the law and the lady-第58章
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the arsenic；〃 I continued。 〃I don't doubt that she used it
secretly to improve her complexion。 But w hat I do _not_ believe
is that she died of an overdose of the poison； taken by mistake。〃
He put back the goblet of wine on the table near him so
unsteadily that he spilled the greater part of it。 For a moment
his eyes met mine； then looked down again。
〃How do you believe she died？〃 he inquired； in tones so low that
I could barely hear them。
〃By the hand of a poisoner；〃 I answered。
He made a movement as if he were about to start up in the chair；
and sank back again； seized； apparently； with a sudden faintness。
〃Not my husband！〃 I hastened to add。 〃You know that I am
satisfied of _his_ innocence。〃
I saw him shudder。 I saw his hands fasten their hold convulsively
on the arms of his chair。
〃Who poisoned her？〃 he asked； still lying helplessly back in the
chair。
At the critical moment my courage failed me。 I was afraid to tell
him in what direction my suspicions pointed。
〃Can't you guess？〃 I said。
There was a pause。 I supposed him to be seceretly following his
own train of thought。 It was not for long。 On a sudden he started
up in his chair。 The prostration which had possessed him appeared
to vanish in an instant。 His eyes recovered their wild light； his
hands were steady again； his color was brighter than ever。 Had he
been pondering over the secret of my interest in Mrs。 Beauly？ and
had he guessed？ He had！
〃Answer on your word of honor！〃 he cried。 〃Don't attempt to
deceive me！ Is it a woman？〃
〃It is。〃
〃What is the first letter of her name？ Is it one of the first
three letters of the alphabet？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃B？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Beauly？〃
〃Beauly。〃
He threw his hands up above his head； and burst into a frantic
fit of laughter。
〃I have lived long enough！〃 he broke out； wildly。 〃At last I have
discovered one other person in the world who sees it as plainly
as I do。 Cruel Mrs。 Valeria！ why did you torture me？ Why didn't
you own it before？〃
〃What！〃 I exclaimed； catching the infection of his excitement。
〃Are _your_ ideas _my_ ideas？ Is it possible that _you_ suspect
Mrs。 Beauly too？〃
He made this remarkable reply：
〃Suspect？〃 he repeated； contemptuously。 〃There isn't the shadow
of a doubt about it。 Mrs。 Beauly poisoned her。〃
CHAPTER XXX。
THE INDICTMENT OF MRS。 BEAULY。
I STARTED to my feet； and looked at Miserrimus Dexter。 I was too
much agitated to be able to speak to him。
My utmost expectations had not prepared me for the tone of
absolute conviction in which he had spoken。 At the best； I had
anticipated that he might； by the barest chance； agree with me in
suspecting Mrs。 Beauly。 And now his own lips had said it； without
hesitation or reserve！ 〃There isn't the shadow of a doubt： Mrs。
Beauly poisoned her。〃
〃Sit down；〃 he said； quietly。 〃There's nothing to be afraid of。
Nobody can hear us in this room。〃
I sat down again； and recovered myself a little。
〃Have you never told any one else what you have just told me？〃
was the first question that I put to him。
〃Never。 No one else suspected her。〃
〃Not even the lawyers？〃
〃Not even the lawyers。 There is no legal evidence against Mrs。
Beauly。 There is nothing but moral certainty。〃
〃Surely you might have found the evidence if you had tried？〃
He laughed at the idea。
〃Look at me！〃 he said。 〃How is a man to hunt up evidence who is
tied to this chair？ Besides； there were other difficulties in my
way。 I am not generally in the habit of needlessly betraying
myselfI am a cautious man； though you may not have noticed it。
But my immeasurable hatred of Mrs。 Beauly was not to be
concealed。 If eyes can tell secrets； she must have discovered； in
my eyes； that I hungered and thirsted to see her in the hangman's
hands。 From first to last； I tell you； Mrs。 Borgia…Beauly was on
her guard against me。 Can I describe her cunning？ All my
resources of language are not equal to the task。 Take the degrees
of comparison to give you a faint idea of it： I am positively
cunning； the devil is comparatively cunning； Mrs。 Beauly is
superlatively cunning。 No！ no！ If she is ever discovered； at this
distance of time； it will not be done by a manit will be done
by a woman： a woman whom she doesn't suspect； a woman who can
watch her with the patience of a tigress in a state of
starvation〃
〃Say a woman like Me！〃 I broke out。 〃I am ready to try。〃
His eyes glittered； his teeth showed themselves viciously under
his mustache； he drummed fiercely with both hands on the arms of
his chair。
〃Do you really mean it？〃 he asked。
〃Put me in your position；〃 I answered 。 〃Enlighten me with your
moral certainty （as you call it）and you shall see！〃
〃I'll do it！〃 he said。 〃Tell me one thing first。 How did an
outside stranger； like you； come to suspect her？〃
I set before him； to the best of my ability； the various elements
of suspicion which I had collected from the evidence at the
Trial； and I laid especial stress on the fact （sworn to by the
nurse） that Mrs。 Beauly was missing exactly at he time when
Christina Ormsay had left Mrs。 Eustace Macallan alone in her
room。
〃You have hit it！〃 cried Miserrimus Dexter。 〃You are a wonderful
woman！ What was she doing on the morning of the day when Mrs。
Eustace Macallan died poisoned？ And where was she during the dark
hours of the night？ I can tell you where she was _not_she was
not in her own room。〃
〃Not in her own room？〃 I repeated。 〃Are you really sure of that？〃
〃I am sure of everything that I say； when I am speaking of Mrs。
Beauly。 Mind that： and now listen！ This is a drama； and I excel
in dramatic narrative。 You shall judge for yourself。 Date； the
twentieth of October。 Scene the Corridor； called the Guests'
Corridor； at Gleninch。 On one side； a row of windows looking out
into the garden。 On the other； a row of four bedrooms； with
dressing…rooms attached。 First bedroom （beginning from the
staircase）； occupied by Mrs。 Beauly。 Second bedroom； empty。 Third
bedroom； occupied by Miserrimus Dexter。 Fourth bedroom； empty。 So
much for the Scene！ The time comes nextthe time is eleven at
night。 Dexter discovered in his bedroom； reading。 Enter to him
Eustace Macallan。 Eustace speaks： 'My dear fellow； be
particularly careful not to make any noise； don't bowl your chair
up and down the corridor to…night。' Dexter inquires； 'Why？'
Eustace answers： 'Mrs。 Beauly has been dining with some friends
in Edinburgh； and has come back terribly fatigued： she has gone
up to her room to rest。' Dexter makes another inquiry （satirical
inquiry； this time）： 'How does she look when she is terribly
fatigued？ As beautiful as ever？' Answer： 'I don t know； I have
not seen her； she slipped upstairs； without speaking to anybody。'
Third inquiry by Dexter （logical inquiry； on this occasion）： 'If
she spoke to nobody； how do you know she is fatigued？' Eustace
hands Dexter a morsel of paper； and answers： 'Don t be a fool！ I
found this on the hall table。 Remember what I have told you about
keeping quiet； good…night！' Eustace retires。 Dexter looks at the
paper； and reads these lines in pencil： 'Just returned。 Please
forgive me for going to bed without saying good…night。 I have
overexerted myself； I am dreadfully fatigued。 （Signed） Helena。'
Dexter is by nature suspicious。 Dexter suspects Mrs。 Beauly。
Never mind his reasons； there is no time to enter into his
reasons now。 He puts the ease to himself thus： 'A weary woman
would never have given herself the trouble to write this。 She
would have found it much less fatiguing to knock at the
drawing…room door as she passed； and to make her apologies by
word of mouth。 I see something here out of the ordinary way； I
shall make a night of it in my chair。 Very good。 Dexter proceeds
to make a night of it。 He opens his door； wheels himself softly
into the corridor； locks the doors of the two empty bedrooms； and
returns （with the keys in his pocket） to his own room。 'Now；'
says D。 to himself； 'if I hear a door softly opened in this part
of the house； I shall know for certain it is Mrs。 Beauly's door！'
Upon that he closes his own door； leaving the tiniest little
chink to look through； puts out his light； and
