the law and the lady-第5章

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Little　by　little　I　completely　emptied　the　dressing…case。　It　was
lined　with　blue　velvet。　In　one　corner　I　noticed　a　tiny　slip　of
loose　blue　silk。　Taking　it　between　my　finger　and　thumb；　and
drawing　it　upward；　I　discovered　that　there　was　a　false　bottom　to
the　case；　forming　a　secret　compartment　for　letters　and　papers。　In
my　strange　conditioncapricious；　idle；　inquisitiveit　was　an
amusement　to　me　to　take　out　the　papers；　just　as　I　had　taken　out
everything　else　。

I　found　some　receipted　bills；　which　failed　to　interest　me；　some
letters；　which　it　is　needless　to　say　I　laid　aside　after　only
looking　at　the　addresses；　and；　under　all；　a　photograph；　face
downward；　with　writing　on　the　back　of　it。　I　looked　at　the
writing；　and　saw　these　words：

〃To　my　dear　son；　Eustace。〃

His　mother！　the　woman　who　had　so　obstinately　and　mercilessly
opposed　herself　to　our　marriage！

I　eagerly　turned　the　photograph；　expecting　to　see　a　woman　with　a
stern；　ill…tempered；　forbidding　countenance。　To　my　surprise；　the
face　showed　the　remains　of　great　beauty；　the　expression；　though
remarkably　firm；　was　yet　winning；　tender；　and　kind。　The　gray　hair
was　arranged　in　rows　of　little　quaint　old…fashioned　curls　on
either　side　of　the　head；　under　a　plain　lace　cap。　At　one　corner　of
the　mouth　there　was　a　mark；　apparently　a　mole；　which　added　to　the
characteristic　peculiarity　of　the　face。　I　looked　and　looked；
fixing　the　portrait　thoroughly　in　my　mind。　This　woman；　who　had
almost　insulted　me　and　my　relatives；　was；　beyond　all　doubt　or
dispute；　so　far　as　appearances　went；　a　person　possessing　unusual
attractionsa　person　whom　it　would　be　a　pleasure　and　a　privilege
to　know。

I　fell　into　deep　thought。　The　discovery　of　the　photograph　quieted
me　as　nothing　had　quieted　me　yet。

The　striking　of　a　clock　downstairs　in　the　hall　warned　me　of　the
flight　of　time。　I　carefully　put　back　all　the　objects　in　the
dressing…case　（beginning　with　the　photograph）　exactly　as　I　had
found　them；　and　returned　to　the　bedroom。　As　I　looked　at　my
husband；　still　sleeping　peacefully；　the　question　forced　itself
into　my　mind；　What　had　made　that　genial；　gentle　mother　of　his　so
sternly　bent　on　parting　us？　so　harshly　and　pitilessly　resolute　in
asserting　her　disapproval　of　our　marriage？

Could　I　put　my　question　openly　to　Eustace　when　he　awoke？　No；　I
was　afraid　to　venture　that　length。　It　had　been　tacitly　understood
between　us　that　we　were　not　to　speak　of　his　motherand；　besides；
he　might　be　angry　if　he　knew　that　I　had　opened　the　private
compartment　of　his　dressing…case。

　After　breakfast　that　morning　we　had　news　at　last　of　the　yacht。
The　vessel　was　safely　moored　in　the　inner　harbor；　and　the
sailing…master　was　waiting　to　receive　my　husband's　orders　on
board。

Eustace　hesitated　at　asking　me　to　accompany　him　to　the　yacht。　It
would　be　necessary　for　him　to　examine　the　inventory　of　the
vessel；　and　to　decide　questions；　not　very　interesting　to　a　woman；
relating　to　charts　and　barometers；　provisions　and　water。　He　asked
me　if　I　would　wait　for　his　return。　The　day　was　enticingly
beautiful；　and　the　tide　was　on　the　ebb。　I　pleaded　for　a　walk　on
the　sands；　and　the　landlady　at　our　lodgings；　who　happened　to　be
in　the　room　at　the　time；　volunteered　to　accompany　me　and　take
care　of　me。　It　was　agreed　that　we　should　walk　as　far　as　we　felt
inclined　in　the　direction　of　Broadstairs；　and　that　Eustace　should
follow　and　meet　us　on　the　sands；　after　having　completed　his
arrangements　on　board　the　yacht。

In　half　an　hour　more　the　landlady　and　I　were　out　on　the　beach。

The　scene　on　that　fine　autumn　morning　was　nothing　less　than
enchanting。　The　brisk　breeze；　the　brilliant　sky；　the　flashing
blue　sea；　the　sun…bright　cliffs　and　the　tawny　sands　at　their
feet；　the　gliding　procession　of　ships　on　the　great　marine　highway
of　the　English　Channelit　was　all　so　exhilarating；　it　was　all　so
delightful；　that　I　really　believe　if　I　had　been　by　myself　I　could
have　danced　for　joy　like　a　child。　The　one　drawback　to　my
happiness　was　the　landlady's　untiring　tongue。　She　was　a　forward；
good…natured；　empty…headed　woman；　who　persisted　in　talking；
whether　I　listened　or　not；　and　who　had　a　habit　of　perpetually
addressing　me　as　〃Mrs。　Woodville；〃　which　I　thought　a　little
overfamiliar　as　an　assertion　of　equality　from　a　person　in　her
position　to　a　person　in　mine。

We　had　been　out；　I　should　think；　more　than　half　an　hour；　when　we
overtook　a　lady　walking　before　us　on　the　beach。

Just　as　we　were　about　to　pass　the　stranger　she　took　her
handkerchief　from　her　pocket；　and　accidentally　drew　out　with　it　a
letter；　which　fell　unnoticed　by　her；　on　the　sand。　I　was　nearest
to　the　letter；　and　I　picked　it　up　and　offered　it　to　the　lady。

The　instant　she　turned　to　thank　me；　I　stood　rooted　to　the　spot。
There　was　the　original　of　the　photographic　portrait　in　the
dressing…case！　there　was　my　husband's　mother；　standing　face　to
face　with　me！　I　recognized　the　quaint　little　gray　curls；　the
gentle；　genial　expression；　the　mole　at　the　corner　of　the　mouth。
No　mistake　was　possible。　His　mother　herself！

The　old　lady；　naturally　enough；　mistook　my　confusion　for　shyness。
With　perfect　tact　and　kindness　she　entered　into　conversation　with
me。　In　another　minute　I　was　walking　side　by　side　with　the　woman
who　had　sternly　repudiated　me　as　a　member　of　her　family；　feeling；
I　own；　terribly　discomposed；　and　not　knowing　in　the　least　whether
I　ought　or　ought　not　to　assume　the　responsibility；　in　my
husband's　absence；　of　telling　her　who　I　was。

In　another　minute　my　familiar　landlady；　walking　on　the　other　side
of　my　mother…in…law；　decided　the　question　for　me。　I　happened　to
say　that　I　supposed　we　must　by　that　time　be　near　the　end　of　our
walkthe　little　watering…place　called　Broadstairs。　〃Oh　no；　Mrs。
Woodville！　cried　the　irrepressible　woman；　calling　me　by　my　name；
as　usual；　〃nothing　like　so　near　as　you　think！〃

I　looked　with　a　beating　heart　at　the　old　lady。

To　my　unutterable　amazement；　not　the　faintest　gleam　of
recognition　appeared　in　her　face。　Old　Mrs。　Woodville　went　on
talking　to　young　Mrs。　Woodville　just　as　composedly　as　if　she　had
never　heard　her　own　name　before　in　her　life！

My　face　and　manner　must　have　betrayed　something　of　the　agitation
that　I　was　suffering。　Happening　to　look　at　me　at　the　end　of　her
next　sentence；　the　old　lady　started；　and　said；　in　her　kindly　way；

〃I　am　afraid　you　have　overexerted　yourself。　You　are　very
paleyou　are　looking　quite　exhausted。　Come　and　sit　down　here；
let　me　lend　you　my　smelling…bottle。〃

I　followed　her；　quite　helplessly；　to　the　base　of　the　cliff。　Some
fallen　fragments　of　chalk　offered　us　a　seat。　I　vaguely　heard　the
voluble　landlady's　expressions　of　sympathy　and　regret；　I
mechanically　took　the　smelling…bottle　which　my　husband's　mother
offered　to　me；　after　hearing　my　name；　as　an　act　of　kindness　to　a
stranger

If　I　had　only　had　myself　to　think　of；　I　believe　I　should　have
provoked　an　explanation　on　the　spot。　But　I　had　Eustace　to　think
of。　I　was　entirely　ignorant　of　the　relations；　hostile　or
friendly；　which　existed　between　his　mother　and　himself。　What
could　I　do？

In　the　meantime　the　old　lady　was　still　speaking　to　me　with　the
most　considerate　sympathy。　She　too　was　fatigued。　she　said。　She
had　passed　a　weary　night　at　the　bedside　of　a　near　relative
staying　at　Ramsgate。　Only　the　day　before　she　had　received　a
telegram　announcing　that　one　of　her　sisters　was　seriously　ill。
She　was　herself　thank　God；　still　active　and　strong；　and　she　had
thought　it　her　duty　to　start　at　once　for　Ramsgate。　Toward　the
morning　the　state　of　the　patient　had　improved。　〃The　doctor
assures　me　ma'am；　that　there　is　no　immediate　danger；　and　I
thought　it　might　revive　me；　after　my　long　night　at　the　bedside；
if　I　took　a　little　walk　on　the　beach。〃

I　heard　the　wordsI　understood　what　they　meantbut　I　was　still
too　bewildered　and　too　intimidated　by　my　extraordinary　position
to　be　able　to　continue　the　conversation。　The　landlady　had　a
sensible　suggestion　to　makethe　landlady　was　the　next　person　who
spoke。

〃Here　is　a　gentleman　coming；〃　she　said　to　me；　pointing　in　the
direction　of　Ramsgate。　You　can　never　walk　back。　Shall　we　ask　him
to　send　a　chaise　from　Broadstairs　to　the　gap　in　the　cliff？〃

The　gentleman　advanced　a　li