the law and the lady-第69章
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the length of recognizing Mrs。 Beauly's innocence； but at that
point I stopped。 If the Defense at the Trial were the right
defense； farewell to all hope of asserting my husband's
innocence。 I held to that hope as I held to my love and my life。
〃Speak for yourself；〃 I said。 〃My opinion of the Defense remains
unchanged。〃
He started； and knit his brows as if I had disappointed and
displeased him。
〃Does that mean that you are determined to go on？〃
〃It does。〃
He was downright angry with me。 He cast his customary politeness
to the winds。
〃Absurd！ impossible！〃 he cried； contemptuously。 〃You have
yourself declared that we wronged an innocent woman when we
suspected Mrs。 Beauly。 Is there any one else whom we can suspect？
It is ridiculous to ask the question。 There is no alternative
left but to accept the facts as they are； and to stir no further
in the matter of the poisoning at Gleninch。 It is childish to
dispute plain conclusions。 You must give up。〃
〃You may be angry with me if you will； Mr。 Dexter。 Neither your
anger nor your arguments will make me give up。〃
He controlled himself by an efforthe was quiet and polite again
when he next spoke to me。
〃Very well。 Pardon me for a moment if I absorb myself in my own
thoughts。 I want to do something which I have not done yet。〃
〃What may that be； Mr。 Dexter？〃
〃I am going to put myself into Mrs。 Beauly's skin； and to think
with Mrs。 Beauly's mind。 Give me a minute。 Thank you。〃
What did he mean？ what new transformation of him was passing
before my eyes？ Was there ever such a puzzle of a man as this？
Who that saw him now； intently pursuing his new train of thought；
would have recognized him as the childish creature who
had awoke so innocently； and had astonished Benjamin by the
infantine nonsense which he talked？ It is said； and said truly；
that there are many sides to every human character。 Dexter's many
sides were developing themselves at such a rapid rate of progress
that they were already beyond my counting。
He lifted his head； and fixed a look of keen inquiry on me。
〃I have come out of Mrs。 Beauly's skin；〃 he announced。 〃And I
have arrived at this result： We are two impetuous people； and we
have been a little hasty in rushing at a conclusion。〃
He stopped。 I said nothing。 Was the shadow of a doubt of him
beginning to rise in my mind？ I waited； and listened。
〃I am as fully satisfied as ever of the truth of what Lady
Clarinda told you； he proceeded。 〃But I see； on consideration；
what I failed to see at the time。 The story admits of two
interpretationsone on the surface； and another under the
surface。 I look under the surface； in your interests； and I say；
it is just possible that Mrs。 Beauly may have been cunning enough
to forestall suspicion； and to set up an Alibi。〃
I am ashamed to own that I did not understand what he meant by
the last wordAlibi。 He saw that I was not following him； and
spoke out more plainly。
〃Was the maid something more than her mistress's passive
accomplice？〃 he said。 〃Was she the Hand that her mistress used？
Was she on her way to give the first dose of poison when she
passed me in this corridor？ Did Mrs。 Beauly spend the night in
Edinburghso as to have her defense ready； if suspicion fell
upon her？〃
My shadowy doubt of him became substantial doubt when I heard
that。 Had I absolved him a little too readily？ Was he really
trying to renew my suspicions of Mrs。 Beauly； as Mr。 Playmore had
foretold？ This time I was obliged to answer him。 In doing so； I
unconsciously employed one of the phrases which the lawyer had
used to me during my first interview with him。
〃That sounds rather far…fetched； Mr。 Dexter；〃 I said。
To my relief； he made no attempt to defend the new view that he
had advanced。
〃It is far…fetched；〃 he admitted。 〃When I said it was just
possiblethough I didn't claim much for my ideaI said more for
it perhaps than it deserved。 Dismiss my view as ridiculous； what
are you to do next？ If Mrs。 Beauly is not the poisoner （either by
herself or by her maid）； who is？ She is innocent； and Eustace is
innocent。 Where is the other person whom you can suspect？ Have
_I_ poisoned her？〃 he cried； with his eyes flashing； and his
voice rising to its highest notes。 〃Do you； does anybody； suspect
Me？ I loved her； I adored her； I have never been the same man
since her death。 Hush！ I will trust you with a secret。 （Don't
tell your husband； it might be the destruction of our
friendship。） I would have married her； before she met with
Eustace； if she would have taken me。 When the doctors told me she
had died poisonedask Doctor Jerome what I suffered； _he_ can
tell you！ All through that horrible night I was awake； watching
my opportunity until I found my way to her。 I got into the room；
and took my last leave of the cold remains of the angel whom I
loved。 I cried over her。 I kissed her。 for the first and last
time。 I stole one little lock of her hair。 I have worn it ever
since； I have kissed it night and day。 Oh； God！ the room comes
back to me！ the dead face comes back to me！ Look！ look！〃
He tore from its place of concealment in his bosom a little
locket； fastened by a ribbon around his neck。 He threw it to me
where I sat； and burst into a passion of tears。
A man in my place might have known what to do。 Being only a
woman； I yielded to the compassionate impulse of the moment。
I got up and crossed the room to him。 I gave him back his locket；
and put my hand； without knowing what I was about； on the poor
wretch's shoulder。 〃I am incapable of suspecting you； Mr。
Dexter；〃 I said； gently。 〃No such idea ever entered my head。 I
pity you from the bottom of my heart。〃
He caught my hand in his； and devoured it with kisses。 His lips
burned me like fire。 He twisted himself suddenly in the chair；
and wound his arm around my waist。 In the terror and indignation
of the moment； vainly struggling with him； I cried out for help。
The door opened； and Benjamin appeared on the threshold。
Dexter let go his hold of me。
I ran to Benjamin； and prevented him from advancing into the
room。 In all my long experience of my fatherly old friend I had
never seen him really angry yet。 I saw him more than angry now。
He was palethe patient； gentle old man was pale with rage！ I
held him at the door with all my strength。
〃You can't lay your hand on a cripple；〃 I said。 Send for the man
outside to take him a way。
I drew Benjamin out of the room； and closed and locked the
library door。 The housekeeper was in the dining…room。 I sent her
out to call the driver of the pony…chaise into the house。
The man came inthe rough man whom I had noticed when we were
approaching the garden gate。 Benjamin opened the library door in
stern silence。 It was perhaps unworthy of me； but I could _not_
resist the temptation to look in。
Miserrimus Dexter had sunk down in the chair。 The rough man
lifted his master with a gentleness that surprised me。 〃Hide my
face；〃 I heard Dexter say to him； in broken tones。 He opened his
coarse pilot…jacket； and hid his master's head under it； and so
went silently outwith the deformed creature held to his bosom；
like a woman sheltering her child。
CHAPTER XXXVI。
ARIEL。
I PASSED a sleepless night。
The outrage that had been offered to me was bad enough in itself。
But consequences were associated with it which might affect me
more seriously still。 In so far as the attainment of the one
object of my life might yet depend on my personal association
with Miserrimus Dexter； an insurmountable obstacle appeared to be
now placed in my way。 Even in my husband's interests； ought I to
permit a man who had grossly insulted me to approach me again？
Although I was no prude； I recoiled from the thought of it。
I arose late； and sat down at my desk； trying to summon energy
enough to write to Mr。 Playmoreand trying in vain。
Toward noon （while Benjamin happened to be out for a little
while） the housekeeper announced the arrival of another strange
visitor at the gate of the villa。
〃It's a woman this time； ma'amor something like one；〃 said this
worthy person； confidentially。 〃A great； stout； awkward； stupid
creature； with a man'
