the law and the lady-第61章

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restored　to　my　customary　health。　I　was　ready　again；　and　eager
again；　for　the　introduction　to　Lady　Clarinda　and　the　discovery　of
Mrs。　Beauly。

Benjamin　looked　a　little　sadly　at　my　flushed　face　as　we　drove　to
Major　Fitz…David's　house。

〃Ah；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　in　his　simple　way；　〃I　see　you　are　well
again！　You　have　had　enough　of　our　quiet　life　already。〃

My　recollection　of　events　and　persons；　in　general；　at　the
dinner…party；　is　singularly　indistinct。

I　remember　that　we　were　very　　merry；　and　as　easy　and　familiar　with
one
　another　as　if　we　had　been　old　friends。　I　remember　that　Madame
Mirliflore　was　unapproachably　superior　to　the　other　women
present；　in　the　perfect　beauty　of　her　dress；　and　in　the　ample
justice　which　she　did　to　the　luxurious　dinner　set　before　us。　I
remember　the　Major's　young　prima　donna；　more　round…eyed；　more
overdressed；　more　shrill　and　strident　as　the　coming　〃Queen　of
Song；〃　than　ever。　I　remember　the　Major　himself；　always　kissing
our　hands；　always　luring　us　to　indulge　in　dainty　dishes　and
drinks；　always　making　love；　always　detecting　resemblances　between
us；　always　〃under　the　charm；〃　and　never　once　out　of　his　character
as　elderly　Don　Juan　from　the　beginning　of　the　evening　to　the　end。
I　remember　dear　old　Benjamin；　completely　bewildered；　shrinking
into　corners；　blushing　when　he　was　personally　drawn　into　the
conversation；　frightened　at　Madame　Mirliflore；　bashful　with　Lady
Clarinda；　submissive　to　the　Major；　suffering　under　the　music；　and
from　the　bottom　of　his　honest　old　heart　wishing　himself　home
again。　And　there；　as　to　the　members　of　that　cheerful　little
gathering；　my　memory　finds　its　limitswith　one　exception。　The
appearance　of　Lady　Clarinda　is　as　present　to　me　as　if　I　had　met
her　yesterday；　and　of　the　memorable　conversation　which　we　two
held　together　privately；　toward　the　close　of　the　evening；　it　is
no　exaggeration　to　say　that　I　can　still　call　to　mind　almost　every
word。

I　see　her　dress；　I　hear　her　voice　again；　while　I　write。

She　was　attired；　I　remember；　with　that　extreme　assumption　of
simplicity　which　always　defeats　its　own　end　by　irresistibly
suggesting　art。　She　wore　plain　white　muslin；　over　white　silk；
without　trimming　or　ornament　of　any　kind。　Her　rich　brown　hair；
dressed　in　defiance　of　the　prevailing　fashion；　was　thrown　back
from　her　forehead；　and　gathered　into　a　simple　knot
behindwithout　adornment　of　any　sort。　A　little　white　ribbon
encircled　her　neck；　fastened　by　the　only　article　of　jewelry　that
she　worea　tiny　diamond　brooch。　She　was　unquestionably　handsome；
but　her　beauty　was　of　the　somewhat　hard　and　angular　type　which　is
so　often　seen　in　English　women　of　her　race：　the　nose　and　chin　too
prominent　and　too　firmly　shaped；　the　well…opened　gray　eyes　full
of　spirit　and　dignity；　but　wanting　in　tenderness　and　mobility　of
expression。　Her　manner　had　all　the　charm　which　fine　breeding　can
conferexquisitely　polite；　easily　cordial；　showing　that　perfect
yet　unobtrusive　confidence　in　herself　which　（in　England）　seems　to
be　the　natural　outgrowth　of　pre…eminent　social　rank。　If　you　had
accepted　her　for　what　she　was；　on　the　surface；　you　would　have
said；　Here　is　the　model　of　a　noble　woman　who　is　perfectly　free
from　pride。　And　if　you　had　taken　a　liberty　with　her；　on　the
strength　of　that　conviction；　she　would　have　made　you　remember　it
to　the　end　of　your　life。

We　got　on　together　admirably。　I　was　introduced　as　〃Mrs。
Woodville；〃　by　previous　arrangement　with　the　Majoreffected
through　Benjamin。　Before　the　dinner　was　over　we　had　promised　to
exchange　visits。　Nothing　but　the　opportunity　was　wanting　to　lead
Lady　Clarinda　into　talking；　as　I　wanted　her　to　talk；　of　Mrs。
Beauly。

Late　in　the　evening　the　opportunity　came。

I　had　taken　refuge　from　the　terrible　bravura　singing　of　the
Major's　strident　prima　donna　in　the　back　drawing…room。　As　I　had
hoped　and　anticipated；　after　a　while　Lady　Clarinda　（missing　me
from　the　group　around　the　piano）　came　in　search　of　me。　She　seated
herself　by　my　side；　out　of　sight　and　out　of　hearing　of　our
friends　in　the　front　room；　and；　to　my　infinite　relief　and
delight；　touched　on　the　subject　of　Miserrimus　Dexter　of　her　own
accord。　Something　I　had　said　of　him；　when　his　name　had　been
accidentally　mentioned　at　dinner；　remained　in　her　memory；　and　led
us；　by　perfectly　natural　gradations；　into　speaking　of　Mrs。
Beauly。　〃At　last；〃　I　thought　to　myself；　〃the　Major's　little
dinner　will　bring　me　my　reward！〃

And　what　a　reward　it　was；　when　it　came！　My　heart　sinks　in　me
againas　it　sank　on　that　never…to…be…forgotten　eveningwhile　I
sit　at　my　desk　thinking　of　it。

　〃So　Dexter　really　spoke　to　you　of　Mrs。　Beauly！〃　exclaimed　Lady
Clarinda。　〃You　have　no　idea　how　you　surprise　me。〃

〃May　I　ask　why？〃

〃He　hates　her！　The　last　time　I　saw　him　he　wouldn't　allow　me　to
mention　her　name。　It　is　one　of　his　innumerable　oddities。　If　any
such　feeling　as　sympathy　is　a　possible　feeling　in　such　a　nature
as　his；　he　ought　to　like　Helena　Beauly。　She　is　the　most
completely　unconventional　person　I　know。　When　she　does　break　out；
poor　dear；　she　says　things　and　does　things　which　are　almost
reckless　enough　to　be　worthy　of　Dexter　himself。　I　wonder　whether
you　would　like　her？〃

〃You　have　kindly　asked　me　to　visit　you；　Lady　Clarinda。　Perhaps　I
may　meet　her　at　your　house？〃

〃I　hope　you　will　not　wait　until　that　is　likely　to　happen；〃　she
said。　〃Helena's　last　whim　is　to　fancy　that　she　has　gotthe　gout；
of　all　the　maladies　in　the　world！　She　is　away　at　some　wonderful
baths　in　Hungary　or　Bohemia　（I　don't　remember　which）and　where
she　will　go；　or　what　she　will　do　next；　it　is　perfectly　impossible
to　say。Dear　Mrs。　Woodville！　is　the　heat　of　the　fire　too　much
for　you？　You　are　looking　quite　pale。〃

I　_felt_　that　I　was　looking　pale。　The　discovery　of　Mrs。　Beauly's
absence　from　England　was　a　shock　for　which　I　was　quite
unprepared。　For　a　moment　it　unnerved　me。

〃Shall　we　go　into　the　other　room？〃　asked　Lady　Clarinda。

To　go　into　the　other　room　would　be　to　drop　the　conversation。　I
was　determined　not　to　let　that　catastrophe　happen。　It　was　just
possible　that　Mrs。　Beauly's　maid　might　have　quitted　her　service；
or　might　have　been　left　behind　in　England。　My　information　would
not　be　complete　until　I　knew　what　had　become　of　the　maid。　I
pushed　my　chair　back　a　little　from　the　fire…place；　and　took　a
hand…screen　from　a　table　near　me；　it　might　be　made　useful　in
hiding　my　face；　if　any　more　disappointments　were　in　store　for　me。

〃Thank　you；　Lady　Clarinda；　I　was　only　a　little　too　near　the　fire。
I　shall　do　admirably　here。　You　surprise　me　about　Mrs。　Beauly。
From　what　Mr。　Dexter　said　to　me；　I　had　imagined〃

〃Oh；　you　must　not　believe　anything　Dexter　tells　you！〃　interposed
Lady　Clarinda。　〃He　delights　in　mystifying　people；　and　he
purposely　misled　you；　I　have　no　doubt。　If　all　that　I　hear　is
true；　_he_　ought　to　know　more　of　Helena　Beauly's　strange　freaks
and　fancies　than　most　people。　He　all　but　discovered　her　in　one　of
her　adventures　（down　in　Scotland）；　which　reminds　me　of　the　story
in　Auber's　charming　operawhat　is　it　called？　I　shall　forget　my
own　name　next！　I　mean　the　opera　in　which　the　two　nuns　slip　out　of
the　convent；　and　go　to　the　ball。　Listen！　How　very　odd！　That
vulgar　girl　is　singing　the　castanet　song　in　the　second　act　at
this　moment。　Major！　what　opera　is　the　young　lady　singing　from？〃

The　Major　was　scandalized　at　this　interruption。　He　bustled　into
the　back　roomwhispered；　〃Hush！　hush！　my　dear　lady；　the　'Domino
Noir'〃and　bustled　back　again　to　the　piano。

〃Of　course！〃　said　Lady　Clarinda。　〃How　stupid　of　me！　The　'Domino
Noir。'　And　how　strange　that　you　should　forget　it　too！〃

I　had　remembered　it　perfectly；　but　I　could　not　trust　myself　to
speak。　If；　as　I　believed；　the　〃adventure〃　mentioned　by　Lady
Clarinda　was　connected；　in　some　way；　with　Mrs。　Beauly's
mysterious　proceedings　on　the　morning　of　the　twenty…first　of
October；　I　was　on　the　brink　of　the　very　discovery　which　it　was
the　one　interest　of　my　life　to　make！　I　held　the　screen　so　as　to
hide　my　face；　and　I　said；　in　the　steadiest　voice　that　I　could
command　at　the　moment；

〃Pray　go　on！pray　tell　me　what　the　adventure　was！〃

Lady　Clarinda　was　quite　flattered　by　my　eager　desire　to　hear　the
coming　narrative。

〃I　hop