mrs。　Beauly；　looking　very　much　frightened；　withdrew
immediately。　Mr。　Macallan　advanced　a　step　or　two　nearer　to　the
bed。　His　wife　looked　at　him　again　in　the　same　strange　way；　and
cried　outhalf　as　if　she　was　threatening　him；　half　as　if　she　was
entreating　him'Leave　me　with　the　nurse。　Go！'　He　only　waited　to
say　to　me　in　a　whisper；　'The　doctor　is　sent　for；'　and　then　he
left　the　room。

〃Before　Mr。　Gale　arrived　Mrs。　Macallan　was　violently　sick。　What
came　from　her　was　muddy　and　frothy；　and　faintly　streaked　with
blood。　When　Mr。　Gale　saw　it　he　looked　very　serious。　I　heard　him
say　to　himself；　'What　does　this　mean？'　He　did　his　best　to　relieve
Mrs。　Macallan；　but　with　no　good　result　that　I　could　see。　After　a
time　she　seemed　to　suffer　less。　Then　more　sickness　came　on。　Then
there　was　another　intermission。　Whether　she　was　suffering　or　not；
I　observed　that　her　hands　and　feet　（whenever　I　touched　them）
remained　equally　cold。　Also；　the　doctor's　report　of　her　pulse　was
always　the　same'very　small　and　feeble。'　I　said　to　Mr。　Gale；
'What　is　to　be　done；　sir？'　And　Mr。　Gale　said　to　me；　'I　won't　take
the　responsibility　on　myself　any　longer；　I　must　have　a　physician
from　Edinburgh。'

〃The　fastest　horse　in　the　stables　at　Gleninch　was　put　into　a
dog…cart；　and　the　coachman　drove　away　full　speed　to　Edinburgh　to
fetch　the　famous　Doctor　Jerome。

〃While　we　were　waiting　for　the　physician；　Mr。　Macallan　came　into
his　wife's　room　with　Mr。　Gale。　Exhausted　as　she　was；　she
instantly　lifted　her　hand　and　signed　to　him　to　leave　her。　He
tried　by　soothing　words　to　persuade　her　to　let　him　stay。　No！　She
still　insisted　on　sending　him　out　of　her　room。　He　seemed　to　feel
itat　such　a　time；　and　in　the　presence　of　the　doctor。　Before　she
was　aware　of　him；　he　suddenly　stepped　up　to　the　bedside　and
kissed　her　on　the　forehead。　She　shrank　from　him　with　a　scream。
Mr。　Gale　interfered；　and　led　him　out　of　the　room。

〃In　the　afternoon　Doctor　Jerome　arrived。

〃The　great　physician　came　just　in　time　to　see　her　seized　with
another　attack　of　sickness。　He　watched　her　attentively；　without
speaking　a　word。　In　the　interval　when　the　sickness　stopped；　he
still　studied　her；　as　it　were；　in　perfect　silence。　I　thought　he
would　never　have　done　examining　her。　When　he　was　at　last
satisfied；　he　told　me　to　leave　him　alone　with　Mr。　Gale。　'We　will
ring；'　he　said；　'when　we　want　you　here　again。'

〃It　was　a　long　time　before　they　rang　for　me。　The　coachman　was
sent　for　before　I　was　summoned　back　to　the　bedroom。　He　was
dispatched　to　Edinburgh　for　the　second　time；　with　a　written
message　from　Dr。　Jerome　to　his　head　servant；　saying　that　there
was　no　chance　of　his　returning　to　the　city　and　to　his　patients
for　some　hours　to　come。　Some　of　us　thought　this　looked　badly　for
Mrs。　Macallan。　Others　said　it　might　mean　that　the　doctor　had
hopes　of　saving　her；　but　expected　to　be　a　long　time　in　doing　it。

〃At　last　I　was　sent　for。　On　my　presenting　myself　in　the　bedroom；
Doctor　Jerome　went　out　to　speak　to　Mr。　Macallan；　leaving　Mr。　Gale
along　with　me。　From　that　time　as　long　as　the　poor　lady　lived　I
was　never　left　alone　with　her。　One　of　the　two　doctors　was　always
in　her　room。　Refreshments　were　prepared　for　them；　but　still　they
took　it　in　turns　to　eat　their　meal；　one　relieving　the　other　at
the　bedside。　If　they　had　administered　remedies　to　their　patient；
I　should　not　have　been　surprised　by　this　proceeding。　But　they
were　at　the　end　of　their　remedies；　their　only　business　the　seemed
to　be　to　keep　watch。　I　was　puzzled　to　account　for　this。　Keeping
watch　was　the　nurse's　business。　I　thought　the　conduct　of　the
doctors　very　strange。

〃　By　the　time　that　the　lamp　was　lighted　in　the　sick…room　I　could
see　that　the　end　was　near。　Excepting　an　occasional　feeling　of
cramp　in　her　legs；　she　seemed　to　suffer　less。　But　her　eyes　looked
sunk　in　her　head；　her　skin　was　cold　and　clammy；　her　lips　had
turned　to　a　bluish　paleness。　Nothing　roused　her　nowexcepting
the　last　attempt　made　by　her　husband　to　see　her。　He　came　in　with
Doctor　Jerome；　looking　like　a　man　terror…struck。　She　was　past
speaking；　but　the　moment　she　saw　him　she　feebly　made　signs　and
sounds　which　showed　that　she　was　just　as　resolved　as　ever　not　to
let　him　come　near　her。　He　was　so　overwhelmed　that　Mr。　Gale　was
obliged　to　help　him　out　of　the　room。　No　other　person　was　allowed
to　see　the　patient。　Mr。　Dexter　and　Mrs。　Beauly　made　their
inquiries　outside　the　door；　and　were　not　invited　in。　As　the
evening　drew　on　the　doctors　sat　on　either　side　of　the　bed；
silently　watching　her；　silently　waiting　for　her　death。

〃Toward　eight　o'clock　she　seemed　to　have　lost　the　use　of　her
hands　and　arms：　they　lay　helpless　outside　the　bed…clothes。　A
little　later　she　sank　into　a　sort　of　dull　sleep。　Little　by　little
the　sound　of　her　heavy　breathing　grew　fainter。　At　twenty　minutes
past　nine　Doctor　Jerome　told　me　to　bring　the　lamp　to　the　bedside。
He　looked　at　her；　and　put　his　hand　on　her　heart。　Then　he　said　to
me；　'You　can　go　downstairs；　nurse：　it　is　all　over。'　He　turned　to
Mr。　Gale。　'Will　you　inquire　if　Mr。　Macallan　can　see　us？'　he　said。
I　opened　the　door　for　Mr。　Gale；　and　followed　him　out。　Doctor
Jerome　called　me　back　for　a　moment；　and　told　me　to　give　him　the
key　of　the　door。　I　did　so；　of　course；　but　I　thought　this　also
very　strange。　When　I　got　down　to　the　servants'　hall　I　found　there
was　a　general　feeling　that　something　was　wrong。　We　were　all
uneasywithout　knowing　why。

〃A　little　later　the　two　doctors　left　the　house。　Mr。　Macallan　had
been　quite　incapable　of　receiving　them　and　hearing　what　they　had
to　say。　In　this　difficulty　they　had　spoken　privately　with　Mr。
Dexter；　as　Mr。　Macallan's　old　friend；　and　the　only　gentleman　then
staying　at　Gleninch。

〃Before　bed…time　I　went　upstairs　to　prepare　the　remains　of　the
deceased　lady　for　the　coffin。　The　room　in　which　she　lay　was
locked；　the　door　leading　into　Mr。　Macallan's　room　being　secured；
as　well　as　the　door　leading　into　the　corridor。　The　keys　had　been
taken　away　by　Mr。　Gale。　Two　of　the　men…servants　were　posted
outside　the　bedroom　to　keep　watch。　They　were　to　be　relieved　at
four　in　the　morningthat　was　all　they　could　tell　me。

〃In　the　absence　of　any　explanations　or　directions；　I　took　the
liberty　of　knocking　at　the　door　of　Mr。　Dexter's　room。　From　his
lips　I　first　heard　the　startling　news。　Both　the　doctors　had
refused　to　give　the　usual　certificate　of　death！　There　was　to　be　a
medical　examination　of　the　body　the　next　morning。〃

　There　the　examination　of　the　nurse；　Christina　Ormsay；　came　to　an
end。

Ignorant　as　I　was　of　the　law；　I　could　see　what　impression　the
evidence　（so　far）　was　intended　to　produce　on　the　minds　of　the
jury。　After　first　showing　that　my　husband　had　had　two
opportunities　of　administering　the　poisononce　in　the　medicine
and　once　in　the　teathe　counsel　for　the　Crown　led　the　jury　to
infer　that　the　prisoner　had　taken　those　opportunities　to　rid
himself　of　an　ugly　and　jealous　wife；　whose　detestable　temper　he
could　no　longer　endure。

Having　directed　his　examination　to　the　attainment　of　this　object；
the　Lord　Advocate　had　done　with　the　witness。　The　Dean　of
Facultyacting　in　the　prisoner's　intereststhen　rose　to　bring
out　the　favorable　side　of　the　wife's　character　by　cross…examining
the　nurse。　If　he　succeeded　in　this　attempt；　the　jury　might
reconsider　their　conclusion　that　the　wife　was　a　person　who　had
exasperated　her　husband　beyond　endurance。　In　that　case；　where　（so
far）　was