the law and the lady-第76章

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It　was　no　time　to　contend　with　him。　I　led　the　way　up　the　stairs。

Arriving　at　the　upper　flight　of　steps；　I　was　startled　by　hearing
a　sudden　cry　from　the　room　above。　It　was　like　the　cry　of　a　person
in　pain；　and　it　was　twice　repeated　before　we　entered　the　circular
antechamber。　I　was　the　first　to　approach　the　inner　room；　and　to
see　the　many…sided　Miserrimus　Dexter　in　another　new　aspect　of　his
character。

The　unfortunate　Ariel　was　standing　before　a　table；　with　a　dish　of
little　cakes　placed　in　front　of　her。　Round　each　of　her　wrists　was
tied　a　string；　the　free　ends　of　which　（at　a　distance　of　a　few
yards）　were　held　in　Miserrimus　Dexter's　hands。　〃Try　again；　my
beauty！〃　I　heard　him　say；　as　I　stopped　on　the　threshold　of　the
door。　〃Take　a　cake。〃　At　the　word　of　command；　Ariel　submissively
stretched　out　one　arm　toward　the　dish。　Just　as　she　touched　a　cake
with　the　tips　of　her　fingers　her　hand　was　jerked　away　by　a　pull
at　the　string；　so　savagely　cruel　in　the　nimble　and　devilish
violence　of　it　that　I　felt　inclined　to　snatch　Benjamin's　cane　out
of　his　hand　and　break　it　over　Miserrimus　Dexter's　back。　Ariel
suffered　the　pain　this　time　in　Spartan　silence。　The　position　in
which　she　stood　enabled　her　to　be　the　first　to　see　me　at　the
door。　She　had　discovered　me。　Her　teeth　were　set；　her　face　was
flushed　under　the　struggle　to　restrain　herself。　Not　even　a　sigh
escaped　her　in　my　presence。

〃Drop　the　string！〃　I　called　out；　indignantly　〃Release　her；　Mr。
Dexter；　or　I　shall　leave　the　house。〃

At　the　sound　of　my　voice　he　burst　out　with　a　shrill　cry　of
welcome。　His　eyes　fastened　on　me　with　a　fierce；　devouring
delight。

〃Come　in！　come　in！〃　he　cried。　〃See　what　I　am　reduced　to　in　the
maddening　suspense　of　waiting　for　you。　See　how　I　kill　the　time
when　the　time　parts　us。　Come　in！　come　in！　I　am　in　one　of　my
malicious　humors　this　morning；　caused　entirely；　Mrs。　Valeria；　by
my　anxiety　to　see　you。　When　I　am　in　my　malicious　humors　I　must
tease　something。　I　am　teasing　Ariel。　Look　at　her！　She　has　had
nothing　to　eat　all　day；　and　she　hasn't　been　quick　enough　to
snatch　a　morsel　of　cake　yet。　You　needn't　pity　her。　Ariel　has　no
nervesI　don't　hurt　her。〃

〃Ariel　has　no　nerves；〃　echoed　the　poor　creature；　frowning　at　me
for　interfering　between　her　master　and　herself。　〃He　doesn't　hurt
me。〃

I　heard　Benjamin　beginning　to　swing　his　cane　behind　him。

〃Drop　the　string！〃　I　reiterated；　more　vehemently　than　ever。　〃Drop
it；　or　I　shall　instantly　leave　you。〃

Miserrimus　Dexter's　delicate　nerves　shuddered　at　my　violence。
〃What　a　glorious　voice！〃　he　exclaimedand　dropped　the　string。
〃Take　the　cakes；〃　he　added；　addressing　Ariel　in　his　most　imperial
manner。

She　passed　me；　with　the　strings　hanging　from　her　swollen　wrists；
and　the　dish　of　cakes　in　her　hand。　She　nodded　her　head　at　me
defiantly。

〃Ariel　has　got　no　nerves；〃　she　repeated；　proudly。　〃He　doesn't
hurt　me。〃

〃You　see；〃　said　Miserrimus　Dexter；　〃there　is　no　harm　doneand　I
dropped　the　strings　when　you　told　me。　Don't　_begin_　by　being　hard
on　me；　Mrs。　Valeria；　after　your　long　absence。〃　He　paused。
Benjamin；　standing　silent　in　the　doorway；　attracted　his　attention
for　the　first　time。　〃Who　is　this？〃　he　asked；　and　wheeled　his
chair　suspiciously　nearer　to　the　door。　〃I　know！〃　he　cried；　before
I　could　answer。　〃This　is　the　benevolent　gentleman　who　looked　like
the　refuge　of　the　afflicted　when　I　saw　him　last。You　have
altered　for　the　worse　since　then；　sir。　You　have　stepped　into
quite　a　new　characteryou　personify　Retributive　Justice
now。Your　new　protector；　Mrs。　ValeriaI　understand！〃　He　bowed
low　to　Benjamin；　with　ferocious　irony。　〃Your　humble　servant；　Mr。
Retributive　Justice！　I　have　deserved　youand　I　submit　to　you。
Walk　in；　sir！　I　will　take　care　that　your　new　office　shall　be　a
sinecure。　This　lady　is　the　Light　of　my　Life。　Catch　me　failing　in
respect　to　her　if　you　can！〃　He　backed　his　chair　before　Benjamin
（who　listened　to　him　in　contemptuous　silence）　until　he　reached
the　part　of　the　room　in　which　I　was　standing。　〃Your　hand；　Light
of　my　Life！〃　he　murmured　in　his　gentlest　tones。　〃Your　handonly
to　show　that　you　have　forgiven　me！〃　I　gave　him　my　hand。　〃One？〃　he
whispered；　entreatingly。　〃Only　one？〃　He　kissed　my　hand　once；
respectfullyand　dropped　it　with　a　heavy　sigh。　〃Ah；　poor
Dexter！〃　he　said；　pitying　himself　with　the　whole　sincerity　of　his
egotism。　〃A　warm　heartwasted　in　solitude；　mocked　by　deformity。
Sad！　sad！　Ah；　poor　Dexter！〃　He　looked　round　again　at　Benjamin；
with　another　flash　of　his　ferocious　irony。　〃A　beauteous　day；
sir；〃　he　said；　with　mock…conventional　courtesy。　〃Seasonable
weather　indeed　after　the　late　long…continued　rains。　Can　I　offer
you　any　refreshment？　Won't　you　sit　down？　Retributive　Justice；
when　it　is　no　taller　than　you　are；　looks　best　in　a　chair。〃

〃And　a　monkey　looks　best　in　a　cage；〃　rejoined　Benjamin；　enraged
at　the　satirical　reference　to　his　shortness　of　stature。　〃I　was
waiting；　sir；　to　see　you　get　into　your　swing。〃

The　retort　produced　no　effect　on　Miserrimus　Dexter：　it　appeared
to　have　passed　by　him　unheard。　He　had　changed　again；　he　was
thoughtful；　he　was　subdued；　his　eyes　were　fixed　on　me　with　a　sad
and　rapt　attention。　I　took　the　nearest　arm…chair；　first　casting　a
glance　at　Benjamin；　which　he　immediately　understood。　He　placed
himself　behind　Dexter；　at　an　angle　which　commanded　a　view　of　my
chair。　Ariel；　silently　devouring　her　cakes；　crouched　on　a　stool
at　〃the　Master's〃　feet；　and　looked　up　at　him　like　a　faithful　dog。
There　was　an　interval　of　quiet　and　repose。　I　was　able　to　observe
Miserrimus　Dexter　uninterruptedly　for　the　first　time　since　I　had
entered　the　room。

I　was　not　surprisedI　was　nothing　less　than　alarmed　by　the
change　for　the　worse　in　him　since　we　had　last　met。　Mr。　Playmore's
letter　had　not　prepared　me　for　the　serious　deterioration　in　him
which　I　could　now　discern。

His　features　were　pinched　and　worn；　the　whole　face　seemed　to　have
wasted　strangely　in　substance　and　size　since　I　had　last　seen　it。
The　softness　in　his　eyes　was　gone。　Blood…red　veins　were
intertwined　all　over　them　now：　they　were　set　in　a　piteous　and
vacant　stare。　His　once　firm　hands　looked　withered；　they　trembled
as　they　lay　on　the　coverlet。　The　paleness　of　his　face
（exaggerated；　perhaps；　by　the　black　velvet　jacket　that　he　wore）
had　a　sodden　and　sickly　lookthe　fine　outline　was　gone。　The
multitudinous　little　wrinkles　at　the　corners　of　his　eyes　had
deepened。　His　head　sank　into　his　shoulders　when　he　leaned　forward
in　his　chair。　Years　appeared　to　have　passed　over　him；　instead　of
months；　while　I　had　been　absent　from　England。　Remembering　the
medical　report　which　Mr。　Playmore　had　given　me　to　readrecalling
the　doctor's　positively　declared　opinion　that　the　preservation　of
Dexter's　sanity　depended　on　the　healthy　condition　of　his
nervesI　could　not　but　feel　that　I　had　done　wisely　（if　I　might
still　hope　for　success）　in　hastening　my　return　from　Spain。
Knowing　what　I　knew；　fearing　what　I　feared；　I　believed　that　his
time　was　near。　I　felt；　when　our　eyes　met　by　accident；　that　I　was
looking　at　a　doomed　man。

I　pitied　him。

Yes；　yes！　I　know　that　compassion　for　him　was　utterly　inconsistent
with　the　motive　which　had　taken　me　to　his　houseutterly
inconsistent　with　the　doubt；　still　present　to　my　mind；　whether
Mr。　Playmore　had　really　wronged　him　in　believing　that　his　was　the
guilt　which　had　compassed　the　first　Mrs。　Eustace's　death。　I　felt
this：　I　knew　him　to　be　cruel；　I　believed　him　to　be　false。　And　yet
I　pitied　him！　Is　there　a　common　fund　of　wickedness　in　us　all？　Is
the　suppression　or　the　development　of　that　wickedness　a　mere
question　of　training　and　temptation？　And　is　there　something　in
our　deeper　sympathies　which　mutely　acknowledges　this　when　we　feel
for　the　wicked；　when　we　crowd　to　a　criminal　trial；　when　we　shake
hands　at　parting　（if　we　happen　to　be　present　officially）　with　the
vilest　monster　that　ever　swung　on　a　gallows？　It　is　not　for　me　to
decide。　I　can　only　say　that　I　pitied　Miserrimus　Dexterand　that
he　found　it　out。

〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　suddenly。　〃You　see　I　am　ill；　and　you　feel
for　me。　Dear　and　good　Valeria！〃

〃This　lady's　name；　sir；　is　Mrs。　Eustace　Macallan；〃　interposed
Benjamin；　speaking　sternly　behind　him。　〃The　next　time　you　address
her；