the law and the lady-第79章

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〃Didn't　I　tell　you？〃　he　said。　〃Isn't　she　fun？Persons　of　the
Drama。〃　he　resumed：　〃three　in　number。　Women　only。　Angelica；　a
noble　lady；　noble　alike　in　spirit　and　in　birth。　Cunegonda；　a
beautiful　devil　in　woman's　form。　Damoride；　her　unfortunate　maid。
First　scene：　a　dark　vaulted　chamber　in　a　castle。　Time；　evening。
The　owls　are　hooting　in　the　wood；　the　frogs　are　croaking　in　the
marsh。Look　at　Ariel！　Her　flesh　creeps；　she　shudders　audibly。
Admirable　Ariel！〃

My　rival　in　the　Master's　favor　eyed　me　defiantly。　〃Admirable
Ariel！〃　she　repeated；　in　drowsy　accents。　Miserrimus　Dexter　paused
to　take　up　his　goblet　of　Burgundyplaced　close　at　hand　on　a
little　sliding　table　attached　to　his　chair。　I　watched　him
narrowly　as　he　sipped　the　wine。　The　flush　was　still　mounting　in
his　face；　the　light　was　still　brightening　in　his　eyes。　He　set
down　his　glass　again；　with　a　jovial　smack　of　his　lipsand　went
on：

〃Persons　present　in　the　vaulted　chamber：　Cunegonda　and　Damoride。
Cunegonda　speaks。　'Damoride！'　'Madam？'　'Who　lies　ill　in　the
chamber　above　us？'　'Madam；　the　noble　lady　Angelica。'　（A　pause。
Cunegonda　speaks　again。）　'Damoride！'　'　Madam？'　'How　does　Angelica
like　you？'　'Madam；　the　noble　lady；　sweet　and　good　to　all　who
approach　her；　is　sweet　and　good　to　me。'　'Have　you　attended　on
her；　Damoride？'　'Sometimes；　madam；　when　the　nurse　was　weary。'
'Has　she　taken　her　healing　medicine　from　your　hand　'　'Once　or
twice；　madam；　when　I　happened　to　be　by。'　'Damoride；　take　this　key
and　open　the　casket　on　the　table　there。'　（Damoride　obeys。）　'Do
you　see　a　green　vial　in　the　casket？'　'I　see　it；　madam。'　'Take　it
out。'　（Damoride　obeys。）　'Do　you　see　a　liquid　in　the　green　vial？
can　you　guess　what　it　is？'　'No；　madam。'　'Shall　I　tell　you？'
（Damoride　bows　respectfully　）　'Poison　is　in　the　vial。'　（Damoride
starts；　she　shrinks　from　the　poison；　she　would　fain　put　it　aside。
Her　mistress　signs　to　her　to　keep　it　in　her　hand；　her　mistress
speaks。）　'Damoride；　I　have　told　you　one　of　my　secrets；　shall　I
tell　you　another？'　（Damoride　waits；　fearing　what　is　to　come。　Her
mistress　speaks。）　'I　hate　the　Lady　Angelica。　Her　life　stands
between　me　and　the　joy　of　my　heart。　You　hold　her　life　in　your
hand。'　（Damoride　drops　on　her　knees；　she　is　a　devout　person；　she
crosses　herself；　and　then　she　speaks。）　'Mistress；　you　terrify　me。
Mistress；　what　do　I　hear？'　（Cunegonda　advances；　stands　over　her；
looks　down　on　her　with　terrible　eyes；　whispers　the　next　words。）
'Damoride！　the　Lady　Angelica　must　dieand　I　must　not　be
suspected。　The　Lady　Angelica　must　dieand　by　your　hand。'〃

He　paused　again。　To　sip　the　wine　once　more？　No；　to　drink　a　deep
draught　of　it　this　time。

Was　the　stimulant　beginning　to　fail　him　already？

I　looked　at　him　attentively　as　he　laid　himself　back　again　in　his
chair　to　consider　for　a　moment　before　he　went　on。

The　flush　on　his　face　was　as　deep　as　ever；　but　the　brightness　in
his　eyes　was　beginning　to　fade　already。　I　had　noticed　that　he
spoke　more　and　more　slowly　as　he　advanced　to　the　later　dialogue
of　the　scene。　Was　he　feeling　the　effort　of　invention　already？　Had
the　time　come　when　the　wine　had　done　all　that　the　wine　could　do
for　him？

We　waited。　Ariel　sat　watching　him　　with　vacantly　staring　eyes　and
vacantly　open　mouth。　Ben　jamin；　impenetrably　expecting　the
signal；　kept　his　open　note…book　on　his　knee；　covered　by　his　hand。
Miserrimus　Dexter　went　on：

〃Damoride　hears　those　terrible　words；　Damoride　clasps　her　hands
in　entreaty。　'Oh；　madam！　madam！　how　can　I　kill　the　dear　and　noble
lady？　What　motive　have　I　for　harming　her？'　Cunegonda　answers；
'You　have　the　motive　of　obeying　Me。'　（Damoride　falls　with　her
face　on　the　floor　at　her　mistress's　feet。）　'Madam；　I　cannot　do
it！　Madam；　I　dare　not　do　it！'　Cunegonda　answers；　'You　run　no
risk：　I　have　my　plan　for　diverting　discovery　from　myself；　and　my
plan　for　diverting　discovery　from　you。'　Damoride　repeats；　'I
cannot　do　it！　I　dare　not　do　it！'　Cunegonda's　eyes　flash
lightnings　of　rage。　She　takes　from　its　place　of　concealment　in
her　bosom〃

He　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　sentence；　and　put　his　hand　to　his
headnot　like　a　man　in　pain；　but　like　a　man　who　had　lost　his
idea。

Would　it　be　well　if　I　tried　to　help　him　to　recover　his　idea？　or
would　it　be　wiser　（if　I　could　only　do　it）　to　keep　silence？

I　could　see　the　drift　of　his　story　plainly　enough。　His　object；
under　the　thin　disguise　of　the　Italian　romance；　was　to　meet　my
unanswerable　objection　to　suspecting　Mrs。　Beauly's　maidthe
objection　that　the　woman　had　no　motive　for　committing　herself　to
an　act　of　murder。　If　he　could　practically　contradict　this；　by
discovering　a　motive　which　I　should　be　obliged　to　admit；　his　end
would　be　gained。　Those　inquiries　which　I　had　pledged　myself　to
pursuethose　inquiries　which　might；　at　any　moment；　take　a　turn
that　directly　concerned　himwould；　in　that　case；　be　successfully
diverted　from　the　right　to　the　wrong　person。　The　innocent　maid
would　set　my　strictest　scrutiny　at　defiance；　and　Dexter　would　be
safely　shielded　behind　her。

I　determined　to　give　him　time。　Not　a　word　passed　my　lips。

The　minutes　followed　each　other。　I　waited　in　the　deepest　anxiety。
It　was　a　trying　and　a　critical　moment。　If　he　succeeded　in
inventing　a　probable　motive；　and　in　shaping　it　neatly　to　suit　the
purpose　of　his　story；　he　would　prove；　by　that　act　alone；　that
there　were　reserves　of　mental　power　still　left　in　him　which　the
practiced　eye　of　the　Scotch　doctor　had　failed　to　see。　But　the
question　waswould　he　do　it？

He　did　it！　Not　in　a　new　way；　not　in　a　convincing　way；　not　without
a　painfully　evident　effort。　Still；　well　done　or　ill　done；　he
found　a　motive　for　the　maid。

〃Cunegonda；〃　he　resumed；　〃takes　from　its　place　of　concealment　in
her　bosom　a　written　paper；　and　unfolds　it。　'Look　at　this；'　she
says。　Damoride　looks　at　the　paper；　and　sinks　again　at　her
mistress's　feet　in　a　paroxysm　of　horror　and　despair。　Cunegonda　is
in　possession　of　a　shameful　secret　in　the　maid's　past　life。
Cunegonda　can　say　to　her；　'Choose　your　alternative。　Either　submit
to　an　exposure　which　disgraces　you　anddisgraces　your　parents
foreveror　make　up　your　mind　to　obey　Me。'　Damoride　might　submit
to　the　disgrace　if　it　only　affected　herself。　But　her　parents　are
honest　people；　she　cannot　disgrace　her　parents。　She　is　driven　to
her　last　refugethere　is　no　hope　of　melting　the　hard　heart　of
Cunegonda。　Her　only　resource　is　to　raise　difficulties；　she　tries
to　show　that　there　are　obstacles　between　her　and　the　crime。
'Madam！　madam！'　she　cries；　'how　can　I　do　it；　when　the　nurse　is
there　to　see　me？'　Cunegonda　answers；　'Sometimes　the　nurse　sleeps；
sometimes　the　nurse　is　away。'　Damoride　still　persists。　'Madam！
madam！　the　door　is　kept　locked；　and　the　nurse　has　got　the　key。'〃

The　key！　I　instantly　thought　of　the　missing　key　at　Gleninch。　Had
he　thought　of　it　too？　He　certainly　checked　himself　as　the　word
escaped　him。　I　resolved　to　make　the　signal。　I　rested　my　elbow　on
the　arm　of　my　chair；　and　played　with　my　earring。　Benjamin　took
out　his　pencil　and　arranged　his　note…book　so　that　Ariel　could　not
see　what　he　was　about　if　she　happened　to　look　his　way。

We　waited　until　it　pleased　Miserrimus　Dexter　to　proceed。　The
interval　was　a　long　one。　His　hand　went　up　again　to　his　forehead。
A　duller　and　duller　look　was　palpably　stealing　over　his　eyes。
When　he　did　speak；　it　was　not　to　go　on　with　the　narrative；　but　to
put　a　question。

〃Where　did　I　leave　off？〃　he　asked。

My　hopes　sank　again　as　rapidly　as　they　had　risen。　I　managed　to
answer　him；　however；　without　showing　any　change　in　my　；manner。

〃You　left　off；〃　I　said；　〃where　Damoride　was　speaking　to
Cunegonda〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃　he　interposed。　〃And　what　did　she　say？〃

〃She　said；　'The　door　is　kept　locked；　and　the　nurse　has　got　the
key。'〃

He　instantly　leaned　forward　in　his　chair。

〃No！〃　he　answered；　vehemently。　〃You're　wrong。　'Key？'　Nonsense！　I
never　said　'Key。'〃

〃I　thought　you　did；　Mr。　Dexter。〃

〃I　never　did！　I　said　something　else；　and　you　have　forgotten　it。〃

I　refrained　from　disputing　with　him；　in　fear　of　what　might
follow。　We　waited　again。　Benjamin；　sullenly　submitting　to　my
caprices；　had　taken　down　the　questions　and　answers　that　had
passed　between　Dexter　and　myself。　He　still　mechanically　kept　h