the law and the lady-第83章
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〃I can't wait！ I want to make more discoveries！〃
He took no notice of my interruption； he went on impenetrably
with his calculations。
〃The man will go second…class； and will take a return…ticket。
Very well。 His ticket includes his food； and （being； thank God； a
teetotaler） he won't waste your money in buying liquor on board。
Arrived at New York； he will go to a cheap German house； where he
will； as I am credibly informed； be boarded and lodged at the
rate〃
By this time （my patience being completely worn out） I had taken
my check…book from the table…drawer； had signed my name； and had
handed the blank check across the table to my legal adviser。
〃Fill it in with whatever the man wants；〃 I said。 〃And for
Heaven's sake let us get back to Dexter！〃
Mr。 Playmore fell back in his chair； and lifted his hands and
eyes to the ceiling。 I was not in the least impressed by that
solemn appeal to the unseen powers of arithmetic and money。 I
insisted positively on being fed with more information。
〃Listen to this；〃 I went on； reading from Benjamin's notes。 〃What
did Dexter mean when he said； 'Number Nine； Caldershaws。 Ask for
Dandie。 You shan't have the Diary。 A secret in your ear。 The
Diary will hang him？' How came Dexter to know what was in my
husband's Diary？ And what does he mean by 'Number Nine；
Caldershaws；' and the rest of it？ Facts again？〃
〃Facts again！〃 Mr。 Playmore answered； 〃muddled up together； as
you may saybut positive facts for all that。 Caldershaws； you
must know； is one of the most disreputable districts in
Edinburgh。 One of my clerks （whom I am in the habit of employing
confidentially） volunteered to inquire for 'Dandie' at 'Number
Nine。' It was a ticklish business in every way； and my man wisely
took a person with him who was known in the neighborhood。 'Number
Nine' turned out to be （ostensibly） a shop for the sale of rags
and old iron； and 'Dandie' was suspected of trading now and then；
additionally； as a receiver of stolen goods。 Thanks to the
influence of his companion； backed by a bank…note （which can be
repaid； by the way； out of the fund for the American expenses）；
my clerk succeeded is making the fellow speak。 Not to trouble you
with needless details； the result in substance was this： A
fortnight or more before the date of Mrs。 Eustace's death；
'Dandie' made two keys from wax models supplied to him by a new
customer。 The mystery observed in the matter by the agent who
managed it excited Dandie's distrust。 He had the man privately
watched before he delivered the keys； and he ended in discovering
that his customer wasMiserrimus Dexter。 Wait a little！ I have
not done yet。 Add to this information Dexter's incomprehensible
knowledge of the contents of your husband's diary； and the
product isthat the wax models sent to the old…iron shop in
Caldershaws were models taken by theft from the key of the Diary
and the key of the table…drawer in which it was kept。 I have my
own idea of the revelations that are still to come if this matter
is properly followed up。 Never mind going into that at present。
Dexter （I tell you again） is answerable for the late Mrs。
Eustace's death。 _How_ he is answerable I believe you are in a
fair way of finding out。 And； more than that； I say now； what I
could not venture to say beforeit is a duty toward Justice； as
well as a duty toward your husband； to bring the truth to light。
As for the difficulties to be encountered； I don't think they
need daunt you。 The greatest difficulties give way in the end；
when they are attacked by the united alliance of patience
resolution_and_ economy。〃
With a strong emphasis on the last words； my worthy adviser；
mindful of the flight of time and the claims of business； rose to
take his leave。
〃One word more；〃 I said； as he held out his hand。 〃Can you manage
to s ee Miserrimus Dexter before you go back to Edinburgh？ From
what the gardener told me； his brother must be with him by this
time。 It would be a relief to me to hear the latest news of him；
and to hear it from you。〃
〃It is part of my business in London to see him；〃 said Mr。
Playmore。 〃But mind！ I have no hope of his recovery； I only wish
to satisfy myself that his brother is able and willing to take
care of him。 So far as _we_ are concerned； Mrs。 Eustace； that
unhappy man has said his last words。〃
He opened the doorstoppedconsideredand come back to me。
〃With regard to that matter of sending the agent to America；〃 he
resumed〃I propose to have the honor of submitting to you a
brief abstract〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Playmore！〃
〃A brief abstract in writing； Mrs。 Eustace； of the estimated
expenses of the whole proceeding。 You will be good enough
maturely to consider the same； making any remarks on it； tending
to economy； which may suggest themselves to your mind at the
time。 And you will further oblige me； if you approve of the
abstract； by yourself filling in the blank space on your check
with the needful amount in words and figures。 No； madam！ I really
cannot justify it to my conscience to carry about my person any
such loose and reckless document as a blank check。 There's a
total disregard of the first claims of prudence and economy
implied in this small slip of paper which is nothing less than a
flat contradiction of the principles that have governed my whole
life。 I can't submit to flat contradiction。 Good…morning； Mrs。
Eustacegood…morning。〃
He laid my check on the table with a low bow； and left me。 Among
the curious developments of human stupidity which occasionally
present themselves to view； surely the least excusable is the
stupidity which； to this day； persists in wondering why the
Scotch succeed so well in life！
CHAPTER XLII。
MORE SURPRISES。
The same evening I received my 〃abstract〃 by the hands of a
clerk。
It was an intensely characteristic document。 My expenses were
remorselessly calculated downward to shillings and even to pence；
and our unfortunate messenger's instructions in respect to his
expenditure were reduced to a nicety which must have made his
life in America nothing less than a burden to him。 In mercy to
the man； I took the liberty； when I wrote back to Mr。 Playmore；
of slightly increasing the indicated amount of the figures which
were to appear on the check。 I ought to have better known the
correspondent whom I had to deal with。 Mr。 Playmore's reply
（informing me that our emissary had started on his voyage）
returned a receipt in due form； and the whole of the surplus
money； to the last farthing！
A few hurried lines accompanied the 〃abstract；〃 and stated the
result of the lawyer's visit to Miserrimus Dexter。
There was no change for the betterthere was no change at all。
Mr。 Dexter； the brother； had arrived at the house accompanied by
a medical man accustomed to the charge of the insane。 The new
doctor declined to give any definite opinion on the case until he
had studied it carefully with plenty of time at his disposal。 It
had been accordingly arranged that he should remove Miserrimus
Dexter to the asylum of which he was the proprietor as soon as
the preparations for receiving the patient could be completed。
The one difficulty that still remained to be met related to the
disposal of the faithful creature who had never left her master；
night or day； since the catastrophe had happened。 Ariel had no
friends and no money。 The proprietor of the asylum could not be
expected to receive her without the customary payment； and Mr。
Dexter's brother 〃regretted to say that he was not rich enough to
find the money。〃 A forcible separation from the one human being
whom she loved； and a removal in the character of a pauper to a
public asylumsuch was the prospect which awaited the
unfortunate creature unless some one interfered in her favor
before the end of the week。
Under these sad circumstances； good Mr。 Playmorepassing over
the claims of economy in favor of the claims of
humanitysuggested that we should privately start a
subscription； and offered to head the list liberally himself。
I must have written all these pages to very little purpose if it
is necessary for me to add that I instantly sent a letter to Mr。
Dexter； the brother； undertaking to
