the law and the lady-第75章
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am going into the library。〃
〃What are you going to read？〃
〃I am going to readPuss in Boots； and Jack and the Bean…stalk；
and anything else I can find that doesn't march with the age we
live in。〃
With that parting shot at the new ideas； my old friend left me
for a time。
Having dispatched my note； I found myself beginning to revert；
with a certain feeling of anxiety； to the subject of Miserrimus
Dexter's health。 How had he passed through the interval of my
absence from England？ Could anybody； within my reach； tell me
news of him？ To inquire of Benjamin would only be to provoke a
new outbreak。 While I was still considering； the housekeeper
entered the room on some domestic errand。 I asked； at a venture；
if she had heard anything more； while I had been away of the
extraordinary person who had so seriously alarmed her on a former
occasion。
The housekeeper shook her head； and looked as if she thought it
in bad taste to mention the subject at all。
〃About a week after you had gone away ma'am；〃 she said； with
extreme severity of manner； and with excessive carefulness in her
choice of words； 〃the Person you mention had the impudence to
send a letter to you。 The messenger was informed； by my master's
orders； that you had gone abroad； and he and his letter were both
sent about their business together。 Not long afterward； ma'am； I
happened； while drinking tea with Mrs。 Macallan's housekeeper； to
hear of the Person again。 He himself called in his chaise； at
Mrs。 Macallan's； to inquire about you there。 How he can contrive
to sit； without legs to balance him； is beyond my
understandingbut that is neither here nor there。 Legs or no
legs； the housekeeper saw him； and she says； as I say； she will
never forget him to her dying day。 She told him （as soon as she
recovered herself） of Mr。 Eustace's illness； and of you and Mrs。
Macallan being in foreign parts nursing him。 He went away； so the
housekeeper told me； with tears in his eyes； and oaths and curses
on his lipsa sight shocking to see。 That's all I know about the
Person； ma'am； and I hope to be excused if I venture to say that
the subject is （for good reasons） extremely disagreeable to me。〃
She made a formal courtesy； and quitted the room。
Left by myself； I felt more anxious and more uncertain than ever
when I thought of the experiment that was to be tried on the next
day。 Making due allowance for exaggeration； the description of
Miserrimus Dexter on his departure from Mrs。 Macallan's house
suggested that he had not endured my long absence very patiently；
and that he was still as far as ever from giving his shatt ered
nervous system its fair chance of repose。
The next morning brought me Mr。 Playmore's reply to the letter
which I had addressed to him from Paris。
He wrote very briefly； neither approving nor blaming my decision；
but strongly reiterating his opinion that I should do well to
choose a competent witness as my companion at my coming interview
with Dexter。 The most interesting part of the letter was at the
end。 〃You must be prepared；〃 Mr。 Playmore wrote； 〃to see a change
for the worse in Dexter。 A friend of mine was with him on a
matter of business a few days since； and was struck by the
alteration in him。 Your presence is sure to have its effect； one
way or another。 I can give you no instructions for managing
himyou must be guided by the circumstances。 Your own tact will
tell you whether it is wise or not to encourage him to speak of
the late Mrs。 Eustace。 The chances of his betraying himself all
revolve （as I think） round that one topic： keep him to it if you
can。〃 To this was added； in a postscript： 〃Ask Mr。 Benjamin if he
were near enough to the library door to hear Dexter tell you of
his entering the bedchamber on the night of Mrs。 Eustace
Macallan's death。〃
I put the question to Benjamin when we met at the luncheon…table
before setting forth for the distant suburb in which Miserrimus
Dexter lived。 My old friend disapproved of the contemplated
expedition as strongly as ever。 He was unusually grave and
unusually sparing of his words when he answered me。
〃I am no listener；〃 he said。 〃But some people have voices which
insist on being heard。 Mr。 Dexter is one of them。〃
〃Does that mean that you heard him？〃 I asked。
〃The door couldn't muffle him； and the wall couldn't muffle him；〃
Benjamin rejoined。 〃I heard himand I thought it infamous。
There！〃
〃I may want you to do more than hear him this time；〃 I ventured
to say。 〃I may want you to make notes of our conversation while
Mr。 Dexter is speaking to me。 You used to write down what my
father said； when he was dictating his letters to you。 Have you
got one of your little note…books to spare？〃
Benjamin looked up from his plate with an aspect of stern
surprise。
〃It's one thing；〃 he said； 〃to write under the dictation of a
great merchant； conducting a vast correspondence by which
thousands of pounds change hands in due course of post。 And it's
another thing to take down the gibberish of a maundering mad
monster who ought to be kept in a cage。 Your good father；
Valeria； would never have asked me to do that。〃
〃Forgive me； Benjamin； I must really ask you to do it。 You may be
of the greatest possible use to me。 Come； give way this once；
dear； for my sake。〃
Benjamin looked down again at his plate； with a rueful
resignation which told me that I had carried my point。
〃I have been tied to her apron…string all my life；〃 I heard him
grumble to himself； 〃and it's too late in the day to get loose
from her how。〃 He looked up again at me。 〃I thought I had retired
from business；〃 he said； 〃but it seems I must turn clerk again。
Well？ What is the new stroke of work that's expected from me this
time？〃
The cab was announced to be waiting for us at the gate as he
asked the question。 I rose and took his arm； and gave him a
grateful kiss on his rosy old cheek。
〃Only two things；〃 I said。 〃Sit down behind Mr。 Dexter's chair；
so that he can't see you。 But take care to place yourself； at the
same time； so that you can see me。〃
〃The less I see of Mr。 Dexter the better I shall be pleased；〃
growled Benjamin。 〃What am I to do after I have taken my place
behind him？〃
〃You are to wait until I make you a sign； and when you see it you
are to begin writing down in your note…book what Mr。 Dexter is
sayingand you are to go on until I make another sign； which
means； Leave off！〃
〃Well？〃 said Benjamin； 〃what's the sign for Begin？ and what's the
sign for Leave off？〃
I was not quite prepared with an answer to this。 I asked him to
help me with a hint。 No！ Benjamin would take no active part in
the matter。 He was resigned to be employed in the capacity of
passive instrumentand there all concession ended； so far as he
was concerned。
Left to my own resources； I found it no easy matter to invent a
telegraphic system which should sufficiently inform Benjamin；
without awakening Dexter's quick suspicion。 I looked into the
glass to see if I could find the necessary suggestion in anything
that I wore。 My earrings supplied me with the idea of which I was
in search。
〃I shall take care to sit in an arm…chair；〃 I said。 〃When you see
me rest my elbow on the chair； and lift my hand to my earring； as
if I were playing with itwrite down what he says； and go on
untilwell； suppose we say； until you hear me move my chair。 At
that sound； stop。 You understand me？〃
〃I understand you。〃
We started for Dexter's house。
CHAPTER XL。
NEMESIS AT LAST。
THE gardener opened the gate to us on this occasion。 He had
evidently received his orders in anticipation of my arrival。
〃Mrs。 Valeria？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃And friend？〃
〃And friend。〃
〃Please to step upstairs。 You know the house。〃
Crossing the hall； I stopped for a moment； and looked at a
favorite walking…cane which Benjamin still kept in his hand。
〃Your cane will only be in your way；〃 I said。 〃Had you not better
leave it here？〃
〃My cane may be useful upstairs；〃 retorted Benjamin； gruffly。
〃_I_ haven't forgotten what happened in the library。〃
It was no time to contend with him。 I led the way up the stairs。
Arriving at the upper flight of steps；
