the law and the lady-第57章

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small　means。　When　I　saw　my　host　carefully　lay　out　these　occult
substances　of　uninviting　appearance　on　a　clean　napkin；　and　then
plunge　once　more　into　profound　reflection　at　the　sight　of　them；
my　curiosity　could　be　no　longer　restrained。　I　ventured　to　say；
〃What　are　those　things；　Mr。　Dexter；　and　are　we　really　going　to
eat　them？〃

He　started　at　the　rash　question；　and　looked　at　me　with　hands
outspread　in　irrepressible　astonishment。

〃Where　is　our　boasted　progress？〃　he　cried。　What　is　education　but
a　name？　Here　is　a　cultivated　person　who　doesn't　know　Truffles
when　she　sees　them！〃

〃I　have　heard　of　truffles；〃　I　answered；　humbly；　〃but　I　never　saw
them　before。　We　had　no　such　foreign　luxuries　as　those；　Mr。
Dexter；　at　home　in　the　North。〃

Miserrimus　Dexter　lifted　one　of　the　truffles　tenderly　on　his
spike；　and　held　it　up　to　me　in　a　favorable　light。

〃Make　the　most　of　one　of　the　few　first　sensations　in　this　life
which　has　no　ingredient　of　disappointment　lurking　under　the
surface；〃　he　said。　〃Look　at　it；　meditate　over　it。　You　shall　eat
it；　Mrs。　Valeria；　stewed　in　Burgundy！〃

He　lighted　the　gas　for　cooking　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　was
about　to　offer　me　an　inestimable　proof　of　his　good…will。

〃Forgive　me　if　I　observe　the　most　absolute　silence；〃　he　said；
〃dating　from　the　moment　when　I　take　this　in　my　hand。〃　He　produced
a　bright　little　stew…pan　from　his　collection　of　culinary　utensils
as　he　spoke。　〃Properly　pursued；　the　Art　of　Cookery　allows　of　no
divided　attention；〃　he　continued；　gravely。　〃In　that　observation
you　will　find　the　reason　why　no　woman　ever　has　reached；　or　ever
will　reach；　the　highest　distinction　as　a　cook。　As　a　rule；　women
are　incapable　of　absolutely　concentrating　their　attention　on　any
one　occupation　for　any　given　time。　Their　minds　will　run　on
something　elsesay；　typically；　for　the　sake　of　illustration；
their　sweetheart　or　their　new　bonnet。　The　one　obstacle；　Mrs。
Valeria；　to　your　rising　equal　to　the　men　in　the　various
industrial　processes　of　life　is　not　raised；　as　the　women　vainly
suppose；　by　the　defective　institutions　of　the　age　they　live　in。
No！　the　obstacle　is　in　themselves。　No　institutions　that　can　be
devised　to　encourage　them　will　ever　be　strong　enough　to　contend
successfully　with　the　sweetheart　and　the　new　bonnet。　A　little
while　ago；　for　instance；　I　was　instrumental　in　getting　women
employed　in　our　local　post…office　here。　The　other　day　I　took　the
troublea　serious　business　to　meof　getting　downstairs；　and
wheeling　myself　away　to　the　office　to　see　how　they　were　getting
on。　I　took　a　letter　with　me　to　register。　It　had　an　unusually　long
address。　The　registering　woman　began　copying　the　address　on　the
receipt　form；　in　a　business…like　manner　cheering　and　delightful
to　see。　Half　way　through；　a　little　child…sister　of　one　of　the
other　women　employed　trotted　into　the　office；　and　popped　under
the　counter　to　go　and　speak　to　her　relative。　The　registering
woman's　mind　instantly　gave　way。　Her　pencil　stopped；　her　eyes
wandered　off　to　the　child　with　a　charming　expression　of　interest。
'Well；　Lucy；'　she　said；　'how　d'ye　do？'　Then　she　remembered
business　again；　and　returned　to　her　receipt。　When　I　took　it
across　the　counter；　an　important　line　in　the　address　of　my　letter
was　left　out　in　the　copy。　Thanks　to　Lucy。　Now　a　man　in　the　same
position　would　not　have　seen　Lucyhe　would　have　been　too　closely
occupied　with　what　he　was　about　at　the　moment。　There　is　the　whole
difference　between　the　mental　constitution　of　the　sexes；　which　no
legislation　will　ever　alter　as　long　as　the　world　lasts！　What　does
it　matter？　Women　are　infinitely　superior　to　men　in　the　moral
qualities　which　are　the　true　adornments　of　humanity。　Be
contentoh；　my　mistaken　sisters；　be　content　with　that！〃

He　twisted　his　chair　around　toward　the　stove。　It　was　useless　to
dispute　the　question　with　him；　even　if　I　had　felt　inclined　to　do
so。　He　absorbed　himself　in　his　stew…pan。

I　looked　about　me　in　the　room。

The　same　insatiable　relish　for　horrors　exhibited　downstairs　by
the　pictures　in　the　hall　was　displayed　again　here。　The
photographs　hanging　on　the　wall　represented　the　various　forms　of
madness　taken　from　the　life。　The　plaster　casts　ranged　on　the
shelf　opposite　were　casts　（after　death）　of　the　heads　of　famous
murderers。　A　frightful　little　skeleton　of　a　woman　hung　in　a
cupboard；　behind　a　glazed　door；　with　this　cynical　inscription
placed　above　the　skull：　〃Behold　the　scaffolding　on　which　beauty
is　built！〃　In　a　corresponding　cupboard；　with　the　door　wide　open；
there　hung　in　loose　folds　a　shirt　（as　I　took　it　to　be）　of　chamois
leather。　Touching　it　（and　finding　it　to　be　far　softer　than　any
chamois　leather　that　my　fingers　had　ever　felt　before）；　I
disarranged　the　folds；　and　disclosed　a　ticket　pinned　among　them；
describing　the　thing　in　these　horrid　lines：　〃Skin　of　a　French
Marquis；　tanned　in　the　Revolution　of　Ninety…three。　Who　says　the
nobility　are　not　good　for　something？　They　make　good　leather。〃

After　this　last　specimen　of　my　host's　taste　in　curiosities；　I
pursued　my　investigation　no　further。　I　returned　to　my　chair；　and
waited　for　the　truffles。

After　a　brief　interval；　the　voice　of　the
poet…painter…composer…and…cook　summoned　me　back　to　the　alcove。

The　gas　was　out。　The　stew…pan　and　its　accompaniments　had
vanished。　On　the　marble　slab　were　two　plates；　two　napkins；　two
rolls　of　bread；　and　a　dish；　with　another　napkin　in　it；　on　which
reposed　two　quaint　little　black　balls。　Miserrimus　Dexter；
regarding　me　with　a　smile　of　benevolent　interest；　put　one　of　the
balls　on　my　plate；　and　took　the　other　himself。　〃Compose　yourself；
Mrs。　Valeria；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　an　epoch　in　your　life。　Your
first　Truffle！　Don't　touch　it　with　the　knife。　Use　the　fork　alone。
Andpardon　me；　this　is　most　importanteat　slowly。〃

I　followed　my　instructions；　and　assumed　an　enthusiasm　which　I
honestly　confess　I　did　not　feel。　I　privately　thought　the　new
vegetable　a　great　deal　too　rich；　and　in　other　respects　quite
unworthy　of　the　fuss　that　had　been　made　about　it。　Miserrimus
Dexter　lingered　and　languished　over　his　truffles；　and　sipped　his
wonderful　Burgundy；　and　sang　his　own　praises　as　a　cook　until　I
was　really　almost　mad　with　impatience　to　return　to　the　real
object　of　my　visit。　In　the　reckless　state　of　mind　which　this
feeling　produced；　I　abruptly　reminded　my　host　that　he　was　wasting
our　time；　by　the　most　dangerous　question　that　I　could　possibly
put　to　him。

〃Mr。　Dexter；〃　I　said；　〃have　you　seen　anything　lately　of　Mrs。
Beauly？〃

The　easy　sense　of　enjoyment　expressed　in　his　face　left　it　at
those　rash　words；　and　went　out　like　a　suddenly　extinguished
light。　That　furtive　distrust　of　me　which　I　had　already　noticed
instantly　made　itself　felt　again　in　his　manner　and　in　his　voice。

〃Do　you　know　Mrs。　Beauly？〃　he　asked。

〃I　only　know　her；〃　I　answered；　〃by　what　I　have　read　of　her　in　the
Trial。〃

He　was　not　satisfied　with　that　reply。

〃You　must　have　an　interest　of　some　sort　in　Mrs。　Beauly；〃　he　said；
〃or　you　would　not　have　asked　me　about　her。　Is　it　the　interest　of
a　friend；　or　the　interest　of　an　enemy？〃

Rash　as　I　might　be；　I　was　not　quite　reckless　enough　yet　to　meet
that　plain　question　by　an　equally　plain　reply。　I　saw　enough　in
his　face　to　warn　me　to　be　careful　with　him　before　it　was　too
late。

〃I　can　only　answer　you　in　one　way；〃　I　rejoined。　〃I　must　return　to
a　subject　which　is　very　painful　to　youthe　subject　of　the
Trial。〃

〃Go　on；〃　he　said；　with　one　of　his　grim　outbursts　of　humor。　〃Here
I　am　at　your　mercya　martyr　at　the　stake。　Poke　the　fire！　poke
the　fire！〃

〃I　am　only　an　ignorant　woman；〃　I　resumed；　〃and　I　dare　say　I　am
quite　wrong；　but　there　is　one　part　of　my　husband's　trial　which
doesn't　at　all　satisfy　me。　The　defense　set　up　for　him　seems　to　me
to　have　been　a　complete　mistake。〃

〃A　complete　mistake？〃　he　repeated。　〃Strange　language；　Mrs。
Valeria；　to　say　the　least　of　it！〃　He　tried　to　speak　lightly；　he
took　up　his　goblet　of　wine；　but　I　could　see　that　I　had　produced
an　effect　on　him。　His　hand　trembled　as　it　carried　the　wine　to　his
lips。

〃I　don't　doubt　that　Eustace's　first　wife　really　asked　him　to　buy
the　arsenic；〃　I　continued。　〃I　don't　doubt　that　she　used　it
secretly　to　improve　her　complexion。　But　w　hat　I　do　_not_