the law and the lady-第68章

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what　to　do　next　is　more　than　my　poor　head　can　tell。　Don't　you　go
in　by　yourself；　ma'am！　You'll　be　frightened　out　of　your　witsyou
will！〃

I　persisted　in　entering　the　house；　for　all　that。　Aided　by　the
pony；　I　easily　solved　the　mystery　of　the　housekeeper's　otherwise
unintelligible　narrative。　Passing　through　the　dining…room　（where
the　supper…table　was　already　laid　for　us）；　I　looked　through　the
half…opened　library　door。

Yes；　there　was　Miserrimus　Dexter；　arrayed　in　his　pink　jacket；
fast　asleep　in　Benjamin's　favorite　arm…chair！　No　coverlet　hid　his
horrible　deformity。　Nothing　was　sacrificed　to　conventional　ideas
of　propriety　in　his　extraordinary　dress。　I　could　hardly　wonder
that　the　poor　old　housekeeper　trembled　from　head　to　foot　when　she
spoke　of　him。

〃Valeria；〃　said　Benjamin；　pointing　to　the　Portent　in　the　chair。
〃Which　is　itan　Indian　idol；　or　a　man？〃

I　have　already　described　Miserrimus　Dexter　as　possessing　the
sensitive　ear　of　a　dog：　he　now　allowed　that　he　also　slept　the
light　sleep　of　a　dog。　Quietly　as　Benjamin　had　spoken；　the　strange
voice　aroused　him　on　the　instant。　He　rubbed　his　eyes；　and　smiled
as　innocently　as　a　waking　child。

〃How　do　you　do；　Mrs。　Valeria？〃　he　said。　〃I　have　had　a　nice　little
sleep。　You　don't　know　how　happy　I　am　to　see　you　again。　Who　is
this？〃）

He　rubbed　his　eyes　once　more！　and　looked　at　Benjamin。　Not　knowing
what　else　to　do　in　this　extraordinary　emergency；　I　presented　my
visitor　to　the　master　of　the　house。

〃Excuse　my　getting　up；　sir；〃　said　Miserrimus　Dexter。　〃I　can't　get
upI　have　no　legs。　You　look　as　if　you　thought　I　was　occupying
your　chair？　If　I　am　committing　an　intrusion；　be　so　good　as　to　put
your　umbrella　under　me；　and　give　me　a　jerk。　I　shall　fall　on　my
hands；　and　I　shan't　be　offended　with　you。　I　will　submit　to　a
tumble　and　a　scoldingbut　please　don't　break　my　heart　by　sending
me　away。　That　beautiful　woman　there　can　be　very　cruel　sometimes；
sir；　when　the　fit　takes　her。　She　went　away　when　I　stood　in　the
sorest　need　of　a　little　talk　with　hershe　went　away；　and　left　me
to　my　loneliness　and　my　suspense。　I　am　a　poor　deformed　wretch；
with　a　warm　heart；　and；　perhaps；　an　insatiable　curiosity　as　well。
Insatiable　curiosity　（have　you　ever　felt　it？）　is　a　curse。　I　bore
it　until　my　brains　began　to　boil　in　my　head；　and　then　I　sent　for
my　gardener；　and　made　him　drive　me　here。　I　like　being　here。　The
air　of　your　library　soothes　me；　the　sight　of　Mrs。　Valeria　is　balm
to　my　wounded　heart。　She　has　something　to　tell　mesomething　that
I　am　dying　to　hear。　If　she　is　not　too　tired　after　her　journey；
and　if　you　will　let　her　tell　it；　I　promise　to　have　myself　taken
away　when　she　has　done。　Dear　Mr。　Benjamin；　you　look　like　the
refuge　of　the　afflicted。　I　am　afflicted。　Shake　hands　like　a　good
Christian；　and　take　me　in。〃

He　held　out　his　hand。　His　soft　blue　eyes　melted　into　an
expression　of　piteous　entreaty。　Completely　stupefied　by　the
amazing　harangue　of　which　he　had　been　made　the　object；　Benjamin
took　the　offered　hand；　with　the　air　of　a　man　in　a　dream。　〃I　hope
I　see　you　well；　sir；〃　he　said；　mechanicallyand　then　looked
around　at　me；　to　know　what　he　was　to　do　next。

〃I　understand　Mr。　Dexter；〃　I　whispered。　〃Leave　him　to　me。〃

Benjamin　stole　a　last　bewildered　look　at　the　object　in　the　chair；
bowed　to　it；　with　the　instinct　of　politeness　which　never　failed
him；　and　（still　with　the　air　of　a　man　in　a　dream）　withdrew　into
the　next　room。

Left　together；　we　looked　at　each　other；　for　the　first　moment；　in
silence。

Whether　I　unconsciously　drew　on　that　inexhaustible　store　of
indulgence　which　a　woman　always　keeps　in　reserve　for　a　man　who
owns　that　he　has　need　of　her；　or　whether；　resenting　as　I　did　Mr。
Playmore's　horrible　suspicion　of　him；　my　heart　was　especially
accessible　to　feelings　of　compassion　in　his　unhappy　case；　I
cannot　tell。　I　only　know　that　I　pitied　Miserrimus　Dexter　at　that
moment　as　I　had　never　pitied　him　yet；　and　that　I　spared　him　the
reproof　which　I　should　certainly　have　administered　to　any　other
man　who　had　taken　the　liberty　of　establishing　himself；　uninvited；
in　Benjamin's　house。

He　was　the　first　to　speak。

〃Lady　Clarinda　has　destroyed　your　confidence　in　me！〃　he　began；
wildly。

〃Lady　Clarinda　has　done　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　I　replied。　〃She　has
not　attempted　to　influence　my　opinion。　I　was　really　obliged　to
leave　London；　as　I　told　you。〃

He　sighed；　and　closed　his　eyes　contentedly；　as　if　I　had　relieved
him　of　a　heavy　weight　of　anxiety。

〃Be　merciful　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃and　tell　me　something　more。　I　have
been　so　miserable　in　your　absence。〃　He　suddenly　opened　his　eyes
again；　and　looked　at　me　with　an　appearance　of　the　greatest
interest。　〃Are　you　very　much　fatigued　by　traveling？〃　he
proceeded。　〃I　am　hungry　for　news　of　what　happened　at　the　Major's
dinner　party。　Is　it　cruel　of　me　to　tell　you　so；　when　you　have　not
rested　after　your　journey？　Only　one　question　to…night；　and　I　will
leave　the　rest　till　to…morrow。　What　did　Lady　Clarinda　say　about
Mrs。　Beauly？　All　that　you　wanted　to　hear？〃

〃All；　and　more；〃　I　answered。

〃What？　what？　what？〃　he　cried　wild　with　impatience　in　a　moment。

Mr。　Playmore's　last　prophetic　words　were　vividly　present　to　my
mind。　He　had　declared；　in　the　most　positive　manner；　that　Dexter
would　persist　in　misleading　me；　and　would　show　no　signs　of
astonishment　when　I　repeated　what　Lady　Clarinda　had　told　me　of
Mrs。　Beauly。　I　resolved　to　put　the　lawyer's　prophecyso　far　as
the　question　of　astonishment　was　concernedto　the　sharpest
attainable　test。　I　said　not　a　word　to　Miserrimus　Dexter　in　the
way　of　preface　or　preparation：　I　burst　on　him　with　my　news　as
abruptly　as　possible。

〃The　person　you　saw　in　the　corridor　was　not　Mrs。　Beauly；〃　I　said。
〃It　was　the　maid；　dressed　in　her　mistress's　cloak　and　hat。　Mrs。
Beauly　herself　was　not　in　the　house　at　all。　Mrs。　Beauly　herself
was　dancing　at　a　masked　ball　in　Edinburgh。　There　is　what　the　maid
told　Lady　Clarinda；　and　there　is　what　Lady　Clarinda　told　_me。_〃

In　the　absorbing　interest　of　the　moment；　I　poured　out　those　words
one　after　another　as　fast　as　they　would　pass　my　lips。　Miserrimus
Dexter　completely　falsified　the　lawyer's　prediction。　He　shuddered
under　the　shock。　His　eyes　opened　wide　with　amazement。　〃Say　it
again！〃　he　cried。　〃I　can't　take　it　all　in　at　once。　You　stun　me。〃

I　was　more　than　contented　with　this　resultI　triumphed　in　my
victory。　For　once；　I　had　really　some　reason　to　feel　satisfied
with　myself。　I　had　taken　the　Christian　and　merciful　side　in　my
discussion　with　Mr。　Playmore；　and　I　had　won　my　reward。　I　could
sit　in　the　same　room　with　Miserrimus　Dexter；　and　feel　the　blessed
conviction　that　I　was　not　breathing　the　same　air　with　a　poisoner。
Was　it　not　worth　the　visit　to　Edinburgh　to　have　made　sure　of
that？

In　repeating；　at　his　own　desire；　what　I　had　already　said　to　him；
I　took　care　to　add　the　details　which　made　Lady　Clarinda's
narrative　coherent　and　credible。　He　listened　throughout　with
breathless　attentionhere　and　there　repeating　the　words　after
me；　to　impress　them　the　more　surely　and　the　more　deeply　on　his
mind。

〃What　is　to　be　said？　what　is　to　be　done？〃　he　asked；　with　a　look
of　blank　despair。　〃I　can't　disbelieve　it。　From　first　to　last；
strange　as　it　is；　it　sounds　true。〃

（How　would　Mr。　Playmore　have　felt　if　he　had　heard　those　words？　I
did　him　the　justice　to　believe　that　he　would　have　felt　heartily
ashamed　of　himself。）

〃There　is　nothing　to　be　said；〃　I　rejoined；　〃except　that　Mrs。
Beauly　is　innocent；　and　that　you　and　I　have　done　her　a　grievous
wrong。　Don't　you　agree　with　me？〃

〃I　entirely　agree　with　you；〃　he　answered；　without　an　instant's
hesitation。　〃Mrs。　Beauly　is　an　innocent　woman。　The　defense　at　the
Trial　was　the　right　defense　after　all。〃

He　folded　his　arms　complacently；　he　looked　perfectly　satisfied　to
leave　the　matter　there。

I　was　not　of　his　mind。　To　my　own　amazement；　I　now　found　myself
the　least　reasonable　person　of　the　two！

Miserrimus　Dexter　（to　use　the　popular　phrase）　had　given　me　more
than　I　had　bargained　for。　He　had　not　only　done　all　that　I　had
anticipated　in　the　way　of　falsifying　Mr。　Playmore's
predictionhe　had　actually　advanced　beyond　my　limits。　I　could　go
the　length　of　recognizing　Mrs。　Beauly's　innocence；　but　at